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Many people are frustrated when they look for a job in Europe. The reason is their CV. They have experience & knowledge, but all this does not matter much if the CV does not give them a chance to introduce themselves professionally & personally.

 

We asked some experienced recruiters to share the most common mistakes in creating resumes. In this post, we will show you how to avoid these mistakes.

 

Resume or CV?

 

Foreigners need to understand that "resume" and "CV" are words used synonymously in Europe, even if these two English terms mean different things in America. To avoid any confusion, it might be a good idea to remember that here "resume" means your account of yourself. In contrast, CV means curriculum vitae – literally translates as "the course of life", but better described as a record of your professional career. Both documents serve the same purpose: they help provide an employer with information about who you are and what you can do.

 

Hiring managers spend less than one minute reading your CV. Here are 30 tips to make sure they don't regret it!

 

1. Tailor your resume for each job application: Don't send the same resume for every job application. Tailor your CVs for each job ad to stand out of the crowd (be unique!) Use their name and skim through their website to get a feel for what they do & how you can add value! Employers will love it if you show that you have done your homework on them.

 

2. Recruiters/Employers usually ask about weaknesses; never speak badly of others; focus on skills rather than activities or functions (List accomplishments). You will most likely have to defend yourself against any potential attacks made by the interviewer. Focus on what you bring to the table rather than your shortcomings which may be perceived as faults in private practice or small hospitals that do not work well with sub-specialities unless highly exceptional (i.e., a neurosurgeon applying for a clinical neurophysiology fellowship as the hospital does not have its EEG department, etc.
3. This is an example of the type of resume I like to see: (no more than 2 pages). It highlights your knowledge and experience straightforwardly without all the list-type items that everyone else has on their resume. A reader can appreciate this much better than those long paragraphs about the activities you did during medical school or other jobs; for instance, if you say "held leadership positions", which means nothing or if you say "A neurosurgeon at XYZ Hospital," then, by all means, highlight it! Avoid using acronyms unless relevant.
4. You should send a cover letter when you apply for jobs. The cover letter should be professional but also engaging and personable. Please do not talk about how much you want the job or that it is 100% what you are looking for, as this will make it seem like you have no options/interests outside of that particular position. Your goal is to get an interview! Don't mention where else you are applying. Mention why they picked your application over others being forwarded in response to the ad (because I am exactly what they are looking for) - then gauge their reaction. You can also mention that you are still looking for other opportunities, but if you want this one, then it makes sense to negotiate your compensation after the offer is made (note: this is how they get people who want a position)
5. When writing a resume, keep in mind what the recruiter/employer is looking for on your CV. Employers look at various traits on resumes, including education, clinical experience, research experience, leadership roles held, and quality of prior institutions attended; recruiters look at these same factors and personality (you will have to sell yourself!) as well - big difference. If you don't fit into their mould or culture matching, they won't call regardless of how good your stats and letters of recommendation are. It would be best to reflect the personality and culture they are looking for in candidates/employees.
6. It is essential to include your CV in every email you send out! This will give the reader additional information about what you have been doing during residency, board scores, study abroad experiences etc.

7 . Education, Research Experience and Leadership Role should be at the top of your CV - not under References (which isn't read by decision-makers). Make sure there is a summary statement. Keep it short- punchy-upbeat! Avoid using acronyms unless relevant: say "Duke University" rather than "DUKE." However, acronyms can be helpful when explaining any titles; you can say "Pediatric Research Fellow at the International Center for Advanced Neurosurgical and Medical Training in Kyoto, Japan" rather than "Center for Advanced Neurosurgical and Medical Training."

8. Listing of publications is a must - it makes an otherwise dull CV come to life! Therefore if you have papers published, make sure they are on your CV. However, don't over-list them as this will look like lousy forms - list the significant ones (i.e., those with global impact).
9. Listing of presentations is a must-it makes an otherwise dull CV come to life! Make sure you highlight the most important ones (i.e., those with global impact). If you can, reference the presenter number if applicable, as the hiring institution may request this.
10. It's always good to have your supervisor check over your CV before you send it out - make sure that what you put on there reflects well on you and the department.
11. If applicable, use graphs/figures to illustrate your research- it will be more appealing than simply listing bullet points of your publications! Try to make it creative - this is a time for creativity and uniqueness. The same tips apply if you list presentations, etc.

12 . Listing medical school & residency as previous employment sends the wrong message - if they check bio-sketch, there won't be an accurate representation of who you are. You may come across as immature or unsure of yourself (i.e., not ready for prime time ). List just "previous employer" with dates or only state that you were in med school - this avoids any ambiguity about what year you graduated from medical school/residency or any gaps in your employment history.

