Occupational therapist resume

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Key skills for an occupational therapist resume

Terms that job ads ask for and ATS filters look for. Only include the ones you master.

  • Functional evaluation
  • Treatment planning
  • Activities of daily living (ADLs)
  • Fine motor skills
  • Sensory integration
  • Cognitive rehabilitation
  • Adaptive equipment
  • Home safety assessment
  • Patient education
  • Documentation

Tips for your occupational therapist resume

  1. Put your license and OTR credential near the top.
  2. Say where you work: hospital, rehab, skilled nursing, schools, pediatrics or home health.
  3. List the conditions you treat and the age groups you work with.
  4. Add your caseload and the interventions you use.
  5. Include specialty training, such as sensory integration or hand therapy.
  6. Mention adaptive equipment and home modifications you recommend.

Occupational therapist resume summary examples

Adapt these examples with your real details: years of experience, industry, tools and certifications.

Experienced

Occupational therapist with 6 years of experience in inpatient rehabilitation, treating patients after stroke, brain injury and joint replacement. I evaluate function, train patients in ADLs, recommend adaptive equipment and plan safe discharges home. Licensed and registered (OTR).

Entry-level

Occupational therapist with a master's degree and fieldwork in pediatric outpatient and skilled nursing settings, working on fine motor, sensory and self-care goals. Licensed and looking for my first OT role.

Other job titles

Search for them too and use the one in the job ad on your resume.

  • OTR
  • Pediatric occupational therapist
  • School occupational therapist
  • Hand therapist
  • Rehab occupational therapist
  • Home health occupational therapist

How to write an occupational therapist resume step by step

  1. Write a short summary

    Three or four lines with your experience, setting, patient groups and approach.

  2. Detail your experience

    In “Experience”, add the facility, patient types, caseload and interventions.

  3. Add education and credentials

    In “Education”, your master's or doctorate. In “Certificates”, your license, OTR and specialty training.

  4. Show projects

    In “Projects”, include programs, groups or home safety initiatives you created.

  5. Tailor your resume to the job ad and download it

    Paste the job ad into Beatjob: the AI improves the wording with the keywords your experience backs up. Then download the PDF.

More resume examples

Frequently asked questions about an occupational therapist resume

What education do occupational therapists need?

Typically a master's degree in occupational therapy, which usually takes two to three years and includes fieldwork.

Do occupational therapists need a license?

Yes. All states require occupational therapists to be licensed. At a minimum, candidates must pass a qualifying exam, which also lets them use the title Occupational Therapist Registered (OTR).

What should a new grad OT resume include?

Your degree, fieldwork placements with settings and patient groups, your license and any related volunteering.

Sources

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Occupational therapist resume: examples and tips | Beatjob