Is your research assistant CV job worthy?
[Click here to directly go to the complete research assistant resume sample]
You are not doing enough to advance your career if you’re doing next to nothing to improve your research assistant resume.
Experts will tell you that to compete in the job market, you need to step up and up-skill.
While this is true, it isn’t the full story.
Having all the skills in the world will do nothing for you if your resume does not articulate these skills enough to attract the attention of the recruiter.
Without the recruiter’s attention, you will never get the shortlist that you want.
So your goal is to create an impactful research assistant resume that sufficiently and efficiently talks about your skills & capabilities.
Here’s a summary of our Research Assistant Resume 2022 Blog:
- Use the reverse chronological order across all sections in your research resume: this resume format is the preferred format for writing resumes.
- Compose the professional experience section of your research resume with crisp one-liner points to enhance the readability of your research assistant resume.
- Try to organically incorporate the keywords used by the recruiter in your target job-listing wherever possible in your research assistant resume. This enhances your chances of a shortlist as you can demonstrate to the recruiter that you have the skills that they are looking for.
Our Research Assistant Resume 2022 Guide will leave no stones unturned to make you self-sufficient at writing a resume so powerful, that no recruiter will have the heart to turn it away.
By the end of this blog, you will be able to write a job-winning research assistant resume while simultaneously learning:
- Why is a research assistant resume important?
- What is the ideal resume format to create your research assistant resume?
- How to highlight your research experience on resume in the best possible manner.
- How to correctly include your personal details in a research assistant resume.
- How to optimize your skills section to effectively highlight your core strengths.
. . . All so you can get the job that you want!
This blog will get into the specifics of each element in your resume, which will help you write a power-packed resume so flavorful, that it will be overflowing with perfection.
In the meanwhile, you can use Hiration's Online Resume Builder to write a masterpiece of a resume for a hassle-free experience.
Our Resume Builder is stocked with a huge library of examples and a research assistant resume sample that will blow your mind!
All you have to do is fill the details and you’re done. Your perfect research assistant resume is good to go. It’s that simple.
Here’s a list of all that you will learn in this blog:
Research Assistant Job Description
Research Assistants compile information, make reports, write research papers, conduct surveys, do fieldwork, organize seminars, etc.
They are primarily responsible for providing research support and assistance to the organizations or individuals that they work with. This is the mainstay of their work.
They are also responsible for a lot of other roles & responsibilities which may vary according to the type of research setting they work in.
Research Assistants are often employed by:
- medical research centers
- think tanks
- consulting firms
- public interest groups
- colleges
- polling organizations
- market research firms
Research Assistant Sample Resume
Before we begin, take a look at our research assistant resume sample to know what an ideal research assistant resume should look like:
- Research
- Data Collection & Compilation
- Conducting Seminars
- Organizing Workshops
- Fact Finding
- Conducting Surveys
- Drafting Research Proposals
- Research Assistance
- Field Work
- Writing Research Papers
- Assisted in the envisioning, planning, implementation & coordination of 10+ seminars & workshops
- Conducted 5+ surveys and went for field work to find facts to support research with authentic information
- Submitted research papers on "the nature of globalization of terror" which featured in many university journals
- Compiled information from journals, research papers, e-books, etc., and read primary sources to support research
- Awarded as the "Best Research Assistant" of the decade for my extraordinary & consistent contribution in research
- Top 10% of the class
- Languages: English, Spanish, Mandarin and French
Research Assistant Salary Analysis: How much money do research assistants make?
Mentioned below is a list of a research assistant salary according to the information given on various websites:
- Glassdoor: $20.8k – 45.5k per year
- Payscale: $29.9k – 52.1k per year
- Ziprecruiter: $20.5k – 53k per year
What is a Research Assistant Resume & why do you need it?
To make it in life as a research assistant, you need to first bag the research assistant job. And to get your ideal job as a research assistant, you need a highly impressive research assistant resume.
Without your research assistant resume, you’re like a lost duck with no head.
But why is your research resume important?
Your research resume is important because it summarizes the highlights of your career and gives a quick overview of your skills and accomplishments.
It communicates this information to the recruiter. Based on this information, a recruiter decides if you are worthy of the job in question or not.
