7 Tips For A Winning Non-Clinical Resume
Do you remember pouring over your curriculum vitae (CV), striving to include every single professional activity you’ve ever done since high school?
Fortunately, you don’t have to do this when you create a resume!
Instead, you’ll tailor your experience, skills, and achievements to the job you’re applying for.
Rather than a comprehensive, chronological account of everything you’ve ever done, a resume is more of a marketing tool, designed to highlight how your skills and experience make you a good candidate for the position.
Here are 7 tips to help guide your resume writing.
TIP #1.
The Summary Statement:
Contains 4-5 sentences about your
- Qualifications
- Experience
- Skills
- The position you’re applying for
Usually does not contain “I” statements
EXAMPLE:
Board certified psychiatrist with 15 years of clinical experience in inpatient and outpatient settings. Skilled leader in direct supervision and in cross-functional teams. A solid foundation in evidence-based clinical medicine and critical review of the medical literature. Completed formal training in the principles of clinical research, good clinical practice and the fundamentals of the FDA regulatory process. Highly interested in drug safety and the position of drug safety monitor at [Company name].
[Bolded words were pulled from a job description.]
TIP #2.
Professional Experience Section:
Expand on your professional experience by fleshing out what you actually do/did in the role.
Use “Results-rich” statements that show what you’ve accomplished.
Three components of a “result-rich” statement:
- Start with a strong Action verb
- What you do/did.
- The outcome/result of that action or project.
Aim for 6-7 statements per position.
EXAMPLE:
Attending physician 07/2007-current
Department of Psychiatry
Duke University Health System, Durham, NC
- Lead *cross-functional teams in making evidence-based treatment decisions in hospitalized patients.
- Spearheaded a patient safety initiative in the clinic targeting polypharmacy in the elderly. At 6 months, hospitalization for medication-related delirium decreased by 10%.
[Bolded words were pulled from a job description.]
*The clinical equivalent of cross-functional is multi- or interdisciplinary. Think of leading ward rounds with nurses, PA’s, NP’s, students, and a PharmD.
TIP #3.
Include experience and skills relevant to those listed in the job description
This helps the recruiter or hiring manager connect the dots between what they’re looking for and how you meet the experience or skill.
The average resume reviewer spends less than 30 seconds reading it.
If they have to dig down or read between the lines or look at page 4 of the resume, they might miss your value.
EXAMPLE:
If it’s not pertinent to the job, leave it out!
This is easier said than done!
You may be proud of externships and extracurricular accomplishments that have no relevance to the skills and experiences required in the job description.
Remember, you’re highlighting how you’re the perfect candidate for the position, not outlining everything you’ve accomplished.
TIP #4.
Translate your skills and experience into the language of the job description
This helps keep the attention of the recruiter or hiring manager and makes it easier for them to see how you meet the job requirements.
The recruiter or Applicant Tracking System may skim your resume for keywords to determine if you’re someone they want to interview.
EXAMPLES:
Your clinical experience:
You lead an interdisciplinary team of nurses, trainees, and other clinical providers.
Translated to match terms used in job description:
Leadership experience in a cross-functional team environment.
Your clinical experience:
You explain diagnosis and treatment plans to patients.
Translated to match terms used in job description:
Explain complex or theoretical ideas in simple language.
OTHER TIPS
TIP #5. RESUME LENGTH: Try to keep the resume under 2 pages, not to exceed 4 pages.
TIP #6. FONT SIZE: Use a minimum 11-pt font.
TIP #7. FORMAT: Black and white word/PDF document is all you need.
A word of caution about downloading free resume templates: The graphics might interfere with the Applicant Tracking System.
Do You Want Help Converting Your Curriculum Vitae To A Resume?
I highly recommend the Carpe Diem Resume Kit*. Click on this link before December 15, 2022 to get 10% off the regular price of USD 64.00.
* I have used the resume kit and purchase it for all my clients. I receive a small fee if you purchase using this link.
How To Handle an Employment Gap on Your Resume:
Have you taken extended time off work and want to know how to handle that on your resume? Read more here.
Bottom line: A break in employment of more than 3 months must be indicated on your resume.