how to include research on cv

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How To Put Research On Your Resume (With Examples)

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Research experiences and skills are an incredibly important aspect of many job applications, so it’s important to know how to put them on your resume correctly. Hiring managers and recruiters want employees who can help drive innovation by being able to apply research skills to problem solve and come up with creative growth solutions.

If you’re a job seeker looking to include your research skills on a resume , we’ll go over how to list research on resume, where you can include it on a resume, and give you some examples.

Key Takeaways:

If you don’t have traditional research experience, highlight the skills used for research that you’ve used in past jobs.

Consider creating a separate research section in your resume if you have a lot of research experience or merge sections, depending on which section you want to bolster with research.

Research experience is one of the best assets to include on a resume so be on the lookout for more opportunities.

What are research skills?

Where to put research experience on your resume

How to include research on your resume, examples of research on a resume, how to put research on your resume faq.

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Research skills are any skills related to your ability to locate, extract, organize, and evaluate data relevant to a particular subject. It also involves investigation, critical thinking , and presenting or using the findings in a meaningful way.

Depending on what job you’re applying for, research skills could make or break your ability to land the job. Almost every job requires some research skills and you probably already have some of those skills mastered by now.

For most careers, research is a vital process to be able to answer questions. “Research skills” are not a single skill, but multiple ones put together.

Some skills that are necessary for research are organization, problem-solving, critical thinking, communication, and specific technical skills, like coding, Excel, and copywriting.

Including research experience and skills on a resume can be incredibly flexible. When thinking about how to add it to your resume, you want to consider how the research experience adds to your resume.

Your research experience can be included in a few different sections of your resume. Some of those sections include:

Academic accomplishments

Research experience

Work experience/history

College activities

Volunteer work

Presentations and publications

Skills section

If you’ve had smaller research roles but no “official” research experience, you can highlight the skills associated with the types of research mentioned above in your job description under the work history section in your resume.

If your job history is a research position, then naturally, you would include research under the work history section. You can also merge your sections depending on what type of position you are applying for.

For example, you could create a “Research and Education” section or a “Research and Publications” section. If your research is not related to your education and you don’t have any publications, you can also detail it in a separate “Research” section in your resume.

To include your research on your resume, you should gather all the necessary information and then quantify your accomplishments to fit into specific sections. Here is a more detailed list of how to write about research experience in resume:

Gather all the necessary information. The first step is to collect all of the important details like the title of the research project, the location of the research project, the principal investigator of the project (if applicable), and the dates of the project. You will list these details much like you would list a company you have worked for in the past.

Read the job description carefully. Every resume and cover letter you write should be tailored to the job you’re applying for. When a hiring manager puts a necessary qualification in their job posting, you must be sure to include it in your resume.

Make sure that you highlight the right types of research skills on your job applications and resumes.

Quantify your accomplishments. When describing your role on the project, you will want to summarize your accomplishments and deliverables. Hiring managers and recruiters love seeing numbers. When you write out the deliverables from your project, make sure you quantify them.

Incorporate into your work history section. If there were times when you used your research skills in your past employment opportunities, include them in your work experience section. You can also include publications, conferences you may have presented at, and any awards or recognition your research had received.

If you have completed research in an academic setting, then presentations (oral and poster) are an important part of the research process. You should include those details along with the titles of your publications.

Add to your research section. Other aspects of research that you can detail to make your application more competitive are adding skills specific to your project to the skills section of your resume.

These skills will vary depending on the subject matter, but some examples include coding languages, interviewing skills, any software you used and are proficient in using, managerial skills , and public speaking if you have presented your research at conferences.

Add research to your skills section. If the specific research you did is less important than the skills you used to perform it, highlight that in your skills section. That way, you don’t have to take up a lot of work or education history with slightly irrelevant information, but hiring managers can still see you have research skills.

Just be sure you’re more specific about a research methodology you’re an expert in because the skills section doesn’t give you as much room to explain how you leveraged these abilities.

Sprinkle research throughout your resume. If you have a lot of experience performing research in professional, volunteer, and educational settings, pepper it in a few different sections. The more hands-on experience you have with research, the better (for jobs that require research).

Let’s look at some examples of how research can be included on a resume:

University research example

EDUCATION Undergraduate Thesis, University of Connecticut, Dec. 2017-May 2018 Worked alongside UCONN English Department head Penelope Victeri to research the poetry of New England writers of the 20th century. Explored common themes across the works of Elizabeth Bishop, Wallace Stevens, and Robert Lowell. Performed online and in-person research on historical documents relating to each author , including information on the political, religious, and economic landscape of the US at the time. Analyzed poetic works of each author and drew on similar contemporary regional authors’ works. Prepared 20,000 words thesis entitled “Place, Allegory, and Religion: Three 20th Century New England Poets” and defended my written arguments to a panel of English professors.

Customer service research example

WORK EXPERIENCE Conducted interviews with 20 customers each week to gain insight into the user experience with company products Used Google analytics to determine which pages were driving most web traffic, and increased traffic by 11% Reviewed thousands of customer surveys and compiled findings into monthly reports with graphic findings Presented at weekly marketing meeting to inform marketing team of trends in customer experience with our products

Laboratory research example

RESEARCH Conducted experiments on rat brains by introducing various novel chemical compounds and levels of oxygen Ran electricity through brain slices to view interaction of different chemical compounds on active brain cells Prepared sterile samples for daily check and maintained 89% percent yield over the course of a 3-month study Presented findings in a final 15 -page research report and presentation to the Research and Development team

Examples of common research skills to list on your resume

Here are examples of research skills in action that you may have overlooked:

Searching for local business competition

Sending out customer satisfaction surveys

Summarizing current policies and laws in effect for a particular topic

Creating lesson plans based on current education standards

Reading literature reviews and implementing changes in clinical practice

Attention to detail

Problem-solving skills

Critical thinking

Project management skills

Communication skills

Why are research skills important?

Research skills are important because they can help you identify a problem, gather information, and evaluate that information for relevancy. Including your research skills on a resume will show hiring managers that you have the ability to suggest new ideas and help their organization adapt and change as the industry changes.

Some common research skills include:

critical thinking

Computer skills

Can I list research as a skill?

Yes, you can list research as a skill on your resume. Including your research skills in your resume can help show a potential employer that you have the ability to suggest new ideas and use critical thinking to find solutions to problems. Most research skills will use attention to detail, problem-solving, and project management skills.

California State University San Bernardino – Incorporating Research Project Experience on Your Resume

University of Missouri – How to Put Research on Your Resume

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Heidi Cope is a former writer for the Zippia Career Advice blog. Her writing focused primarily on Zippia's suite of rankings and general career advice. After leaving Zippia, Heidi joined The Mighty as a writer and editor, among other positions. She received her BS from UNC Charlotte in German Studies.

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Academic CV (Curriculum Vitae) for Research: CV Examples

What is an academic CV (or research CV)?

An academic CV or “curriculum vitae” is a full synopsis (usually around two to three pages) of your educational and academic background. In addition to college and university transcripts, the personal statement or statement of purpose , and the cover letter, postgraduate candidates need to submit an academic CV when applying for research, teaching, and other faculty positions at universities and research institutions. 

Writing an academic CV (also referred to as a “research CV” or “academic resume”) is a bit different than writing a professional resume. It focuses on your academic experience and qualifications for the position—although relevant work experience can still be included if the position calls for it. 

What’s the difference between a CV and a resume?

While both CVs and resumes summarize your major activities and achievements, a resume is more heavily focused on professional achievements and work history. An academic CV, on the other hand, highlights academic accomplishments and summarizes your educational experience, academic background and related information.

Think of a CV as basically a longer and more academic version of a resume. It details your academic history, research interests, relevant work experience, publications, honors/awards, accomplishments, etc. For grad schools, the CV is a quick indicator of how extensive your background is in the field and how much academic potential you have. Ultimately, grad schools use your academic resume to gauge how successful you’re likely to be as a grad student.

Do I need an academic CV for graduate school?

Like personal statements, CVs are a common grad school application document (though not all programs require them). An academic CV serves the same basic purpose as a regular CV: to secure you the job you want—in this case, the position of “grad student.” Essentially, the CV is a sales pitch to grad schools, and you’re selling yourself !

In addition to your college transcripts, GRE scores, and personal statement or statement of purpose , graduate schools often require applicants submit an academic CV. The rules for composing a CV for a Master’s or doctoral application are slightly different than those for a standard job application. Let’s take a closer look.

Academic CV Format Guidelines

No matter how compelling the content of your CV might be, it must still be clear and easy for graduate admissions committee members to understand. Keep these formatting and organization tips in mind when composing and revising your CV:

• Whatever formatting choices you make (e.g., indentation, font and text size, spacing, grammar), keep it consistent throughout the document.
• Use bolding, italics, underlining, and capitalized words to highlight key information.
• Use reverse chronological order to list your experiences within the sections.
• Include the most important information to the top and left of each entry and place associated dates to the right.
• Include page numbers on each page followed by your last name as a header or footer.
• Use academic verbs and terms in bulleted lists; vary your language and do not repeat the same terms. (See our list of best verbs for CVs and resumes )

How long should a CV be?

While resumes should be concise and are usually limited to one or two pages, an academic CV isn’t restricted by word count or number of pages. Because academic CVs are submitted for careers in research and academia, they have all of the sections and content of a professional CV, but they also require additional information about publications, grants, teaching positions, research, conferences, etc. 

It is difficult to shorten the length without shortening the number of CV sections you include. Because the scope and depth of candidates’ academic careers vary greatly, academic CVs that are as short as two pages or as long as five pages will likely not surprise graduate admissions faculty.

How to Write an Academic CV

Before we look at academic CV examples, let’s discuss the main sections of the CV and how you can go about writing your CV from scratch. Take a look at the sections of the academic CV and read about which information to include and where to put each CV section. For academic CV examples, see the section that follows this one.

Academic CV Sections to Include (with Examples)

A strong academic CV should include the following sections, starting from the top of the list and moving through the bottom. This is the basic Academic CV structure, but some of the subsections (such as research publications and academic awards) can be rearranged to highlight your specific strengths and achievements. 

• Contact Information
• Research Objective or Personal Profile
• Education Section
• Professional Appointments
• Research Publications
• Awards and Honors
• Grants and Fellowships
• Conferences Attended
• Teaching Experience
• Research Experience
• Additional Activities
• Languages and Skills

Now let’s go through each section of your academic CV to see what information to include in detail. 

1. Contact Information

Your academic curriculum vitae must include your full contact information, including the following: 

• Professional title and affiliation (if applicable)
• Institutional address (if you are currently registered as a student)
• Your home address
• Your email address
• Your telephone number
• LinkedIn profile or other professional profile links (if applicable)

In more business-related fields or industries, adding your LinkedIn profile in your contact information section is recommended to give reviewers a more holistic understanding of your academic and professional profile.

Check out our article on how to use your LinkedIn profile to attract employers .

2. Research Objective or Personal Profile

A research objective for an academic CV is a concise paragraph (or long sentence) detailing your specific research plans and goals.

A personal profile gives summarizes your academic background and crowning achievements.

Should you choose a research objective or a personal profile?

If you are writing a research CV, include a research objective. For example, indicate that you are applying to graduate research programs or seeking research grants for your project or study

A research objective will catch the graduate admission committee’s attention and make them want to take a closer look at you as a candidate.

Academic CV research objective example for PhD application  

MA student in Sociology and Gender Studies at North American University who made the President’s List for for six consecutive semesters seeking to use a semester-long research internship to enter into postgraduate research on the Impetus for Religious In-groups in Eastern Europe in the Twentieth Century.

Note that the candidate includes details about their academic field, their specific scholastic achievements (including an internship), and a specific topic of study. This level of detail shows graduate committees that you are a candidate who is fully prepared for the rigors of grad school life. 

While an academic CV research objective encapsulates your research objective, a CV personal profile should summarize your personal statement or grad school statement of purpose . 

Academic CV personal profile example for a post-doctoral university position

Proven excellence in the development of a strong rapport with undergraduate students, colleagues, and administrators as a lecturer at a major research university. Exhibits expertise in the creation and implementation of lifelong learning programs and the personalized development of strategies and activities to propel learning in Higher Education, specifically in the field of Education. Experienced lecturer, inspirational tutor, and focused researcher with a knack for recognizing and encouraging growth in individuals. Has completed a Master’s and PhD in Sociology and Education with a BA in Educational Administration.

What makes this CV personal profile example so compelling? Again, the details included about the applicant’s academic history and achievements make the reader take note and provide concrete examples of success, proving the candidate’s academic acumen and verifiable achievements.

3. Education Section

If you are applying to an academic position, the Education section is the most essential part of your academic CV.

List your postsecondary degrees in reverse chronological order . Begin with your most recent education (whether or not you have received a degree at the time of application), follow it with your previous education/degree, and then list the ones before these.

Include the following educational details:

• Year of completion or expected completion (do not include starting dates)
• Type of Degree
• Any minor degrees (if applicable)
• Your department and institution
• Your honors and awards
• Dissertation/Thesis Title and Advisor (if applicable)

Because this is arguably the most important academic CV section, make sure that all of the information is completely accurate and that you have not left out any details that highlight your skills as a student. 

4. Professional Appointments

Following the education section, list your employment/professional positions on your academic CV. These should be positions related to academia rather than previous jobs or positions you held in the private section (whether it be a chef or a CEO). These appointments are typically tenure-track positions, not ad hoc and adjunct professor gigs, nor TA (teacher assistant) experience. You should instead label this kind of experience under “Teaching Experience,” which we discuss further down the list.

List the following information for each entry in your “Professional Appointments” section:

• Institution (university/college name)
• Department 
• Your professional title
• Dates employed (include beginning and end dates)
• Duties in this position

5. Research Publications

Divide your publications into two distinct sections: peer-reviewed publications and other publications. List peer-reviewed publications first, as these tend to carry more weight in academia. Use a subheading to distinguish these sections for the reader and make your CV details easier to understand.

Within each subsection, further divide your publications in the following order:

• Book chapters
• Peer-reviewed journal articles
• Contributions to edited volumes equivalent to peer-reviewed journals

All of your other research publications should be put into a subcategory titled “Other Publications.” This includes all documents published by a third party that did not receive peer review, whether it is an academic journal, a science magazine, a website, or any other publishing platform. 

Tip: When listing your publications, choose one academic formatting style ( MLA style , Chicago style , APA style , etc.) and apply it throughout your academic CV. Unsure which formatting style to use? Check the website of the school you are applying to and see what citation style they use.

6. Awards and Honors

This section allows you to show off how your skills and achievements were officially acknowledged. List all academic honors and awards you have received in reverse chronological order, just like the education and professional appointments sections. Include the name of the award, which year you received it, and the institution that awarded it to you.

Should you include how much money you were awarded? While this is not recommended for most academic fields (including humanities and social sciences), it is more common for business or STEM fields.

7. Fellowships and Grants

It is important to include fellowships and grants you received because it evidences that your research has been novel and valuable enough to attract funding from institutions or third parties.

Just like with awards and honors, list your grants and fellowships in reverse chronological order. Enter the years your fellowship or grant spanned and the name of the institution or entity providing the funding. Whether you disclose the specific dollar amount of funding you received depends on your field of study, just as with awards and honors.

