4.       Lying on Your Resume. This one is simple: don't lie on your resume. It's a bad idea for several reasons. Not only is it wrong, but if you exaggerate or lie, you may be in over your head if you do get the job. In addition, employers do check resume facts, and they are likely to identify any lies or inconsistencies.

5.       Errors in Your Resume. If you're seeking a new job or contract assignment, your resume should be flawless. That is, it should have no typos, misspellings, incorrect grammar, or other writing errors. If you want to open the door to a job interview, show the reader that you are careful about your writing. As a medical writer, the writing that appears in your resume will be the first writing sample an employer sees. Be sure that it will stand up to scrutiny.

 

6.       Resume as Living Document. Ensure that your resume is always current and well crafted; it should be a living document. Update it every time you have new material to add to it. Again, the resume's purpose is to get your foot in the door for an interview. If you don't keep your resume current, you may miss a chance to include vital information, especially if you need it on short notice. For this reason, you should always be ready to send your resume to recruiters or employers on a moment's notice.

 

The remaining points in this article address issues within your resume's sections:

7.       Summary. At the start of your resume, include a short (usually 1 to 2 paragraphs) thumbnail summary of your work experience and academic background. It's also appropriate to have a statement that tells the reader what your want to do in your next job.

8.       Academic Background. The academic background section should include your earned degrees, the name of the institution where you earned the degree, and the dates when they were conferred. If you have earned an advanced degree, this section may be a good place to list the title of your thesis or dissertation, if any. (Alternatively, your dissertation's citation can be included in your resume's Publications section.)

 

A separate section following your academic background can include the continuing education and training courses you've taken. The list should include the subject matter (or course title) and date(s) when you had the training. And here's an important tip: whenever possible, include specific dates for the education and training. The dates add to your credibility, and their absence can be conspicuous.

 

As you advance in your career, your academic background generally becomes less important than your work history. After you have a work history, especially in medical writing, consider moving the academic background information in your resume to a location following your work history.

 

9.       Work History or Professional Achievements. In this section of your resume, include specific details about your work history. The reverse chronological work history format often works well, with your most recent job listed first. The work history section should describe your milestone accomplishments for each job or contract assignment. As with the academic background section, include the start and stop dates for the jobs and/or contract work that you've done. The dates will give you added credibility.

10.       Publications. If you've authored any publications, put a list of them in your resume with the full citations in a consistent reference format. For publications with multiple authors, you should include all of the authors' names in the order that they appeared in the publication. Finally, try to get access to electronic copies of your publications on the internet. Consider hyperlinking those citations in your resume to the actual articles. In so doing, your reader can easily find and read examples of your work. You can also prepare a set of publication samples as a zipped file to provide to prospective employers.