How to Prepare a Standout Medical CV and Getting Noticed

Your CV is your advertisement to the world, stating not just who you are, but crucially, what you have to offer. However, writing a medical CV that gets you your dream job is no small task. It requires condensing who you are into a few pages that express how your unique skills and experiences would bring the greatest benefit to a team.

The best way to do that is often a mystery to most people, but by following our advice at Healthcare Australia, you’ll learn how to get noticed, get that interview and ultimately, get the job you want.

What to Include in a Medical CV

Any medical CV should include the basics; your name, contact details, education, and work history. Preparing a standout CV starts with these, but truly getting noticed requires a bit more effort.

Positioning your name and contact details near the top and formatting them so that any reader can effortlessly find and read them is crucial. Make sure to include an email address and phone number as well as a physical address, especially if you happen to be living in a city different from the job you are applying for.

What Makes You Unique in a Few Words?

A personal statement is a great way to stand out when writing a medical CV, in fact, we’d say it’s required. Hiring managers receive hundreds of applications and often have to make quick decisions about who to shortlist. Placing a few sentences highlighting what makes you exceptional near the top, gives them a quick opportunity to place your CV into the “contact later” pile.

For example, a nursing CV might choose to accentuate your teamwork or compassionate care skills. Your personal statement should stay under 100 words, so remember it’s just a broad overview, but you can make it stand out by qualifying your skills.

Don’t just say, “compassionate caregiver.” Use words that will capture your reader’s attention such as “enthusiastic,” “methodical,” “resourceful,” or “proactive.”

What Makes You Unique in a Few Bullet Points?

After a personal statement, a short section detailing some key skills or achievements can really help a hiring manager determine whether you are the right person for the job. For this section when writing a medical CV, think about your qualifications, any certifications you may hold, and interpersonal skills. Including about 5 bullet points in this area is a good rule of thumb, and be sure to tailor these skills to the specific role for which you are applying. Hiring managers love to see the extra effort that specificity involves.

Experience and Employment History

If you’re trying to figure out how to get noticed for your medical CV, one of the most important sections is the experience and employment history section. This is where you can break down in more detail what you’ve done in the past that makes you the best candidate for the job.

Keep in mind, though, that you don’t need to include your entire work history. Start with your most recent job and work backwards from there. It’s a good idea to try and cover 10 years of employment and if you have more experience, summarise anything prior to that in a short paragraph.

If you’re writing a nursing CV and you don’t actually have much experience because you recently graduated, a good tip is to leverage your education experience here. For example, you could mention what your dissertation was on or the various placements you took while a student.

Education

Lastly, and very importantly, comes the section regarding your education. For some roles, this section will be vital for a hiring manager to get a complete picture of who you are as a candidate.

When writing a medical CV that really stands out, you will want to keep in mind that you don’t need to include every school you’ve ever attended or every credential you’ve ever earned. This is especially important if you’ve been a medical professional for a long time.

Again, structure this section starting from the most recent school or certificate earned. Try to accentuate the most relevant education for the particular role you are applying for and make sure that you don’t forget any short courses, training, or volunteering that may be applicable.

Common Myths

There are a lot of myths out there about what makes a good medical CV, but the most important thing to remember is that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Often these myths impart advice that everyone should follow, but if it doesn’t target your particular situation, it’s probably not the best advice. Let’s look at a few examples below.

Visual Appeal

People often say that a CV must be visually appealing in order to capture the attention of the hiring manager. However, if you’re writing a medical CV or a nursing CV, you’re likely not a designer and you’re not applying for a design role. Make sure your CV is organised logically and formatted so that it’s easy to read, but flashy colors and extras like a professional profile photo are often overkill.

Don’t Go Over One Page

Another common myth is that multiple page CVs don’t result in an interview because there’s too much information for the hiring manager to take in. While it’s true that your medical CV should be concise, as long as the information presented is relevant to the position and yourself, feel free to write more than a page. You’re trying to give as complete a picture of yourself as possible and if your experience is extensive enough to require multiple pages, be proud of that!

Final Thoughts

At Healthcare Australia, we have decades of experience in placing medical professionals in roles that suit them best and have first-hand knowledge about what makes a medical CV really stand out.

When it comes to how to get noticed on your CV, following the above tips can help you rise above the competition. Why not contact us today to see how registering with us can improve your career and open new pathways to opportunity?