8. Conferences Attended

Involvement in academic conferences shows admissions committees that you are already an active member of the research community. List the academic conferences in which you took part and divide this section into three subsections:

• Invited talks —conferences you presented at other institutions to which you received an invitation
• Campus talks —lectures you gave on your own institution’s campus
• Conference participation —conferences you participated in (attended) but gave no lecture

9. Teaching Experience

The “Teaching Experience” section is distinct from the “Professional Appointments” section discussed above.  In the Teaching Experience CV section, list any courses you taught as a TA (teacher’s assistant) you have taught. If you taught fewer than ten courses, list all of them out. Included the name of the institution, your department, your specific teaching role, and the dates you taught in this position. 

If you have a long tenure as an academic scholar and your academic CV Appointments section strongly highlights your strengths and achievements, in the Teaching Experience sections you could list only the institutions at which you were a TA. Since it is likely that you will be teaching, lecturing, or mentoring undergraduates and other research students in your postgraduate role, this section is helpful in making you stand out from other graduate, doctoral, or postdoctoral candidates.

10. Research Experience

In the “Research Experience” section of your CV, list all of the academic research posts at which you served. As with the other CV sections, enter these positions in reverse chronological order.

If you have significant experience (and your academic CV is filling up), you might want to limit research and lab positions to only the most pertinent to the research position to which you are applying. Include the following research positions:

• Full-time Researcher
• Research Associate
• Research Assistant

For an academic or research CV, if you do not have much research experience, include all research projects in which you participated–even the research projects with the smallest roles, budget, length, or scope. 

11. Additional Activities

If you have any other activities, distinctions, positions, etc. that do not fit into the above academic CV sections, include them here.

The following items might fit in the “Additional Activities” section:

• Extracurriculars (clubs, societies, sports teams, etc.)
• Jobs unrelated to your academic career
• Service to profession
• Media coverage
• Volunteer work

12. Languages and Skills

Many non-academic professional job positions require unique skillsets to succeed. The same can be true with academic and research positions at universities, especially when you speak a language that might come in handy with the specific area of study or with the other researchers you are likely to be working alongside.

Include all the languages in which you are proficient enough to read and understand academic texts. Qualify your proficiency level with the following terms and phrases:

• IntermediateNative/bilingual in Language
• Can read Language with a dictionary
• Advanced use of Language
• Fully proficient in Language
• Native fluency in Language
• Native/Bilingual Language speaker

If you only have a basic comprehension of a language (or if you simply minored in it a decade ago but never really used it), omit these from this section. 

Including skills on an academic CV is optional and MIGHT appear somewhat amateur if it is not a skill that is difficult and would likely contribute to your competency in your research position. In general, include a skill only if you are in a scientific or technical field (STEM fields) and if they realistically make you a better candidate.

13. References 

The final section of your academic CV is the “References” section. Only include references from individuals who know you well and have first-hand experience working with you, either in the capacity of a manager, instructor, or professor, or as a colleague who can attest to your character and how well you worked in that position. Avoid using personal references and never use family members or acquaintances–unless they can somehow attest to your strength as an academic.

List your references in the order of their importance or ability to back up your candidacy. In other words, list the referrers you would want the admissions faculty to contact first and who would give you a shining review. 

Include the following in this order:

• Full name and academic title
• Physical mailing address
• Telephone number
• Email address

Academic CV Examples by Section 

Now that you have a template for what to include in your academic CV sections, let’s look at some examples of academic CV sections with actual applicant information included. Remember that the best CVs are those that clearly state the applicant’s qualifications, skills, and achievements. Let’s go through the CV section-by-section to see how best to highlight these elements of your academic profile. Note that although this example CV does not include EVERY section detailed above, this doesn’t mean that YOU shouldn’t include any of those sections if you have the experiences to fill them in.

CV Example: Personal Details (Basic)

Write your full name, home address, phone number, and email address. Include this information at the top of the first page, either in the center of the page or aligned left.

• Tip: Use a larger font size and put the text in bold to make this info stand out.

CV Example: Profile Summary (Optional)

This applicant uses an academic research profile summary that outlines their personal details and describes core qualifications and interests in a specific research topic. Remember that the aim of this section is to entice admissions officials into reading through your entire CV.

• Tip: Include only skills, experience, and what most drives you in your academic and career goals.

CV Example: Education Section (Basic)

This applicant’s academic degrees are listed in reverse chronological order, starting with those that are currently in progress and recently completed and moving backward in time to their undergraduate degrees and institutions.

• Include the name of the institution; city, state, and country (if different from the institution to which you are applying); degree type and major; and month/year the degree was or will be awarded.
• Provide details such as the title of your thesis/dissertation and your advisor, if applicable.
• Tip: Provide more details about more recent degrees and fewer details for older degrees.

CV Example: Relevant Experience (Basic)

List professional positions that highlight your skills and qualifications. When including details about non-academic jobs you have held, be sure that they relate to your academic career in some way. Group experiences into relevant categories if you have multiple elements to include in one category (e.g., “Research,” “Teaching,” and “Managerial”). For each position, be sure to:

• Include position title; the name of organization or company; city, state, and country (if different from the institution to which you are applying); and dates you held the position
• Use bullet points for each relevant duty/activity and accomplishment
• Tip: For bulleted content, use strong CV words , vary your vocabulary, and write in the active voice; lead with the verbs and write in phrases rather than in complete sentences.

CV Example: Special Qualifications or Skills (Optional)

Summarize skills and strengths relevant to the position and/or area of study if they are relevant and important to your academic discipline. Remember that you should not include any skills that are not central to the competencies of the position, as these can make you appear unprofessional.

CV Example: Publications (Basic)

Include a chronological (not alphabetical) list of any books, journal articles, chapters, research reports, pamphlets, or any other publication you have authored or co-authored. This sample CV does not segment the publications by “peer-reviewed” and “non-peer-reviewed,” but this could simply be because they do not have many publications to list. Keep in mind that your CV format and overall design and readability are also important factors in creating a strong curriculum vitae, so you might opt for a more streamlined layout if needed.

• Use bibliographic citations for each work in the format appropriate for your particular field of study.
• Tip: If you have not officially authored or co-authored any text publications, include studies you assisted in or any online articles you have written or contributed to that are related to your discipline or that are academic in nature. Including any relevant work in this section shows the faculty members that you are interested in your field of study, even if you haven’t had an opportunity to publish work yet.

CV Example: Conferences Attended (Basic)

Include any presentations you have been involved in, whether you were the presenter or contributed to the visual work (such as posters and slides), or simply attended as an invitee. See the CV template guide in the first section of this article for how to list conference participation for more seasoned researchers.

• Give the title of the presentation, the name of the conference or event, and the location and date.
• Briefly describe the content of your presentation.
• Tip: Use style formatting appropriate to your field of study to cite the conference (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.)

CV Example: Honors and Awards (Basic)

Honors and awards can include anything from university scholarships and grants, to teaching assistantships and fellowships, to inclusion on the Dean’s list for having a stellar GPA. As with other sections, use your discretion and choose the achievements that best highlight you as a candidate for the academic position.

• Include the names of the honors and official recognition and the date that you received them.
• Tip: Place these in order of importance, not necessarily in chronological order.

CV Example: Professional/Institutional Service (Optional)

List the professional and institutional offices you have held, student groups you have led or managed, committees you have been involved with, or extra academic projects you have participated in.

• Tip: Showing your involvement in campus life, however minor, can greatly strengthen your CV. It shows the graduate faculty that you not only contribute to the academic integrity of the institution but that you also enrich the life of the campus and community.

CV Example: Certifications and Professional Associations (Optional)

Include any membership in professional organizations (national, state, or local). This can include nominal participation as a student, not only as a professional member.

CV Example: Community Involvement and Volunteer Work (Optional)

Include any volunteer work or outreach to community organizations, including work with churches, schools, shelters, non-profits, and other service organizations. As with institutional service, showing community involvement demonstrates your integrity and willingness to go the extra mile—a very important quality in a postgraduate student or faculty member. 

While the CV template guide above suggests including these activities in a section titled “Additional Activities,” if you have several instances of volunteer work or other community involvement, creating a separate heading will help catch the eye of the admissions reviewer.

CV Example: References Section (Basic)

References are usually listed in the final section of an academic CV. Include 3-5 professional or academic references who can vouch for your ability and qualifications and provide evidence of these characteristics.

• Write the name of the reference, professional title, affiliation, and contact information (phone and email are sufficient). You do not need to write these in alphabetical order. Consider listing your references in order of relevance and impact.

CV Editing for Research Positions

After you finish drafting and revising your academic CV, you still need to ensure that your language is clear, compelling, and accurate and that it doesn’t have any errors in grammar, spelling, or punctuation. 

A good academic CV typically goes through at least three or four rounds of revision before it is ready to send out to university department faculty. Be sure to have a peer or CV editing service check your CV or academic resume, and get cover letter editing and application essay editing for your longer admissions documents to ensure that there are no glaring errors or major room for improvement.

For professional editing services that are among the highest quality in the industry, send your CV and other application documents to Wordvice’s admissions editing services . Our professional proofreaders and editors will ensure that your hard work is reflected in your CV and help make your postgrad goals a reality.

Check out our full suite of professional proofreading and English editing services on the Wordvice homepage.

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How to List Research Experience on Your Resume

Applying for a role that requires research skills? Here’s how to list your research experience on a resume, with examples you can follow.

3 years ago   •   7 min read

Research experience isn’t just for science and academia. Research is a valuable skill that’s required for a number of roles and industries, which means it almost certainly has a place on your resume. And no — that doesn’t mean writing “research” in your skills section and moving on.

Why you should list research experience on your resume

If you’re applying for a job that involves research, listing research experience is a no-brainer. Research-specific positions, scientific jobs like Research Assistants , Lab Assistants or Technicians, graduate school applications, and most jobs in academia all require evidence of research skills. Even outside these positions, research experience demonstrates valuable transferable skills, like critical thinking and attention to detail . Which is not to say that you need to include research experience on every resume — if it makes you a stronger candidate, include it, but if it isn’t relevant and doesn’t add anything else to your candidacy, leave it off.

Research experience resume example

Before we dive right in, here's a sample resume that emphasizes research skills. You can use this as a template or as inspiration to write your own resume from scratch.

Download: PDF | Google Docs

How to list research experience in your resume

Like a lot of desirable skills, research is a soft skill , meaning it’s not something you can claim as an objective fact on your resume without backing it up. What you can do instead is prove it — what previous role involved a lot of research? What resume accomplishments do you have that highlight your research experience? Showing how you used research skills in action is the best way to demonstrate the value you could bring to the company and role you’re applying for.

There are a number of ways you can highlight research experience on your resume:

In a dedicated section

In your work experience, in your education section, listing research publications, in a projects section, in your skills section, in your resume summary.

Let's take a look at each of these options in a little more depth. But first, let's look at an annotated example to help set the context.

If you come from a research background, you might want to title your work experience ‘Research.’ Alternatively, you could create two experience sections — one titled ‘Work Experience’ and one titled ‘Research Experience’ — if you also have a lot of non-research experience but want to highlight your most relevant experience first. You can go into more detail when applying for a research-focused role by describing the project and specifying the nature of the research and your role in it.

More information: How to title different sections of your resume

Including research experience in your main work experience section is appropriate if it was paid work or if it was your most recent and relevant experience. List the employer — for example, the university or research department — job title, dates, and accomplishments, just like you would any other work experience.

More information: How to list your work experience on your resume

If you’re a current student or recent graduate, you can list your education section at the top of your resume. You can also make this section a little more comprehensive if you don’t have a lot of work experience, by including things like awards, coursework, and academic research.

If you undertook research as part of your studies and it demonstrates skills relevant to the job you’re applying for, list your research accomplishments in bullet points under the education section of your resume.

More information: The must-haves when writing your education on your resume

If you have a lot of publications that came out of your research, and you want to draw attention to them — and if they’re relevant to the job you’re applying for — consider creating a separate publications section . Formal publications like these are an excellent way to add credibility to your research experience.

List each publication in a new bullet point with the title, year, and name of the magazine, website, or journal. Academic publications can be listed more formally if it’s relevant, like if you’re applying for graduate school or a role in academia.

When it comes to listing research on your resume, like other soft skills, you need to show you’ve used this skill in your previous roles by showcasing your research related accomplishments. Upload your resume to the tool below to find out if your resume highlights your most relevant research experience and achievements.

If your research experience is less extensive or wasn’t quite relevant enough to include alongside your work experience or education, you can still highlight it in a projects section. Keep this brief and include 1-2 bullet points showcasing your key research accomplishments.

More information: How to list projects on a resume

Research skills can go in your skills section — as long as they’re hard skills. Steer clear of listing generic skills like “Research” — instead, use our keyword finder to look for relevant skills and keywords and include specific hard skills like data analysis, project management, software proficiency, and certifications.

You can also use the skills search tool below to get a list of hard skills relevant to the research-focused role you’re applying for.

More information: How to write a resume skills section

If you’re applying for a position where research experience is essential, consider emphasizing your experience by including a short resume summary at the top of your resume. This should include the title of the job you’re applying for and a brief overview of your background and key skills.

More information: Generate a summary for your resume

Examples of listing research experience on your resume

No matter where you choose to include it, always list research experience in concise, accomplishment-focused bullet points . These should follow the structure of action verb + what you did + what the result was. Here are some examples of resume bullet points you can use or modify to suit your own research experiences.

Highlight research projects

• Assisted with cell development research projects as part of the Leukemia Research team — identifying cell changes, determining cell counts and coulter counters with 98% accuracy.

If you have significant research experience, describe it! The more relevant it is to the position you’re applying for, the more detail you can go into. Make sure to specify exactly what stages of research you worked on and what your contribution was.

Mention awards for your research

• Awarded “Total Quality Award” in recognition of consistent high standards of quality work for research excellence (only 3 awarded in class of 500).

If the high quality of your work has been acknowledged by an award, early promotion , or similar outside recognition, include it! In addition to the name of the award or accolade, don’t forget to specify context (e.g. 'out of class of 500 people' to increase its credibility.

Demonstrate technical expertise

• Created over 75 3D models with CAD tools such as Solidworks and ANSYS.

If you have experience with specific software or tools that you’ll be using in the position you’re applying for, include a bullet point accomplishment specifying how you’ve used them. While this isn't direct 'research' experience, it uses tools that are relevant to research projects — this is a good way of showing that you have research skill sets without having formal research experience.

Use 'research-focused' action verbs

• Researched and edited two articles and one book chapter on prenatal substance abuse, policy implication of Human Genome Project.

Use action verbs like "Researched" or "Scoured" which clearly emphasize research skills. In some cases (like in this example), you can list publications in your bullet points itself. If you’ve authored academic papers, books, or articles, this is a great way to show the validity and importance of your research.

Include accomplishments related to research studies

• Oversaw screening and recruitment of over 100 participants to study, liaised with laboratory personnel and site coordinators to ensure study is completed on time with 100% success.

Not all research positions involve pure research. Make sure you highlight appropriate related accomplishments, like managing research study participant data and enrolments or managing a team of research assistants.