13 . Make sure you have a logo - it's vital to include corporate identity with individuals who are focused on their careers (i.e., MBA candidates) rather than list publications - it makes an otherwise dull CV come to life! A simple and professional logo for yourself is worth the money, not to mention making an impression on prospective employers/recruiters when they open up the document. I would say spend money wisely here: don't buy anything fancy/complicated, but something memorable yet straightforward that can be used across all documents (business cards, email signatures, etc.)

14 . Do not send out CVs if there is no chance of them getting in touch with you. Don't "wing it" and expect a response back from all these potential employers/recruiters. This will make you look unprofessional, if nothing else! Make sure they can contact the correct person (i.e., your e-mail address, phone number ).

15 . Ensure that CVs have been spellchecked before being sent out - this shows you are organised, detail-oriented and care enough to check your work for mistakes!

16 . If there is any chance of them contacting references via email, don't put the following on your CV: "-please do not disclose personal information about Dr X to third parties without prior consent." as this looks like you would rather not have their references contacted at all - it's better, to be honest, and say "please do not disclose personal information about Dr X."

17 . Don't makeup credentials - you will get caught! Research the company and put down their track record, statistics etc., on your CV rather than stating fake information or fabricated degrees/awards (the internet is full of this, but some companies can ensure authenticity). This shows employers you care enough to do your homework before applying for a job.

18 . Keep the resume clean & straightforward - there is no need to state every club or publication that you have ever been involved in-this would take away from space that could be used for relevant details of current activity. Use concrete examples when discussing significant achievements- instead of just saying "I am a great team member" - give an example of how you demonstrated this talent (e.g., XYZ initiative).

19 . There is no need to go over 2 or 3 pages for your CV unless it's vital - remember, brevity is the soul of wit! The same goes for cover letters. You don't have to put everything under the sun in one letter (or document), especially if you've already included individual points about yourself and your career path in previous documents. You may be asked at some point if there are any gaps between jobs on your CV by potential employers/recruiters: please check out my blog entry on how best to handle those tricky questions when asked about recent employment gaps.

20 . Underscore your experience to demonstrate what you can bring to the table in terms of value - this will make you stand out from the crowd! Examples could be: *Have been awarded XYZ prize for best research project *Was instrumental in developing new program *New Departmental Structure implemented successfully etc.

21 . If possible, line up a few interviews first so that you can market yourself effectively at these consultations instead of sending out your CV as a "shotgun" approach (i.e., assume employers/recruiters are all interested and contact them). This is not always possible but does try to get some face time with recruiters before they have seen your resume as it will help you stand out from the crowd.

22 . If you are applying to PhD programs, don't forget that there is also a lot of good information on the internet. Our advice would be to put your best foot forward when describing your research interests & skills but keep it simple, clear and concise with supporting evidence (e.g., publications, presentations etc.)

23 . Don't make things more complicated than they need to be: if you've had your CV checked by several people and they all agree that it's near perfect, then there is no need to change it just because you get one comment here or there.

24 . If you are unsure whether a particular detail should be in the cover letter or resume - ASK! Better safe than sorry. Keep in mind that recruiters typically spend 12 seconds on an average per resume, so don't waste time pondering over this.

25 . If you are applying from abroad, then marry your marketing skills with the common sense of a good researcher and don't make comments that could potentially turn people off (e.g., "I am only interested in working for XYZ university as they are leading scientific experts", or " I have to get paid $100K+ regardless of the position") -Those do not look like money-wise decisions coming from a scientist but rather someone else!

26 . If you are asking about available positions on websites such as LinkedIn & Indeed: try to set up a profile first so that you can easily see if there are any connections/former colleagues of yours who could potentially share your resume with recruiters. This, in turn, might result in getting you an interview right away!

27 . When sending a CV via email & you don't have a current/up to date profile on the employer's website (e.g., XX University), include the link/profile in the body of your email or attach it as a separate document: some employers may be interested in viewing your profile before actually reading through your resume so that they can quickly check out what expertise and publications are listed on your page.

28 . Make sure that the cover letter is tailored to specific position requirements - if there is a lot of information about yourself, keep it short but emphasise only what is relevant for this particular vacancy. Don't try to be everything and then nothing - it is better to show a couple of skills you have.

29 . When sending your resume attached to an email, make sure that the name in the file is yours + the word "resume" (e.g., JohnSmith-Resume) so that recipient knows what they are dealing with right away without having to open attachment first!

