Despite experiencing a faster than average job growth, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the field of physical therapy might take you a while to sift through so you can find the right job. You might find the position you want is highly competitive. Some clinics might choose to wait to find the right fit no matter how many applicants they screen. Therefore, you still must have a strong resume that demonstrates the value you will bring to the position.
It is beneficial to start by looking through physical therapist resume samples to gain insight into what to include in your own document. We have compiled some of the most common styles in the physical therapy industry to make it easy for you to find one that fits the position for which you intend to apply.
Physical Therapist Resume Samples
Physical Therapist Resume Sample
As a physical therapist, you want to spend your time focusing on helping people recover from an injury or chronic illness rather than developing a strong resume to secure a new position. However, a well-developed representation of your skills will improve your chances of securing an interview.
Demonstrate you know the most important areas to emphasize with the help of our physical therapist resume samples. You will find it easier to craft a document hiring managers find attractive.
For:
- Entry-level and experienced physical therapists looking for a position at a therapy center or hospital.
Physical Therapist Skills To Include:
- Current and valid license
- Occupational therapy
- Sports-specific rehab
- Manual therapy
- Strong communication skills
More Information: To find out more, make sure to visit our physical therapist resume sample.
Senior Physical Therapist Resume Sample
When you wish to take on more responsibilities as a senior physical therapist, you must demonstrate that you have the leadership skills, qualifications, and experience for the role. This is even more important if you have not held a senior position in the past.
How do you best demonstrate you are the right one for the position? Review our physical therapist resume samples to find the important details to include on your resume.
For:
- Experienced physical therapists with a desire to take on additional responsibility in a more senior position.
Physical Therapist Skills To Include:
- Compassionate patient care
- Excellent organizational skills
- Soft tissue mobilization
- Solid examination and assessment skills
- CPR/AED and first aid certification
Director Of Physical Therapy Resume Sample
As a director of physical therapy, you have probably reviewed plenty of resumes when hiring for open positions on your staff. However, this does not mean you know exactly what to include on your resume when you look for a new job.
With the help of our physical therapist resume samples, you will gain insight into what to include, so you stand out from the competition.
For:
- Current and aspiring directors of physical therapy are looking for a position at a hospital, nursing home, or private clinic.
Physical Therapist Skills To Include:
- Strong leadership skills
- Experience managing rehabilitation services
- Development of treatment protocols
- Evaluation of functional capabilities
- Budgeting experience
More Information: To see an example of what to include on your resume, review our director of physical therapy resume sample.
FAQ
What’s the best way to show I work well in a team on a physical therapist resume?
Physical therapists rarely work alone; it is common to work in tandem with other physical therapists, occupational therapists, physicians, massage therapists, and more. Rather than simply stating you are a team player, demonstrate you are one.One way to do this is to emphasize accomplishments or duties in your previous positions that required interaction and teamwork, such as developing treatment protocols with physicians and massage therapists. Furthermore, when you detail a project you worked on, include the number of people with whom you collaborated.
If I’ve never held a physical therapist job before, how do I make a physical therapist resume?
With the right resume, you can demonstrate you have the right skills and qualifications and bring value to the position, even as a new physical therapist. Many entry-level applicants find that using a functional resume or hybrid resume works best. These styles allow you to emphasize your skills rather than experience.You can detail the experience and skills you gained from your education and training, including any internships you might have held. Additionally, you can include transferable skills from non-physical therapy positions you might have held, such as customer service skills or communication skills. You can find examples of these two resume styles when you review our physical therapist resume samples.
What should I include about my accomplishments on my physical therapist resume?
When you craft the work experience section of your physical therapist resume, you want to emphasize accomplishments to demonstrate the value you bring to the role. Rather than making your work experience section sound like a job description, include metrics and numbers as much as possible for a more concrete example of your accomplishments.Additionally, describe any special projects on which you might have worked, such as developing a new protocol for assessing patients or developing an educational program for clients. Review the job description to get an idea of the most important duties and skills for the position. Then, incorporate examples of accomplishments that demonstrate your ability to perform these duties.
Which skills are the best to list on a physical therapist resume?
When you apply for a physical therapist position, you want to ensure you demonstrate having the necessary skills for the job. The first action to take is reviewing the job description to see the important skills listed for the position and listing the applicable ones on your resume. Additionally, detail any skills in a particular specialty you might have, such as sports therapy.General skills to include might be manipulation therapy, soft tissue mobilization, communication skills, and patient care. You can review our physical therapist resume samples to get more ideas.
