A resume of a caregiver that stands out is essential if you want to get a job in this field. There are different types of caregiver jobs. You can get work at nursing homes, hospice care, or work as a child caregiver.
The perfect resume template or resume builder can help you craft a resume that helps you beat the other candidates and get the job. You can check out our resume templates.
We will also look at some resume writing tips that will help you create a good caregiver resume that gets you your dream job.
According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, the industries with the highest levels of employment in Home Health and Personal Care Aides include individual and family services, home healthcare services, residential, mental health and substance abuse facilities, intellectual and developmental disability, vocational rehabilitation services and continuing care retirement communities and assisted living facilities for the elderly.
The average hourly salary for caregivers, including tips, bonuses, and overtime pay for entry-level and early-career professionals, is $11 per hour. Mid-career and late-career professionals get $12 per hour, and experienced professionals are paid $13 per hour.
The average hourly pay for a Caregiver is $11 (Payscale)
Example of a resume.
How to make a Caregiver Resume - Example:
A caregiver resume should showcase your skills and experience in caregiving, explaining why you are the best person for the job. It is crucial to personalize the resume for each job you apply to because using one generic resume will cause you to lose many opportunities. Some of the ways you can personalize your caregiver resume include:
- Use the correct resume format for your resume.
- Use the right keywords and action verbs to ensure the applicant tracking systems do not filter out your resume.
- Write a resume summary that captures the hiring manager’s attention and compels them to read the rest of your resume.
The layout of the Caregiver Resume.
The best format for your caregiver resume is the reverse-chronological resume format. It allows you to focus on your experience and is a favorite of most hiring managers because it is easy to scan on ATS systems.
The structure of the Caregiver Resume
There are two other formats you can consider using for your caregiver resume. One is the functional resume, also known as a skills-based resume. It focuses on your skills and is perfect if you don’t have much experience or are changing careers.
The other format is the combination/hybrid resume. It focuses on your skills and experience and also works well if you have some experience.
The structure of your caregiver resume should have the following sections.
- The header section
- Professional resume summary/objective
- Work experience
- Education section
- Skills section
- An additional section (interests, awards/honors, volunteer experiences, languages, computer skills, and certifications)
Start with the header of the Caregiver Resume.
The header section on your caregiver resume contains your full name, job title, and a link to your website or LinkedIn profile.
Example of a good header
Mariana Foster
Caregiver
457-854-699
marianafoster@gmail.com
Chicago, Illinois
linkedin.com/in/marianafoster
Example of a bad header
Mariana Foster
Caregiver
457-854-699
marianafoster@gmail.com
3rd Avenue, Woodvale Creek
House number 25
Chicago, Illinois
Date of birth 05/05/1989
linkedin.com/in/marianafoster
Is a photo required in the Caregiver Resume?
It is better to leave a photo out of your resume because some hiring managers believe it increases discrimination and unconscious bias against candidates. 80% of US companies say they would not consider an applicant who has a photo in their resume. However, if you must have a photo in your resume, it should be professional.
Choosing your Caregiver Resume Title
It's essential to personalize each job title to the position you are applying for because it varies for different jobs and companies.
Professional summary/profile
A professional resume summary is a short paragraph after the header that summarizes your professional accomplishments, experience, and skills in your resume. It should be well-written to get the hiring manager's attention and compel them to read the rest of your resume.
Experienced Nurse with over eight years of experience, high attention to detail and strong clinical skills, looking to progress to a Caregiver role. A strong track record of delivering highly effective care plans to meet patients' preferences and available resources. Excellent at researching cases and paying meticulous attention to details.
Effective caregiver with experience taking care of the elderly and other physically challenged individuals. Looking to get caregiver work at your organization.
Work Experience in the Caregiver Resume
A professional caregiver resume should always have this section because it shows the hiring manager what you can do based on your previous work history.
Describe your professional experiences on your Caregiver Resume
Your professional experience section usually has a list of your previous workplaces, job titles, and the employment dates at each workplace. It is better to add the relevant experience and leave out any experience that is not relevant to the position you want to get. It is also vital to list at least three to five duties and responsibilities using bullet points at each workplace.
Examples of professional experiences for Caregiver Resume beginner/junior
Here is an example
Caregiver
Bold Limited Nursing Home
July 2015-July 2017
Promoted a strong and trusting relationship with clients and other third-party affiliates to deliver the best service possible.
Assisted clients with their everyday tasks, including personal hygiene, feeding, and movement using walkers, wheelchairs, or canes.
Engaged patients in games, including activities that involved staff members to create positive moods, improve memory and resident and staff engagement.
Examples of work experience for Senior Caregiver resume.
Here is an example.
Certified Caregiver
Static Nursing Home
February 2014- December 2018
Examined and provided first aid to patients suffering lacerations, contusions, and other physical symptoms to determine the need for further attention.
Carefully and safely utilized mobility devices and equipment to transport clients from one place to another.
Responsible for using aseptic techniques to thoroughly clean and sanitize rooms and equipment to aid in the prevention of infection and cross-contamination.
Education in the Caregiver Resume
Caregiver resume samples will always have this section because it is a vital section of your resume that can help set you apart from other job seekers. Some caregiver jobs will require a college degree, others will only require a high school diploma, and others will require a college degree. An entry-level position will most likely not require any formal education. If you have any educational qualifications, you should add them in this section, as seen in many caregiver resume examples. You can check out our resume examples.
