Clinical research roles are exploding in popularity across the US. Due to this, people are finding more and more exciting, specialized clinical roles to jump into. If you’re looking to land your dream job in 2023, here are six must-know tips for drafting the perfect clinical research resume, that will help you stand out from other candidates in an immediate, attractive fashion: 

1. Keywords are Essential

Keywords are a major aspect of catching people’s attention. This is not only true for blog writing and web design, but for resumes as well. After all, some employers may skim a stack of resumes to see which ones immediately jump out on them. By focusing on keywords that will showcase your professionalism and hireability, you’ll immediately stand out from the pack, and have a much better chance of being hired. Terms like leadership, statistical analysis, data monitoring, and any impressive professional organization you’re involved with, can help you become an attractive candidate for your dream clinical research job. By using services such as The Medicus Firm, you can begin locating the best clinical research roles that need to be filled in your area. 

2. List Your Specialties

As a clinical research professional, you’re likely to have a specific task or area of expertise that you specialize in. Many of the most attractive clinical research roles are hyper-specific. To make your resume feel tailor-fit for the job you’re applying for, list your specialties that are acutely relevant to the role in question. If you’ve made any massive leaps or bounds in your field, this is a great place to emphasize that. You should also discuss the professional organizations and awards you’ve received/joined at this point. There are lots of fantastic details that you could include here, but make sure to remain concise so that your resume has a maximum impact in a short amount of time. 

3. Use a Compact Professional Statement

Your professional summary and statement should be concise, and no more than three sentences long. After all, this is just a preview of your talents, and the rest of your resume is where you’ll truly make or break your ability to land your dream job. Your summary should emphasize your most impressive and important skills, experiences, and accolades. Avoid any type of personal information here that is not 100% relevant to your clinical research experience. Otherwise, you will come off as unprofessional, and lower your hireability. Be sincere with your professional statement, but avoid flowery language. You want to be direct and data-minded when putting together a resume for a clinical research role, after all. 

4. Discuss Past Roles

When you’re being hired for a clinical research job, the work you’ve done in your past is typically your ticket to securing the role you’re applying for. With this in mind, you need to discuss past roles in a way that emphasizes how impressive and relevant they are to your career goals. Avoid listing every role you’ve had in the past, especially if you have enough impressive career experiences that minor or beginner roles are unneeded (remember, you want to keep your resume under two pages if at all possible). Use action verbs when listing out your responsibilities to paint a picture of how you went about doing your past roles. If needed, you can even highlight your most admirable past roles. 

5. Always Proofread Your Resume

Even if you think your resume is absolutely water-tight, you might be missing something important. When you first finish your first draft, be sure to do a very attentive read to look for formatting, spelling, punctuation, and professional detail errors. Even if you’ve proofread your resume a thousand times, you should also do another proofread before sending the document out to potential employers. Doing so can help you spot last-minute mistakes, and ensure that you’re not sending an older version of your document as well. It’s always essential to build your familiarity with your resume, so these frequent proofreads will ensure you know your resume inside and out. 

6. Never Lie on Your Resume

While it may seem like a no-brainer, you should absolutely never lie on your resume. Even if the employer does not find out about your lies before you’re hired, these lies could come to haunt you in the future. They could even put you in legal jeopardy if you’re lying to get hired at a job you’re not actually qualified for. The more honest you are in your resume, the better. You want to feel secure and at home at your job, after all.