Resume Writing Tips for Allied Health Professionals

You’ve graduated with your degree for an allied health field. 

Now what? 

First of all, it’s important to identify what area of this broad career path you want to pursue. From pharmaceuticals, psychology, and social work to counselling and senior care, there is truly an avenue for everyone. With your degree from Bryan University in hand, you are fully equipped for whichever one holds the most interest for you. 

Highlight Your Skills

As with any resume, the key is to highlight your skills, knowledge, and experience in all relevant positions you’ve held. Whether they were volunteer-based or paid work, anything pertinent to your career path will be useful for future employers to gauge your qualifications. It can be helpful to show a variety of settings for your work experience. For example, work in a commercial hospital as well as a private practice or specialty clinic can show diversity in your skill set. 

Purpose of a Resume

A common mistake with resumes, however, is misunderstanding of their purpose. A resume exists to get you an interview. The biggest mistake many people make with their resume is a need to include any and all experience and achievements. While this may be acceptable with more temporary positions, this is important to avoid when applying for your intended career. 

The key here is relevance. Experience, skills, and education specifically pertinent to the field you are working to get into. For allied health, you want to include

Accomplishments and Responsibilities

If you don’t have relevant work experience, supplement your resume with accomplishments and responsibilities from your educational career. Things like GPA, academic honors, and anything else to show your strengths in this vocation.

References 

Finally, you’ll want to conclude your resume with references. A reference is someone in your life who can be trusted to give a positive testimony to your credibility and work readiness. Whether it’s a previous employer, an instructor, or a mentor, a good reference is anyone who can attest to the skills and experience listed in your resume. A good rule of thumb is three listed references. 

You can use someone from your personal life as a character reference, someone from your professional life as a skill reference, and an instructor to attest to your academic proficiency. Ask permission from the person before using them for a reference.

Editing & Formatting

Now that your resume is complete, comb back through it to make sure it is as polished and professional as it can be. After all, the first impression of you as a candidate is this document. Comb through the document with two things in mind: clarity and cleanliness. Stay far away from outlandish fonts or excessive coloring. Less is more when it comes to a professional appearance. If you do want to use color, try using the colors of the company for which you’re applying. This is a subtle touch that will separate you from the rest. 

Make sure your resume is saved as a PDF, this will lock in your formatting and spacing as well as prevent any accidental edits. Not to mention, this looks much more formal and complete when it lands on your employers desktop. 

Submit

After the final check is complete, your resume is ready to be submitted. After sending to your prospective employer, you can make sure your name is remembered by connecting with staff members on LinkedIn or following up via phone call. 

Bryan University Can Help!

Though the resume is written, the work isn’t done. Get a jump on the next step by brushing up on those interview skills for your allied health career. Need assistance? Bryan University can help! Contact us today!