Healthcare and medical professionals are always in demand regardless of the economic situation. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment in healthcare occupations is expected to grow by 13% by 2031. In addition to job security and growth opportunities, healthcare is considered a rewarding career, as you work in a stimulating environment and make a difference in other people’s lives.
If you want to make a big step in your medical career in 2023, you should start by updating a resume. Since many employers spend less than a minute reviewing each application, a good resume can get you noticed among other candidates. Below, you will find tips for writing a professional resume that brings more interview calls and feedback from employers.
Do you want to find a new job as soon as possible or get a promotion? Then, consider hiring the best medical resume writer who can update your resume according to modern standards in the medical industry. An experienced medical resume writing service writer can highlight the exact skills and qualifications employers are looking for in physicians, registered nurses, medical receptionists, directors of clinical services, and other professionals.
7 things to include in your resume, according to a resume writing service
Your name and contact details
Include your name and credentials (RN, BSN, MD, etc.). Use a professional email address that includes your full name and links to professional social media. Double-check the contact information – a typo in your email or a phone number can cost you an interview.
A Career Summary that draws attention
A good career summary works as an elevator pitch, inspiring the hiring manager to pay more attention to your resume. Write 3-5 sentences, focusing on what you consider your biggest professional strengths. Give examples of past successes and accomplishments, and add measurable results where possible. Align your summary with the job requirements – if the job posting is looking for someone experienced with underserved communities, focus on this experience primarily.
Your professional history
The Experience section is a real asset to your resume, so be strategic about what to include. Omit irrelevant jobs and the jobs you had over 15 years ago. List jobs in reverse chronological order, starting with the current one. Focus on the most recent experience, but be concise: 5-7 bullets per position are enough. To keep your job descriptions shorter, skip the standard daily duties and focus on the results of work and your input.
If you are a medical school student or graduate, list your residency, fellowships, and clinical rotations as real jobs. Specify the type of work, your responsibilities, and what you learned during the internship.
Accomplishments and awards
Accomplishments show that you are result-driven, ambitious, and willing to exceed expectations. Include at least 1-2 accomplishments for each of your past jobs. Use figures and percentages to give the hiring managers some context. Here’s an example of achievement you can use:
· Trained and mentored 25+ registered nurses and physician assistants on new service standards.
If you were promoted to a more senior role, or received an award or any other form of recognition from your boss, mention this fact too.
Your education and training
Including a degree from medical school is a must as all healthcare jobs have a qualifications minimum. List the school’s name, degree, and graduation year, and mention any academic awards, scholarships, and accomplishments.
List your licenses and certifications under a separate section so that they are easy to notice on the page. The most important certifications for all healthcare professionals are:
· Advanced life support
· CPR certification
· Certified Patient Care Technician
· Healthcare Administration Certificate, etc.
Speaking of licenses, include not only the name of the license, but also the licensing body and the expiration date so that the employer could verify it.
Relevant skills
A Skills section allows the hiring manager to evaluate your competencies at a glance without reading the resume from top to bottom. Moreover, often skills work as keywords and help your resume get a higher score from the resume robots.
Include 8-16 skills, focusing on those relevant to your healthcare specialization. Mention the software names and hard skills in the first place. Here are the examples of skills that you can include on a resume:
· Advanced EHR
· Pediatric assessment
· Vital sign monitoring
· Patient communication
· CollectLogix
· MedAssets
· EKG
· Differential diagnosis
· Pharmaceutical knowledge
· Patience and empathy
Research and publications
If you have published articles, book chapters, spoke at a conference or contributed to a research project, create a separate resume section and list these activities. Such experience can make you a valuable candidate for employers.
6 tips to create a strong medical resume
· The best resume length is 2 pages. According to the statistics, recruiters prefer two-page resumes. Two pages are enough to list your medical education and training, jobs, internships and skills. Medical graduates with no professional experience can apply with a one-page resume.
· Format the resume professionally. Use a modern-looking sans-serif font, such as Arial or Calibri. Keep the font big enough (10-12 pts) so that your resume is convenient to read. Use bulleted lists, not paragraphs, as lists are easier to look through. Use bold font and capital letters for job titles, company names, section headings, and other important information.
· Use powerful action verbs. When describing your responsibilities and achievements, start each bullet with a strong action verb. Most people overuse words like managed, led, and responsible for, which makes your bullets sound repetitive. On the other hand, if you use verbs like initiated, organized, implemented, and supervised, this will add specifics to your job duties and you’ll sound more confident.
· Optimize the resume for each job. Most healthcare employers use ATS systems that screen the incoming resumes for relevance. If your resume appears irrelevant to the position, it gets tossed by the software. To avoid this, tailor the resume for each job using keywords from the job posting. Skills and requirements listed in the job posting often work as keywords.
· Use the smart resume name. Give your resume a title that consists of your full name and target job title. Example: “Mary Joel – Registered Nurse – resume.docx”. Thus, a hiring manager will easily find your file on their computer.
· Add a persuasive cover letter. 49% of hiring managers will reject a resume that does not include a letter. Moreover, a cover letter is a great place to expand on your medical experience and soft skills, and show your cultural fit and motivation for the role. Keep your letter brief – it should not exceed one page. Focus on the skills and competencies that align with the job requirements.
The above recommendations will help you create a good resume that underlines your medical qualifications and expertise. If you are not sure about what to include, what to leave out or struggle to identify your accomplishments, do not hesitate to contact a resume consultant. Good luck with your job search!
