Animal Caretaker Resume (with Samples & Tips)

Each job is different, but you need an animal caretaker resume showcasing your experience and skills to get the job. Writing an outstanding resume can be overwhelming as you try to determine what you should add to your resume.

Let's help you write a resume for an animal caretaker that allows you to stand out to hiring managers. Some of the topics we'll cover in this article include:

• The sections you should have in your resume.
• The best format for your resume.
• The relevant skills for your animal caretaker resume.
• How to add your professional experience to your resume.

Salary & employment rates for animal caretakers

According to the U.S Bureau of Statistics, the overall employment of animal care and service workers is projected to grow 29 percent from 2021 to 2031.

The industries with the highest levels of employment in Animal Caretakers include:

• Other Personal Services
• Other Miscellaneous Store Retailers
• Other Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
• Social Advocacy Organizations
• Spectator Sports

The average salary for an animal care attendant is $27,000. The typical range is between $19,000 and $35,000, depending on your education, skills and experience.

How to Create a Resume for Animal Caretakers

A job in animal caretaking requires a good understanding of animal behavior, which should be evident in your resume. Whether you want to work for a private client or at an animal shelter, you need a resume that showcases your expertise in handling animals to ensure you land the job.

Animal caretaker jobs vary and require different qualifications. Always create a new resume for each position and add the right keywords and action verbs from the job description. This increases your chances of landing an interview, especially for organizations that use applicant tracking systems to filter out resumes that don't have the requirements.

The format, layout and structure of your resume are also crucial. These determine whether the recruiter reads your resume or not.

Choose a format that represents your best qualifications. Here are three formats you can choose from.

• Reverse-chronological format - If you have years of experience working as an animal caretaker, this format is perfect for you because it focuses on your experience.
• Functional resume format - This format focuses on your skills and is perfect for candidates who don't have experience in this field.
• Combination/hybrid resume - This format is a blend of the two other formats and is perfect for candidates with experience and animal care skills.

The layout of your resume is vital and determines whether the recruiter reads your resume or not. It should be simple to make it easy for the recruiter to read and understand your resume. Recommended fonts include Times New Roman, Verdana, Georgia, Arial, Cambria and Calibri. The font size should be 10-12pt.

The structure of your animal caretaker resume should have the following sections:

• The header
• The professional summary/ objective
• Work experience section
• Education section
• Skills section
• An additional section(computer skills and certifications, languages, and interests)

Start with the Header Section

The header section is the first part that contains your contact and personal information. Your contact details must be correct to allow the recruiter to contact you. This information includes:

• Your full name
• Job title
• Phone number
• Professional email address
• Location
• A link to your LinkedIn profile.

Correct example

CORRECT

Patrick Torrez

Animal care assistant

736-009-321

patricktorrez@gmail.com

Overland Park, MO

linkedin.com/in/patricktorrez

Incorrect example

INCORRECT

Patrick Torrez

Animal care assistant

736-009-321

patricktorrez@gmail.com

386 Big Elm

House number 22

Overland Park, MO

Date of birth 09/05/2000

linkedin.com/in/patricktorrez

How to Showcase Your Experience in Your Resume

Your experience taking care of animals is essential when applying for an animal caretaker job. Your potential employer will want to see what you've done before giving you the position.

Focus on your relevant experience and avoid adding professional experiences unrelated to the job. Usually, two to three previous jobs are enough, and under each of them, you'll add your job duties. Quantify these job duties with figures and facts to show the hiring manager what you could achieve for the organization if given a chance.

The details required as you add your previous workplaces include:

• The name of the workplace
• Your job title
• Employment dates at each place

Example for an entry-level animal caretaker

Example for experienced animal caretakers

Education: Include your Academic Background

The education section highlights your academic qualifications. These qualifications depend on the job's complexity, so you should check the requirements before adding your education. If you have a bachelor's degree, you don't need to add your high school diploma. Your highest educational qualification always comes first.

As you add your education, start with the name of the degree/diploma, the name of the school and the graduation year. Tailor this section to match the requirements of the job. Check out our resume examples for more tips on what to add to this section.