Include accomplishments relating to research in your field

• Conducted legal research; organized and analyzed data and evidence for over 50 cases annually.

If research is part of the job description, make sure you include at least one bullet point highlighting how you’ve used those skills in the past. Including metrics, like the number of cases you’ve researched, contextualizes your accomplishments and helps them stand out.

• Conducted marketing research for both buy-side and sell-side resulting in 15 strong leads.

Research isn’t just limited to science and academia. Demonstrate your skills in action by the context and end results of your research, like the number of leads it generated or the increase in sales figures.

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• • Directed a multi-sector research project evaluating the impact of digital resources in academic environments, benefiting over 30 institutions.
• • Implemented innovative qualitative research methods that increased project efficiency by 25%.
• • Authored impactful research reports presented at national conferences, influencing educational policy directions.
• • Supervised and mentored a team of 3 junior analysts, improving team productivity and research output quality.
• • Managed project timelines and deliverables for complex studies, resulting in 95% on-time completion rate.
• • Developed strong professional relationships with stakeholders and collaborators, which led to securing 2 significant research grants.
• • Conducted in-depth analysis on STEM education trends, influencing curriculum development for 100+ educational institutions.
• • Played a critical role in a team that delivered 4 major research projects yearly, exceeding stakeholder expectations.
• • Managed cross-functional teams, increasing overall project efficiency by 15%.
• • Presented research findings at 10+ industry conferences, enhancing the company's professional reputation.
• • Leveraged advanced data collection tools to gather and analyze information from over 500 interview subjects.
• • Assisted in the preparation of grant proposals that secured funding of over $500,000 for environmental research.
• • Organized and managed data collection for a large-scale research study on conservation best practices.
• • Played a key role in publishing 3 research papers that contributed to new sustainability guidelines.
• • Supported senior researchers in conducting fieldwork and data analysis for interdisciplinary research projects.

13 Researcher Resume Examples & Guide for 2024

Your researcher resume must demonstrate your expertise in your field. Clearly highlight publications, presentations, or projects you've contributed to. Showcase your analytical and data collection skills. Elaborate on the methodologies you're proficient with to prove your technical capabilities.

All resume examples in this guide

UX Researcher

User Researcher

Student Researcher

Quantitative Researcher

Qualitative Researcher

Market Researcher

Undergraduate Researcher

Product Researcher

Psychology Researcher

Design Researcher

Lab Researcher

Machine Learning Researcher

Resume guide.

Resume Format Tips

Resume Experience

Skills on Resume

Education & Certifications

Resume Summary Tips

Additional Resume Sections

Key Takeaways

As a researcher, you may struggle with translating your extensive project experience into a concise format that appeals to a broad range of employers. Our guide will provide you with tailored strategies to effectively distill your research accomplishments into an impactful resume that resonates across industries.

• Utilize real-life examples to refine your researcher resume;
• Effectively write the experience section of your researcher resume, even if you have minimal or no professional experience;
• Incorporate the industry's top 10 essential skills throughout your resume;
• Include your education and certifications to highlight your specific expertise.

If the researcher resume isn't the right one for you, take a look at other related guides we have:

• Lab Manager Resume Example
• Lab Technician Resume Example
• Scientist Resume Example
• Chemist Resume Example
• Research Assistant Resume Example
• Lab Assistant Resume Example
• Research Director Resume Example
• Radiologic Technologist Resume Example
• Research Manager Resume Example
• Research Associate Resume Example

Simple guide to your researcher resume format and layout

• professional experience - use the reverse-chronological resume format;
• skills and achievements - via the functional skill-based resume format;
• both experience and skills - with a hybrid resume format .

What is more, keep in mind that your resume may be initially assessed by the ATS (Applicant Tracker System) (or the software used by companies in the hiring process). The researcher resumes that suit the ATS:

• have a header that includes either a role keyword or the job you're applying for;
• should be no longer than two pages;
• be submitted as PDF, unless specified otherwise.

Upload & Check Your Resume

Drop your resume here or choose a file . PDF & DOCX only. Max 2MB file size.

If you happen to have some basic certificates, don't invest too much of your researcher resume real estate in them. Instead, list them within the skills section or as part of your relevant experience. This way you'd ensure you meet all job requirements while dedicating your certificates to only the most in-demand certification across the industry.

The five (plus) definite sections your resume for a researcher job should include are:

• Header with your headline, contact details, and/or a preview of your work
• Summary (or objective) to pinpoint how your success aligns with the role
• Experience with bullets of your most relevant achievements in the field
• Skills to integrate vital job requirements (both technical and personal)
• Your further dedication to the field, showcased via relevant higher education and/or certifications

What recruiters want to see on your resume:

• Publishing Record: Evidence of publications in reputable journals or conferences relevant to the field.
• Research Experience: Detailed description of past research projects, roles, and contributions.
• Grant Writing Skills: Demonstrated success in securing research funding from grants, fellowships, or scholarships.
• Technical Expertise: Proficiency with tools and methodologies specific to the research area, like statistical analysis software, lab techniques, or data analysis programs.
• Collaboration and Communication: Examples of working effectively within interdisciplinary research teams and communicating complex research findings to diverse audiences.

Creating your researcher resume experience to catch recruiters' attention

Remember that for the researcher role, hiring managers are looking to see how your expertise aligns with their requirements. Here's where your resume experience section can help out. Make sure you:

• Include mainly roles that are relevant to the researcher job you're applying for;
• Don't go too far back in your experience - recruiters will only care what you did a decade ago if it's really important for the researcher role;
• Each bullet you include should say what you did, followed by the skills you used and the actual end result of your efforts;
• Quantify each of your achievements with numbers and possibly the overall effect it had on the organization;
• Highlight transferrable skills - or personal skills you've attained thanks to past jobs - that could be applicable within your potential workplace. This would showcase your unique value as a professional.

Formatting the experience section of your resume doesn't have to be an over-the-top deep dive into your whole career. Follow the researcher resume examples below to see how industry-leading professionals are presenting their experience:

• Designed and executed a comprehensive experimental study on the effects of new agricultural chemicals, increasing crop yields by 20% over a two-year period.
• Authored and co-authored 6 peer-reviewed journal articles in the field of synthetic biology, enhancing the company's academic presence and fostering collaborative opportunities.
• Mentored a team of junior researchers and interns, improving team productivity by 30% and helping to establish a robust research pipeline.
• Implemented new data collection protocols for patient trials, which improved data accuracy by 25% and ensured regulatory compliance.
• Coordinated with cross-functional teams to manage over 15 multi-center clinical trials, ensuring that deadlines were met and budgets were maintained.
• Presented findings at 3 international conferences, significantly raising the profile of the research programs and attracting future funding.
• Led the research and prototype development for a new medical device, which subsequently received FDA approval and led to a 150% increase in departmental revenue.
• Coordinated with a team of scientists to integrate artificial intelligence in the device's diagnostic process, improving prediction accuracy by 35%.
• Managed the intellectual property process for developed technologies, resulting in the granting of 5 patents and protecting the company's assets.
• Analyzed consumer behavior data and trends to inform the company's marketing strategies, contributing to a 40% increase in market share.
• Developed and administered over 200 surveys and focus groups to gather actionable customer insights, directly influencing product development.
• Worked directly with the sales team to refine target demographics, which led to more effective ad spend and a 25% increase in conversion rates.
• Directed a groundbreaking research initiative on renewable energy that secured $2M in grants from government and private sectors.
• Managed collaborations with industry partners to test and refine prototype solar panels, achieving a 50% increase in efficiency over existing models.
• Organized and chaired a successful international symposium on sustainable energy, fostering partnerships that led to further R&D investments.
• Led the development of a novel gene-editing platform, which resulted in a 200% increase in experiment throughput and reduced costs by 40%.
• Collaborated with pharmaceutical companies to leverage the platform for drug development, accelerating the timeline from discovery to preclinical trials.
• Managed the submission of regulatory documents for new research protocols, ensuring full compliance with all federal and state regulations.
• Processed and analyzed big data sets using advanced analytics tools, uncovering patterns that led to a 20% improvement in operational efficiency.
• Developed custom scripts and algorithms to automate data collection processes, saving the company an average of 250 man-hours per month.
• Designed an interactive dashboard that provided real-time insights into market trends, which became a key decision-making tool for the executive team.
• Monitored patient enrollment and data integrity for over 10 international clinical trials, ensuring adherence to study protocols and Good Clinical Practice guidelines.
• Provided key contributions to the successful launch of a Phase III trial, which saw a 95% retention rate of study participants due to enhanced engagement strategies.
• Developed training materials and conducted workshops for new clinical research coordinators, greatly improving the effectiveness and compliance of the research team.

Quantifying impact on your resume

• Include the number of publications you've authored to demonstrate the depth and breadth of your research experience.
• List the amount of research funds you've secured, as it shows your capability to attract significant financial resources for your work.
• State the number of experiments or studies you've conducted to quantify your hands-on experience in your field.
• Mention the number of citations your work has received to reflect its influence and acceptance in the research community.
• Highlight the size of the research teams you've led or participated in to show your collaborative and leadership skills.
• Detail the number of conferences you've presented at to exhibit your ability to communicate your findings to a professional audience.
• Provide the percentage by which your findings have improved a process or technique within your field to illustrate the practical impact of your research.
• Specify the number of patents you hold, if applicable, to demonstrate innovation and potential for commercial application of your work.

Action verbs for your researcher resume

Four quick steps for candidates with no resume experience

Those with less or no relevant experience could also make a good impression on recruiters by:

• Taking the time to actually understand what matters most to the role and featuring this within key sections of their resume
• Investing resume space into defining what makes them a valuable candidate with transferrable skills and personality
• Using the resume objective to showcase their personal vision for growth within the company
• Heavily featuring their technical alignment with relevant certifications, education, and skills.

Remember that your resume is about aligning your profile to that of the ideal candidate.

The more prominently you can demonstrate how you answer job requirements, the more likely you'd be called in for an interview.

Recommended reads:

• How To Include Your Relevant Coursework On A Resume
• How to List Continuing Education on Your Resume

The more trusted the organization you've attained your certificate (or degree) from, the more credible your skill set would be.

Balancing hard and soft skills in your researcher resume

Recruiters indeed pay close attention to the specific hard and soft skills candidates possess. Hard skills refer to technical abilities or your proficiency in technologies, while soft skills are the personal attributes and qualities developed over your lifetime.

If you're unsure about effectively quantifying these skills on your resume, follow our step-by-step guide. It's crucial to first understand the key job requirements for the role. Doing so enables you to accurately list your:

• Hard skills in sections like skills, education, and certifications. Your technical expertise is straightforward to quantify. Most organizations find it sufficient to mention the certificates you've earned, along with your proficiency level.
• Soft skills within your experience, achievements, strengths, etc. Defining interpersonal communication traits in your resume can be challenging. Focus on showcasing the accomplishments you've achieved through these skills.

Remember, when tailoring your researcher resume, ensure that the skills you list match exactly with those in the job requirements. For instance, if the job listing specifies "Microsoft Word," include this exact term rather than just "Word" or "MSO."

Top skills for your researcher resume:

Data Analysis

Statistical Analysis

Qualitative Research

Quantitative Research

Research Design

Literature Review

Data Collection

Data Interpretation

Academic Writing

Scientific Publication

Critical Thinking

Problem Solving

Attention to Detail

Time Management

Communication

Adaptability

Project Management

Ethical Judgment

List your educational qualifications and certifications in reverse chronological order.

The importance of your certifications and education on your researcher resume

Pay attention to the resume education section . It can offer clues about your skills and experiences that align with the job.

• List only tertiary education details, including the institution and dates.
• Mention your expected graduation date if you're currently studying.
• Exclude degrees unrelated to the job or field.
• Describe your education if it allows you to highlight your achievements further.

Your professional qualifications: certificates and education play a crucial role in your researcher application. They showcase your dedication to gaining the best expertise and know-how in the field. Include any diplomas and certificates that are:

• Listed within the job requirements or could make your application stand out
• Niche to your industry and require plenty of effort to obtain
• Helping you prepare for professional growth with forward-facing know-how
• Relevant to the researcher job - make sure to include the name of the certificate, institution you've obtained it at, and dates

Both your certificates and education section need to add further value to your application. That's why we've dedicated this next list just for you - check out some of the most popular researcher certificates to include on your resume:

The top 5 certifications for your researcher resume:

• Project Management Professional (PMP) - Project Management Institute
• Certified Research Administrator (CRA) - Research Administrators Certification Council
• Institutional Review Board Professional (CIP) - Public Responsibility in Medicine and Research
• Certified Clinical Research Professional (CCRP) - Society of Clinical Research Associates
• Data Analysis & Statistics Certificate (DASC) - Various Institutions

Highlight any significant extracurricular activities that demonstrate valuable skills or leadership.

• When Should You Include Your High School on Your Resume?
• How To List Certifications On A Resume (Examples Included)

Researcher resume summary or objective? The best choice is based on your experience

If you're wondering about the relevancy of the resume summary or the resume objective to your Researcher application - here's the truth.

The summary and objective provide recruiters with your expertise and accomplishments at a glance, within an up-to-five-sentence structure.

The difference is that the:

• Resume objective is also more focused on emphasizing your career goals. The objective is the perfect fit for (potentially more junior) candidates who'd like to balance their relevant experience with their career goals.
• Resume summary can provide you with space to also detail the unique value of what it's like to work with you. Researcher candidates who have many noteworthy accomplishments start from the get-go with their summary.

Ensure that either type of resume introduction presents your Researcher expertise in the best light and aligns it with the job advert.

The more details you can provide with numbers, the more compelling your resume summary or objective will be.

Real-world Researcher candidates follow these frameworks in writing their resume summaries and objectives.

The end results are usually as such:

Resume summaries for a researcher job

• With a decade of profound experience in molecular biology, an extensive publication record, and a Ph.D. from MIT, the candidate is adept in genomics, proteomics, and bioinformatics. Awarded with the Young Scientist Award, they have led teams in groundbreaking cancer research, yielding patents and significant advancements in targeted therapy.
• A seasoned chemist with 15 years at GlaxoSmithKline specializing in pharmaceutical development, pivoting into biotechnology research with a strong desire to apply synthetic chemistry skills towards developing novel biologics. Recognized for innovation in small molecule synthesis, keen to contribute to interdisciplinary approaches in disease treatment.
• Former aerospace engineer with 12 years' tenure at NASA seeking to transition into climate research. Armed with robust analytical skills, a deep understanding of complex systems, and a master’s degree in environmental engineering, aiming to utilize simulation modeling to address pressing environmental challenges and climate change.
• After years of developing market forecasts and data models for economic research at a leading think tank, the candidate is eager to transfer their refined quantitative analysis skills into computational neuroscience research. With a strong grasp of machine learning and predictive analytics, they are ready to contribute to elucidating neural network functionalities.
• Graduating magna cum laude with a B.S. in biology, the applicant is enthusiastic about beginning a research career in immunology. Committed to lifelong learning and making impactful contributions, they are determined to leverage their strong foundation in cell biology and genetics to aid in developing innovative immunotherapies.
• As an ambitious recent graduate with a Master's in Computer Science and a passion for algorithm design, I am eager to delve into the world of bioinformatics research. With a zest for problem-solving and a commitment to advancing healthcare through technology, I aim to contribute to projects focused on genetic data analysis and personalized medicine.

