Creating a Resume That Lands You the Perfect Pharmacy Job
Whether you’re just starting out in the pharmaceutical field or if you’re a long-time pharmacist looking for a change, having a solid resume is important to landing the right job. It can be difficult to decide how to lay out your resume and know just what to include, without oversharing.
Do Some Research
When you have a specific job that you’re applying for, it’s important to know a bit about the company and their values before submitting your resume. This can help you as you’re deciding what skills and interests you should play up. For instance, if a company has a very strong philanthropic nature, you might want to highlight your own volunteer efforts.
Choose Format Carefully
Look for a clear, concise resume format that is easy to read and shows important highlights at a glance. Bright colors and fancy fonts may seem like a great, eye-catching idea, but in reality, the resume that gets noticed is the one that presents the information they’re looking for in a very clean and simple manner.
Include Education and Credentials Highlights
You’ll want to make sure that your education information is a prominent part of your resume, but it isn’t necessary to take things back further than college. Include all licenses and credentials that you hold, plus information on continuing education as it applies to the position. For those who have less work experience, including college accolades might be an appropriate approach, if they make sense and relate to the job skills you wish to demonstrate.
Expand on Your Work Experience
Listing jobs and dates employed is important, but that only tells a small piece of your work history. Be sure to highlight all of the responsibilities and skills that were a part of each position. In particular, be sure to call out items that will be attractive to the particular job that you are seeking. Do not include in your resume the reason you left a job. Instead, save that conversation for your interview. Also, choose your references from past jobs wisely, keeping the job description of the position you are applying for in mind as you select them.
Show a Little Personality
Though you don’t want your resume to be too casual, you also want recruiters to get a feel for your personality and whether you’ll be a good fit for the position. Including a bit about your hobbies and any volunteer work can help to set you apart from other candidates, especially when you’re in close competition for a job. Don’t go overboard in this section but sharing enough to give them an idea about who you are and what kind of activities matter to you can be the thing that puts you on top of the list.
It’s important to remember that each position is unique, and you’ll want to tweak your resume to fit the job you want. Once you have a solid foundation, it’s easy to make small changes that fit the company you are applying for and really make your resume stand out.