phd graduate cv for industry

Life After My Ph.D.

Ph.d. to industry resume template, example & tips.

An industry resume is nothing like an academic CV.

It’s not an exhaustive list of your achievements.

It’s not about length.

It’s not about prestige.

It’s all about fit and being exactly what the recruiter is looking for.

Other stuff that you did during grad school simply doesn’t matter .

An industry resume is clear, concise, and effective.

Let’s take a look at the resume I used to get the recruiters to want to talk to me.

Industry Resume Format (Generic)

This is the exact resume format that I used for my industry job applications, including the one I ended up landing. Clear, concise, and effective, with plenty of white space.

This isn’t going to be exactly how a resume will be structured for everyone that reads this. But, the general outline and format worked very well for me when I was applying to jobs.

You know that the recruiter is skimming through dozens of resumes on any given day. The moment they come across your resume, they have to be convinced you’re worth speaking with.

This resume format worked for me because regardless of the role that I was applying for (I applied for mainly 2 types of roles, Support Scientist and Medical Writer), I made it extremely, extremely clear to the recruiter that I was a good fit for the position and worth interviewing.

I’ll go through each section of the resume in a bit more detail below:

Full Name and Exact Position Name From Job Listing

So I didn’t always do this.

At the beginning, I only put my full name at the top and not the job name. I thought it was super presumptuous to pretend like I could call myself that, having it so high up in the resume like it was my current title.

Sure, it made sense to me if people were already in a similar position and therefore used that job name up top, but coming out of grad school or a postdoc, not having had that actual job yet, I had a weird aversion to putting the job name smack dab at the top of my resume. It was a weird mental block that I think some readers can relate to.

Well, as a famous actor and athletic brand once said, just do it.

It’ll help the recruiter remember which position you’re applying to, and allow them to more easily associate your name with that role. It’s okay you haven’t actually had that job before! Putting it at the very top of your resume isn’t about labeling yourself as someone already having had that role. Think of it more as an organizational thing to help the recruiter.

Contact Information & Socials

I kept my resume super basic with only my city, state, and Zip, the phone number, and email address at the top. My resume was seriously no frills, no fuss.

Qualifications Summary

This is a really important section that the recruiter is going to immediately read to get a sense of who you are. You like skimming stuff and getting to the good bits, right? Same goes for these recruiters.

This is where you make your first impression and you want to make sure it’s a good one. Fill this section with lots of technical and soft skills that you see listed on the job listing and that you can infer from the job listing.

I think the free tips from Cheeky Scientist’s Free Resume Guide are incredible for this section. It should be a 3-liner, where the first line is the first impression you’re going to make, and should be a line that describes your fit for the role using key skills from the job listing. The second line should be about your most technical skills and experiences that fit the role. The third line should be more soft skills and other things like project management and public speaking.

Experience Sections

So, this can look totally different depending on the role you’re going for.

If your desired role is totally lab-based and benchwork-oriented, it might be one big section named “Research Experience” with all the job-relevant lab experiences you’ve done listed in reverse chronological order.

If you’re going for a medical writer or science writer role, then the section won’t be about labwork. It’ll be titled “Writing Experience” and be about all the things you’ve written while being in those workplaces (so yep, you’d still list the lab as the lab and department and all that).

The bullet points really need to reflect the job listing and the things you did during grad school or your postdoc that match the listing’s needs. You might be tempted to mention really cool technical things you did that you are proud of, like learning a new programming language to statistically analyze something big for your project. But try not to use precious resume space unless it’s really relevant to the job and you are genuinely convinced the recruiter will see it as beneficial to know about you.

It’s also super helpful to write your bullet points in a way that shows real, measurable outcomes, and not just “I know how to do this thing”. As you can see from how I structured them, you should try to include some sort of measured outcome in each bullet point so the recruiter sees how you were able to use that skill you claim to know and actually get results. What are they going to be paying you for, if not results?

What worked for me was to put the Education section towards the bottom where it’s still visible but not the very first thing that the recruiter sees. I think this helped distance me from giving off an academic impression and allowed me to really showcase my skills and fit for the role with the Qualifications on top.

Education is obviously really important for a lot of jobs because recruiters can screen for education and use that as a cutoff, but it’s not as important as you demonstrating you have the skills you need to do the job right.

I genuinely saw a massive increase in the number of responses once I started structuring my resume in this way.

This is pretty self-explanatory. Any skills you have that fit the role you’re trying to get would be great to list here. Be simple, and use short words rather than descriptive phrases, so that it’s easy to scan.

Soft skills are great as well, because you don’t want to come across like a nerd that doesn’t know how to get along with coworkers.

I liked the look of having 2 columns in my Skills section.

Support Scientist Resume Template Example

Now, I’ll show you an example of the above generic resume being used as an actual, useful template for a position I was interested in: Support Scientist.

One of the roles I was really interested in was the Support Scientist, or Technical Support Scientist. Large life science research supply companies have these roles that help the researchers who are customers do their experiments and troubleshoot things that come up.

You’ve probably spoken with, emailed, or chatted online with someone who’s a Support Scientist for a company you bought some sort of research tool or reagent from. It’s not a Field Application Scientist position where you have to physically go into their labs. It’s all virtual, either by phone, chat or email, and that appealed to me.

The reason I was super interested in this role was because I had a lot of experience working with clients already from my tutoring days (I have a whole blog post about my tutoring side hustle during grad school if you’re curious, $500 a month, baby!) and I genuinely enjoyed working with and educating them.

Sure, I tutored kids and Support Scientists work with adult scientific researchers.

But the literal years of experience I had from interacting with the students and parents to identify areas of improvement, plan ways to help them through their knowledge gaps, and allow them to meet their goals all while being professional and knowledgeable was super appealing to recruiters.

In all the phone screens I got, they all asked about my tutoring experience way more than they asked about my research experience.

It’s important to be able to prove that you’re not just a nerdy scientist who knows their science, but that you’re also a well-adjusted individual who can communicate professionally with people. I think this will ring true for many other positions, not just this particular one.

Here’s the exact resume template that got me Support Scientist interviews at 4 major laboratory research supply companies here in the U.S….ones that your lab has probably purchased from.

As you can see, I organized it by starting out with the Qualifications Summary, like I covered for the generic resume format above. I really wanted to showcase an equal contribution of my technical prowess as well as my genuinely client-focused, “loves to work with others” side. I wanted to make sure that the recruiter saw I was not only a scientist, but also one that can work with clients in a troubleshooting manner very easily and effectively.

I then made sure to include my “Scientific & Technical Experience” section, and then the “Customer-Facing Experience” section, as I knew they were both very important for the role. Oh yeah, Company 2 was me being a campus tour guide during undergrad ! Fits the theme of this job, right?

As for the skills, I included all the skills related to the company’s product line. Sometimes job descriptions will give you specifics on which category of products you’ll cover, work on, research, sell, oversee, etc., so that will give you information on what to definitely include in your skills section.

Resume Preparation Steps

That was just one example above, and it might not be the exact role you’re looking for. That’s okay, because these next steps will hopefully help you develop a great resume for whatever industry role you’re looking for.

You’ve probably heard people say to not use the same resume for a bunch of jobs, and that’s totally true! You want to tweak your resume to fit the job you’re applying for. When it comes to preparing your resume to fit the job you’re interested in, here’s the general workflow I used:

1. Having a pre-phrased, mostly-done resume template saved

I had something like the above Support Scientist resume template already saved on my computer. It was in my Job Search folder and was named something pretty basic, like “SupportScientist”. All the basic sentences about troubleshooting something or cultivating relationships with clients were all in there, because those sentences applied well to the type of role I wanted to apply to.

Sure, you can tweak those too here and there depending on the role! Overall, though, I had a template ready to fill in with details from the job listing.

