Genetic Counselor Resume Example & Writing Guide
Use this Genetic Counselor resume example and guide to improve your career and write a powerful resume that will separate you from the competition.
Genetic counselors are highly specialized medical professionals who help people understand their risk for certain inherited conditions. They are often the first point of contact for families after a prenatal diagnosis or the discovery of a birth defect. They use their knowledge of genetic science to help families understand the nature of their condition and develop a plan for managing or treating it.
If you’re interested in working in healthcare and want to help people understand their unique medical circumstances, consider becoming a genetic counselor. Here’s some tips and an example resume to help you write yours.
How to Write a Genetic Counselor Resume
Here’s how to write a genetic counselor resume of your own.
Write Compelling Bullet Points
Bullet points are the most effective way to showcase your experience and qualifications. And when it comes to bullet points, the more specific and detailed you can be, the better.
For example, rather than saying you “provided genetic counseling services for patients,” you could say you “provided genetic counseling services for patients with hereditary cancer syndromes, helping them understand their risk of developing cancer and making informed decisions about their treatment options.”
The second bullet point is much more specific and provides more detail about what exactly you did. And that level of detail will help make your experience and skills stand out to recruiters and hiring managers.
Identify and Include Relevant Keywords
When you apply for a genetic counselor role, your resume is likely to be scanned by an applicant tracking system (ATS) for certain keywords. ATS programs look for specific terms related to genetic counseling, like “DNA” and “chromosomes,” in order to determine whether your skills are a match for the job opening. If your resume doesn’t include enough relevant keywords, your application might not make it past the initial screening process.
To increase your chances of getting an interview, use this list of common genetic counselor keywords as a starting point to help you customize your resume:
- Genetic Counseling
- Genetics
- Medical Genetics
- Cancer Genetics
- Breast Cancer
- Oncology
- Breast Health
- Genetic Testing
- Clinical Research
- Cancer
- Medicine
- Pediatric Oncology
- Healthcare
- Family Medicine
- Molecular Biology
- Women’s Health
- Genomic Medicine
- Clinical Trials
- Molecular Genetics
- Research
- Inherited Disorders
- Biotechnology
- Counseling
- DNA
- Counselling Psychology
- Counseling Psychology
- Personalized Medicine
- Healthcare Management
- Mental Health
- Public Health
Showcase Your Technical Skills
As a genetic counselor, you rely on technology to help you diagnose and treat patients. That’s why it’s important to list your technical skills prominently on your resume. By doing so, you’ll show that you’re a valuable candidate who is familiar with the essential tools and systems used in your field.
Recruiters are looking for genetic counselors who are proficient in specific programs, such as Geneious and Perlegen, and who have experience with genetic sequencing and data analysis. So be sure to list all of your relevant technical skills prominently on your resume.