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Laboratory assistant skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

6 min read

Quoted experts

Dr. Rainer Glaser,

Jennifer Larimore Ph.D.

Some of the most important hard skills a laboratory assistant can possess include prior work in collecting specimens, and experience with lab equipment upkeep. For laboratory assistants within medical science fields, training in phlebotomy and experience with patient care are a plus.

When it comes to soft skills, research associates should be highly organized, focused, and great analytical thinkers. Great customer service skills will also benefit laboratory assistants.

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical laboratory assistant skills. We ranked the top skills for laboratory assistants based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 14.7% of laboratory assistant resumes contained patients as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a laboratory assistant needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 laboratory assistant skills for your resume and career

1. Patients

Here's how laboratory assistants use patients:

Provided excellent customer service to patients while accurately updating patient demographics, insurance and billing information in LabCorp LCM program.
Comfort frightened patients and maintain an exceptionally bright professional demeanor to accomplish a procedure that makes most people very uncomfortable.

2. Phlebotomy

Here's how laboratory assistants use phlebotomy:

Provided continuing education in the form of periodic in-services relating the phlebotomy procedures, tests and proper specimen collection requirements.
Assumed responsibility for writing and implementing phlebotomy policies and procedures according to Hospital policy and OSHA standards.

3. Customer Service

Customer service is the process of offering assistance to all the current and potential customers -- answering questions, fixing problems, and providing excellent service. The main goal of customer service is to build a strong relationship with the customers so that they keep coming back for more business.

Here's how laboratory assistants use customer service:

Communicated with Technologists to ensure that testing for Emergency Department and critical hospital patients were performed within customer service guidelines.
Demonstrated skill in troubleshooting, logical analysis, problem escalation, documentation and reporting within a technically-oriented customer service environment.

4. Lab Procedures

Here's how laboratory assistants use lab procedures:

Achieve lab procedures listed above productively and efficiently with no supervision to complete DNA library construction successfully by provided deadlines.
Documented lab procedures and conducted inventory of lab resources for a more organized work environment.

5. Specimen Collection

Specimen collection refers to process of collecting any tissue or fluid like substance in order to be analyzed and tested in a laboratory. Specimen collection is the initial necessary step for the diagnosis of a problem, providing a pathway to the eventual treatment.

Here's how laboratory assistants use specimen collection:

Maintain required records and documentation; perform clinical specimen collection in all departments and processing duties following established practices and procedures.
Collect laboratory specimens while following department policies/procedures for specimen collection, including but not limited to universal standard precautions.

6. Patient Care

Patient care entails the diagnosis, recovery, and control of sickness as well as the maintenance of physical and emotional well-being through the use of healthcare providers' services. Patient care is described as services provided to patients by health practitioners or non-professionals under guidance.

Here's how laboratory assistants use patient care:

Perform a variety of laboratory procedures with minimum supervision following standard operating procedures while maintaining high quality patient care and confidentiality.
Communicate directly with laboratories and pathologists throughout the hospital to achieve optimal outcomes in delivering patient care.

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7. Data Entry

Data entry means entering data into a company's system with the help of a keyboard. A person responsible for entering data may also be asked to verify the authenticity of the data being entered. A person doing data entry must pay great attention to tiny details.

Here's how laboratory assistants use data entry:

Trained and supervised incoming lab assistants in experimental protocol, lab equipment maintenance, data entry, and statistical analysis.
Perform data entry of critical data related to component production and movement of components into inventory locations and final disposition.

8. Laboratory Equipment

Here's how laboratory assistants use laboratory equipment:

Executed computer software necessary for electronic data-collecting laboratory equipment.
Prioritized various experiments by recognizing and anticipating researchers' need for specific chemical reagents, enzymes, and laboratory equipment.

9. Specimen Handling

Here's how laboratory assistants use specimen handling:

Assisted core laboratory, Microbiology department and Pathology department with specimen handling.
Use of robotic automation machinery for specimen handling/sorting/storage.

10. Laboratory Specimens

Here's how laboratory assistants use laboratory specimens:

Prepare laboratory specimens for designated departments/locations prior to laboratory analysis and testing and routes specimens by type to various staging areas.
Perform positive patient identification and the collection of various laboratory specimens on inpatients and outpatients, as needed.