2. Finding jobs to apply to

I found jobs on LinkedIn and Indeed. I didn’t need to buy LinkedIn Premium, but the 1-month free trial was pretty interesting so I do recommend you check it out. I didn’t need Premium to get the job I got and I don’t think it’s necessary to get a job. The job I actually got was listed on Indeed!

You can set up notifications to get new job listings that are the types of roles you’re interested in every day by email. You can also use the Save tools on LinkedIn and Indeed to save jobs to your “My Jobs” list to have them all in one place.

I’ll get more into this and how I got my job in another post but those two sites were where I looked for and applied for jobs. I honestly didn’t use any other sites or job boards. I didn’t network at all, either.

If you’re not entirely sure about what job role you’d like to have in industry, check out my post with general tips on how to figure that out for yourself and approach the industry job search process in general!

3. Figure out the job’s key skill requirements

Next, I looked at the exact wording of the description of the job listing to see which techniques they wanted me to be the best at.

Some companies were looking for applicants that were very experienced with cell stuff, like mammalian cell culture and cell enrichment/dead cell removal. Other companies were interested in applicants that were very experienced with RNA isolation, rtPCR, and in-situ hybridization.

It’s important to take some time to carefully read through the job listing’s description to get a good sense of the key skills, both technical skills as well as soft skills, that you’d want to write in your resume.

The more familiar with the job listing’s description, the better prepared you’ll be to create a resume that fits that role.

4. Tweak the resume template

Finally, I opened up the template I had saved, and tweaked it by filling in the details using the information I had gleaned from the job listing.

5. Save the resume as a PDF with a unique name

Once I made all the job-specific changes I needed for the resume, I saved it as a PDF. Saving it as a PDF helps you maintain the formatting of the original document. Sometimes when I used a Word file and sent it through LinkedIn and then looked at it after the fact from the LinkedIn page where I applied for the job, it looked all squished and terribly formatted.

I also made sure to give it a unique name that was specific to that company. Usually, something along the lines of “YourFullNameCompanyNameResume” worked for me. So for example if your name was Leslie Knope, and the company was named Cryo-Glad, you could make the file name “LeslieKnopeCryoGladResume”.

I put the company name in the file name because if the recruiter downloaded it, I wanted to make sure they saw I wasn’t using any old resume that was lying around to waste their time. I wanted to show I actually made that resume specifically for that role at that company. No clue if that helps in any significant way but it kept me organized, too!

The Recruiter

In order to prepare a winning resume, it’s important to understand this concept of the “recruiter”. Yes, we hear it here and there as we begin to explore the world of industry jobs. But like with experiments that we want to get done properly, it’s important to understand every element of the process to get it right, and that includes understanding who a recruiter is, and what a recruiter does.

A recruiter is someone who works for the company you want to work at, usually in the HR department, and is responsible for advertising the open position, as well as selecting, screening, and facilitating the hiring of candidates for jobs. Recruiters are your main line of communication throughout the job application process.

A recruiter can also be someone that works for a company called a staffing agency (or similar name) that helps companies find potential hires.

Either way, recruiters benefit from finding the best of the best applicants to spend their time and energy on. They only have a certain number of hours in a day to screen applicants. When they feel confident about an applicant, they’ll even provide them with tips on how to do well in interviews with their company and inform the applicant about expectations and impressions.

Your job when preparing a resume is to make it crystal clear to the recruiter that you’re worth talking to and moving forward in the process. You need to relieve them of the burden of flipping through dozens of job applications hoping to find suitable candidates to fill the role.

Another thing to remember about recruiters is that they can be a scientist or they can be a regular recruiter. Scientific recruiters have scientific training in the area that you want to get a job in. That makes sense if the company wants to recruit for an especially technical position that requires the recruiter to assess if the candidates really know what they’re talking about.

A regular recruiter tends to be a bit more of a generalist and is still very aware of the requirements of the role, but may not “talk shop” with you as much from the get-go. They tend to ask more general questions to see if you match the description of the role.

You can try to check if the recruiter is a scientific recruiter or a normal recruiter by identifying them from the job listing and then looking them up. That can inform how you communicate with them through your resume and cover letter. Connecting with the scientific recruiter by saying things that you can both relate to about research, labwork, or leaving academia, can help give a positive impression if done well!

However, it’s very common that you won’t be able to find the name of the recruiter anywhere and that’s totally okay . You can still fill your resume with key skills and outcomes that pique their interest, regardless of their background.

The resume format that I shared in this post worked wonders for me.

It takes a little bit of time to get into that industry mindset where the point of a resume isn’t to brag about everything you’ve ever done (like in a CV), but is to make it as easy as possible for the recruiter to think that you’re a good fit.

The contents of your resume, and perhaps the structure of some aspects of it, are going to be very different from mine if you’re considering other roles. Have no fear! The same general techniques apply.

What you can do right now is to start making a resume “template”, like I did, for the role that you want, and filling it with key phrases that really showcase your talents in the context of that role. Once you have that on hand, half the work is done! Tweaking it for every job listing will get easier and easier the more you do it. Good luck!

Ph.D. to Industry Cover Letter Template & Tips

My Top 6 Ph.D. to Industry Job Interview Tips & Advice

5 Ways to Find Amazing STEM Industry Jobs

I Voluntarily Gave Up Authorship On My Ph.D. Research Paper and I’ve Never Felt More Free

Ph.D. to Industry/Non-Ac Jobs Ultimate Resource List

7 Non-Labwork Industry Jobs I Wish I Knew About During Grad School

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Resume for PhD application example

You’ve wrapped up your degree and are keen to embark on your PhD journey.

But before you can get stuck in, you’ll need to secure your place by putting forward a compelling PhD application and resume.

If you’ve never written an academic-style resume before, the process can be daunting. That’s why I’ve created this step-by-step guide to writing a resume for a PhD application.

I’ve also included a PhD resume example, to give you a better idea of what you need to include. Here’s what I’ll cover in the guide:

Guide contents

PhD application resume example

• Structuring and formatting your resume
• Writing your resume summary
• Detailing your education
• Detailing your relevant experience

Resume templates 

As you can see from the resume example above, a PhD resume is structured differently to a traditional resume. Instead of focusing on work experience, academic experience and accomplishments are prioritised.

However, the fundamental resume writing rules stay the same. Therefore, the candidate has put forward their information in a way which is clear, concise and formatted for easy reading.

PhD application resume structure & format

PhD programmes receive thousands of applications, meaning the university admissions teams are generally very time-strapped.

As such, you need to structure and format your resume to make it as easy as possible for them to review.

First impressions count and a cluttered or disorganised application won’t do you any favours.

Instead, you should aim for a clean, well-organised and professional appearance throughout.

Formatting Tips

• Length: While academic resumes are generally longer than standard resumes, it’s still best to aim for a short, relevant and concise document. For PhD applications, a length of one or two A4 pages is ideal. This is more than enough space to highlight your suitability without overwhelming the reader with irrelevant information or excessive detail.
• Readability: The information on your resume should be laid out logically, with clear section headings for easy navigation. Break up large chunks of text into small, snappy paragraphs and include bullet points where appropriate.
• Design: Opt for a clear, legible font and stick to it throughout – consistency is important. Ensure your headings are formatted for attention by using bold text or a slightly larger font size.
• Things to avoid: Steer clear of elaborate designs, fancy fonts, images or logos – they’re simply not needed and might distract from the all-important written content.
• Things to consider: resumes ‘rules’ differ from country to country, so if you’re applying to an international university, take some time to research what’s expected of you.

Structuring your resume

Organise your content into the following sections for ease-of-reading:

• Contact details – These should always be at the very top of your resume.
• Personal statement – A brief introductory summary of your qualifications, skills and experience in relation to the PhD.
• Core skills – A short and snappy list of your most relevant skills, tailored to the PhD.
• Education – A detailed breakdown of your relevant qualifications, especially your undergraduate and postgraduate degree(s).
• Career summary/research experience – An overview of any relevant work or research experience, angled towards your chosen field of study.
• Additional information – A space to detail any other relevant information which may boost your application.

