As a caregiver, you do the important work of meeting the personal, emotional, and health care needs of your clients. Your caregiver resume should demonstrate this ability and prove to hiring managers you can act as a trusted advocate. This guide will teach you how to write an effective resume highlighting your capacity to care for the recovering, elderly, and disabled.
When writing your resume, use a professional template to ensure you cover all the major aspects of your health care career. A strong caregiver resume will include these sections:
At the top of the page, provide your full name, phone number, email address, location, and a link to your online professional profile. Check your contact information for errors before submitting your caregiver resume to make sure potential clients and hiring managers can reach you for an interview.
Your Name
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
City, State Abbreviation Zip Code
LinkedIn | Portfolio
Introduce yourself and draw in the reader with a brief, compelling resume profile. In a few sentences, mention your job title, years of experience, and a few strengths or specializations. Prove that you’re qualified to work in their home or facility setting by highlighting those qualities the hiring manager is looking for, and include a few keywords from the job ad.
Compassionate caregiver with over seven years of experience in home health and senior living environments. Proven track record of providing exceptional care to a diverse client population. Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) adept in activities of daily living, medication administration, and nutritional support. Recognized for maintaining a 95% client satisfaction rating.
In caregiving, every client is unique, and so is every job. To show hiring managers you have the specific caregiver skills they’re looking for, create a list of abilities that align with those required of the job. For example, if they need someone with experience in Alzheimer’s support, be sure to mention skills you have related to caring for dementia clients.
Hard Skills | Soft Skills |
---|---|
Alzheimer’s and dementia care | Compassion |
Basic life support (BLS) | Cultural sensitivity |
Emergency response | Emotional intelligence |
Hygiene assistance | Empathy |
Medication administration | Patience |
Mobility assistance | Reliability |
Nutritional planning and preparation | Resilience |
Record keeping | Respect |
Vitals monitoring | Teamwork |
Wound care | Time management |
Using action verbs in your resume helps to bring your daily caregiving activities to life. Instead of just saying you were responsible for a task, these dynamic words illustrate your work in action. So, start each bullet point in your professional experience section with a verb to show how you interacted with and cared for your clients. Use the words below to liven up your caregiver resume:
Action Verbs | |
---|---|
Administered | Assisted |
Coordinated | Demonstrated |
Encouraged | Guided |
Implemented | Monitored |
Nurtured | Organized |
Provided | Recorded |
Supported | Trained |
Transported |
When describing your work history, list what you did in each role, but think of them as more than just tasks. Describe the daily activities you managed, how you cared for clients, and the emotional support you provided. Show the depth of your role and how you made a difference in the lives of your clients. Where possible, use numbers to give value to your accomplishments.
Senior Caregiver, Virginia Place, Merrillville, IN
June 2018 – present
Home Health Aide, ABC Homecare Services, Highland, IN
March 2016 – May 2018
Numbers provide a tangible way for employers to see your impact as a caregiver. So, think about moments in previous roles that you could measure with numerical values. How many clients did you care for? Did you improve a process by a certain percentage? Demonstrate the positive, quantifiable difference made in the lives of your clients.
Although the demand for home health and personal care aides is projected to increase at a much faster than average rate, competition will be tough for the best jobs. Just like you tailor your approach to each client, you must adjust your resume for each job application.
Pay attention to the specific words and phrases used in the job listing. For example, if they talk about “client support,” use that phrase in your resume. This strategy shows that you’ve put thought into your application and that you understand what this specific role entails.
You may be new to the field, but your resume can still prove you have what it takes to be a great caregiver. Instead of detailing a long work history, focus on your relevant education and training. List pertinent degrees, coursework, and workshops to demonstrate that you have a foundation of knowledge to draw on.
Think of the skills you’ve gained from other areas of your life relevant to caregiving. Volunteering at a nursing home, caring for a family member, and working in customer service are all experiences that teach critical skills like compassion, patience, and effective communication.
Whether it’s a high school diploma or a college degree, list your highest level of education. In addition to your academic background, include any relevant certifications and licenses. If you’re a CNA, hiring managers should know. Are you certified in Basic Life Support (BLS), CPR, first aid, or other specializations? List those on your resume as well.
Education
High School Diploma, September 2008 – June 2012
Highland High School, Highland, IN
Certifications
Your Name
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
City, State Abbreviation zip code
LinkedIn | Portfolio
Compassionate caregiver with over seven years of experience in home health and senior living environments. Proven track record of providing exceptional care to a diverse client population. CNA adept in activities of daily living, medication administration, and nutritional support. Recognized for maintaining a 95% client satisfaction rating.
Senior Caregiver, Virginia Place, Merrillville, IN
June 2018 – present
Home Health Aide, ABC Homecare Services, Highland, IN
March 2016 – May 2018
High School Diploma, September 2008 – June 2012
Highland High School, Highland, IN
ResumeTemplates offers free, HR approved resume templates to help you create a professional resume in minutes. Choose from several template options and even pre-populate a resume from your profile.