Carer CV Example & Writing Tips for 2024

Ensure your CV format is structured to best highlight your unique experience and life situation.

Before you begin writing, make sure you know how to write a CV in a way that best emphasises your strengths.

When you apply for a job in the caring profession, you need more than just experience to impress your employers. Writing a professional carer CV plays an important role in showing employers your strong work ethic, compassion, and patience for looking after others.

Here are four CV writing tips to help you create a job-winning CV for the carer position you want:

1. List your top carer skills

Carers provide assistance and look after vulnerable people such as the elderly in addition to people with disabilities or illnesses. So you need to write an effective carer CV showing you’ve got the right mix of key skills for your CV and experience to make a significant difference to the clients you’re helping.

First, emphasise the hard skills (also known as technical skills) on your CV. These are the skills you’ve learned during your training or work experience which make you good at caring for vulnerable populations.

For example, listing your background or knowledge in medical care tells a recruiter you’re handling capable of day-to-day tasks as well as emergency medical situations.

Also, include your technology skills since many patients and facilities use software and technology for keeping patient records and coordinating appointments.

Here are other technical skills for your carer CV:

• Database reporting software (e.g., Log My Care, CareWorks/OneAdvanced)
• Email software — for communicating and submitting documents via email
• Knowledge of basic human psychology
• Medical or health care knowledge (e.g., first aid, injections, CPR)
• Medical software
• Microsoft Office Suite
• Video conferencing software (e.g., Zoom, FaceTime)

Additionally, don’t forget to mention your carer soft skills. These natural abilities indicate how you interact with your colleagues and patients.

For instance, employers seek compassionate carers who give patients their full attention and patience. So list your active listening skills and communication skills to show you’re perceptive and responsive to your patient’s needs.

These are carer soft skills employers often look for:

• Adaptability
• Coordination skills
• Empathy
• Monitoring skills and observation
• Patience
• People skills
• Service orientation
• Social perceptiveness
• Teaching skills

And make sure to highlight all your carer skills by providing specific examples of how you applied these skills in your carer CV’s work experience section.

You can also mention relevant certificates and training you completed, such as your Care Certificate, diplomas in healthcare and social care, or other equivalent National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs).

Here are other helpful certifications for carers:

• First aid certificates
• English language certification (if English isn’t your first language)
• Driving licence

2. Write a concise personal statement

Employers or recruiters don’t have time to read all the information in the dozens of CVs submitted to them. So capture their attention at the beginning by opening your CV with a strong CV personal statement.

A carer CV personal statement consists of 2–4 sentences and summarises your top strengths and qualifications as a carer.

Your personal statement sits at the top of your CV and includes the following:

• professional experience and key traits
• educational background and relevant certifications
• top skills and noteworthy achievements
• reason(s) why you’re applying to the role

Here’s an example of a CV personal statement for a carer job:

3. Customise your CV to the job description

A generic CV that doesn’t adhere to specific requests in the job listing will likely be rejected. So take the time to:

• read the job post and follow the instructions carefully
• include relevant information that matches what the employer is looking for
• be honest when writing your CV

For example, if the employer is looking for a carer for a disabled adult, listing your past work in sales may be irrelevant.

But if you’ve had a previous childminder role, take advantage of that experience in your carer CV by highlighting your ability to help children with daily challenges such as eating, dressing, and maintaining personal hygiene standards.

4. Include carer-related keywords in your CV

There are two main reasons why you should identify and add keywords to your CV.

First, relevant keywords capture an employer’s attention. Using keywords directly from the job description shows that your CV is tailor-made for the role and you have the necessary qualifications.

Second, adding keywords is useful when the recruiter uses an applicant tracking system (ATS) to filter candidates for the job. Using keywords that match the job description increases the chances of your carer CV passing the screening stage and receiving an interview.

Here’s a list of commonly used terms in the caregiver industry:

Carer job outlook in 2024 — things to know

According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), carers in the UK earn an average annual salary of £18,278.

Additionally, there are similar pay levels for both men and women in this type of role.