Resume Tips for Entry-Level Healthcare Candidates

Preparing an excellent resume is the key to getting the job, no matter the level. For entry-level healthcare jobs, a CV should not exceed one page. It should also be designed to score matches with the ATS system. It is also key to include certifications and soft skills backed up by relevant experience & examples. Lean into your experience or education and show how your skills can be transferred into success in the healthcare job.

Key Takeaways

Keep your resume short; be brief about non-healthcare experience and elaborate on healthcare experiences and relevant education.
Optimize for ATS – predict what keywords will be used and utilize them in your resume.
Prove your impact – use the action → effect formula in your past job descriptions.

5 entry-level healthcare job resume writing tips

Even with the best experience, you might not get invited to the interview if the ATS system does not choose your resume; even little experience in the medical field can be turned into a weapon that will land you the job. So, how do you write a good entry-level healthcare CV? Here are 5 crucial tips:

Write with Keywords in Mind

Most healthcare facilities utilize ATS (Applicant Tracking System) software to weed out candidates. These fully automated systems scan resumes for keywords: specific phrases chosen by the recruiter. Therefore, it is crucial to adjust the language in the resume to match them.

How to know which phrases may be included and optimize for them?

Check the job posting – the exact phrasing used in it shows which phrases should be included in the resume. Do not use synonyms for the same systems or responsibilities, unless you have already used the exact phrase from the posting.
Include both spelled-out terms and abbreviations – some ATS systems will search for both, while others just for one. By including both the full and abbreviated variants, you increase the chance of matching with the system.
Use the keywords naturally – the keywords need to be included in the resume, but at the same time, if they are stuffed unnaturally, they will be flagged by the system.
Use the PDF format if possible – unless the application specifically requires a DOCX file, the PDF will be a better choice since modern ATS systems are used to handling such documents.

Focus on healthcare experience

Expand on these sections of your experience that are related directly to healthcare. At the same time, do not omit other experience – explain it briefly, ideally with the connection to the soft skills required for the job.

What if you do not have much experience? Focus on your academics instead, underlining the skills and knowledge required for that specific position.

Check for job-specific skills and include them

Every entry-level healthcare job might require a different skill set. For instance, it is possible to become a medical scribe with no experience, but some hard skills are required, one of which is fast typing. Hence, for this role, you should test your speed (in words per minute or WPM) online and include this information in your resume.

List your soft skills with experience to back it up

Healthcare jobs require a certain number of soft skills, namely:

empathy,
communication,
attention to detail,
stress management,
teamwork,
adaptability.

If you have any non-healthcare experience that may back them up, it is good to use it to demonstrate your skills, rather than just list them. For example, you can showcase empathy by working with charities or not-for-profit organizations.

Structure your bullet points: Action → Effect

Listing responsibilities does not show your impact; the effect does. Therefore, our tip for writing a good CV is to show how you made a change in your role. For instance:

Wrong	Good
Helped nurses on the floor and brought water to patients.	Assisted nursing staff across 3 inpatient units by delivering patient comfort care and streamlining room prep, increasing daily turnover speed for incoming admissions.

Entry-level healthcare jobs you can apply for

Having read our tips, you are ready to prepare your entry-level healthcare resume. The list of opportunities, even without experience, is broad, including roles such as: