Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Mistakes S's
Mistakes S's
* Used laptop computer to record weekly meeting minutes and compiled them
in a Microsoft Word-based file for future organizational reference.
* Reorganized 10 years worth of unwieldy files, making them easily accessible
to department members.
Going on Too Long or Cutting Things Too Short
Despite what you may read or hear, there are no real rules governing CV length.
Why? Because human beings, who have different preferences and expectations where
CVs are concerned, will be reading it.
That does not mean you should start sending out five-page CVs, of course.
Generally speaking, you usually need to limit yourself to a maximum of two pages. But
do not feel obliged to use two pages if one will do. Conversely, do not downsize your CV
in order to make it conform to an arbitrary one-page standard.
A Bad Objective
Employers do read your CV's objective statement, but too often they plow through
vague pufferies like, "Seeking a challenging position that offers professional growth."
Give employers something specific and, more importantly, something that focuses on
their needs as well as your own. Example: "A challenging entry-level marketing position
that allows me to contribute my skills and experience in fund-raising for nonprofits."
No Action Verbs
Avoid using phrases like "responsible for." Instead, use action verbs: "Resolved
user questions as part of an IT help desk serving 4,000 students and staff."
Leaving Off Important Information
You may be tempted, for example, to eliminate mention of the jobs you have
taken to earn extra money for school. Typically, however, the soft skills you have gained
from these experiences (e.g., work ethic, time management) are more important to
employers than you might think.
Visually Too Busy
If your CV is wall-to-wall text featuring five different fonts, it will most likely
give the employer a headache. So show your CV to several other people before sending it
out. Do they find it visually attractive? If what you have is hard on the eyes, revise.
Using the Same Cover Letter for Every Job and Company
Employers see so many cover letters that it is easy for them to tell when you are
using a one-size-fits-all approach. If you have not addressed their company's specific
concerns, they will conclude you do not care about this particular job.
It is time-consuming but worthwhile to customize each cover letter for the specific
job and company.
Not Sending a Real Cover Letter
Some job seekers -- college students, recent grads and even those with years of
work experience do not bother sending a cover letter with their CV. Others type up a
one or two-sentence "here's my CV" cover letter, while others attach handwritten letters
or sticky notes.
RECOMMENDATION MISTAKES
Many applicants are eager to get letters from famous professors they took classes
from. The problem is that classes taught by famous professors almost always have
hundreds of students.
It is better to get a letter from someone who has got a chance to know you and
your personality and to understand what motivates you to pursue a career in medicine.
Choose a member of the teaching staff who taught a small seminar course, or who saw
you work in a research or clinical volunteer setting.
Another common applicant mistake is to select recommenders whose letters will
not answer questions about your potential as a health care professional.
Moreover, even qualified recommenders are a poor choice if they know you so
well that they may not be seen as objective. Avoid getting recommendations from family
friends, even if that includes the Chair of Surgery at the local medical school. Even if the
recommendation is glowing, it may not carry as much punch as one that does not have
the potential for bias.
Applicants should also avoid monotony and consider the combined impact their
three recommendation letters will have. A little diversity may be the key to success.
It would be much more effective to include a letter from a literature or classics or
philosophy professor who might be able to say something like, Sarah brings a refreshing
and unique perspective to our philosophical discussions which is not typical of someone
who has such academic achievement in the sciences. That would show the admissions
committee that you are strong across the board, not just in science.