Healthcare Application Tips Dealing with Recruiters
There are currently over 22 million people working in the healthcare industry in America. Over the past year, healthcare workers have become more important than ever before. As we navigate our way through the global pandemic, more healthcare establishments are adding more workers to their rosters.
If you are looking for a great job in the healthcare industry, then you need to get ready for a fair amount of competition. Most healthcare establishments employ recruiters to find and hire the top talent in their industry. You need to realize that the average recruiter looks at tons of job applications and resumes on a daily basis.
The main goal you should have when trying to land your dream job with a medical establishment with a great company culture is setting yourself apart from the competition. Are you looking for ways to stand out to healthcare recruiters? If so, check out the great tips contained in this article.
Make Sure Your Resume is Free of Errors
The first impression that a recruiter develops about you will come from your resume. This is why you need to view resume optimization as a priority when trying to apply for your dream job in healthcare. Having spelling or grammatical errors in your resume can lead to your application getting put at the bottom of a recruiter’s stack.
In the age of spell-check, there is absolutely no reason these mistakes should occur. If a recruiter sees these mistakes on your resume, they will get the impression that you lack the ability to pay attention to important details. Rather than making this mistake and damaging your chances of getting hired by a healthcare provider, you need to review your resume thoroughly before submitting it to a recruiter.
Highlight the Skills and Experience That Qualify For The Position
Before applying for a particular job in the healthcare industry, you need to thoroughly read the job listing. In this listing, you will find information about the qualifications, experience, and skills that a potential employer wants the ideal candidate to have. As a recruiter scans over the pile of resumes they have received, they will scan them quickly to ensure the minimum qualifications have been met.
You need to view your resume as a way to highlight your skills. Having a section that lays out all of the degrees you have obtained is a great way to make your resume stand out. If you have participated in continuing education courses and received a certification upon completion, you need to provide details about these credentials as well. The more information you can provide a recruiter about your educational background, the easier it will be to make a positive impression on them.
Source-Pixabay
Avoid Submitting a Lengthy Resume
A general rule of thumb that you should follow when applying for a healthcare job is to avoid submitting a resume that is over two pages long. Most recruiters see a resume that is over two pages long as an indication of things like:
- The applicant has had too many jobs
- Lack of career focus
- Issues with written communication
- Inability to write in a concise manner
If a recruiter draws these conclusions from your novel of a resume, it could hurt your chances of landing a job in the healthcare industry. Some people think that they have to include jobs they had over 20 years ago in their resumes. In reality, a recruiter wants to know more about recent accomplishments. Ideally, you want to avoid including employment information that is over 10 years old in your resume.
Recent graduates with limited work experience should have a resume that is only a page long. Keeping your resume short, detailed, and concise can help you attract the right kind of attention from a recruiter.
Make Your Resume Easy to Scan
One of the main things you need to consider before submitting your resume to a healthcare recruiter is whether or not it is scannable. The average recruiter has very little time to read over a resume. If they have to put a lot of effort into finding the information they are looking for, a recruiter may give up and move on to the next resume. This is why you need to work hard to make your resume scannable.
You can improve how scannable your resume is by doing things like:
- Use a readable font setting
- Single column format
- Bold all headlines
- Use bullet points
- Shorten your paragraphs
By making your resume easy to scan, you can make a great impression on the recruiter in question. With the ability to find the information they need; a recruiter can make a quick decision about whether you are a good fit for the job in question.
Use the Right Keywords in Your Resume
The average recruiter has a plethora of tools to use when searching for great candidates. One of the most used pieces of technology in the recruitment industry is an applicant tracking system (ATS). These systems are designed to comb through hundreds of online resumes and pick out the best ones. This process usually involves these programs scanning the resumes for relevant keywords created by the recruiter.
Implementing relevant keywords in your resume is crucial when trying to get noticed during this scanning process. You can find keywords to use by looking at the actual job listing. If you see certain recurring keywords in the job listing, you need to put them in your resume. Being strategic about which keywords to use can help you garner the right kind of attention during this recruitment process.
Alter Your Cover Letter to Fit the Position You Are Applying For
Submitting a generic resume can make it difficult to land your dream job. Most recruiters want to engage with applicants that submit customized resumes designed to fit the jobs they are applying for. Showing a recruiter that you have done your homework is a great way to get their attention. Recruiters and employers want to use applicants that have a clear understanding of what a position entails. Showing you have this knowledge can help you ascend to the top of the list of potential hires.
Source-Pixabay
Preparing For An Interview With a Recruiter
If you submit a great resume to a recruiter, your chances of getting called in for an interview are pretty good. When contacted by a recruiter for an interview, you need to start preparing for this experience. Showing up to your interview unprepared will get in the way of you getting a job offer.
What Type of Interview Will This Be?
One of the main things you need to know before preparing for an interview with a recruiter is what type of interview it will be. Generally, recruiters will perform interviews by using methods like:
- In-person meetings
- Video calls
- Telephone interviews
The more you know about how your interview will be conducted, the easier it will be to figure out how to prepare yourself for this meeting.
Find Out More About the Company in Question
An interview with a recruiter should be view as a two-way conversation. Asking the right questions can help you make a positive impression on the recruiter. Taking the time to thoroughly research the healthcare establishment you are trying to get a job with is imperative.
Showing you have an understanding of the company’s history and its mission will help you make a great impression.
Be Aware of Proper Interview Etiquette
Educating yourself about proper interview etiquette is also an important part of this preparation process. For instance, if you are interviewing with a recruiter in a video chat session, you need to smile and look directly into your web camera.
An in-person interview should start with a firm handshake and a friendly tone. As you speak to the recruiter and answer their questions, be sure to make direct eye contact. If you are participating in a phone interview, you need to make sure the phone you are using is working properly. Performing a test call with a friend/family member is a great way to iron out any problems that may exist before you are contacted by the recruiter.
Research Average Salaries
During your interview with a recruiter, you will be asked about your salary requirements. If you want to answer this question correctly, you will have to do your homework beforehand. Looking up the average salary of the position in question is imperative. You also need to answer this question with a salary range. By doing this, you can avoid pricing yourself out of a job.
If the recruiter counters your offer, you need to hear them out before immediately saying no. Getting your foot in the door at a great healthcare company can help you unlock future monetary gains, which is why taking a small pay cut to get the job might make sense.
Put These Tips in Motion
As you can see, there are several things you can do to make a good impression on a recruiter. Using these tips will help you get hired by a great healthcare organization.