Hello,

I am a fairly recent college graduate and I haven't pinpointed exactly what I want to pursue as a career yet. I am very interested in medical/pharmaceutical sales, though I realize that I will more than likely need to build up relevant experience to land a job in that field. Research is another career that sparks my interest. I am wondering how my current resume looks to you and what tips/changes you recommend. Also, I wasn't exactly an outstanding 4.0 student with a lot of experience with leadership and extra curricular activities (except for sports and a couple of volunteer opportunities for science fairs during college). I am wondering if I should include those in my resume, and how I might taylor my resume a little differently to pursue research careers versus sales careers, because they are very different from one another.

I am just beginning my career search and have had one interview so far. Though I was not offered a position, the interview experience was invaluable. I am hoping with your tips/advice I will be able to land interviews and hopefully a career.

Thanks so much for your time.

Susan

Susan E. Last Name
Address • City, State Zip
Phone number • Email Address

PROFILE
Highly motivated young professional with a solid science and medical educational experience
Individual with an avid thirst for knowledge, eager to pursue challenges, and increase product knowledge
Dedicated to evaluating the needs of customers and helping others
Effective communicator with the ability to develop strong professional relationships
Competitive drive to succeed stemming from long-term participation in organized team sports

EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science, Human Biology Focus and Chemistry Minor
Minnesota State University – Mankato, earned May 2012

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Certified Nursing Assistant
October 2011 – Present
City, MN
Assisted residents with activities of daily living, including dressing, eating, and bathing
Encouraged independence through one-on-one care
Trained and mentored new employees while promoting the company’s mission statement
Supervised residents during social events

Home Health Aide and Office Assistant, Company
May 2009 – July 2011
City, MN
Co-assisted a quadriplegic individual with daily cares, such as dressing, eating, bathing, and transfers
Provided medical assistance, including checking blood pressure/sugar and passing medications
Communicated effectively with the client to assist with completion of his professional duties
Performed critical office tasks, such as typing, editing, and reviewing
Worked efficiently as a team player to provide the best care for the client

RELATED EXPERIENCE
Customer Service Representative, Company
October 2007 – April 2009
City, MN
Multi-tasked effectively through the organization and accuracy of customer transactions
Gained valuable sales experience and communication skills
Provided positive customer service experience

CERTIFICATIONS
Certified Nursing Assistant, The Red Cross, Earned August 2011

Hi carlss3,

Thanks for posting your resume! You have a great start and it's wonderful to hear that you already had an interview. I agree that it's an excellent strategy to create two resume versions -- one for medical/pharmaceutical sales and the other for research-related positions.

It's okay that you weren't an "outstanding" student, you can focus on other credentials that you bring to the table. It is a good idea to add your extracurricular activities. It might not seem relevant, but involvement in sports reveals aspects of your character (competitiveness, drive, teamwork, persistence, etc.).

Here are more specific tips:

- Add your career goal. You can create a headline near the top (above your Profile) that spells out your objective. The hiring manager will readily see what you are looking to do.

- Modify the Profile depending on the goal. Your current Profile is very good, but you can add an extra bullet to emphasize either sales or research.

- Add a Skills section. This can focus on your research skills for your research resume, and sales/business/leadership skills for your medical sales version.

- Include research projects. These can be from school projects, and should show that you have the core skills necessary to succeed as a researcher or research assistant.

I wrote a few resume samples for researchers (one for entry-level) that might be helpful. Monster also has excellent articles for this career field. Here's the link:
Monster Career Advice: Researchers

I hope this is helpful. Wishing you good luck!

Kim,

Thanks so much for your insight, I think it will make tailoring my resume a much easier process. I will go ahead and add my extracurriculars, as well as many different skills I have attained throughout college.

I have checked out the sample resume you mentioned and it will definitely help me steer my resume in the right direction.

Thanks again for your input, I appreciate it.

Susan

Hi Susan - You're welcome - I'm glad the advice was helpful. Please visit this forum again if you have any questions as you're working on the draft!