When most people think of research, they think of scientists in labs or graduate students trying to complete a thesis or dissertation. The truth is research comes in many types and forms.
Have you ever analyzed how target audiences interact with your product? Have you ever cross-checked product prices among the competition or compared which features their applications have? That’s also research.
The point is this: Many organizations are looking for people with strong analytical skills and research experience, even in areas that do not directly relate to the product or service they provide. Why? Because “research” is a skill that carries over into all academic, scientific, and business endeavors.
So whenever you’re perusing job posts, always check if mentioning your research experience may be helpful. If so, you will need to know how to include your research experience on a resume.
Research experience belongs to the Work Experience section of your resume. Depending on your field of work, you can either mention some of your research skills when describing your work duties and accomplishments.
Or, if you’re working on a scientific resume for an academic position, you can set up a separate Research section on your resume (or even share your research work as a separate attachment).
At any rate, your research experience must be presented in a logical and coherent manner. Here’s how you put research on your resume:
Let’s say you’re after a Product Marketing Manager position with a SaaS company. The job ad says they’re looking for candidates, experienced in doing market research, segmented customer demographics studies, and brand messaging split testing. You have those skills. Here is how you might include them in your resume.
XYZ Corp.
2018-Present
Position: Market Researcher
Responsible for analysis of customer satisfaction with current products
ABC Corp.
2018-2019
Position: CRO Specialist
Responsible for conceptualizing and implementing CRO strategies for e-commerce websites.
Here’s another option: You want to talk about relevant coursework in college. Any research you did as an undergraduate related to your career can be relevant, especially when you’re an entry-level candidate.
Again, read the job posting carefully, and see what will fit. Here’s a sample of how you can include it on your resume.
Education
University of Missouri
2020 BS in Agriculture
Additional Information: Research Project
Conducted original research on the effects of phosphorus and nitrogen in soil samples on the growth of corn. Concluded with recommendations for percentages of each in the soil to achieve maximum growth.
First, understand this: Research experience and research skills are two very different things. Experience is actual research work that you have done. Skills indicate your ability to conduct research.
So you’ll want to list your skills separately from your academic or work projects. A good way to do so is by creating a featured skills section on your resume. Depending on the resume template you use, you can locate it in the sidebar area or header.
Need some ideas? Here are several examples of resume-worth research skills:
Research experience is an important qualifier for so many career positions today. If you feel comfortable working with data and know a thing or two about statistical analysis, your value to any employer increases manyfold. So always give your research skills a prominent placement on your resume!
Elena runs content operations at Freesumes since 2017. She works closely with copywriters, designers, and invited career experts to ensure that all content meets our highest editorial standards. Up to date, she wrote over 200 career-related pieces around resume writing, career advice. more
