What does a Sociologist do?

Study human society and social behavior by examining the groups and social institutions that people form, as well as various social, religious, political, and business organizations. Day to day that includes work like analyze and interpret data to increase the understanding of human social behavior and Prepare publications and reports containing research findings.

What skills should a Sociologist put on a resume?

O*NET rates Active Listening, Speaking, Active Learning, Critical Thinking, and Reading Comprehension among the most important skills for this occupation. Name the ones that are genuinely yours and show where you used them. A resume that lists skills you do not have is weaker than one that lists fewer.

What software should a Sociologist list?

Software recorded for this occupation includes Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Dreamweaver, Adobe Photoshop, ATLAS.ti, and Circle Systems Stat/Transfer. Applicant tracking systems match on the exact product name, so write the tool as the posting writes it rather than describing it in general terms.

What other job titles cover Sociologist work?

O*NET records 20 titles for this occupation, including Demographer, Medical Sociologist, Social Scientist, and Evaluation Specialist. Searching only your own job title hides most of the openings you could apply to.

What qualifications does a Sociologist need?

In O*NET's survey of people doing this job, 50% reported their level of education as "Doctoral Degree". That is what current postholders reported, not a requirement any single employer sets.

Will this resume pass an ATS for a Sociologist role?

No tool outside an employer can tell you how that employer's system is configured, including ours. What you can control is that the resume parses cleanly, names the work in the words the posting uses, and does not claim anything you cannot back up.

Sociologist resume example

A resume for a Sociologist needs to show the work itself: study human society and social behavior by examining the groups and social institutions that people form, as well as various social, religious, political, and business organizations. Day to day that means work like this: analyze and interpret data to increase the understanding of human social behavior; prepare publications and reports containing research findings. Recruiters and applicant tracking systems both read for the tasks and tools this role actually involves, so the strongest resume names them in your own experience rather than describing the job in the abstract. Below are the tasks O*NET records for this occupation, the software and tools it uses, the titles it is advertised under, and the skills worth naming if they are genuinely yours.

Also advertised as

The same job is posted under many titles. Searching only your own job title hides most of the openings you could apply to.

Demographer
Medical Sociologist
Social Scientist
Evaluation Specialist
Policy Analyst
Research Associate
Research Coordinator
Research Scientist
Research Specialist
Clinical Evaluator
Clinical Sociologist
Criminologist
Family Sociologist
Penologist
Policy Advisor
Policy Officer
Program Evaluator
Rural Sociologist

O*NET records 20 titles for this occupation in total.

What this work actually involves

Tasks recorded for this occupation, in O*NET's words. If your experience covers one of these, it belongs on your resume in your own words.

Analyze and interpret data to increase the understanding of human social behavior.
Prepare publications and reports containing research findings.
Develop, implement, and evaluate methods of data collection, such as questionnaires or interviews.
Collect data about the attitudes, values, and behaviors of people in groups, using observation, interviews, and review of documents.
Teach sociology.
Plan and conduct research to develop and test theories about societal issues such as crime, group relations, poverty, and aging.
Present research findings at professional meetings.
Explain sociological research to the general public.
Develop problem intervention procedures, using techniques such as interviews, consultations, role playing, and participant observation of group interactions.
Consult with and advise individuals such as administrators, social workers, and legislators regarding social issues and policies, as well as the implications of research findings.
Direct work of statistical clerks, statisticians, and others who compile and evaluate research data.
Collaborate with research workers in other disciplines.

15 tasks are recorded in total; these are the most central.

Example bullets for this role

Built from this occupation's own tasks. The brackets stay empty on purpose: we will not invent a number for you, and a fabricated metric is the fastest way to lose an interview you had already won.

Analyze and interpret data to increase the understanding of human social behavior, for [who or what it served], at [what volume].
Prepare publications and reports containing research findings, for [who or what it served], at [what volume].
Develop, implement, and evaluate methods of data collection, such as questionnaires or interviews, for [who or what it served], at [what volume].
Collect data about the attitudes, values, and behaviors of people in groups, using observation, interviews, and review of documents, for [who or what it served], at [what volume].

