Caregiver Resume Examples | How to Write & What to Include

caregiver resume example
Created by CakeResume

While the above caregiver resume sample is specifically a senior caregiver resume, a caregiver takes care of not only seniors but also people with disabilities or specific illnesses such as autism.

📝 Definition: 

Caregivers are professional care aids who normally serve at clients’ homes. Clients include people with disabilities or illnesses, such as autism, seniors with dementia, or Alzheimer's disease.

If you are writing your caregiver resume with no experience, don’t worry. This guide will demonstrate how to write the best caregiver resume with examples and job descriptions.

How to write a caregiver resume? 

Step 1: Understand the differences between a caregiver CV and a caregiver resume.

Choosing the right application approach is the first thing to do during a job application. If you are wondering if you should use a CV or resume, the following chart shows the differences between a caregiver CV and a caregiver resume:

CV

  • Commonly used in academia, scientific, or medical fields
  • Including the cumulative professional experiences, including work and publications
  • A simple layout
  • Mostly over 2 pages

Resume 

  • Used to apply for general jobs
  • Contents based on a specific position
  • A designed layout
  • Mostly less than 2 pages

✍🏻 Reminder: Choose either a caregiver CV or caregiver resume according to requirements from the hiring companies.

Step 2: Choose the right caregiver resume format & layout. 

What are a resume format and a resume layout?

Resume format:

A resume format determines the proportion of each category’s content. Job seekers choose the resume format that grants the most advantage to their specific situation.

For example, the resume format used for a home care resume is different than that of an autism caregiver resume. The former may emphasize hard skills like multitasking and household errands management, whereas the latter look for substantial working experience in caring for people with autism.

Resume layout:

Regardless of you writing a child caregiver resume, a dementia caregiver resume, elderly caregiver resume, or a private caregiver resume, there is one thing in common: they all need a good layout.

Resume layout is about design. Key parts of a resume layout include margin, spacing, font type and size, color… etc.

Further reading:  types of professional resume formats

Step 3: Look up caregiver resume examples & resume templates online. 

Before starting to build your resume, search for caretaker resume samples to get some inspiration. Choose the one looking clean and comfortable for the readers. 

You can think of a caregiver resume template as a blank paper with brackets allowing you to fill in the corresponding information. It is the structure that determines what information goes to which specific area on the resume paper. 

Download free resume templates in PDF!

Step 4: Tailor your caregiver resume for the job position. 

Writing an in-home caregiver resume is very different from writing a caregiver resume for elderly. Specify your caregiver resume for the specific type of people you intend to serve.

Step 5: Craft a caregiver cover letter. 

A good caregiver cover letter sets a great first impression for the family. Remember to be concise, sincere, polite, and passionate.

Step 6: Proofread. 

Avoid unprofessional mistakes like grammar, spelling mistakes, and unclear phrases in your personal caregiver resume. Careless mistakes may give families a bad impression of you. 

CakeResume provides the right caregiver resume templates & formats for caregivers to showcase their skills and experiences. Sign up to create the best resume Now!

What to put on a caregiver resume?

1. Resume Header (Personal Information)

This is the start of writing a resume for a caregiver job. From this section, families have access to your basic information and contact details. 

You should have these:

  • Official full name (may refer to your passport, no nickname, no abbreviation) 
  • Contact information (phone number, email address)
  • Current location (country and city, not a complete mailing address) 

You should not have these:

  • Marital status/Age/Sexual orientation/Birthday (exclude details on private life)
  • Hobbies/Interests/Motto (avoid showing preferences)
  • Religious preference/Nationality (avoid exposing personal identity)
  • SSN (provide only after being hired)

Optional/information that might be asked to provide:

  • Your photo (appropriate head/body/background proportion, professional smile, proper attire, still posture, high image resolution).
  • Active links to your portfolio and/or professional social media accounts, e.g. LinkedIn.

