Research Assistant Resume: Skills, Templates & Examples
You'll learn:
Researching is no easy task; it's time-consuming and requires a lot of effort to complete due to its challenging nature. Thus, plenty of research managers or college professors will employ research assistants to aid them in research projects in academic and private research settings. In addition to researching through various means, research assistants might also provide operational and administrative support, such as maintaining website content, attending project meetings, and act as a communication channel between the research managers/college professors and the parties involved.
Regardless of the type of research assistant resume you want to make, may it be a legal research assistant resume, a biology research assistant resume, or a psychology research assistant resume, a precisely tailored research assistant resume is vital to ensure that you move to the next step of the recruitment process.
How to Write a Research Assistant Resume?
Your resume creation process will be more than simply figuring out the needed skills for a research assistant resume. Other factors need to be included and considered, such as your career objective as a research assistant and crafting a specifically tailored research assistant cover letter to go along with your resume. This information can make your resume-making journey a smooth sailing one.
Step 1: Understand the differences between a Curriculum Vitae (CV) and a resume.
It's easy to confuse a research assistant CV and a research assistant resume because these two terms are frequently interchanged.
A research assistant CV …
- is more detailed and has a simple structure
- is over 2 pages long
- and mainly used in academia, medicine, or science fields
Whereas a research assistant resume…
- Emphasizes relevant information for a specific job
- Within 2 pages long
- Used for a job application
📝 Note: Ensure to double-check the research setting (i.e., academic or private research) and the job advertisement to see if they are requesting a research assistant CV or a research assistant resume and format yours accordingly.
Step 2: Choose the right research assistant resume format.
Research recruiters are busy people; due to the number of applications they receive, they can only skim through resumes for relevant information. Formatting your research assistant resume clearly and properly can help research recruiters find your applicable information in a jiff.
There are 4 types of format that can benefit your resume for a research assistant position: chronological, functional, hybrid/combination, and targeted. Choose a format that is relevant to the research setting, context, and your research experiences and abilities.
Step 3: Look up research assistant resume templates & examples online as references.
An excellent first step that you can take when creating your resume is to look up research assistant templates and research assistant resume examples online as references. These online references will have strong points to emulate and weak points to avoid putting your research assistant resume.
Step 4: Tailor your research assistant resume for the position.
One of the biggest no-noes when applying for research assistant job positions is to submit a multipurpose resume. It would be unwise to use an undergraduate research assistant resume to apply for a research assistant position that requires candidates to submit a graduate research assistant resume, even though they are both student research assistant resumes.
Pick phrases or keywords from the job ads and include them in your resume. You should also opt to list duties relevant to the position and not every single responsibility you've had.
Step 5: Craft a research assistant cover letter.
A cover letter is the first document in your application that the hiring manager will see. Thus, like your research assistant resume, you should tailor your cover letter for every application. A cover letter is where you should convey your passion and showcase how your skills, experiences, achievements, and profile fit into the role.
Step 6: Proofread.
A research assistant's role is very academic based; you want to proofread your research assistant resume and ensure that no spelling or grammatical mistakes exist to uninspire confidence in the research recruiters.
What to Put on a Resume For a Research Assistant?
When trying to figure out the best way to structure and fill out your research assistant resume, you might overlook and miss out on including some details that should be in your resume.
Your research assistant resume should contain:
1. Resume Profile (Personal Information)
✅ Always INCLUDE:
- Full name
- Professional title can give your prospective employer an idea of how experienced you are as an electrical engineer.
- E-mail address
- Phone number
- Address (city, state, and country)
🚫 Do NOT include:
- Current salary
Putting out a number too early may lessen your bargaining power when negotiating your salary (it also seems unprofessional to do so). - Social Security number/National Insurance Number
Only required AFTER you get hired for administrative and legal purposes. Avoid including your SSN or NIN to prevent yourself from being exposed to potential identity thefts or scams. - Sexual orientation, race, marital status, photograph, date of birth, nationality, gender, and religion.
❌ Your private life is irrelevant to the job position, a professional company would never ask candidates for this information. Exclude them to avoid potential hiring bias and discrimination.
2. Research Assistant Resume Headline
- A resume headline is a one-line and concise description of yourself at the top of your research assistant resume. It should quickly inform the recruiter of who you are, your strengths, achievements, and relevant experience as a research assistant. Use keywords from the job ad to further enhance your resume headline.
Research assistant resume headline examples:
- Diligent, Detail-Oriented Molecular Biology Research Assistant with 2+ Years of Experience
- Hardworking Psychology Research Assistant Who Have Published More Than 2 Peer-Reviewed Journals
3. Research Assistant Resume Summary
A professional summary for a research assistant should be a continuation of your resume headline, being 2-3 sentences long. It should contain your research assistant background, skills, experience, and qualifications.
Research assistant resume summary example:
Detail-oriented and analytical psychology research assistant with 2 years' experience in academic settings, specializing in behavioral and cognitive psychology research. Highly adept at conducting interviews and database management.
4. Research Assistant Resume Objective
Your resume objective can be incorporated in your resume summary and should answer the question, "what is my career objective as a research assistant?"
Research assistant resume objective example:
Highly efficient and analytical legal research assistant with currently pursuing a master's degree in corporate law. Have proven outstanding writing ability and design studies and assessments to identify legislative patterns and issues. Seeking to take on further responsibilities in an academic setting.
5. Skills for Research Assistant Resume
A research assistant requires a wide array of hard skills and soft skills to satisfy the job expectations; they are also a direct indicator of your potential fit for the position you've applied to. Ensure that the skills that you put in your research assistant resume are relevant to the job context.
