Resume tips often focus on formatting and key words, but the real work of building an impressive resume begins years before you apply for the job. A template might make your resume look lovely, but the qualifications that will make you stand out cannot be achieved within a Word document. This article will discuss resume building for neurodiagnostic technologists, focusing on the activities and qualifications that form the building blocks of a stand-out resume.
Experience
Does your experience make you a suitable candidate for the job you want? For example, consider an EEG technologist who wants to transition to remote monitoring but whose only work experience is outpatient EEG. Remote monitoring technologists monitor all ages, from neonates to older adults, and in all environments, like the EMU and ICU. A technologist whose background has been exclusively performing routine adult EEGs in an outpatient clinic might lack sufficient experience for remote monitoring.
Look at job descriptions now for the job you want to have one to three years from now, and specifically look at the desired experience. Identify the experience that you are missing and find a way to obtain it. Whether you secure a “stepping stone” job to help you gain the needed experience or take a PRN job on the side for a year or two, do not wait until you are looking for a new job to identify the gaps in your experience. Also, consider supplementing areas of deficient expertise with continuing education. Visit the ASET store to find courses and webinars by topic.
Certifications
Consider this scenario, which the author of this article has observed more than once: Victor (pseudonym) works for a hospital that does not require ABRET credentials, so he does not get certified. Several years later, he decides that he wants a new job (or wants to move to another city) and discovers that other employers expect credentials. Now, he feels that he must scramble to get certified, but it has been several years since his graduation, and he is rusty about numerous concepts covered in the exam. Technologists who do not pursue credentials limit their future options for employment and promotion. Please be kind to your future self: get certified if you have not already.
While all technologists should pursue credentials, having only the minimal credentials for your area of practice will do little to set you above other candidates. Completing a certificate course gives a boost to your resume and elevates you above candidates who have only achieved the bare minimum.
Many certificates are available in our field, and some require only a modest investment of time. Be strategic in your choice of certificates. Do you want to work in the EMU? Consider the ASET Skin Safety course (free for members) or other LTM courses. Do you aspire to the role of NeuroAnalyst? Take the Critical Care EEG Monitoring Research Consortium (CCEMRC) Self-Assessment Examination on the ACNS Critical Care Terminology. Do you work in intraoperative neuromonitoring? Maybe the ABRET CNIM Specialist in IOM Complex Spine is a good choice. The options abound.
Software
Our field is technical, so another way to stand out is to learn new software or learn more about the software that you already use. To provide a few examples, if you want to get into remote EEG monitoring, it might be helpful to learn another widely used EEG software program if you are only familiar with one. EEG technologists can also dive deeper into software features like building protocols or customizing annotations, or they can learn advanced Persyst tools, like calculating the spike index. Achieving an expert level of technical knowledge can set you apart from other candidates.
Leadership
Leadership ability is an attractive quality for a variety of roles, and volunteerism, mentorship, and clinical preceptorship are excellent ways to gain leadership experience. The benefit of volunteering goes beyond simply listing volunteer experience on your resume: volunteers learn valuable transferrable skills. The experience gained depends on the volunteer role. For example, an ASET chapter president might learn about project coordination, team management, event planning, and marketing techniques. Mentorship and preceptorship also allow you to highlight your leadership abilities on your resume. These positions may be paid or unpaid, but all give you an opportunity to develop coaching and interpersonal skills and highlight your commitment to growth.
Volunteer opportunities are available through ASET, ABRET, and other organizations related to our profession. Information about ASET committees and calls for volunteers are available on our website. Depending on where you work, your organization might also offer volunteer opportunities. If you are interested in becoming a clinical preceptor and need help connecting with schools, contact us or view the list of neurodiagnostic schools on our website.
Education
Lastly, job descriptions include minimal and preferred education. Aim to have the preferred education for the job that you want. Several roles in our field require or prefer a bachelor’s degree, including NeuroAnalyst, lab supervisor, and education specialist. The good news is that online B.S. programs are available, and many will allow you to transfer credits from previously earned degrees or even grant college credit for a neurodiagnostic credential. A list of bachelor’s degree programs can be found on the Neurodiagnostic Schools page of our website, and a list of programs that offer college credit for neurodiagnostic credentials can be found on our College Credit for Credentials page.
Conclusion
In summary, take steps now for the position you want one to three or even five years from now. Job search sites like Indeed allow you to subscribe to notifications about a particular job title posted in your area. Sign up to be notified anytime your ideal job is posted and start checking the required experience and qualifications. Identify the gaps and work to close them so that you will be a stand-out candidate when the time comes to make your move. If you want to stay in your organization but climb the ranks, talk to your supervisor or mentor about strategies to develop your skills to position yourself for advancement.
