Caregiver CV Example & Writing Guide

Caregivers take on a wide variety of tasks for their clients – everything from grocery shopping and meal preparation to transportation and basic medical procedures. This is an excellent time to enter such a rapidly growing industry, so how do you craft a CV to effectively capture the interest of potential employers? 

This CV guide, along with our CV examples, will cover the following topics:

• What does a caretaker do?
• How to write a successful caretaker CV
• The best format for a caretaker CV
• Advice on each section of your CV(summary, work history, education, skills)
• Our top CV layout and formatting tips

So, what does a caregiver do?

Given the high cost of nursing home care, many families look for caregivers who can make elderly, ill and disabled family members comfortable in their own homes. Just over half of care workers are employed in these types of services handling daily cooking, cleaning, transportation and medical tasks. Many others work in assisted living communities, nursing homes, hospice care and facilities for adults with disabilities. In such facilities, caregivers move, bathe and change patients, clean up after meals and messes, and help patients take their medication or follow routines. They also spend time getting to know patients and encouraging them to lead social and fulfilling lives.

How to write a caregiver CV

The very first step to creating a successful caregiver CV is understanding which sections to include. Your CV should contain the following elements:

• The CV header
• The CV professional summary (aka personal statement)
• The employment history section
• The CV skills section
• The education section

When writing your CV, it’s essential to outline the ways you can offer value to the job position. As a caregiver, you will have the chance to connect with people from a variety of backgrounds, and to be a friend and confidant to people with less mobility. In addition to this, you must also deal with sick patients and have stamina for long days and heavy lifting. Conveying your professional value first starts with selecting the right CV format for you. Read on to learn which CV format is best for you!

Choosing the best CV format for a caretaker

Caregivers have a few options when it comes to choosing the best CV format. For candidates with some experience, the traditional reverse chronological CV format is likely the best choice. This format features an employment history section where your work experience is listed starting with the most recent position and working backwards through all relevant experience of the past ten years.

If you're just getting started as a caretaker or have informal experience caring for friends and relatives, you may consider one of the alternative CV layouts we suggest such as the functional or hybrid formats. These options place the emphasis on your skills instead of your employment history section.

CV professional summary example

Your professional summary, also known as a personal statement, should convey the warmth and charm that makes you a good candidate to nurture and care for others. While these personality traits are important, the summary also includes a small dose of your experience, education and skills. Take a minute to brainstorm how you stand out as a caregiver. Maybe it’s many years of experience or maybe you are licensed in the medical field. Are you friendly and approachable? Do you have a gift for helping others feel at ease? Are you requested by patients because of your kindness and patience? Do you have any awards for your service? Whatever your standout qualities, use your strengths s a strong start to your profile summary. Find an adaptable summary from our CV example below.

Employment history sample

When applying to a more organised caregiving role, in a nursing home or assisted living facility for example, your employment history section shows that you have the experience to do the job. If you have at least three caretaking roles of 6 months or longer, you can leave off any positions that don’t highlight the right skill set or were so short that they might prompt your future employer to inquire why the job didn’t work out.

If you’ve never worked as a caregiver before, then three service-related positions will be your best bet. Just make sure to highlight how the skills you used in those jobs transfer to caregiving. It’s also important to tailor your CV for the type of caregiving you’ll be doing. If you’re working in a nursing home, you can reasonably assume you won’t be doing day-to-day grocery shopping or vacuuming floors. But these tasks are likely to be essential when you’re working with just one client in a private household. Be sure to highlight in your experience any relevant tasks mentioned in the job description. Check out our CV sample below.

CV skills example

Your skills are the foundation of your job as a caregiver. You’ll be expected to use them every day to keep patients comfortable and happy. Your CV skills section can be broken into two categories: hard skills and soft skills. Soft skills are your personality traits and natural qualities that make you a nurturing person – things like good decision-making, compassion, good communication skills and attention to detail. Your hard skills require training and knowledge of the particular field you’re working in. In this position you may be asked to perform light clinical tasks, housekeeping and/or the bathing, dressing and transportation of patients. Here's an adaptable CV example.

Caregiver CV education example

Caregiving is a great entry-level position because it allows for full-time work and meaningful connection with others without necessarily requiring advanced training or education. Some nursing homes or assisted living programs look for caregivers with some medical knowledge and training so that they can complete tasks like administering shots, changing bandages and monitoring medication, however, many caregivers are not expected to have advanced education to fulfil the requirements of their job role. 

If you do have qualifications you’d like to include, we recommend listing one of these degrees with the year first, followed by the name of the school or university, degree program and location. Here's a CV example:

CV layout and design

All your experience, skills and education won’t amount to much if a recruiter can’t decipher your CV layout, or your CV feels unprofessional. It’s important to put an adequate amount of care and attention into the look and feel of your CV. One of the simplest but most important steps is proofreading and correcting your writing for grammatical or spelling errors.  Another key component is your layout. For a caretaker position, you’ll want a clean and straightforward CV that conveys professionalism. It’s best to avoid colour or flashy pictures and let your experience do the talking.

It’s important that your CV retains its formatting no matter where it’s displayed. A PDF is the best file format for a CVthat won’t change from computer to computer, and our professionally-designed CV templates makes it easy to download a PDF in just a few clicks.

Key takeaways for a caregiver CV

1. As the population ages, the need for caregivers will increase. That means your job prospects should look great over the coming decade.
2. Different caretaking situations have different needs so it’s important that your CV is structured to suit the demands of institutional work versus private clients.
3. Related positions in childcare, education or customer service can be moulded to meet the demands of a caretaking role.
4. Check out our caregiver CV sample for more ideas on creating a great layout.