CV Advice
Build a CV That Opens Doors - Not Questions
Knowing what to put in or leave out of your Curriculum Vitae (CV) to get the best response from a potential employer can be hit or miss.
- Do you put everything in, even if it makes your CV eight pages long?
- Will the potential employer read all of it? What are they looking for?
- What if you have a few “blemishes” in your past you’d rather forget about?
- Do you construct your CV differently for a medical recruiter?
Rob Rector, Vice President of Recruitment for Pinnacle Health Group, puts his 35 years of experience in the industry to help guide you.
Rob states are definite do’s and don’ts when you are constructing your CV,whether for a medical recruiter or a potential employer.
Do’s and Don’ts of Building A CV
Author: Rob Rector, VP of Recruitment, Pinnacle Health Group, 35 Years as a Recruiter
Stand Out: The Do's and Don'ts of a Winning CV
Contact Information
Start with your full name, address, phone number, cell phone numbers, and your email address.If you are submitting your CV to a recruiter, include when, where, and how you prefer to be contacted.
Personal Information
If you are submitting your resume to a medical recruiter, follow your contact informationwith personal information. It is not recommended that you include personal informationon your CV if you are sending it to a potential employer.
By law, employers cannot ask a candidate for personal information.
But if you are working through a recruiter, you may want to include information,voluntarily, that helps the recruiter to match your personal preferences and lifestyle to the opportunity.
Personal information is always voluntary but helps the recruiter determine if youare a good fit for a particular opportunity.
Are you married?
Do you have children, if so, how many and what are their ages?
What are your hobbies and interests?
Are you tied to certain geographic areas?
Personal information tells the recruiter what factors are important to you.
Do’s and Don’ts of Building A CV
Education and Employment
Education
The education section should include as much detail as possible. List every single item, even whether you switched residencies, and if so, why. Be sure to check dates for accuracy.
Employment
List every place you have worked since graduating from medical school. Include positions that didn’t work out — it all comes out sooner or later. Reasons for leaving positions should be explained in your cover letter, not in your CV.
When listing employment, start with your most recent and list all responsibilities, including procedures performed. A lengthy list of articles, CME’s, fellowship grants, and academic works are impressive, but employers will not read this information. Although this detail is nice to know, it’s bestto present it once you are being considered for the position. Try to keep your CV to three pages.
Licensing and Credentials
Include states you are licensed in and board certifications including year and specialty.
If you have questions regarding credentialing, we are here to help.
Do’s and Don’ts of Building A CV
Referencing and Special Circumstances
References
Prepare three to six references including: name, telephone number, address, email address, and if associated with a company/facility. References do not have to be former employers, but they should be professional, not personal, references.
Professional references may include someone you trained with, a past residency director, etc.
References are not checked without your approval.
Special Circumstances
If you are a seasoned physician, it is important to understand why you are changingjobs at this stage of your career. This should be explained in your cover letter. Employers will want to know why you would leave a position after 12-15 years and what your expectations are.
Physicians who are fresh out of medical school need to be open to different opportunities, to the kinds of procedures they will perform, or the environment they are willing to work in. Don’t put information about license revocations, malpractice suits, or lost DEA numbers in the body of your CV — put it in the cover letter.
Attach a photograph if you feel it adds to your presentation package. If unsure, the safest bet is to not include a photograph.
Do’s and Don’ts of Building A CV
Conclusion
In closing, keep your CV factual and include a cover letter that helps your medical recruiter present you to the employer in the best light.
Include personal information only if you are presenting your CV to a recruiter and want your personal preferences taken into consideration when matching you to potential employers and opportunities.
