Veterinary nurse CV example

How to add contact details to your veterinary nurse CV

On average, hiring managers only spend around six seconds on each CV. As such, you must include the most important information near the top of the page, starting with your contact details. While it might sound obvious, you’d be surprised how many candidates forget – and then wonder why they never hear back! We advise using a slightly larger and bolder font for maximum visibility. Remember to note:

• Full name – first name and surname
• Address – so employers can anticipate your travel time
• Phone number – the best one to reach you on
• Email address – keep it professional

Example of contact section for a veterinary nurse CV

How to write a personal statement for your veterinary nurse CV

If you want to make an excellent first impression, you must write a persuasive personal statement outlining your proudest experience, skills, and achievements. When done right, this punchy three to four sentence introduction sparks the hiring manager’s interest and encourages them to read on. We know what you’re thinking – how do I cover the most important points within such a limited word count? The formula below should help.

Sentence one states who you are, including years of experience and career focus, such as farm animals. Sentence two explains what you can achieve, backed up by a showstopping statistic. For example, you might have “performed over 1000 successful surgeries” or “introduced a new administration system that boosted productivity by 23%”. Finally, sentences three and four reiterate your unique skills. Think about what makes you different from the competition – perhaps you specialise in sought-after areas like dermatology or cardiology.

What else do you need to know?

• Write in the third person to sound more professional
• Place your personal statement at the top of the CV
• Keep information fluff-free, factual, and around 100 words
• Convey confidence with statistics and positive descriptors, such as “compassionate”, “calm”, and “organised”
• Focus on what value you can provide – talk about what you can offer, not what you want (save career goals for the cover letter)

Example of personal statement for a veterinary nurse CV

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How to present your work history on a veterinary nurse CV

Work experience is often the most interesting part of any CV, providing employers with the details they need to choose the best candidates. As well as listing daily responsibilities, such as reordering surgical supplies, remember to spotlight your strengths and achievements – not to mention the all-important metrics we discussed earlier in the personal statement section. Hiring managers want to know what you can achieve, not your lengthy to-do list.

When using a reverse-chronological structure, start from your current or most recent role and work your way back, jotting down three to six duties for each. Always keep the job description in mind so you can tailor information accurately. As a rule, you should cover:

• Job title
• Company name
• Company location
• Employment start and end dates
• List of responsibilities
• Achievements, awards, and promotions

You can’t sum up the qualities of a veterinary nurse in numbers alone – but if you want to help your CV stand out, always include critical metrics from your previous positions. If you saw an average of 20 patients a week or boosted your practice’s efficiency by 15%, these figures are a great way to help your recruiter quantify your success. Don’t be shy about emphasising your accomplishments because your competition won’t be.

Next, cover as many different duties as possible. For instance, if you’ve discussed “completing preparatory work for surgical procedures” underneath one position, talk about “maintaining the highest standards of cleanliness” in another. Repetition is one of the biggest problems we see – and it’s bound to bore the reader senseless. Plus, keep content specific and avoid banalities, like “answering telephones” and “photocopying”.

Last but not least, sound enthusiastic. You can do this by including plenty of positive adjectives and action verbs. The former are self-explanatory – you might be “patient”, “empathetic”, and “trustworthy”. Action verbs are more exciting alternatives to “responsible for”. Some of our favourites for veterinary nurses include “supported”, “monitored”, and “inspected”.

Example of work experience for a veterinary nurse CV

Top skills for your veterinary nurse CV

There are many CV skills and qualities needed to be a veterinary nurse, from effective communication to expert medical knowledge. Knowing which to use isn’t rocket science – simply balance technical hard skills and transferable soft skills to dazzle the employer.

So, what’s the difference? Hard skills are specialised and learnt through formal channels like college, university, or on-the-job training schemes. In contrast, soft skills reveal more of your character. While often overlooked, they’re equally important because veterinary nurses must have the right personality to succeed. As this role is people-oriented, you should pay special attention to your communication and interpersonal skills.

Need more help? Keep reading to discover the must-have skills for your veterinary nurse CV:

How to add education to your veterinary nurse CV

Education is the foundation of experience, proving you have the fundamental knowledge to hit the ground running. You can talk about academic qualifications, additional training programmes, and memberships to governing bodies. Basically, anything that cements your credentials and demonstrates you’re an expert in your field!

Above all else, only include your most relevant qualifications. For example, you don’t need to list GCSEs after completing a university degree. Similarly, you can note individual modules if applicable to the role you’re applying for – otherwise, leave them out. The work experience section should be the longest, so it’s best to be frugal with words at this point.

How do you become a veterinary nurse? You’ll need to complete a foundation degree or degree in Veterinary Nursing. To be accepted onto a university course, you must have two or three A levels, including Biology.

Here’s an idea of how this section should look:

• Name of school, college, university, or other awarding body
• Study start and end dates
• Subject title
• Qualification level – e.g. GCSE or Diploma
• Qualification result – not essential but desirable

Example of education for a veterinary nurse CV