25 Oct CV Tips to Land Your Next Physician Job
Whether you’ve been practicing for years or just passed your boards, an accurate and updated CV is crucial when looking for your next physician role.
To help you land your dream job, your CV should highlight your education, certifications, and specializations in an easy-to-read format. Many physicians have years of experience but fail to present their qualifications concisely.
Use these tips to make your CV works as hard as you do.
1. Start with the basics.
After your contact information, it is customary to showcase your educational history in reverse chronological order. The most prominent category will be your medical education, including internships, residencies, and fellowships. Be sure to include:
- School name
- Location
- Degree earned
- Graduation date
2. List your board certifications and licenses.
Include any that may have expired. (Some staffing firms, like Annashae, may help you renew them.)
3. State your employment history.
List your employment history next, including any locum tenens work and areas of specialization. Unless you are semi-retired or working part-time, be sure to account for any employment gaps. Recruiters or employers will want to know how you were spending your time.
4. Describe your accomplishments.
After providing this succinct snapshot of your education, employment, and credentials, you may also include categories for achievements such as:
- Academic honors or leadership positions
- Research
- Professional memberships
- Publications
- Presentations
- Professional awards
- Volunteer work
5. List your references.
Including 2-3 professional references with name, title, facility, and contact information is appropriate.
After you’ve locked down the basics and included all the details, step back and consider the whole:
- Be brief. Even if you have enough experience to fill a book, it’s best to keep your CV under 4 pages. Three is better. If you run out of space, it’s acceptable to offer to provide references or additional qualifications upon request.
- Keep it simple. Help readers understand information quickly by using an easy-to-read font, creating sections, and bulleting the most important information. Use whitespace to make it skimmable.
- Get a second opinion. Be sure to check your grammar and punctuation. When it is as polished as you can make it, ask a colleague to read it and give you feedback. Computer programs are accurate and useful, but experienced human eyes judge of content and impact better.
- Bonus tip. Update your CV as you gain experience so that it is always ready to get to work!
Need an expert opinion on your CV? We’re happy to help. Looking to add a new physician role or locum tenens position to your employment history? At Annashae, we strive to make the best possible match between our practitioners and clients. Contact your personal recruiter today!