How to Add Research Skills on Your Resume

The importance of research skills on resumes

When building a resume, research skills are a solid addition that doesn’t just tick a checkbox required by the job description; they also showcase decision-making, independence, and problem-solving. 

Many industries rely on strong research skills, including academia, healthcare, technology, and marketing. Research capabilities help companies stay competitive, maintain high performance, and provide better service to their clients and customers.

For example, adding research skills to a marketing strategist's resume shows an ability to identify weaknesses in competitors, develop targeted plans, and execute a successful campaign.

However, even roles that don’t strictly require these abilities benefit from them. Let’s say a sales professional spends time each week to study sales techniques and read new industry journals. This makes them an attractive candidate and shows continuous learning and dedication.

Research skills are particularly useful for student resumes. Most students have little to no job experience, and these abilities are a great way to show work ethic, commitment, and even teamwork.

Additionally, many students are looking to expand their knowledge by applying for academic roles where research skills are essential.

The top research skills for resumes

Many unique abilities fit into the research skills category. These skills apply to some roles more than others, but some job positions utilize all of them to some degree.

Take a look at these soft and technical skills and see which ones apply to you.

Data analysis

Analytical skills help you gather information, compare and study it, and make logical conclusions. This is a foundational ability in research, enabling you to review and interpret data and pose likely theories.

This skill commonly involves proficiency in data software, like Tableau, which allows you to analyze statistics and visualize data.

Research methodologies

There are various popular methodologies, including qualitative analysis, quantitative analysis, literature reviews, focus groups, and interviews.

Adding different research frameworks shows your industry knowledge and specialization. Highlighting how you conduct your research gives hiring managers insights into your processes and helps them understand your relevance.

Software skills

Many software skills help researchers collect, study, and interpret vital insights. This includes proficiency in programming languages like Python and C++, database management, spreadsheets, and data mining.

Critical thinking

The ability to question assumptions, solve problems, and look at issues without bias is crucial for efficient research. This allows you to make solid, fair judgments and pose innovative new ideas.

Multitasking

Research is a deep, multifaceted practice that has many moving pieces. Multitasking skills, like time and task management, help you balance various duties and make sure they each get due attention.

Additionally, adaptability plays an essential role, as research typically involves keeping up with shifting and developing trends.

How to list research skills on your resume

There are many unique, effective ways to list research skills on your resume. The most basic way, of course, is simply listing a few of the above abilities in your Skills section. While this is a good start, we recommend that this is just one of the methods you use.

We recommend including research skills in your Work Experience section. This allows you to dig deeper into your capabilities, provide real examples, and showcase tangible outcomes, displaying your relevance and tying your history directly to the recruiter’s needs. Here’s an example:

One of our top recommendations for including research skills on resumes is creating a separate Projects section. This header should look like a Work Experience section, with entries and bullet points, but describe various personal, professional, and academic research projects. Here’s an example for a clinical research skills resume:

Want to take it a step further? Add a mention of your research skills in your resume summary or objective. This should only be a concise sentence, but by adding a measurable metric you can make it a powerful lead-in to the rest of your resume. Here’s a quick example for a business analyst:

Browse even more examples of projects, work history, and resume summaries in our realistic collection of resume samples.

Examples of research skills on resumes

Let’s explore a few examples of research skills on resumes from different industries. Feel free to use these as a template and inspiration for your own job application.

Here’s an example for a lawyer resume, in the Work Experience section:

If you’re thinking about including research competencies in your resume summary, here’s an example for a clinical research resume:

Tips and mistakes to avoid

Let’s finish this guide with a quick summary of the main do’s and don’ts for adding research skills to your resume. Try using this as a convenient reference as you fill out your application.

Here are our top tips:

• Use a professional template: Starting with a well-structured resume template ensures your information is easy to read, follows a logical order, and utilizes white space effectively.
• Review the job description: Study the job post and critically examine the required skills and competencies. This helps you fill out each section, including which achievements to highlight from your professional background.
• Mirror language and terminology: Take note of the terms used in the job description and add them to your resume. Incorporating the same keywords shows your relevance and helps you build an ATS resume that passes through company applicant tracking systems (ATS).
• Add atypical experience: Get creative with your research examples. Discuss volunteer work, personal projects, or nontraditional work experiences.
• Quantify achievements: Enhance each accomplishment you list by adding measurable metrics and numbers. This gives recruiters a tangible outcome to compare to their needs.
• Consider all of your research skills: Don’t stop at just one research skill – consider all of your top competencies, including critical thinking, analysis, and software proficiency.

“Research capabilities help companies stay competitive, maintain high performance, and provide better service to their clients and customers.”

Put your research skills on display

Keen research skills help employers discover and utilize key insights, and when you showcase your talent, you can grab their attention. Write a powerful research skills resume with our best practices:

• Add multiple research skills to your resume, including data analysis, software skills, and problem-solving.
• Show your research experience through past achievements rather than simply listing the skill.
• Add your skills in multiple resume sections, including Work Experience, Projects, and your resume summary or objective.
• Include quantified achievements to add depth and value to your accomplishments.
• Consider all of your experience and draw examples from unexpected areas.

Jump into CVwizard’s resume maker and assemble a top-notch job application. Incorporate your thorough research and analysis skills into any section easily, using our customizable, drag-and-drop interface.