SUCCESSFUL RESUMES
The suggestions on this page were specifically designed for candidates in the Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Industry.
Content:
1. Some general rules
2. Thou shalt not fudge
3. Smart Presentation and Powerful Content
4. The lay-out
1. Some General Rules
The resume is a marketing tool, but it is also a factual compilation of your experience. There are many books about resumes that “get jobs.” In fact resumes do not get jobs. Interviews get jobs. Resumes get interviews. But not all resumes do. Then how can you assure that your's does? Let us give you the benefit of our experience.
Resume Length:
The one-page formula is no longer required. The norm is 2-3 1/2 pages, with four pages being the absolute maximum. If you have an extensive list of publications, please attach it as addendum.
Font:
Arial 11, Garamond 12 or a similar font is preferable. Use Arial 14 bold or Garamond 16 bold for employer names, Ariel 11 bold or Garamond 12 bold for Job titles. For paragraph headings, such as EDUCATION and EXPERIENCE use bold caps.
Highlighting and Underlining:
When everything is highlighted, nothing is highlighted!
Our recommendation is No underlining at all.
Use bold letters for emphasis, but emphasize sparingly.
E-Mail Submissions only:
Faxing and mailing are old technologies. Submit your resume by email as word attachment only. This way, the resume will go directly to the employer’s internal resume bank. Do not use pictures (such as Adobe). Do not include a photograph of yourself.
Contact Information:
Make it as easy as possible to be reached by including updated phone numbers and email addresses. Assure your answering machine is working. At all times, reply to messages within 12 hours. When on an active job-search assure the phone is answered in a professional manner by someone capable of taking a full message.
The Cover-Letter:
Keep it brief! Let the resume speak for you!
Lenghty cover letters never get read. Nobody has the time. Recruiters will proceed immediately to the resume. Thus your heavy artillery should be in the resume. Refrain from repeating in the cover letter what’s in the resume. The cover letter should be brief and to the point, referring to the job for which you are applying.
(e.g. Dear (xxx) I am referring to the position of (xxx) as
advertised in (xxx). I believe that my experience qualifies
me for the position and I am enclosing my resume. I look
forward to hearing from you. Yours very truly). Enough said!!
2. Thou Shalt Not Fudge!
Today's employers conduct thorough reference and background checks as well as drug screens. HR groups are charged with the task of ferreting out any discrepancies and they take this job very seriously. Thus we cannot be more emphatic in making the following recommendation:
1. DO NOT MISSTATE YOUR WORK HISTORY!
2. DO NOT MISSTATE YOUR EDUCATION!
DO NOT DO IT! Under any circumstances!!!
We cannot be more emphatic!!!
3. Smart Presentation and Powerful Content
Chronological Resumes Win:
Functional resumes are confusing and convey the impression that candidates have "something to hide". You might find this offensive but it is an unhappy fact in the recruiting world that corporate recruiters and hiring managers usually react alike in this matter.
It is, therefore, our strongest advice to eschew the functional resume format in favor of the chronological lay-out, exclusively.
Resumes are scanned :
Resumes don't get "read", they get a first quick scan. Only if you catch someone's attention at first glance will your resume get a second glance. You have 9 seconds to do that. Only after a second glance will there be a chance that your resume actually gets fully reviewed.
Descriptive Job Titles:
Because of this it is of utmost importance that your job titles are descriptive of the job content. (e.g. Production Supervisor is descriptive; Scientist III is not, but Formulation Scientist is. Project Engineer is not, but Capital Project Engineer is.)
If your job title is not descriptive of the work you do, we highly recommend that you add a "Functions" line (e.g. Title: Scientist III - Function: Product Formulation; Title: Project Engineer - Function: Capital Projects Engineering; Title: Production Supervisor - Function: Packaging Operations).
Industry experience is key:
The more specific you are in your resume about industry and product experience the better. Please do not assume that the reader is familiar with the products of your current and former employer (s), even though they may be big pharma. Always do the reader the courtesy of being specific with your information.
In Summary:
1. Assure the reader can perceive your specific job experience by simply glancing at your job titles.
2. Assure the reader can learn your industry and product experience by your adding a description under the name of the employer (e.g. Rx Solid dose production; Aseptic filling; Large volume parenterals; and so on.)
If you follow these steps precisely your success rate
will improve dramatically. We guaranty it!
4. The Layout of the Resume
The Lay-out: Get right to the meat of it; it's a resume, not an essay. The preferred lay-out of your resume is as follows:
1. Objective: Make a clear and concise statement of the kind of position you desire. The more specific you are the better. If you don't know what you want, how is a recruiter to know?
2. Summary: Make a concise statement of your technical and people management experience. This includes techniques, systems , equipment; include acronyms that are generally utilized in the industry. Do not add a long list of accomplishments here.
3. Education: If your education is strong (at least a 4-year degree), then you want to lead with your edcuation and enter it at this point in your resume. If education is your weak spot, position it at the end of the resume. Licenses and Accreditations can be added to the education paragraph wherever it is positioned.
4. Experience: This should be a description of your employment history and a compilation of your experience; (last job first, first job last). For each job, describe your responsibilities first; you may add a few select accomplishments, if you wish, but the emphasis is on "few".
Present experience in Chronological Order no matter what the “smart
books” say.
Describe your employer’s business, size of the manufacturing site in which you worked and products produced.
Detail your industry experience.
Detail your product experience.
Detail your governmental regulations experience.
Detail systems and methods you used.
Detail your job experience and responsiblities first, before you detail
accomplishments.
Detail how you either made or saved money for your employer.
Detail your management and people skills and experience.
Detail the number of people you supervised/managed and what their
functions were.
5. Skills: System skills are added here.
6. Memberships: Are listed here.
7. Patents & Publications: If you have a long list of publications prepare an addendum to the resume. If it's a short list position it here.
8. The closing phrase "References upon request" signifies the end of the resume.
We are at your disposal with any questions you may have.
Please call us at 212 685 1400
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