What to include in your CV

Delivering a Healthy WA

HOW TO SUBMITA WINNING JOB APPLICATION

Tegan PiscicelliProject Officer Medical Workforce Fiona Stanley Hospital

Does your CV

say

“PICK ME!”

Resume vs. Curriculum Vitae

ResumeBrief & concise. 1-2 pages.

Summary of skills, experience & education.

Curriculum vitaeDetailed synopsis. 2+ pages.

Summary of educational & academic backgrounds. Includes teaching & research experience, publications, presentations, awards, honours, affiliations, etc.

• Personal details• Qualifications• Bridging Programs / Qualifying Examinations• Work / Practice History• Educational Experiences• Practical Skills• Volunteer Work• Research and Professionalism• Extra-curricular Activities • Referees

CV – what do I put where?

Preferred CV Layout & Content

Personal details• Full name• Home and mobile phone numbers• Email address• Optional: date of birth, gender, marital status

Qualifications• Primary medical degree (MBBS) - include university, city & country where obtained• List other degrees/qualifications, e.g. Master of Public Health• High school certificate/qualification is not relevant.

Bridging Programs / Qualifying Examinations• AMC MCQ Exam, Clinical Exam, bridging programs – include dates, facility, state and

results• IELTS or OET exams – include date and results

Work / Practice History• List current & previous positions in reverse chronological order!

(i.e. list your current/most recent job FIRST). Include:– Dates / Position title / Facility (including name, address and location – City, State, Country) /

Responsibilities (including whether position was full-time/part-time and if part-time include hours of work/week)

• Internship & Observership– Provide in reverse chronology

– List internship rotations

– Identify any periods of observership

• Gaps in Service– Provide an explanation of any period since obtaining professional qualifications where you

have not practiced (e.g. undertaking study, travel, family commitment)

Educational Experience• Include courses, conferences or seminars which enhance your ability to work.

Practical Skills•List procedures which you are familiar with, and those you are fully competent to do unsupervised •IT competancies (Microsoft Office Package, Internet, iSoft, TMS, etc.)

Volunteer Work•Include clinical volunteer work, such as disaster relief, work in underdeveloped areas, or work with disadvantaged groups.

Research and Professionalism•Published work.•Research/Audits•Formal teaching roles•Speaking at conferences•Memberships of relevant bodies

Extra-curricular Activities (optional)•Everyone enjoys reading, long walks on the beach, and travelling the world – what are some key activities to promote you. •Only list things which will enhance your clinical ability or humanitarianism•Additional languages are useful.

Referees•List three (3) referees including: full name, role (GP, Medical Director), relation to you (supervisor during ED RMO rotation), address, email address, two contact phone numbers.•At least two (2) referees should be consultants/clinicians and the more Australians the better.•Provide professional references no longer than 24 months of working with them (within 12 months preferred).•Never provide the names of referees without contacting/checking with them first.•Don’t provide relatives names.

The Job Description Form

Use the Job Description Form (JDF) to your advantage!•Tailor the CV to the job•Read the JDF, highlight the areas you know in one colour, and those you are unsure of in another.•Ask trusted colleagues about the areas you are unsure of – it could be a jargon/terminology issue.•The “duties” page highlights the role requirements. Many key words are here.•If you are asked to address the criteria, do so separate to your CV.

Negative Words -

Paint a picture and leave negative feelings

in the readers mind

Jargon and Abbreviations

Don’t write - “it will be a pleasure to work with you” or

the like. This isn’t professional and can be thought presumptuous.

Different font types

You may be great at Word but Windings and comic sans are for invites not

CV’s

Don’t expect to be known, or expect the panel to

make assumptions

More than 2 colours (1 is preferred)

“Auto” should be the choice

Don’t ask someone who is applying for the same role to

review your CV

Don’t make the panel work hard to find info.

Label, use tables, dot points.

What to avoid:

Use Spell Check!

Finalise your CV before you click “Apply Now” – panels

can tell a rush job

Dot points are preferred

2 recent referees

Writing “referees available on request” equals more

work for the panel

Qualifications and courses that highlight time management and

communication skills

Use a table if listing IT/Computer systems or

course information

Appropriate terminology for the role – write the CV

at the correct level

Page numbers and footers are great for keeping things

in order

Don’t leave gaps in experience – fill them with a

brief explanation

What to include:

When you attach a cover letter, keep it brief, sell the points you aren’t addressing in your CV or the Selection Criteria.

If there is a page limit outlined, consider the directions and stick to it.

When asked to address specific points in your Cover Letter, do so. The points are being asked for a relevant reason.

Use proper letter formatting.

Cover Letter

• The market is competitive, so every application is in the race. What you write can win or lose you the role.

• If you don’t sell yourself, you can’t expect to win the role. Think of yourself as a product and your CV as a brochure.

• Tailor your CV and Cover Letter to the role – generics don’t cut it these days.

• Quickly demonstrate your experience, and delete old irrelevant information.

• Use the same or similar words to the JDF

• Ask someone to review your CV

What to take away………

Good luck!