Resumes for industry scientist job

applications
Bill Lindstaedt
Executive Director
Career Advancement, International and Postdoctoral Scholars

4/18/16
 How to read a job description

2 Presentation Title and/or Sub Brand Name Here 4/18/16

 Overview of Hiring Process
Human Resources (HR)
•  Is the candidate a general fit for the position description?
•  Cover letter (10 sec); resume (20 sec)

Hiring Manager (HM)

•  General fit?
•  Cover letter (10 sec); resume (1-2 min)

Phone Interview(s) with HR &/or HM

•  Screen for confirmation.
•  Invite you for an in-person interview?

In-Person Interview
•  Meet with HM
•  May meet with potential colleagues, HR, &/or leadership
•  Possible job talk

3 Cover Letters & Resumes for U.S. Research Scientist Positions in Biotech Industry
Overview of Hiring Process

100 applicants
Most not qualified
Human Resources
30 applicants
Hiring Manager
3-7 applicants
Phone Interview
3-5 finalists
In-Person

1 new employee

Cover Letters & Resumes for U.S. Research Scientist Positions in Biotech Industry 4
 Overview of Hiring Process
Application materials needed:
§  General resume – for networking purposes only

§  Cover letter draft – tailor for each job description

§  Job application resumes – your general resume tailored for

each individual job description

§  Business cards – for networking/interviewing

Ø  Feature your background not just your status:
Betty Smith, PhD Joe Jones
Cancer Biologist PhD Candidate, Immunology

5 Cover Letters & Resumes for U.S. Research Scientist Positions in Biotech Industry 4/18/16
 CVs vs Resumes
Curriculum Vitae (Academia) Resume (Industry scientist)
•  Unlimited length • 1-3 Pages, plus pubs
•  Complete academic history • Selected history
•  No “Profile” or “objective” •  Begins with “Profile”
•  Tailored to type of position •  Tailored to each individual position
•  Organized using expected section • Organized with highly-tailored section
headings & content headings & content
•  Just the facts • Self-promotion expected
•  Cover letter and • Cover letter and references: Less
references: Critical role important, reference omitted

6 Cover Letters & Resumes for U.S. Research Scientist Positions in Biotech Industry
 Sections of a Resume
§  Heading: Name, address, phone (not lab), email, website, visa status if PR
§  Profile or Summary or Highlights
§  Education
§  Various “Experience” Sections – Research, Teaching, Mentoring,
Leadership and Supervision, Industry, Community Service, Writing, Business

§  Skills or Techniques – categorized list

§  Awards – describe if not obvious
§  Presentations and Publications at end
§  Generally no references, or “References available upon request”

7 Cover Letters & Resumes for U.S. Research Scientist Positions in Biotech Industry 4/18/16
 How to tailor your resume for
specific, posted job descriptions
§ Start with your generic resume
§ Carefully read the job description
§ Make a list: If you were the screener, what criteria must you
see on the ideal resume?
§ Edit the Profile section of your generic resume to fit the list of
screening criteria, as nearly as possible
§ Edit the following sections of your generic resume so that the
claims in your Profile section are clearly supported
Ø  Research Experience
Ø  Skills/Techniques
Ø  Publications/Presentations
Ø  Extra sections that support soft skills mentioned in Profile
8 Cover Letters & Resumes for U.S. Research Scientist Positions in Biotech Industry
 Non-academic Job Search –
Marketing yourself with your resume
Make sense of your background and skills for
HR and Scientists…
1.  Include a Skills/Techniques section
2.  Use the 3-bullet format to write about your research
Ø  What’s the big question you’re trying to answer?
Ø  How are you trying to answer it? What methods?
What approaches are you taking?
Ø  Accomplishments…What interesting things have you
found? Might you find? What are the potential
applications of this research?
v The meaning of a “good technical fit”

9 Cover Letters & Resumes for U.S. Research Scientist Positions in Biotech Industry
 Non-academic Job Search –
Marketing yourself with your resume
Use a Summary section or Profile section:
§  First section of industry resume
§  Purpose 1: “hook” to catch interest (scientist reader)
§  Purpose 2: Quickly demonstrate match between position
requirements and your qualifications (HR reader)
§  Useful format:
Ø  One or two line statement that classifies and sub-
classifies you, followed by bulleted text that fits job
description
§  ONLY include items that will help convince the reader you
are a fit for the job description
10 Cover Letters & Resumes for U.S. Research Scientist Positions in Biotech Industry
 Non-academic Job Search –
Marketing yourself with your resume
The job ad informs your Summary/Profile
Scientist – Protein Chemist
….We are seeking a highly motivated PhD scientist to join our Technology
Development Team…

The Technology Development team is seeking a uniquely qualified individual to establish a

new project that combines our chemical synthesis core technology with state of the art
combinatorial peptide methods.

