Lab Manager Resume Example & Writing Guide
Use this Lab Manager resume example and guide to improve your career and write a powerful resume that will separate you from the competition.
Lab managers are responsible for everything that happens in their lab—from the research that’s conducted there to the safety of the environment in which it’s conducted. They oversee all aspects of their lab’s operations, from personnel management to budgeting to quality control to compliance.
Lab managers work closely with other managers, directors, and senior-level staff to ensure that their lab is running smoothly. They also collaborate with scientists and researchers to develop new projects and set goals for the lab.
If you’re interested in a career in science but aren’t sure where to start, consider applying for a lab manager position. Here are some tips and an example resume to help you write an effective lab manager resume that will get you noticed by hiring managers.
How to Write a Lab Manager Resume
Here’s how to write a lab manager resume of your own.
Write Compelling Bullet Points
When you’re writing your bullet points, it can be tempting to just list your responsibilities and duties. But that’s not going to make a strong impression on recruiters. Instead, you should focus on the results of your work.
For example, rather than saying you “conducted experiments,” you could say that you “conducted experiments to identify new ways to reduce costs by 20% without impacting quality.”
Notice how the second bullet point is more specific and provides more detail about what exactly you did and the results of your work.
Related: What Is a Lab Manager? How to Become One
Identify and Include Relevant Keywords
When you apply for a lab manager role, your resume will likely be scanned by an applicant tracking system (ATS) for certain keywords. This system looks for specific terms related to the job, like “chemistry” or “analytical testing” in order to determine whether your skills and experience are a match for the position. If your resume doesn’t include enough of the right keywords, your application might not even make it to a human recruiter.
To increase your chances of getting an interview, use this list of common lab manager keywords as a starting point to build out your resume:
- Laboratory Skills
- Molecular Biology
- Biochemistry
- Cell Culture
- DNA Extraction
- Microbiology
- Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)
- Laboratory Research
- Science
- Chemistry
- Cell Biology
- Scientific Writing
- Life Sciences
- Immunology
- Laboratory Management
- Genetics
- Scientific Equipment
- Biotechnology
- Protein Purification
- Good Laboratory Practice (GLP)
- Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP)
- Quality Control
- Research
- Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS)
- Research and Development (R&D)
- Cell Counting
- Analytical Chemistry
- Team Leadership
- High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)
- Microsoft Access
Showcase Your Technical Skills
Lab managers use a variety of software programs and systems in their work, so it’s important to list any relevant technical skills you have. Programs like Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), Google Suite (Gmail, Docs, Drive, Calendar), and social media platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter are all commonly used by lab managers. Additionally, lab managers may be called on to use specific software programs relevant to their industry, so it’s important to be familiar with as many programs as possible.
Related: How Much Does a Lab Manager Make?
Remember The Basics
As you’re crafting your resume, it’s important to keep a few basic guidelines in mind.
Make Sure Your Resume Is Easy to Scan
There are a few things you can do to make your resume easier to read, such as left-aligning your text, using a standard font type and size, and using bullets instead of paragraphs to list your experiences. You should also use all-caps and bold sparingly, and keep your bullets under two lines. Additionally, you can include some white space on the page to make the document easier to scan.
Be Concise
There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, as the appropriate resume length will vary depending on your experience and qualifications. However, it is generally advisable to keep resumes concise and to the point, with one or two pages being the ideal length. If you have a lot of information to share, focus on the most relevant and recent experience. In any case, it is important to tailor your resume to the specific job opening you are applying for.
Proofread
Proofreading your resume is important to ensuring that it looks its best. There are a few key things to watch for: spelling mistakes, punctuation mistakes, and grammatical mistakes. You should also be aware of easily confused words, such as their/there/they’re and to/too/two. Spell checking your resume is a good start, but you should also have someone else proofread it for you to catch any mistakes that you may have missed.
Consider Including a Summary
When it comes to writing a resume, a summary statement can be an extremely useful way to highlight your skills and experiences in a way that is easily digestible for potential employers. By boiling down your qualifications into a brief overview, you can show off your best traits and experiences while also giving recruiters a better idea of what you’re looking to do next. When creating your own summary statement, be sure to think about your target role and how your skills and experiences make you the perfect candidate. Try to keep it short and sweet, and most importantly, make sure that it is accurate and up to date.
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