This page is for undergraduates with no previous research experience applying to labs for the first time. This is NOT for undergraduate who is about to graduate and applying to jobs.
Undergraduate resume basics
So you know when and how to apply for research positions as an undergrad but now you need to start actually applying. You can see in that page how to email professors to join their labs. Generally when sending out these emails you should attach your unofficial transcript and a resume. But how do you put together a resume for a research lab position when you don’t have any lab experience?
Resume vs CV?
Let’s start with the first question, resume vs a CV. A resume is a one to two page (MAX!) document tailored to a specific job. Your CV is a longer document which contains all of your relevant accomplishments to date. When applying to your first research position as an undergrad do NOT make a CV unless it’s explicitly asked for. It’s unnecessary detail for this situation. Rather, you want to put together a highly informative but concise resume.
Resume formatting
Use Word of Google Docs to create your resume. Keep it clean and uncluttered. Use one, maybe two accent colors. Instead of color, use font formatting and font size to guide the reader’s attention. Bold elements should be important general information (e.g. your major, places of work) then smaller font for details (e.g. dates, more info). There’s a lot of great templates out there that will speed up this process. We’re aiming for one page total though you can go to two pages if you really need. No head shots.
Where do I start?
The top, or header, of your resume should have your name, email address, and if you want, your phone number. However, in 2019 phone numbers aren’t as important as they used to be as emails are the most common method of communication for most people. Use your school email address or your personal email so long as it is professional. Your physical address is even more optional than your phone number. If you do include it, do not provide details just “city, state”. However, when applying for lab position at your university your current address is irrelevant.
Objective
Putting an objective on your resume is optional though has been gaining popularity. If you are going to include an objective section it should be second on your resume after your contact details. An objective should be one to three sentences about why you’re applying to this position. Do your best to tailor this to each lab you apply to, similar to your email to the lab’s principal investigator (professor who runs the lab).
Education section
Your education section should reflect your up-to-date education experience at the university level. Do not list your high school. Do include your major and any minors, current GPA, and expected graduation date. This section, and all others, should be in reverse chronological order so that the most recent things are listed first. For example, if you transferred to your current university, put your current university first then your previous one second.
Relevant coursework
I think relevant course work is a good section at this stage in your scientific career. The professors of the labs you are applying to will be familiar with the courses at your institution and have and idea of where your knowledge base is at. If you’re applying to an fMRI lab, have you taken the neuroimaging course? If you’re applying to a computational lab, have you taken the foundational programming courses? Ensure the courses you list are relevant. Do not list your astrophysics elective if you’re applying to biology labs.
Work experience
Hopefully you have some non-research work you can list on your resume. While it may not be relevant to working in a lab it is relevant to working. Previous work experience shows you can likely hold down a job, show up on time, and generally be responsible. However, make sure to keep this section brief with 1) your place of employment 2) your position 3) the time frame, and 4) one to two bullet points about your responsibilities and accomplishments.
Relevant skills (optional)
This section is important if you do have relevant skills to the research position. However, if you do not have relevant skills that is okay! Do not make this section and fill it with things that aren’t relevant. Everyone knows Word. Do include things like knowing how to program or use statistical software. You can also include skills you’ve picked up in lab work for your courses such as data analysis or wet lab techniques (e.g. pipetting, PCR). If you say you’re proficient in Excel, make sure you know what proficiency in Excel really looks like. Again, feel free to omit this section.
Leadership (optional)
List any leadership positions you’ve had, when you had them, and one to two bullet points about what you did. This can include things like clubs or student government.
Volunteer experience (optional)
List any volunteering experience you may have, This can help to demonstrate your passionate about something and willing to put in time and work towards it. Keep it short and sweet.
University activities (optional)
You can list any other clubs you may be involved in to give a more rounded picture of you as a person and to show you can be apart of a group. If you hold any positions in clubs put that under Leadership and not here.
Awards/honors/grants (optional)
If you got’em, list ’em! Awards for community service, clubs at your university, or high tier (university level) sports. Semesters you made the dean’s list. These can reflect you’re capable of hard work and dedication towards a goal.
Conclusions and additional resources:
I hope you found this helpful! Once you have your resume made up save it as a PDF! This will ensure it looks the same on all computers. Your university likely has resume help at their career development center. It’s always worth getting an expert to check over your resume before sending it out.
If you still need some more help, check out these excellent resources