RESUME MISTAKES
Stop Surgical Resume Slip-Ups
Identify and correct the top mistakes that keep hiring managers from calling you back.
How This Page Helps
Help surgeons craft a precise, ATS‑friendly resume that showcases clinical expertise, leadership, and research achievements.
Spot vague skill descriptions
Eliminate non‑clinical jargon
Format for ATS parsing
Highlight board certification and specialties
Showcase research and publications effectively
Common Mistakes That Kill Your Chances
Each mistake includes why it hurts, how to fix it, and before/after examples
Using generic job titlesHIGH
Why it hurts
- Hiring managers can’t see your specific surgical role
- ATS may not match specialty keywords
How to fix
- Replace generic titles with exact titles like 'Cardiothoracic Surgeon' or 'General Surgery Attending'
- Add subspecialty and hospital affiliation
❌ Before
Surgeon at XYZ Hospital
✓ After
Cardiothoracic Surgeon – XYZ Hospital, Boston, MA
ATS Tip
Include the exact specialty term used in the job posting.
Detection Rules
title contains 'Surgeon' without specialty
no subspecialty mentioned
Resumly Tip
Our parser flags generic titles and suggests precise equivalents.
Listing duties instead of achievementsHIGH
Why it hurts
- Doesn’t demonstrate impact
- ATS looks for quantifiable results
How to fix
- Convert duties to outcome‑focused bullet points
- Include numbers: cases performed, success rates, etc.
❌ Before
Performed surgeries and managed patient care.
✓ After
Performed 150+ cardiac bypass surgeries with a 98% survival rate, reducing average ICU stay by 1.2 days.
ATS Tip
Start bullets with action verbs and embed metrics.
Detection Rules
bullet points start with verbs like 'Performed' without metrics
no numbers present
Resumly Tip
Resumly highlights missing metrics and suggests quantification.
Omitting board certification and licensure detailsMEDIUM
Why it hurts
- Credentials are critical for surgical roles
- ATS may filter out unverified candidates
How to fix
- Add a dedicated 'Certifications' section
- List board certification, state license, and expiration dates
❌ Before
Licensed physician.
✓ After
Board Certified in General Surgery, American Board of Surgery (2020); State Medical License, NY (Active)
ATS Tip
Use exact certification names as keywords.
Detection Rules
no 'Certifications' heading
missing 'Board Certified' phrase
Resumly Tip
Our tool auto‑detects missing certification fields.
Using non‑standard date formatsLOW
Why it hurts
- ATS may misread employment dates
- Hiring managers struggle to gauge timeline
How to fix
- Use MM/YYYY format for all dates
- Keep consistency across all entries
❌ Before
June 2018 – Present
✓ After
06/2018 – Present
ATS Tip
MM/YYYY is universally parsed.
Detection Rules
date contains month name
inconsistent date separators
Resumly Tip
Resumly flags any date not matching MM/YYYY.
Overloading the resume with unrelated researchMEDIUM
Why it hurts
- Dilutes focus on clinical expertise
- ATS may lower relevance score
How to fix
- Create a separate 'Research & Publications' section
- Limit to peer‑reviewed work directly related to surgery
❌ Before
Published 20 papers on various topics.
✓ After
Research & Publications: • 'Minimally Invasive Techniques in Hepatobiliary Surgery', JAMA Surg, 2022 (Lead Author)
ATS Tip
Label the section clearly for keyword matching.
Detection Rules
research bullets mixed with clinical experience
no separate heading
Resumly Tip
Our analyzer suggests moving research to its own section.
Formatting Guidelines
File Types: PDF, DOCX
Sections: Contact Information, Professional Summary, Core Competencies, Clinical Experience, Certifications, Research & Publications, Professional Memberships, Education
Naming: FirstName_LastName_Surgeon.pdf
Consistency
Length: 1‑2 pages (max 2 for senior surgeons)
Date Format: MM/YYYY
Location Format: City, State
Resume Quality Checklist
- Use precise surgical titles
- Quantify case volume and outcomes
- List board certification and licenses
- Format dates as MM/YYYY
- Separate research into its own section
- Include relevant keywords from the job posting
- Keep resume under 2 pages
- Save as PDF with a clear file name
ATS Alignment Guide
Common ATS Systems: iCIMS, Taleo, Greenhouse, Workday, Lever
Keyword Strategy: Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Board Certified, Minimally Invasive, ICU, Bypass, Research, Publications
Heading Format: Use standard headings like 'Clinical Experience' and 'Certifications' to ensure ATS mapping.
Quick Fix Workshop
Paste your current surgeon resume text
- Replace generic titles with specific specialties
- Add quantifiable results to each bullet
- Insert certification block
- Standardize dates
- Create separate research section
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