Professional Caregiver Resume Examples, Formats & Writing Tips
Create a professional caregiver resume for a new job in an assisted living facility, a nursing home or in-home care, using these helpful caregiver resume examples, important skills to highlight and resume writing tips.
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Caregiver resume: featured example
An excellent way for caregivers to sharpen their resumes is by looking at caregiver resume examples. Use professionally prepared resume examples like this one and follow the tips below by our experts and you’ll be ready to write your own caregiver resume.
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Four keys to a top caregiver resume
Follow these tips to craft your best caregiver resume.
Tailor your resume to the job description
While you may be applying for multiple caregiver jobs at the same time, you should never send the same exact resume with each job application. Tailoring your resume to match the actual caregiver job posting ensures that you feature the right keywords listed as job requirements in the caregiver job description for resume. Keywords are typically in the form of required job skills and job responsibilities you will be asked to perform as a caregiver. Those keywords are critical for your resume to make it past applicant tracking systems (ATS) that are set up by hiring managers to select only the most qualified job candidate.
Feature relevant licenses and certifications as a caregiver
If your educational background includes a college degree, specialized training or caregiver-related licenses and certifications, you can list those credentials in an “Education Section” on your caregiver resume. This enhances your qualifications that you demonstrate in your resume’s “Work Experience” section. Some caregivers hold a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) credential while others may have acquired 40 hours of initial training to qualify to be a Home Health Aides (HHAs) for state-licensed agencies.
Show you have the right soft skills
While a caregiver will require specific hard skills like first aid, CPR, ability to prepare meals, a driver’s license and other related skills to provide efficient caregiving, it’s equally important to demonstrate soft skills like good communication, compassion, multitasking skills, organization and empathy. Featuring personality traits like these soft skills show employers that you will benefit the well-being of the patient making you the right candidate for the job.
Highlight care experiences
Most caregivers will be similar in terms of routine tasks and experiences in their work history, so highlight your most impressive on-the-job accomplishments. Attach quantifiable achievements so the recruiter or prospective employer recognizes your exemplary effort. For example, perhaps your dietary meal preparation and exercise regime helped an elderly patient lose 30 pounds and improve mobility, or you worked at a facility where you provided care to six residents simultaneously, each with different needs. If you’re just starting out in your caregiver career and lack professional experience, discussing any relevant volunteer experience can also be a valuable addition to your resume.
Action words for a compelling caregiver resume
Action words are a great way to energize a caregiver resume, particularly in your resume summary and work experience sections. These action verbs demonstrate that you have the right skills, experience and training to perform the caregiver role effectively. Here are some action words you can use to enhance your financial analyst resume:
Here are a list of action words you can use in a caregiver resume:
- Cared
- Administered
- Supported
- Monitored
- Organized
- Served
- Managed
- Aided
- Prepared
- Adapted
- Facilitated
- Supplied
- Provided
- Cooked
- Cleaned
- Laundered
Example of action words in a resume summary:
Senior level caregiver with more than 15 years of wellness experience working in both in-home and facility settings. Improved the patient’s quality of life and well-being by exceeding basic care including transport, meals, medication while offering companionship and support.
Example of action words in resume work experience section:
- Assisted elderly patients with walking or safely getting in and out of wheelchairs.
- Monitored patient vital signs throughout day and evening shifts.
- Reported changes in physical, mental and emotional conditions to nursing staff.
- Empowered residents to self-assist with individual tasks.
- Communicated with patients, family members and caregivers with updates and care plans.
- Transported clients to and from medical and physical therapy appointments.
To learn more about how to incorporate action verbs into your caregiver resume, check our action words article.
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Choose the right format for your resume
The format of your caregiver resume will depend on your level of experience and skills. The three resume formats caregivers have to choose from are:
- Reverse-chronological resume – This is the best resume format for a more experienced caregiver who has multiple years of direct caregiving experience. This format emphasizes your work experience and lists your relevant skills. Your work history is listed in reverse-chronological order with your most recent job at the top. This is the most common resume format and suits the majority of today’s professionals.
- Functional resume – This format is excellent for caregivers that are starting their careers or have limited relevant experience as it focuses on skills, hard skills and soft skills, instead of work history.
- Hybrid resume – This format combines the reverse-chronological and functional resume formats. It emphasizes work experience and skills and is suited for experienced caregivers.
Choosing the correct resume format for your level of experience provides you the best chance of showcasing your skills to a hiring manager.
20 key skills for your caregiver resume
There are two main types of skills prospective employers will look for in caregiver job candidates: hard skills (technical skills) and soft skills (personality traits). The caregiver’s hard skills may be physical and hands-on skills that revolve around the well-being of patients. The soft skills would be like compassion and empathy to help improve a client’s quality of life and daily living conditions.
Here are 20 skills to consider including in your caregiver resume:
- Relevant licenses and certifications such as a certified nursing assistant certification (CNA)
- Effective multitasking skills
- Strong communication
- Attentiveness/observation
- Interpersonal skills
- Empathetic, caring and patient demeanor
- Food shopping
- Meal preparation/feeding
- First aid
- Housekeeping duties
- Driver’s license
- Companionship
- Organization
- Critical thinking
- Compassion
- Time management
- Medication administration
- Bathing, dressing, grooming, toileting and oral care
- Physical strength
- Monitoring vital signs
If you need help with adding the right skills to your resume or just looking for a quicker way to write your resume, use our Resume Builder for step-by-step help putting together a professional caregiver resume.
Build my resumeHow to write a caregiver resume
Regardless of the resume format you select based on your experience level, the following sections will be featured on all the caregiver resumes that you write.