Quick tip: While the simple resume format above is usually ideal, academic institutions often have their own preferred structure. Double-check their guidelines before you start writing – their preferences should be prioritised – and use a resume template if you want to speed things up without sacrificing quality.

Resume Contact Details

Commence your resume by sharing your basic contact details

• Phone number
• Email address
• Location – Rather than listing your full address, your town or city, such as ‘New York’ or ‘Boston’, is enough.
• If you have one, add a link to your LinkedIn profile or a portfolio of work.

Resume for PhD Personal Statement

Your summary / personal statement is essentially your first impression on the reader and is a great way to hook their attention.

It should provide a snappy summary of who you are and why your qualifications, skills and ambitions make you a perfect candidate for the PhD.

Tips to consider when creating your personal statement:

• Tailor to the PhD: Every PhD programme should have a description available, which you can use to tailor your personal statement ( and your resume as a whole). Focus on proving you have the appropriate educational background, skillset and knowledge to carry out the project.
• Prove your enthusiasm: It’s important to put forward your drive and motivation for your field and explain why the specific PhD is so well-matched to your wider interests and ambitions.
• Avoid clichés: Clichés and generic phrases like “I’m a motivated team player” and “gives 110%” won’t impress the admissions team.
• Keep it short: A paragraph length of around 8-15 lines is perfect. This is only an introduction – the detail can come later on in your resume.

What to include in your resume for PhD personal statement?

• Your academic background – Give a brief overview of your undergraduate degree and/or masters and how they’ve brought you towards this PhD.
• Impressive results – PhD students are normally academically extraordinary, so make sure to point out any impressive results or feedback – whether that’s your degree as a whole or a particularly relevant assignment/project grade.
• Relevant skills – Use the PhD project description to find out what the university is looking for in candidates. Then, try to incorporate the core skills into your summary.
• Relevant experience – Not everyone will have any relevant research or work experience to their name at this stage, but if you do, make sure to briefly highlight it here.
• Interests, goals & motivations – Give a brief insight into your motivation for taking on a PhD, why you’re so committed to your specific research topics(s) and what you think you can add. It’s also helpful to summarise how the course will fit into your wider career ambitions/goals.

Core skills section

Next, create a punchy list of core skills, organised into 2 or 3 columns of bullet points.

Use the project description to identify the required skills and knowledge, then use your findings to inform your list.

This will help the busy admissions team to see that the PhD is right for you at a glance.

Education & Qualifications

A PhD resume is all about academic achievements and qualifications, so this section should make up the bulk of your resume.

Working in reverse chronological order, provide a detailed breakdown of your undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications.

If you have any other academic qualifications that are particularly relevant to the PhD subject, they might be worth listing, too.

Structuring your education

By working to a considered structure, you can ensure your education is easy to navigate and that your key achievements stand out.

For each of your relevant qualifications, break up information into the following sections.

Start by detailing the type of qualification, the title, the achieved grade, the academic institution at which you studied and the year you graduated.

MSc – Environmental Engineering (Distinction)

St James University (2018)

Course content

Next, discuss your thesis or dissertation title (if applicable), the modules you studied and any relevant projects you were involved in.

What you choose to write here should be tailored to the PhD you’re applying for – focus the detail on the most relevant aspects of the qualification.

Thesis: “Identification of the Bacterial Profusion and Variety in Nuclear Waste Disposal”.

Modules: System Analysis in Urban Water Management; Process Engineering in Urban Water Management; Air Quality Control; Waste Management; Ecological Systems Design, and Remote Sensing and Earth Observation.

Project: “Research Study for Anaerobic Wastewater Treatment”

Key achievements (optional)

Finish up with a snappy list of key results, accomplishments or learning outcomes you achieved.

This might be an impressive grade for a highly relevant assignment, an award you won or a quote of exemplary feedback from a tutor.

Career & Research Experience

Next up is your career & research summary, which should be tailored to the PhD in question.

You could include relevant research experience here, as well as any related employment (even if temporary or voluntary).

Make sure to be selective with the type of employment you list, though. For example, a part-time waiting on job isn’t worth including, but a laboratory or tutoring job might be. Ultimately, it should be related to your field or have helped you develop relevant skills or knowledge.

When discussing your research roles, make sure to detail the techniques you used, the skills developed and any interesting findings.

Structuring your experience section

Ensure your career & research section is clear, scannable and easy to read by working to the following structure:

Outline the dates of employment/contract, the role title and the organisation or institution you worked for.

Aug 2018 – Sep 2019 Research Intern Hydro Continental, New York

Give a brief overview of the position or research project as a whole, discussing the team you worked with (or lead), who you reported to and what the goal of the project was.

“Undertook a short-term assignment pertaining to the Economics of climate change in order to research and drive improvements in energy consumption and emissions; reported to the Executive Engineer.”

Key responsibilities

Then use bullet points to pinpoint your duties and responsibilities within the role, making sure to mention any relevant techniques or skills used that could benefit your candidacy.

• Employed the Marginal Abatement Cost (MAC) curve tool to present carbon emissions abatement options.
• Built partnerships and participated in open discussions with other country modellers and research associates.
• Amassed and processed varied data from multiple sources.

Writing your resume for PhD

Applying for a PhD is a daunting yet exciting time, but a flawless resume can help you achieve your goals.

Remember to tailor your resume to the specific PhD you’re applying for and aim to make a compelling case for your suitability and aligned goals.

Before you send off your resume, try to get a second opinion from a current or previous tutor, trusted family member or friend.

It’s also worth checking the finished document with our quick-and-easy Resume Builder , to eliminate the risk of overlooking mistakes.

Best of luck with your PhD application!

• • 2+ years of experience in how the AI development lifecycle impacts systems, distributed computing, and cloud-native paradigm
• • Main research focused on how blockchain security could be enhanced by 65% within decentralized infrastructure
• • Other research projects (36+), looking at how future trends could impact network security in AI automated systems
• • Had 16+ publications in the Journal of Computer Science and secured +$16M in grant funding over the last two years
• • Assisted 13+ senior researchers and computer science professors in completing various applications by debugging codes
• • Participated in various other aspects of the software development process, including assessing briefs, writing code, and testing systems to ensure 100% accuracy
• • Built 10 full-stack web applications with Java and Ruby
• • Was tasked to help 5 researchers with the development of for-academia software with a focus on security
• • Analyzed the code specifications and transformations to comply with 100% of all security, accuracy, and client-briefed protocols and parameters
• • Met all mandatory schedule dates within the development process - receiving 98% approval in customer satisfaction

9 PhD Resume Examples & Guide for 2024

Your PhD resume must highlight your extensive research and expertise in your field of study. Tailor it to showcase how your unique skills are transferable to the job you're applying for. Demonstrate your proficiency in critical thinking and problem-solving through concrete examples of your work. Articulate your ability to communicate complex ideas effectively, as this is key to standing out.

All resume examples in this guide

Traditional

Lecturer in Molecular Engineering and Bioengineering Researcher: Biomedical Engineering, Ph.D. resume example

Electronic Product Design and Engineering Lab Technician, Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering resume example

APTA Certified Physical Therapist, Doctor of Philosophy in Rehabilitation Science resume example

Data Scientist: Niched In Statistics, Appplied Mathematics, and Machine Learning resume example

Resume Guide

Guide Overview

Additional Resumes

Extra Reads

Writing Your Ph.D. Resume

Resume Header Tips

Ph.D. Resume Summary

Resume Experience Section

Systematizing Your Experience

How to Include Your Degree

Ph.D. in Progress on Resume

Skill Set for Ph.D. Resumes

Certifications on Resume

Additional Sections

Key Takeaways

George C. Jones's 8-year-Odyssey to his doctoral degree in engineering is finally complete. All he has to do now is complete his Ph.D. resume.

Little does George know that within the next three years, he'd apply to 500+ roles and still not be any closer to working in the renewable energy sector.

