(MINK Newsletter Submission 3/1/2003) 

Cover Letter & Curriculum Vitae Preparation 

Kelly Ford, Director of Physician Recruitment

Sisters of Mercy Health System, St. Louis  

The end of your residency/fellowship is rapidly approaching, and it’s time to find that perfect practice, the ideal partner(s), in the location of your dreams.  The years of training have been grueling, but you feel competent and you're ready to settle into a flourishing practice and to get that first sweet taste of prosperity.  You and your colleagues have started to receive a barrage of telephone calls from recruiters, stacks of job flyers and advertisements fill your mailbox, and your e-mail's have increased threefold. And now, you're faced with determining what opportunities are worth checking out. What important factors need to be considered? How will you ever make sense of that legalese you glanced at last year when your buddy was pondering his commitment?  How do you tactfully discuss money with a potential employer, and how much should you expect to earn? Information is power—and the more you know, the better equipped you will be to make those serious career choices. But right now, you must be concerned with just getting some interviews set up.

Taking a sensible, methodical approach to the interviewing process will aid you in making a well-informed decision.  There are a few basic, definable steps that each resident or fellow can follow when beginning the interview process. The three most essential factors to consider as you evaluate your choices, are PRACTICE, LOCATION, and INCOME.  The priority you give to each of these factors may differ significantly from your colleagues' priorities, but it is important to know what is right for you. Keep in mind that the majority of residents and fellows change jobs within three to five years after completing their training. Therefore, the more sure you are of what will work for you, the lower the odds that you will be among the majority that has to go through the agony of a second set of interviews. 

It's March 2003, and you should be preparing a cover letter and curriculum vitae, since your training will be over in 2004.  Not much can be done until you have completed this all-important task. Mediocrity has no place in the preparation of these documents. If their appearance is less than professional, if they contain sloppy margins and tabs, misspelled words, inconsistent format, undocumented periods of time, etc., the likelihood that you will be considered for a position with that choice practice lessens considerably.  This information is your first introduction to a potential employer. It must be well organized and informative and it must present an image of someone that everyone wants to meet.  The most successful approach is to be sure that yours “stands out” from the other dozen or so vitae's that are lying on the recruiter's desk. Ideally, you should give yourself the option to dismiss an opportunity, rather than someone else eliminating you before you even meet him. 

Preparing your Cover Letter: 

• Limit your cover letter to one page, or two at the most.
• Use quality white or off-white paper.
• Use a 12-point font that is clear to read, something like Times New Roman or Garamond, and always use black ink.
• Open your correspondence with a general statement that expresses your interest in the position.  Follow that with specific information that elaborates upon your training, beyond that contained on your curriculum vitae. Take care to emphasize any special qualifications that you may have that would enhance your possibilities of success.
• Address your letter to a specific person. “To Whom it May Concern” is unacceptable, and is less likely to get the attention it deserves. If you are unsure who you should address your correspondence  to, contact the organization and ask.
• Summarize your general employment objectives, but be brief and to the point.
• Describe your current work environment.
• Address your preferred approach to patient care; i.e. managed care, Medicare, Medicaid, private.
• Elaborate upon your strengths, beyond clinical. Describe your leadership and people skills.
• Describe your personal interests, hobbies, and family, if applicable.  This information will humanize you and provide topics of conversation when the recruiter calls you or when you make your on-site visit.

Preparing your Curriculum Vitae: 

• Limit your curriculum vitae to a maximum of two or three pages.
• Use the same paper and print as you used for your cover letter.
• Place your name and address at the top.
• Provide contact information, such as e-mail address, work and/or home telephone numbers, pager, and fax.

• List your educational background by date, beginning with the most recent. Include the names and locations of any universities, program names, degrees, residencies, and fellowships.
• List your work experience by date, beginning with the most recent. Include employer names, your positions, and any special responsibilities.
• List your honors and awards, including chief resident, national honor societies, special achievements, etc. These honors demonstrate your commitment to excellence.
• Provide a list of your certifications and licensures, and whether they are active or inactive.
• Provide personal information about yourself, such as your marital status, your spouse's occupation, the number and ages of your children, where you were born and raised, visa status, hobbies, special interests, etc.
• List any research or publications in which you have participated.
• Provide a list of committee experience, including committee names and the dates you served.
• Avoid using “References Available upon Request”.  It is preferable to provide names of those physicians you intend to use as references, but obtain their permission first. Discuss your practice intentions with your director and let him know with whom you plan to interview. He can strongly influence the decision-makers plans to make you an offer. 

Physician recruiters and potential employers will form their impressions of you based upon the information you provide in your cover letter and curriculum vitae.  Take the time and make a special effort to prepare this information in a thoughtful and professional manner. This can only enhance your chances of success.