How to get shortlisted

Abstract

Consultant radiologist Sarah Burnett has waded her way through heaps of applications. In this article she gives some tips on how to write a professional curriculum vitae (CV) which will give you a fair chance of being shortlisted You've seen the job of your dreams advertised in the BMJ . How do you go about proving to the selection panel that it really has got to call you for interview? Your CV is your advertising tool, and it is important to design it in such a way that you look like exactly the right person for the job in order to get shortlisted. When you express an interest in the post, the human resources department should send you a job description, which outlines what you will be doing in the job and the basic terms and conditions of employment, some background information about the hospital, and a person specification which tells you the qualification, skills, and experience that the successful candidate will have. Increasingly, the deaneries are asking, not for a CV but for you to fill in a form describing your experience, often with specific examples. You will still need to have a CV as it is necessary when applying for research grants and more senior posts. It will serve as a aide memoire when filling in the job application. It is important to think both about the content and the appearance of your CV. It is there to enhance your appearance as a budding professional. It should be typed in a legible font in a size large enough to cope with ageing consultants' presbyopia. Resist the …