Three Steps to Improve Your Ob-Gyn Resume in Under 20 Minutes

You’ve been applying for ob-gyn jobs, but you haven’t heard a peep.

“Maybe it’s my resume,” you think. So, you sit down to take a look. But then, dread sets in. How long is this going to take? And what should you even be looking for?

“I don’t have time for this tonight,” you say. And the cycle continues.

Luckily, it doesn’t take much time at all to fix the most common resume mistakes. Here are three steps you can implement in less than 20 minutes. The next thing you’ll be making time for is a job interview!

Insert the Exact Title of the Job You’re Applying for at the Top of the Resume

Time Required: 5 Minutes or Less

Jobseekers will often try to create an all-encompassing "title" for themselves to start their resume. What they don’t realize is that this simple little action accounts for an astonishing number of rejected applications!

Often, the first pair of "eyes" scanning your document will be an Applicant Tracking System. These are programs that store and sort resumes and applications for organizations. And unless your resume contains the exact title of the job you’re applying for right at the top of the resume, there’s no way for the software to figure out who you are and whether you’re worth considering. Without this information, it will tend to either mis-file or even outright reject your application. So if the job description specifies that they're looking for an "OBGYN" (rather than an "ob-gyn" or an "OB/GYN") so should your resume!

Make Sure the First Position Listed on Your Resume Is Relevant to the Type of Job You’re Seeking

Time Required: 5 Minutes or Less

First impressions are critical to a successful resume, particularly when a typical recruiter or hiring agent spends less than 30 seconds on a first pass. Unless the first job he or she sees in the “Professional Experience” section is directly relevant to the position they’re trying to fill, it will often be rejected. But there’s a quick fix for this.

Instead of organizing your employment history chronologically, in this case you’ll want to list your relevant work experience at the top of the resume, then create a section for other positions you’ve held after that.

Get Rid of Any Extraneous Formatting, Logos, or Graphics

Time Required: 10 Minutes or Less

While you may think that adding visual flourishes to your resume is an easy way to stand out, the opposite is actually true. Every logo, graphic, photo, or bit of extraneous formatting is an error waiting to happen when your document is scanned by Applicant Tracking Systems.

Furthermore, visual flourishes tend to prevent most recruiters and hiring agents from quickly assessing your value as a candidate (not a good thing). Be ruthless when it comes to simplifying your resume, and remember; if it doesn’t succeed based on content, it doesn’t succeed period.

Article Originally Published on ACOG Career Connection