CV Writing and Interview Preparation

1. CV Writing and Interview Preparation Staci Larsen Smith Associate Vice President HCA Physician Services & Recruitment Tri Star Division of Hospital Corporation of America

2. The CV gets you the interview, the interview gets you the job!

3. Getting Started • Include a cover letter • Pick a format and be consistent • Have a short CV (1-2 pages) • Include your present and permanent address, phone, pager, and e-mail address • Prepare a separate typed list of references • No typos!

4. Cover Letter • One Page, 3-4 paragraphs • Be Personal, show passion • Write directly, avoid generalities • State reasons for choosing a certain specialty or type of practice • Clarify any gaps or potentially misunderstood information on your resume • Explain particularly unique or impressive qualifications • Get someone to review, critique your letter, and check for typos

5. CV Preparation Short Form Identification Postgraduate Education Experience Licenses and Certification Long Form Identification Postgraduate Education Experience Licenses and Certification Professional Affiliations Publications Presentations Be sure to use reverse chronological order!

6. Example: Publications/Presentations/Research* Authored 15 articles published in medical journals including The New England Journal of Medicine and the Internal Medicine Journal. Also published over 25 abstracts. Participated in several important research projects focusing primarily on diabetes treatment and prevention. *Full listing of publications and research projects available upon request.

7. Appealing and Eye Catching • Unusual fonts, strange symbols, or tricky formats will only aggravate the busy person who is trying to quickly assess your qualifications. • Traditional Fonts (Times New Roman, Arial) • Text size 10-12pt • Appropriate spacing • Headings should be clear and stand out from the other text in your resume, so it’s easy to pick out each category.

8. Format Consistently • If you bold job titles, then bold degrees, etc. • If you have a colon after some headings they should all have them • Dash between some dates, then make sure all dates have dashes between them

9. General CV Guidelines Example B: Internal Medicine Resident 1993–2003St. Francis Hospital, Queens, NY Example A: 1999-2003 Internal Medicine Resident St. Francis Hospital, Queens, NY

10. Now you have a CV – what do you do with it?

11. The Search Physician Recruiters Specialty Board Program Coordinators Career Fairs Ex. CareerMD Medical Journals Internet www.PracticeWithUs.com Hospital Websites Visiting Local Medical Offices Networking Hospital CEOS

12. The Phone Interview • Have no interruptions or distractions • Stay calm and listen carefully • Pause before answering any questions • Have your CV and schedule in front of you • Don’t appear overeager or desperate

13. Preparing for Site Visit • Focus on less than five practice opportunities and then narrow the field from there • Spend one - two full days at each location, depending on the distance • On the first visit, go alone. On the second visit, include your spouse and family. • Remember, there is a good fit out there for everyone. If it just doesn’t feel right, move on to another opportunity.

14. While You Are There • Prepare a two-minute speech about yourself and stay on message • Feel free to ask questions about anything • Jot down the names of those you interact with and write them a “thank you” note • Every interaction counts

15. The Site Visit DO’s Your homework Arrive 15 minutes early Be Courteous to Everyone You Meet Bring extra copies of your CV Dress professionally Have a firm handshake Practice good eye contact Ask Questions - Have your list with you Establish Rapport – Remember the Interviewers Name DON’T’s Forget to prepare Be Disrespectful Forget to Relax Discuss Politics or Religion Lie or Be Negative Ask About Salary – Unless it’s Brought Up

16. Physician Due Diligence • How long has the practice been in existence? • Does the group have enough patients to support a new physician? • How many new patients a year does the practice attract? How many does it lose? • Does the group have a marketing plan? • What will the group do to send patients my way? • How many managed care contracts does the group have? Do the payments cover the costs of treating patients?

17. Talking to Partners • Start with the oldest and youngest partners and work your way in towards the middle. Talk to all of the physicians, if possible. • Probe for their views, both personal and professional. • You are looking for compatibility while you are assessing the culture.

18. Talking to Office Staff • Interview key long-term staff members. • Try to assess their skills, morale, and chemistry with the physicians in the group.

19. Talking with Hospital Staff Start with the Hospital CEO, COO, and CNO, then move to the nurses and/or technicians on the floor or in the departments. Ask about physicians both inside and outside the group you are considering. Why join the “B” group when you could be part of the “A” group?

20. Resources

21. Websites to Visit Writing Help: www.writinghelp-central.com www.physiciancv.com Job Databases: www.practicewithus.com www.practicematch.com www.practicelink.com Health News: www.healthleaders.com Articles: www.mgma.com

22. Salary Info: www.salary.com General Info: www.nejmjobs.com Homefinder: www.homefair.com Rates: www.bankrate.com Demographics: www.census.gov State Medical Boards: www.fsmb.org State Health Facts: www.statehealthfacts.org You are Where You Live: www.claritas.com

23. For practice opportunities, visit: www.practicewithus.com