In today’s world, you can’t just waltz into the office of your dreams without prior appointment.
Hiring in today’s world involves a step-by-step process wherein the recruiter first goes through your resume, shortlist you for the job, gives you an interview call, and based on how the interview goes, rolls out an employment offer.
The recruiter goes through your resume as part of the initial process. You can’t jump the first step and get to the final round.
Hence, your resume is important.
When we talk about the importance of your resume in all this, we are talking about the need for a thoughtfully structured ATS-targeted resume that will get you the shortlist that you want.
ATS or Applicant Tracking System, as it is famously called, is a recruitment tool that recruiters use to shortlist candidates. The higher you rank in the ATS, the higher are your chances of a shortlist.
A mere resume is not the need of the day. You need an ATS-targeted research assistant resume.
And here’s the best part: we are here to teach you how to write it!
In the meanwhile, get your existing research assistant resume professionally reviewed by Hiration’s Resume Review Service.
Keep an eye out on the bottom left corner of this page for out AI-powered resume review service to get an in-depth review of your resume within seconds!
Research Assistant Resume Sections
To write the ideal research assistant resume, you need to objectively fill out each section. Given below is a list of the sections that you should write in your research assistant resume:
- Header
- Personal Information
- Profile Title
- Summary/Objective
- Key Skills
- Professional Experience
- Education
- Certifications (if any)
- Additional Information (if any)
In the meanwhile, read more about resume sections on Hiration's Guide to sections in a resume.
Additionally, you can use Hiration’s Online Resume Builder to stand a high chance of getting shortlisted for the research assistant job of your dreams.
It comes with a huge library of pre-filled research assistant resume templates that you can personalize to suit your specific qualifications and work history.
How to write a Research Assistant Resume
When it comes to writing the perfect research assistant resume, you are expected to abide by certain rules & regulations. As part of these rules, there are 3 stages in resume writing that you should follow. We have listed them below:
- Master Research Assistant Resume
- First draft of your Research Assistant Resume
- Final draft of your Research Assistant Resume
Master Research Assistant Resume
Drafting the master research assistant resume is the first stage in the 3-stage resume writing process.
In this stage, all you have to do is compile all your work-related information in one place. This includes your internships, volunteering activities, your education, and your work experience in all the previous organizations that you have worked with.
When you compile all the information in one place, you eliminate the need to explicitly look for information.
This makes it easy to cherry-pick and single out the relevant information, which further helps you compose your resume in the present, and update it in the future.
First Draft of Research Assistant Resume
As part of the second stage of resume writing, you need to compose the first draft of your research assistant resume.
In this stage, you have to compose the following sections:
- Header
- Personal information
- Profile title
- Work experience
- Education
- Certification
- Awards & recognition
- Additional information
Final draft of Research Assistant Resume
As part of the third and final stage of writing your research assistant resume, you need to compose two sections. We have listed them below:
- Compose the key skills section: To do justice to this section, all you have to do is identify your core skills from the professional experience section of your research assistant resume and objectively single them out in the “key skills” section of your resume.
- Compose the summary or objective section: Write a research assistant resume summary if you have over 3 years of work experience. If you don’t, write a research assistant resume objective instead.
How to write a Research Assistant Resume: Conclusion
Follow the three stages that we have mentioned above to write a research assistant resume with the perfection that you strive for.
You can also use Hiration's Online Resume Builder to effortlessly build a research assistant resume without any dilly-dally.
Our Resume Builder is stocked with ready-to-use research assistant resume templates that you can personalize to suit your needs and requirements.
Ideal resume format for your Research Assistant Resume
There are 3 types of resume formats:
Reverse Chronological Resume: This resume format which approaches time from a reverse order i.e. from the most recent to the least recent. In this format style, your most recent work experience comes first followed by the second recent, and so on.
Functional Resume Format: This is the best resume format for those professionals who have a gap in their work experience. In this resume format, you have to simply make a summary of your skills without getting into the details of the timeline of your work experience. By focusing on your key skills, this resume format hides the potential gaps in your work experience.
Combination/Hybrid Resume Format: This resume format is ideal for most working professionals. It is a combination of the reverse-chronological and functional resume format. In this format, you have to highlight your work experience section in reverse chronological order and replace your conventional summary with a summary of your key skills using points and bucketing & bolding.
