10 Tips to help your CV stand out in the life sciences industry

Your CV is often the first impression a hiring manager has of your professional career. It is important that it reflects your experience to demonstrate what you would bring to a specialist life sciences position.

Mastering the art of writing a CV can be difficult enough, but how can exceptional candidates like you make your profile stand out when applying for a role?

Hobson Prior recruiters are specialised within the life sciences and see thousands of CVs from professionals with varying experience across pharmaceuticals, biotechnology and medical devices. We know what hiring managers are looking for, so we’ve collated 10 of our top CV writing tips to help you secure an exciting new job where you can thrive.

Our top 10 life sciences CV writing tips

Start with a summary

With hundreds of CVs on their desks, having a short, impactful summary is a great way to grab their attention immediately. Bullet point your successes, qualifications and experiences. You can explain in more detail further down.

Proofread

Even if you’ve read it 40 times, read it again and get someone else to take a look. If you’re working with a recruiter, ask them to check it too. You want to present your best foot forward and demonstrate your attention to detail.

Keep formatting simple

Creative CVs are a unique and memorable way to stand out amongst the crowd, but they are risky. Multiple fonts, _{text sizes} and sporadic use of CAPITAL LETTERS, bold and other formatting make your CV stand out for the wrong reasons.

Stick to two pages

It can be tempting to include as much detail as possible in your CV to prove why you are a must-have hire. However, hiring managers do not want to read an essay about your career, especially when they have a pile of other CVs to get through.

Focus on results

Your resumé should demonstrate how your actions led to positive outcomes; that’s what makes you stand out as an efficient and desirable candidate. Including figures and statistics immediately shows a hiring manager the impact you will bring their company.

Promote yourself

This is your opportunity to let potential hiring managers see that you are a skilled, educated and driven candidate.

Many job seekers find it uncomfortable talking about themselves, but that’s the job of a CV. Avoid arrogance or lying, but don’t be afraid to highlight your wins.

Ask a recruiter

It is always useful to get a second opinion on your CV, especially from specialists. Recruiters help job seekers find great roles every day. They know what hiring managers are looking for and can give you advice on how best to optimise your CV. Plus, once updated, they can make sure hiring managers see your CV.

Target your CV

Whilst it is logical to list all your previous jobs, it is key your CV focuses on the role you are applying to. Including the fact you used to work at a café isn’t a negative, but be sure to prioritise relevant experience.

Get your CV seen

The CV is usually the first round of the job stage process so it important that it gets in front of the right people. The best way to improve your chances of having your CV seen by the hiring managers at pharmaceutical, medical devices and biotechnology companies is to share it with specialists recruiters. 

Hobson Prior recruiters work exclusively within the life sciences sector. We partner with upcoming and industry-leading companies to find them top talent like you. By sharing your CV with us, you'll get advice from life sciences recruitment specialists as well as the latest job opportunities from our clients.