Creating a CV is an important part of the opportunity search process because almost every opportunity will require you to submit your CV before submitting the application. Having a CV that stands out is great, as long as it is not for the wrong reasons. Just like snowflakes, no two CVs will look exactly alike, but there are still 6 items that all CVs want to avoid.
1. Not adding contact information.
A CV without any contact information can be useless to an employer. Make sure that as you are creating your CV that you double-check that you have included both a phone number and an email address. This gives the employer multiple ways to reach out to you just in case there is an issue with one form of communication.
2. Not keeping your CV organized.
While employers are reading through your CV you do not want them to have to search for the information. Make sure that each section is titled appropriately and only includes that information. For example, in a section labeled "Work History” you do not want to include other information like volunteer experience, presentations, or licensure. This can make it difficult for an employer to find the information they need. Also, make sure to keep all dates in reverse chronological order to make it easier to go through employment history.
3. Not including dates.
No matter if you are still in training and creating your first CV or an experienced physician updating your CV, you want to make sure that you include dates on your CV. Some items on your CV will just require the year, like training and education, but others will require the month and year for both the start and end date like work experience and volunteer experience. Not including dates can be a red flag for employers that you may not have held an opportunity recently or that you do not pay attention to detail.
4. Using hard to read fonts.
It may seem like a good idea to help your CV stand out by using a unique font, but keep in mind your CV will be read by another person who may not find the font as "cute” or "cool” as you do. Use an easy to read font like Calibri or Times New Roman in your CV to help avoid the employer from struggling to read your CV. Also, make sure to use a font size that is not too small or too large. Stick with a size 10-12 font to help make it easy to read.
5. Having huge paragraphs of text.
Even though you want to include as much information as possible, you do not want your CV to look like an essay. Keep your descriptions for work experience to 1-3 sentences or in bullet point format with key information. You do not have to include every detail of the opportunity, but the information that is most important. During your interview you will have more time to expand on previous roles, so you do not need to do this in your CV.
6. Explaining gaps in your employment.
Of course, no one wants to have a gap in employment, but it does happen. You do not need to list out the reason(s) of why the gap occurred. Once again, you can expand on this during the interview, so you do not need to list out the gap of employment date and state why.
Avoiding these simple mistakes on your CV is an easy way to help your CV stand out in a positive way and avoid being put in the "No” pile. Visit PracticeMatch Career Resources to read more about CV tips and create your CV with the free PracticeMatch CV Builder.