9 Killer Resume Articles Every PhD Can Learn From (And Use To Land Their Dream Job)

There came a moment when I had to get out of academia.

The most talented postdoc I knew, was rejected, again, for a tenure track position.

The grant funding that my project depended on was not renewed.

There was no future for me in academia.

There was a serious lack of available positions and and troubling lack of money.

So, I decided to leave and get a job in industry.

I spent ages putting together a comprehensive resume that demonstrated how accomplished I was during my time in academia.

Then I looked through several job boards, like Indeed and LinkedIn, found the jobs that I seemed to be qualified for, and sent in my application.

This went on for weeks.

Trolling job boards trying to find the job that was perfectly suited to my skill set and then send in an application.

I must have uploaded my resume to at least 100 job postings.

All I ever got back was 4 generalized emails thanking me for my application.

No one ever contacted me and I never even got a rejection notice.

There was just silence.

It was maddening.

What was I doing wrong?

I was desperate to leave the dead end track I was on in academia.

So, I sought help.

The biggest realization I came to was that my resume was probably never even being looked at by a human.

A computer software program was rejecting my resume before a person even had a chance to look at it.

I changed my entire job search approach and began networking both in person and online.

I was open to jobs outside my specific PhD background.

And I completely rewrote my resume.

By networking I was able to learn exactly what employers wanted to see on my resume and I cut everything else out.

I had a clear and focused resume and a job search strategy that emphasized networking.

It wasn’t long until I had several job interviews and ultimately received a job offer for an industry position that I was very excited about.

Why Your Resume Is A Key Component Of Your Job Search

A successful job search strategy integrates several different components.

Networking, getting referrals, preparing for interviews, writing your resume etc.

Each part is important, but your resume has the power to make or break your job search.

A bad resume can keep you from getting a position even if you do everything else right.

Your resume is often the first written item you will show a potential employer, it’s your first impression.

And first impressions are hard to break.

A study by the University of Toronto showed that even when presented with facts that contradict a first impression, a person will still believe their first impression over the facts.

If your resume makes a bad first impression you will not be able to overcome that negative image.

You must make the most of that first impression.

But to even earn the opportunity to make a first impression your resume needs to stand out.

The average corporate job posting attracts 250 resume submissions, as reported by Ere Media.

And according to The Financial Post, 80% of those applications will be rejected by applicant tracking software within seconds, never being seen by a person.

If your main strategy is submitting your resume via online job portals, your resume is probably just ending up in the reject pile.

This method is a waste of the energy you have put into your resume.

Instead, you need to network, get a referral, and give your resume directly to the hiring manager.

With a referral and a high quality resume your chance of getting hired increases dramatically.

Cheeky Scientist Top 9 Industry Resume Articles

Writing a resume is probably the first thing you think of when job searching comes to mind.

But, do you know what an industry resume looks like?

Do you know what recruiters and hiring managers want to see on resumes?

Your industry resume should be very different from your academic CV.

Here are the 9 best Cheeky Scientist resume articles to help you write a top quality industry resume…

5 New Rules That Will Get Your Resume Noticed

To get hired, your resume must keep the attention of the recruiter or hiring manager.

This means that your resume is more than a list of your qualifications.

Your resume is where you must persuade the hiring manager that you deserve an interview.

Your resume needs to be modern and powerful.

This article discusses 5 new rules that define what your industry resume should contain in order to get noticed and earn you an interview.

5 Important Items PhDs Leave Out Of Their Resume

With a bad resume, you will never move forward to a phone screen or interview.

Your resume must clearly demonstrate that you are the right candidate for the position, or you will go straight into the reject pile.

Everything that you put on your resume has to add value to your application and be relevant to the job you’re applying for.

It’s up to you to prove that you are the best candidate.

This article covers 5 of the most important items hiring managers are looking for in a resume, that PhDs often forget to include.

3 Keys To Writing Perfect Resume Bullet Points For Your Job Search

Your resume will only matter after you get a referral and have to hand over your resume. But, you must be prepared with a well-crafted, results-driven industry resume with concise and persuasive bullet points.

Each bullet point is a chance to show the hiring manager that you are the perfect fit for the job.

Don’t waste all the effort of networking and building rapport by having a poorly written resume.

Make the most of each bullet point by including the 3 key parts of a winning bullet point.

This article details what the 3 essential parts of a bullet point are and how you can craft the perfect bullet point.

5 Ways To Ensure Your Resume Makes A Winning First Impression

As a PhD, you have many advantages over non-PhDs, and your resume should showcase these advantages.

Your resume is the first thing a potential employer will see with your name on it.

It is your first impression, and it has to be a good one in order for you to earn the opportunity to further impress your potential employer.

A bad first impression equals zero chance of getting the job.

This article discusses how to ensure that your resume makes a great impression on your potential employer and earns you an interview.

Have A PhD? Wondering How To Write A Resume? Start By Avoiding These 10 Resume Mistakes

Resume writing really is an art form, and just because you have a PhD doesn’t mean you automatically know how to sell yourself in 2 pages.

Most PhDs fall into the same bad habits as other job candidates because they don’t know how to market themselves like a business person.

If your resume is not up to par, or if it’s littered with amateur mistakes, you’ll likely find yourself doing benchwork for the bulk of your career.

This article shows you 10 mistakes that PhDs commonly make on their resumes and tells you how to avoid them.

How To Use Keywords To Get Your Industry Resumes Past Applicant Tracking System Software

The competition for industry jobs is intense.

Hiring managers and recruiters can receive thousands of applications for a single job opening.

This makes screening for qualified applicants tedious and overwhelming.

To make the process more efficient, the majority of large corporations have implemented Applicant Tracking Software with algorithms to eliminate unqualified or inappropriate applicants electronically.

The majority of applications are rejected without even being seen by a person.

This article outlines strategies that can increase your chances of getting past ATS and getting your resume into the hands of the hiring manager.

What Is The Difference Between An Academic CV And An Industry Resume?

When transitioning from academia to industry, you will need to trade in your CV for an industry resume.

But, what is the difference between these 2 documents?

In academia, your CV outlines all of your accomplishments, complete with publications, presentations, and technical jargon.

This is not what industry wants.

Industry employers want to know what you can offer them.

What will they get if they hire you?

What Recruiters Want To See On A PhD’s Resume

Most recruiters will go through 200 resumes a week, select 50 of those resumes for further review, and call only 15 for full screening.

Only the top 7.5% of candidates will get a call.

Bottom line — recruiters are busy.

The resume you send to a recruiter must be super-focused and easy to read, or you are not going to get a call back.

This article discusses what you need to have on your resume in order to get a call back from a recruiter.

10 Things Smart PhDs Do NOT Put On Their Industry Resumes

Some things have no place on your resume.

Including these taboo items will scream that you are an unprepared academic who is not ready to transition into industry.

You may be a great fit for a position, but if your resume contains a red flag, you are never going to move on to the next step.

This article will show you how to put your best foot forward and avoid putting the wrong items into your resume.

Writing your resume was probably one of the first things you thought about doing when you started your job search. And, rightfully so.

Your resume is an essential part of getting a job.

You need to have an industry-style resume that recruiters and hiring managers want to read.

Your resume should be persuasive and powerful.

There are rules you should follow, and taboo items that you should leave out of your resume.

There is a way to write the perfect bullet point that will help you make a winning first impression with your resume.

As a PhD, you have a lot to offer an industry employer, but you have to know how to make that value visible in your resume.

If you’re ready to start your transition into industry, you can apply to book a free Transition Call with our founder Isaiah Hankel, PhD or one of our Transition Specialists. Apply to book a Transition Call here.