30 . If you've been working as part of a team and are not confident about describing all of your accomplishments on your own, talk with people who have worked on the same projects: chances are they can help by backing up claims made by you based on their personal experience so refer to them as co-authors/collaborators.

 

31. Don't forget the format! Resume formats differ from country to country. Check beforehand if you need to follow any specific guidelines or stick to some basic rules. Bigger fonts and margins make details easier to read - so do bold texts for essential information, like names of companies worked with or degrees obtained. Don't forget to add your photo.

 

32. Type & Print - please, for the sake of your future employer - use a simple A4 paper with good quality Arial or Times New Roman font. Please print it out on a regular printer (no need to go fancy here). It is much easier for you and for them to read.

 

33. Choose Positive! Just remember that any feedback will be just based on what you present professionally in your resume. You have only one chance, so make the impression good! Use professional phrases like "accomplished", "achieved", "solved", etc. rather than something generic like "helped". Be specific about what exactly you accomplished, who exactly was involved and how did this help.

 

34. Use active words! Do not say "responsible for..." - try to describe what you did, why & how? For example, something like "achieved 10% sales growth by developing new distribution channel in Asia". Also, it is good to add specific numbers like increased sales to EUR 200K (not just mentioned 200K).

 

35. Be creative! Show your skills rather than simply describing them. Make short stories of all the projects you worked with and mention details highlighting your role as a particular person or team leader. How exactly did you lead? Did you have some success or failure? What did you learn from it, and how this will help future employers? The interviewer wants to know if there are unexpected things about you that will help to decide if you are a good fit for the position or not.

 

36. Present yourself - start with your name, using full name and title – Mr., Mrs., Ms. etc. Be polite & respectful but keep it short and strictly informative! Make sure you describe what you do professionally in a few words (one line only). Then highlight the most important things about your professional experience (e.g. 7 years of sales management at BMW; 6 years of customer service at Avis; X amount of sold cars per month as a manager; performed Y number of surgeries as physician…)

 

37. Experience - details! How many years did you work there? Where exactly? What was your position & what were the major tasks you performed (do not list hundreds of small projects in detail)? Do not just state the company's name or title of your job, but try to describe briefly what exactly did you have a chance to do. For example: "Responsible for marketing of BMW cars in North Texas during full economic cycle", or "instructor at Avis Rent-A-Car responsible for sales clerks' customer service skills development".

 

38. Details…details… Your CV should be short and sweet, written specifically about you. But it never hurts to add some extra information that can help interviewers decide if they want to see you in person, especially if your job is related to a specific location or field that requires special skills.

 

39. Be appropriate! Your resume should be logical and easy to read, so do not try to squeeze too much information into one place. The easiest way is to use just 1 page for each experience (except Manager positions). List the most important things first, then follow with details in no particular order. Use sub-headings for more detailed explanations about some relevant project or experience. Do not describe activities of other team members (if it was not your role), but focus on what YOU did and WHY this was good enough to get hired!

The importance of a resume goes without saying, but what is equally important are the cover letter and references. If you happen to have a former co-worker writing you a reference letter: ask them if they can provide it before accepting the job offer. This way, you'll be able to see how potential employers could view you (i.e., by checking out your colleague's recommendation). Also, make sure that other letters coming from your research lab or professor(s) are accurate & reflect well on your contributions in those groups!

 

Lastly, before sending out any CV, remember these main pointers:

• Read it through at least 3 times to ensure that everything makes sense and is correct.
• Try reading it backwards – this will sometimes help identify misspellings!
• Do not try to be too clever and use humour in a cover letter: it is better to keep it short, precise & easy-to-read.
• Ensure you are applying for the appropriate position (include correct job title/department/number of vacancies etc.)!
• Be specific and concise, and always answer the question, "Who are you?"

 

These are all the resume tips we have for the European job market - hope you've found them helpful!

If you have any further questions, feel free to contact us at [email protected] & don't forget to subscribe to our newsletter, it's free, of course!

Remember: follow these resume making tips, and that CV will surely land you a phone interview if not a job offer. Good luck, everyone!

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Discover More Articles: HOW TO CREATE A PERFECT RESUME? [17 THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND], CV FORMATS: HOW TO WRITE A RESUME IN DIFFERENT EUROPEAN COUNTRIES, ADVANTAGES OF PERSONAL RESUME WEBSITE OVER TRADITIONAL RESUME, 39 RESUME TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR CV FOR THE EUROPEAN JOB MARKET, 20 THINGS YOU SHOULD AVOID IN A RESUME, 11 RESUME STRUCTURE TIPS TO LAND MORE INTERVIEW

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