A little birdie told us why.

Everywhere George applied, he was labeled as an "egghead": book-smart with no real-world experience.

At least that's the story his resume told.

Unfortunately, George's sad "tale" depicts many graduates’ job searches.

By 2030/31, the US is expected to have 221,000 Ph.D. graduates . While this may be fantastic news for the academic community, the job pool is limited.

Swimming into the big blue sea - a.k.a. the "real world" - would require Ph.D. graduates to adapt their resumes to the business or industry requirements.

And listing vague bullets pinpointing your experience just won't do.

Enhancv knows how to translate your skills, knowledge, and achievements to ensure your resume stands out in the vast talent pool.

Because a well-written Ph.D. resume , showing skills, passion, and knowledge, is your ticket to the moon and beyond.

Our exclusive, Ph.D. resume guide will answer some of the following questions for you:

• What are some of the biggest, unintentional mistakes Ph.D. graduates tend to make when writing their resumes?
• Perfecting the top one-third of your resume: how to get recruiters' attention every time?
• 102 of the most popular Ph.D. skills you need to add to your resume right now!
• Lacking much professional experience: how to align your academic background with job expectations?
• Get inspired with more ideas about formatting, writing your resume summary, and including your academic body of work in a way that works.

4 additional Ph.D. resume samples and why they work

Ph.d. bioengineering graduate.

This Ph.D. Bioengineering Graduate has certainly focused her effort on getting that tenure-track position.

Here’s why her resume works.

Within the top one-third of Dr. Taylor’s resume (the headlines, summary, and skills section), you’ll find many relevant keywords for the job advert.

She has also used the summary to qualify and quantify her results to help recruiters better understand her strengths.

The experience section is split into two parts: the first one notes all relevant teaching experience; the second section showcases depth and knowledge of research.

Dr. Taylor has included industry experience and strengths to further define her skill set and show results.

This approach would also be very helpful for any Applicant Tracking System (ATS) reviewing the resume, as it cross-aligns the candidate’s talents with the job requirements.

Ph.D. mechanical engineering

If you’re wondering how to translate your academics into real-life experience, check this example out.

Dr. Aubry’s resume headline highlights his area of expertise and his Ph.D. degree, while his summary qualifies his key academic achievements, contributions, and success.

Dr. Aubry’s skills section focuses more on the technology he is apt at within the specified job requirements.

His roles as a lab technician, contributor, and research assistant also hint to recruiters that he’s results-oriented and can show how his work affected the industry.

Finally, his strengths section cross-aligns soft skills that are important for the role, including mechanical engineering knowledge, cross-disciplinary teamwork, and technical writing.

Apta certified physical therapist

In some industries, a specific certification can be a real game changer to meeting ATS standards.

Dr. Brubaker knows this and that’s why she has used her resume to highlight her American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) certification within various sections (headline, summary, and certification).

Another reason why Dr. Brubaker’s resume works is that it pinpoints her niche of expertise with tangible results.

Her education section not only lists all of her degrees, but she has turned recruiters’ attention to the grant funding her Ph.D. thesis secured (an outcome of the project).

Did you notice how she curated the experience section? Dr. Brubaker started with her more job-oriented responsibilities, followed by a leadership role.

if you’ve participated in any extracurricular activities during your studies, they could indicate various soft skills on your resume, including leadership, initiative, organization, etc.

data scientist, ongoing Ph.D. in statistics

Are you a current Ph.D. student, wondering how to include your ongoing degree on your resume?

Charles Flack’s resume includes some of the best how-to practices.

Charles uses the resume headline and summary’s first section to specify his research niche, which is followed by his ongoing Ph.D. Status.

N.B. Remember that the recruitment process is one of building trust with honesty. If you note in your resume that you’re a Ph.D. graduate (without this being the reality), recruiters will find out.

Continuing with Charles’s resume summary. It goes on to include an array of expertise and soft skills (e.g. leadership, adaptiveness, perfectionism) all within achieved results in academia.

His experience section includes roles in leadership, technical writing, and private tutoring, denoting individual skills and contributions.

The strengths Charles has included are more specific and tie in with data science roles. Those include quantitative problem-solving, deep learning, and iterative process.

21 Ph.D. related resume examples to help you get inspired

• Entry-Level
• Grant Writer
• Lab Technician
• Research Associate
• Research Assistant
• Lab Assistant
• Lab Manager
• Finance Intern
• Data Science Intern
• Entry Level Engineering
• Entry-Level Mechanical Engineer
• Software Engineer Intern
• Nursing Student
• Data Analyst Entry Level

Quick steps to success in writing your Ph.D. resume to get recruiters’ attention

Let's start with a big no-no: your academic CV, the one you used to secure that tenure position, is a No-go. Put simply - it lacks personality .

HRs and the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) need more context to your experience.

Unfortunately, here comes one of the biggest disadvantages you may face, leaving academia. Often, Ph.D. graduates get rejected as they lack practical work experience .

Don't get discouraged. Instead, find a resume format that works for you.

For Ph.D. graduates that have less work experience, we recommend a functional-skill-based format . It will help you highlight your unique skill set and academic excellence.

Also, it'll align your niche area of expertise with the role expectations.

Now that we've settled the formatting debate, let's look at a couple of more quick pointers for your Ph.D. resume.

1. The top one-third of your resume - the resume header and summary - is crucial to getting a high score on the ATS.

That's why you should try to include as many of the advert's relevant requirements within this section.

2. Expand your qualifications and skills within the experience section.

Don't just list plain bullets, but focus on the outcomes of your studies, research, or publications.

How to write your experience bullets:

3. Speaking of impact, detail your accomplishments within your academic work.

Focus on the picture and your research's influence on the scientific field, business/ industry, or communities.

Bonus: Remember to always list all work and academic experience that is relevant to the job you’re applying for.

Your Ph.D. experience can open many doors for you, giving you a front-row seat on the cutting edge of new technologies.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves, here are a couple more bits and pieces to keep in mind when writing your Ph.D. resume.

What recruiters are looking out for in your Ph.D. resume:

• What methodology or technology have you used to prove your research?
• If you've ever led teams, were you able to manage them successfully?
• Would your niche area of expertise contribute to the organizational goals?
• Can you bring to the table more than just theoretical knowledge?
• How fast can you adapt to a non-academic environment and deliver tangible results?

Ph.D. resume's five most important sections:

• Resume header with keywords from the job description
• Resume summary cross-aligning requirements with experience
• Resume experience to expand on the summary
• Education section, listing all diplomas
• Professional achievements in research and publications

Your Ph.D. resume should balance your knowledge with how fast it can be applied in a real-world environment.

That's why you need to be precise about the resume sections you chose to prove your merit.

Mythbusters: Your PhD resume header under the Enhancv microscope

After endless hours of searching different platforms, you've finally found that cancer research position that perfectly matches your profile.

Avoiding all emotional attachment and excitement, you finally decide on the following header:

2 PhD resume header examples

Let’s look at the bright side of things. If the organization would like to get in touch with Dr. Garnett, they'd easily find his contact details .

But on the other hand, he is making one huge mistake: Dr. Garnett isn't taking advantage of the power of the top section of his resume. More specifically - his headline .

This crucial section could provide Ph.D. graduates with an opportunity to include all relevant keywords that could match their profile. And at the same time, tease their professional story.

This may be obvious, but this example works as it shows that Dr. Garnett is not only a Ph.D. graduate, but his specific area of research and interest, which should supposedly match with the role he’s applying for.

A rule of thumb for headers is to never be vague about your research and expertise.

You could list your Ph.D. degree within your resume title so that it’s the first thing recruiters (and the ATS) see.

In the case of Dr. Garnett, his resume title could read “Dr. David Garnett, Ph.D.”.

Our suggestion is to be wary about the organization you’re applying for because if the culture is more informal, this may come off as “pretentious”.

