6 Essential Tips for an Outstanding Veterinary Resume
Whether you’re a fresh-out-of-university graduate Vet, an experienced Emergency Veterinary Surgeon with decades of expertise or a Vet Technician with oodles of practical knowledge, when it comes time to make your next career step, your Resume* must include these 6 critical elements. Just like any form of advertising, you only have about three seconds to engage your audience and get them to explore further, so your Resume has a lot of work to do in a very short time. Including these 6 key components will help you clarify your approach, ensure that you focus on your key skills and accomplishments, and craft a CV* that will make sure you stand out from the crowd…
State An Objective
By including your objective for your next career step you are quickly telling your potential employer three key things
- What position you are best suited for
- What level of responsibility you are seeking
- An introduction and guide to the rest of your resume
This is a genuine art form as you have only two lines of text to create your first impression; keep it short and to the point like a haiku.
A talented and experienced Veterinary Technician, ready to lead a team towards further success as demonstrated by the roles and achievements you will discover as you explore my Resume
Highlight Measurable Achievements
Most employers can tell from your previous job titles what you were responsible for from a task and activity perspective. They are much more interested in knowing what results you were able to achieve in each role. Make these statements in bullet form and find harmony between creating a positive impression and not overselling your abilities.
Developed, and with approval implemented, a simple but effective equipment and materials tracking process that saved $12,000 per year by minimising wastage and loss
Be A Little Creative, But Only Little Bit
Today employers might see just a few CV’s or for popular roles, many, and recruiters and corporate talent acquisition professional see hundreds of resumes a week, so you need to make sure that you stand out from every angle. You literally have three seconds to make your way onto the shortlist pile.
So, look for examples of resumes online with a little creative visual flair – try https://www.canva.com/templates/search/resumes/ as a starting point – but don’t go overboard; choose a blue or green theme with plenty of white space as these make the best impression.
More Than Two Pages Is Too Much
At McDonald’s the saying goes “Two deep is too deep” at their counters; it’s the same with Veterinarian and Vet Nurse resumes. You have a story to tell, but you also need to realise that you only have those three seconds mentioned earlier, plus maybe another thirty seconds if the first three went well, to gain the employer’s or recruiter’s attention, but not overwhelm them with too much information.
Remember, the purpose of a resume is to get you an interview, not get you the job all by itself.
Check Spelling & Grammar
So many times we see resumes that talk about professionalism, quality and attention to detail, and then go on to include spilling (spelling) and basic grandma (grammar) errors.
Make sure that you do more than run a simple Word spellcheck.
Have someone else read your resume as they have a fresh set of eyes and will pick up things that you will miss. Another tip is to read your resume aloud, to yourself and to someone else; this is an ideal final check to ensure that it all makes sense and is well balanced and focused.
Include Keywords
Many larger veterinary organisations and specialist veterinary recruitment agencies today utilise software solutions, known as ATS or Applicant Tracking Systems, that not only keep track of applicants bit also scan and run preliminary keyword searches to assist them in managing a high volume of candidates. That’s right, your carefully crafted and hand-tailored resume is getting reviewed by bots first.
Fortunately, they are not yet as smart as the software promoters say they are, and the inclusion of a few well-placed keywords will help you get past these robotic gatekeepers and into human hands. Always include 6 base keywords that sum up your skills and qualities, and then look at the job ad and circle another 6 important keywords from that ad and try to include them naturally in your resume and cover letter.
Is there such a thing as the perfect resume?
No, but if you include these 6 essential items you will be ahead of ninety per cent of the other applicants and well on your way to securing that interview.
* Nowadays the terms Resume and CV (Curriculum Vitae) are interchangeable.
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Looking farther afield? Then it’s time to explore Veterinary Jobs in the UK and Europe or our Veterinary Jobs in the USA and Canada.