Software used in this role

Recorded for this occupation by O*NET. An applicant tracking system matches the exact product name, so write the tool the way the posting writes it.

Adobe Acrobat
Adobe Dreamweaver
Adobe Photoshop
ATLAS.ti
Circle Systems Stat/Transfer
Customer relationship management CRM software
Data visualization software
Database management system DBMS
Email software
ESRI ArcGIS software
Facebook
Fund accounting software
Helios TextPad
IBM SPSS Statistics

40 software entries are recorded in total.

Tools and equipment

The physical equipment this occupation is recorded as using. Worth naming when a posting asks for it by name.

Computer data input scanners
Computer laser printers
Desktop computers
Digital audio recorders
Digital video recorders
Personal computers
Tablet computers
Videoconferencing equipment

What this job rates as most important

O*NET rates every skill for importance to this occupation. These are the highest rated, in order.

01Active Listening
02Speaking
03Active Learning
04Critical Thinking
05Reading Comprehension
06Writing
07Learning Strategies
08Social Perceptiveness
09Complex Problem Solving
10Instructing

Knowledge areas

The subject knowledge this occupation draws on, rated by importance.

Sociology and Anthropology
English Language
Education and Training
Mathematics
History and Archeology
Computers and Electronics
Law and Government
Philosophy and Theology

What qualifications people in this job have

From O*NET's survey of people doing this work. This is what postholders reported, not a requirement any single employer sets.

50%Doctoral Degree
30%Master's Degree
10%Bachelor's Degree

What level this role is pitched at

O*NET places this occupation in “Extensive Preparation Needed”. Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).

Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.

Common questions

What does a Sociologist do?: Study human society and social behavior by examining the groups and social institutions that people form, as well as various social, religious, political, and business organizations. Day to day that includes work like analyze and interpret data to increase the understanding of human social behavior and Prepare publications and reports containing research findings.
What skills should a Sociologist put on a resume?: O*NET rates Active Listening, Speaking, Active Learning, Critical Thinking, and Reading Comprehension among the most important skills for this occupation. Name the ones that are genuinely yours and show where you used them. A resume that lists skills you do not have is weaker than one that lists fewer.
What software should a Sociologist list?: Software recorded for this occupation includes Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Dreamweaver, Adobe Photoshop, ATLAS.ti, and Circle Systems Stat/Transfer. Applicant tracking systems match on the exact product name, so write the tool as the posting writes it rather than describing it in general terms.
What other job titles cover Sociologist work?: O*NET records 20 titles for this occupation, including Demographer, Medical Sociologist, Social Scientist, and Evaluation Specialist. Searching only your own job title hides most of the openings you could apply to.
What qualifications does a Sociologist need?: In O*NET's survey of people doing this job, 50% reported their level of education as "Doctoral Degree". That is what current postholders reported, not a requirement any single employer sets.
Will this resume pass an ATS for a Sociologist role?: No tool outside an employer can tell you how that employer's system is configured, including ours. What you can control is that the resume parses cleanly, names the work in the words the posting uses, and does not claim anything you cannot back up.

Related roles

Occupations O*NET records as closest to this one, and worth looking at if this search is not moving.

What this page cannot tell you

No tool outside an employer can tell you how that employer’s ATS is configured, including ours.
This page makes no claim about pay, demand or how many people hold this job. O*NET does not publish that here and we will not estimate it.
Keyword overlap is one input to a resume’s score, not a verdict on you. A resume that names skills you do not have is worse than one that names fewer.

If this is the job you are aiming at, the guide to tailoring a resume covers how to aim one posting properly, and building and exporting a resume here is free.

Occupation data from the O*NET 29.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. SpartanResume is not endorsed by USDOL/ETA.