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Crafting a killer resume: What industry employers want

Science/AAAS Postdoctoral Professional Development Seminar

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Introduction

Mark Presnell, Ph.D. DirectorCareer Center Johns Hopkins University

Derek Haseltine, M.Ed. Assistant DirectorProfessional Development OfficeJohns Hopkins Medical Institutes

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CV vs. Resume

Resume

Focus: Career summary thattypically includes education,work experience, skills andother related experience

Provides brief snapshot of skills and experience tailored to aspecific job

Length: Typically 1-2 pages Crucial: List of transferableskills and experiences

Curriculum Vitae (CV)

Focus: A longer, morecomprehensive document thatrepresents academicachievements and scholarlypotential

Provides a full summary ofeducational background andresearch

Length: Flexible

Crucial: Full list of publications, presentations, research summary, etc.

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CV vs. Resume

Target Audience

vs.

CV – Primarily academia and research-driven environments and

▪ Academic & Industry Research ▪ Academic Faculty positions ▪ Fellowships & Grants

Resume- Positions outside of academia and research

▪ Consulting ▪ Business & Marketing ▪ Communications & Writing ▪ Legal ▪ Industry, non-research

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Taking a business focusedapproach • Concise

• Targeted

• Forward thinking

• Highlight expertise/differentiating features

• Value proposition

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• Leadership• Technical Skills• Analytical Skills• Communication Skills (both

written and verbal)• Interpersonal Skills

• Academic Achievement• Prior Experience• Extracurricular Involvement• Teamwork• Motivation/Initiative• Foreign Languages

Organizations look for

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• Know the type of organization and the type of position you would like

• You can’t find a position if you don’t know what you are looking for

Step 1: Set a Goal

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• Determine what organizations are looking for regarding skills, experience, etc.

• Use your research to target your resume

Step 2: Research

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• Heading

• Objective

• Education

• Summary of Qualifications/Skills

• Relevant & Other Experience

• Activities• Honors/Awards• Other• References

Step 3: Determine Resume Format and Content

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Name & Contact Info

• Full Name & Title (i.e. Ph.D., M.S., R.N., J.D., M.P.H., PharmD, etc.)

• Street address, city, state, zip code

• Telephone #’s (Home, Cell, Work)

• Email Address

• Optional: Lab information

• DO NOT include Social Security #, age, gender, marital status, race, ethnicity, religion, political affiliation, or picture.

Tip: Your Name should be prominent. Use bold and/or larger type to catch the reader’s attention. Keep it concise!

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GoodBad

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• Serves as an Introduction– Show employer you have skills they want

• Hooks the employer to keep reading resume

• Demonstrates an understanding of the field by specifically articulating your knowledge, experience, and skills.

Summary of Qualifications/Skills

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Concerns for Scientists transitioning to non-bench positions

Question:How do I present myself and market my background in a way which won’t turn employers off?

Answer: ● Use words and phrases/key terms specific to the sector (some companies use keyword search engines)● Downplay particulars of research; highlight transferable/commercial skills;

focus on achievements; include relevant courses ● Organize “Experience” into various sections and exclude sections that are not applicable (i.e. “Research Interests” or “Objective” statements)

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Skills…more than just a lab rat!!!

Scientific and Research based • Specific techniques (i.e. cell signaling, DNA cloning, protein purification, algorithm

development, etc.)• Study design and research methodology • Knowledge of GMP, GLP, regulatory processes • Understanding of drug development process and experience with drug discovery

across various platform targets

Transferable • Written and verbal communication; presentation • Organization • Time management; operating with sense of urgency • Leadership; supervisory experience • Attention to detail • Project management; managing budgets• Collaborations; relationship management; client interfacing • Literature analysis • Team player; independent thinker • Language fluencies • Ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure

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Skills, various ways to communicate

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Education

• List degrees in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent degree

• GPA???

• Include:– Name of Institution, Location (City and State)– Degree earned and major/field of study– Date obtained -or- dates attended

• Recommended for PhD: – Dissertation – Advisor or “Committee”

• Can combine Postdoc and re-title section, Education and Training

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Research Experience

• List the institution, department and name of your advisor

• Include a few statements that overview your research, with particular attention to the purpose of your research, relevant findings and conclusion.

• Avoid 1st person narrative

• Aim for truncated summaries

Tip: Just as important as “Where did you get your PhD” is “Under whom did you postdoc”? Include your advisor’s

name!!!

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Teaching Experience

• Title (i.e. Instructor, Lecturer, Teaching Assistant, etc), institution, dates, course

• Separate Clinical, Classroom, CME, Mentoring, etc. if extensive teaching portfolio

• Depending upon the importance of teaching in the position you are applying for, go into detail about role in course (grading exams, reviewing lab reports and papers, holding weekly office hours, etc)

• Can include special courses taken (i.e. Curriculum Design, Facilitating Small Group Discussion, Introduction to Problem Based Learning, etc.)

Tip: If no direct teaching experience, be creative and use alternatives (i.e. “Mentoring Experience”, “Research Advisor”,

etc.)

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Describing Experiences

• Convey action – refer to Resumes for action verbs• Demonstrate and quantify results• Highlight results and accomplishments – not just tasks• Write for the reader• Demonstrate skills• Avoid jargon; spell out acronyms• Be consistent• Avoid sentences• Apply the “So what?” test• Use key words – know the language of the industry

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Experience cont’d

Use commanding language (Action Verbs)

• Pioneered• Designed • Delivered • Initiated • Redesigned • Introduced

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Experience

PROFESSIONAL EXPERINCE

VISITING FELLOW, 3/97 – PresentNational Institutes of Health, Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology

• Manage a lab of 12 scientists, researchers and support staff.• Presented findings at 3 conferences and 7 workshops to over 500 scientists.• Provide scientific expertise regarding research outcomes to staff and colleagues at NIH.• Conduct experimental research using basic molecular biological methods such as library construction, mapping cloning, sub-cloning, DNA sequencing and analysis, DNA/RNA isolation, purification, blotting and hybridization, electrophoretic mobility shift.• Manage lab budget of $550,000• Wrote 12 research articles on neuroscience, cell biology, pharmacology and molecular parasitology.

