Doctors in Training

Your CV should have a clear structure and be easy to read. Your CV may contain the following information: use of headings is advisable:

• University degrees
• Medical Board Registration type (registration number)
• A copy of residency / work visa or work permit (if applicable)
• Academic history (including prizes, awards, etc)
• Relevant employment history (include hospital/s & dates)
• Clinical history (include rotations and current training year rotations not yet completed)
• Extra-curricular activities.

Five tips for creating a successful curriculum vitae (CV)

Keep your CV concise: A CV should be set out properly and easy to read. Ideally, your CV should be about two pages long, plus a page for your referees.

Layout and format: To ensure your CV is appealing to potential employers, it should have a simple layout and format. Keep your format consistent, for example: all headings could be bold and you could use bullet points, for brief information.

Include a personal statement and career objectives: In order for your CV to stand out, you should include a personal statement. This could include information about your experiences. It is also very important to outline your career objectives, as this will catch the employer’s attention.

Keep your CV up to date: Your CV should always be kept up to date and include correct information. When a significant event occurs in your career or when studying, ensure you record it. You can add this to your CV later on. Proofread your CV carefully, to avoid spelling and grammar errors.

Chronological order: Present your study and career history with the most recent first. Set out your career history in a series of positions (for example: sales assistant, administration officer) with achievements listed below. With more recent positions, include high level of detail of your achievements.

1. Introduction: When applying for jobs include the job title.  To capture the employer’s attention, be enthusiastic about wanting the job.
2. Purpose of the cover letter: Explain why you have chosen the position (you could explain how this fits in with your career goals).
3. Explain why you want this job: Describe how your qualifications and career plan match the job. The details you provide will show that you have an understanding and the skills to do what the job entails.
4. Detail your specialist skills that are relevant to the job: Identify the experience, values and skills that you will bring to the job. Describe your skills, relevant experience, achievements and how they will relate to this job.  Ensure you detail examples to support your claims. In this section you can also include details if you are enrolled in a training program and what level you are.
5. Detail your general skills which are relevant to the job: list your general skills such as communication, problem solving or interpersonal skills etc.  You can include examples of your voluntary work, community activities or sport to support your claims.
6. Closing: refer to your resume and any attachments. Ensure your cover letter is signed off appropriately – e.g. ‘Yours Sincerely …’

Don’t forget!
It is important that you write a new letter for each different job you are applying for. Do not send the same letter for different positions; it is very obvious when this is done.  Keep the application letter short and to the point, aim for only a single page cover letter.  Your CV will provide further details for the employer.