Writing a perfect research assistant resume demands that you perfect each element of your resume. This includes the resume format.
Which resume format is best for you depends on a lot of factors.
For instance, for those with gaps in their work experience, the ideal resume format is the functional resume format.
But for most professionals, a reverse chronological resume format is the ideal format.
It is easy to compose, and it also has the added benefit of being ATS-targeted.
Resume experts around the world are also of the opinion that the Reverse Chronological Order is the most ideal format for writing resumes.
Hiration Pro Tip: To stand a better chance at getting shortlisted, use the Reverse Chronological Format.
This resume format prioritizes your most recent work experience.
By giving it #1 priority, this resume format sees to it that the most relevant work experience of your career is the first thing that the recruiter notices while going through your resume.
Moreover, the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) also prefers this format over other resume formats.
Conclusion: Use the Reverse Chronological Resume Format to write a research assistant resume that is both relevant and ATS-targeted.
To know more about resume formats, you can read Hiration’s Blog on Resume Formats.
Research Assistant Resume: Professional Experience
The professional experience section of your research assistant resume is important.
It communicates the following things to the recruiter:
- The name of the organizations that you have worked with.
- Your designation in these organizations.
- Your roles & responsibilities.
- Your skills and areas of proficiency.
- The highlights of your career.
The points that we have mentioned above are relevant details of your identity as a professional. These details are summarized in the professional experience section of your research resume.
The way you describe your professional experience, the words you use to describe it, and the structure you use – they are important. They ensure that you can communicate the above information in an efficient and impactful manner.
So, you should prioritize this section and try to perfect it.
Here are three ways that you can accomplish this:
- Use the STAR format.
- Use points to communicate your roles & responsibilities.
- Use bolding & bucketing alongside points for maximum impact.
Before we get into the details of these points, read Hiration's Blog on how to compose the work experience in your resume for a richer and more-detailed guide on how to tackle the professional experience section.
STAR Format
The STAR in your STAR format stands for:
- S stands for Situation: Talk about the situation in which you were assigned a task.
- T stands for Task: Discuss the task that was assigned to you.
- A stands for Action: Communicate the action you took to accomplish the task.
- R stands for Result: Discuss the result of your actions using performance figures.
When you write your resume, you need to establish a concrete cause-effect relationship in every one-liner point of your resume. This is accomplished when you use the STAR format resume.
The cause-effect relationship helps you direct the recruiter’s attention to the quantifiable aspects of your contribution to the organizations that you have worked with.
Quantifying your contribution makes your resume more informative and grabs the recruiter's attention as he gets a fair idea of your skills and the promising aspects of your skills.
This makes you an interesting candidate in the eyes of the recruiter, which further enhances your chances of a shortlist.
Our advice?
Use the STAR format to compose the professional experience section of your research assistant resume.
Framing Points in your Research Assistant Resume
There are two types of people when it comes to making resumes:
- Person 1: Uses long paragraphs
- Person 2: Uses points to talk about their roles & responsibilities
If you are person 1, you are probably in the habit of talking about your professional work experience in the form of paragraphs.
If this is the case, it is high time that you stop the use of paragraphs and start using points to get into the details of your work experience.
You probably don’t know this yet, but, the use of paragraphs can kill your chances of a shortlist. Moreover, paragraphs are difficult to read and comprehend.
Here are two examples to demonstrate this point.
Example 1:
"As part of my past work experience as a research assistant, I assisted in the envisioning, planning, implementation & coordination of seminars & workshops while simultaneously conducting surveys and going for fieldwork to find facts to support the think tank’s research undertaking with authentic information. I also wrote and submitted research papers on "the nature of globalization of terror" which featured in many university journals, which gave more exposure to the think tank’s research, which contributed to building authority for the work that we have done. I was also part of fact-finding as my role in the organization demanded that I compile information from journals, research papers, e-books, etc., and read primary sources to support research. The biggest highlight of my career at the think tank was when I was awarded the title of the "Best Research Assistant of the decade” for my extraordinary & consistent contribution in research".