Skills for research assistant resume examples:
Technical skills
- Data entry
- Microsoft Excel & Word
- Research
Soft skills
- Attention to detail
- Analytical thinking
- Public speaking
6. Work Experience
An essential section of your research assistant resume will be your work experience. As a research assistant, this section can be an indicator to recruiters of how well you handled your previous responsibilities.
Research assistant work experience example:
Clinical trial research assistant, XYZ Pharmaceutical
May 2012 – June 2013
- Assisted in the management of medicinal supplies and shipments
- Aided in the clinical research studies on a new paracetamol drug
7. Education
Due to the academic nature of a research assistant's job, education would be held to a high degree. This is especially crucial as it can boost your resume, especially if you're building a student research assistant resume or a research assistant resume with no experience. Include your school or university, degree, major, coursework, year of graduation, honors and awards, GPA, and extracurricular activities (if applicable).
8. Additional Information: Academic Awards
As previously iterated, a research assistant's job is very academic. Thus, any academic awards you have received before (i.e., Honor Rolls, scholarships, subject-related awards) can help (especially for undergraduate research assistant resumes or entry-level research assistant resumes) if you outshine other candidates.
Tips For Writing a Great Student Research Assistant Resume
Tip 1: Customize the resume for research assistant positions.
As previously mentioned, it's best not to use the same research assistant resume for multiple applications, no matter how similar the positions and/or the job context are. Adjust your resume accordingly to the job ad to exclude irrelevant details and include relevant factors.
Tip 2: Use keywords (from the job description) in your research assistant resume.
As previously mentioned, it's best not to use the same research assistant resume for multiple applications, no matter how similar the positions and/or the job context are. Adjust your resume accordingly to the job ad to exclude irrelevant details and include relevant factors.
Tip 3: Quantify results in your research assistant resumes.
Quantifying your results and achievements in your resume speaks volume to the recruiters; it makes your accomplishments look more apparent and more convincing.
Tip 4: Choose an ATS-friendly resume layout.
Fancy research assistant resume templates may look appealing, but it's best not to use them as applicant tracking software (ATS) cannot identify templates with too many visuals.
Tip 5: Adopt resume action words (verbs).
Action verbs can instantly grab an employer's attention.
Tip 6: Show how you contributed to the research process
It's not easy to show a concrete proof of your work as a research assistant; thus, when you're filling out your experience section, you want to make sure you state how you've contributed to the research process instead of merely listing your responsibilities.
Cake provides the right research assistant resume templates & formats for research assistant to showcase their skills and experiences. Sign up to create the best research assistant resume Now!
How to Write a Cover Letter For a Research Assistant Position?
First impressions never have a second chance, more so in the eyes of a hiring manager. As the first document, a potential employer will look over when reviewing your research assistant resume, a strong cover letter to help you stand out from other candidates while indirectly building rapport with the hiring manager.
Though there is no specific format for a cover letter, a good research assistant cover letter should include:
- Contact details and basic personal details to identify yourself (i.e. your name, e-mail, and phone number).
- Utilize the company website, the hiring manager’s LinkedIn profile, etc. to know more about them and the company. Greeting the recruiter with the right name can leave a lasting first impression in their mind.
State who you are and the position you’ve applied to. - Explain why you are applying for the job and what you can contribute to the company.
- Show why you are the perfect candidate for the position by elaborating on 2 to 3 of your relevant skills and experiences.
- End the cover letter in a polite tone, thanking them for their time.
✨ First impressions never have a second chance, more so in the eyes of a hiring manager. As the first document, a potential employer will look over when reviewing your research assistant resume, a strong cover letter to help you stand out from other candidates while indirectly building rapport with the hiring manager.
Research Assistant Resume Sample
Taylor Cornell
Detail-Oriented, Analytical Biology Research Assistant with a Keen Interest in Molecular Biology
Mobile: (+44) 790-683-245-0
Email: [email protected]
Linkedin: Linkedin.com/in/taylorcornell
Summary
Motivated and ambitious biology research assistant currently pursuing a master's degree in forensic molecular biology and 2+ years of experience in assisting research projects involving isolating DNA, RNA, and protein. Seeking to join The George Washington University's DNA Research Team to leverage my biology knowledge and further enhance my research skills.
Work Experience
Biology Research Assistant, Imperial College London
June 2017 – July 2019
- Assisted in a research project involving the isolation and purifying of DNA, RNA, and protein.
- Counted the number of colonies when a metabolic compound is added to salmonella to see if there is mutation with 97% accuracy.
- Used CRISPR to cut out CRE protein and used the guide RNA to knock out a gene.
- Conducted an experiment to overexpress CRE protein and see which experiment leads to the progression of pancreas-specific cancer.
Lab Research Assistant Imperial College London
May 2016 – June 2017
- Assisted in the management of lab supplies and equipment.
- Performed quality control of cell lines.
- Performed lab experiments such as sample preparations, data collection, and experimental designs.
Skills
- Data entry
- Microsoft Excel & Word
- DNA and RNA analysis
- Autoradiography
- Statistical and Graphical Data Analysis
- Teamwork
- Analytical Thinking
- Time-Management
- Research
- Public Speaking
Education
- MFS in Forensic Molecular Biology, The George Washington University
2019 - Present - BSc Biological Sciences, Imperial College London
Concentration in Business Analytics
2016 – 2019- Academic Award: Dean's Honor Roll, President’s Undergraduate Scholarships
- GPA: 3.95/4.0
--- Originally written by Patricia Rosita ---
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