Great Biology CV Guide for Students & Professionals

Biologist candidates require an intensive to begin working in the scientific field, so it’s essential to showcase this on a CV. For a successful biologist CV, you’ll want to showcase your years of experience, certifications, knowledge of biological sciences, and bachelor of science degrees. 

 

Doing this will help the hiring manager assess whether you can fulfill the job’s primary responsibilities. As biology is a specialist career, candidates may need to show the hiring manager or recruiter that they can navigate multiple topics like microbiology, ecology, biochemical study, and more. 

The structure of a CV will depend on your choice of CV format, and the best format for you depends on your experience and qualifications. Chronological format focus on employment history, while functional format highlight skills. Combination formats are great for mid-level candidates who want to show off their skills and experience and explain how their training has supported their knowledge. Regardless of the CV you choose, your CV will contain specific sections, such as education, professional experience, skills, and certifications.

 

Header

 

The header section provides all of your primary contact information. Supply your name, location, phone number, and email address. If you have a wealth of experience or any additional information that you can’t include in your CV, consider providing a link to a professional networking profile. Sites like LinkedIn are great ways to give hiring managers and recruiters a more in-depth look at your skills, experience in prominent research projects, and more. 

 

Professional summary

 

A professional CV summary is usually the first section of your CV and gives you the chance to introduce yourself to the recruiter or hiring manager formally. This section summarises your experience and skills into two or three brief sentences that grab the reader’s attention. This is a great place to explain why you believe you’re the ideal candidate. Recent graduates looking for junior biology roles can explain why they’re good candidates based on their educational experience and related skills in this section and state their career goals.

 

Skills

 

If you’re experiencing a career change or looking for an entry-level role, you might not have a lot of applicable work history. Therefore, your skills section might be the most dominant part of your CV. Regardless of your experience, this section should list the hard and soft skills you’ve gained through education or professional work. 

 

Hard skills

 

are industry-specific and allow you to carry out the primary job duties. Soft skills are general employability skills that support your day-to-day working life. You need to highlight both to the hiring manager for an effective job search. If you’re struggling to find skills that summarise your knowledge and qualities, then here are some bullet points you can include in your CV skills section:

 

• Technical skills 
• Communication
• Data collection 
• Data analysis 
• Fieldwork 
• Problem-solving 
• Troubleshooting 
• Biological research 
• Use of equipment such as microscopes
• Research in polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and cloning
• Report writing 
• Microsoft Office Proficiency (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)

Work Experience

 

Your work experience section acts as a record of your previous experience and critical responsibilities while employed. If you have previous biology experience, such as a research assistant, you should list your primary duties in reverse chronological order. This means starting from the most recent example and working backward, ensuring you provide the most up-to-date information possible. You should also include the employer’s company name, job title, location, and a list of your major duties and/or achievements in the job.

 

Education

 

The education section is likely to be an essential part of working in the biology field because of the academic knowledge needed. Hiring managers are likely to be looking for candidates with a bachelor’s degree in biology, biotechnology, biophysics or other life science subjects.

Here are some do’s and don’ts to help you create the perfect biologist CV: 

 

Do: 

• Read through the job advertisement. This will tell you which skills are the most useful for candidates, including how much experience they should have before applying, and helps you understand the duties listed in the job description. 
• Use CV templates. This can give you a solid foundation for your CV and help you maintain a structure. 
• Thoroughly proofread once you’re done writing. This ensures there are no mistakes and showcases good written communication skills. 

Don’t:

• Write your CV without the help of a CV builder.
• Include employment information that’s irrelevant to the position.
• Go overboard when describing experience, skills, education, or certifications. Give yourself more room to list all your career highlights; this will encourage a hiring manager to seek out more information in an interview.