Showcasing your personality with these four researcher resume sections

Enhance your researcher expertise with additional resume sections that spotlight both your professional skills and personal traits. Choose options that not only present you in a professional light but also reveal why colleagues enjoy working with you:

• My time - a pie chart infographic detailing your daily personal and professional priorities, showcasing a blend of hard and soft skills;
• Hobbies and interests - share your engagement in sports, fandoms, or other interests, whether in your local community or during personal time;
• Quotes - what motivates and inspires you as a professional;
• Books - indicating your reading and comprehension skills, a definite plus for employers, particularly when your reading interests align with your professional field.

Key takeaways

At the end of our guide, we'd like to remind you to:

• Invest in a simple, modern resume design that is ATS friendly and keeps your experience organized and legible;
• Avoid just listing your responsibilities in your experience section, but rather focus on quantifiable achievements;
• Always select resume sections that are relevant to the role and can answer job requirements. Sometimes your volunteering experience could bring more value than irrelevant work experience;
• Balance your technical background with your personality traits across various sections of your resume to hint at how much time employers would have to invest in training you and if your profile would be a good cultural fit to the organization;
• Include your academic background (in the form of your relevant higher education degrees and certifications) to show recruiters that you have the technical basics of the industry covered.

Researcher resume examples

Explore additional researcher resume samples and guides and see what works for your level of experience or role.

Looking to build your own Researcher resume?

• Resume Examples

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How to Include Research On A Resume (Examples and Tips)

Research skills are highly prized across a wide spectrum of industries. The fact is that researchers are invaluable for many employers. After all, new ideas often come only after exhaustive analysis of existing practices. Is it any surprise then that many of the most innovative companies in the world look for employees who possess these skills?

The good news is that most of us possess at least some skill in researching. Unfortunately, too many of us don’t recognize those skills or why they matter to employers. In this post, we’ll help you identify your research skills and show you how to include them on a resume.

What Are Research Skills?

Research skills are all those skills needed to investigate and analyze a subject and then communicate your findings to others. In short, there is no simple easily-defined skill that encompasses all these talents. Instead, your ability to research involves the effective use of a range of other skills.

Most of these skills relate to critical thinking in some way. They involve accumulating information and using it to draw reasoned conclusions. Naturally, those conclusions need to be conveyed to others with effective communication skills.

Research skills are among the most highly-prized transferable skills employers are looking for in today's competitive job market.

Employers value these skills because they are essential to progress. Innovation only comes from research and inspired insight. As a result, companies that rely on innovation to remain competitive tend to rely on employees who are talented researchers. Obviously, there are entire fields of industry that use researchers only for that purpose. In a more general sense, however, research skills are widely used by many different types of employees. And they use them in almost every industry in the marketplace.

How to List Research on a Resume

Including research on your resume:.

For research, summarize your accomplishments in a brief section. You should include a description of your role in the research, the topic that you were exploring, and some information about your findings. For example,

_ Research Project , Economics Department, Dynamic University, Dec 2017 – Apr 20_20

Key participant in research project examining blockchain technology’s potential impact on financial intermediation. Explored use case studies for cross-border payment systems, intrabank transactions, and microtransactions for e-commerce.

Designed model simulation to study blockchain-based payment system

Worked in tandem with Alpha and Delta Finance to create simulated intrabank transfers using digitalized tokens

Studied e-commerce script integration for cryptocurrency payments

Member of 3-person team tasked with presenting findings to 2018 National Banking Technology Conference

Example of Research Listed On a Resume:

View 200+ more professional resume samples for all industries, along with a guide to writing resumes from our career experts.

You can also combine your research with other sections:

Research and Publications

Research and Professional Development

Educations and Research

We wrote a good post here on how to include publications on a resume.

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Some Important Research Skills You May Already Possess

When listing research skills on your resume, it’s important to remember that most of them won’t be core skills for the job you’re seeking. Unless you’re applying for a job as a researcher, these skills will basically be transferable skills. That means that they might not be essential for the position but will certainly enhance your value as a potential employee.

To better understand your own research skills, it’s important to be able to identify them.

Here are some common and valuable research skills that many employees possess. Chances are that you have used at least some of these skills in your career. For example:

Attention to detail. This seemingly simple skill is one that employers truly appreciate. People who possess an ability to note even the smallest details can be invaluable for identifying problems and creating solutions.

Planning and scheduling skills. Every research project starts with a plan and a schedule. This is also one of those transferable skills that has application throughout nearly every industry.

Data collection skills. Good research depends upon good data. If you’re a skilled data collector, that talent will be useful for any company’s research needs.

Problem-solving skills. At some level, all research is about solving problems. Whether it’s a graduate thesis or a corporate study, there’s always a question that needs to be answered.

Technical skills . Proficiency with computers and other technology is an essential skill for modern research.

Critical thinking skills. Data collection is useless if no one ever considers what that data means. That analysis requires critical thinking and the ability to analyze and draw conclusions.

Project management skills. Can you manage projects in an orderly and effective way? Every research project requires effective management.

Communication skills . Whether it’s an oral presentation or a written report, research findings always need to be communicated to others.

Make Your Research Skills Work for You

Finally, do more than just list your research skills in your resume. Put them to use. Research the company you’re trying to join, and mention things you’ve learned in your cover letter and interview. That can not only showcase your research abilities but will demonstrate your real desire to join their team. In the end, that can be the best way to improve your odds of landing that great job you need.

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A Guide to Listing Research and Publications on your Resume or CV

With there being only so much room on your resume or CV, space can get taken up very easily…

Making you wonder…

Should all my publications and research get listed on my resume?

It’s a big question with a simple answer.

If you’ve got work or papers that:

Then you most definitely should include them on your resume. You want your prospective employer to be able to see exactly what you’re capable of and the actual work you’ve done is perfect.

You want to make it easy for the person thinking about hiring you to see your range of experience and knowledge in your field; this is what citing your published work will do.

Papers will also demonstrate some soft skills like good writing and the ability to analyze data .

When you’ve got a good library of publications, how do you choose which ones to include?

What format should you use in your citation?

For answers, you’ve come to the right place.

We’ve pulled together the rules and tips you need for adding your publications to your resume or CV to help get things perfect.

The right time to add publications to a resume or CV

The first thing you need to do is assess the job role that you’re applying for and decide if your published work is relevant.

You only have a small amount of space and it gets full, quickly.

The best advice you’ll get is to only include publications that match the job you’re applying for and support the points you’re making elsewhere in the resume.

To make it easy to follow, here are the main times you’re going to find listing your publications to be useful on your resume or CV:

Deciding which publications to use on your CV or resume

Your first instinct is probably to add everything you’ve ever achieved in life, but you need to make sure you’re targeting your information to the person reading your document.

• When you have papers that confer kudos, make you look more qualified, or demonstrate key skills for the role, these are the papers that you include.
• When you’ve got industry-specific publications or ones that really highlight a skillset, make sure you add them on.
• Articles about hobbies or casual subjects probably aren’t going to impress the hiring manager and can be omitted.

With all of this to think about, you’re probably thinking about which publications are the right ones to add to your resume or CV.

For your curriculum vitae , note down anything that has authority in its field that has been or will soon be published.

These could be:

• Books for academia
• Journal and publication research papers
• Not-yet-published research papers
• Articles of a scholarly nature
• Papers presented at conferences

The right type of publications to list on your resume include:

• Presentations at trade conferences
• Chapters of books or whole books
• Trade association magazine articles
• Industry journal publications

Pro-Tip Not every publication belongs on your CV. Don’t include blogs, website content, or nonscientific or magazine articles. Also, if your thesis didn’t get published, it belongs in your “ Education ” section.

Why are resumes and CVs different for listing publications?

The question of the difference between a CV and resume should probably be tackled first!

Your resume contains a summary of your skills and experience in brief, covering just one or two pages.

Conversely, your CV is packed with detail and will run well over two pages in length.

You should be writing a different resume that’s specific to each position you’re applying for, whilst your CV remains static and you tailor your cover letter for each job you go for.

How does all of this affect how you show your published work?

This breaks it down for you:

Getting to the nitty-gritty…

Examples for listing publications on a resume

You’re here because you’re wondering…

Let’s answer that for you…

We’re going to give you the rules you need to follow for citing publications on your resume. It includes the order you need to use and the simple structure to follow to give you the perfect Publications section of your resume:

• Use a dedicated section called “Publications” so it’s easy for the recruiter to find
• Order it using reverse chronology , meaning you start with the most recently published and give each publication its own bullet point. Pick out your recent and relevant works so you can conserve space for all the other important things
• Pick the right style for your list. You don’t need to follow MLA (Modern Language Association) or APA (American Psychological Association) styling, rather you can make a list that covers the title of the work, where it was published, and the date it was featured. As an example: “Components of Neo-gothic Churches in Nineteenth-Century England” British Journal of Architecture, June 2018

Pro-Tip APA style is a writing style and format for academic documents such as scholarly journal articles and books. It is commonly used for citing sources within the field of behavioral and social sciences. It was developed by The American Psychological Association. MLA style is the leading style of documentation for literary research, as well as academic papers in the humanities field. It was developed by The Modern Language Association.

For including a written publication, it should look like this:

• Title of article or chapter, then the name of the journal/magazine/website
• Last name of the author, then first and middle names or initials
• Publication year
• Issue or publisher’s number, and volume and page numbers where applicable
• If the paper is available online, be sure to add the URL too

To cite a paper presented at a conference:

• Note your role, such as presenter, panelist, or keynote speaker
• The topic or title that was discussed
• Conference or forum name
• Where and when the presentation took place

Imagine you’re looking for a SEO consultant role and the skills you need to be showing are around SEO.

This is an example of how you’d cite relevant publications for these key skills:

• Panelist: “Native SEO and How to Host It” HostCon, 2019
• “SEO in the Next Decade” Internet Trends, June 2019
• “Best Advanced SEO Techniques” Content Guru, Turin Publishing, Dec 2018
• “Hold the Front Page: Modern SEO” Searchzone, Feb 2018

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Examples for listing publications on a CV

We’ve already established that…

Your CV, or curriculum vitae, is what you use instead of a resume in the world of academia.

Rather than picking out the best bits of your publication history for your resume, on your CV you get to show absolutely everything you’ve had published during your career, except obsolete one.

There are a few different things to consider when you’re formatting your publications to go on to your CV :

• Have the right format. With only a few publications to cite you can just add a section called “Research and Publications” within your CV, when your list is more comprehensive you’ll need to use dedicated pages for your citations
• Be consistent with your style of citations , whether you choose to use MLA or APA. A general rule of thumb is that humanities fields like languages, social sciences, and philosophy generally use MLA whilst science and engineering fields tend to opt for APA style.
• Go in reverse chronological order starting with your most recent published work and go back in descending order, all the way back to your first published article
• Don’t refer to publications that are now obsolete , you’re fine to ignore things that have been superseded or aren’t relevant to your job or field any more
• Note work that’s yet to be published but is being peer-reviewed at the time you’re writing your CV. Format these papers in italics and don’t include the name of the journal you have sent them to.
• Highlight your byline when you have co-authors or collaborators by putting your name in bold, remember not to miss out on anyone’s name

Here’s a guide to the different styles that you may be expected to use:

To give you some examples of what your listed publications would look like based on the type of work and the style you decide to use:

Pro-Tip Make sure you keep your list up to date as your career progresses and you get more articles, books, or presentations published. Each time something new goes live, add it to the top of your CV’s Publication and Research section.

When you have publications to cite on your CV or resume, it shows that you have skills, knowledge, and interest in your field. A potential employer will only see this in a positive light; they want you to be engaged in the work that you do.

It’s really important that everything that you include about your published history is correct and up to date, as well as relevant.

You can add publications to your CV or resume in a number of ways, depending on your field and purpose.

To be doubly sure that you’ve got it, here’s how to write publications on a resume and CV:

Publications on your resume :

• Put them in a separate section called “Publications”
• Include each publication in a new bullet point
• List the year and title
• Add the name of the magazine, website, or journal
• Only include publications that are relevant to the job you’re applying for

For your CV, usually, you'd include all your academic publications.

Publications for your CV :

• Include all of your academic publications
• Choose a citation style for your list and stick to it
• Start with the most recent publication and work backward
• Bold your byline when you’ve shared credit
• Don’t use outdated, disproved, or obsolete works

However, you choose to format your list, make sure that it looks tidy and well organized so any hiring manager knows exactly what they’re looking at.

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Does volunteer experience require resume? How to describe voluntary roles? Volunteering is valuable so check out how to write up your experience in resume.

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How to Put Research on a Resume: Tips and Examples

When most people think of research, they think of scientists in labs or graduate students trying to complete a thesis or dissertation. The truth is research comes in many types and forms. 

Have you ever analyzed how target audiences interact with your product? Have you ever cross-checked product prices among the competition or compared which features their applications have? That’s also research. 

The point is this: Many organizations are looking for people with strong analytical skills and research experience, even in areas that do not directly relate to the product or service they provide. Why? Because “research” is a skill that carries over into all academic, scientific, and business endeavors. 

So whenever you’re perusing job posts, always check if mentioning your research experience may be helpful. If so, you will need to know how to include your research experience on a resume. 

How to Put Research Experience on Resume?

Research experience belongs to the Work Experience section of your resume. Depending on your field of work, you can either mention some of your research skills when describing your work duties and accomplishments.

Or, if you’re working on a scientific resume for an academic position, you can set up a separate Research section on your resume (or even share your research work as a separate attachment). 

At any rate, your research experience must be presented in a logical and coherent manner. Here’s how you put research on your resume: 

• List all research work you have done previously, no matter what kind it may have been. It may have been academic research from your schooling. It may have been market research you did in your previous positions.
• Take a lingering look at the job description for the role you’re after. Scan the applicant requirements section for specific research skills. 
• Cherry-pick the most relevant research experiences to include in your resume (yes, every resume has to be customized to the job description!). 
• Include all your research directly in the sections of your resume that summarize your current and previous positions. If you can quantify the results of your research, do so. Employers like to see actual numbers.

Sample Entry for Research Experience on a Resume

Let’s say you’re after a Product Marketing Manager position with a SaaS company.  The job ad says they’re looking for candidates, experienced in doing market research, segmented customer demographics studies, and brand messaging split testing. You have those skills. Here is how you might include them in your resume. 

XYZ Corp. 2018-Present Position: Market Researcher Responsible for analysis of customer satisfaction with current products

• Conduct product satisfaction surveys on a weekly basis
• Analyze survey results using Power BI tools to understand the trends in user engagement, satisfaction, and attrition. 
• Source additional qualitative data from customer support and sales teams to provide a more comprehensive analysis. 
• Collaborate with the Product Owner and Program Manager on inputs for new product features. 

ABC Corp. 2018-2019 Position: CRO Specialist  Responsible for conceptualizing and implementing CRO strategies for e-commerce websites. 

