Whether you’ve just finished your residency or you’re looking to advance your career, it’s crucial to nail your CV to get the job you’re chasing.

Many physicians expect creating a CV to be straightforward. After all, it’s a three-page document that allows them to spotlight their work experience and what they’ve accomplished.

That’s true – but making it stand out isn’t as cut and dry. Here are some tips to keep in mind when creating your physician CV.

6 tips for creating a physician CV

1. Understand the difference between a CV and a resume

Having a firm grasp on what sets a CV apart from a typical resume is the first step in creating an effective one. 

A curriculum vitae (CV) is used by medical professionals as an overview of their work experience and accomplishments. While this sounds like a resume, the formats differ dramatically: CVs are longer and more elaborate (they can go longer than three pages) while resumes are shorter (typically two pages or less). In turn, CVs offer more details and descriptions than resumes, which feature short bullet points.

2. Keep the format simple

Creating a successful CV starts with formatting it correctly. In doing so, be sure to:

• Choose a simple, easy-to-read font, such as Times New Roman, Sans Serif, or Arial, and keep the size consistent throughout. Size 11 font is often recommended.
• Order your dates chronologically from present to past and format them in a month-year format. It’s crucial to double-check your dates and ensure that each is correct, as employers are reviewing those with a close eye on details. Be prepared to explain any gap that lasted three months or more, but don’t do so on the CV – keep that information ready for the interview or the cover letter if necessary.
• Save and submit it as a PDF file. Without turning your CV into a PDF, you run the risk of submitting a document that is difficult for others to access or open.

3. Include the right information

A good CV includes the following sections:

• A header with the basics. This includes details such as your legal name and updated contact information.
• Your experience, which should be tailored to the role you’re applying for. Limit each entry to between three and six bullet points and use action verbs in each description. Again, these should be listed chronologically from present to past.
• Your educational background as well as certification and licensure information. When you list your educational information, list the most recent first (including post-graduate education) as well as the institution, degree, and dates. In listing your certifications and licensures, specify the date of completion or where you are in the process. If you are licensed to practice medicine in multiple states, make sure to specify that you hold an active unrestricted license. If you are licensed in more than 8-10 states, rather than listing each state, consider highlighting the number of states you are licensed in. 
• Skills that make you a good fit, which could be tailored to your specialty but also spotlight your soft skills, such as leadership, efficiency, and compassion. It’s helpful to choose the right skills to highlight by looking at the workplace’s list of job duties and responsibilities.

You will also need to include sections that showcase your professional or teaching appointments, research or publications you’ve written or prepared, volunteering experience, awards you’ve won, professional society memberships, and any foreign languages you speak.

While CVs are longer than resumes, you should still include only the information that pertains to the job that you’re applying for. When you fill it with extraneous information, you risk drawing the reader’s attention away from your relevant qualifications that make you a great fit for their position.

It’s important to note that including your photo or reference information is widely regarded as inappropriate unless asked you are specifically asked for it.

Include a professional summary

Another important section to include is a professional summary that allows you, in two to three sentences, to introduce yourself to hiring managers. This short paragraph should spotlight only your most impressive skills, qualifications, and accomplishments so that the reader gets a clear view of your strengths.

Include an ATS (applicant tracking system) keywords section

In 2022, the job search has changed – and your CV needs to change alongside it. One of those changes is the introduction of the applicant tracking system, which allows recruiters to filter applicants more efficiently.

One of the best ways to be sure that you will show up in their search is to create a section of your CV that is filled with keywords pertinent to both your skillset and the job you’re looking for. 

Be careful of throwing words in randomly. Use specific words or phrases that the employer’s ATS identifies as requirements, such as from the job description or job posting. When you do this, you bolster your chances of showing up in a candidate search on platforms like LinkedIn. 

4. Be clear and concise in your descriptions

Despite their length, CVs shouldn’t read like cover letters. That is to say, don’t include too much detail.

Instead, find a way to highlight your expertise while providing just enough detail. A short description is fine, but when you overload them with details, it becomes easy for a reader to start skimming and overlook what matters.

The best way to make sure you have only what you need is by taking a bird’s eye view approach. Under each job heading, provide a few high-level bullets that paint a clear picture but leave a reader wanting more – and if they do, they’ll ask.

5. Know what to leave out

You shouldn’t fill your CV just for the sake of filling it. Doing so makes it seem as though you’ve padded it, and too much fluff takes away from your candidacy

So, what should you not include? Don’t feature any of the following:

• Your birthday
• Your social security number or other identifier
• Your ethnicity
• Your hobbies
• Other personal information, such marital status
• The salary you’re looking for
• Why you’re looking for a new job
• Any work experience that isn’t directly relatable to the job or your career, such as waiting tables or bartending through medical school

6. Take your time

Remember, your CV will be read and evaluated by people who don’t know you. To ensure that you’re seen in a favorable light, set aside several hours to put the most effort you can into making your CV excellent and ensuring that it represents you both as a person and as a professional. 

Lastly, have someone look over it. By getting a second set of eyes on your CV, you’re more likely to find mistakes or superfluous information.

Once you’ve gotten your CV into tip top shape, it’s time to start the job search. Remember, each job has its own criteria, so it’s important to tailor your CV to each. This isn’t as complicated or time-consuming as it seems – after all, you’ve now got a great foundation from which to start.

This material is for informational purposes only and is not intended to provide financial, legal, tax, nor any other professional recommendations or advice.