Tips and Tricks for Writing a Great Field Medical Affairs Resume – Part II
Part II: Professional Summary & Work Experiences
If you missed Part I, click here!
Your resume is your first impression on a hiring manager. It’s important to include all pertinent details, from easy-to-read contact information to the special projects and experiences that make you a great candidate. Read on for a checklist of resume must-haves, and some very important do-nots.
Your professional summary is a paragraph at the top of your resume that briefly explains your background and your goals. Think of it as a short, written version of your “elevator speech”: it’s a chance to introduce yourself before going into the nitty-gritty of each job you’ve ever held.
Must Have:
- Highlight the skills, qualities, and value you’re bringing to the role – you’re applying to different types of positions or even different therapeutic areas, so, it’s a good idea to have different versions of your summary that focus on different goals
- Your professional goal – explain why you might be looking at a new position, and why such a role might appeal to you
Do Not:
- Ramble or include a lot of information that should be included in your professional experiences instead – this section should be clear, concise, and relevant
- Be generic – you can google “professional summary” and get all sorts of templates, but your summary should be as unique as you are. Come up with something that really explains who you are, and why you’re their dream candidate
Your professional experiences are a list of your jobs over the years, with specific information included such as job titles, dates, and responsibilities. Here’s where you can get into those details that make you a great candidate.
Must Have:
- Experience and titles listed in chronological order with the most recent one first – make this easy for a hiring manager to follow
- Start and end dates (month/year) for all positions + a title, company name, and location (city/state) – again, this should be very clear with no errors
- Your responsibilities in the role – begin with the products you support and the territory you covered
- Experiences, accomplishments, accolades – what did you do in each role that sets you apart? What are you most proud of?
Do Not:
- Be vague about your responsibilities or accomplishments – when possible, include quantified or qualified results such as an award you received or a metric you hit.
- Use passive language – each line should start with an action word. For instance: instead of “was responsible for onboarding and training”, say “Effectively onboarded and trained new team”
- Leave work experiences off your resume – even short stints should be acknowledged
- Have a resume that doesn’t match your LinkedIn – make sure your dates and titles match in both places to avoid any confusion
Your professional summary and job experiences will include the main information that a hiring manager is looking for when they read through your resume. Make sure the information included presents you in the best possible light in order to give yourself the best chance at an interview.
Follow SEMbio for more tips on making your resume your best possible first impression!
Written by our experts, Cori Lattanzi and Linda Eskew.
A few Field Medical Affairs titles…
Medical Science Liaison, Regional Medical Scientist, Regional Medical Liaison, Medical Liaison, Clinical Liaison, Medical Scientific Liaison, Clinical Science Manager, Medical Science Manager, Scientific Liaison, Medical Affairs Liaison, Regional Medical Research Scientist, Associate Director, MSL, Regional Medical Scientific Director
