CV & Personal Letter Preparation October, 2017 Eastern Health CV & Personal Letter Preparation October, 2017

Nice to Meet You! Lisa Andrews – Regional Physician Recruitment Coordinator – Eastern Health Joined in February 2017, over 12 years global talent acquisition experience lisa.andrews@easternhealth.ca – (709) 777- 4223 Located in the Medical Services office, room 1325, in the Health Sciences Centre

CV 3 things to guide you through the CV writing process Be concise Lead with achievements Make it adaptable

Formatting The title should be your full name, address and contact details List your education post high-school Clear & easy to read Consistency with line breaks and spacing 2 to 3 pages is the perfect length Make sure to be conscious of font size not being too large We will speak about the content soon but always see a CV as building a snapshot of “Who you are” & what paths you have chosen- this is key in the interview and will provide content for the interviews to probe You want to stand out but not because your CV is too hard to read and too fussy/complicated. You can differentiate yourself by the content and not the overuse of italics, bold and underline. This applies to font size, I prefer 10 to 12 and font style – keep it crisp, clear and readable. Important for the reader and how you present yourself via CV. Ideally you will be invited to interview where you can elaborate on your CV and not repeat what your CV has already shown. Unless the specific program is requesting a certain length or detail – 2 to 3 pages is ideal.

Content If you are applying for more than one specialty or program ensure you tailor your CV to each List dates by the year Always list information in reverse chronological order: 2) Do not include months or specific days 3)You can go as far back to your first degree but try to highlight its relevance to your journey to becoming a resident 4) Most applicants will have similar education so keep it concise and relevant 5) This section will stand out as what you have achieved and why you should be considered. Do not feel bashful- list it out 6) Include all your electives and pre-clerkship electives – including the duration and location 7) Once again all relevant presentations, publications (published and being considered) & research should be included for this audience. Always think of what the audience would want to be made aware of. 8) This is a very important section for me as this shows the different dimensions of who you are as a person. Commitment and contribution are excellent qualities to showcase. Make sure you separate the sections for each contribution. 9) Keep it relevant to Medicine and if it is not clear why it is there then elaborate briefly. 10) Self development and training is important. 11) Interests are important and one way interviewers look at a complete picture of a person.

Content Start with your educational experience Academic Highlights and Achievements Electives Research, Publications, Presentation Leadership & Community Involvement Work Experience & Teaching Professional Development Memberships & Associations Interests 2) Do not include months or specific days Next slide 3)You can go as far back to your first degree but try to highlight its relevance to your journey to becoming a resident 4) Most applicants will have similar education so keep it concise and relevant 5) This section will stand out as what you have achieved and why you should be considered. Do not feel bashful- list it out 6) Include all your electives and pre-clerkship electives – including the duration and location 7) Once again all relevant presentations, publications (published and being considered) & research should be included for this audience. Always think of what the audience would want to be made aware of. 8) This is a very important section for me as this shows the different dimensions of who you are as a person. Commitment and contribution are excellent qualities to showcase. Make sure you separate the sections for each contribution. 9) Keep it relevant to Medicine and if it is not clear why it is there then elaborate briefly. 10) Self development and training is important. 11) Interests are key to your CV and it is one of the ways interviewers look at a complete picture of a person.

Use your motivation, passion and individuality Personal Letter Each program will have preferences on what they would like the personal letter to contain Who you are and why they should want to have you in their program Future career goals and development Have your finished letter reviewed by 1) peer 2) mentor 3) family member or friend FINALLY! Use your motivation, passion and individuality 1)Always research your program of interest so you do not miss something important – from length to what specifically they would like to address. 2) This is not easy, write it down but do several drafts. Give some history – you could look at it like a car journey that you would map out. What sights did you see? What pitfalls? Who helped get you there? Then drill down to why that specific discipline and/or program – do you have ties – bonds to the particular university or specialism. 3) What does your career look like you post training? How do you feel this specific program can compliment that development 4) People who know you best in each capacity are great to help you review and pull out anything important you may have forgot or were not comfortable describing.