Don’t simply apply for jobs—market yourself

When you are applying for jobs, you need a CV and a cover letter. If you want to land the best opportunities, take a strategic approach to your CV and cover letter. When you reframe how you approach your CV and cover letter, and start to consider them as marketing collateral, you are positioning yourself for a job search where you present yourself as a value-adding candidate and attract special attention from recruiters.

Before you sit down to write your CV and resume, look at yourself from the employer’s perspective. The organization is hiring because they have challenges that they need an expert’s help to solve. That expert is you.

Using your CV and cover letter to market yourself

As you approach applying for jobs, avoid the urge to communicate in your CV and cover letter “why this position is good for me.” Instead, turn it around and convey what you bring to the table and how you can help the organization. In your CV and cover letter, specifically in the cover letter, you want to be able to convey, “Me taking this position is going to benefit the organization because I am going to bring x, y, and z to the table. I have this advanced training that will bring a lot of value to the organization.”

Your CV is going to outline your training and skillsets. The CV shows how you’re qualified, and the cover letter shows why you’re the best candidate and why you’re a fit. Look at your CV and cover letter as being complementary to one another; the information you provide in each document dovetails, supporting your case that you are the most promising match for the job.

Finally, don’t underestimate the importance of a professional, well-written CV and cover letter. Take your time with these documents and do a few drafts. Have a peer or colleague read over your materials and give you feedback. If your English isn’t perfect, or if you don’t consider yourself a strong writer, or if you have the funds to spare, consider hiring a professional resume writer who specializes in physician CVs and cover letters.