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Veterinarians examine animals to check their health and diagnose problems. They’re professionals who implement treatment plans for animals, perform surgeries, run tests, prescribe medication and educate pet owners. Successful veterinarians are patient, compassionate, able to make quick decisions, have excellent manual dexterity and strong problem-solving skills.
Get inspired with our veterinary resume examples, and follow our expert tips to create an attention-grabbing resume.
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Top veterinary resume examples
Wildlife Rehabilitator
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How to build your resume for a veterinary career
The veterinary field is full of opportunities, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics projecting employment rates to grow 16% by 2029. From developing your career in a vet clinic to working in animal shelters, laboratories, zoological parks and pet stores, it’s a rewarding path for animal lovers.
Career Track: Veterinarian
Veterinarians are experts in animal care. To become one, you must complete a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree and be licensed by your state to practice in the United States. You can gain experience by starting out as a veterinary technician, for which you must have at least an associate degree in a veterinary technology program and pass a credentialing exam.
Veterinary Technician $35,320 Median Salary
Resume Format
Functional Resume
Ideally suited for an entry-level job, the functional format highlights your top skills and makes up for the absence of professional experience.
Summary statement tip
Present yourself by using your top skills and passion for the role. Keep your summary short and address specific requirements from the job description that match your skill set. For example, “Diligent and compassionate Veterinary Technician with 2 years of experience. Skilled in first aid administration, administering anesthesia and performing laboratory tests on injured or recovering animals.”
Skills to feature
- Laboratory tests
- Compassion
- Excellent communication
- Manual dexterity
- Detail oriented
- Able to work under pressure
- Physical strength
- Quick thinking
- Medication administration
- Equipment operation
Go to the next level
Consider the following to further advance in your career:
- Earn a higher degree in a veterinary program.
- Gain knowledge and experience of veterinary practices under the supervision of a veterinarian.
- Prioritize client communication and engage yourself with associate and senior veterinarians in practical exams.
- Take initiative and organize drives and projects in the clinic or the hospital
Associate Veterinarian $80,801 Median Salary
Resume Format
Combination Resume
The combination format is the perfect choice for candidates with a couple of years of experience. It balances out your work history and skills to present you as a well-rounded and valuable candidate, who knows a thing or two but still has plenty of room to continue growing.
Summary statement tip
Keep the summary section crisp, to the point, and short. You can include 2 or 3 of the top skills that make you an ideal candidate for the job blended with your work experience and top achievements. For example, “Dedicated Associate Veterinarian with over 5 years of experience in the traditional clinical environment and advanced tissue surgery. Proficient in medical equipment like X-ray and ultrasounds machines, wound treatment and diagnosis.”
Skills to feature
- Radiology
- Ultrasound
- Client orientation
- Internal medicine
- Friendly
- Quick thinking
- Diagnosis
Go to The next level
Advancing to the next level in your veterinary career by:
- Assisting the head veterinarian in surgical procedures.
- Making a good rapport with clients and pet parents by inducing expert communication.
- Completing additional surgical courses or certifications like endoscopy, animal behavior and welfare, etc.
Veterinarian $95,460 Median Salary
Resume Format
Chronological Resume
For senior-level positions or people with an extensive work history, we recommend using the chronological format. This resume format puts at the front and center your work experience, starting from the latest employer, and shows your career progression through the years.
Summary statement tip
Keep the summary section limited to a maximum of two or three sentences and emphasize your work experience, credentials and top achievements. For example, “Licensed Veterinarian with 12 years of experience in animal surgery and diagnostics. Well-versed in promoting pet health awareness among pet owners, managing a veterinary clinic with 10 employees and working with a keen attention to detail. Have successfully neutered over 600 animals since 2019 in monthly neutering event.”
Skills to feature
- Excellent communication
- Problem-solving
- Decision-making
- Physical strength
- Time management
- Compassion
- Patience
- Excellent manual dexterity
Go to the next level
Bring your resume to the next level by including these achievements and responsibilities:
- Coordinate or participate in pet neutering or vaccination events for the community.
- Write publications related to the veterinary profession.
- Participate in public speaking events.
Career Track: Veterinary Management
Veterinary practices are busy environments that require effective administrators to run efficiently. Coordinating and managing this staff of professionals is necessary for both business growth and patient support, along with putting both animal carers and physicians at ease.
Veterinary Receptionist $35,664 Median Salary
Resume Format
Functional Resume
This resume format is ideal for those who are just starting in this industry, as it focuses on groups of key skills instead of work experience.
Summary statement tip
As a veterinary receptionist, you will be the first point of contact for every client that visits a practice. Hence, it’s essential that your communication skills and ability to resolve customer issues is at the forefront of your resume. (i.e., Understanding a pet owners’ needs to recommend appropriate services that leave the owners satisfied.)
