4 Tips to Help you Read and Assess CVs Faster

As a recruiter or hospital administrator looking for the right physician to fill a position on PhysEmp, you might feel like a kid in a candy store: there are so many excellent options available. Some, however, are clearly better than others, while others could be a surprise hiding behind the attractive packaging.

How do you know which physicians to interview and hire when you have so many CVs to look over and limited time? There are a few techniques you can use to help read and assess CVs faster and get one step closer to hiring a new member. Each of these steps shouldn’t take more than a few seconds.

1. First things first: Be careful what you post

Before you even begin accepting physician CVs, make sure the job description you’ve posted clearly identifies the requirements. If you’re looking for a pathologist, but are really looking for a pathologist with 15 years of experience to lead a team, be sure to include that specification. Don’t waste your time or that of a potential physician by not being clear about what you’re looking for.

Check over all of your requirements, making sure each one is right on the money.

2. List key values and traits

Make a list of the key value traits you’re looking for in your candidates. They could be anything from specific residency experiences to character traits the position requires. Doing this will help you quickly assess which candidates are real potentials.

You can even narrow the values down to keywords to look for when reviewing CVs. Browse each CV for key values and keywords. Knowing these can help you compare and contrast two similarly qualified candidates and make an informed decision.

3. Consider the overall impression

With all the CVs in front of you, check for the overall impression you get with each one. Separate out the most promising candidates by asking yourself these questions:

1. Is the CV professional, striking the right tone? No spelling or grammar mistakes?
2. Do you see the key values that you’d hoped for?
3. What was their most recent physician position? Is it well described in the text?
4. Did they progress within their roles, whether assuming more responsibilities as a young physician or pursuing leadership roles?

“I’m wondering why the candidate is looking now,” says Facebook recruiter Ambra Benjamin. “Are they laid off? Did they get fired? Have they only been in their role for a few months and they’re possibly hating it? But most importantly, is their most recent experience relevant to the position for which I’m hiring?”

These are all important questions to ask yourself when skimming physician CVs; find fit specific requirements.

4. Look for a tailored fit

“Tell me what I want to hear.”

Don’t you wish every physician recruit could answer this question exactly the way you want them to, while being truthful and concise? Ideally, physician recruits put what’s most important at the top of their CVs. On your side, look for ways in which the physician recruits bring a deep understanding to the role you’re looking for.

For example, if you’re looking to hire a pediatrician at a health group, then seek candidates who present their skills and experiences to show that they’ve had success in child health care and know what it takes to interact with young patients and families. Picking up on how the physician describes past roles shows that they took the time to work jobs that have meaning and purpose for them.

Embrace the feeling of being a kid in a candy store the next time you look through CVs! When you know exactly what your looking for, you’ll be able to narrow down the choices in no time.

Want help finding the right physician? Schedule a demo with PhysEmp today.