Child Advocate Resume Example + 5 FAQs Answered

Qualified child advocates are individuals with a strong drive and who have solid interpersonal communication skills, are highly organized, and can keep their cool during crisis management situations. Nearly 300,000 people work in the industry, which experts believe will gain about 7 percent in popularity between now and 2014. With such stiff competition, creating a strong resume that describes your strongest assets is of vital importance.

Unfortunately, many people have trouble starting their resume, which is why we created a child advocate resume sample. It will help you determine the best methods of formatting your own work as well as show you which type of information is most important. Use it along with our resume builder to help you organize your writing, include vital information, and create a document that will keep the hiring manager or recruiter engaged.

Create Resume

Ginger Palmer

123 Fake Street | City, State, Zip Code
Cell: 000-000-0000
email@email.com

Professional Summary

Passionate Child Advocate experienced in child services case management. Track record of positive solution development and dedication within the community. Extensive knowledge of protecting the best legal, social and personal rights of children.

Core Qualifications

Child Advocacy
Parental Intervention
Medical Treatment Plans
Agency Collaboration
Treatment Planning
Aftercare
Child Welfare Law
Home Visits

Experience

Child Advocate, May 2010 – February 2015
Company Name – City, State

Managed caseload of 15 – 20 at-risk clients, provided advocacy in all areas for these clients.
Developed treatment plans and goal setting for caseload, including mental health, legal, medical and educational goals.
Created assessments, kept case records and wrote progress notes.
Located resources for clients such as clothing, training and financial assistance.

Child Advocate, June 2007 – May 2010
Company Name – City, State

Maintained caseload of approximately 15 clients.
Provided counseling, resource management, advocacy, education and support to at-risk child population.
Wrote treatment plans, setting goals in all areas of functioning.
Kept detailed progress notes and thorough agency records.

Education

2007, Master of Social Work
New Parkland University – City, State

Why Is This a Good Child Advocate Resume Sample?

Take a look at the sample resume and take note of several features that make it an excellent example. First, read the professional summary. Hiring managers typically have a “rule of three” in that they don’t want to see more than three sentences in the professional summary. This applicant follows the rule perfectly, using succinct sentences to mention her job title, her positive track record and dedication to community, and her extensive knowledge about the position.

The skills section of this child advocate resume sample is also quite good. The applicant kept the list to a detailed but readable eight bullet points and made sure to mention skills that are specific to child advocates, including knowledge of the related laws and being skilled at medical treatment plans. She also mentioned her ability to intervene and to collaborate with other agencies to show she can take charge but still work as a team.

In the experience section, the applicant made sure she stood out. She used all the right formatting to ensure the section was easy to read and began each bullet point with a unique action word to display a well-rounded set of skills. Additionally, she proved her abilities by including quantitative facts about how many caseloads she handled at once and mentioning the writing of treatment plans. She also remembered to include the relevant company information. Resumes should list the company’s name, its location, the applicant’s job title, and the dates worked.

Finally, the applicant in the child advocate resume sample showed she understands that the education section is necessary but not the most important section by keeping it short. She provided her most recent degree, the university she received it from and its location, and the year she received it, which is the minimum amount of information and usually enough for recruiters.

Why You Need a Strong Child Advocate Resume

The expected growth of employment in child advocacy and related fields is 7 percent by 2024 according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, but it is important not to get a false sense of hope. Remember, as the field grows, so will the number of people who want to enter it. For this reason, a strong resume is essential.

Research shows that even though most hiring managers claim to look at a resume for about five minutes, they truly only skim it for six seconds. This means you need to make those seconds count. Proper formatting as demonstrated in the child advocate resume sample ensures your resume is easy to skim, and providing the right information will entice hiring managers to keep reading. Keep in mind that they typically look at your job titles, the companies, when you worked for them, and your education first.

Costly Child Advocate Resume Mistakes To Avoid

When writing your resume, it is necessary to avoid certain mistakes that could cost you a call for an interview. For a job such as child advocacy, it is important to find a happy medium between highly professional language and creative language. The hiring manager wants to know you have knowledge of the laws and procedures surrounding the position but also that you can communicate effectively with people of all ages and from all walks of life, which is why it is important to include skills such as patience or being bilingual.

Formatting is an important part of any resume, as you can see in the child advocate resume sample. The most important information, such as your professional summary and your skills, should be at the top. Bullet points and bold headings keep your resume organized and easy to read. Strong action words in your experience description provide the reader with a mental picture of what you can accomplish.

Conclusion

Finding employment means staying ahead of the competition. By modeling your resume after the child advocate resume sample, you ensure you use the proper formatting and include just the right information to make yourself stand out from hundreds of other applicants. All you need to do now is to begin writing your own professional document. Don’t forget to proofread!