The fact that the American Medical Association (AMA) devotes a page on their website to how doctors or other clinical providers can create a “standout CV” is a pretty good sign that you need one. Yet clinical providers often ask our staffing teams if they even need a resume or CV once they’ve graduated. The answer is always that it’s better to have one. But what makes the “effective” part of an effective resume or CV? What can a good CV do for your career?
Tips for Your CV or Resume
Of course, every clinical and non-clinical provider understands the increasing demand for experienced healthcare professionals. However, we still field questions, particularly from doctors, as to what they should put on their CV when looking for a job—or if they even need this document in the first place.
In our experience, a CV or resume is the first professional step toward connecting with a potential employer. The first question any healthcare organization asks a staffing agency is usually related to having “eyes-on” the provider’s credentials. That is the purpose of a CV or resume in healthcare; to document your expertise in a way that can easily draw the attention of a future employer. There are a few tricks for getting this important document correct. For example:
- If you are newly credentialed, emphasize your education and credentials first. Place that right at the top of your CV. Healthcare organizations often lead with these important qualifications, including which schools you attended. Education institutions have reputations for excellence and healthcare organizations note where you received your degree as much as they do what the degree is in.
- While recruiters often counsel candidates in other fields to shorten their resume to make it more palatable, it’s different for doctors. Don’t skimp on details about your residency or that you spent a summer providing healthcare in a third-world country. Share soft skills and any specialized skills you’ve developed and don’t worry about the number of pages, focus on important details a hospital or community health center hiring team will want to know.
- Do add a personal statement to provide a missional foundation for your work. Personal statements played a strong role in your application to medical school. It’s still relevant, particularly in public and community health settings where mission is even more important than margin. Use clear, direct language about why this role is potentially the right fit and how it works within the context of your experience.
- While this is time-consuming, you should take a few moments to tailor each CV or resume for the position. This is one piece of advice that flows to every job seeker. However, unlike a general recruiter, organizations that specialize in hiring healthcare teams, and certainly the healthcare organization itself, understand the unique requirements for these highly technical positions. Avoid creating a generic document and instead convey your accomplishments and skills within the context of the position you are applying for.
To recap, yes, whether you are a doctor, nurse, midlevel, or clerical worker, in the healthcare space you need a resume or CV to highlight your skills. UHC Solutions has seen thousands of these documents and we’d like to offer our expertise in the confidential review of your credentials. Start the conversation today to find out how we can help your career.
