Did you know it takes employers less than five minutes with your resume to decide if they want you? It’s a shockingly short amount of time to showcase your skills, knowledge, and expertise. So, with less than five minutes on the clock, here are five easy ways you can spruce up your healthcare resume.
No. 1: Write in reverse-chronological order
You’ve heard of chronological order. Well, one of the best ways to grab an employer’s attention is to write your resume in the opposite format: Reverse-chronological order. Reverse-chronological order is the preferred format amongst employers because it makes it easy to see your upward career progression and work history.
So, how do you write in reverse-chronological order? First, start the list with your current job and then work your way back in time. And no, you don’t need to go all the way back to your first job ever but do make sure to include all relevant work experience.
Hot tip: Non-healthcare-related work can be relevant so add jobs like customer service to show your commitment to helping people, as well as your understanding of business.
No. 2: Tailor the details to the job
Next thing to do to set yourself apart from the competition is to tailor your resume to the details of the job you’re applying for. In fact, 87 percent of companies surveyed by Carrington College said it’s important or very important to tailor your resume to each job.
So, because you’re a healthcare professional, your resume will be customized towards your field, division, and specialty. To tailor your resume, you’ll need to understand the job description so you can revamp your experience and skills bullets to highlight your relevant work experience.
When you don’t customize your resume for the job you want, it can make your resume seem run-of-the-mill and look like everyone else’s. Instead of blending in with the crowd, provide solid evidence that you can (and will) come into the job and crush it every day.
No. 3: Include relevant keywords
Sure, your resume is about you. But it’s equally about the job you’re applying for. If you want a guaranteed way to get hired, sprinkle job keywords within your resume to catch the employer’s attention. What are keywords, you ask?
Resume keywords are words or phrases that describe a specific job and its requirements. To find keywords to add to your healthcare resume, read and review job postings on Fusion Marketplace to get an idea of commonly used buzzwords. For healthcare professionals, resume keywords can include:
- Hospital procedures
- Care and treatment of patients
- Operating instructions and policies
- Surgical equipment
- Central Line Placements, PICC Lines, and A-V Graft/Fistula Revascularizations
- Nursing staff
- Nursing protocols
- Flow sheets, assessment tools, and patient care procedures
- Emergency treatment
- Health organizations
- Medical records
- Patient documentation
- Patient comfort
- Therapy
- Charting and ordering lab work and/or x-rays
- Operating technique
The keywords you use in your resume will depend on your field, division, and specialty. When deciding on which keywords to use, choose the ones that make sense to your specific job type.
No. 4: Don’t skip your personal statement
The personal statement on your resume is like an elevator pitch about your professional self. It should quickly and effectively explain who you are, where you’ve been, and sometimes where you plan to go next. It hooks the employer in and inspires them to continue reading your resume. This is your chance to shine and show them why you’re the person they want to hire for the job.
To write your personal statement, first you must start with a statement that details where you currently are in your career. It should communicate your current position within your profession and field of specialization. You can also include snippets of what you enjoy most about your job and any of your top-qualities that make you the perfect hire.
Next, share your values and highlight achievements that show you have the necessary skills to get the job done. Lastly, state your career objectives and reaffirm your reason for applying for the job in the first place.
No. 5: Don’t forget to proofread
Proofreading your resume before you submit it for a job application goes a long way. According to a Carrington College survey, 90 percent of participants said they sometimes or always find inaccuracies in batches of resumes and 93 percent said resume errors sometimes or always negatively impact their decision to interview and hire a candidate.
To help get you started, here are some top tips and tricks to proofreading your resume:
- Set aside a time to proofread
- Use the “spellcheck” feature to catch spelling and grammatical mistakes
- Double-check your font is clear and readable
- Print out a copy, read out loud, and use a colored pen and make correction marks as you review
- Review your verb tense and make sure you use the past tense for jobs you have left and present tense for the travel job you’re currently working
- Phone a friend or family member and ask them to review
If nearly all employers believe an inaccuracy on a resume reflects poorly on the applicant, it behooves you to diligently proofread your resume before you attach it to a job application.
Create your resume using Fusion Marketplace
Building your professional resume can feel like a lot of work and hassle. Instead of starting from scratch, use your Fusion Marketplace traveler profile as your resume.
To complete your profile, all you have to do is:
- Enter your current information (i.e., contact info, primary specialty, etc.)
- Write a short biography (or personal statement)
- Add employment experience, education level, certifications and licensing, references, and any supporting documents, if needed
Once you’ve entered the basic information, you can easily click “download resume,” select the sections you wish to see, and open your resume. Fusion Marketplace then automatically formats and downloads your resume for you, so you have one less thing to worry about.
It can be tough to compose a professional resume. Luckily these five steps will help you spruce up your resume, so you have a fresh start for the new year.
So, the next time you add a travel job to your resume, remember to check and see that your resume is in reverse-chronological order, tailored to the job you want, full of relevant keywords, includes an enticing personal statement, and has all of that with no spelling or grammatical errors. Or make it easy on yourself and let your Fusion Marketplace traveler profile double as your professional resume.