How do I list references on a physical therapist resume?
As a general rule of thumb, you do not include references on your resume. Also, leave off the statement saying you will supply them upon request. Most hiring managers recognize that you will supply references at a later time.
Physical Therapist Sample Resumes
How to write a Physical Therapist Resume
Physical therapy resumes should show areas worked in, such as sports or geriatrics, and ways in which you added value in the workplace. A good physical therapist resume will be specifically customized to the job application at hand, shaping work experience around the job advertisement to demonstrate that you are the best person for the job. Think about client service as well as technical results to ensure the best chance of getting an interview. The structure demonstrated in the sample physical therapist resume below can be used for all types of physical therapy positions. Searching online can return other physical therapist resume samples that ideas may be gleaned from. However, your physical therapist resume should follow the outline detailed below:
Contact Details
All physical therapist resumes should detail contact information at the top of the page. List your full name and your home and cell phone numbers. Also include an email address that you check regularly and your home address. Students can include their university addresses also.
Objective
Those physical therapist candidates with little experience (less than a few years in the workplace) might put in an objective. A good sample physical therapist resume will state what you hope to achieve with your resume, as in this example:
Certified sports injuries specialist with two years of proven experience reeducating muscles at private clinic seeks a job with increased responsibility.
This part of your resume is where the employer’s eye will naturally fall, so it needs to be impressive and stand out. Here we’ve used “certified and two years proved experience.” This demonstrates that you are qualified, you have experienced, and you have ambition and the drive to succeed.
Profile
A physical therapist resume sample for more experienced candidates should have a profile rather than an objective. Profiles consist of four concise sentences that draw attention to the candidate’s key experience and skills. Experienced sample physical therapist resumes may have profiles like this:
Versatile physical therapist, certified in XXXXXXX state with five years of experience in outpatient centers. Motivated individual specialized in sports injuries. Team leader with the ability to make patients feel at ease, improving recovery rates. Multi-tasker with the ability to juggle high work volumes while maintaining a quality service across the board.
The profile above in this sample physical therapist resume demonstrates the use of keywords and keyword phrases in your profile to improve the odds of your resume being found in a job website search. Here sample phrases might be “sports injuries” or “certified in XXXXXXX state.” Knowing that your profile commands the most important spot on your physical therapist resume, you should ensure that you make it suitably impressive. Use action verbs in your sentences for a more powerful and lasting impression.
Physical Therapist Education
Physical therapist applicants will have qualifications and certifications specifically relevant to the job -make these so that they are clearly identifiable among the rest. High grades or awards should be included. List your education in reverse chronological order and start with the most recent. Detail out subject/s studied, educational institutes attended and their location, dates of graduation, any other professional qualifications achieved.
Physical Therapist Work Experience
As with your education section, this part of your physical therapist resume must be detailed in reverse order chronologically. Your task with this critical section is to detail achievements (not just responsibilities) that demonstrate that you have more to offer to the job than other applicants. For more specialized positions, you’ll need to include greater detail. It is important to concentrate also on the softer side of a physical therapist resume. If you can demonstrate excellence in patient care, you’ll be doing a better job than someone who leaves this out. Our sample physical therapist resume recommends bullets like this:
- Selected as part of a team of twenty qualified physical therapists to travel with the Olympic Team and work on their injuries during the competition.
A leadership role in physical therapy should list supervisory or management experience in their physical therapist resumes. Action verbs can be used to best demonstrate you in the most positive light.
Activities
Those who have left their studies in the past several months can include relevant activities on their physical therapist resume. This adds some strength to and consolidates work experience. Include voluntary work, internships, and awards in this area. Senior physical therapist professionals should list professional association membership or perhaps voluntary work or leadership positions held in the community. Again, use action verbs work best here.
Keywords
Keywords and phrases need to be carefully included in your physical therapist resume. This will help your resume to show up in searches performed on job websites. Examine the job advertisement for the specific words and phrases to include for each job. A good sample physical therapist resume will be sure to include these relevant to the job in question and work them in a few times for greater effect.
This example resume illustrates the best method for approaching the writing of physical therapist resumes. Those still at school may be able to get hold of sample physical therapist resumes from careers centers to get additional useful ideas and hints. From this page, you can find sample resumes to get you started.