The Healthcare Recruitment Specialists

Refresh your physiotherapist CV by following these three steps

As recruitment specialists, we receive a lot of CVs and know a good one when we see it! Today, we decided to share our top tips for physiotherapists looking to refresh their CV and make a great first impression. 

 

1. Revisit your personal statement 

 

This is usually the first section recruiters/employers will read so make sure it’s as good as it can be! We recommend keeping it to 3-5 lines that encapsulate why your experience, skills and personality make you the best fit for the vacancy. Try and avoid any generic, throwaway comments here (e.g. ‘great communication skills’) as they only take up space and don’t really add any further value to your resume. Lead with examples of your professional achievements to show your prospective employer that it’s not just empty rhetoric! For example, “Over the past 3 years I have worked closely with adults with X condition which has strengthened my Y skills and equipped me with an in-depth understanding of Z.” Of course, it is also crucial to tailor this section to the job description so that it is clear from the get go why you should be hired. 

 

2.Keep on top of your experience section 

 

Make sure you have your most recent experience at the top so the employer can determine whether you fit the role requirements. We recommend making notes of what you’ve learned as you go along so that you don’t forget any crucial skills when it comes to sitting down and writing your CV. No need to include any unrelated employment history here (e.g. retail) as your CV should be 2 pages max so there is simply no room for unrelated content. Make sure to list clinical experience and certifications that help boost your credibility and showcase your anatomical understanding. 

 

3.Don’t forget the power of keywords

 

Peppering your CV with keywords that link to the job description can drastically increase your chances of landing the role. Why? Firstly, when a recruiter is scanning a pile of applications they are looking for words and phrases that scream “we have a winner!”. If you have nothing related to the role on your CV then you can wave goodbye to being  selected for the next stage. Secondly, it is not uncommon for larger companies to use automated applicant tracking systems during the hiring process. These work by screening  CVs for compatibility and then eliminating those which do not have the correct terminology. 

 

How do I find keywords? 

We recommend scanning the job description – as well as job descriptions for similar roles and picking out buzzwords. These are usually located under the ‘responsibilities’ and ‘role requirement’ sections. It’s also worth scanning the company’s website to get a better understanding of their values and select words that correlate. We’ve collated some ideas below to get you started: 

 

  • Physical therapy
  • Orthopaedic rehabilitation 
  • Injury prevention 
  • Critical thinking
  • Physical dexterity
  • Time management

 

Note that there are a mixture of soft skills, hard skills and industry buzzwords here as it’s important to include a variety – the more keywords the better, in fact!

 

Congratulations, your CV is ready to go! Now it’s time to get applying. Browse our career opportunities here and find your next physiotherapist role today.