How to Prepare an Entry-Level Scientific Resume

Applying as a fresh graduate into a scientific career can be extremely intimidating. Whether or not you feel completely competent in your laboratory techniques and skills, it is important that you market yourself as confidently as possible to potential employers. Even if you do not have any history as a laboratory employee, you still have more credentials for the job than you might think. Since your resume/CV may be all of "you" that these employers initially see, it is important that you highlight all of the best aspects of yourself as a laboratory employee. When I was applying for entry level positions as a chemist, I made sure to include the following items in my resume, even though "traditional" resumes might not include them.

1. All undergraduate research: Whether or not you consider your senior research project (or any other undergraduate research) to be any significant contribution to science, you should include it in a section on your resume. No matter what you did your research project on, this is one topic that you should have extensive knowledge of. Additionally, if you presented any of your research at a professional meeting, then be sure to list this as well. For example, during my undergraduate career I worked as part of a computational chemistry research project that was presented at a local American Chemical Society Pentasectional meeting, and I included this on my personal resume.

2. Laboratory Equipment Used: This is one section that is not listed on a traditional resume that is critical to marketing yourself as a competent researcher in the scientific field. While you may no longer feel completely confident in your abilities to utilize all of the laboratory techniques and mechanisms that you once used during your studies, you should still list them on your resume. All that matters is that you have been exposed to these pieces of equipment at some time or another. I found it helpful to review old lab reports that I had written to remind myself of some of the laboratory techniques I myself had once used.

3. Pertinent References: The references that you list on a resume aimed at employment in the scientific world should be references who can attest to your performance and capabilities within a laboratory/research setting. Since you probably do not have former employees who fall under this category (if you are applying for an entry level position), then your former professors will be your best option. Be sure to include contact information for every reference, and also alert those listed as references that you have put them down as such.

As with any job, connections to established employees within a company can prove vital for gaining an entry level job in the science industry. In addition to presenting yourself as an ideal candidate on your resume, be sure to seek out any possible connections that your professors or colleagues may be able to help you with.