💡 Tip: Avoid making some common mistakes by first learning the top tips on writing personal details in your resume.

2. Resume Headline 

A caregiver headline for a resume is a concise statement that includes your most prominent ability or achievement. Its purpose is to use the shortest amount of time to set a professional, qualified impression to the families.

Sample structure:
[Powerful adjective] your title [with XYZ experience/expertise] and/or [having outstanding personality/achievement]. 

Caregiver Resume Headline Examples: 

  • A Dedicated Nurse Experienced in Taking Care of ICU Severe Illness Patients.
  • A Professional Caregiver Specializing in Dementia Patient Caring. 
  • A Compassionate Medical Student Caring for Grandparents Needing Dialysis for a Decade.

Further reading: How to write a professional resume headline

3. Resume Summary 

A summary is the extraction of the most important information. A caregiver professional resume summary is an extended version of a caregiver resume headline, which similarly outlines your prominent skills.

However, a caregiver resume summary is less descriptive, objectively listing your skills and achievements, and includes numbers as evidence.

Caregiver Resume Summary Examples: 

  • Disabilities caregiver with 8+ years of experience of caring for 50+ autism patients at the sanatorium. Successfully prevented 5 patients’ illnesses from worsening with exceptional compassion and observance. 
  • Severe illness researcher experimenting best caring method for Alzheimer's disease. Developed effective caring tips after deeply engaged with 100+ families having Alzheimer’s disease patients. 
  • A sanatorium caregiver established positive relationships with server illness patients using service-oriented strategies. Obtained a Geriatric Nursing Assistant Certification. Specialized in creating meaningful companionship. 

🏷️  Note: Before crafting your caregiver summary for resume, check out the complete guide for writing a resume summary.

4. Resume Objective 

A caregiver resume objective showcases: why this caregiver job is important to you.

You speak of your intention for being a caregiver directly to the families with a concise few lines in the caregiver objectives in your resume. This can be a little personal or ambitious, and, most importantly, show your career objective for the caregiver by expressing passion for the position.

Caregiver Resume Objective Examples: 

  • Eager to help ease the pain for those suffering from inefficient senior care plans. 
  • Excited to apply my psychiatric knowledge in benefiting families frustrated about caring for loved ones with Alzheimer's disease. 

Further reading:  The ultimate guide for writing a career objective

5. Skills 

In your caregiver resume skills section, families learn if you are capable of caring for their loved ones.

Think about: what I have that meets your needs, when writing this part.

Take note that families are thinking: can I trust you, when overviewing the skills you have. Tailor your caregiver resume skills aspect with the families’ perspective.

Example Skills for Your Caregiver Resume: 

  • Arranging appointments 
  • Experienced in dealing with household errands
  • Outstanding in entertaining patients

✍🏻 Note: If you are wondering what caregiver duties and responsibilities to put on your resume, check out the top 11 caregiver duties to know.

6. Work Experience 

The work experience section of a caregiver resume lists out parts of your professional history that demonstrate your experience as a caregiver or abilities to serve as one. The required work experience varies based on the kind of caregiver you are.

For example, work experience in dealing with household-related tasks (cleaning the house) is important for a family caregiver resume. In contrast, it is of great importance to show experience in caring for people with special needs in a special needs caregiver resume. 

Caregiver Work Experience Example: 

Special need caregiver | Miller’s family | March 2017 - Present 

  • Prepare customized nutritional meals for patients. 
  • Supervise patients following doctor’s orders and taking prescribed medicine. 
  • Took care of the patient’s mental health and established a good companionship.

Further reading:  The guide on writing the working experience section

7. Education 

In the education section, list out your university or school, your major and minor degree (or specific track of studies), years of graduation, and relevant educational record.

Take note that if you are writing a specific resume, like a dementia caregiver resume or an autism caregiver resume, having a degree showing that you have gone through training and acquired the key knowledge is a big plus.

