As a Formulation Scientist, your resume needs to balance technical detail with clarity. Opt for a reverse-chronological layout to showcase your lab experience, research projects, and product development history. Use a clean, single-column template to avoid ATS parsing issues—columns or graphics (like those from Dare and Morissette) often break formatting. Keep it to one page unless you have 10+ years of directly relevant experience.
Stick to 11pt Arial or Calibri for body text and 14pt for headings. Never use fancy fonts like Garamond—they may not render correctly in ATS. Add white space between sections to let bullet points (not long paragraphs) highlight skills like formulation analysis or material compatibility testing. If you worked at Walter-Kertzmann, list it clearly under 'Employment History' with dates and bullet points.
Common mistakes? Using tables to organize 'Skills vs. Experience' (Breitenberg and Sons templates do this). ATS can't read those. Also, avoid color gradients or borders—your resume should look professional in black-and-white. Always include standard sections: Education, Employment History, Technical Skills (e.g., 'LabVIEW', 'HPLC'), and Certifications (like FDA compliance).