Leadership is a skill that employers want but don’t find as often as they’d like. Candidates may have backgrounds filled with duties and accomplishments, but when it comes to managing or putting a team together, employers want candidates who have the capability to take charge of projects, other employees, departments, etc. If it is your goal to demonstrate leadership skills (and you should), take some of these tips to heart.
- Communication. A good leader knows how to communicate with her team and those around her. She doesn’t talk “at” or “down” to them; she guides them and makes her goals, objectives, and expectations clear. On your resume, you may point out that you frequently led team meetings or took the top position on a project that yielded successful results. During an interview, you demonstrate those skills through examples of your direct interactions and discussing methods of communications you use with colleagues and other employees.
- Problem solving. Identify any situation where difficulty arose and you did something to alleviate it. List that in your resume and, when the inevitable “Tell me about a time you had to solve a problem” question comes up, have one additional concrete example ready that you can easily relate. Make the opportunity to shine, by demonstrating your grace under pressure and creativity in finding solutions, qualities any good leader should have.
- Expertise.You can’t be a competent leader if you don’t know your industry well. List any classes or workshops you’ve attended that reflect action taken to increase your knowledge. In an interview, discuss how you have used your expertise to instruct those around you and move your company forward. You may also want to add any innovations you came up with based on your knowledge. A quality leader will use her expertise to develop others and come up with new ideas.
- Organization. This doesn’t only have to do with keeping yourself organized, although being able to do so without instruction indicates a certain independence valued by employers. Leaders know how to organize their team, recognizing each participant’s strengths and utilizing this to the best possible advantage. Organization includes streamlining processes to increase efficiency and the ability to keep multiple plates spinning while not letting anything drop.
Employers want candidates with these types of strong skills. Take every opportunity to effectively demonstrate your leadership qualities to any future employer. Express and impress.
For more tips or help with your medical job search, reach out to the experienced staffing team at Medical Professionals today!
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