Every eyecare specialist, such as optometrists, ophthalmologists, and even non-customer-facing roles such as optical business development managers, needs a good, strong CV when searching for a new role. Below, we’ve listed how you can craft a professional optical CV to get the best engagement.
We always recommend that your CV should be a one to two-page document that summarises your experience and credentials, any relevant skills, training, and education, as well as a brief summary of you as a professional.
The basics that your eyecare CV should include are:
The above are the basics you’ll need in your CV, however, you can develop these further and produce a higher-quality CV that might get you noticed quicker and easier by future employers. Consider including the following:
If you have had clinical experience previously, this is definitely a stand-out feature you should include and highlight on your CV. Note down the clinic name, the dates you worked there, and your specific job roles. Try to highlight the more relevant roles that you undertook that match the job you are applying for, plus any other speciality services that might set you apart from the competition.
If you’ve received any honours or awards, these are an especially important stand-out feature of your CV that you should highlight. This proves to employers that you are an expert in your field, and you have been publicly recognised for your work. This could include things such as scholarships, certificates, grants, and any other speciality awards you have received.
Although it’s not essential, having a section that explains your personal goals and achievements - whether they be immediate or future - can be a great point to highlight in your CV. Again, this can be something that sets you apart from the other applicants and lets the employer know a bit more about you and what you’d like to achieve.
Highlighting any relevant key skills on your CV is a great way to show a future employer that you are skilled in other aspects of the job as well. Thinks of things such as:
A CV should always be visually appealing and formatted in a way that is simple to follow and understand. Most people will skim-read a CV first before deciding if it's the one for them or not. Follow our tips below to make sure your CV is readable and eye-catching enough for a future employer to consider contacting you.
Make sure to keep the format of the document the same throughout. This will make it easier to read and follow. Plus, a neat format makes the CV look more professional.
We also suggest keeping the font style and size the same throughout, but you can use italics, bold and capitals to make anything stand out that you think should be highlighted. Always make sure that sentences start and finish on the same page. This makes it easier on the eyes as well as simpler to read.
Keep an eye on your margins too! Although you might want/need more space on your document, a standard margin keeps the document visually pleasing and makes your CV look less cluttered.
It can be easy to get things like your tenses mixed up. Maybe you started writing your CV late at night and in the past tense, but now you’ve realised the bottom half of your CV is in the present tense. Do a thorough proofread and make sure all sections of the document are written in the same tense. This should be the same for the verb forms you use when listing your skills and job roles you have undertaken.
Another important factor to consider when writing your eyecare CV is the target audience. Each potential employer and job role is different, so you may need to adapt your CV to cater to their needs. Some businesses may be better suited to a more casual tone of voice, whereas others might prefer longer paragraphs and more complex words and explanations. Do your research into the company you are applying for, and make sure your CV would appeal to them.
Here at Vision Executives, our mission is to deliver a confidential, targeted, and personal approach to ensure we find your perfect career. Not only do we help you with the recruitment process, but we also offer eyecare CV services to help you build the best resume you can to stand out from the crowd and gain the attention of future employers. It can be hard to think of all the factors we’ve listed above, and that’s why we help out throughout the entire process. Our CV writing service includes:
If you think this sounds exactly like something you could benefit from, contact us today for more information or with any questions you may have - we will be happy to help!