Ph.D. resume summaries: HRs’ favorite instrument for advanced career storytelling

The Ph.D. resume summary is a really useful section for good first impressions and explaining your experience.

The summary can be used to highlight your skills, strengths, and achievements. While telling the story of your professional growth.

We know how important real-world examples are for you.

So, without further ado, here's how Dr. Lucina Collard rewrote her resume summary. And in the end, got the attention of a prestigious software development company.

2 PhD resume summary examples

Dr. Collard may have spent too much time in the lab, as her Ph.D. resume summary just lists what courses she took and her thesis statement.

No results, no outcomes.

In the end, she did decide to include some soft skills and passions, but without actually pointing out the “why” behind her work. This doesn’t make sense at all.

Here’s what her modified resume summary looked like in the end:

This summary works for one simple reason: it qualifies the achievements.

Dr. Collard has noted that within the past 6 years, she has been specializing in the job advert keywords “robotics” and “mechatronics”. The award is also a nice touch to paint the big picture of her experience.

Dr. Collard is apt at achieving results within a dynamic environment. That includes various professionals from different backgrounds.

When talking about her thesis, she goes on to show her familiarity with the process.

Editing Dr. Collard’s summary may seem just like one small step for her, but it’s actually a giant leap to securing an interview.

Making your Ph.D. resume experience section stand out for all the right reasons

When listing their experience section, most Ph.D. graduates are probably making the same mistakes.

The first one: leaving out your academic practice, thinking that recruiters only want to see work experience.

That's not true at all.

Your education would not only prove your technical capabilities, but also your soft skills. But, more on that in the following paragraphs.

The second error: those tricky job titles.

You'd find 1000+ resumes, listing each experience using the given academic titles; e.g. Professor, Lecturer, Post Doctorate Student, Graduate Student, etc.

Robotic vs personalized approach: 1:0.

The ATS, reviewing your resume, is set to recognize keywords that are vital for the job. The faster those appear at the top of your experience, the better.

Instead of listing that you used to be a "Lecturer at XYZ University", go with "Data Science and Machine Learning Lecturer at XYZ University".

Third slip-up: those tricky experience bullets.

Some Ph.D. graduates just list all their courses, research, and publications.

This isn't the way to go.

You should rather align your knowledge with the job description to prove tangible results.

A couple of questions to help:

• What did this course help me learn and achieve that could be applicable to the job I'm applying for?
• How did leading lectures help me to cooperate better within the learning environment?
• What grants did my publications secure for the educational institute?
• What effects did my research have on the big-picture subjects within the field?
• The more you can get into the actuality (and practicality) of your education, the higher your chances are to get your first interview booked.

Let’s look at an example of how your experience can be showcased within your resume as crucial for the job.

Phd resume experience examples.

• • Got PhD in Philosophy
• • Took Philosophy of Mind, Brain, and Behavior Course
• • Took Ethics Course
• • Wrote Diploma on ‘To Be Or Not To Be: The Ethics of The Human Existence In The 21st Century’

This experience section is pretty negligent and robotic. Did you just get a diploma during those three-plus years?

You may be exiting from a leading higher education institution, but putting in the extra effort to your resume shows that you are diligent.

And that you’re actually invested in getting that particular job.

• • Contributed 60+ publications to the university scientific journal, niching within human rights, ethics, and the big why of human existence
• • Peer-reviewed publications for 12+ philosophy colleagues and professionals with a focus on consistency and validity of the thesis
• • Collaborated with 10+ professionals from arts, science, and biotech fields to question and understand the ethics behind their projects
• • Apart from the scientific paper for my final thesis, entitled 'To Be Or Not To Be: The Ethics of The Human Existence In The 21st Century’, published a short video on the university website to help inspire young professionals of philosophy to always stay alert

There’s no ground for comparison between the two examples. But let’s look at some of the basics.

The first experience bullet hints that the professional can write technical papers for their niche.

Next, the candidate showcases an eye for detail, collaboration, and teamwork.

Finally, they have found a way to get their thesis submitted on time and also make it more understandable.

On a side note - did you notice how a better job title could be a complete game-changer?

One bonus tip on better systematizing your Ph.D. experience

General practice is that you'd create one single resume experience section.

But what if while writing your Ph.D. resume, you realize that in the past six years, all your experience is for the same institution?

Here's an idea to spice up your experience section. You can create a couple of experience sections, based on functionality.

Thus highlighting job advert keywords and, at the same time, including more details.

So you could have some of the following headers, under which you could classify your work:

• Research Experience
• Technical Experience
• Analytical Experience
• Leadership Experience
• Mentorship Experience
• Teamwork Experience
• Higher Education Experience

Feel free to align your transferable skills, which would be beneficial for the job you're applying for.

How should you include your degrees within your Ph.D. resume education section?

Here's the advice you've probably been waiting for; introducing…

… "How to write about your degree without sounding like a snob?"

And there are two possible scenarios at play.

The first is that you're applying for a job related to your area of study.

You should list your Ph.D. degree in detail, including research topics, method expertise, and publications.

As you're writing for non-specialized audiences, don't go overboard with the complex terms. Instead, weave keywords from the job requirements within your education section.

In the second case scenario, you're applying for a job that has nothing to do with your degree.

Keep your education section plain and simple with your degree, university/college, dates, and location.

Either way, remember to always list all of your degrees in chronological order, starting with the latest.

This isn't just some made-up rule or HR caprice. Your resume education helps recruiters determine if:

• Your basic training and knowledge would fit the job
• You stayed focused on your coursework and graduated on time
• You would be a good fit for the team. Some companies tend to hire graduates from the same university

Ph.D. in progress: Should you include your potential degree on your resume?

Being transparent on your Ph.D. resume is what builds that fantastic initial relationship with the company you're applying for.

Thus, you have to be very clear and precise, especially in your education section.

If you're still pursuing your Ph.D. degree, shift the focus from the future to what you've achieved so far.

Your education section could answer any of the following questions:

• How applicable your degree is to the job opening?
• Which of the courses you've completed would help the company grow?
• Is your education a stepping stone within your professional experience?
• What is your expected graduation date?

Being on the course to completing your Ph.D. is definitely commendable, but sometimes life happens. And you may be forced to drop out of your Ph.D. education.

Should you then list the degree you didn't complete?

The answer is 100% yes, as your Ph.D.:

• fills gaps within your professional experience
• is valuable experience
• has helped you gain new knowledge

Making it clear to recruiters that your degree is "Incomplete" or that you "Didn't Graduate" is very important.

List your degree, dates, university/college, and status.

If you get to the interview stage, recruiters will ask you why you dropped out. Be prepared to talk about why it wasn't the best option for your career at the time, or hint at the circumstances.

Even if it's hard to believe, HR managers are people - just like you and me - and they are able to show understanding and compassion.

Ph.D. resume: Is there a dream skill set your potential employers would like to see?

Recruiters review your resume to see how your experience aligns with the role, with a big focus on transferrable skills.

Or in other words, what else can you bring to the table to help the business or institution grow?

And transferable skills can be both hard (or technical ) and soft skills .

Your hard skills include the technology you used to complete your studies.

Consider the opportunities you've has to:

• test and measure antennas parameters in an Anechoic chamber
• audit in a lab environment renewable energy sources' efficiency
• develop software, using Python, to patch cybersecurity risks

The list can go and on and on. Your Ph.D. has probably provided you with a pretty solid technical background.

When writing your resume’s separate technical skills section, ever wonder which technology should go first?

Rule of thumb: align the technology within the job description with your expertise.

The more proficient you are at a certain skill, the sooner you should list it.

Wondering what some of the most popular Ph.D. resume hard and technical skills are?

Check out our list, based on some of the most popular industries.

