Laboratory experience on a resume/CV?

College Life
1

<p>So I know that a lot of people list their programming languages on their resumes/CV.</p>

<p>What about, say, listing laboratory experience that one gained out of a course like chemistry or synthetic biology? Where one learned how to use vortexes, centrifuges, pipettors, etc to do things like electroporate DNA into cells? Yes, I know these are all basic things that any biology major should know, but maybe some basic experience with those might help on a CV, especially in fields like synthetic biology or DIYBio (where most interested people aren’t biologists, but rather, people from other disciplines).</p>

2

<p>I’d put it on there. I’ve found over time people learn different skills in labs depending on which part of the lab they had to do for the project, so you never know what anyone will know how to do. For example, I did lots of metallography in my undergrad labs, yet nobody in my group here at grad school had any idea how to properly prepare samples.</p>

3

<p>Yeah I would put that experience on a resume. That way whom ever you’re applying for can see your experience and know your background knowledge in certain fields.</p>

4

<p>Absolutely put it on there. Make a section for “Lab Skills” or “Skills” or “Lab Experience” or something of that nature and go wild.</p>

5

<p>Thanks for the replies! How would I put it on there? Lab experience from a lab course in Synthetic Biology? I mostly did all of the standard things (gel electrophoresis, preparing solutions, centrifuging, etc), but nothing fancy (esp. since the PCR is done by the TA for us).</p>

6

<p>Put a heading like “Lab Projects” or “Lab Courses” and put “Synthetic Biology Lab.” Then just list your tasks like you would a job. ie (ignore formatting)
Lab Course: Synthetic Biology Lab
- Prepared solutions for X
- Performed centrifuging of X for Y purpose
- etc.</p>

<p>Just make sure you’re as descriptive as you can be in the fewest number of words, and make sure you turn everything into a verb.</p>

7

<p>Since I’ve worked in a ton of different kinds of labs and have a fairly diverse skill set I just made a heading for Laboratory Skills and listed everything from programming to networking to metallography to electron microscopy.</p>

8

<p>Oh okay thanks for all the examples!</p>