Career and Life Planning Guidebook for Medical Residents

Recommended Tool Your Guide to Writing the Perfect Letter – Connecting Through Storytelling. Use this tool to share your story and paint the picture of why you. www.mdcareers/Ch10 Finally, as in all job searches, be sure you’re familiar with the expectations and culture of the institution to which you’re applying. The only way to know is to do your research and ask your advisors and mentors what advice they might have or what they might know about the institution. The better you know about the place you are applying, the more you can decide if the environment seems like a good fit. Then your CV can be crafted accordingly. Additional Application Materials As you begin to look for positions, you’ll notice that just about every institution requests material be sent, uploaded, or forwarded to the search committee. Many employers require that applicants send letters of recommendation and/or reference letters. We recommend having these letters of recommendation ready to send when you submit your CV so that they don’t have to wait long for your references. With some employers, the recruiter will call your references for verbal recommendations and feedback on why you are the right fit for the position. But proceed with caution here. Never ask someone for a reference if you don’t feel they will provide a good one. Take the time and ask each individual if they feel comfortable providing you with a strong reference, in general and for the specific position for which you are applying. If they say no, ask for feedback and then move on. If they are agreeable, be sure to respect their time with the following tips: Give plenty of notice for when the reference is due If the employerwants to speakwithyour reference, verify how they wish to be contacted Provide your reference with a copy of your CV! Just because they know you personally doesn’t mean they know everything you’ve accomplished professionally or personally Be clear about what you are applying for and what your future career goals include In addition, many institutions require multiple items to verify a candidate’s full qualifications and potential for success. Searches are very costly and organizations are willing to make a major investment to get the right candidate. It’s important that you communicate a consistent message in all the materials you send, starting with your CV and cover letter. Here’s a list of additional application materials that you may be asked to submit along with your CV: Letters of reference Explanation of gaps in CV, if applicable Self-query report from National Practitioner’s Database Documentation on background history The Art of Professional Storytelling: CV Building for Physicians 187 WWW.PHYSICIANCAREERPLANNING.COM