Writing a Chiropractic Associate Resume/CV

I am sure you are aware how important your chiropractic resume/CV is in securing an interview. In a recent survey of recruiters, nearly 90% said that the bulk of resumes/CV they received contained errors. Shocking, perhaps, but a great opportunity for you to get your resume/CV right the first time.

I use a process called A.I.D.A. – an acronym used in Marketing and Advertising that describes a common list of events that may occur when a consumer engages with an advertisement. The same principle works equally as well when writing a resume.

A.I.D.A.

Firstly, capture the reader’s:-

A – Attention (Awareness): attract the attention of the customer.

Hiring Managers and Recruiters have an abundance of resumes to short-list and you need to focus their attention on your resume above all the others. A successful way to do this is with your Personal Profile.

A Personal Profile is a good opportunity to secure the recruiter’s attention with a short paragraph detailing your suitability for the job, including your professional qualifications, education and what value you can add to the role.

A Personal Profile is your self-marketing tool. Sell yourself and make it dynamic, informative and interesting. Sometimes, it is easier to merely tailor your personal profile to the type of role you are applying for, rather than amend the whole of your resume.

Before your personal profile and after your name and contact details (never include your date of birth) include a link to your professional profile on LinkedIn. If you do not have a LinkedIn profile, create one! A LinkedIn profile is a fantastic way to sell yourself to potential employers and recruiters, as it corroborates your knowledge and expertise.

Now you have their attention it is time to create some:-

I – Interest: raise customer interest by focusing on and demonstrating advantages and benefits (instead of focusing on features, as in traditional advertising).

A resume needs to create some further interest. If you have not included them in your personal profile, now is the time to clearly show your professional registrations, techniques and certifications followed by a clear and precise career history. (Don’t forget to mention any practice-management training or seminars you have attended.)

Dates of employment must be accurate and any gaps in employment history should be clearly accounted for. Bullet points of your key responsibilities, strengths and achievements are important in your career history, but keep it brief. You can always expand on them when you are invited for interview.

If you are a recent graduate and do not have a career history in chiropractic, highlight your key achievements in any voluntary or part-time work you have undertaken and emphasise transferable skills which are relevant and transferable as a chiropractor.

Now you have interest in your own personal advert it is time to create some:

D – Desire: convince customers that they want and desire the product or service and that it will satisfy their needs.

In advertising, desire is important as you are making a potential customer want your product. This is normally done with an inviting image, but with a resume any type of picture (including your photograph) is a big ‘No No’! The desire is created by the presentation of your resume.

Use a common typeface such as Times New Roman, Arial, Palatino or Courier. Follow best practice and use 10-12 point body text, 16 point maximum for headings, no capitals and embolden headings. Try to keep your resume around two pages long and remember, poor spelling is the quickest way of getting a rejection. Use your spell checker!

After your employment history it is important to highlight any Research and Presentations that you have undertaken.

Include any relevant continuing Professional Development and only show Hobbies and Interests if they are pertinent to the role.

If you have completed A.I.D. correctly, the last step of the process is:

A – Action: lead customers towards taking action and/or purchasing.

Action in advertising is the customer logging onto your website, driving to your shop or picking up the phone to call you. On your resume, it is the action of the employer picking up the phone or sending an email to invite you for interview.

It sounds obvious, but make sure your contact details are clear and easy to find. Include them as a footer on every page. If you have a land-line but you are never at home, simply do not include it. When you are job hunting, try to answer your phone every time. If a recruiter or employer cannot reach you, they may just fill the interview slot with another candidate who does pick up!

Once you have completed your resume, reassess it as a potential employer. Read your resume objectively. Does it interest you? Would you want to interview this person? Does your resume represent what you would view as a good candidate?

We wish you every success in your job search.

Author: Nick Hutchinson