PhD resume technical skills for various roles:

15 hard skills for opportunities in business consulting:

• Knowledge of different business-crucial frameworks, including Benchmarking, Balanced Scorecard, Porter’s Five Forces, The GE-McKinsey Nine-Box Matrix, The BCG Growth-Share Matrix, Core Competencies
• Data Management and Analysis
• Advanced Data Modelling
• Strategy, Planning and Implementation
• Assessing and Managing Risk Using Frameworks
• Statistics and Understanding Correlations
• CRMs: Salesforce, Zendesk, Bitrix24, etc.
• Lead Generation Software: Zendesk Sell, Pipedrive, HubSpot, etc.
• Project Management Software: Jira, Hive, Asana, etc.
• Employer and Customer Satisfaction Surveys
• Proposal Writing
• Scheduling Software: Calendly, Google Calendar, Doodle, etc.
• Revenue Optimization and Sales

15 technical skills for biology, biotech, biochemistry, and medical research:

• Design, conduct, and analyze scientific research
• Tissue Culture
• PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction)
• Gel Electrophoresis
• Western Blot
• Molecular (Gene) Cloning and various techniques
• Flow Cytometry
• Mass Spectrometry
• Confocal Microscopy
• Cell-Based Assays
• Radioimmunoassays
• Data Analysis in biotechnology, bioinformatics, and medical research
• Laboratory and Equipment

15 engineering technical skills to add to your PhD resume:

• Manufacturing: Forging, Welding, Assembling, etc.
• Quality Control
• Industrial /System Design and Analysis
• Conceptual, Logical, or Physical Data Modeling
• AI and/ or Machine Learning
• Design Tools: AutoCAD, SolidWork, 3dsMax, etc.
• Programming Languages: C++, Python, Java, etc.
• Equipment Diagnosis
• Project Management: Trello, Zoho, Microsoft Project, etc.
• Data Analysis Software: Microsoft Power BI, Tableau, Qlik Sense, etc.
• CNC Programming
• Advanced Physics
• Structural Analysis
• Nanotechnology

15 recommended computer science technologies:

• Programming languages: C++, PHP, Swift, etc.
• Software engineering and development: Atom, GitHub, Chrome DevTools. etc.
• Cloud Platforms
• Data migration and deployment
• Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)
• Integrated Environments Management
• Network Maintenance
• Cybersecurity
• Machine learning AI
• Business Intelligence and Statistical Analysis Tools
• SQL Consoles
• SAS Development and Forecasting
• Data Modelling Tools: ER/Studio, Archi, Ludichart, etc.
• Automation Tools

15 academic and research technical skills:

• Technical Literacy
• Presentation and visual: Tableau, Prezi, PPT, etc.
• Learning platforms: Moodle, Classroom, Teams, etc.
• Surveys: Google Forms, MailChimp, Kahoot, etc.
• Data-Processing Software: SPSS, RStudio, NVivo, etc.
• Academic Networks: Google Scholar, Academia.edu., ResearchGate, etc.
• Academic Research and Technical Writing
• Email Writing
• Data and Information Analysis
• Copyright and License
• Videoconferencing: Zoom, Teams, Google Meet, etc.
• Applications for Securing Grants and Funding
• Peer Reviews and Co-Writing Interdisciplinary Technical Papers

Moving on to your PhD resume soft skills

There's still no precise formula for how soft skills are gained and applied in the workplace.

How many times have you seen an advert that requires "a can-do attitude and teamwork"?

Yet soft skills are on all recruiters' must-have checklists.

In the case of Ph.D. applicants, these transferable skills are built thanks to all the healthy habits you've maintained through your education, including your:

• collaboration
• ability to meet deadlines

Soft skills hint to recruiters more about your character and style of work.

Here are some ideas as to which ones you can include within your resume:

37 PhD soft skills to spice up your resume:

• Critical / Logical Thinking
• Problem-Solving
• Time Management
• Brainstorming
• Creativity and Innovation
• Meeting Deadlines
• Working Under Pressure
• Negotiation
• Project Management
• Organization
• Prioritization
• Flexibility
• Independent Work
• Ethical Decision-Making
• Leadership or Mentorship
• Collaboration
• Teaching or Lecturing
• Conduct Meetings
• Supervision
• Feedback and Evaluation
• Motivating Others
• Communicating Ideas
• Presentation
• Constructive Debating
• Leading or Participating in Group Discussions
• Public Speaking
• Accelerated Learning
• Attention to Detail
• Writing Proficiency
• Quantitative Literacy
• Listening and Reflection

When describing your leadership or mentorship soft skills, here are a couple of questions you could answer within your resume to qualify your achievements:

• What actions did you take to maintain a constant and successful team dynamic?

Mix in extracurricular certificates

Back in the day, you earned a couple of extracurricular certificates and wondering if you should include those on your Ph.D. resume.

Again, it's a matter of analyzing how necessary your certification is for the job.

E.g. if AICPA's CPA certificate is listed as obligatory within the job description - and you have earned yours - you know what to do.

Certificates show that you're willing to put in the extra effort to stay relevant. Proving that you're committed, flexible, and a life-long learner.

So, think about the relevancy the certificate would have within your field.

Then, consider including some of these popular certificates:

Top 50 PhD certificates from various institutions for your resume:

• Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) - Certified Professional
• ACRP - Clinical Research Associate Certification
• ACRP - Clinical Research Coordinator Certification
• American Health Information Management Association - Coding Specialist Physician-Based Certification
• Nationally Registered Certified Patient Care Technician
• National Healthcare Association (NHA) - EKG Technician Certification
• NHA - Phlebotomy Technician Certification
• NHA - Clinical Medical Assistant Certification
• American Association of Medical Assistants - Medical Assistant Certification
• Red Cross - Nursing Assistant Certification
• Behavior Analyst Certification Board, Inc. - Registered Behavior Technician
• American Association of Professional Coders - Certified Professional Coder
• Pharmacy Technician Certification Board - Certified Pharmacy Technician
• Society for Clinical Data Management - Clinical Data Manager
• American Medical Writers Association - Medical Writer Certified
• Board of Editors in Life Science - Board-Certified Editor in Life Science
• International Society for Medical Publication Professionals - Certified Medical Publication Professional
• Regulatory Affairs Professional Society - Regulatory Affairs Certification
• Google Project Management Professional
• Society of ​​Petroleum Engineers - Petroleum Engineering Certification
• American Institute of Chemists - National Certification Commission in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Certification
• Coursera - Software Engineering MasterTrack Certificate
• Cisco Certified Network Professional in Service Provider Operations
• CompTIA Security+ Certification
• (ISC)² Certified Information Systems Security Professional
• American Society for Quality (ASQ) - Quality Engineer Certification
• ASQ - Reliability Engineer Certification
• Advanced Certificate Program in CFD-Aircraft Aerodynamics
• Engineer in Training License and Certification
• Society of Broadcast Engineers - Certified Audio Engineer
• Association of Technology, Management, and Applied Engineering - Certified Technical Professional
• International Council on Systems Engineering - Systems Engineering Professional Certification
• American Academy of Project Management - Certified Planning Engineer
• Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Master Specialist Certificate
• iNARTE Electromagnetic Compatibility Designer Engineer Certificate
• American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists - Board Certified Environmental Engineer
• American Public Power Association - Key Accounts Certificate Program
• Global Association of Quality Management - Certified Agile Developer
• Environmental Protection Agency - Operator Certification Program Management
• Institute of Management Accountants - Certified Management Accountant
• National Association of Certified Public Bookkeepers - Certified Bookkeeper
• Association of International Certified Professional Accountants - Certified Public Accountant
• Chartered Financial Analyst Institute - Chartered Financial Analyst
• Internal Revenue Service - Enrolled Agent
• The Institute of Internal Auditors - Certified Internal Auditor
• Association of Certified Fraud Examiners - Certified Fraud Examiner
• National Association of Sales Professionals - Certified Professional Sales Person
• Institutes of Management Consulting - Certified Management Consultant

PhD resume: let’s get creative with a few more resume sections

When completing your Ph.D. resume, you should always find ways to stand out from the crowd.