Skills to feature
- A high school diploma or GED along with on-the-job training and previous experience with animals.
- Data entry
- Appointment scheduling
- Telephone etiquette
- Excellent communication and customer interaction skills.
Get to the next level
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, animal caretaking and management job opportunities will grow up to 16% by 2029. Take advantage of this expanding job market by:
- Get an associate degree in Veterinary Technology.
- Attain a professional certification from the Association of Animal Welfare Advancement (CAWA).
- Join the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science.
Shelter Manager $67,080 Median Salary
Resume Format
Combination Resume
This resume format shows off specific job skills and experiences from previous jobs that show your people-centric nature and ability to adhere to and provide instructions.
Summary statement tip
Experience working with animals is vital in this industry, along with a lot of physical activity and an extreme amount of compassion. Potential employers need to see that you’re prepared for various circumstances and have the proper on-the-job adaptability required in this field. “Supervised up to 30 volunteers and oversee adoption processes, ensuring potential adopters meet the established criteria.”
Skills to feature
A BBA in Business Administration coupled with a Veterinary Technology degree or equivalent certification.
- Creative thinking and problem-solving
- Strong analytical skills
- Inventory control software
- Excellent presentation skills
- Fundraising and donation preparation
Get to the next level
A great way to reach an expanded leadership position is to gain qualifications and skills that emphasize your ability to handle more responsibilities, such as:
- Taking the NAVC Certified Veterinary Business Leader or similar certification program
- Getting an Animal Shelter Management Certification
- Going beyond local animal welfare and assisting national organizations such as The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), The American Humane Society, and The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS).
Animal Care Coordinator$88,770 Median Salary
Resume Format
Chronological Resume
Highlighting work experience and professional accomplishments is the ideal use for this resume format. When you have an excellent foundation of consistent employment and key skills, this is a great way to bring that to the forefront.
Summary statement tip
Put your long history of people skills and problem-solving front and center with something like: “Assisting management with volunteer scheduling and inventory management to provide efficient care to over 30 animals.”
Skills to feature
- Bachelor’s or master’s degree in business administration, along with a bachelor’s degree in zoology, biology, animal science, or equivalent.
- Lab operations
- Emergency and preventive care
- Process improvements
- Strategic planning and execution
- Operations Oversight
- Vaccine administration
- Recordkeeping
Get to the next level
To advance in your career, focus on adding these skills and experiences to your resume:
- Stay up to date with current vaccination, medication, feeding, and treatment procedures.
- Make sure you improve your program coordination and development skills along with other relevant management training certifications.
- Working knowledge of other science topics is a plus in this field as well (i.e., archaeology, geology, paleontology).
Recommended veterinary resume templates
Let your professionalism speak for itself with our easy-to-use resume templates.
Original
Stand out with this original four-quadrant design and make it a breeze for employers to find your information.
Insightful
Simple but effective, this template uses a dash of color to pop. Section titles are arranged in the left margin for quick reference.
Acclaimed
This modern layout utilizes a header which highlights the job seeker’s name with large resume fonts and organizes your information neatly.
For more professional layouts you can use, check out our resume template page
Veterinary resume FAQ
What skills should you consider for a veterinary resume?
- Animal care
- Determining animal requirements
- Empathy
- Patience
- Organizations
- Animal behavior expert
- Conducting examinations and diagnostic procedures
- Maintaining supplies and equipment
- Knowledge of lab equipment and test procedures
- Maintaining records
- Knowledge of lab studies and diagnostic imaging
- Taking vital signs and collecting samples
- Medication administration
- Maintaining sterile conditions
- Cleaning animal cages and equipment
- Ability to tame animals
- Treating and dressing wounds
- Delegating and executing projects
- Surgery
- Vaccination
- Advising animal owners
- Prescribing medication
- Euthanizing
- Critical thinking
- Leadership skills
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- A thorough, methodical approach
- Ability to stay calm under pressure
How do you format your resume based on your career level?
There are three standard resume formats: chronological, functional and combination.
The chronological format is the most popular, as it centers around a candidate’s work history and shows their progression. This format is better suited for people with more than eight years of continuous work experience.
The functional resume format is ideal for entry-level job seekers or candidates with less than two years of experience. It highlights all of the skills and qualifications that make you a great asset instead of your scarce work experience.
In between these two is the combination format. As the name suggests, it’s a combination of the chronological and functional resume formats, and ideal for people with a couple of years of experience. It presents both your skills and work experience, showing the hiring manager everything you’ve learned along the way.
How do you find and include keywords in your resume?
The best and simplest way to find keywords for your resume is by carefully reading the job description of the job you’re applying for. These keywords are the main requirements and responsibilities listed in the job posting. Pick the ones that match your skillset and include them throughout your resume in your professional summary, skills section and work experience.
