Tailoring Your Resume When You Have Limited Experience

Maybe you’re still in school, fresh out of a graduate program, or pivoting into biostatistics from a related field. I’ve worked with plenty of biostatisticians in exactly this position—and let me tell you, having “limited experience” doesn’t mean you lack value. It just means you need to shine a spotlight on the right parts of your background.

Student Life and Volunteerism: Make It Count

If you’re a current student or recent grad, don’t underestimate how much your academic work counts—especially in biostatistics. Employers care about what you can do, not just where you’ve done it. I’ve helped candidates land interviews by showcasing class projects, thesis work, and even group assignments that demonstrate statistical thinking.

Also, any volunteer work involving data analysis—whether for a student organization, local non-profit, or community research project—is fair game. If you used statistical software, cleaned data, built models, or generated insights, it belongs on your resume.

Relevant Projects: Your Secret Weapon

Let’s say you analyzed a health dataset for a biostatistics class using SAS or R. Or you participated in a clinical research project during your internship. These are golden. Employers want to see evidence that you can do the kind of work the role requires—even if it happened in a classroom or short-term role.

If your resume feels a bit thin, don’t wait—start a new project. Download a public dataset and analyze it. Write up a quick summary of your findings and include the tools and techniques you used. I’ve seen this strategy work again and again, especially when you’re targeting entry-level or research assistant roles.

Addressing Gaps

If you’re worried about gaps or lack of “formal” experience, that’s something you can address in your cover letter. Focus on how your coursework, certifications, or personal projects align with the job description. Hiring managers are often more interested in relevant skills than job titles—especially in fields like biostatistics, where technical expertise matters most.

💡 Action Step: Highlight Relevant Projects From Your Education or Volunteer Work
List at least two class projects, internships, or volunteer experiences where you used biostatistical skills. Write a 1–2 sentence bullet for each, including the data type, tools used (e.g., R, SAS, Stata), and outcome. If you don’t have enough to showcase—start a small project today using a public dataset in your area of interest.