• Google Analytics, heatmaps, and session recording data to create conversion benchmarks for main landing pages. 
• Make recommendations for changes in microcopy, CTA placements, and information layouts, page-by-page.
• Have improved the conversation rate by 23% for an international food retailer. 
• Generated over $100K in revenue from one promotional landing page for a coffee retailer. 

Sample Undergraduate Research on Resume 

Here’s another option: You want to talk about relevant coursework in college. Any research you did as an undergraduate related to your career can be relevant, especially when you’re an entry-level candidate. 

Again, read the job posting carefully, and see what will fit. Here’s a sample of how you can include it on your resume.

Education University of Missouri 2020 BS in Agriculture

Additional Information: Research Project

Conducted original research on the effects of phosphorus and nitrogen in soil samples on the growth of corn. Concluded with recommendations for percentages of each in the soil to achieve maximum growth.

How to Put Research Skills on Your Resume

First, understand this: Research experience and research skills are two very different things. Experience is actual research work that you have done. Skills indicate your ability to conduct research. 

So you’ll want to list your skills separately from your academic or work projects. A good way to do so is by creating a featured skills section on your resume. Depending on the resume template you use, you can locate it in the sidebar area or header. 

Good Research Skills for a Resume

Need some ideas? Here are several examples of resume-worth research skills: 

• Research question development
• Field data collection 
• Data aggregation and analysis
• Statistical models in Matlab
• Custom analytics projects in PyTorch
• Customer survey development
• Interview techniques
• Qualitative research design
• Experiment designs

Research experience is an important qualifier for so many career positions today. If you feel comfortable working with data and know a thing or two about statistical analysis, your value   to any employer increases manyfold. So always give your research skills a prominent placement on your resume!

Elena runs content operations at Freesumes since 2017. She works closely with copywriters, designers, and invited career experts to ensure that all content meets our highest editorial standards. Up to date, she wrote over 200 career-related pieces around resume writing, career advice... more

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Tips for Adding Research to Your Resume

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Getting involved in research is a unique experience that can help you build important skill for school and beyond! Once you get started, it’s important to think about adding it to your resume. When applying to future research positions, jobs, internships, and/or graduate school, it’s important to show off your experience. You will want to show that you have this kind of experience and also show off the skills that you have used/developed in your research position.

What You Need to Include

Its important to summarize the basic details of each position on your resume so that whoever reads it understands what each position was before they even read your bullet points.

Your research experience should have; • Your Role/Title Example: Research Assistant, Student Lab Member, etc.

• Lab and University Name Example: Wildcat Lab, University of Arizona

• City/State, not the full address! Example: Tucson, AZ

• Start Month/Year – End Month/Year. Examples: February 2023 – Present | January 2022 – May 2022

Putting it all together! Research Assistant | Tucson, AZ Wildcat Lab, University of Arizona | February 2023 – Present

Next – Writing About Your Experience s

Writing about your experience is important because this is the part that shows off what you did in your research experience! It’s important to write in a way that shows off the skills you used in the role. This is why we recommend writing in a style called APR format.

APR stands for Action – Project/Problem – Results. This format gives the employer, or whoever is reading your resume, enough information to see what you did, which skills you used, and why or how the task was completed. You can review more about APR format on the Resume Section on our website.

When preparing to write this section, think about what you did in your research position. What did you do? Why were you doing it? What skills did you use? Why or How was it completed? These are some questions to think about why writing about your experience. Then, use bullet points to list specific roles, tasks, or accomplishments.

Example Bullet Points: • Code participants answers in Excel to ensure data is HIPAA compliance • Analyze data using IBM SPSS to create correlation models and to find significant numbers • Present at weekly meetings to share findings with research team members

In these examples, you can see each bullet point includes skills such as coding, analyzing, programming (IBM SPSS), and communication.

Putting It On The Page

Once you have finished your bullet points, you can add them to your resume! Students typically put their research experience in a section that allows these activities to stand out. If you feel like your research is something that you want to highlight, you can create a specific section for it!

Give it a unique header such as Lab Experience , Research Experience, etc. and you’re ready to go!

Example Resumes with Research

Adding Your Research Skills

Remember, you can also add your research skills to your skills section, if you have one! This is a good place to directly state the skills you used in your research experience. It’s important to state your technical skills, such as programming, equipment, etc. and transferrable skills such as communication, data analysis, etc.

Example Skills Sections

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Get more resume information, templates, and more on our website or make an appointment with a Career Peer Coach , who can help you create a new resume or review your current one!

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Undergraduate Research

How to put research on your resumé.

Resumés are important documents for all kinds of application packages — jobs, scholarships, grad school, etc. Your resumé should fit within the total package highlighting your achievements in a concise manner that can be further expounded upon in your personal statement, cover letter, or your letters of reference. It is important to custom tailor your resumé to any particular position, or program you are applying for. Some information needs to be emphasized more than other depending on what the reviewers may be looking for.

Using Your Space Wisely

In general, a resumé should be no more than two pages long — unless you have a large number of presentations or publications that need to be listed. Avoid the tendency to add more “stuff” to your resumé to try to look impressive. Use the relevant experience you have and determine what was impressive about it (for example, demonstrated independence, innovation, grit, or tenacity; helped improve ways of doing things in the lab; were given additional responsibilities as time went on; etc.)

• A reviewer would rather read about the two positions you had that are relevant, than try to sift through seven or eight clubs or fast-food job descriptions.
• Transcript?
• Recommendation Letters?
• Personal Statement?

Typically, resumes are formatted so that your most recent position is listed first. However, don’t put working at Dairy Queen first, if you are applying for a research position. Instead, consider using some of the following sections:

• Academic Accomplishments
• Research Experience
• Work Experience/Employment
• College Activities
• Volunteer Work
• Presentations and Publications

You do not need all of these categories, especially if you do not have relevant, interesting, or recent experience with them. Do not feel forced to try to fit your resume into someone else’s template. Make a list of what you want to include then design categories that fit your experience and story. Keep in mind that these categories will change over time (for example: five years after college, you will no longer need to include a section on “college activities”).

Research Mentor

• Area of research
• Not only does it show that you worked directly with a faculty member in your position, but reviewers might be familiar with your mentor’s work which could put you at an advantage.
• Consider listing projects and accomplishments the group achieved first before breaking things out on a year to year basis.
• If you were funded by different sources at different times, put a list of these sources at the bottom of the experience in this position.

Job Titles, Time Periods

• Use something that makes sense (sometimes HR titles do not)
• Instead of “MUURS Scholar” say “Student Researcher funded by the MU Undergraduate Research Scholars Program”
• Summer 2017 (9 weeks, full time internship)
• Academic Year 2018-2019 (15 hrs/week)
• What does that award mean?
• Will anyone outside of campus know what that is?
• Was the program selective?
• What was the award amount?
• What was the duration of the award?
• You can list various funding sources at the end of the relevant section
• External funding (from a government entity such as NIH, for example) is impressive. Be sure to list it.

You need to take the time to seriously consider your experience and how that allowed you to grow and mature as a researcher. Ask yourself these questions when brainstorming about your experience:

• What are areas you excelled in?
• What are lessons you learned?
• What are things you improved upon from the person before you?
• How did you spend your time?
• What skills did you gain?
• What research outcomes were reached?
• How long were you in the lab?

Use specific numbers or other qualifiers when applicable to show just how much work, effort, independence, or tenacity you had.

If your publication and presentation experience is limited, it is recommended that you include it with your relevant experience. However, if you have extensive or otherwise impressive experience (won a presentation award at a conference, or presented your work to state legislators at the Undergraduate Research Day at the the State Capitol, for example) then include a new category specifically for Presentations and/or Publications.

Presentations

• Include full list of authors
• Include full and official title
• Include if it was poster or oral presentation (ie, 15 minute presentation)
• Include location, event
• Include date (at least month and year)
• Include any award
• Check in with your mentor, to find out if a poster you co-authored was presented elsewhere.

Publications

• Full citation when published
• In Press – journal, date?
• Submitted for review – journal/date
• In preparation
• Check with your mentor as many projects are not completed by the time as student graduates.

Final Reminders

• Know your audience
• Explain (or spell out)
• Organize to fit your own situation
• Make it easy to follow – esp. if you have ‘time away’
• But have on comprehensive and cohesive running resumé.
• Have a system in place to update/organize your resumés.
• Use professional language, as most files are submitted electronically — the reviewer will see if you named a file “Better Resumé”
• ex: Jane Doe Resumé – Biochemistry REU, UT Austin
• This will ensure that the reviewer knows who you are and what you are applying for without even opening the file.

We encourage students to visit the MU Career Center in the Student Success Center for help on their specific application needs.

• Adding research to a resumé or CV
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• Resumé example
• Contact Career Development

Research experience is a valued activity in the educational experience and should be showcased on your resumé. This experience should be treated like any other experience, whether paid or unpaid, as it provides a snapshot of skills and knowledge you have gained.

When highlighting your research, be sure to use key words that highlight skills employers want. Example statements include:

• Partnered with lab personnel on various projects, including…
• Conducted experimental research using…
• Ordered and maintained office and lab supplies
• Assisted with lab organization and maintenance

Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity

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Office of Undergraduate Research

Undergraduate research cvs and résumés, cv vs. résumé - what's the difference.

A curriculum vitae, or CV, is a document that provides a comprehensive overview of your educational background, academic accomplishments, and qualifications, including your research experience, publications, awards, presentations, and honors. CVs are typically used when applying for academic, scientific, or research positions. A CV may also be used for graduate school, fellowship, or grant applications.

Résumés provide a concise (1-2 page) summary of your education, experience, and skill set. Résumés are typically used for non-academic opportunities, such as jobs, internships, or leadership positions.

At the undergraduate level, these documents may overlap, with similar content found in both. As you progress throughout your career, they will diverge as your experience level changes and your materials are tailored to address a particular audience and to match the conventions within your discipline.

Make sure to review the application information provided by the program or opportunity to determine whether a CV or résumé is preferred.

Are you new to research and developing your first résumé? The Center for Career Development has resources to assist you with preparing a résumé that highlights the transferable skills developed through academics, work experiences, volunteer activities, and extracurricular involvement, as well as connecting those transferable skills to the opportunities you are applying for.

Preparing an Undergraduate CV

Sections: how to organize your content.

The sections on your CV will depend on your experiences and what you want to highlight. For a research-focused undergraduate CV, you can include any of the following sections, modifying the specific section heading to fit your needs:

• Research Experience

Publications

Presentations.

• Grants or Fellowships
• Awards or Honors
• Skills (laboratory, technical, computer, design) and Certifications
• Internships (or relevant work experiences)
• Professional Memberships, Professional Affiliations, or Professional Societies
• Leadership, Volunteer Work, Service, Community Involvement, Extracurricular Activities

When determining the order of your sections, consider what content is applicable and relevant to the program or opportunity to which you are applying. A general guideline is to include your most relevant sections first. Within each section, organize your content in reverse chronological order, listing the most recent experiences or content first, and working your way back to older content.

Begin your CV with your name and contact information. Contact information may include your school or home address, or you may choose to exclude your address and limit your contact information to your email address, phone number, and if applicable, your personal website or LinkedIn URL.

Your name is typically in a larger font, one to two sizes larger than the content. Consider using bold so that it stands out.

Education is typically the first section of an undergraduate CV after your heading. Include the institution name, degree you are completing, your major(s), minor(s), and expected graduation date. If you are writing a thesis, you can also include the title and name(s) of your thesis advisor(s).

Academic honors may be included here as well, though you also have the option of having a separate section to highlight awards and honors.

Including your GPA is optional and will depend on what you are using your CV for. If you are submitting your CV to an opportunity where a GPA is requested, include it. GPA is not commonly included on graduate CVs, an important note to keep in mind as you progress through your academic career and move on to advanced study.

If you studied abroad, you can include the institution name, dates of attendance, and relevant coursework or focus of your studies.

Tip: It is essential that you correctly indicate the degree you are pursuing and your academic major and minor. If you are unsure of how to list your major on your CV (e.g., Psychological Sciences – not Psychology), check with your academic advisor or check your transcript to see how your major is listed. UConn undergraduate degrees include: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Bachelor of Social Work.

University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT Bachelor of Arts in History, Minor: Human Rights, expected May 20XX

• Honors Program (20XX-20XX), Dean’s List (Fall 20XX, Spring 20XX), 20XX New England Scholar
• Senior Thesis: Thesis Title
• Thesis Advisor: Dr. Jonathan Husky, Associate Professor, Department of History

University of Connecticu t, Storrs, CT Bachelor of Science, Molecular and Cell Biology , May 20XX Bachelor of Arts, Psychological Sciences , May 20XX Minor: Healthcare Management and Insurance Studies Honors Scholar and University Honors Laureate, Dean’s List (20XX-20XX, Fall 20XX)

Study Abroad in Florence, Italy, Summer 20XX Coursework: History of the European Union; Identity and Culture in Italy: A Comparative Approach

Essential information to include for each research experience:

• Dr. Jonathan Husky, Associate Professor, Statistics Department
• ABC Research Group, Biomedical Engineering Department
• University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
• Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, Hartford, CT
• Undergraduate Researcher, Summer 20XX (12 weeks, full time)
• Research Assistant, August 20XX-Present (10 hrs/week)
• If you are assisting with a research project funded by an external source (e.g., NSF, NIH), talk with your faculty mentor about the correct way to list that on your resume.
• If you received funding to support your work (e.g., SURF Award, UConn IDEA Grant), include that at the end of your description.

The order of information may vary based on how you are formatting your CV. Regardless of the order, it is essential that you are consistent. For example, if you lead with the project title for one research experience, you should lead with the title in all experiences. If you lead with the lab or research group name, stick with that throughout. Consistency is key.

Describing Your Research

For each research experience or research project you’ve engaged in, prepare descriptive sentences that explain the research, outlining the project goals and objectives, the steps you took to achieve your research goals, including methods used, and your results. Use action verbs to paint a picture of your research involvement and contributions. When possible, quantify your statements and incorporate scope, context, and purpose.

• Descriptions on a CV are typically in paragraph form, though you may opt for bullet points for organization and clarity.

Framework for structuring your descriptive statements:

• Overview of the project (Researched... to determine...; Explored and evaluated... for the purpose of...; Investigated the role of...)
• Key steps you took along the way (Surveyed...; Traveled to... for...; Examined...; Analyzed...; Collaborated with...; Evaluated...; Created...; Acquired and digitized...)
• Results/Outcomes (How did your work add value? What can we learn from your project? Established a correlation between....; Developed prototype of...; Drafted.....; Contributed to...)
• Awards/funding, if applicable (Awarded $4000 grant from the University of Connecticut as part of competitive University-wide application process to fund the project)

Research Lab Name, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT PI: Dr. First, Last Name, Title Research Assistant , Start Date (Month & Year) to End Date (or Present) Topic: One-line description of research topic

• Description – overview of the research, big picture goals and objectives for context, methods used, and key findings.
• Your Role - break down your project responsibilities and contributions towards the goals and objectives. Elaborate on your accomplishments.
• Funding/Awards - If you received funding or awards related to this project, you can indicate that here, still listing the funding/awards in the relevant category. If the project you worked on was funded by an external source, list that as well.
• Formatting – this content can be in one robust paragraph, or you can choose to break it into smaller segments using bullet points.