Resume header with contact information
Your caregiver resume header section should include your name, phone number, address, and email address. You may also add the link to your LinkedIn profile. In short, all your contact information should be available so a hiring manager or recruiters can easily reach you for an interview.
Resume summary or objective
On your caregiver resume, you’ll select to feature either a professional resume summary or a resume objective as the first section hiring managers will read.
The resume summary showcases a combination of relevant caregiver technical skills and soft, or intangible, skills. Your resume summary should be 2-3 short sentences that highlight your most important successes. This is your hook to get the hiring manager to continue reading, so you really want to polish this section to perfection.
The resume objective is also a brief summary of your skills and qualifications, but job candidates that lack professional work accomplishments will instead state your career goals. This is a good option for entry level caregiver job seekers or those with less than two years of experience.
Caregiver resume skills
Your caregiver resume skills section should showcase relevant soft skills and hard skills. You should tailor them to the position you’re applying for. The skills you mention may vary depending on your care setting, such as a nursing home or a home care setting. But, almost all caregivers should showcase the following skills:
Hard Skills
- Patient care expertise such as feeding, dressing and meal preparation
- Essential health monitoring, such as heart rate, blood pressure and glucose level monitoring
- CPR and First Aid Certified
- Outstanding personal hygiene care
- Physical stamina
Soft Skills
- Effective communication skills
- Interpersonal skills
- Patient companionship
- Reliability and flexibility
- Attention to detail and cleanliness
Work history
Your resume’s work history should expand on the qualifications stated in your resume summary, giving details on the most important achievements for each job you’ve had. For each position you’ve held, including the facility name, dates of employment and your job title. For each job, from good writing tips, add a few bullet points listing your achievements. Use active verbs and statistics to back up your claims. For instance, “Improved patient satisfaction scores by 20% within six months,” is more effective than “Took care of patient satisfaction.”
Education
Your caregiver resume education section should include any relevant education, certifications or licenses you’ve received. For a caregiver, the minimum requirement is a high school diploma, but to advance in your caregiver career, you will need at least a two-year college degree in nursing.
Do’s and don’ts for a caregiver resume
Below is a list of some valuable resume tips (do's and don'ts) to help you craft your perfect caregiver resume:
- Use a resume template that takes into account an applicant tracking system (ATS). An ATS is a software used by hiring managers to collect and filter out the most relevant resumes for the position, and a professionally laid-out resume will be easier for them to scan.
- Proofread your resume for any typos or misspellings. Make sure your resume is compatible on all devices such as desktops, mobiles and tablets.
- Address relevant skills and job requirements from the caregiver job description for your resume. If the job requires daily log entries, for example, show your skills or experiences in this area in your resume.
- Send the same caregiver resume for every job application. Tailor your caregiver resume to every position you are applying for. Include skills and qualifications that relate to the specific job.
- Use flashy resume designs or formats. Your caregiver resume should reflect your professionalism as a caregiver.
- Write a lengthy resume summary. Your caregiver resume summary should be no longer than 2-3 concise sentences.
- Don’t list your references or state 'resume references available upon request.' Recruiters typically assume that references are available upon request, so dedicating a line to this is unnecessary.
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FAQ: Caregiver Resume Examples
Have questions? We’re here to help.
What should I put on my resume for a caregiver?
Your caregiver resume should be a combination of your most impressive work accomplishments, hard skills and soft skills, education and training plus any awards, volunteer work or internships that will make you stand out from other job applicants. Be sure to tailor your resume to match the caregiver job description for resume of the role you’re applying for. That way, the hiring manager will see that you have the qualifications and know-how to meet the job requirements. Look at a caregiver resume template to get a quick start to writing your own job winning resume.
What is an example of work experience of a caregiver?
While the work experience of caregivers will vary from entry level to senior level, here is typical work experience for a mid-level caregiver:
- Provided daily care to twenty residents with respect for dignity while gaining trust.
- Daily morning/afternoon monitoring of physical, emotional and mental states.
- Continuous reporting to nursing staff and physicians.
- Provided mobility support throughout the facility to promote physical activity.
- Administered daily medications.
- Assisted with bathing, eating, dressing and organizing.
What is a professional summary for a caretaker?
A caretaker professional resume summary needs to make an impressive statement about the job candidate in order to convince the hiring manager to continue reading the resume. Here is an example:
Professional home health aide with 11 years experience providing daily day care for the same elderly client now looking for a new role to share caregiving passion, emotional support, valuable experience and long list of compassionate nurturing and household skills to maintain a clean, loving environment. Trained to provide both physical, mental and emotional support to elder clients.
This example is effective because it emphasizes the candidate’s experience, as well as key details about that experience (caring for elderly clients) and soft skills such as emotional support and household skills.
Do I need to include a cover letter for a caregiver application?
Yes! A certified professional resume writer will agree that a cover letter is the perfect opportunity to get the hiring manager’s attention. Also, it allows you to highlight relevant caregiver skills and qualifications. By doing so, you convince hiring managers why you’re the ideal candidate for the job and can handle the caregiver duties for resume. Here are some great cover letter examples you can use when writing your cover letter.
How can I write a caregiver resume without a lot of work experience?
If you are just starting out in your caregiver career, you should use a functional resume format. Then, dig into your job, education and certification history to find extracurricular activities or internships that show off caregiver-related skills. Use these experiences to showcase your skills as they relate to the position you are applying to. Look at the caregiver resume sample and section examples on this page to gain inspiration and get industry-specific resume wording suggestions.
How do I change my caregiver resume to apply to different jobs?
Review the caregiver job description. Take note of the skills, caregiver duties for resume and other major qualifications needed. These are keywords that you should address in your resume. Tailor your skills, achievements and other experience to match the job description. It’s a good idea to do the same for your caregiver cover letter so change your cover letters to match the specific job posting.
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