Occupational therapists play a pivotal role in the health field. They take a wholesome approach to helping patients live improved lives. When patients have conditions or injuries, occupational therapists will identify the day-to-day activities that enrich their lives and work to help them gain the ability to do those tasks once more. Most occupational therapists will be found in a hospital but some choose to work in private practices.
This is a women-dominated field with only 16.8% of all occupational therapists being men. It is a fairly high-paying job with an average annual income of about $75k and requires a strong educational background to enter the industry. This guide has resume samples for occupational therapist positions, tips to help you strengthen your resume, and effective action verbs and skills that you can use.
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An occupational therapist is someone who works with patients who need to improve their dexterity, mobility, or daily living skills. Occupational therapists develop and lead patients through specialized treatment plans to improve their conditions. Occupational therapists work with a variety of patients, from those who need to regain mobility after an accident or injury, to those who need to manage the effects of an ongoing condition.
To land a job as an occupational therapist, you will need a Master’s degree in occupational therapy. After finishing your education, you must take an exam and become nationally certified. Having related experience in the field such as prior roles as an OT assistant, PT assistant, or nursing assistant will be attractive to hiring managers. Hiring managers will also be looking for certain soft skills such as time management, empathy, and great communication.
Taking a role as an assistant occupational therapist while still in school will bolster your resume. It’s wise to gain hands-on experience in the field prior to becoming an occupational therapist. You can note your experience recording patient progress, sanitizing equipment, and assisting with treatment. Showing you have experience in an occupational therapy environment will tell hiring managers you are ready to practice on your own.
Occupational therapists help their patients live their day-to-day lives, being able to do the things that really matter to them. It is a holistic part of the health industry that you can choose to specialize in as your career progresses. In this role, you will evaluate patients, develop treatment plans, document progress, and train patients and their caregivers where necessary.
Outside of the soft skills that you require such as communication and problem-solving skills, you will also need a master’s degree in OT or a related field and years of experience. Take a look at this strong occupational therapist resume sample.
Recruiters like to see the journey you have taken to get to where you are. So show your career progression in the industry. This applicant started as a nurse assistant before specializing in OT.
Your skills section should list all the things you are capable of doing. But some tasks you may be more skilled at than others. Including your level of proficiency for each skill, as this applicant has done, gives recruiters a better idea of what you bring to the table.
An entry-level OT position requires a highly qualified and eager applicant. Your tasks will be similar to an experienced OT but you may have a more senior colleague, guiding you and overseeing your work.
As mentioned, you will need to have at least a master’s degree in OT or a closely related field and will need to be appropriately certified if you live in a region or state that required certification. Here is a successful resume sample you can use as a blueprint for your resume.
You may not have a lot of experience to impress recruiters with, so try and get as many strong certifications in the field as possible. It helps you stand out from the crowd and shows recruiters that you are dedicated, hard-working, and qualified.
If you have done projects that offer patients tools to improve their lives, be sure to include them in your resume. The skills and knowledge you gained there will be relevant and transferable to an OT position.
As the name suggests, OTs in this position have chosen to specialize and work primarily with kids. You will help children build skills that will help them do important everyday activities. These activities could include things like putting on clothes or brushing their teeth, which might seem straightforward to some, but might not always be to everyone. As you will be working with kids, you must have incredible amounts of patience and be an energetic communicator. Take a look at this resume sample for this position.
Recruiters will be looking for your experience with children. So even if you have impressive experience with other groups of patients, try to narrow your resume down to your experience with kids. Similarly, focus on including pediatric-specific skills in your skills section.
Occupational health nurses develop and share health services with workers and other similar groups. You may create programs aimed at preventing injury or illness or share practices to help workers get back to full health. Many people in this profession have both a health and a business mind and background which is a great combination for this position. If you have this combination, ensure to bring it out in your resume. Here is a recruiter-approved resume sample for this position.
If you do not have a lot of OT experience, include any experience you may have as a nurse in healthcare. This applicant has been a hospice nurse and general nurse. The skills and experience gained is largely transferable and therefore very relevant.
This position is hands-on and you may be physically examining and working with patients. So ensure your tools list includes the instruments you may use to help evaluate them.
We spoke with hiring managers and recruiters at leading companies that employ occupational therapists, such as Encompass Health, Genesis Rehab Services, and Kindred Healthcare. They shared insights on what they look for in top occupational therapist resumes. The following tips incorporate their advice and will help your resume stand out in a competitive job market.
Occupational therapy is a broad field with many specializations. Employers look for candidates with expertise relevant to their patient population. Showcase your specializations and certifications prominently on your resume.
For example:
Occupational Therapist with 5+ years of experience and specializations in stroke rehabilitation (CSRS) and geriatric care (CAPS). Skilled in developing individualized treatment plans to improve patients' independence with daily living activities.
A resume summary for an occupational therapist is an optional section that appears at the top of your resume. It provides a brief overview of your qualifications, skills, and experience. While a summary can be a useful tool to highlight your most relevant qualifications, it's not always necessary, especially if you have a straightforward career path.
When writing a summary for an occupational therapist resume, focus on your specific experience and skills that are most relevant to the job you're applying for. Avoid using an objective statement, which is outdated and focuses on what you want rather than what you can offer the employer.
Your work experience section is the core of your resume. It's where you showcase your relevant experience, key accomplishments, and the impact you've made in your previous roles. Let's break down the essential components of a strong work experience section for an occupational therapist resume.
Action verbs help effectively frame your accomplishments. They allow recruiters to skim through your resume and get an idea of your experience and capabilities. They are therefore an important part of your resume that you should pay particular attention to. As an occupational therapist, you should use action verbs that indicate your experience effectively performing the tasks required of you.
Here are some action verbs that are especially effective for your position. Use them to elevate your resume and catch recruiters’ attention.
For more related action verbs, visit Nursing Action Verbs.
For a full list of effective resume action verbs, visit Resume Action Verbs.
If you want to win yourself a job interview for an occupational therapist position, your resume needs to show that you are capable of succeeding in the role. Use your skills section to highlight your technical and hard skills. Use the experience section of your resume to communicate your soft skills like great communication skills and patience.
An occupational therapist should include tools that they would need to evaluate their patients, the technical skills they need to do their various tasks, and techniques to show the different forms of care they can provide.
Here is a list that we have compiled of skills that recruiters would like to see in an occupational therapist’s resume.
You can include the above skills in a dedicated Skills section on your resume, or weave them in your experience. Here's how you might create your dedicated skills section:
This word cloud highlights the important keywords that appear on Occupational Therapist job descriptions and resumes. The bigger the word, the more frequently it appears on job postings, and the more 'important' it is.
Thank you for the checklist! I realized I was making so many mistakes on my resume that I've now fixed. I'm much more confident in my resume now.
