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Want a stronger resume? Use our extensive library of professional resume examples as practical starting guides. You’ll also find ready-made content with our helpful Resume Builder – simple click, customize, and download.

Looking for cover letter ideas? See our sample Researcher Cover Letter.

Find out what is the best resume for you in our Ultimate Resume Format Guide.

How to Format a Researcher Resume

Impress hiring managers immediately with the power of the correct resume format. You can quickly stand out from competing candidates by organizing the parts of your resume so that your best traits instantly stand out.

Here, we will discuss the resume formats that will land you the job. For researchers with 10+ years, the chronological resume shows off your booming work history, while the functional resume is ideal for job seekers with less than three years of experience.

You can highlight your expertise with the hybrid/combination resume for mid-level researchers working between three to nine years. This type of resume combines the best of the chronological and functional formats to promote your experience and skills at the same time.

Let’s break down how you can structure your resume using the correct resume format according to your career level.

Chronological Resume

Candidate A

  • 13 years in the workforce
  • 3 years at this job
  • BA Criminal Justice
  • MA Inspection and Oversight

Work Experience
Researcher, NBC Universal
September 2020 – Present, New York, NY

  • Resolves client issues and provides sales support by managing particular project timelines and budgets.
  • Trains 10 researchers on proprietary software usage, research methodology, Boolean practices and record selection, which included developing training materials and delivering presentations.
  • Proposes and implements an internal repository clean-up project which updates over 100 client profiles.

Functional Resume

Candidate B

  • 3 months in workforce
  • 3 months at this job
  • BBA Bachelor of Business Administration
  • BBA Finance And Operations Management
  • MS Finance

Professional Skills

Investigative Skills

  • Investigates the melting process of ice using a non-intrusive technique.
  • Uses infrared thermal imaging to characterize proton movement during melting.
  • Researches, interprets and applies intestate inheritance laws, working closely with local counsel as necessary.

Relationship building

  • Interviews individuals, transcribed and analyzed data for empirical research articles.
  • Recruits and schedules study participants for research on attachment styles and behavior.
  • Works with professors to collect, input and analyze data.
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Researcher Duties and Responsibilities

The type of organization or projects a Researcher works for will greatly determine their duties and responsibilities. There are, however, a couple primary duties all Researchers can expect to perform. A review of current job listings identified the following main responsibilities.

Conduct Research As evident by their title, Researchers main duty is to research. Using various methodologies and sources, Researchers must be able to obtain recent and relevant data for the employers. The way they go about this will differ depending on the industry they work for and the type of Researcher they are. Medical and scientific Researchers will often create and administer experiments to obtain data, while a market Researcher will look at sales trends and numbers. Most Researchers utilize the Internet to conduct some research, while others seek out peer-reviewed essays and articles. Researchers may interview subjects, scan databases, or locate rare texts to get the information they seek. The methods abound and most Researchers will use a variety of them throughout the course of their career.

Interpret Data Locating information is just the first half of the Researcher’s job. Once they find the data they sought, it must still be analyzed or interpreted. Researchers spend a great deal of their time making sense of the data they have collected and finding ways to represent their finds. For some this may result in a scientific paper, for others it may take the form of a presentation for management or a report. The job will specify how a Researcher is to share the information, but all Researchers are tasked with this in some form or another.

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Researcher Skills

Researchers must be self-driven individuals with a knack for investigative work. They must be highly detailed oriented and very well organized with the ability to communicate well in writing and verbally. In addition to these traits, employers look for applicants with the following skills. Core skills: Based on job listings we looked at, employers want Researchers with these core skills. If you want to work as a Researcher, focus on the following.

  • Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, including Word and Excel
  • Knowledge of research methodologies and techniques
  • Project management experience
  • Analysis experience

Advanced skills: While most employers did not require the following skills, multiple job listings included them as preferred. Add these to your repertoire of skills and broaden your career options.

  • Previous experience in the industry applying to work in
  • Experience with database systems
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Researcher Resources

There are more resources available on the Web for those interested in becoming a Researcher. We scoured the internet and found these links full of learning opportunities and the latest industry news. On the Web

International Journal for Researcher Development – This journal was founded in 2008 by Cambridge University and is the first and only publication dedicated to the scholarship of Researcher development. Research World Magazine – This magazine is offered by the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR) and offers its readers the latest information on market research strategies and practices. Researcher Books

Mastering Online Research: A Comprehensive Guide to Effective and Efficient Search Strategies – Author and Researcher, Maura D. Shaw provides insights into the best strategies and practices to finding information on the Internet.

The Oxford Guide to Library Research – A must have for any Researcher, this book is full of the best databases, print resources and practices for conducting research at libraries. Industry Groups

Council of American Survey Research Organizations – CASRO was founded in 1975 and currently represents over 300 market research companies and operations. They provide workshops, conferences, legal advice, and other resources to their members.

Marketing Research Association – Established in 1957, MRA is the leading association for marketing research professionals. Their membership include members with ample educational opportunities, networking socials, and the latest news and research in the field.

American Educational Research Association – AERA was founded in 1916 and is dedicated to improving education by supporting and encouraging research and evaluation of education and educational systems.

Association of Internet Researchers – AOIR is dedicated to the advancement of the field of Internet studies. They provide free mailings, annual conferences, and information on the latest research in the field of Internet Research.

Researcher Resume FAQ.

What does a researcher do?

Researcher work helps companies stay on top of the competition by developing innovative services and new products.

They are an essential part of the company’s forecast. They predict trends and anticipate how to solve issues.

To decide which methodology to apply, a researcher determines what data the research project requires. They can collect data through fieldwork, experiments, surveys, interviews, and questionnaires. Working as a researcher is excellent for developing learning skills continuously.