Dr. Jonathan Husky, Center for Advanced Animal Research, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT Research Assistant, August 20XX-Present (8 hrs/week) Project Title/Overview/Research Focus Participate in NIH funded research study investigating _____. Maintain _____ and conduct _____ for the purpose of _____. Use _____ methods to measure _____. Attend bi-weekly research group meetings to _____. Conduct literature reviews, analyze relevant scientific papers, and present to research group on a monthly basis.

Capturing multiple roles or involvement in multiple projects

If you have worked with the same research mentor for several years or on a variety of projects, consider starting with your research mentor’s information, then listing each research project with corresponding descriptions of your contributions to the work, starting with the current/most recent project and working backwards.

Research Assistant to Dr. ABC, Department of Psychological Sciences University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, Start Date (Month & Year) to Present

Project Title/Research Focus (dates working on this project) Description – overview of the research, big picture goals and objectives for context, methods used, key findings. Break down your role and contributions towards the goals and objectives. Elaborate on your accomplishments. If you received funding or awards related to this project, you can indicate that here, still listing the funding/awards in the relevant category. If the project you worked on was funded by an external source, list that as well (e.g., Collaborated on NSF-funded research assessing...)

Project Title/Research Focus (dates working on this project) Description – Conduct literature review on _____. Developed 70-question Qualtrics survey to assess _____. Collected responses from 500 participants using _____. Collaborated with team of 3 graduate student researchers to code data using _____. Co-presented results at XYZ conference in Chicago, IL.

Research Group Name, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT PI: Dr. First Last, Title, Department

Undergraduate Student Researcher , September 20XX-Present Topic: Description – overview of the research, big picture goals and objectives for context, methods used, key findings. Break down your role and contributions towards the goals and objectives. Elaborate on your accomplishments. If you received funding or awards related to this project, you can indicate that here, still listing the funding/awards in the relevant category. If the project you worked on was funded by an external source, list that as well (e.g., Collaborated on NSF-funded research assessing...)

Summer Undergraduate Research Fund (SURF) Award Recipient , Summer 20XX Project Title: Description of research and your role.

Independent research

If you have engaged in a self-directed or independent research project, you can make that clear in your description of the project. If you received support or mentorship from faculty, you may choose to include that in your description.

Project Title Independent Researcher , University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT (Dates) Faculty Mentor: Dr. First Last, Title, Department

Designed and conducted independent research project investigating the relationship between... Interviewed... to assess... Transcribed, coded, analyzed... Developed comprehensive resource booklet...

Funding: Awarded $4000 research grant from the University of Connecticut IDEA Grant program to fund the project.

Publications should be formatted in a manner appropriate for your field of study (e.g., APA, MLA), so your listings may vary from the examples provided below. Use the full citation when published. If accepted but not yet published, you can include “forthcoming” in place of the publication date.

If you are preparing a manuscript, but have not yet submitted your work for publication, or it has not been accepted, consider including that information in the description of your research.

If you have more than one manuscript that has been submitted or under review, but not yet accepted for publication, you might consider using a “Manuscripts under Review” section to highlight those.

Author(s) (in order). Title of Article. Journal Name, Edition/Year of Publication, Pages.

Husky, J. Huskies Forever: Establishing an Alumni Outreach Program. Journal of College Student Success. 20XX; 22(1): 44-48.

Last F, Husky J. Wellness, Motivation, and Healthy Lifestyles in College Students. Journal of College Student Success . Forthcoming, accepted for publication in April 20XX.

Presenting your research at a professional conference or similar event is a valuable experience and one that should be noted on your CV. Presentations can be in their own section, or you can list them with each research experience. Consider having a separate presentations category when you have multiple experiences to include, or if you want to draw attention to your presentations.

Formatting for presentations will be based on the conventions within your field of study. Talk with faculty mentors about the correct way to go about this for your academic discipline.

Wellness, Motivation, and Healthy Lifestyles in College Students , 10th Annual Conference on Undergraduate Research, June 1, 20XX, Boston, MA.

Frontiers in Undergraduate Research Poster Exhibition, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, April 20XX. Husky, Jonathan. “Huskies Forever: Establishing an Alumni Outreach Program” (poster presentation).

“History of Mascots at the University of Connecticut: 1934 to 2014.” Presented at 4th Annual College Sports Symposium. New York, NY, May 20XX (oral presentation).

Husky, Jonathan. (20XX, June XX-XX). Self-Esteem, Motivation, and Healthy Lifestyles in College Students (Poster Session). 10th Annual Conference on Undergraduate Research, Boston, MA.

Skills and Certifications

Skills and certifications may be combined into one category, or you can divide them into their own categories. Consider including laboratory skills, equipment, technology and software, animal handling, sample preparation and processing, database management, languages, and certifications that are relevant to your academic discipline and goals.

If you have a significant amount of skills in a particular area that you want to draw attention to, consider breaking down your skills into additional categories (see example 2).

Laboratory: ELISA, Fluorescent microscopy, microdissection, cell culture, Gel Electrophoresis, PCR Technology: MatLab, Minitab, SPSS, Stata Certifications: CITI Human Subjects Research Course – Biomedical Research and Social/Behavioral Research, American Red Cross CPR/AED, Pediatric CPR and First Aid Languages: Fluent in Hindi, Advanced Urdu

Laboratory Skills

• Crystallization; Fractional, Vacuum, and Steam Distillation; Gravity and Vacuum Filtration; Thin-layer Chromatography, Interpretation of HPLC, NMR, UV/VIS and IR spectra
• Spectrophotometry; Ion Exchange, Gel Filtration, and Affinity Chromatography; Western Blot Technique; SDS-PAGE
• PAGE and Agarose Gel, Fluorescence Spectroscopy, DNA synthesis, PCR, Transcription, Enzymatic Ligation
• Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), Zeta Potential, DNA Functionalized Nanoparticles

Honors and Awards

Significant honors and awards that are not recognizable outside of UConn should be explained to give you credit for your accomplishments. Consider including a brief description to help readers understand the purpose and scope of the award. As you advance in your career, descriptions of undergraduate awards may be removed, listing only the award name and year.

• UConn IDEA Grant Recipient , April 20XX: Awarded $4000 grant from the University of Connecticut to support an independent research project conducted under the mentorship of Dr. Jonathan Husky.

20XX University Scholar, University of Connecticut

• Selected as one of XX students to participate in a prestigious program that supports design and pursuit of an intensive three-semester research project and learning plan during the final undergraduate semesters.

Summer Undergraduate Research Fund Award Recipient, Summer 20XX

• Awarded $4500 grant from the University of Connecticut through competitive application process to support an independent research project in collaboration with the ABC Lab.

CV Formatting and General Tips

• Review your CV with your faculty mentor/PI to assure you are not disclosing confidential research results or information and to assure you are clearly explaining the research project. Faculty mentors can also guide you on the appropriate conventions within your field of study.
• Be truthful – give yourself credit for what you’ve accomplished but do not exaggerate or mislead your role in the research.
• Be careful with acronyms. If it is one that is widely used and recognizable within your field, it is fine to use it. If not, spell it out.
• CVs do not have a page limit. However, that does not mean you should include absolutely everything you have done. You want to strategically edit content and limit your CV to relevant information.
• CVs are formatted in an uncomplicated way. Avoid over-designing your CV. Use bold and italics strategically and minimally. Avoid underlining; this is typically reserved for hyperlinks.
• Use 11-12 point font and 1 inch margins. Your name should be 1-2 pts larger. Section headings can also be larger. Choose an easy-to-read font (e.g., Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman).
• Don’t crowd your content; use space!
• Faculty often include their CVs on their bio page or website. Review these to understand how this document is used and the conventions within your academic discipline.

Converting Your Undergraduate CV into a Research Résumé

The research résumé.

Your résumé provides potential employers and programs a snapshot of your background, skills, and experiences to help them assess your candidacy. Think of it as a marketing tool that you can use to strategically highlight and emphasize your most relevant background experiences and significant accomplishments.

Résumés are typically shorter than a CV (1-2 pages, depending on your field/industry), focusing on key highlights that are relevant to the opportunity you are seeking. You will need to tailor your résumé for each application or opportunity.

To convert your CV into a résumé, start by identifying the most relevant, applicable content. Copy that content into a new document. From there, you can adjust your formatting to fit your content on one page, possibly two, depending on the field/industry.

When formatting a résumé, you want to condense and tighten your formatting. Consider reducing the spacing between experiences, adjusting the margins to make them smaller (try .75” instead of 1”), and perhaps reducing the font size (10 or 11pt).

Key details about your research experience that are included on your CV need to be included on your résumé. These include your affiliations, PI/faculty mentor’s name, your position or title, and dates affiliated. Consider shortening your descriptions, trimming down to the most pertinent information that helps readers recognize the transferable skills gained through a research experience. Focus on the process and results of your work, aligning the skills you demonstrated and developed to the position you’re applying for. If your descriptions are in paragraph form, consider changing those to a bulleted list, as this is more common on a résumé.

General Research Résumé Tips

• Review your résumé with your faculty mentor/PI to assure you’re not disclosing confidential research results or information and that you are clearly explaining the research.
• Utilize strong action verbs to describe your research experiences. Contextualize your research experiences and contributions to the project.
• Quantify and qualify – provide numbers and details to help readers get a picture of your research involvement.
• Tailor your résumé to your target audience. Use different versions and/or format for different fields or types of opportunities.
• Make the category headings work for you. Similar to your CV, you can group related experiences together in categories such as Research Experience, Academic Accomplishments, Publications, and Presentations. Don’t feel limited to standard resume categories such as Work Experience or Activities.
• Use the correct tense: present tense for experiences you’re actively engaged in and past tense for those you are no longer engaged in.
• The higher up something is on the page, the more likely it will be read; be strategic about the order in which you present information.
• Format should be easy to read and not cluttered or text-heavy.
• Have your résumé reviewed by trusted advisors.
• Save your résumé as a PDF to maintain formatting (unless the program or recipient specifically requests it in another format).
• Be truthful – give yourself credit for what you’ve accomplished, but do not exaggerate or mislead.

Research CV Examples and Templates for 2022

Start creating your CV in minutes by using our 21 customizable templates or view one of our handpicked Research examples.

Join over 260,000 professionals using our Research examples with VisualCV. Sign up to choose your template, import example content, and customize your content to stand out in your next job search.

• How do you write a research CV?

To write a research CV, follow these steps:

• Select a CV template that’s right for research/academia.
• Next, add your research goal within your CV summary or objective.
• List your GPA clearly.
• Show that you perform research work independently and how your past experience or skills will be helpful.
• Add your research publications.
• How do you list research experience on a CV?

To add your research experience on a CV, add another entry to your work experience section and list the research work you did in a bulleted list.

• Research CV summary and profile

Ready to start with your Researcher Curriculum Vitae? See our hand picked CV Examples above and view our live Researcher CV Examples from our free CV builder .

• Research CV Objective

A research position is a person engaged in research, possibly recognized as such by a formal title. This is a very broad definition and relates to the fact that research positions generally cover multiple jobs and job titles. It’s important to distinguish between these positions so that we may accurately define research cv objectives.

The first objective to a research cv is to determine if the job you are applying for requires specific qualifications and/or education. For example, it is likely that research assistant roles will require a degree or postgraduate degree to even apply for the position, whereas a research fellow or research associate will usually require a minimum of a master’s degree.

Once you’ve identified your qualifications are sufficient, it is now time to show your expertise in the associated field.

Research positions generally require an advanced understanding of one specific field so it’s beneficial to only include experience, education, study, and training in that field and complementary fields. Make sure you look at the research project and the requirements because the person in charge of the project, grant or funding may be looking for a generalist but it’s normally safer to be very specific about your expertise and your devotion to the field.

The next focus area on your research cv should be on your reading, writing and analytic skills as these are the core skillset many recruiters are looking for on your cv.

Below we go into more detail on research cv formats and some real-life example cvs to help you get started on applying for your next job or position.

• Research CV Formats

Research Assistant CV

Research assistants are researchers employed by a university or a research institute to assist in academic research. In most cases, a research assistant cv should focus on education, qualifications or interests around the area of research the potential candidate is applying for.

Most research assistants will be hired on their subject matter knowledge of the research being undertaken and their abilities in reading and writing. Following orders of the principal investigator or lead will also be crucial in hiring for this position so make sure you include your willingness to do what you’re told in your cover letter.

Research Associate CV

Unlike research assistants, research associates are normally full-time positions that are not under direct supervision or mentoring. Research associate cvs should have a laser-like focus on education and qualifications in their respective field. Be sure to include all awards, published works, and prior research.

Research Consultant CV

Research consultants are experts in their field who are hired to help complete research on behalf of an academic institution or research institute. Sometimes consultants can be hired specifically to fill a gap in the research currently undertaken by a specialist in another field.

Research consultant cvs generally focus on education, credentials and published work. As a consultant, they should demonstrate considerable experience across different projects or research. Make sure in your cover letter to include reasons why you will be highly beneficial to completing a research project or why your experience of working on different projects would be useful to the project at hand.

Research Fellow CV

A research fellow is an academic research position at a university or similar research institution, usually for academic staff or faculty members. Your educational qualifications and published work are essential to applying for this position. A doctoral degree or postdoctoral degree is generally considered mandatory unless you have equivalent work experience in the industry.

• Research CV Examples

Please find our Research CV Examples below. If you are after more examples we have a directory of over 200+ real CV examples sorted by position and title.

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How to Put Research Experience on Resume?

When applying for a job, all your experience matters. Most people love to indicate all the experience they have gained over the years to prove their competence for a particular position. However, many people are confused about how to include research on resumes. Are you a job applicant who has been wondering how to list research on a resume? Or are you completely lost on how to put conferences on resumes ? You’re at the right place.

Keep reading to find out how to include research in your resume.

Does Research Count as Work Experience?

Perhaps, you’re asking yourself, does research count as work experience? The answer is yes. In today’s world, various companies are interested in hiring individuals with probing skills. Employees that display adequate study skills can easily gather information from multiple sources and interpret complex data to find solutions to a problem. This skill is crucial in helping organizations improve the quality of the service they offer.

If you have lab skills to put on your resume as well, we have a different article for that. Check it out !

Also, employees highly skilled in finding information will ensure that the company exceeds customer expectations at every step of the way. There are clear indications that research work counts as experience. And learning how to list research experience on a resume can make you stand out from a long list of applicants.

How to Add Research Experience to Resume?

It’s been established that every applicant will do better by learning how to write about research experience in a resume. But, the real challenge is in the process of learning how to add research to a resume. Do you just go ahead and list all the research skills at your disposal? Or do you blindly include your study portfolio as a separate subheading in your resume? That’s the purpose of this piece. You’ll find out soon enough.

Frequently, resumes are designed such that your current or newer positions are listed first. However, if you’ll add research experience to your resume, then format your CV according to the following subheadings or sections;

• Academic Accomplishments
• Research Experience
• College Experience/Activities
• Volunteer Work
• Presentations and Publications

You should only include all of the above-listed sections if you have the relevant experience to fill them. Don’t feel pressured to make things up and include any false details as a way of stuffing your resume with research experience. The use of falsified information will be considered a breach of trust that may come with some serious consequences.

