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.

The Pros and Cons of Electronic Resumes


New era resume versions

The two most frequently used methods of resume submissions are:

  1. To upload them to employers’ websites and/or resume banks; and
  2. To e-mail them directly to employers who offer the jobs/positions that applicants have interest in.

In this era of “high speed” Internet connections, “instant” messaging, and “e” interactions of every other kind, faxing a resume or sending one via “snail mail” has been rendered virtually obsolete; especially since employers are relying heavily on software programs that scan resumes for key words related to the available positions at their organizations.

However, printed resumes are necessary for interviews; and therefore, as professionals, we essentially must have two different versions of our resume; and while there are numerous resources for composing a more traditionally formatted resume, many professionals are not sure how to create electronic resumes that will get noticed. In view of this practical and seemingly required skill – or lack thereof – we thought it would be helpful to provide a few of the pros and cons involved in creating and submitting electronic resumes.

Resume formatting and sending

Pro – Create a plain text file of your resume. While you want certain items on your resume to stand out, you should still have a plain text file (.txt file) of that resume, keeping in mind that most employers request a plain text file, because they can run the file through computer software that scans resume for key words related to the available jobs. When creating a text file however, make sure that you take the time to format the resume; and check spacing while adjusting any lines of text that seem out of place.

Pro – Follow the instructions of your potential employer. If a potential employer is asking that resumes be sent in the body of your e-mail, do not send them an attachment. Just copy and paste the plain text resume you have created into the body of the email; but take the time to check for potential formatting changes, and do not try to format the text by making portions of your resume bold, or change the font size or type. While you may have the email editor which allows for this formatting, your potential employer may only accept plain text messages. Stick to the basics for a successful transmission of your resume.

Testing and saving the resume

Pro – Test your electronic resume by sending it to a few friends via email. Because they may be using different e-mail providers, or have different software than you do, they can let you know how your resume appears to them. This will help you in uncovering and correcting potential formatting problems, thereby making sure that your resume is in great form by the time it reaches potential employers.

Con – Saving your resume in PDF format. Avoid using his file type for your resume, as it typically makes the fonts larger in size, and is not very common for an electronic resume. A resume sent in this format could be the reason that leads a potential employer to completely discard your email.

Emailing your resume

Con – To assume that your email body should include only the resume. Make the assumption that a resume in the body of an email is the only information you should include in your message to potential employers is not the way to go; because even if the resume is copied into an email, you still need to let a potential employer know a little bit more about yourself via a cover letter. However, since your address will be shown at top of the email, your resume could begin with a career objective instead of a name and address heading.