Veterinary Technician Resume Examples & Writing Guide
Learn how to make your application stand out by referencing our veterinary technician resume samples and following our expert writing guide.
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Veterinary Technician Resume Template (Text Format)
The proper resume format for one jobseeker isn’t always the same as it is for another.
Copy-Paste Veterinary Technician Resume Template
FIRST AND LAST NAME
Email: your.email@email.com
Phone: (123) 456-7891
Address: Street, City, State
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/yourprofile
Resume Summary
Dedicated Veterinary Technician with [number] years of experience. Seeking to leverage my experience in [relevant abilities] to fill the Veterinary Technician position. Hold a [degree/diploma/certification] in [Degree/Diploma/Certification Title]. Skilled at [2–3 relevant skills]. A [adjective #1] and [adjective #2] worker aiming to contribute to the success of [Company Name].
Professional Experience
- Include a bulleted list of your achievements as a veterinary technician
- Start each bullet point with an action verb (like “develop” or “manage”) to grab attention
- Use the present tense for your current veterinary technician role, unless describing a completed project or initiative
- Use hard numbers when possible to quantify your accomplishments as a veterinary technician
- Mention how you’ve used some of the veterinary skills listed in your skills section to demonstrate your mastery of these abilities
- List relevant accomplishments from your previous role as a veterinary technician
- Assuming you’re no longer working in this veterinary technician role, use past tense verbs to describe your work
- Include 3–6 bullet points for each veterinary technician role, both your current one and previous ones
- Skip the pronoun “I” and begin directly with a verb
- Although you’ll usually list work experience, feel free to include veterinary care-related internships as well as any volunteer work and extracurricular activities if you lack formal work experience
Education
GPA: 3.X/4.0 (optional)
Latin honors (if applicable)
Skills & Certifications
- List skills and certifications relevant to the veterinary technician job you’re applying for
- Look at the job description for ideas of the skills the employer wants and that are common for veterinary technicians
- Emphasize veterinary-related hard skills and technical skills in this section
- Be as specific as possible by including names of tools, equipment, and software you’ve mastered that are used in the veterinary industry
Check out our resume examples for different vet tech jobs and experience levels below:
Veterinary assistant resume
As a compassionate animal lover looking to start a career in veterinary medicine, writing a compelling veterinary assistant resume is crucial. Take a look at this example for inspiration:
Veterinary assistant resume highlights
- Tailored content: The details emphasize the most relevant aspects of each role for a vet assistant position, rather than listing every single job duty.
- Concise bullet points: The resume’s bullet points are concise and each one focuses on a single key responsibility or achievement, making the resume easily scannable.
Entry-level vet tech resume
Breaking into the field of veterinary technology can be competitive, but a strong resume can set you apart from other entry-level candidates. Here’s an example to use as a reference when writing your own:
Entry-level vet tech resume highlights
- Specific procedures: Mentioning specific procedures like ultrasound and dental prophylaxis shows that the candidate is familiar with common vet tech tasks and can jump right in if hired.
- Volunteer experience: Including relevant volunteer work on your resume can strengthen your candidacy, especially for an entry-level role.
Experienced vet tech resume
As a seasoned veterinary technician, your resume should reflect your extensive knowledge, hands-on experience, and specialized skills in the field. For example:
Experienced vet tech resume highlight
- Action-oriented language: Beginning work experience bullet points with strong action verbs like “oversee” and “develop” keeps the focus on the candidate’s contributions and impact.
Average veterinary technician salaries in the US
The following table includes information from O*NET Resource Center by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license, this data is pulled from the most recent US Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Employment & Earnings report (as of 10/16/2024), featuring the top states by use.
Average veterinary technician annual salaries by state
State | Salary / Year |
---|---|
California | $54,190 |
Texas | $35,700 |
Florida | $38,540 |
New York | $52,330 |
Pennsylvania | $42,870 |
Illinois | $46,140 |
Ohio | $37,820 |
Georgia | $36,680 |
North Carolina | $44,990 |
Michigan | $47,000 |
National Average | $41,355 |
How to write a veterinary technician resume
Follow these steps to create an effective veterinary technician resume:
1. Emphasize your key skills throughout your resume
Strengthen your vet tech resume by demonstrating both hard and soft skills. Your hard skills are tangible skills like surgical techniques or animal control strategies. You should list most relevant technical skills in a designated skills section, like this:
SKILLS
- Animal handling, restraint, and feeding
- Basic grooming
- Medication administration (including injections)
- Surgery assistance (including suturing)
- Laboratory testing
- Knowledge of animal anatomy
- Ability to work with both large & small animals
- Ability to maintain accurate records and reports
Soft skills are interpersonal skills that aren’t taught in a classroom setting. Rather than listing these in your skills section, you should demonstrate them in your introduction or work experience section, like this:
- Delivered difficult news to pet owners with sensitivity and compassion, offering support and resources to help them cope with the situation
Here are some examples of soft skills that veterinary clinics value:
- Empathy
- Interpersonal skills
- Good telephone manner
- Attention to detail
- Ability to deliver bad news
- Coping strategies
- Communication skills
2. Add your veterinary technician certifications to your resume
List your certifications on your resume to show employers that you have the qualifications required of a veterinary technician.
Most veterinary technicians have an associate’s degree from an accredited college program. However, some complete their bachelor’s degree or higher and get certified by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).
Veterinary technicians can also earn certifications in a variety of areas, such as:
- anesthesia
- dentistry
- emergency care
List these specializations on your veterinary tech resume to show prospective employers that you have the necessary skills to work in their clinic or hospital.
Usually, you should put these certifications in your resume’s education section. But if you have several certifications, consider creating a separate certifications section on your resume, like this:
CERTIFICATIONS
Certified Veterinary Technician
National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America
20XX
Fear Free Certified Professional
Fear Free, LLC
20XX
Canine and Feline CPR and First Aid Certification
American Red Cross
20XX
3. Tie your resume together with an effective resume summary
A resume summary is a 2–5 sentence statement that summarizes your skills and qualifications. The purpose of a resume summary is to get the hiring manager’s attention and to encourage them to read your application more closely.
A good resume summary includes your:
- years of experience
- key achievements and skills
- career-related goals
Here are some examples:
Experienced veterinary technician resume
Passionate Veterinary Technician with 5+ years of experience administering care to animals and providing assistance to veterinarians. Seeking a position at Bellevue Animal Clinic to facilitate progressive growth, strengthen operations, improve processes, and elevate output and high-quality animal care.
Oncology veterinary technician resume
Compassionate Oncology Veterinary Technician with 8+ years of experience in veterinary cancer treatment. Expertise in chemotherapy administration, radiation therapy assistance, and palliative care. Dedicated to improving quality of life for cancer patients and supporting their families through treatment.
Surgical veterinary technician resume
Detail-oriented Surgical Veterinary Technician with 6 years of experience assisting in complex procedures. Proficient in anesthesia monitoring, surgical preparation, and post-operative care. Strong knowledge of aseptic techniques and surgical equipment management.
Not sure what your resume should look like? The best way to learn is by taking inspiration from resume examples written by other candidates in your industry.
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