11. Laboratory Procedures

Here's how laboratory assistants use laboratory procedures:

Gained experience in learning different laboratory procedures/instrumentation operation in biotechnology.
Processed specimens according to laboratory procedures and standards, preserving integrity of each sample prior to distributing to appropriate department.

12. Test Results

Here's how laboratory assistants use test results:

Perform necessary examination to determine problems affecting test performance; present test results and apply adequate action for problems encountered.
Recognize and respond to abnormal test results and follow established policies of notification and documentation of these abnormal test results.

13. Phlebotomy Training

Here's how laboratory assistants use phlebotomy training:

Assisted with phlebotomy training and assigned supervisory duties.
Completed and received certification for 36 hours of academic training and 80 hours of clinical phlebotomy training with 210 venipunctures.

14. Blood Specimens

Here's how laboratory assistants use blood specimens:

Operated laboratory machinery such as the autoclave and centrifuge that sterilized collected blood specimens.
Collected blood specimens and identified patients using proper techniques and procedures.

15. Lab Equipment

Here's how laboratory assistants use lab equipment:

Performed routine and preventive maintenance of computer lab equipment for the purpose of ensuring availability of equipment in safe operating condition.
Assisted a professor with laboratory experiments; tasks included detailed lab equipment preparation through proper lab documentation.

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What skills help Laboratory Assistants find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What skills stand out on laboratory assistant resumes?

Dr. Rainer Glaser

Professor and Chair, Missouri University of Science and Technology

Chemistry competence is key, of course. As a close second, chemists need to demonstrate effective team player competence. Communication skills are essential, in conversation and in writing. Effective collaboration requires highly developed skills to work with team members, peers, and leadership.

What soft skills should all laboratory assistants possess?

Jennifer Larimore Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Agnes Scott College

Teamwork, leadership, working with a diverse team.

What hard/technical skills are most important for laboratory assistants?

Jennifer Larimore Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Agnes Scott College

Ability to run PCRs, ability to run gel electrophoresis, statistical analysis

What laboratory assistant skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Gerald Bergtrom Ph.D.

Professor of Biological Sciences (Emeritus) & Teaching & Learning Consultant, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

The answers here depend on why the gap year is needed. If the need is to have an income, this would need to be balanced against other desirable needs and wishes.
- Thinking about a whole gap year, the student should make a long-term commitment to skills improvement and fill in gaps in a resume or job application.
-If the new graduate can afford it, spend some time traveling, to be exposed to different cultures and languages. If the student lives in an area with a growing LatinX population, learning some Spanish would be useful.
-If it looks like the gap year will not include activities related to the job they hope to get at the end of the year, then take at least one STEM course in their area of interest so as not to lose their edge. This could be an online course (for example, a MOOC). Do it for credit if necessary, to prove (to themselves and others) that they still love and want to succeed in science.

What type of skills will young laboratory assistants need?

John Wilbur Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Practice, University of Arizona

In the short-term, testing skills like PCR and ELISA seems essential, but I think the enduring skills or working with a team, writing, and other communication skills are most important.

Do you want to know more?

List of laboratory assistant skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a laboratory assistant resume and required skills for a laboratory assistant to have include:

Patients
Phlebotomy
Customer Service
Lab Procedures
Specimen Collection
Patient Care
Data Entry
Laboratory Equipment
Specimen Handling
Laboratory Specimens
Laboratory Procedures
Test Results
Phlebotomy Training
Blood Specimens
Lab Equipment
Process Specimens
Safety Procedures

CLIA
Computer System
Laboratory Tests
Blood Samples
Patient Specimens
Troubleshoot
QC
Centrifuges
EKG
C++
Body Fluids
Anatomy
Organic Chemistry
Centrifugation
PCR
Cell Culture
Hematology

Physiology
Stat
Lab Results
DNA
Drawing Blood
HIPAA
Patient Samples
Data Collection
Perform Routine Maintenance
PowerPoint
Electrophoresis
Computer Lab
Windows
Research Projects
Lab Tests
Computer Programs

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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Laboratory Assistant Skills

Updated January 8, 2025

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