A Resume Specific to Health Care Professionals


The HCP resume enhancements

It has been said on more than a few occasions that resume writing for and by professionals in the health care industry differs from resumes of all other corporate professionals based on certain elements of professional experience and education that play a significant part in the health care industry and fundamental difference in attracting the attention of potential employers. Therefore, in order to compose winning a resume – if you are a health care professional (HCP) – you might want to take a look at and, perhaps, consider a few points from the following paragraphs.

Indicate on your resume how many patients or clients you have taken care of; because whether you are a nurse in a large hospital, or you manage financial accounts at a small doctor’s practice, it is important to indicate to your future employer how many people you have dealt with on a daily basis, and how you have addressed any concerns that arose from taking care of people in sensitive situations.

List all the training you have acquired, beyond your education, that makes you qualified for a specific area in the health care industry. Beyond the training you have completed that is job specific, consider listing any other training in management, communications, ethics, or other such areas. It is important to understand that, while this type of training may not be required for the job you’re seeking, it does show your potential employer that you have transferable skills, while demonstrating your interest in, and understanding of, the broad aspect of the industry.

Demonstrate knowledge and ability

Certifications and licenses are critical credentials of the health care industry, so make sure you list all your licenses, in addition to their valid dates. Also consider any programs, continuing education courses, or government regulations with which you are compliant, and include all such items on your resume. Keep in mind that the inclusion of such items on your resume, not only highlight your qualifications, but provides assurance to your potential employer that you meet all the required city, state and federal regulations permitting you to be employed in this field.

Your professional summary must list a clear professional goal, as it is important that you demonstrate to potential employers that you have a vast knowledge of the health care industry, and that you also have a career path in mind. If you are new to health care, use the professional summary to highlight your education and practical work that qualifies you for the particular position you are seeking.

Use industry jargon, but exercise caution while doing so while trying to avoid replacing certain medical terms with common phrases; but feel free to demonstrate your knowledge of the field by using terminology that is specific to health care. However, don’t over use the same terms or phrases; and don’t use jargon excessively. While you want to give an impression that you know what you are talking about, you don’t want to overuse jargon and turn off the recruiter that may be the initial contact for your resume review.

Tech-friendly HCPs

Technical skills are necessary, and therefore, should be listed on your resume. Indicate your skills in specific software programs, and don’t be shy about making your computer literacy known to a potential employer. Health care industry relies heavily on technology and employers actively look for candidates with specific computer skills. Make sure that your resume clearly outlines any technical qualifications you possess.

Listing Certifications and Licenses in a Resume


A resume depiction

From an individual’s education, summer internships and publications to his/her technical skills, it is extremely important that a resume prepared (self-prepared or otherwise) for that individual includes anything that would help him/her get the job in which s/he is interested.

Let’s remember that when you prepare a resume you are actually compiling the experiences, acquired skills and relationships formed during your professional life, but somehow many professionals make the mistake of focusing only on experience and education; and as a result, they disregard any additional information that would enhance their ability to stand out from other candidates.

Any professional certifications and licenses that impact your career and the ability to do a job satisfactorily, or even exemplary, should be listed on your resume. This concept is especially relevant for those professionals who cannot actually perform their jobs without having a license to do so; jobs for teachers, real estate agents, medical professionals, and other such licensees.

The professional credentials section

So if you are in a profession that requires a special kind of certification and/or license, your resume should contain a section specific to this type of information. The heading of such a resume section should be “Professional Certifications” or “Professional Licenses” and you should list, in reverse chronological order, any certifications and licenses you have acquired throughout your professional experience.

about resumes, cover letters and interviews

That having been said, it is a lot harder to consider this information and include it on your resume if your professional field does not require any certifications or licenses. For example, having a certificate from a seminar on managing multiple projects may not be required in order for you to do your job effectively.

However, such a certificate can be very helpful in virtually any field and, if included on your resume, it can help you stand out from the crowd of other professional candidates and catch the employer’s attention; and while it is important to consider any courses or training seminars you attended in your professional career, you need not forget to include the courses you may have taken as part of the training at a current or previous job.

Highlighting your strengths

One example is if you have completed a course on using Microsoft Access Database as part of the training on your current job, and you know that you will be required to work with this program in a new position you are seeking. Simply treat the list of licenses and certifications as you do your professional experience; and make a list, in reverse chronological order, while paying special attention to which of those listed items are most relevant to your professional goals and objective.

Chronological Resume Template: Resume Solution, What you Need to Creat your US and Canadian Resume (Template, Resume, Functional, Jobs, Opportunities)

Your resume should have no more than five most recent certifications and licenses with the date you obtained the certificate or license listed appropriately. If you took a course over time, for example, indicate the completion date in form of month and year only; and the exact title of the certificate or license should also be listed, along with the issuing organization.

No additional information is necessary for this area of your resume, but make sure to highlight any certification and licenses in the cover letter if they promote your qualifications for the job you are seeking; and if the listing of licenses or certifications is lengthy you can include the related information on a separate sheet of paper.

Knock ’em Dead Resumes: A Killer Resume Gets More Job Interviews!

Important use of your cover letter

However, make sure to always list a few of the most recent items; and if the listing exceeds five items let the potential employer know that additional information is available upon request. Your resume or cover letter can refer to this information, as well as highlight those elements – and only those elements – that promote you as the candidate best suited for that job.

Digital & Electronic Products – Unbeatable in Quality and Price!