Job Skills: Health Unit Coordinator

The demand for Health Unit Coordinators is growing, and while We Care Online has a class that can teach you the skills to be an effective HUC, none of that matters until you have a job offer. How can you get from training to employment? The first step is to have an eye-catching resume. A resume is your first impression with a potential employer, and you don't want a human resource manager to say "good enough", you want a "Wow"!

Many people turn to an internet search when it's time to write a resume. That's a good starting point, but unless you go further, you'll end up with a resume identical to everyone else.

Let's take this one for example:
http://www.samplesofresume.org/coordinator/health-unit-coordinator-resume.html

It's generally good (despite a few typos), but doesn't really have that wow factor. For starters, it's too long. All that contact information at the top? Far too much! These days most employers will contact you by phone or email, so lead with your name in a slightly larger font, then include your phone number and an email address below it.

Objective? Skip it! Your objective is to get the job you're submitting a resume for, so prove that you're the best candidate and don't waste the hiring manager's time with general goals or objectives. Skills? Yes, this is where it gets good. This is your one shot to tell the person reading your resume that you are the best candidate for the job. Start by reading the job posting carefully. Pay attention to the words they use and make sure those words are in your skill list. For example, if the post says "responsible for multi-line phone system" and you have experience with a switchboard, say so! You don't need to address every single point in a job posting, but the more you can show you're qualified for, the better.

The best way to stand out from the crowd is to give the hiring manager specific reasons why he or she should pick you. Anything you can do to quantify or put a number to your skills will help. Don't just say you managed the workflow for a busy front office. Say you managed calendars for a staff of 15. Don't say you have good time management skills. Give an example of several things you successfully juggled on a daily basis. Say just enough to get your point across, but don't overwhelm the reader with too many details.

Pick four or five of your absolute best examples and use those for your bullet points. Skip the generic responses ("good oral and written skills", "computer literate") and instead be specific. Good with computers? List software or operating systems that you know. Good with words? Mention how you wrote reports or a quarterly newsletter at a previous job.

Finally, if you're just entering the work force and don't have years of work experience to draw on, don't panic. Many of the skills essential to the Health Unit Coordinator position are skills anyone uses while in school. Time management, computer tasks, formal writing, etc. Focus on the unique skills and talents that set you apart from every other candidate and you'll really boost your chances at getting a callback.
 
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