1. Resume is too long.

The first thing to note is the difference between a CV and a resume. Each document serves an important purpose and is desirable to a different audience. While the detailed and comprehensive nature of a CV may be appropriate for applying to academic and research positions or when completing grant application materials, they are no longer appropriate for most clinical positions. The managers who are charged with staffing a practice can receive hundreds if not thousands of applications for one position, and a 14-page comprehensive summary will, for better or worse, feel like far too much work to read.

Your resume is a powerful marketing tool, but only if someone actually reads it! You should strive to make this document a one-page summary of your education, work, and accomplishments. It should not only tell the hiring manager how qualified you are for the position, but also generate curiosity to learn more about you and what you can offer the practice.

2. Inconsistent or Confusing Format

I often come across resumes that categorize experience into clinical, academic, and research appointments, rather than following a traditional reverse chronological format. While a functional resume can be preferable in some situations—such as when one’s work history has large gaps or several short-term appointments—in most cases it is more appropriate to list your medical experience and training in a streamlined and orderly fashion.

3. Typos and Misspellings

It’s funny how often I see a resume that has correct spelling for words like “atherosclerosis,” yet misspellings of simple words like “research.” An error-free resume shows you are detail-oriented and organized. If you’re not the greatest speller or grammarian, it never hurts to consult with someone who specializes in those areas.

4. Inconsistent Citations

If your resume includes peer-reviewed journals articles or published abstracts, it’s a good idea to brush up on your knowledge of AMA citation format. At the very least, ensure that your bibliography has a consistent format.

5. Too Much Information

…And I do mean the personal kind. I have seen resumes that list marital status, date of birth, hobbies, favorite books, and even grammar schools attended. Of course your potential colleagues will want to get to know who you are, but some information is best conveyed in an interview.

If all this sounds like a lot of work, it doesn’t have to be—the experts at The Doctor Job can help. Contact a specialist today to learn more!

• Keep it concise. Unlike its European counterpart (a CV), a resume should not be a lengthy document. The ideal physician resume is one page. The somewhat less than ideal (but still acceptable under certain circumstances) resume is two pages. Period. There are no circumstances that accommodate for the twenty-page resume. An easy way to edit down your document is to remove any personal interest sections or references, as these are no longer appropriate on a professional resume.
• Highlighting versus elaborating. Let’s say you are a physician with an extensive research background in your respective field. Naturally you’d like to explain each study; after all, you invested a significant amount of time researching. Fight this instinct. A resume is designed to highlight professional experience, not to explain it in detail. Put yourself in the shoes of your potential employer. You’re tired, you’re busy, and you have a stack of physicians’ resumes to flip through. Would you rather look at a simple, neat list of research studies or chunks of paragraphs describing the laboratory setting? Highlighting. It’s a beautiful word. Wow them with snapshots of your experience; do not overwhelm them with a narrated slide show.
• Reverse chronological order. In each section, begin with your most recent experience and move backwards. Not only will this aid your potential employer in creating a mental timeline of your professional history, it tends to show you in the best light. Typically the most relevant experience you have is also the most recent. For example, if you had a section on your resume for Education and Training, your fellowship (most relevant) would be listed before your residency (still relevant) which would be listed before your medical school (less relevant) which would be listed before your undergraduate school (barely relevant), according to reverse chronological order.
• If you’re a foreign medical graduate, potential employers like to see your citizenship/visa status. And it actually works toward your advantage to be upfront about this regardless of your status. If you are a U.S. citizen, you can include this information if you went to a foreign medical school – otherwise, if you did your undergrad, medical school, and residency in the US, it will be assumed. Likewise, including your visa status shows a potential employer that you are upfront and honest, ready to make the visa process as smooth as possible for them.

These are just a few tips, but they will help you make sure that your resume is cleaner, easier to read, and more likely to get you interviews. For further assistance, don’t hesitate to contact the experts at The Doctor Job!