* Sample Resume from the NIH for PhD applicant

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Experience

PROFESSIONAL EXPERINCE

VISITING FELLOW, 3/97 – PresentNational Institutes of Health, Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology

• Manage a lab of 12 scientists, researchers and support staff.• Presented findings at 3 conferences and 7 workshops to over 500 scientists.• Provide scientific expertise regarding research outcomes to staff and colleagues at NIH.• Conduct experimental research using basic molecular biological methods such as library construction, mapping cloning, sub-cloning, DNA sequencing and analysis, DNA/RNA isolation, purification, blotting and hybridization, electrophoretic mobility shift.• Manage lab budget of $550,000• Wrote 12 research articles on neuroscience, cell biology, pharmacology and molecular parasitology.

Action verbsSkills * Sample Resume from the NIH for PhD applicant

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Experience- enhancements

Before

· Paragraph format· 1st person narrative· Unnecessary text

After

· Use of bullets · Easy to scan · Fragmented sentences; less is more· Action verbs · Saves space

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Honors and Awards

• Includes fellowships, scholarships, teaching/lecturing/speaking awards, outstanding student awards, elections to office, educational fraternities, etc.

• For International distinctions include brief explanation: - Award given to top 5% students Nationally - 80% remission of tuition fees for UK residents - Publisher’s award designed to encourage Japanese-Canadian

literature

Tip: List as a separate section only if you have several distinguished honors/awards, otherwise list with education

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Professional Memberships/Societies

• Memberships to professional societies/organizations

• Include name of society/organization and dates

• Include any leadership activities

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Presentations

• Presentations/posters/abstracts/invited talks at National and International Conferences, talks at local meetings, peer reviewed workshops, etc.

• Include: “Title of Talk”, Institution or Conference, Location, Date

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• Publications listed in standard citation format: (Authors in actual precedence of authorship)

• Your name underlined/bold text • Include published or in press • Listed in reverse chronological order, with most recent first • Distinguish between articles, books, chapters, invited reviews, peer-

reviewed Internet pubs, etc. • Numbering pub list optional

Tip: List these last if you have more than 5. Avoid “padding”

Publications

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Certifications/Licenses

• Title

• Date

• Cert. or license #

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Additional Sections

• Leadership or Administrative Activities– Institutional Committee Appointments – Student organizations and leadership positions

• Graduate Student Association, Hopkins Biotech Network, Chinese Student & Scholars Association, Toastmasters International, Hopkins Business and Consulting Club, Women’s Leadership Council, etc.

• Community Activities – Community service– Volunteer work

• Extramural Funding – Include sponsor, your role, $ awarded and your % effort

• Patents

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What employers are saying

“When I look at a resume, the Professional Summary explaining who you are, what you value, and highlight of skills and accomplishments is 90% of the resume to me. The layout and organization of thecontent is the remaining 10%”- Human Resources Generalist, ECRI

“Don't write a book! The average HR person looks at a resume for around ten seconds before deciding ifthey're going to keep reading. If you are sending a CV, the same applies; keep the education and job historyto 3 pages.” - HR Manager, MedImmune

“List results-oriented activities and demonstrated proof of your ability to meet deadlines”- Senior Associate, Sanford Bernstein Global Wealth Management- Biotech & Healthcare Equities

“Never assume your targeted audience knows the relevancy of your research. Clearly spell out how yourresearch directly impacted the field as well any other tangible achievements you picked up along the way”. - Consultant, Booz Allen Hamilton

“Focus on tailoring your resume specifically toward the position you are applying for. Use keywordsthroughout that match your experience to the position”

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Purpose of a Cover letter

• Application Letter– Introduce resume– Show skills as good fit

• Prospecting Letter– Inquire about positions

• Networking Letter – Make a connection

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The Position and Employer

• What is the prospective employer seeking?• What do you know about the employer?• Why are you interested in the opportunity?

Your skills, abilities and potential for success

• What are the qualities that you bring to this job? • What are your short term career goals and how does position fit into

your trajectory? • What potential positive contributions can you make?

Considerations before writing

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Content

• Introduction – Who you are? What do you want? – Identify the position and referral source (vacancy announcement vs.

colleague’s referral)

• Body (Sales Pitch) – Relationship between your skills and experience and the open position – Most attractive characteristics? Examples? – Value added/what can you bring to the table– Awareness of institution (resources, people, etc) and why of interest to you

• Closing – Reinforce interest – Address additional materials – Propose steps for further action

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Sample cover letter Q: Who are you? A: Postdoctoral fellow in Doe’s lab

Q: Why are you writing? A: Applying for faculty position that satisfies research interests.

Q: Why are you qualified?A: Briefly outline research plan

Q: How will you contribute? A: Conduct independent research. Teaching contributions. Specific techniques

Sincere and professional closing

Mention additional materials

Reinforce interest in position

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Things to Remember

• Talk about why you would be a good match for the job – emphasize 2 or 3 strongest reasons that you are the best candidate

• Back up claims with examples • One page, single spaced; 3-4 paragraphs• Demonstrate confidence, not aggressiveness• Avoid saying anything negative about current or previous

employment situations • Check for spelling and grammar.

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Thank You

Questions