Should you start with education or work experience?
You can start with education or experience, depending on the resume format you choose. If you use the reverse-chronological format, you will begin with experience. If you choose a functional resume format, you will start with skills and education.
How to properly list your education in a Caregiver Resume?
When listing your education under this section, you will start with the school's name, degree earned, and program length. If you have a Master's degree, you can leave out the high school diploma.
Example of the Education section of a Caregiver Resume
Here is an example
University of Chicago
Bachelor of Science, Nursing
December 2016
Libertyville High School
High School Diploma
July 2011
Skills to put in the resume for a Caregiver Resume.
A great caregiver resume should have a mix of technical skills and soft skills that allow the candidate to perform their duties effectively and efficiently. This is because you will need to cater to many patients, which requires specific skills and abilities. Every caregiver resume sample has this section, and you can always refer to one if you are not sure of how you'll add your skills to your resume.
What are the main skills sought for a Caregiver Resume?
You should list the skills on your caregiver resume in bullet point form as this makes it easier for the hiring manager to see them. Some of the skills you need to have on your resume include:
Hard skills- First aid
- Clean Driving record
- Healthcare provider CPR
- Meal preparation
- Emergency response
- Sanitation Standards
- Alzheimer's Care
- Housekeeping
- Communication skills
- Patience
- Physical stamina
- Time management
- Interpersonal skills
- Attention to detail
- Organization skills
- Compassion
What skills for a junior
- Problem-solving skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Documentation/record keeping
- Teamwork
- Maintaining patient charts
- Multitasking
- Promoting Healthy Lifestyles
- Safe patient handling
What skills for a qualified senior
- Prescribing medication
- Training staff
- Evaluating medical services
- Analytical skills
- Decision-making
- Patient care
- Monitoring vital signs
- Blood glucose testing devices
Write the Ideal Resume Hook for a Caregiver Resume.
A resume hook is a set of words that describes your professional achievements and value proposition. You can write it as a testimonial, quote, personal description, or achievement.
Example of a tagline for a junior employee
Compassionate Caregiver with extensive expertise in technical, clerical, and patient support. Excellent communication skills with both patients and staff.
Sample tagline for a senior level
Certified Caregiver with over ten years of experience in nursing and healthcare. Highly skilled at all aspects of care and achieving the very best outcome for patients. Strong leadership, delegation, and mentoring skills.
Additional Headings for your Caregiver Resume.
Being a caregiver means that you have to be selfless, which must be evident in your resume. You will have to show prospective employers what makes you unique compared to the other job seekers if you want to land a caregiver job. While no two caregiver resumes are the same, you may be tied on qualifications with another candidate.
The best way to set yourself apart is to add an additional section to your resume. You can check out a caregiver resume example to see some of the sections you can add in this section. Some of the sections include interests, computer skills, certifications, and languages.
Let's look at them in detail.
Computer skills and certifications
If you have computer skills that stand out, you should add them under this section instead of the skills section. This allows the hiring manager to see them quickly when they are going through your resume.
Your certifications should also have a separate section, even though you've probably seen a sample resume that has this under the education section. While it's okay, it makes it hard for the recruiting manager to see them. Certifications that will help your caregiver resume stand out include:
- Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Training
- First-aid certified and Emergency care
- Caregiver Certification For Hospice, Palliative, And End-Of-Life Care
Interests
The interests on your caregiver resume should fit the profile of the job. If they do not fit the profile, it is better to leave them out of your resume. For example, tutoring children or volunteering at a home shelter are great interests to have on your caregiver resume.
Languages
It is always better to have a separate languages section on your resume. If you are bilingual, you don’t want the hiring manager to miss it. This is a unique skill to have as a caregiver and can help you get the job over the other candidates. You should list your languages using the official language reference as follows:
- IELTS or TOEFL for English(with a score of 30 and above)
- SIELE for Spanish
- Goethe Zertifikat for German(with a score of 60% and above)
Summary: Key points for writing a perfect Caregiver Resume
Here are the main takeaways from this article
- The right resume format is essential because it is the first thing the recruiting manager will see.
- Use the right keywords and action verbs in your resume to increase your chances of landing an interview.
- Write a resume summary that captures the hiring manager’s attention to compel them to read the rest of your resume.
Write a cover letter that goes with your Caregiver Resume
A cover letter gives you a chance to talk about your achievements and express your passion for the job. While most hiring managers do not ask for cover letters, you should always accompany your resume with one to ensure it stands out.
Frequently Asked Questions
A caregiver should have a header section, resume summary/objective, work experience, education, skills, and an additional section(volunteer experiences, interests/hobbies, languages, and certifications)
- Assist the patient in moving from one place to another.
- Prepare meal plans.
- Assess the patient’s medical needs.
- Assist with housekeeping duties.
- Assist with daily tasks such as bathing and grooming.
- Monitor the healthcare performance of the patient.
- Offer companionship to ensure the patient is not lonely.
- Accompany the client to doctors’ appointments.
- Handle a crisis or medical emergency.
- Order and pick up medications from the pharmacy for the client.
A good caregiver bio should showcase the required qualities for a caregiver, such as sympathy, compassion, loving, and consideration. You can also include specific work examples to showcase what you can do. For example, I read Dorothy a book every day before she went to sleep, and she loved that.
Some of the skills every caregiver should have include compassion, reliability, time management, patience, meal preparation, and emergency response.