Caregiver Resume Education Section Examples: 

Azusa Pacific University School of Nursing | B.S. Nursing 

  • 2016-2020
  • GPA: 3.68/4.2 

👍  Learn more key points about writing the education section.

8. Additional Information 

Include certifications and licenses to demonstrate that you acquire the knowledge and ability to take care of patients with specific medical conditions.

Certifications examples:

  • Home Health Aide license (HHA)
  • Hospice care and end-of-life care certification
  • Diabetes Care Certification
  • Dementia Care Certification

Tips on writing the best caregiver resume

Don’t miss out on learning the 6 tips for crafting the best resume!

🏷️ Tip 1: Customize your caregiver resume for the job.

Tailor towards your job type - mentioning proficiency in dementia knowledge will only give you an advantage in a dementia caregiver resume and not an autism caregiver resume. 

🏷️ Tip 2: Use keywords in your caregiver resume.

Include keywords associated with the caregiver job description for your resume. 

🏷️ Tip 3: Include data.

Avoid vague results. Quantify your achievements on your caregiver resume. Say the number of clients you served instead of just “many clients”.

🏷️ Tip 4: Choose an ATS-friendly resume format/layout. 

While families may not always use software systems to filter caregivers, Applicant Tracking Systems(ATS)-friendly will be important if they search for caregivers with the help of agencies that use ATS. 

🏷️ Tip 5: Use action words.

Action verbs show your initiative, which increases your chance of getting hired. 

🏷️ Tip 6: Learn from other caregiver resume samples.

The more caregiver resumes you have seen for reference, the better you will be at knowing which caregiver resume is good and which is bad.

How to write a successful caregiver cover letter?

  1. Contact Information:
    Include your name, email, and phone number on top of your caregiver cover letter.
  2. Formal greeting:
    Address to ‘families’ and avoid using generic terms such as ‘caregiver searching platform’.  
  3. Self Introduction:
    Share why you want to be their caregiver, and include one or two prominent skills extracted from the caregiver responsibilities resume section. 
  4. Persuade the families:
    Make them believe you are the right caregiver by highlighting 2-3 professions and including as many words that relate to the caregiver job description for resume as possible. 
  5. Call to Action:
    Convey a sense of proactiveness by indicating availability to interview at any time.
  6. Powerful closing:
    Include a polite and warm thank you note at the end.

👍 Learn more strategies from the cover letter tutorials.

Caregiver resume example

Camila Blaine

Observant Senior Care Expert Who Enhanced Life Quality of 30+ Seniors

Burlingame, California, USA
438-937-066
[email protected]

Professional Summary

A geriatric specialist with 6 years of experience in designing seniors care plans for 80+ families. Helped 10+ seniors develop a more positive outlook. Certified Nutrition Specialist. Passionate about helping others with my proficient psychological knowledge.

Work Experience

Millbrae Serra Sanitarium
Geriatric Specialist
Sep 2016–Present

  • Design seniors care plan. 
  • Provide weekly reports on patients' physical and mental health.
  • Assist seniors in engaging in regular physical and mental exercises, such as dancing and playing chess.

ICU at Mills-Peninsula Medical Center
Assistant Nurse
Dec 2012-Aug 2016

  • Supported stroke patients in daily life tasks. 
  • Monitored patients through ICU Bedside Monitors. 
  • Communicated with family members on the patient’s newest situation.

Education

B.S. Psychology
University of California Los Angeles

  • 2006-2010
  • GPA: 3.85/4.3

Skills

Hard skills

  • Meal planning
  • Severe illness knowledge
  • Wheelchair usage
  • Sanitary maintenance
  • Health insurance paperwork

Soft skills

  • Exceptional patience
  • Empathic
  • Effective communication 
  • Multitasking 
  • Calm during emergencies

Certifications

  • Board Certified Behavior Analyst
  • Parkinson's Assessment and Treatment Certification

--- Originally written by Rebecca Huang ---

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