Get your physiotherapy CV out there
By Gemma Raw
You've written your CV and you're all set to find your dream physiotherapy role. Now what? Here are some tips for getting yourself noticed by recruiters.
Writing your CV is just the first step towards landing the perfect job. Once you've created a well-crafted summary of your qualifications and experience as a physiotherapist, it's time to think about how and where you're going to distribute it to get maximum exposure and have the best chance of being selected for interview.
One size doesn't fit all
The first thing to do – before you hit the send button or drop your envelope in the mail – is to make sure your CV is tailored rather than generic. This is more difficult if you're sending the CV on spec, rather than applying for a specific physiotherapy position. However, you can research the potential recruiter and make sure you've bigged up the key skills and experience you have that match the kind of roles they generally offer.
Add a covering letter
If you're sending your CV out speculatively to potential employers, it's important to include a covering letter. It's an opportunity to introduce yourself, as well as highlighting your key skills, strengths and attributes. You can also write in your own personal voice, rather than the more formal, bullet-point style of your CV. Once again, make sure you tailor the letter to the recipient and type of physiotherapy job you're in the market for.
Online or traditional mail?
These days the majority of recruitment is done online, so uploading your CV to job sites or agencies, or distributing it by email directly to recruiters, is probably the best way to get results. However, using traditional mail to target a few carefully selected potential employers may be effective, mainly because you'll immediately have the advantage of standing out from the crowd.
Optimise your CV with keywords
Many recruiters and job sites use search engines to sift CVs, so make sure you've included keywords and key phrases. For physiotherapy jobs, typical search terms include 'rehabilitation therapy', 'electrotherapy', 'learning disabilities physiotherapist', 'HCPC registered', 'respiratory physiotherapy', 'neurological physiotherapy', 'pediatrics' and 'geriatrics'.
Wider networking
Remember, it's not just through job sites, recruitment agencies and potential employers that you'll get to hear about physiotherapy jobs that might be of interest to you. Networking with physiotherapists and other healthcare professionals such as occupational therapists can also lead to job opportunities. It's not a good idea to just upload your CV to networking sites because of the potential for identity fraud. However, you may find new contacts to whom you can directly send it or who may introduce you to colleagues who are recruiting.
If you’re ready to find your next physiotherapy job role, why not look at our latest vacancies?
