Veterinary Resume Examples
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Job Outlook
Employment in the veterinary industry is expected to grow 16% from 2019 to 2029 according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
With veterinary jobs growing so rapidly, you will need a strong resume that will stand out from the other candidates to get ahead.
Follow our writing tips for a resume that will get you noticed by your dream vet clinic.
3 Tips for Writing Veterinary Resumes
Choose the right format for your resume
Just as organizational skills are essential to a vet clinic or hospital’s operations, so is the way you organize and present your veterinary resume.
The strategy behind a good resume starts with the order in which you organize your skills and work history. The way that you organize these sections is called a format.
There are three main formats. Choosing the right one depends on the number of years you have worked in the veterinary field.
The most common format is chronological. If you have more than five years’ experience, this is the format for you, because it tells the story of your career, starting with your most current employment and working backward.
For instance, if you have been working as a vet technician for about five years, but prior to that you were a veterinary assistant, you should use the chronological format.
However, if you haven’t been in the role for five years or more, choose another format.
For candidates with two-to-five years experience, the hybrid format is best. It gives a more even weight to your skills and work experience.
This format is also a practical choice if you’re looking for a promotion. For instance, you’re a professional that has gained valuable skills as a veterinary receptionist but is considering applying for a job promotion to work as a veterinary nurse — use a hybrid format.
If you’re fresh out of vet school and don’t have much experience, you should try the functional resume. This format is optimal because it expands on your skills and education rather than the scarce work history.
Promote your most valuable skills
Even though veterinary roles may require different zoological specialties, there are more general skills that you can use to get your resume noticed.
Check out the following list of essential skills:
- Love for animals
- Empathy
- Compassion
- Client relations
- Patience
- Gentleness
- Communication skills
- Familiarity with IDEXX, AVImark or Hippo Management Software
- Administering medicine and vaccines
- Proper safety protocol
- Room sterilization
- Observation
- Scientific ability
- Calmness and poise
- Monitoring vital signs
- Analytical skills
- Interpersonal skills
- Problem-solving
- Critical thinking
- Ability to follow safety procedures
- Management skills
- Creative thinking
- Teamwork
- Attention to detail
- Organizational skills
- Time management
- Animal restraint
- Emergency First Aid
- Multitasking
- Interpersonal skills
- Physical strength and stamina
- Surgical preparation
- Emergency and critical care
- Anesthesia
- Data-entry skills
Your skills section should include six to eight skills that describe your best proficiencies.
For an even more targeted approach, you can identify keywords from the job post that best describe you and feature them in your resume.
Use a template to make your resume organized
For jobs like vets, animal lab techs or animal control officers, you always use the best tools at your disposal.
When it comes to getting hired for a vet job, templates are one of the most useful tools you can use to create your resume with ease. They’re created by design professionals to look good, be easy-to-read and get noticed by employers.
JobHero has resume templates that you can use to make an effective resume.
However, if you want to take your document a step further, try our Resume Builder. It has auto-suggested keywords specific to the veterinary role you’re applying for.
To make your resume stand out, the builder also has a variety of color scheme options and fonts that you can use to add visual flair.
In addition, if you already have a resume, but it needs a makeover, you can simply upload it onto our builder and update its look that way. In just minutes, you can custom-tailor your document with a few clicks.
Using JobHero’s Resume Builder can save you a lot of time and effort, and help get your resume to an employer’s attention before your competition does.
FAQ
What qualifications do I need for a veterinary care role?
The best way to determine this is to thoroughly understand the job’s requirements and the company’s needs. Be sure to carefully review the job description, because it will accurately reflect what qualifications are necessary.
One of the most basic qualifications to working in the veterinary world is the love for animals. If you want to turn it into a career, the qualifications will vary significantly according to your desired profession.
For instance, entry-level roles like a vet clinic receptionist might not need any advanced education, while veterinary nurses and vet techs are required to complete a two-year associate degree in veterinary technology or a similar major.
To be licensed practitioners, veterinarians are required to complete a four-year post-graduate Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program.
When presenting your veterinary resume, be sure to provide your educational background along with the required licensing by state.
Be ready to showcase your top qualifications in biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics and animal science. Demonstrate your qualifications effectively by providing previous experience in understanding animal behavior, including any specializations or volunteer work. This will give the hiring manager a better understanding of why you qualify for the job.
What are the duties and responsibilities in veterinary emergency and critical care roles?
Veterinarians in emergency and critical care roles work in very unpredictable environments, handling life-threatening injuries and severe illnesses. Their responsibilities include being on-call and available to work in the intensive care unit.
Similar to humans, as animal patients are admitted, they start at triage with the monitoring of vitals, taking of X-rays, putting on casts and cleaning up wounds. There they are tested and evaluated for the proper diagnosis and treatment.
Once all the testings are done, veterinarians will determine the proper treatment options. Professionals in the intensive care unit may then need to rush to placing catheters, handling surgical equipment, taking blood samples and injections.
Other more technical responsibilities for veterinarian professionals working in emergency and critical roles include working with the following equipment:
- Heart, blood pressure and vital signs monitoring equipment.
- Equipment to stabilize and resuscitate patients.
- Electric defibrillators for use in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
- Provide mechanical ventilation for patients with severe breathing issues.
- Prescribe and advise on medications.
Strong communication and teamwork is crucial. These professionals work hand in hand with the veterinary receptionist, veterinarian nurse, veterinarian technician and veterinarian on site to identify and treat animal emergencies.
How do I list education on a veterinary resume?
To list your education, include the name of the institution you attended, its city and state, and if you graduated, include your degree and your major(s).
Always list your education section in a reverse-chronological order, with your most recent experience listed first.
Here’s an example for veterinarian:
Tuskegee University Tuskegee, AL
PhD, Veterinary Medicine
Auburn University Auburn, AL
Bachelor’s, Zoology
It is unnecessary to list anything prior to university.
It’s typical that veterinary assistants need a associate or bachelor’s degree in animal science, while a veterinarian is required to have a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree as well as a state license.
You should only list the dates you attended a school if you did not graduate as the means to show how long you attended. It is no longer necessary to include the year that you graduated. This also allows for recruiters not to focus on your age, which could potentially lead to hiring bias.
Include an additional section for state licenses and any certifications that you may have in a separate section you create called “Licenses and Certifications”
Should I include a cover letter with my veterinary resume?
Definitely! Even if the job posting doesn’t ask for a cover letter, you should still include one.
Pairing a cover letter with your resume will make you look more professional and give a fuller picture of your veterinary achievements.
When writing your cover letter, be sure to highlight your best accomplishments or most compelling work stories.
For example, a candidate could mention your role during the BP Oil Spill, when you were part of the wildlife search and rescue mission, saving a total of 80 animals from hazardous oils. Share something that paints a vivid picture of your commitment
A cover letter creates the perfect opportunity to explain why you are the ideal candidate for the job.
At JobHero, you can create a cover letter, in just three easy steps. Take a look at our veterinary cover letter examples
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Last edited by: Gabriela Barcenas, CPRW, Content Writer II - October 28, 2024
Gabriela Barcenas
CPRW, Content Writer IIGabriela is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and career adviser. With 10 years of digital media experience and five years of resume writing expertise, her publication history includes fashion, education, travel, social justice, equitable design and career advice.
