Why You Shouldnt Use the Term PhD on Your Resume

Why You Shouldn't Use the Term 'PhD' on Your ResumeI was at a conference last week where a business group was discussing a certain type of resume, one that was made up of highly technical terms and a non-traditional format. This project manager felt that these were the things he wanted on his resume. His idea was to portray himself as an expert in the area.Not surprisingly, his co-workers were very skeptical. They called him a 'scientist' and called his project to be a 'blob'. Clearly this person did not seem to understand that scientists have a lot of experience and not necessarily the specialties that the stereotyped 'scientist' portrays. For example, a well-known chemist might have a lot of experience with commercial chemicals, he or she might have worked in lab maintenance or consulting, but that doesn't mean that they are an expert in the area of commercial chemistry. So it makes sense that this project manager, and others like him, should use the professional label that has bee n bestowed upon them by their professional status.To be clear, there is nothing wrong with being a scientist and there is nothing wrong with the scientific method. What is wrong is when a scientist tries to project himself as an expert in a field of study that is so broad and vast that most people have heard of it. The very fact that he chose this particular field as his field of expertise speaks to how little of his actual work experience that he had in that particular area. Science PhD applicants often suffer from this problem.Again, many people do not fully understand the theories that surround all sciences. To say that a person who is well versed in science can make sound scientific conclusions is akin to saying that someone who owns a bakery can make intelligent decisions. It simply does not make sense. There is a place for science and math courses in the schools, but we should not allow the pretense of scientific proof to cloud our judgment. That is why I believe that the term 'PhD' should be retired from the field of resume writing.Instead, a term like 'mapping scientist' would be better. This implies that the applicant understands the workings of Earth's climate system. It implies that he or she has taken the time to learn and understand the basic workings of the solar system. A mapping scientist will be well versed in geology, but not necessarily that of meteorology. Again, many of us will be able to identify with this.Therefore, a solution is to change the description on the resume to reflect the candidate's true knowledge, instead of creating the appearance of not understanding the science behind the project. The point is that, in the business world, it is important to represent yourself as an expert in the space of your choosing. It makes sense that the person who first brought you to this project will have the best information about how it will run. When this is the case, it should be described as such. In the resume writing process, this allows t he applicant to see the real picture and helps to ensure that the reader is truly convinced that the applicant can successfully execute the project.The problem for people who are attempting to get hired for a position that requires them to show that they are experts in a specific discipline, such as 'science', is that the scientist label is often associated with the harder sciences. This is unfortunate. People often have trouble understanding what science is. If they know one thing about science, chances are they think that everything is a science. So it is important that any science resume include the word 'science' and provide a link to a website that will explain what science is and how the person learned about it.Resume writing is the first part of the hiring process. If the professional marketer fails to reach the right audience, the position may not get filled and the writer could lose out on an opportunity. The field of science PhD can be a great and exciting area to explore, but to promote yourself as an expert in the field requires a little more education and research than it will take to print an effective resume.