Example 2:
- Assisted in the envisioning, planning, implementation & coordination of seminars & workshops
- Conducted surveys and went for fieldwork to find facts to support research with authentic information
- Submitted research papers on "the nature of globalization of terror" which featured in many university journals
- Compiled information from journals, research papers, e-books, etc., and read primary sources to support research
- Awarded as the "Best Research Assistant" of the decade for my extraordinary & consistent contribution in research
Framing points: Analysis
If you carefully observe both examples, you will find that:
- Example 1 uses paragraphs while example 2 uses points to communicate the same message. They are both saying the same things.
- Example 2 is more organized, reader-friendly, and easier to comprehend than example 1.
- Example 1, which is in the form of a paragraph, is hard to read vis-à-vis example 2, which is easy to read.
- The bulkiness of the paragraph used in example 1 discourages the reader from reading the example all the way through.
- The reader is more likely to read example 2 in its entirety as compared to example 1.
- Conclusion: when you write your research assistant resume, use points. Do not use paragraphs.
Bucketing & Bolding in your Research Assistant Resume
Here’s something we haven’t told you:
Using points to describe the details of your roles & responsibilities makes your research assistant resume more readable.
However, it does absolutely nothing to enhance the effectiveness of your resume.
If your research assistant resume is not effective, it will not be impactful.
If it isn’t impactful, you cannot impress the recruiter, which means you will not get shortlisted for the job.
Framing points makes your resume more readable, while bucketing & bolding makes your resume more effective, and in turn, more impactful.
Here are two examples to demonstrate this:
Example 1:
- Assisted in the envisioning, planning, implementation & coordination of seminars & workshops
- Conducted surveys and went for fieldwork to find facts to support research with authentic information
- Submitted research papers on "the nature of globalization of terror" which featured in many university journals
- Compiled information from journals, research papers, e-books, etc., and read primary sources to support research
- Awarded as the "Best Research Assistant" of the decade for my extraordinary & consistent contribution in research
Example 2:
Conducting Surveys & Workshops
- Assisted in the envisioning, planning, implementation & coordination of seminars & workshops
- Conducted surveys and went for field work to find facts to support research with authentic information
Data Compilation & Writing Research Papers
- Submitted research papers on "the nature of globalization of terror" which featured in many university journals
- Compiled information from journals, research papers, e-books, etc., and read primary sources to support research
Key Achievements
- Awarded as the "Best Research Assistant" of the decade for my extraordinary & consistent contribution in research
Bucketing & Bolding: Analysis
If you carefully observe both examples, you will find that:
- While both examples are readable, example 2 is more organized and more readable than example 1. It is also more effectively articulated than example 1.
- In example 2, bucketing & bolding is used. Points are more neatly organized under specific subheadings and the key highlight of your work is emphasized using bolding.
- This draws the reader’s attention to certain words under each point. This eliminates the need to read each point: one after another.
- The bucketing & bolding method that we have used in example 2 enables the reader to quickly identify the core strengths of the applicant without going through the trouble of reading each point.
- Conclusion: Using points is not enough. Use bucketing & bolding alongside points to enhance the effectiveness of your research resume.
Take a glimpse at our research assistant resume sample to know what a perfect research resume professional experience section should look like:
Research Assistant Resume: Header
Your resume header is an important section of your research assistant resume.
Make one mistake, and your resume might get confused or mixed up with the piles and piles of resumes that are clustered in the recruiter’s files.
Thus, your resume header should be accurately composed.
Hiration Pro Tip: Your full name should always feature as the resume header of your resume. Do not write 'CV/Resume' on the top
Given below is a list of things that you should remember while composing this section:
- Your full name is the de-facto resume header of your research assistant resume.
- It should be written on the extreme top of your research assistant resume.
- Give a single space between your first name and last name and write them in the font range of 16-20 font size.
- If your name is Allen Harper, write it on your resume header as Allen Harper.
- If your name is Allen Charlie Harper, write it as Allen C. Harper.
- The correct format of writing your resume header if you have a middle name is: write your first name, followed by a space, followed by the first initial of your middle name in capital letter, followed by a full stop, followed by a space, followed by your last name
Would you like to learn more about composing on-point resume headers?
If the answer is yes, head straight away to our Hiration’s Guide To Writing The Perfect Resume Header.
Do you have an existing resume that is not getting you shortlisted?
