Physician CVs and Cover Letters

CV Writing -- DOs and DON'Ts
Obtaining employment offers is dependent upon the professionalism of cover letters, CVs, interviews, and follow-up correspondence. Give yourself an edge by implementing modern techniques to attract prospective employers.
 
A Curriculum Vitae (CV) is like a resume, but it's not a resume. It is a factual list of the qualifications of a candidate for a position in the medical field. The person's qualifications can include published works, schooling, residencies and fellowships, mentorships, medicine-related community volunteer work, special research projects and much more. A resume, although it also is used to apply for jobs, is not as detailed as a CV, and it's more promotional in tone.
 
Consider these DOs and DON'Ts for preparing a CV.
 
DO:
  • Take enough time to make sure your CV is its absolute best. The medical field is demanding and competitive.
  • Think of your CV from a potential employer's perspective. Do you seem like a good candidate to you?
  • Include as many relevant details and specifics about your background as possible to give potential employers and colleagues a complete and impressive picture of your skills, talents and experience.
  • Be concise.
  • Use simple language.
  • Be honest.
  • Use action words, adjectives and other words to give your background depth. However, use colorful words sparingly. A CV should, above all, be factual.
  • Include information about problems you solved and challenges you met.
  • Describe results of the work you've done. This is especially powerful if they are measurable and quantifiable.
  • Include unique experience or qualifications others might not have, to help you be more competitive.
  • Arrange qualifications and experiences in categories first, then chronologically in each category-from latest to earliest. (Leading scholars have differing opinions on which order to use)
  • Rewrite your CV for different types of positions so it highlights different relevant information.
  • Include hobbies and interests outside of work to give a complete picture of you-unless you have a CV longer than four pages. If your CV is long, leave out personal interests.
  • Add brief explanations as needed if the value of something in your background is unclear.
  • Use simple, but impactful punctuation and carefully-thought-out, spare graphics, such as lines and bullets.
  • Ask at least two other people to read the CV and look for mistakes or unclear information before you submit it.
  • Continually add to your medical CV as you add experiences and qualifications to your career.
DON'T:
  • Allow sloppy writing to keep you from getting the job you want!
  • Write a CV so general it could belong to any other medical practitioner.
  • Include negative information. If a question arises later, you can address it in person.
  • Include irrelevant details.
  • Give too many details. A CV is designed to share highlights of your career, not every detail.
  • Ramble.
  • Brag.
  • Be dishonest or misleading. It's okay to slant your CV toward the positive, but don't make anything up.
  • Use complicated words in an effort to sound important.
  • Include judgments of your skills or experiences. Let your interviewers make their own judgments.
  • Allow any typos or factual mistakes anywhere!
  • Use fancy stationery or overpowering graphics.
  • Be intimidated by the CV writing process!

Since the stakes are high due to the level of competition from other physicians who are also seeking employment, candidates should make sure they put their best foot forward by engaging professional help in the CV process. 

 

To get assistance editing a CV--or creating a new one from scratch--contact Physician Advisors for a free CV consultation. We offer a variety of CV services that can help physicians incorporate all of the DOs and leave out the DON'Ts.

 

For more on this topic, access to practice management resources or services that help with evaluating employment offers, please don't hesitate to contact our office. 


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