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CV Preparation: Curriculum Vitae Style, Formatting, and Submitting

Tips & Reminders

Your CV is a visual representation of your experience and training. Present the facts about yourself in a way that will capture the interest of potential employers. Make your CV as effective as possible by organizing the information in an easy-to-read manner.

Style and Formatting

  • Headings, subheadings, and bullets visually organize the CV, making it more professional, understandable, and memorable
  • Be consistent with the format — if you bold major headings and abbreviate months of the year, do so consistently throughout your CV
  • Keep your format simple and professional
  • Use a 10- to 12-point font
  • Use an easy-to-read font (e.g., Times New Roman, Arial, Tahoma, or Calibri)
  • Always use paper that looks good when photocopied (white or light colored)
  • Include your last name and page number on each page — it is not uncommon for pages to become separated
  • Check spelling, grammar, and dates
  • CV length should range from 2-5 pages

Printing and Sending Your CV

  • Send your CV on the day you commit to sending it — promptness is always appreciated
  • Print your CV on high-quality, plain white paper using the best quality printer you can access
  • If e-mailing your CV, save your CV as a .pdf so formatting is retained
  • If submitting your CV in person, submit only clean, undamaged copies
  • Ask for confirmation of the receipt of your CV

Hiring organizations notice misspellings, grammatical errors, poor organization, and poor layout. Your CV is often your first impression to an organization and you want to make it a positive one! Make sure your CV is proofread by a trusted source — submit your CV for a free review with PracticeMatch!

CV Preparation

  • Join the Physician Ambassador Program to earn additional income during training;
  • Create your free PracticeMatch profile so you can apply for jobs with a click of a button;
  • Download the Career Fair List so you can save the dates.
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