For those who have teaching experience and certificates, you can learn how to list them on your CV; just visit our blog page.

Before you get started with filling out the important details, make sure to list them. Then, you can go ahead to categorize them. Don’t be rigid about the categories you are filling. Instead, you should be open-minded and prepared to make as many alterations as possible. Some sections may even be deemed unnecessary depending on the time elapsed. For instance, if you have graduated for more than 5 years, adding a section on college activities may feel unnecessary.

What to Include When Putting Research on Resume?

These are some of the essential information to add to your CV to display your ability to handle research work:

Research Mentor

The first step to learning how to put research on the resume is to include information about your research mentor. Adding your mentor to your resume tells your prospective employer that you’ve spent some time learning the ropes on how to research properly. Not only does this tell them that you’ve worked directly with a senior member of your faculty, but it also says exactly who it is.

Don’t be surprised to find that someone may be familiar with your mentor’s work. Now, that’s the type of advantage you’d want to have when seeking employment.

You need to include your mentors;

• Research area

Some students train under more than one mentor or have worked on multiple projects with a single person. If you fall under this category, never hesitate to expressly state the terms and conditions surrounding your mentorship. You may include any projects and achievements you and your study group witnessed. To make your work orderly, you may list out past projects on a year-to-year basis.

And you should always mention your lab experience on your resume, so click for more info about it.

Job Titles and Work Duration

If you have served in any related position before your current job application, it’s a valuable experience that should be included in your CV. Make sure to state your job title or position. Abstain from the use of acronyms that may confuse the reviewer of the resume. For instance, do not call yourself a MUURS Scholar. It’ll be a better idea to say that you are a Student Researcher who is a part of the MU Undergraduate Research Scholars Program.  You should also be specific when listing your work period or the duration you spent on the job.

This is where you describe how the entire study went. Take some time to deeply consider the experience you have gained from related positions and mentorships. Make a list of all the things that have contributed to your growth as a researcher. Review each of them closely and ask yourself any of these questions to find out your experience with it:

• What were your best areas?
• Were there any particular lessons learned?
• What are the important aspects you need to improve during your work?
• What skills did you pick up from the research position?
• Did you enjoy your time there?
• What were the results of the research you worked on?
• How long did you spend on the project?
• What was your role during the project?

You may use certain qualifiers to show how much work or effort you put into the research position you held at that time. It’s a simple tactic to remember when putting the research on a resume.

Publications and Presentations

Publications and presentations are evidence of your research work and experience. Even if you have limited publications and presentations to present to your prospective employers, you should include them. They will serve as a symbol to show your competence and capability.

When listing presentations;

• Include the complete list of authors on the project
• Include the project’s full title and official title
• Specify if it was an oral or poster presentation (i.e., you may even describe it based on its duration by calling it a 15-minute presentation on whatever topic)
• Specify its location and events surrounding it
• Include the date
• Include your mentor or whoever co-authored the presentation

When listing publications;

• Include full citation after publishing
• Include in-press recognition – journal date
• Include the date submitted for review and the journal-title

Make sure to update this section regularly. You may also include any publications that were completed after your time as a student.

Examples of Resumes With Research Experience

Role: Research Assistant, University of Missouri (2014 – 2016)

• Participated in insightful and innovative research on cell biology.
• Participated in intensive laboratory work and collaborated with other team members to document details of experiments
• Maintained lab equipment in reasonable working conditions and organized lab operations.

Research Project, Biology Department, University of Western California, December 2020-April 2021

Key participant in a study on the work of Charles Darwin. Confirmed his theory on the triggers of evolution and adaptation of living organisms.

• Collaborated with other team members to identify and evaluate empirical evidence to support the project proposition
• Analyzed the work of other previous authors during the same period to identify any parallels with the topic
• Compile a 40-page report on the team’s findings and present them to the research professor

What Are Research Skills?

Research skills refer to a person’s ability to gather, organize, analyze and interpret information on a specific topic. To put it simply, these skills are the outward manifestation of the research techniques you have built up over time. Probing skills are concerned with searching through numerous information sources and analyzing them to identify which of them contains the solution you need.

What’s the Importance of Research Skills?

If you’re contemplating putting the research on your resume, you probably don’t understand the importance of research skills. These skills are valuable to an employee or employer. They allow the person to look closely at important details, gather information from multiple sources, extract vital evidence and details to support your study, and identify a reasonable solution to the problem.

Employers hire individuals with profound probing skills to:

• Create and compile comprehensive reports on work processes
• Evaluate the performance of competitors
• Track technology changes
• Create new and innovative products for clients
• Identify the demands of customers
• Improve work processes and streamline operations

Adding these skills to your resume gives your employers an idea of what to expect. It tells them that you are capable of suggesting new ideas and helping them create innovative solutions to satisfy consumers.

So, How to List Research Skills on a Resume?

Now that you know how to write a research resume, it’s time to move on to adding these skills to your CV. To do this, you must correctly identify all the related skills you possess. Common examples of these skills include; planning and research, attention to detail, data collection, critical thinking, problem-solving skills, technical skills, project management, and communication.

The following steps will teach you how to add probing skills to your resume:

Look through the job description : The first thing to do is check the job description and find out if the employer is on the market for specific research skills. Go ahead and list all the skills you possess that correlate with the requirements in your job post. You may decide to tailor your CV to comply with your potential employer’s needs, or you may list all your research skills to let them know your overall capability.

Add the skills to the research experience section : The research experience section of your resume is the perfect place to list all your skills. All you have to do is create a new subsection for it.

We’ve clearly emphasized the importance of research experience during job applications. Companies are looking for applicants with these skills because they offer them a chance to improve and offer customers innovative products.

Learning how to write research experience in a resume will give you a much-needed advantage over other applicants. Try it out today. It could be the key to securing your dream job. But if you feel you need help with your resume, check these services that assist with resume writing.

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Should I post publications in preparation (or just submitted) on my CV?

If I have works that are almost submitted to journals, or are in journal review, is it appropriate to include these on my CV?

• publications

• 5 if they are under review, then simply write under review after citing them without mentioning the journal or proceeding. I've seen many do that. But I know someone who mention in some of his papers ideas and cite them as under review but I am sure that they have never been even considered for publication. I dont know if this is ethical or not though. –  AJed Commented Jan 28, 2013 at 23:51
• 2 FWIW - this is for a post-doctoral application to a facility in the US. –  user5776 Commented Jan 29, 2013 at 18:10
• 3 'almost submitted' = 'in preparation' Use that specific term. They will know what you mean. Like others said, just be prepared to provide a draft if asked to do so. –  Joel DeWitt Commented Oct 29, 2015 at 17:02

5 Answers 5

Don't put anything in your CV you cannot justify if asked. A CV is not just a list of your accomplishments, it's a list of material you can provide to a recruiting committee in order to help them make a decision.

In a same way that if you claim to have a given degree, you should be ready to provide the corresponding credentials, if you claim to you have a paper under review, you should be ready to provide the submission.

In other words, you can list in your CV your submitted work, but not the pieces of work that are "almost submitted", unless you're ready to provide the draft if asked (the question is: if the draft is not submitted, that probably means it's not ready, therefore can you provide it?). If it's possible with the journal/conference policy, you can even put your submitted version on a pre-print site, such as arXiv .

On going work can go into the "research statement" part of your CV, where you can explain the different ideas you're working on, and even give the key concepts.

• 8 To extend this, if you aren't prepared to justify it, don't list it on your resume . I've interviewed too many candidates who listed a boatload of skills that, when pressed, they couldn't back up in practice; it didn't work out for them. The same applies here. –  eykanal Commented Jan 29, 2013 at 2:27

I will usually list things that are on the arxiv. They can be viewed as tech reports, so I don't see the harm in doing so.

Where it gets tricky is if (for example) you submit to a double blind conference. In such a case adding the paper to your CV might be viewed as a breach of the process.

But in general my view is that if you have the paper posted on your web page (and you should!) or on the arxiv, then it's perfectly fine to list it.

Okay, it seems I have to play devil's advocate again… because my position on this is different from Charles' answer.

My CV lists my scientific production separated between peer-reviewed articles, non-peer reviewed articles (I have none, but it could happen), invited conferences, oral conferences. As such, I would definitely not put a non-published paper among the “publications”, especially not among the peer-reviewed ones. In my field, it is rare to publish (in the sense of “make publicly available”) a manuscript before it is accepted (chemists don't use arXiV much, because most journals prohibit it), so I find it weird to list unpublished material in a CV.

So, because you didn't tell us your field, I would say beware :

• if your manuscript is unpublished , it's not a publication, don't list it as such
• if it's published (arXiV or your website or other) while in review, clearly mark it as such (and don't list it as peer-reviewed )

I would say that the “under work” manuscripts do not add much information anyway. The topic they cover is surely already covered by your research statement (or list of research interests), so why would a hirer care about whether you are writing this paper or that paper?

• 19 "why would a hirer care about whether you are writing this paper or that paper?" There's a difference between a research statement saying you're interested in something and actually producing work. Beyond that, for postdocs and the like, work currently in the pipeline may represent a fair amount of their overall productivity. –  Fomite Commented Nov 3, 2014 at 18:10

I have a Publications section on my CV with Peer Reviewed Publications, Submitted for Publication, Conference Publications and Presentations, Invited Lectures and Seminars, and Reports.

For the manuscripts that have been submitted for publication I just put the authors, title, and I put ( submitted ) as the year.

I see people include the journal they submitted to, but I don't think that's appropriate since it unjustifiably uses the reputation of the journal to bolster your reputation. Anyone can submit anything to Nature or Science.

I also recently had a PhD applicant say they had submitted a manuscript to relatively good journal. I asked for a copy and the article was in no way suitable for the journal they submitted to.

I never put in-prep on my CV, since it's practically meaningless.

Another thing to think about is the rules of funding agencies and other people to whom you might submit these CV's. In German and EU funding applications, only accepted papers can be listed as part of an author's "publications" list. Work that is in review, no matter how far along the review process, cannot be listed until an acceptance notification has been given.

However, it's also not clear what stage of your career you're in. If you're applying, for instance, for a post-doctoral position, then it would probably make some sense to mention manuscripts under review. Normally, in such cases, the CV isn't going to a committee—usually it's just the advisor himself.

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How to Set and Achieve Your Career Goals in 2024

by Karien de Villiers

• · June 20 2024
• · 5 min read

Table of contents

A career goal is a personal aspiration that can be short-term or long-term . It defines what you aim to achieve in your professional life. Whether you are a student , a recent graduate or a seasoned professional, your career goals steer your path.

In this article, we cover:

Why are career goals important when writing a CV or cover letter?

Examples of career goals.

How to include career goals on a CV.

How to include career goals on a cover letter.

Examples of how to mention career goals in a CV or cover letter.

Let CVMaker guide you through the CV writing process, offering a professional CV template to highlight your strengths.

Create a CV that aligns with your career goals

Aligning your CV or cover letter with your career aspirations is essential. A practical approach is maintaining a master CV that you can customise for specific job applications. At the start of your job search, you must clearly understand the types of positions you are targeting. This clarity allows you to write a CV that effectively showcases and supports your career goals.

Job targets can vary when customising your modern CV or cover letter template. It's important to identify these early and ensure they align with your career goals . Here are some specific job target ideas to help guide your CV writing process.

Entry-level: Highlight relevant coursework and internships for roles like Tutor or Marketing Intern.

Industry-specific: Focus on coding languages and methodologies for roles like Software Developer in a tech startup.

Leadership: Showcase leadership and sales growth experience for positions like Sales Director.

Specialised: Highlight specific skills and projects for roles like Data Analyst in healthcare.

Creative: Include portfolio and design skills for roles like Graphic Designer.

Academic: Focus on research experience and publications for roles like a Research Scientist.

Technical: Emphasise certifications and technical skills for positions like a Network Engineer.

Make sure that your CV and cover letter align in layout, format, and content.

For CV and cover letter examples tailored to some of the above job targets, refer to the following guides:

Creative: Graphic Designer CV and Graphic Designer Cover Letter

Technical: Developer CV and Developer Cover Letter

Leadership: Sales CV and Sales Cover Letter

Examples of career goals

Short-term career goals:.

Long-term career goals:

How to set career goals and achieve them 

Mentioning your career goal in your CV can help potential employers understand your motivations and how they align with the job and the company’s objectives. It can also demonstrate that you are a forward-thinking and committed candidate with a clear vision for your future. For more tips, refer to how to write a good CV or check out how to structure a cover letter .

1. Identify your passions and strengths

To identify your passions and strengths, start by pinpointing activities or subjects that energise you. For example, if you find joy in problem-solving or creative endeavours like writing or graphic design, these could be indicators of your passions.

By understanding what drives and distinguishes you, you can tailor your career goals to align with your genuine interests and capabilities.

Additionally, recognise your unique strengths, such as strong communication skills or attention to detail, which could be evident in successful project completions or leadership roles. For more tips, refer to what skills to put on a CV.

2. Research and explore potential career paths 

When diving into researching career options, take the time to explore a wide range of industries and job roles that resonate with your passions and strengths. Investigate the requirements, responsibilities, and growth prospects associated with different professions to comprehensively understand potential career paths.

For more guidance, read through top skills employers are looking fo r or alternatively, check out highest paying jobs .

Consider factors such as job stability, salary potential, and work-life balance to ensure alignment with your personal and professional goals.

For more information on tailoring your CV or cover letter to a specific job, refer to the following guides:

Support Worker CV and Support Worker Cover Letter

Retail CV and Retail Cover Letter

3. Set SMART goals

When setting career goals, apply the SMART criteria to ensure they are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This framework helps in crafting goals that are clear, actionable, and conducive to successful attainment.

For example, let's say your career goal is to advance to a managerial position within your company's marketing department . Applying the SMART criteria, you might formulate the goal as follows:

Specific: Instead of a vague aim like "advance in my career," specify the exact position and department you aspire to, such as "become a Marketing Manager within the next two years."

Measurable: Define criteria by which you can measure your progress and success. This could include metrics like the number of relevant skills acquired, successful completion of leadership training programs, or achieving specific performance targets.

Achievable: Ensure that your goal is realistic and attainable given your current skills, experience, and resources. Consider what steps you need to take to bridge any skill or experience gaps and make the goal achievable.

Relevant: Ensure that your career goal aligns with your overall career aspirations, interests, and values. It should contribute to your professional growth and fulfilment. In our example, aspiring to a managerial role within the marketing field is relevant if marketing is your chosen career path.

Time-bound: Set a specific timeframe for achieving your goal. This creates a sense of urgency and helps you stay focused and motivated. For example, aiming to become a Marketing Manager within the next two years sets a clear deadline for your career progression.

Fore more guidance, refer to our Marketing CV and Marketing Cover Letter.

4. Develop a detailed action plan

Break down your overarching career goal into smaller, manageable tasks and milestones. Each task should represent a specific action you need to take to move closer to your objective. 

Tasks for transitioning to software development:

Enroll in coding bootcamp or online courses to learn programming languages like Python or Java.