Find the flaws in your research resume and learn how to rectify them by getting your existing research assistant resume professionally reviewed by our resume experts using Hiration’s Resume Review Service!
Moving on, here's a research assistant resume example demonstrating the ideal resume header for your researcher resume:
Research Assistant Resume: Personal Information
The personal information section of your research assistant resume is the most basic section of your resume.
It should feature the following elements:
- Updated mobile number
- Professional email address
- Location
Here’s something no one has told you:
This section should be accurately composed. You cannot afford to make the simplest of mistakes in this section because the personal information section gives away your contact-related information such as your mobile number, email ID, and your location.
This information enables the recruiter to get in touch with you.
Without this information, the recruiter cannot get in touch with you.
Write one letter or number wrong, and you will never get a call-back from the recruiter, even if the recruiter desperately wants to hire you!
Hiration Pro Tip: The personal information section of your research assistant resume should be accurately filled to ensure that your contact information: both email and mobile number is within reasonable reach of the recruiter
Curate an accurate personal information section that reflects professionalism with Hiration's Guide to composing your contact information to ensure that you never miss an interview call from the recruiter.
Check out our research assistant resume sample to get a sense of how to perfect the personal information section of your researcher resume:
Updated Mobile Number
Write your mobile number with the following guidelines in mind:
- Use your country’s ISD code as a prefix before your phone number
- Put a plus sign (+) before the ISD code
- Write your updated mobile number after the ISD code
- Eg: +1 65232 31981
E-mail Address
The best and only way of correctly writing your email address in your research assistant resume is mentioned below:
Location
You should follow the following guidelines to correctly compose the location of your research assistant resume:
- In the language of resume, location means your current city of residence. It does not mean your house address, street name, or locality name.
- The location should be written on the rightmost corner of your research resume.
- Write your city name and state name if you’re looking for a job in the same country.
- Write your city name and country name if you’re looking for a job in another country.
Research Assistant Resume: Profile Title
You should follow the guidelines that we have mentioned below to write your profile title with perfection:
- Write your resume title in the size range of 14-16 font size.
- Your resume title is the second-largest text in your resume after your resume header.
- For example: If you are a research assistant, your profile title should be written as “Research Assistant” in 14-16 font size.
Research resumes with impeccable profile titles should look this:
Research Assistant Resume: Education
When it comes to composing the education section of your research resume, you should mention the elements that we have mentioned below:
- Name of the school/university you have attended
- Name of the courses you have pursued
- The location of your school/university
- Enrollment and graduation dates in the month and year format
The point is the education section of your research assistant resume matters. Learn to perfect it by reading an in-depth explanation of Hiration's Guide on how to list education on your resume.
Education sections of perfect research resumes look like this:
Research Assistant Resume: Certifications
When you apply for a job, everything matters.
The certifications you have done are just as important as the rest of the sections of your resume. It gives you an extra edge over others who may not have done the same certifications as you.
Recruiters are always on the lookout for talented people who go the extra mile to build credibility.
Certifications are a great way of proving your credibility.
Mentioned below is a list of what you should write in the certifications section of your research assistant resume:
- Name of the certification
- Name of the institution of affiliation
- Location of the certifying body
- Enrollment and completion date in the month and year format
Arrange these points in the format that we have mentioned below:
{Name of certification} | {Affiliating Institution} | {Location} | {Date} (in month and year format)
Learn more about the certification sections and how to put research on resume by reading all about it on Hiration's Guide on listing certifications on a resume to learn the art of perfecting this section.
Research Assistant Resume Key Skills Sections
The key skills section of your resume can make or break your job application.
Do it perfectly, and you’ll have the world to your name.
Recruiters tend to scan through the key skills section of your resume to look for target qualities and skills in a job applicant.
Perfecting this section at all costs is the need of the hour.
Here’s what you can do to perfect this section:
- Go through your professional experience section, identify your core skills and list them down in the key skills section of your research assistant resume in not more than 2 – 3 words
- Highlight your key skills in bold
- Analyze the keywords used by the recruiter in your target job listing, then replicate them in the key skills section of your resume if it matches your work responsibilities in the past
Perfecting the key skills section of your research assistant resume is the best thing that you can do to get closer to getting shortlisted for your target job.
