Submitting your resume for scrutiny to a recruiting firm or hiring manager may or may not lead to a job change. The health system CIO job market is fiercely competitive. How can you make sure your resume will be read and provoke interest?
Recruiters look for key qualifiers on a resume that match a position requirement, like titles, health IT accomplishments, education, etc. Many candidates forget to describe employers on their resumes, and leave off key facts that could set them apart. Since this is a common resume mistake in healthcare IT, I thought it would be worth discussing in this blog.
Avoid listing just the name
Stating just the name and location of your employers on your resume is not enough. Here are some examples of how not to list employers:
- St. Mary’s Medical Center,
- Baptist Southeast
- Children’s Hospital
Educate your reader
Include key facts about your employers, including: size, scope, locations, complexity, and affiliations with larger integrated delivery systems. Other key facts such as number of employees, physicians, facilities, merger and acquisition information, awards, and HIMSS Analytics EMR Adoption Level are also good additions.
1. Short descriptive examples
These examples give the reader some facts:
Catholic Health East/Mercy Hospital, Miami, FL
Mercy Hospital is a 473-bed acute care facility with 3,000+ employees and over 700 affiliated physicians
Hudson Bay Medical Center, Baltimore, MD
A 700-bed Joint Commission accredited academic medical center nationally recognized for its geriatric center
2. Medium-length descriptive examples
These examples provide more detail about the employers:
Medwest Health, Denver, CO
The largest health system in the Denver region with $5.8 billion of annual revenue; comprised of eight hospitals and 25,000 employees that provide quality healthcare services annually to more than 150,000 inpatients and over 500,000 outpatients.
Cerner Corporation, Kansas City, MO
A global healthcare information technology corporation with $1.3 billion of annual revenue that offers its 6,000 health organization clients information solutions to optimize and improve their healthcare processes.
Keane Healthcare Solutions, Hunt Valley, MD
A global services firm that offers healthcare solutions via consulting, technology, and out-sourcing services that drive improvements to their clients’ business performance.
Grandview and Southview Hospital, Dayton, OH
A two-hospital system (450 and 50 beds, respectively) located in Dayton, OH, affiliated with Ohio University School of Osteopathic Medicine. Specialties include heart care, rehabilitation, women’s health, orthopedics, cancer care, and brain/spine.
3. Longer length descriptive examples
Longer descriptions add many more facts and provide the reader with a stronger impression of the employer:
Martin Memorial Health Systems, Stuart, FL
Martin Memorial Health Systems is comprised of two hospitals, three Medicenters, and numerous centers and clinics. The system is a not-for-profit, community-based health care organization that offers preventative, primary, and acute hospital care, as well as cancer care, wellness and rehabilitation services, and much more. MMHS facilities provide care for residents throughout the Treasure Coast, including Stuart, Jensen Beach, Hobe Sound, Palm City and Port St. Lucie. The health system is comprised of two hospitals with a combined total of 344 beds — 244 at Martin Memorial Medical Center, and 100 at Martin Memorial Hospital South. Construction of a third hospital with 82 beds in Tradition, FL is underway. About 400 doctors and 2,900 employees are dedicated to Martin.
Catholic Health East (CHE), Newtown Square, PA
Catholic Health East is a multi-institutional, faith-based health system with over $5 billion in revenues and facilities located in 11 eastern states from Maine to Florida. The system includes 34 acute care hospitals, four long-term acute care hospitals, 25 freestanding and hospital-based long term care facilities, 14 assisted living facilities, four continuing care retirement communities, eight behavioral health and rehabilitation facilities, 37 home health/hospice agencies, and numerous ambulatory and community-based health services. Catholic Health East facilities employ approximately 54,000 full-time employees.
Jackson Health System, Miami, FL
Jackson Health System is a $2 billion integrated healthcare delivery system with more than 12,000 employees. Jackson Health System consists of five acute care hospitals totaling 2,139 beds, 10 primary care centers, 17 school-based clinics, two long-term care nursing facilities, and an outpatient diagnostic center care. Jackson is the primary teaching hospital of the University of Miami School of Medicine.
Whether or not you are looking for a new health system CIO role, consider adding brief, italicized descriptions of current and past employers to your resume. It helps the reader of your resume understand the scope, size, and complexity of your work experience. Your employers’ reputations in the healthcare industry can add credibility and trigger interest in you as a potential candidate and the right fit for a hiring organization.
Anthony Guerra says
Great stuff Bonnie! Very practical and helpful.
Bonnie Siegel says
Thanks Anthony1
Crafting a winning resume is a true art, and adding the company bios can really help.