Build a portfolio of coding projects to showcase your skills to potential employers.

Participate in hackathons or coding challenges to gain practical experience and network with professionals in the field.

Seek internships or volunteer opportunities with tech companies to gain hands-on experience.

Check out our article on courses and certifications , or explore our piece on career changes for valuable insights.

5. Monitor progress and make adjustments accordingly

Review your progress toward your career goals regularly and make adjustments as necessary. Stay flexible and adapt your action plan based on new opportunities, challenges, and changes in your circumstances.

How to include career goals in a CV

Refer to how to write a personal profile for more examples.

Check out our article on how to include work experience on a CV for more examples.

Not sure what to include? Refer to our detailed guide on how to list achievements on a CV.

How to include career goals in a cover letter

For more examples, refer to how to start a cover letter.

No experience? No problem! Check out our guide on how to write a cover letter if you have no experience.

Refer to how to end a cover letter for more tips.

Key takeaways

Including a career goal in your CV shows that you have a clear focus and direction in your professional life. 

When your career goals align with the jo b you are applying for, it suggests to employers that you are likely to be more motivated, engaged, and committed to the role. 

Stating your career goal can highlight your ambition and desire for professional growth . It shows that you are thinking about progressing within the industry and contributing to the company in the long term.

Next steps?

Explore our professional CV examples and cover letter examples , each with a customisable CV template. Need help with your cover letter? Our CV Writing Services experts can proofread and tailor it for you. Check out our career blog for top interview questions and tips.

What is the difference between a career goal and a career objective?

A career goal is a broader, long-term ambition that defines what you aim to achieve in your professional life. A career objective is a specific, short-term statement outlining what you hope to accomplish in a particular job or role.

Should you target your job for each application?

Yes, targeting your job application for each position is essential. Tailoring your CV and cover letter to align with the specific job requirements and company culture increases your chances of success.

What is the best career objective to write in a CV?

The best career objective is specific, tailored to the job you're applying for, and emphasises how your skills and experience align with the company's needs.

What goals should I put on my CV?

Include career goals that showcase your aspirations and how they align with the job and company you're applying to. These goals should demonstrate your ambition, motivation, and potential contribution to the organisation.

Start creating your CV

Create a professional CV quick and easy with our advanced CV Builder

Updated June 20 2024

Karien has established herself as a leading figure in the career services industry, crafting over 800 professional documents and assisting job seekers globally with reviews such as "I'd hire me". Renowned for her expertise, she continues to empower individuals, specialising in creating resources to aid job seekers in securing employment and staying ahead in the ever-evolving job market. Start here today!

Land the interview for your dream job with CVMaker

Effortlessly create your professional CV within 10 minutes and download it whenever and wherever you want!

Increase your chances of landing your dream job with CVMaker.

What Is An ATS? 8 Things You Need to Know About Applicant Tracking Systems

Customers Interviewed by:

You spend hours perfecting your resume, making sure it outlines your skills and experience in the best possible light. After all, when it comes to job hunting, your resume is your most important tool.

But after all that work, you’re  still  not getting enough interviews, even for jobs you know you’re qualified for. Why not?

What you might not realize is that your resume usually doesn’t go to a human being after you submit it – it goes to a computer. In fact, there’s a good chance a real person will  never see  your resume!

That’s because more and more employers are using  applicant tracking systems  (ATS) to screen resumes. 

What is an ATS? It’s computer software designed to scan resumes for certain keywords and weed out the ones that don’t match the job description.

So if you want your resume to actually make it into the hands of a human being, you need to make sure it’s optimized for the ATS.

In this article, we’re going to teach you 8 things you need to know about applicant tracking systems, including what they are, how they work, and especially how you can “beat” them!

1. What is an ATS?

The hiring process can be a time-consuming and frustrating experience for employers as well as job seekers. To streamline the process, many companies have started using applicant tracking systems (ATS).

An ATS is a computer software program that manages the hiring process. It does this by collecting and sorting thousands of resumes. 

Hiring managers can then screen candidates using the ATS, as well as track their progress through the hiring process. By digitizing the hiring process in this way, an ATS saves employers time and money. 

2. How applicant tracking systems work

There are 4 basic steps to how an applicant tracking system works:

• A job requisition enters into the ATS. This requisition includes information about the position, such as the job title, desired skills, and required experience.
• The ATS then uses this information to create a profile for the ideal candidate.
• As applicants submit their resumes, the ATS parses, sorts, and ranks them based on how well they match the profile.
• Hiring managers then quickly identify the most qualified candidates and move them forward in the hiring process. 

What’s especially important to understand is that recruiters often filter resumes by searching for key skills and job titles .

“ Recruiters often filter resumes by searching for key skills and job titles .”

For example, if a recruiter is hiring for an Administrative Assistant position and there are 500 resumes, their first step will probably be to search for “Administrative Assistant.” This isolates candidates that have done the exact job before. 

Anyone that doesn’t have that exact term in their resume is out of luck!

A search can contain multiple terms. For example, recruiters might perform a complex search that contains a combination of job titles and skills: Administrative Assistant AND data entry AND payroll…

This means that if you can predict the resume keywords that recruiters will use in their search, you’ll greatly increase your chances of moving on in the hiring process. But you don’t have to guess which keywords to use. All you have to do is analyze the job description to find them. 

Jobscan’s resume scanner automates this process by using AI technology to analyze your resume against the job description. It then provides you with a score that shows how well your resume matches the job description.

It also tells you exactly how to increase your score by adding those resume skills and keywords that are missing from your resume. Here’s an example of a report produced by the resume scanner:

By adding the highlighted keywords to your resume you’ll increase your score. The higher your score the more likely a hiring manager will find your resume and invite you for an interview. You can try the resume scanner for free here .

3. What’s the difference between an ATS and a CRM?

When it comes to recruiting software, there are two main types of systems: 

• Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)
• Candidate Relationship Management (CRM) Systems 

Let’s quickly look at each system.

ATS software is typically used during the hiring process, and includes features such as resume parsing, candidate screening, and assessment tools. The downside to ATS software is that it only tracks job candidates that have already applied to your company. 

Top employers hire for several jobs at a time and receive hundreds of resumes for any given opening. Because applying for a job online is easier than ever, many of these applicants are unqualified and figured “it was worth a try.”

CRM systems, on the other hand, are used during the recruitment process to target potential candidates who haven’t yet applied to your company. CRM features include email marketing, scheduling, and communication tools to build relationships with possible candidates.

Whereas ATS only give you data that candidates input themselves, CRMs allow you to input information that you discover about prospective talent. In other words, ATS are more reactive, while CRMs are more proactive. 

You don’t necessarily have to choose between the two systems. Many companies use both!

4. Key features of an applicant tracking system

Applicant tracking systems make it easy for people to apply for a position on any device, without having to log in. This means that companies benefit from a larger pool of applicants.

Because there are so many applicants, companies use ATS software to automatically surface and highlight top candidates. Here’s an example of what the ATS looks like to the hiring manager:

Some other key features of ATS software include:

• Resume parsing – This is the process of extracting data from resumes, such as contact information, work history , educational background , and skills . 
• Advanced search – This enables you to filter applications by specific keywords, job titles, skills, experience, education, and more. 
• Candidate sourcing – This allows you to actively search for, identify, and reach out to potential candidates for open positions.
• Multi-channel candidate sourcing – This lets you search for potential candidates using multiple channels, including job boards, social media, and employee referrals.
• In-built CRM software – Some ATS also feature CRM software to cover all your needs in one platform. 
• Email templates –  Most ATS offer email templates to ensure that all your correspondence with candidates is consistent and professional. 
• Advanced analytics and reporting –  This allows you to generate detailed reports on job seekers, hiring trends, and other data. 
• Various integrations – This means the ATS can connect with different types of software, such as email marketing software, accounting software, and CRM systems.
• Ability to schedule interviews – By automating interviews, you won’t have to waste time rescheduling, sending out reminders, or coordinating multiple calendars.
• Real-time collaboration -This allows people from different parts of the organization to get involved in the sourcing, screening, and decision-making regarding new hires.
• Automation based on certain events and conditions – This means your ATS will only be triggered to do something if a specific scenario occurs.

5. How accurate is ATS software?

While it is true that ATS can save recruiters time and effort in the hiring process, the reality is that these systems are far from perfect . 

A study by Harvard Business Review revealed that 88 percent of recruiters felt that qualified candidates were ignored by an ATS because they “did not match the exact criteria established by the job description.” 

This suggests that ATS places too much emphasis on keywords and fails to take into account a candidate’s skills, experience, or qualifications. As a result, many qualified candidates are overlooked simply because their resumes don’t contain the right keywords!

“ Many qualified candidates are overlooked because their resumes don’t contain the right keywords. “

However, you can take advantage of this situation by making sure your resume contains the exact keywords that employers are searching for. 

6. Who uses ATS?

Jobscan research found that over 97% of Fortune 500 companies use ATS while a Kelly OCG survey estimated that 66% of large companies and 35% of small organizations rely on recruitment software. And these numbers continue to grow.

If you’re applying to a large organization, you’ll most likely face an ATS. 

If you’re applying through any online form, you’re applying through an ATS. 

Even job sites like Indeed and LinkedIn have their own built-in ATS.

It’s clear that ATS is here to stay. That’s why it’s so important to use the right keywords and format your resume in a way that makes it easy for ATS software to read.

7. Why employers use applicant tracking systems

When you think about it, today’s employers are faced with a daunting task when it comes to hiring new employees. This is because the internet has made it easy for job seekers to submit applications, so they submit a lot of them . Many of these applicants are unqualified and figured “it was worth a try.”

The result is that corporate recruiters now receive hundreds and sometimes even thousands of resumes for every job opening. This is why they need an ATS. These automated systems simplify and speed up the hiring process, saving businesses time and money.

“ ATS software simplifies and speeds up the hiring process, saving businesses time and money. “

The top ATS feature many benefits, including:

• Easier communication among hiring managers
• Faster applicant screening 
• Reduced time spent on repetitive tasks 
• Improved net hiring score
• Increased candidate engagement 
• Better overview of applications 
• Easy job posting
• Improved cost per hire 
• Improved quality of hire

As a result of these benefits, ATS have become an essential part of the modern recruiting process.

8. The future of applicant tracking systems

There’s no question that artificial intelligence ( AI ) is rapidly changing the world of recruitment. Already, AI-powered applicant tracking systems (ATS) are screening resumes, identifying potential candidates, and even conducting initial interviews. As AI continues to evolve, it’s likely that ATS software will become even more sophisticated.

“ As AI continues to evolve, it’s likely that ATS software will become even more sophisticated. ” 

In the future, these systems are expected to be more fully integrated with social media platforms like LinkedIn. This will enable them to identify both active and passive candidates who are a good match for open positions. 

Additionally, AI-powered chatbots could be used to answer questions and provide information about the application process. 

Ultimately, AI is poised to transform the recruiting landscape in a number of ways, making the process faster, easier, and more efficient for everyone involved.

What is an ATS optimized resume?

There is no universal trick to “beating” applicant tracking systems. Getting past an ATS and landing a job interview requires a well-written resume that is mindful of ATS algorithms as well as the people pushing the buttons.

Here’s our simplest advice for how to optimize your resume for an ATS :

• Carefully tailor your resume to the job description every single time you apply.
• Optimize for ATS search and ranking algorithms by matching your resume keywords to the job description.
• Use both the long-form and acronym version of keywords (e.g. “Master of Business Administration (MBA)” or “Search Engine Optimization (SEO)”) for maximum searchability.
• Use a chronological or hybrid resume format (avoid the functional resume format ).
• Use a traditional resume font like Helvetica, Garamond, or Georgia.
• Don’t use headers or footers as the information might get lost or cause a parsing error.
• Use standard resume section headings like “Work Experience” rather than being cute or clever (“Where I’ve Been”).
• Use an ATS-friendly resume builder to create your resume.

You can automate a lot of this process by using Jobscan’s resume scanner , which quickly tells you how to optimize your resume to get the best results. 

Our resume scanner includes Power Edit , an AI-powered resume editor that has six built-in ATS-friendly templates for you to choose from.

Read more : How to Write a Resume for Today’s Job Market

All ATS recognize Word documents. Some of them are also compatible with PDF files.

The best way to see if your resume is ATS friendly is to use a resume scanner like Jobscan’s. Try it now for free .

The adoption rate for small companies is low, but growing quickly. Last year, it was estimated that 35% of small organizations use an ATS.

Yes, there are. When writing your resume, keep the following in mind: • Keywords : Tailor your resume to include relevant keywords from the job description. ATS systems often scan resumes for keywords to determine their relevance to the position. • Formatting : Use a resume format with standard margins . Stick to standard fonts like Arial or Times New Roman, and avoid complex graphics that may confuse the ATS. • File type : Submit your resume in a universally readable format, such as a Microsoft Word document or a PDF file. • Avoid special characters : Some ATS systems may have difficulty reading special characters, symbols, or non-standard fonts. Read more : You Need to Avoid These ATS Resume Formatting Mistakes

Applicant tracking systems themselves do not reject resumes. People do. The purpose of an ATS is to identify resumes that best match the specific job requirements and qualifications. Resumes that do not meet the predetermined criteria set by the ATS may be ranked lower or filtered out. However, the final decision on whether to reject or consider a candidate rests with the human decision-makers involved in the hiring process

When writing your resume, always try to mirror the job description. In other words, use the same language that the job description uses. In addition to the work experience section, the resume summary is a great place to include relevant keywords and action verbs .

One disadvantage is that candidates who haven’t tailored their resumes to include the right keywords may be overlooked, even if they possess the necessary skills and experience. In addition, resumes that have intricate designs, bright colors , fancy graphics, or non-standard fonts may not be parsed correctly by ATS, resulting in rejection.

ATS stands for Applicant Tracking System. This is software that is used by employers to manage job applications and to streamline the hiring process. It automates the process of posting job listings, receiving applications, sorting through candidates, and assisting in the selection of suitable candidates for employment.

ATS is used in human resource departments to streamline the recruitment process. ATS stands for Applicant Tracking System, a software tool that helps in organizing, filtering, and managing large volumes of job applications.

Some of the most popular ATS include Lever , Greenhouse , Taleo , and iCIMS .

Key takeaways

Let’s quickly sum up what we’ve learned:

• Employers receive hundreds of resumes for every job opening.
• An ATS is a computer software program that simplifies and speeds up the hiring process. 
• Over 97% of Fortune 500 companies use ATS while 66% of large companies and 35% of small organizations rely on them.
• As AI continues to evolve, it’s likely that ATS software will become even more sophisticated. 
• Recruiters often filter resumes by searching for key skills and titles.
• The problem with ATS is that qualified candidates are overlooked because their resumes don’t contain the right keywords.

If you want to make sure your resume gets past the ATS and into the hands of a recruiter, you need to optimize it . Jobscan’s resume scanner is an easy way to do this. 

Simply upload your resume and the scanner will show you where you need to improve your keywords so that your resume stands out from the rest.

Don’t let a computer decide your future – use Jobscan today and start getting more job interviews!

Robert Henderson, CPRW, is a career advice writer and a resume expert at Jobscan.

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