HIRED: Mnemonic Checklist to Help You Stand Out

By Maria Maldonado MD; Alan M. Hall, MD; Teela Crecelius MD

Whether you’re a first-time applicant or looking for a career change, applying for a hospitalist job can seem daunting. It can often prove difficult to differentiate yourself from other applicants. It is important to showcase your attributes and determine if a particular hospital medicine group or hospital system is a good fit for you. We developed a mnemonic checklist (HIRED) based on best practices as well as national survey data on top qualifications for hospitalist candidates to help you stand out as an applicant for hospital medicine.

H—Hone your application skills

An organization’s first impression of an applicant comes from the cover letter, curriculum vitae (CV), and additional application materials. Use a cover letter to promote your best qualities and state your specific interest in the job or region. Use action verbs in your CV to highlight your strengths and top qualifications, including comfort with acuity, procedures, and volume; interest in research, quality improvement, or education; and success of prior projects. Your CV should be clearly formatted with section titles and concise summaries instead of paragraphs. Ensure that you correct typos and grammatical errors before submission. Having a mentor or colleague review and provide feedback can be critical to your success. This is the place where you showcase what makes you stand out from other hospitalists—harness the power of your CV to showcase how you can make a positive impact on the organization.

I—Improve your interview skills

The most important thing you can do to prepare for an interview is practice! Much like preparing for a speaking engagement, practicing out loud ensures you do not stumble over words and helps further develop your thought process; you may say your answer out loud and then decide it does not convey the message or have the tone you had hoped for. Mock interviews with a colleague or mentor can be invaluable to provide additional feedback. Devote time to commonly asked questions, such as your background, interests, goals, and reasons for applying to this specific job.

Organizations commonly pose behavior-based interview questions to explore how you handled prior situations and gauge your interpersonal communication skills and problem-solving skills. Reflect on prior jobs or projects as well as performance reviews to ensure you have adequate information to form your responses. Consider scheduling your top choice institution after you have had other interviews, so you are more familiar with the interview process and better understand which questions to expect and ask of the institution. Focus on positive social interactions with staff members during your interview day and always pay attention to your body language. Demonstrate thoughtfulness—balance promoting yourself with modesty and self-awareness. If you have a virtual interview, ensure your camera and microphone function properly and that you choose a well-lit, quiet area with your cell phone on silent.

R—Research the organization

To help show your interest in the program and ensure the job fits you, it is vitally important to research the institution and the region where you are applying. Before you apply, ensure the program and the region can offer what you desire in terms of career and personal satisfaction. After you apply, your research should continue.

Key Components of the HIRED Checklist