Your resume is the summary of your years of education that presents a compelling reason why the employer you want should invite you to an interview. As you prepare your resume, don't let a technical or minor misstep prevent it from making it through the screening process. The first step in making sure your resume gets seen is to understand how it will be received by the organization to which you are applying. Each has a process for considering applicants for employment and understanding those processes allow you to use the right approach in each situation. You will find that you need to use different resumes and resume formats depending on the process your potential employer will be using to screen your resume. This article will explain some of the various technical and human processes and how to best navigate them. Knowing how your resume will be screened will allow you to get past the initial process barriers being used and move you into the interview phase.

Resume Format

Sometimes it is better to use a PDF format for your resume and sometimes it is better to use a document format. Larger institutions generally use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS). These computer programs review and score resumes received against the job criteria for the position. In many ATS systems, no one sees the whole resume, rather, just the ATS compilation version of how you match their requirements. Only those applicants who clear this barrier are considered. If you believe that an ATS program will be used, submit in a .doc format versus a PDF or .docx format. PDF formats are more secure if you are sending your resume to a company with whom you are unfamiliar and who you believe is not using an ATS program.

Resume Structure

Your resume structure should be very simple. Keep your resume clean and light on the page. Avoid using templates including headers and footers, creative fonts, colored text, complicated layouts, and tight margins. You may find that they are altered by the receiving software and become difficult or impossible to read. Be aware of where lines and pages break, and how tabs and bullets appear in different browsers.

Screener (Initial Audience)

One of the most important things you can do to successfully navigate the screening process is to identify and tailor your resume (and cover letter) to the priorities of the system and the person who will be screening and scoring all of the resumes received. Knowing if your resume will be screened by a software program, a Human Resource professional, a Department Manager not of your therapy discipline, or a Hiring Manager who shares your clinical degree is critical.

• ATS systems use algorithms that score and compile your resume content against a set criterion. Cover letters may not be accepted.

• Human Resource professionals score and compare your resume against the job description criteria they have been given. They may not fully understand abbreviations so matching the exact words that are in the job posting is essential. They will be assessing how long you might remain in the position, how well your availability matched with their preferred start date and mandatory training schedule in addition to your clinical skills and experience. A cover letter that addresses these topics may be helpful.

• A Department Manager who is not a therapist will be assessing how well you might fit into the department's overall culture and values as well as how your clinical skills and experience meet the position requirements and complement the skills of the other department staff. Are you flexible and adaptable? Will there be an appropriate mentor for you? Do you bring something unique to the team? Do you have an area of interest that they will encourage you to grow into?
• A Clinician Hiring Manager is rarely your initial contact person except in a private practice position. So even though they may not be part of the initial screening process, they are almost always included as part of a clinical or peer-review interview process. They are likely to be the person who most closely analyzes your training and experience. Make sure you include complete and accurate clinical information and address clinical experience deficiencies through transferable skills. This person is also most likely to be asking subjective questions to determine how you make clinical judgments
• Staffing companies look at every resume and talk with you about the best match options available. Since they are working with multiple employers, locations, and clinical settings, they usually have at least one option for which they will consider you. While a great resource, many Staffing Company Recruiters are commission-based so some may push you to accept a position with them before you are ready to commit or try to control your job search. You do not have to accept any position until you have reviewed an employment agreement and signed a contract. The timeline for contract positions is usually more flexible as there are often multiple positions available.

Content

Resume titles can vary but only Education and Experience are necessary. Any other titles can be added to improve readability, but we recommend only including sections for contact information, experience, education, and skills/qualifications. The more categories you have, the more likely it is that an ATS program will have difficulty slotting your information into the ATS data fields. A resume should not exceed two pages. Adapt your standard resume to include the exact words from the job posting or job description for which you are applying. Each resume and cover letter should be modified to best fit your skills and experience to the position available. For example, don't use abbreviations on your resume if the ad spells out the skills needed and vice versa. Expand areas that match the job and edit areas that do not illustrate a transferable skill or have a direct application to the position. When only general information about a position is available, research the setting and address the standard skills required in that clinical setting.

Verb Tense

Use strong action words to describe your experience and accomplishments: Treat, Manage, Teach, Plan, Write, Lead. 

Takeaway Tip: Omit street address, unnecessary titles, and words, an objective statement, “References available upon request”, and information including work and volunteer experience that does not directly relate to your profession or illustrate a transferable skill.