Learn how to put research on resume in the key skills section with Hiration's Guide on what skills to put on a resume.
In the meanwhile, use Hiration’s Online Resume Builder to write an impeccable research assistant resume without going through the trouble of having to perfect each section.
Given below is a research assistant resume example showcasing what an ideal skills section for research resumes should ideally look like:
Research Assistant Resume Summary
Your research assistant resume summary is a conclusion of your entire professional life. It is an overview of your qualifications as a professional.
You need to cleverly manipulate your resume summary and talk about the highlights of your career, your key achievements, and communicate the unique career points of your professional life.
Through your resume summary, you need to demonstrate that you’re the best fit for the job.
Listed below is a compilation of the things that you can do to curate the perfect research assistant resume summary:
- To effectively draft this section, pick out the key highlights of your resume and summarize them in your research assistant resume summary
- Replicate the keywords that the recruiter has used in your target job listing in your resume summary by linking them with your past roles & responsibilities
- Restrict your research assistant resume summary to 3 – 5 lines
- Write a research assistant resume summary if you have over 3 years of work experience
- Write a research assistant resume objective if you have 0 to less than 3 years of work experience
To learn how to impeccably compose the resume summary of your research assistant resume, read Hiration's Resume Summary Guide.
Take a look at our research assistant resume sample below to learn what an impactful research assistant resume summary should look like:
Research Assistant Resume Objective
If you are an experienced research assistant with over 3 years of relevant work experience, then a research assistant resume objective is not for you.
You should write a research assistant resume objective only if you have 0 – 3 years of work experience.
Just like a resume summary, the goal of your resume objective is to get you shortlisted.
As such, they are both similar in motive.
Through your research assistant resume objective, you need to effectively communicate your capabilities to the recruiter. You need to show that you bring something new and exciting to the table that other people don’t.
When you write your resume objective, you need to distinguish yourself and demonstrate to the recruiter that you are unique and highly skilled.
Your resume objective is your platform for glory.
If you do it right, you will be able to get recruiters to notice you, which then goes on to advance your chances of getting you shortlisted for the job of your dreams.
Read Hiration's Guide on Resume Objectives to learn the art of objectively curating your research assistant resume objective.
Resume Review
Use Hiration’s Resume Review Service to get your research resume professionally reviewed by our resume experts. We will review your work, keeping in mind the below-mentioned parameters:
- Compliance with industry norms
- Content Relevance
- Recruiter Friendliness
- Design Compatibility
- Conversion Scope
- ATS Compliance
- Global Compatibility
- Performance Assessment
- Resume Formatting (font, margins, the order of sections, etc.)
What’s more: You will receive 2 research assistant resume templates for free!
Resume Builder for Research Assistant Resume
Here’s something exciting about our online resume builder that we haven’t told you before.
Our Online Resume Builder is professionally designed to build an ATS-targeted job
winning research assistant resume and comes with the below-mentioned resources:
- Option to save unlimited resumes
- 25+ resume designs
- Full rich-text editor
- Unlimited PDF downloads
- 100+ resume templates
- 1-click design change
- A sharable link
- Live resume editor
If you want to get shortlisted for your target job listing, make use of Hiration’s Online Resume Builder now!
Key Takeaways
- Write the dates in the month and year format across all sections in your research assistant resume
- Use reverse chronological order across all sections in your research assistant resume
- Begin all the points of your work experience with a power verb.
- Use power verbs in the past tense for past profiles and projects.
- Use power verbs in the present continuous tense for present profiles and projects.
- Use bucketing & bolding alongside points to enhance the effectiveness of your research resume.
- Write a research assistant resume objective if you have worked for less than 3 years.
- Write a research assistant resume summary if you have worked for more than 3 years.
- Write the location in city/state format if you are applying for a job in the same country.
- Write the location in city/country format if you are applying for a job in another country.
You have reached the end of our Research Assistant Resume 2022 Guide.
If you have gone through each step from beginning to end, you will be able to engineer a power-packed and highly impactful research assistant resume from scratch.
You can use our Online Resume Builder to simplify your resume writing experience.
Go to Hiration resume builder and create a professional resume for yourself. Additionally, reach out to us at support@hiration.com and you can get 24/7 professional assistance with all your job & career-related queries.