When you were a student, you were told that your aptitude for subjects that would prepare you for work in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) would land you a job fast. You’ve been sending out your CV, but so far, you aren’t getting the callbacks you expected. Could your CV be at fault?  Try these tips to tailor your CV – once you have it dressed for success, you should start getting those callbacks. 

Low on Office Skills? Use a Template

Resume templates help you to present your CV in a neat, professional-looking format. You don’t need a lot of office skills to make your resume look polished. However, since you’re looking for science-based jobs rather than entering the arts, let your choices reflect that. Opt for something crisp, clean, and relatively low-key. Avoid brightly coloured backgrounds and flamboyant fonts. Your template will guide you through the different sections your CV should contain. Feel free to eliminate any less-relevant fields to avoid clutter. 

Your Education

You can be sure that recruiters in STEM industries will want to know about your education. If you don’t have a degree, show your results at high school level, but highlight interests that have relevance to the type of work you’re applying for. 

If you have further education to back you up, concentrate on your highest qualification without bothering to include much information on lesser ones. Mention specific courses that you think will help to equip you for the specific post you hope to fill. Specifics on your final year projects will be of interest, and you can refer to them with reference to the skills you’ll need if you land the job. 

If you went all the way up to doctorate level, your degree continues to be a factor, but you needn’t include as much detail about it. Instead, discuss your doctoral work as well as any conferences you attended or presentations you made. Don’t forget to include information on your published articles and papers. Your hard skills and qualifications are sure to interest recruiters but don’t forget the “soft” skills you may have picked up along the way. Are you good at leading teams? Do your presentations have everyone on the edge of their seats? Without blowing your own trumpet, show that there’s more to you than just a qualification. 

Your Employment History

While recruiters are interested in your work experience, they’re looking for relevance. That’s why tailoring your CV to specific posts makes sense. If you list some jobs that weren’t science-related, show how they helped you to develop skills that may be important in the post you’re applying for. If you don’t have any relevant experience, place emphasis on your education. 

When you have experience that’s particularly relevant to a specific post, provide a summary of details you think may apply to the post you’re hoping to land. You don’t have to do this with every single post, but you should certainly provide some details wherever you see your experience as having relevance. 

References could be considered as part of your employment history, but if they aren’t asked for, simply note that you have them available on request. If recruiters ask for references, be sure not to omit them. 

Your Covering Letter

Whenever possible, submit your CV with a customized covering letter. Use it to show why you’re motivated to work in a specific environment, and how you think it may benefit you, but also share your opinion on what you can bring to the table. If you’re enthusiastic and energetic, for example, don’t be shy to say so. If you’re hardworking and dedicated, highlight this side of your personality as a strength that may benefit your prospective employers. Provide brief examples that illustrate your strengths and offer to put them to work for your prospective employer. It’s a delicate balance between saying what’s good about you without seeming conceited. 

Check Everything Carefully

You’re seeking work in fields that require precision and attention to detail. An error in your CV won’t do you any favours, so check it very carefully indeed making sure there are no typographical errors or inconsistencies. If you wrote a covering letter, make sure it’s addressed to the right person and that it is grammatically correct and well-formatted. Once you’re satisfied that your application can stand up to scrutiny, you’re ready to hit “send.” Maybe this time, you’ll land the big one!