Have you recently finished your veterinary technician training and are now ready to begin your search for employment?
While vet techs are in high demand today, veterinarians prefer to hire those applicants who possess the skills and knowledge necessary for the job.
As such, before you begin your job search, you will want to create an eye-catching resume to show off your qualities.
The Importance of a Good Resume
If you are looking for employment as a veterinary technician, the most important step in your job search should be creating a compelling resume.
Not only can a well-structured resume help to demonstrate your relevant qualifications, but it can also help show how you can be a great asset to your prospective employer’s business.
With that said, an effective resume can mean the difference between your success or failure in getting the job that you want. Furthermore, most businesses today pre-screen applicants by reviewing their resumes before deciding on who to call. Poorly written resumes are often those that are discarded.
In fact, your resume is, in a sense, your first point of contact with potential employers. However, just how do you write a good resume that will catch the reader’s eye and encourage him or her to pick up the phone and call you in for an interview? The following tips can help.
Not all Employers are the Same
When creating a resume, keep in mind that not all employers are the same.[/thrive_highlight]As such, conduct a bit of research pertaining to each potential employer, find out what your responsibilities would be in each particular job and adjust your resume accordingly. Most employers post their resume requirements when posting their job ads.
You should always adhere to each employer’s requested resume format as failing to do so could mean that your application will be discarded.
More and more today, employers are choosing to handle resumes through electronic submissions. In this case, make sure that you find out whether you can submit your resume as an attachment in an email.
In some cases, employers may request that applicants submit their resumes separately from email. Additionally, you will want to find out what file formats the employer will accept. All too often, employers will simply delete resumes that are submitted in a format that they do not accept.
Your Cover Sheet and Career Objective
Your cover sheet is the first thing that a prospective employer will see when he or she begins to read your resume. As such, you will want to make sure it is neat, organized and includes a captivating career objective. Start by placing your full name, contact information and email address in the top-center of your cover sheet.
Secondly, take some time to create a career objective that will encourage the reader to move on to the second page of your resume and continue reading. Career objectives should be centered below your contact information and should contain one or two sentences describing what you want to get out of the job or what you think you can bring to the job.
Use a Professional Format
One of the most common mistakes that many people make when creating resumes is that they choose to use fancy, colorful fonts for their headers and text. This is never a good choice when applying to a professional-type job position. A better choice is to use a font such as Times New Roman.
Additionally, you should include a page number and your full name on the header of each page of your resume. In this way, if the pages of your resume were to become separated, it will be easier for the employer to reassemble them. It is also important to use section headers in your resume. Common headers are as follows.
- Education and Qualifications
- Work History and Achievements
- Personal and Professional References
Explain Your Skills and Work History
Your previous professional experience is one of the first things many employers will look for on your resume. As such, including this information is essential. Work history can consist of both paid employment, volunteer work and hobbies that you participated in. When adding your work history and skills to your resume, be sure to include the following information (if applicable).
- Contact Information for Each Employer
- The Name of Your Supervisor
- The Beginning and Ending Dates of Employment
- Your Responsibilities at the Job
- Strengths on the Job (Things Your Were Good At)
- Special Accomplishments on the Job
- Any Awards or Commendations You May Have Earned
- Reason for Leaving
It is best for you to include all of your work history, even jobs that were not animal-related. It is also important for you to explain any periods of time when you did not work. Common reasons for unemployment may be medical issues of your own or a family member, new additions to the family, or full-time enrollment in a college or university.
Highlight Your Education and Qualifications
Veterinary technicians must have at least an associate degree in veterinary technology, and you will want to be sure to include this information on your resume.
Include the formal name of the educational facility you attended, the degree you earned and the year that you graduated.
If you completed any specialization training, you will want to include this as well. List the name of the credential you earned, the facility you earned it from and the dates you attended the specialty courses. In this section of your resume, you should also add the following important information.
- Your License Number and Expiration Date
- Information for Previous Licenses from Other States
- Membership Information for Any Relevant Clubs and/or Organizations
- Training and/or Degrees from Related Fields
- Independent Studies Relating to the Field
Adding Your References
Finally, end your resume with four or more personal and professional references. Preferably, your personal references should be people you know who are not related to you.
At least two of your references should be professional persons whom were either employers, college instructors or other professionals who know you well. Make sure you add your references’ phone numbers as well.
Your resume is one of the first things that any potential employers will see.
Because of this, it is important for you to create a resume that will encourage the reader to continue reading.
An effective resume can help ensure that you will receive a call for an interview and obtain the position you want.