Abstract
Introduction
It is widely accepted that doctors are well educated and highly trained professionals. However, similarly to everyone else, the preparation and the submission of a job application by a doctor can be a challenge. Many junior doctors feel really frustrated when preparing a first medical curriculum vitae (CV), an outstanding cover letter and a winning job application form. But if one follows some simple rules and adds some motivation for the desired position, preparing the job application can even be a pleasant process.
Step one and arguably the most important one is to find a suitable position to apply for, a position that is relevant to our interests, but also experience, skills and qualifications. Before applying, it is vital to review the job advertisement and position statement to gain a broad understanding of the role. This will help us to decide whether the position is aligned with our own personal goals and values. Furthermore, it is important to reflect whether our experience and skills will meet the qualifications required for the job. Only this will allow us to compete successfully for it.
How to prepare a medical CV
The CV must always be up to date to the time of submission. The EU has developed a standard format for writing a CV called ‘Europass’ (available at http://europass.cedefop.europa.eu/). While it is not mandatory for a standard medical job application to use this template, this format is well accepted and helps to bring the CV into a good structure. The aim of your CV should be to present a personal history of the education, professional history and job qualifications with a strong emphasis on specific skills related to the position one is applying for. In most cases, the person who is shortlisting candidates for an interview will have only a few minutes to review your CV in the first instance to determine whether your application should be considered further. Therefore, a CV must present you in a very concise way and attract the medical employer's interest in your qualifications, experience and even your personality. To achieve that when preparing your CV, you should strive to be relevant, clear and as brief as possible without omission of relevant information. It must contain easily understandable information, which is relevant to the medical employer and for the position.
Everything should be written in a clear and legible manner. If you include a picture, make sure it is a good-quality photo, dress professionally and position it in one of the upper corners. In some countries, not having a picture may discourage a potential medical employer while in other countries, pictures are not acceptable, which needs to be researched in advance. Furthermore, your personal interests will also be important to your potential employer. It is a good idea to demonstrate that hobbies have helped to develop non-clinical skills applicable to daily practice. In particular, achievements in sports or other activities might show your ability to pursue career goals or your ability to work in teams or lead them. At the same time, it may also demonstrate your wider interest and ability to look beyond your immediate professional tasks.
Strong personal and professional references can help you topple the competition and clinch a job offer. The references are not an obligatory part of your resume, but they can be very helpful, especially if written by people with good reputation in your field who know you well.
Work on the layout of your CV. Even though it might seem superficial, one should not be underestimating the hidden messages given by a clearly structured and optically appealing layout. Pay attention to the font type and size as well as spacing of lines, paragraph structure and bold-type and underlined headers, amongst others.
Nowadays video CVs are becoming increasingly popular with jobseekers in fields other than medicine wanting to stand out from the crowd. Rather than replacing traditional paper CVs, videos enhance job applications by providing employers with more insight into what an individual has to offer. Even though video CVs are rarely used in medical recruitment today, progress is fast in a digitalized world and one should be prepared for it in the future.
How to prepare an outstanding cover letter
A cover letter is a document that provides additional information about yourself and your particular interest in applying for this particular job. The most effective cover letters detail skills and relevant experience pertaining to the potential job. Usually, it is better to start writing a cover letter once the CV is prepared. This will allow one to determine what elements should be described in the cover letter without repeating the information in the CV.
A cover letter does not need to include and explain everything concerning one’s professional life. It should focus on the most important one or two elements of the past work experience and describe them clearly in relation to the position one is applying for. According to many recruiters, the right-crafted cover letter is the document that makes candidates stand out and gets them an interview invitation. That is why it is better to personalize the cover letter, show enthusiasm and illustrate eagerness and motivation towards the specific role. Ideally, a cover letter should encourage employers to want to meet you. In most situations, it is better to stick to your own style of writing and not try to replicate text from other sources.
How to prepare a winning job application form
Nowadays, most hospitals, institutions and universities use application forms on their websites for recruitment of medical staff. Most application forms contain abstract questions that are designed to test the insight and commitment of the candidate. This is another part where one can stand out from the crowd and highlight the experience by adopting the STAR (situation, task, action, result) approach. This means describing a challenging situation one was involved in, the role in dealing with it and how one successfully completed the task. Finally, one may have to explain the outcomes generated by the action taken with an emphasis on accomplishments and what to learn from it.
At the end of the form there often is a section that asks to include any personal information that might be relevant to the job application. This is another part where one can stand out by explaining how one would envision to fulfill the profile for the position in an ideal way. One can also develop a vision for the future developments of the position, but this would often require some in-depth knowledge of where the employer wants the position to go to.
In conclusion, a professional, concise and positive medical CV, cover letter and/or application form are pivotal in securing an interview and eventually the targeted job. It is crucial to tell the truth and stick to one’s personality in the applications, because winning a position that is not well suited for an applicant usually means trouble along the career path. It is always good to demonstrate confidence, but not arrogance. It is helpful to ask a colleague to read the documents for the application and to double-check them. Tailor all your application documents to the job specification and demonstrate that you are the best person for the job.