That’s why we’ve compiled for you some of the most popular sections which you could add to your resume.

Before doing so, always question each section's relevance to the job you're applying for.

• Publications or Projects - focus on topic, methodology, and impact; include your grant ID code, if your research won any funding
• Academic Awards - once more, consider if those would shine a better light on your expertise
• Conference Presentations - this would showcase your public speaking abilities
• Language Skills - be honest when listing your language proficiency

One final word of warning - your Ph.D. resume offers limited space to showcase your expertise, so try to make the most out of it.

key takeaways

• The extra effort to align your Ph.D. skills with the job you're applying for always gets recruiters' attention.
• Include as many relevant keywords within the header and summary of your Ph.D. resume.
• Have separate sections, detailing how your academic background has helped you attain experience, skills, and certifications.
• List chronologically all degrees you've earned through your education, with an adaptable approach to details.
• Remember that the recruiters or the ATS assessing your resume may not be that scientifically literate. Substitute complex terminology with impact and results.

Looking to build your own PhD resume?

• Resume Examples

What to Do When I Forget to Attach My Resume

How to show promotion on resume: examples & guide, should you add unrelated work experience on your resume, the best quotes to use on your resume, 8 common interview questions for managers (with answers), how to answer "what is your management style" in a job interview.

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3 PhD Resume Examples Made to Work for 2024 

PhD Student Resume

Phd application resume.

• Write Your PhD Resume

With the role of a PhD student, you’re the intellectual powerhouse driving groundbreaking research and contributing to the advancement of knowledge. Your expertise allows you to dive deep into complex subjects, developing innovative solutions and pushing the boundaries of what’s already known. 

At the same time, you’ll need to balance your responsibilities as a teacher as well, imparting your knowledge to the undergraduates at your institution. Crafting a resume and creating a cover letter that demonstrate your ability to shine in this diverse role is no easy task.

Luckily, we’re here to guide you through the maze of showcasing your academic journey. With our varied PhD application resume examples , you’ll find the ideal resume template to help you craft your own winning resume in no time.

or download as PDF

Why this resume works

• Thankfully, Liam does a great job highlighting his internship and project achievements and how both are applicable in helping sustainably improve production.

• One strategy you can use to boost the chances of your PhD student resume to clinch an enrolment slot into the health sciences department is by harnessing the achievements from a volunteer project that brought screening services to a marginalized community.

• Therefore, achievements in increasing student participation and engagement accompanied by metrics in improved grades and assessment scores would go a long way to prop your suitability.

Related resume examples

• Research assistant

Adapt Your PhD Resume to the School You’re Applying to

As an aspiring PhD student, your resume is your scholarly calling card, showcasing the intellectual artillery you bring to the academic battlefield. 

This is where you can showcase your skills and express why you’re the right person to join the program. To do this, tailor your skills section to align with the specific requirements of your desired program and department. 

Highlight your expertise in research methodologies, statistical analysis, and any specialized software or equipment you’ve mastered. For the more technically inclined, don’t shy away from showcasing hard skills like Python, Matlab, Java, or Tableau.

You can also include a couple of soft skills because they’re essential for giving lectures and mentoring students. Just remember to reinforce them with demonstrable examples in the experience section later. 

Want some pointers?

15 top PhD skills

• Microsoft Office
• Google Sheets
• Research Methodologies 
• Academic Writing
• Public Speaking
• Lesson Planning
• Grant Proposals
• Grading Essays
• Collaborative Research

Your PhD work experience bullet points

From conducting groundbreaking research to publishing papers, your journey as an academic is about more than just the day-to-day grind. In the experience section of your resume, the real spotlight should be on your transformative contributions. 

If this isn’t your first PhD, highlight achievements from your previous studies like securing research grants, publishing impactful papers, or successfully leading research projects. If you’re moving up from postgraduate studies, highlight the best and most impressive accomplishments from your master’s and bachelor’s degrees. 

Add some numbers to make your accomplishments pop. This could be the number of students mentored, successful experiments and research projects, or the reach of your published work. 

• Highlight the number of your articles or research papers that were published in reputable journals.
• Quantify the success of research projects with metrics such as project scope, budget management, or studies carried out.
• Demonstrate your ability to secure research funding by specifying the number and value of grants obtained.
• Showcase your impact as a mentor or tutor by talking about the number of students you’ve guided or the way they were able to improve their grades through your help.

See what we mean?

• Created engaging course materials using Articulate Storyline, resulting in a 39% increase in student engagement and comprehension
• Managed EHR software to document patient assessments, vital signs, and medication administration, maintaining 99.99% accuracy in recordkeeping
• Partnered with farmers to develop customized crop management plans, resulting in a 31% increase in yields
• Assisted in the development and implementation of assessments, leading to a 33% reduction in student dropout rates

9 active verbs to start your PhD work experience bullet points

• Innovated 
• Collaborated

3 Tips for Writing a PhD Resume With Little Prior Experience

• Mention your involvement in conferences and workshops. This will showcase your ability to engage with and contribute to the broader scholarly community.
• Echo your passion for knowledge throughout your resume, and look into the future. Outline your career objectives , illustrating your commitment to making a lasting impact through your PhD studies.
• Any and all academic achievements look great on a PhD resume, so make sure to add them. Talk about your GPA, awards won, or competitions you’ve participated in to show your drive as a college student.

3 Tips for Writing a PhD Resume for Your Second PhD

• Research is often independent, and academics are sometimes considered lone wolves. That’s why it’s important to emphasize your leadership and collaboration skills explicitly. The school needs to know you can mentor students and collaborate with other colleagues effectively—so turn up the enthusiasm for this area!
• If you’re going for a research role, it’s essential to be at the forefront of your field—following all the latest papers and studies. You can show this by mentioning your participation in research initiatives or the conferences you like to attend. 
• Show that you put just as much effort into your students as you put into your research by sharing student performance and engagement metrics. You can also discuss your favorite lecture and seminar-planning techniques to convey your passion and commitment. 

Absolutely! While not mandatory, a tailored career summary can be a powerful tool. Customize it for the PhD position, mentioning the specific program and academic role. Don’t forget to highlight things like research methodologies, data analysis, and any unique contributions to your academic field.

Choose a clean and professional format that prioritizes your academic achievements and research experience. Use clear headings, bullet points, and a consistent structure, much like you would in a research paper. 

Include skills that align with the specific requirements of the PhD program and your academic discipline. Highlight technical and soft skills relevant to research, teaching, fieldwork, and collaboration.

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Welcome to CAPD’s Industry Resumes for PhDs online course module!  

Each section of this module is designed to take you about 15 minutes to review. That means that in approximately 1 hour, you will be prepared with templates and examples to craft or revise your own career documents. 

The tone of this course is intended to engage you, as a conversation partner, in the strategic and creative process of drafting your resume. Feel free to take the course all at once or in bits and pieces as it suits your schedule. You may also skip around if some sections are more pertinent to your needs than others. 

Course Objectives

By the end of this course module, you will be able to:

• Identify the differences between a CV and resume and use strategies to decide when to use each document.
• Format your resume effectively for non-faculty positions, focusing on your target audience.
• Write compelling resume content focusing on accomplishments and expertise.
• Tailor your resume to communicate skills and experience to a specific target audience of non-faculty employers in whatever field you choose to pursue.
• Use formatting strategically to make sure your readers see what you want them to see.

This course is a great place to start if you have questions about formatting, writing, or tailoring your resume. It is not intended as a substitute for an appointment at CAPD, where you can address specific questions related to your unique circumstances. You are always welcome to  make an appointment with a staff member at CAPD (opens in a new tab) .

Use your Kerberos ID to sign-in and visit the PhD Resumes for Industry Jobs course module .

This is a new course module, so we hope that you’ll help make it as useful as it can be with your generous feedback. Please email Alexis Boyer ( [email protected] (opens in a new tab) ) with any suggestions or questions you may have, and be sure to take the survey at the end of the module.

