Writing a Successful CV and Cover Letter Flavia G. Rosado, M.D. Disclosure of Relevant Financial Relationships USCAP requires that all planners (Education Committee) in a position to influence or control the content of CME disclose any relevant financial relationship WITH COMMERCIAL INTERESTS which they or their spouse/partner have, or have had, within the past 12 months, which relates to the content of this educational activity and creates a conflict of interest. What Makes a Good CV and Cover Letter? Get you what you want Interview What the Employer Wants Good CV and Cover Letter YES Employers spend as little as 45 seconds skimming a CV MAYBE Get you an interview Make your qualities stand out Application Top of the Pile NO 1
Good CV and Cover Letter Send Clear Message: I am qualified for this job - Format - Emphasis - Content - Length Curriculum Vitae Format Neat and professional Bullet points and sections Adequate space between lines Same way throughout - Font size 10-12 (small intellectual) Emphasis Divide in sections Relevant first Identification Training (what/where) Board certification/eligible Licensure Reverse chronological order within each section Emphasis Peer-reviewed publications: Bold your name Mark with * if first/senior authorship Subdivide publications: Abstracts Peer-reviewed full length (include PMID) Books/Book chapters Letters to the editor Invited review publications Subdivide Presentations: Poster Oral presentation national/international/regional meetings Invited presentations Content Current address (including e-mail) and phone number Immigration status (especially for IMGs) Education BS/BA, MD, PhD Residency, fellowship Board certification Licensure Employment Current and previous positions, academic/hospital appointments 2
Content Research experience Peer-reviewed publications/oral presentations/poster presentations/grants/books/chapters/others Clinical service responsibilities Educational responsibilities Committees and offices (institutional, national) Professional societies and offices Editorial boards Honors and awards (medical school and beyond) Content Acceptable Marital status Number of children and ages Hobbies, avocations (some interviewers like) References upon request (mention why in cover letter) Controversial Picture Manuscripts in progress Test scores (not recent) Length Long does NOT equal good Relevant information gets lost Junior => short is better Senior => strategies Summary CV Do s Include current date (use Word s insert date & time function and check update automatically ) Add publications in press Job talks count as invited presentation Carefully check grammar and spelling Foreign graduates: state your eligibility status Professional email address (not bustybeth@hotmilk.com) List previous name (for complete Pubmed search) Check your internet profiles (before sending CV) CV Don ts Pad with irrelevant information: No need to include experience before college (unless gap-fill info) Try to pass something as peer-reviewed full length publication Personal identifiers (date of birth, SSN) Do not number publications Do not emphasize/advertise red flags 3
What the Employer Wants CV Red Flags Red Flag YES MAYBE NO Abstracts >> full length publications Unexplained gaps Between college and medical school Between medical school and residency After residency (before fellowship and/or first job) Periods of unemployment (greater than a month or two) CV Red Flags > 1 specialty change Implies you don t know what you want to do > 1 residency program Implies you had an issue with your 1 st residency program > 2 fellowships Implies you either cannot get a job or don t know what you want to do Going to a fellowship from a job Implies you have been fired and/or can t get another job CV Red Flags No board certification > 6 months of finishing residency Implies you have failed the boards Job-hopping: frequent changes of jobs (especially if < 2-3 years between jobs) You can get away with this once Multiple times implies you are either not working out at any jobs or you are never happy at a job No current job Implies you have been fired Not having any references at your current position Implies no one there will give you a reference Purpose Cover Letter Cover Letter Sell yourself (items that have no place in your CV) Statement of career goals Explain CV red flags 4
What the employer wants Good fit? Sell Yourself Why are you looking for a job? (Don t need this for the first job) Don t say you hate your current job Looking for a new experience Why are you interested in THIS job? Job offers the new experience (make sure you know specifics) Location (i.e., family reasons) Sell Yourself Career goals: state what you really want Avoid being too specific Use active strong verbs Use confident rather than believe or think You will be addressing these questions on the interview Sell Yourself: The T letter What they want AP/CP boarded Specialty expertise in cytopathology Experienced pathologist Academic accomplishments Administrative experience Commitment to teaching What you have AP/CP boarded Finishing cytopathology fellowship Five years experience Multiple publications Director of X lab Director of Y resident rotation Explain CV Red Flags Brief What to say - Ex: Gaps Global community service Personal issue State the positive side of your experience Important Information Regarding CME/SAMs The Online CME/Evaluations/SAMs claim process will only be available on the USCAP website until September 30, 2017. No claims can be processed after that date! After September 30, 2017 you will NOT be able to obtain any CME or SAMs credits for attending this meeting. 5
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