Occupational Therapy Resume—Examples (+ New Grads)
Occupational Therapy Resume—Examples (+ New Grads)
You help people recover, develop, and thrive after life-changing set-backs. Prove your effectiveness with an occupational therapy resume that’ll make hiring managers take note.
I had an interview yesterday and the first thing they said on the phone was: “Wow! I love your resume.” Patrick
I love the variety of templates. Good job guys, keep up the good work! Dylan
My previous resume was really weak and I used to spend hours adjusting it in Word. Now, I can introduce any changes within minutes. Absolutely wonderful! George
Dedicated occupational therapist with 5+ years’ experience treating both inpatients and outpatients. Seeking opportunity to leverage proven acute care skills in providing excellent patient care at St Luke’s Medical. At St John Hospital, facilitated post-rehab functional independence rates 17-19% above average while supervising and mentoring two OTAs.
Experience
Occupational Therapist
St John Hospital, Los Angeles, CA
Aug 2018–present
Collaborated with 11 rehabilitation team members daily to develop and carry out treatment plans to best meet patient needs in preparation for discharge.
Thoroughly documented 350+ evaluations, patient treatment sessions, and discharge summaries using a robust markdown-based note-syncing platform.
Provided discharge instructions to patients and family members, facilitating post-rehab functional independence rates 17–19% above average.
Supervised two OTAs, devoting two hours per OTA per week to general mentoring and training activities.
Occupational Therapy Assistant
Howard Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
July 2016–Aug 2018
Maintained a case load of 7–9 patients a day, including treating, billing, and documenting.
Provided individualized treatment to 23 patients ranging in age from 70 to 105 years and whose challenges involved physical and cognitive impairments.
Participated in home evaluations and discharge planning for 80+ patients.
Developed discharge plans with nursing staff and patients’ caregivers and family, reducing re-hospitalization within the first 28 days by 14%.
Education
Post-Professional Master’s in Occupational Therapy
University of Southern California Sunnydale, CA
2018
Excelled in OT interventions project work.
Completed residency as pediatric occupational therapist.
BS in Occupational Therapy
University of Southern California Sunnydale, CA
2016
Pursued a passion for pathophysiology coursework.
Graduated with a 3.7 GPA.
Certifications
Licensed – National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT)
First Aid, CPR, AED, American Red Cross
Languages
Spanish – fluent
Yucatec Maya – intermediate
Key Skills
Behavioral health methods
Acute care
Preparing treatment plans
Clinical skills
Record-keeping
Problem-solving
Patience and empathy
Interpersonal skills
Communication skills
Now here’s how to write an occupational therapy resume they’ll love:
1. Choose the Right Occupational Therapy Resume Format
Imagine the hiring manager pulling up your resume on her screen—
All that work you put in is about to pay off.
Wait—
Where did it go? Did she just shift+delete it straight away?
She did too—
Your resume didn’t even look the part. The layout was weird, the format illegible.
So, first up, you need to make sure your application is clean and logical, using the correct formatting for a resume. Here’s how:
Some OT employers use ATSs (Applicant Tracking Systems) that can’t parse PDF files.
So—
To make sure you submit an ATS resume that won't get automatically rejected, always check the job ad to see if there’s a preferred file format mentioned.
If not, then default to PDF.
2. Write a Compelling Occupational Therapy Resume Objective or Summary
Having your resume format in order will help stop you from standing out in a bad way.
Now you need to stand out in a good way, and fast.
Do this with a resume profile that’s like the ultimate TL;DR.
The first example makes a strong case based on quantified achievements, not lifeless duties like in the second example.
Haven’t been an OT long enough to write something like this yet?
If you’re a new grad writing a resume with no experience, use a resume objective instead and shift that spotlight onto relevant achievements from your studies, any OTA work you’ve done, and non-OT jobs.
Flooding the page with random OT skills is not the way to go.
Check what the job ad requires and aim to cover that plus only a little more.
These examples will help with the phrasing.
Occupational Therapy Resume Skills
Hard skills
Behavioral health methods
Acute care
Preparing treatment plans
Clinical skills
Anatomical knowledge
Exercise physiology
Patient assessment
Documenting treatment progress
Acting as a rehab liaison
Drafting rehabilitation protocols
Soft skills
Interpersonal skills
Communication skills
Problem-solving
Adaptability
Teamwork skills
Analytical skills
Critical thinking
Decision-making
Time management
Organization
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4. Turn a Predictable Education Into a Reason to Hire You
Occupational therapy isn’t the easiest field to get into.
When writing an occupational therapy resume, new grads can extend the education section with projects, classes, and accomplishments that show OT skills like anatomical knowledge and time management.
5. Enrich Your Occupational Therapist Resume With Extra Sections
The only exception is when the job ad specifically asks you not to submit one. Otherwise, write one just to be on the safe side: cover letters are necessary for many recruiters to consider your application.
Double your impact with a matching resume and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter generator and make your application documents pop out.
Want to try a different look? There's 21 more. A single click will give your document a total makeover. Pick a cover letter template here.
Key Points
For an occupational therapist resume that gets interviews:
Use the occupational therapy resume template up top. It’s optimized for success.
Put occupational therapy achievementsin your profile, work history, and education sections to show that you’re a proven quantity.
Include only the right occupational therapy skills. The job ad should make it clear what those are.
Write an occupational therapy cover letter. It’s an invaluable opportunity to put your passion for the job on display as you make an evidence-based case for yourself.
Still not sure how to write your best ever resume for occupational therapist jobs? Not sure how you can customize our occupational therapy resume template? Share your thoughts down below. We’d love to read them and we’ll be sure to get back to you.
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