Correct example

Most Valued Skills for an Animal Caretaker

Working as an animal caretaker requires specific skills that allow you to perform your duties efficiently. Without these skills on your resume, you'll miss out on a great opportunity.

The skills required for each job may vary, so you must use the job description to determine what the recruiter is looking for. Separate your skills into hard and soft skills, and use bullet points when listing them.

Hard skills are job specific and need some time to learn in school or on the job. Soft skills are character traits that help you interact well with clients and colleagues. Check out our resume templates which will allow you to add multiple skills to your resume.

Here is a list of skills that will look good on your resume.

• Animal monitoring
• Animal husbandry
• Customer Satisfaction
• Preventative treatment planning
• Public health reporting
• Fish sedation
• Shelter management
• Nutritional and dietary analysis

• Time management
• Excellent customer service skills
• Communication skills
• Attention to detail
• Creative problem solving
• Multitasking skills
• Critical thinking
• Interpersonal skills

Professional Summary for an Animal Caretaker

A professional summary is the second section of your resume, highlighting your experience, skills and top accomplishments as an animal caretaker. It must be engaging and catchy to get the recruiter's attention and interest them in reading the rest of the resume. Keep it short and precise, as it should have three to four sentences.

Correct example

CORRECT

Trained animal caretaker with five years of experience working with non-human primates. Collaborates with veterinarians to care for sick animals and nurse them back to health. Keeps accurate health records of feedings and treatments and promotes open communication with pet owners increasing customer loyalty by 45%.

Incorrect example

INCORRECT

Dedicated animal caretaker with a focus on rescue and shelter animals. Global experience in giving adequate treatment to abused animals in veterinary hospitals. Proven compassionate worker.

Professional Objective

If you don't have much experience, you'll use a professional objective to introduce your resume. It highlights your professional goals and shows the hiring manager how they align with the organization's goals. This is also the perfect opportunity to express your excitement about the position.

Correct example

CORRECT

Recent graduate with noteworthy achievements in animal care. Expert skill in animal husbandry and preventative maintenance for animals. Extensive experience volunteering in animal shelters and veterinary hospitals. Looking for an opportunity to share my skills and grow my career at Newport Animal Society.

Additional Sections for Your Resume

Hiring managers get many resumes every time there is a job opening. One way of ensuring yours stands out is by including an additional section to your resume. This section highlights specific skills and qualifications you don't want the recruiter to miss.

Here are some sections you can consider for your animal caretaker resume.

Computer Skills and Certifications

Animal caretakers may need to update database records, so basic computer skills are essential. If you have this skill, add it under this section to ensure that the recruiter sees it quickly.

If you have additional training in animal caretaking and have the certification, you should add it here. This ensures that the hiring manager doesn't miss it. Here are some certifications that will boost your animal caretaker resume.

• Laboratory Animal Technician(LAT)
• Certified Animal Care Worker(CACW)

Languages

• Goethe Zertifikat for German
• TOEFL or IELTS for English
• Delf for French

Tips to Boost Your Resume

• Use action verbs and keywords to optimize your resume to ensure it gets past the ATS systems.
• Start your resume with a catchy objective statement to get the recruiter's attention.
• Choose the right format for your resume.
• Tailor each resume you send to the recruiter because animal caretaker jobs are different.
• Prioritize your relevant experience and skills on your resume.

Write a Proper Cover Letter for Your Resume

A cover letter allows you to showcase your writing skills and personality as you describe your qualifications. It helps you to create a personal connection with the recruiter, so you should ensure it's engaging and gives more information about you. Always accompany your resume with a cover letter unless the recruiter doesn't need one. Check out our cover letter examples.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which companies are hiring animal care technicians?

According to Glassdoor, the companies hiring animal care technicians include:

• Charles River Laboratories
• The Jackson Laboratory
• University of Pennsylvania
• Labcorp
• University of Florida
• US Army

What jobs are available for individuals who love to work with animals?

• Kennel attendant
• Veterinary assistant
• Pet shop assistant
• Kennel manager
• Zookeeper
• Animal trainer
• Veterinary nurse
• Pet sitter