“Davey, ask them to say their name and number… (silence)… say “hi” Davey… (a loud clatter as the phone drops to the floor)… Beep.

Sure, such messages are adorable, endearing—all things precious. They are not, however, professional. And as a physician searching for a job, it is your responsibility to maintain the highest degree of professionalism in all facets of your life a prospective employer might come in contact with. Voicemail messages are one such facet; they should be simple, direct, and preferably left by someone over the age of five. And they should clearly state your name and the frequency that you return calls.

Which do you think sounds better:

1. “Hi, leave a message.”
2. “[automated voice]The person you’ve dialed at XXX-XXX-XXXX is unavailable. Please leave a message.”
3. “Hi, you’ve reached the phone of Dr. Suresh Gupta. I’m unavailable right now, but if you leave a message, I’ll return your call within the next day. Thank you.”

One and two give no idea if the person is calling the right number. #3 is professional, courteous, and will result in a better response from a physician employer.

In The Doctor Job’s quest to help all physicians be more professional, here are some additional tips that will help to make you an attractive, professional applicant in the eyes of your potential employer.

• Brush up on your phone etiquette. Few things are more frustrating for a department head trying to fill a position than a rude doctor. You can be professional while still being friendly to your prospective employer. After all, you want the department head to get the impression you’re glad they called.

• Create a professionally named email account, if you haven’t already. JaniceLovesCats@yahoo.com just won’t do. A simple suggestion is to use your first and last name with an underscore. Of course, you might have to do a slight variation if that account name is already taken.

• Dress the part for any interviews. Stick with something traditional like a pants suit. Power colors like red are best used as an accent; for example, a black shirt with a red tie. Also, you want to have the general appearance of cleanliness (brushed hair, ironed cloths) given the profession. The expression “dress for the job you want” applies perfectly here.

• Make sure your resume and cover letter follow the guidelines of professionalism. Resumes should be one page (2 pages max and only under special circumstances), simple to read, and visually attractive. Your cover letter should be a brief, one page statement that highlights your resume.

If you follow the above tips, and mix in a dash of common sense, you should be able to dazzle potential employers with your professional prowess.