Be Memorable To Land The Job
If you’ve ever peppered your resume and cover letter with keywords like “team player” and “fast learner,” you’re not alone. You’re also not alone if your job-search strategy got you nowhere. It’s likely because while you made it through the employers’ job-matching software, where candidate skills get matched with desired skills, a real person had to read your resume in the end. Real people aren’t impressed with a bunch of catch phrases. They are moved by compelling examples and stories that demonstrate your uniqueness.
Whether you want to be a canadian pharmacy massage therapist, physical therapist, medical assistant, surgical technician – or pursue any career in the industry – these handy tips will help you prepare your materials and land an interview.
Dazzle Them With Your Resume
Your resume is your billboard and the most important tool in your arsenal. Sometimes your cover letter won’t make it through to the hiring manager’s desk, but your resume will for sure. This is why it’s critical to show off your quantifiable accomplishments as well as your soft skills. The idea is to demonstrate all the ways you made solid contributions in your past, not simply to impress them with the fact that you went to the American College of Healthcare and Technology.
As you draft your bullet points, be sure to include the specific skills desired for the job you want, but then take it further and include numbers and facts to demonstrate your competency in the area. If you say you’re an “efficient veterinary assistant,” be sure to back it up with some substance.
For example, you might say, “Designed and executed implementation of a new boarding intake program that cut client wait times by 30 percent and resulted in a 50 percent return rate for future boarding.”
Cover the Highlights in Your Cover Letter
While there’s no guarantee that your cover letter will be read, absolutely include one with your resume. At this point, it’s your only chance to personalize your job search and the best opportunity to make the hiring manager want to learn more.
While you’re drafting it, select a handful of the desired skills for the position and develop stories around those skills. Your job is to explain why you’re the best candidate and suited to land the new dental assistant job in Riverside CA, for example. If the job description asks for attention to detail and strong interpersonal skills, tell a story to that effect.
For example, you might say, “As the assistant for a highly reputable dentist in Huntington Park CA, I took the initiative to cross-check all of my patient files for accuracy every Friday afternoon. Knowing the importance of having a strong rapport with patients, I made extra notes related to their situations so our staff could better engage with them on return visits.”
Intrigue Them in the Interview
Interviewing techniques vary greatly, and while your interviewer may not directly ask you to describe your skills, look for an opportunity to weave them into the conversation. It doesn’t hurt to answer the question, and then follow up with one of your skill sets.
If you’re asked to describe a time when you mentored someone, for example, you can answer the question directly, but then be sure to tell a specific story to support it. This technique will make you stand out among the candidates.
“In the medical billing and coding industry, it’s important to have a mentor and serve as one to other students and young professionals. But mentorship isn’t limited to a specific field. For example, in my last class, I served as a mentor to a pharmacy technician student. He was unsure how to successfully complete school while juggling his job search across the country. I am adept at managing my time, and I spent one evening a week with him, showing him how to make a calendar and prioritize his time. This was a rewarding experience that helped me fine tune my skills and it launched him on his way.”
Before you’re tempted to stuff your resume with keywords you think employers want, take a moment to reflect on the stories that will make you memorable. Expand your vocabulary, elaborate on your uniqueness and share your experiences to land the job.
American College of Healthcare and Technology has two convenient locations.
Our Huntington Park campus proudly serves the following communities: Bell, Bell Gardens, Compton, Southgate, Los Angeles, Vernon, Maywood, Cudahy, Florence, South Central LA, Watts, Lynwood, City of industry, Lawndale, Paramount, Inglewood, Commerce, Downy, Norwalk, Santa Fe Springs, Carson, Long Beach, Bellflower, Pico Rivera, Montebello, Whittier, Gardena, Hawthorne, El Monte, La Puente, Monterrey Park.
Our Riverside campus proudly serves the following communities: Corona, Moreno Valley, Norco, Lake Elsinore, Perris, La Sierra, Arlington, Jurupa Valley, Rialto, Pedley, Mira Loma, Rubidoux, Bloomington, Colton, San Bernardino, Redlands, Wildomar, Temecula, Murrieta, Loma Linda, Fontana, Grand Terrace, and Glen Avon.
11801 Pierce St., Suite 100
Riverside, California 92505
(951) 729-5320
6606 Pacific Blvd, Suite 204
Huntington Park, California 90255
(323) 585-9000