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• CAREER FEATURE
• 15 August 2023

How to make the leap into industry after a PhD

• Spoorthy Raman 0

Spoorthy Raman is a freelance science and environment journalist in St. John’s, Canada.

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Melanie Zeppel stepped off the academic path to become a data scientist in industry. Credit: Stephen Jackson

Plant physiologist Melanie Zeppel had heard that hard work, a good publication list and securing highly competitive postdoctoral research fellowships would guarantee a successful career in academia. Despite having it all, a faculty position eluded her for 12 years after her PhD.

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Nature 620 , 683-684 (2023)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-023-02558-w

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What is an industrial PhD? Can academics move to industry?

Welcome to our comprehensive guide that explores the concept of an industrial PhD and the path for academics seeking to transition into industry roles.

This blog provides an in-depth look at the unique characteristics of an industrial PhD, illustrating how it bridges the gap between academia and industry. We also delve into the value of PhD-acquired skills in the industrial landscape and the broad range of opportunities that await PhD graduates in various sectors.

We highlight the process of transitioning from academia to industry, discussing the pros, cons, and a range of potential career trajectories. Join us on this exploratory journey to uncover the intersections between academia and industry.

What is an industrial PhD program?

 An industrial PhD program is a type of doctoral program designed to link university research with industry needs and interests. PhD students are often jointly supervised by an academic supervisor as well as someone from industry. 

I know a load of PhD students who went into an industrial PhD and they found the balance between the pulls of faculty research and industry very rewarding. 

Also, they were able to build up a wide range of contacts during their PhD which was then a ticket to a high-paying industry job upon graduation. 

The aim of the industry PhD program is to produce highly skilled researchers who are able to apply their findings to industrial settings and solve real-world problems. Also, acting as a conduit between industry and the ivory towers – something that has been lack for a number of years. 

Industry PhD programs are designed to give students a deep understanding of the industry they will be working in and its needs.

This can include everything from lab work and prototype development to market research and product testing. Students in an industry PhD program typically spend a significant amount of time working directly with the sponsoring company, often as interns or apprentices.

The research topics are chosen based on the needs of the industry organization, and the program typically provides funding and resources for the research project – often a 50:50 income split between industry and the uni. 

Graduates of the program typically have a high level of expertise in their field and are well-equipped to take on challenging roles in both academia and industry.

The program is gaining in popularity as industry-academic collaborations continue to increase because PhD students are demanding better job outcomes at the end of a PhD, and as more organizations seek to stay competitive by investing in research and innovation. 

PhDs in Industry

PhDs in industry are becoming increasingly common as more companies seek highly qualified individuals with strong research and development skills.

It’s been a long process of getting the soft and hard skills recognized and valued in industry. Sometimes we are seen as overqualified and too specialised. But skills some are very value, like there:

Unlike PhDs pursued in academia, doctoral programs in industry often emphasize more practical applications of research rather than purely scholarly pursuits. It’s not just about the publication of peer-reviewed documents – there are different pressures such as profitability and keeping a competitive edge in the business. 

This focus on industry-specific problem-solving and innovation attracts many PhD students who are interested in making a real-world impact with their newfound PhD skills. 

Should I pursue an industrial PhD?

 Deciding whether or not to pursue an industrial PhD can be a difficult decision. You’ll have to think about what you want to do after a PhD. 

If going into industry is part of that – it’ll be invaluable for you. 

It can provide the opportunity to gain valuable industry experience while also achieving an academic degree.

Additionally, it is important to research potential programs and advisors to ensure they align with your interests and goals.

Check out my video that highlights the types of new PhDs that you may want to consider:

It’s important to do as much research as possible before deciding on a PhD – no matter what type you want to do. 

There’s no perfect decision, and you can always change supervisors, projects, and research groups if the going gets too tough!

Why Transition from Academia to Industry

The transition from academia to industry is a significant step that many graduate and doctoral students contemplate after completing their education.

There are various reasons why individuals prefer to make the switch from academia to industry. Working in industry provides a more stable job, with more resources than in academia. 

I worked in industry for one year after my PhD and found that the focus on profitability and spending meant that projects would often get pulled from me – even if they looked promising. Your experience may vary depending on the field and job that you have. 

Industry offers compensation packages that can be more substantial than academic salaries, especially for highly skilled PhD graduates.

Industries also provide more flexibility for candidates to apply their discipline in different areas and may have broader research applications.

The publishing process in academia may distract from conducting new research and even hinder tenure cases in academics, while qualifications and more tangible experience working in industry may carry more weight in the job search process.

Making the leap into industry can be challenging, but it can be a rewarding step for candidates seeking a fulfilling full-time career. 

List of Industry Jobs after PhD

Here is a list of a number of potential pathways that I have seen people take after their PhD in engineering, science and others. It’s important to find an employer that appreciates what you have learned during your PhD.  

• Research Scientist : This role is especially applicable for those with science-based Ph.D.s. Companies in sectors like biotech, pharmaceuticals, and technology often hire Ph.D. graduates for their expertise and research capabilities.
• Patent Examiner/Patent Attorney : These roles require a deep understanding of technical concepts and intellectual property, which makes them a good fit for Ph.D. graduates. Patent attorneys also require legal training, which can often be acquired after the Ph.D.
• Data Scientist : Ph.D. graduates, particularly from fields like statistics, computer science, or physics, are often sought after in this role due to their proficiency in handling and interpreting complex data.
• Quantitative Analyst : Commonly found in finance and insurance companies, a “quant” applies mathematical and statistical methods to understand and predict market behaviors.
• R&D Project Manager : Here, Ph.D. holders can apply their research skills and subject-matter expertise to manage and lead important research projects.
• Professor/Lecturer : While academia is often seen as the traditional pathway for Ph.D. holders, it’s still a viable and fulfilling option for those who enjoy teaching and research.
• Consultant : Consulting firms, particularly those in fields such as biotech, IT, and management, value the problem-solving skills and expertise of Ph.D. graduates.
• Medical Science Liaison : For those with a medical or life sciences Ph.D., this role involves building relationships with academic leaders and facilitating scientific discussions in the pharmaceutical industry.
• Policy Analyst : For Ph.D.s in social sciences, working as a policy analyst for government or non-profit organizations could be a great fit.
• Science Writer/Technical Writer : This job allows Ph.D. graduates to leverage their deep knowledge of a subject and their writing skills to communicate complex ideas to different audiences.

Wrapping up

The transition from academia to industry, or embarking on an industrial PhD, is not a decision to be taken lightly. It involves careful consideration of your career goals, interests, and the skills you want to develop further.

If you’re passionate about applying academic research to solve real-world problems, if you’re keen on innovating within a specific industry, or if you’re looking to acquire industry-specific skills while pursuing a doctorate, an industrial PhD might just be the perfect choice for you.

However, it’s essential to understand that industry roles demand different skills and focus areas than academia.

While the former emphasizes practical problem-solving and innovation, the latter values scholarly pursuits and theoretical knowledge. As such, being aware of your skill set and how it matches the needs of industry or academia is crucial in making a successful transition.

In the end, whether you decide to pursue a traditional academic path or delve into the industry-oriented realm, the skills and expertise gained during a PhD can open doors to an array of opportunities.

The choice between academia and industry is not an easy one, but it is definitely a choice worth considering for those dedicated to their field and eager to make a meaningful impact. 

Whether you choose academia or industry, remember that the end goal is to contribute to your field in a way that is fulfilling and beneficial to you. And remember, your PhD is not just a credential, but a testament to your resilience, curiosity, and dedication to knowledge.

Dr Andrew Stapleton has a Masters and PhD in Chemistry from the UK and Australia. He has many years of research experience and has worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow and Associate at a number of Universities. Although having secured funding for his own research, he left academia to help others with his YouTube channel all about the inner workings of academia and how to make it work for you.

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