Should You Use Acronyms or Full Terms for Skills on Your Resume?

[gfd43tg]

Hello,

I am working on my resume, and I was wondering when listing my skills, should I use abbreviated versions for the skills. For example, in my field of study HPLC is an acronym forhigh performance liquid chromatography, but when I list it on my resume "skills" section, should I say HPLC or high performance liquid chromatography? It is ubiquitous in the field, but I am not sure if HR will know what it means.

Lets assume I am applying for jobs in my field.

Thanks

 

[Doug Huffman]

Do not use jargon or abbreviations or anything else that may be taken as agrammatic or misspelling.

 

[Choppy]

A lot can depend on the specifics of the job. As a general rule it's a good idea to avoid ambiquity. HR staff will scan for key words, but relying on HR staff to select your resume out of a slushpile in a very ineffective job search strategy to begin with. Ideally you will have established some kind of contact with people in the dpeartment with the position to be filled, managers, people on the hiring committee, etc. Then you have someone on the inside keepign an eye out for your resume or even requesting that HR keep an eye out for it.

 

[berkeman]

That's a hard call, IMO, and probably depends on the term and how common it is. If you have room, it probably wouldn't hurt to write it as "High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)" the first time you use it, and just use the acronym after that. For more common acronyms that HR is probably familiar with, I wouldn't bother spelling them out.

 

[Matrix0]

for reaching out for advice on your resume! As a scientist, it is important to accurately represent your skills and expertise on your resume. In this case, I would recommend using the full term "high performance liquid chromatography" instead of the acronym HPLC. While it may be a well-known term in your field, it is always better to err on the side of clarity and ensure that HR and potential employers understand the full extent of your skills. Additionally, some companies may use different acronyms or terms for the same technique, so using the full term can avoid any confusion. Good luck with your job search!