Crafting your

Non-Academic Resume
Allison Keller, UCI Career Center

Agenda

Resume format
What do employers want
How to read a job advertisement
Determining your content
Writing strong content
Cover letters

The average employer

looks at a resume for
only 6 seconds!

Source: The Ladders

Resume Format

Contact
Profile/Objective

Objective/Profile/Summary

Optional on resume
Example:
Molecular biologist skilled at experimental design
and implementation. Works well individually and
as part of a discovery team. Strong written
communication skills as evidenced by publication
record and successful grant writing.

Resume Format

Contact
Profile/Objective
Education

Experience

Skills
Research/Publications
Languages

Activities/Interest
Volunteer Activities
Professional
Affiliations

Experience
What is Experience?
Alternatives to Experience: Research
Management Leadership
List Organization/Company name; Location, Job Title,
Dates employed
Reverse chronological order
Bullets vs. Paragraphs
Verb tense (present or past)

What do Employers Want

Make sure technical knowledge is clear as well

as your project work- this is the best way for us
to determine if you will be a fit for the position
or not.
Connect the experience to the job description
dont just put everything you could possibly think
of
Projects where experience can translate to
industry help tell that story shouldnt be too
academic focused unless its for a research
position

Skills Employers Want

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

9.
10.

Written communication skills

Leadership
Analytical/quantitative skills
Strong work ethic
Ability to work in a team
Problem-solving skills
Verbal communication skills
Initiative
Detail-oriented
Computer skills
NACE Job Outlook, 2014

Transferable Skills
Competency Area

Create vision
Develop people
Execution
Achieving results
Communication
Financial acumen

MS/PhD Behavior

Develop hypotheses
Training students
Plan/perform experiments
Quality check
Present/defend work
Managing project costs

Dissecting a Job Advertisement

Research Scientist-Biochemist

Qualification:

PhD in Biochemistry/molecular biology/chemical engineering. Some postgraduate work

preferred.

Highly-motivated and qualified individual with active research experience in biochemistry or

chemical engineering with biological expertise is required. Practical expertise in developing
biomarker samples to be used in traditional bioassays as well as spectroscopic methods.

Interest and experience in performing analysis of the developed biomarkers using spectroscopic
methods including FTIR, Raman, NIR, and white light spectroscopy would be a benefit. Statistical
analysis and/or image analysis is also desirable.

Familiarity with the latest tools and methods in biomolecular analysis is required.

Excellent written and oral communications and the ability for meticulous record keeping are
required.

The position also entails considerable interactions with other investigators and contract research
organizations.

The candidate must be a US Citizen or Permanent Resident

Dissecting a Job Advertisement

Research Scientist-Biochemist

Qualification:

PhD in Biochemistry/molecular biology/chemical engineering. Some postgraduate work

preferred.

Highly-motivated and qualified individual with active research experience in biochemistry or

chemical engineering with biological expertise is required. Practical expertise in developing
biomarker samples to be used in traditional bioassays as well as spectroscopic methods.

Interest and experience in performing analysis of the developed biomarkers using spectroscopic
methods including FTIR, Raman, NIR, and white light spectroscopy would be a benefit. Statistical
analysis and/or image analysis is also desirable.

Familiarity with the latest tools and methods in biomolecular analysis is required.

Excellent written and oral communications and the ability for meticulous record keeping are
required.

The position also entails considerable interactions with other investigators and contract
research organizations.

The candidate must be a US Citizen or Permanent Resident

Reading a Job Ad: Hard & Soft Skills

Description:
Department: Biomedical Report to: Director, Biologics
We are a world class research and product development team located in Pasadena, CA with an
IMMEDIATE opening for a Senior Experimental Scientist with a background in Biochemistry
Summary: ChromoLogic LLC is actively engaged in multiple cutting edge applied research and
development programs. We bring a unique, multi-disciplinary approach to compelling scientific
challenges. Our core capabilities stem from the diverse talents of our staff. We provide a highly
creative, collaborative and challenging work environment. Our open culture of collaborative
research extends beyond our facilities to that of our extensive academic and industrial
collaborators providing our staff with unparalleled research and product development
perspective. A position in our biologics division is immediately available to join our efforts in the
development and application of biomarker measuring technology.
Job Duties (Research Scientist)
Technically contribute toward the companys on-going Research programs
Initiate original ideas (product and research)
Prepare Technical Proposals for outside funding and lead programs as Principal Investigator
Collaborate with internal and external teams to advance research and product development
goals
Prepare technical documents and peer-reviewed publications

Reading a Job Ad: Hard & Soft Skills

Mechanical Research & Development Engineers

Qualification:

BS & MS or PHD in Mechanical Engineering with a minimum GPA of 3.3 in all earned degrees

US Citizenship or US person status required per US government ITAR regulations

Hands on laboratory/testing experience preferred

Solid understanding of heat transfer/thermodynamics

Mechanical orientation with problem solving mentality

Geometric dimensioning and tolerancing experience preferred

As a Mechanical Research Engineer you will lead research programs in thermal control or energy
conversion fields, i.e. microfluids device for cooling power converters in military vehicles, high heat flux
cooling system for radar jamming applications and directed energy weapons, turbine and compressor
development.

Specific skills include:

Experimental research experience

Solid understanding of heat transfer, thermodynamics and fluid dynamics

Experience with sensors, i.e. pressure transducers, thermocouples, flow meters, load cells etc.

Problem solving mentality with the ability to come up with innovative solutions

Determining Your Content

Look at the job description

Placement of skills in the ad
Frequency of mentions
Look at company website
Know their mission/core values
How/where do you fit
Look at yourself
How are you unique
What are your achievements

Writing Strong Content

Describe experience using Action Verbs and Key Words

Quantify #, $, % when possible
Describe any results and accomplishments

Ask yourself these questions to develop content

Who?
What?
When?
Where?
Why?
How?

Writing Strong Content

Graded exams and papers

Evaluated performance and provided feedback for up to
30 students per quarter
Held office hours with students
Coached students individually resulting in increased
comprehension of materials and improved performance
Led lab courses
Designed skills training activities and supervised
students to ensure they learned proper laboratory
protocols

Resume Tips
Length?
Font size/margins
Consistency
Tailor each resume
Keywords

Cover Letters
Introduces you to prospective employer
Highlights key information and
accomplishments
Appeals to employers needs
Keep cover letters short usually 1 page
May be the body of an email sent in response
to job with resume attached make it
professional
Include with every resume unless otherwise
stated

Questions???

Resume and Cover Letter Reviews at the UCI

Career Center
Monday-Friday 11:00-3:00 drop

in sessions
Schedule an appointment 949-824-6881