Requirements:
-PhD in Biochemistry
-2-5 years of experience in industry or a combination of industry and related postdoctoral
experience
-Experience with structural biology, NMR or X-ray crystallography is a plus
-Background in folding and purification of proteins is highly desirable
-The job entails both bench work and management skills
-The job demands excellent communication skills, writing skills and the ability to work in teams

11 Cover Letters & Resumes for U.S. Research Scientist Positions in Biotech Industry
 Non-academic Job Search –
Marketing yourself with your resume
Ch’en Shu
Dept. of Biochemistry & Biophysics Phone: (415) 111-2222 (H)
Box 000 (415) 333-4444 (W)
University of California at San Francisco e-mail: shu@ucsf.edu
San Francisco, CA 94143

PROFILE
Protein biochemist with 5 years postdoctoral experience and 3 years industrial experience
§  Successful bench scientist with strong publication record
§  Extensive experience working in chemistry and structural biology
§  Project management experience in industrial settings and academic settings
§  Excellent communication and writing skills developed by managing my own successful
startup company

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 Non-academic Job Search –
Marketing yourself with your resume
Ch’en Shu
Dept. of Biochemistry & Biophysics Phone: (415) 111-2222 (H)
Box 000 (415) 333-4444 (W)
University of California at San Francisco e-mail: shu@ucsf.edu
San Francisco, CA 94143

PROFILE
Protein chemist with more than 5 years combined post-doctoral experience in industry and
academic settings
§  Extensive background in chemistry and structural biology
§  Protein purification experience
§  Experience with NMR and X-ray crystallography
§  Excellent communication, teamwork and writing skills developed through previous
industry position, bench and management duties
13 Cover Letters & Resumes for U.S. Research Scientist Positions in Biotech Industry
 Resume Formatting – Website apps
MOST IMPORTANT DIVIDER
Next Most Important
Next Most Important
Least Important

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO; 1999-Present

Postdoctoral Fellow, Laboratory of Dr. R. U. Ready
*Developed novel…resulted in 17 publications in Cell…

CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY, Cleveland, OH; 1995-1999

PhD Candidate, Laboratory of Dr. I. Rule
*Initiated discovery of…

14 Cover Letters & Resumes for U.S. Research Scientist Positions in Biotech Industry
 How to tailor your resume for
specific, posted job descriptions
§ Start with your generic resume
§ Carefully read the job description
§ Make a list: If you were the screener, what criteria must you
see on the ideal resume?
§ Edit the Profile section of your generic resume to fit the list of
screening criteria, as nearly as possible
§ Edit the following sections of your generic resume so that the
claims in your Profile section are clearly supported
Ø  Research Experience
Ø  Skills/Techniques
Ø  Publications/Presentations
Ø  Extra sections that support soft skills mentioned in Profile
15 Cover Letters & Resumes for U.S. Research Scientist Positions in Biotech Industry
 Review samples of successful Ph.D.
resumes targeted at industry
research jobs:
career.ucsf.edu
Ø  PhD’s
Ø  Non-academic Careers: CV’s, Resumes and Cover Letters

16 Cover Letters & Resumes for U.S. Research Scientist Positions in Biotech Industry 4/18/16
 Non-academic Cover Letters
Main goal for a cover letter:
•  Get the reader to review your resume more carefully
Two ways to accomplish the goal:
•  Impress the reader with your knowledge of company and
position, and why you want the position
•  Impress the reader by highlighting some unique qualifications
TIP for improving application success:
•  Always apply online, then also write to a scientist or other
person with your background/goals at a company, addressed by
name…a “2nd application”

17 Presentation Title and/or Sub Brand Name Here 4/18/16

 Non-academic Cover Letters

Three-four paragraphs:
1.  Indicate why you are writing – include specific job title

2-3. Indicate why you are interested in that position. Why you
are a good fit for that position and that company.

4. Refer to your enclosed resume

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 Send a “2nd Application to a specialist/scientist within the company

Sample letter for your “2nd Application” to a scientist

Dear Dr. Adams:

I have been reading with interest about the scientific developments at Abgenix. And
because of my background in XYZ, I have been reading with particular interest the
fascinating work that you have been doing in the area of XYZ.

I recently noticed a job posting on the Abgenix website for a Protein Chemist (Job
#112345J), for which I feel I am very well qualified. I have already applied on line to
the Human Resources website but I was wondering if you would be willing to also
send my attached resume on to the scientist who is hiring for the Protein Chemist
position? Or, if you are the hiring scientist, I hope you will read my resume and
consider contacting me for an interview!

Thank you for your assistance.

Sincerely,
Fred Jones
Dept. of Immunology
UCSF
415-555-5555
fred@ucsf.edu

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