In general, the process of applying to jobs can be extremely nerve-wracking. If you’re in the healthcare field, you may experience feeling even more pressure than job seekers within other industries. That feeling is because the application process within healthcare has a few drastically different components. Hiring managers are looking for much more than relevant experience; they’re looking for candidates who are passionate, qualified, and are more than prepared to handle the responsibilities of the job. To help make yourself a highly desirable candidate and land that interview, we’ve compiled some tips.

1. Ensure your previous experience is pertinent (or volunteer to boost it)

Now, I know this point may seem like a no-brainer. But when you are applying to jobs in the healthcare field, they are going to focus on experience that is directly related to the specific department or specialty you are applying to.

If you do not have experience related to the employment opportunity, this does not mean you should not apply. Instead, you may need to consider volunteering to help boost your resume. Try looking into these organizations for more volunteer opportunities:

• Reach out to your local hospitals or health-care clinics
• Healthcarevolunteer.com
• Publichealth.org/volunteer
• Volunteersinmedicine.org

2. Quantify your accomplishments and make it personal

Any experience you have should be quantified to give your potential employer a clear picture of just how significant these accomplishments were. Do not just list responsibilities, but talk about how many people you trained or percentages to show the change or impact you had on an outcome.

With permission, you should also try to make these impacts have a personal touch. The healthcare field is all about compassion, empathy, and caring for people, so be sure to illuminate these characteristics when speaking about your accomplishments.

3. Do not be afraid to brag

Although experience is generally what employers weigh the heaviest, most managers also want well-rounded individuals as part of their staff. Make sure to include leadership or organizational involvement. And as mentioned previously, quantify any projects, training, or other professional experiences that you were involved in.

These details can also be beneficial if you were involved in any medical or healthcare organizations. It can be helpful for you to also understand the difference between hard skills and soft skills. To help, we’ve outlined some tips for you here as well.

4. Be cautious when listing your references

Often times, people want to list the person with the highest title on their resume as a reference. Although this can be great if the person is well known within the field, you also want to ensure that if asked, that person will speak highly of you.

When asking someone to be a reference, you will want to be upfront with your request. Ask them, “What traits do you think I have that would make me a good candidate for this job I am applying to?” Or, “What areas do you think I need to improve on?” This may give you an idea of how they truly feel about you and if it is a good idea for you to list them.

5. Edit and then edit some more

Nothing turns away a potential employer quite like spelling mistakes or grammatical errors. Always have at least two to three other people read your resume to ensure there is nothing you missed. Try to pick people that you know are going to be critical and not just tell you your resume is great because they are your best friend. If you need assistance, BrandResumes is here to help!

Trying to land that dream job or break into a new field can be frustrating. But at the end of the day, knowing you are a good candidate and putting in the hours makes all the difference. We hope you found these tips helpful and wish you nothing but luck in your future job search!