Support Worker CV Example and Guide, with Tips

Key Sections of a Support Worker CV

Although the structure and layout of a support worker CV might differ according to your experience levels, every CV will have more or less the same sections. If you’re an experienced support worker, you’ll want to demonstrate your credentials by featuring your job history in a traditional, reverse-chronological CV format. On the other hand, if this is your first job or you lack experience, you might prefer to focus on your skills by using a functional CV format.

Whether you choose a traditional or functional CV format, the basic sections to include are as follows:

CV header

In your CV header, add your name, email address and phone number. It’s not usually necessary to include your full address — an indication of your location will suffice. You can also add your LinkedIn profile, if you have one, and a CV headline to introduce your document and help the reader to quickly get an impression of how suitable you are for the role.

CV summary or objective

This section is important as it provides an introduction to your CV and encourages the employer to read on in more detail. Write two or three sentences outlining your skills and experience, and your reasons for applying for the role. Choose one or two key skills from the job description that you feel best reflect your qualities, and reference them here.

Here’s an example CV summary for a support worker application:

Work experience

If you have relevant previous work experience, you can mention it in your work experience section. Although support worker roles don’t tend to require prior experience, you can also mention any other unrelated jobs you’ve had that have helped you to develop skills you can use in the role.

Present your roles in reverse-chronological order, starting with your current or most recent role  and working backwards. For each position, add your job title, the name of the employer, its location and the dates you worked there. Underneath, write several bullet points outlining your responsibilities and achievements in the role. Use strong action words and make sure your points reflect the skills and experience listed in the job description.

Take a look at an example work experience section below:

Education

There are no formal educational requirements for support worker roles, but it’s still useful to mention your highest or most relevant qualifications in this section. These might include a level 3 diploma in social work or heath and social care, or an apprenticeship. Some support worker roles may ask you for a minimum number of GCSEs, so mention these in this section. As with your work experience, mention your educational achievements in reverse-chronological order.

Follow this format for listing your education:

Skills

Review the job description and list any skills you have that match those required by the employer. These could include hard skills related to the role, or soft, transferable skills that might be useful in the job. You can either present your skills in two separate lists (hard and soft), or as one combined list.

A skills section for a support worker CV example might include the following:

• Administering medication
• Assisting patients to wash and dress
• Creating bespoke care and support plans
• Empathy and compassion
• Relationship building
• Time management
• Working under pressure
• Problem-solving

Optional sections

In addition to the sections above, there are several optional sections you could add to your CV to help prove your suitability for the job. These include certifications, training, foreign languages, voluntary work and hobbies and interests. Add any of these if they help you show a skill or experience listed in the job description, such as the ability to speak a certain language that can help you communicate with non-English-speaking patients.

Tips for Writing a Support Worker CV

Follow these CV tips to give your support worker job applications the best chance of success:

• Tailor your CV: make each job application unique by tailoring your CV according to the job description. This keeps your CV fresh and encourages you to think about how you want to present yourself to every employer.
• Quantify your achievements: rather than listing your responsibilities in different jobs, focus on your achievements and demonstrating the impact you made. You could do this by adding data and performance metrics that show your efficiency, feedback from employee appraisals or basic data about the number of patients in your caseload.
• Keep it concise: aim to make your CV no longer than two pages of A4, and use clear, professional and simple language throughout. If you can say all you need to say on a single side of A4, this is even better.
• Use keywords: enhance your chances of success by adding keywords from the job description into your CV. This will help employers to quickly assess your suitability for the role. If the organisation uses ATS to help with recruitment (automated software that scans and ranks CVs according to their suitability), keywords can also help you to progress to this stage.
• Choose a suitable format: the most commonly-used CV format is the traditional, reverse-chronological structure. Use this if you’ve got plenty of work experience under your belt. If you’re lacking work experience and want to emphasise your transferable skills, use a functional layout. Whichever format you choose, make sure your CV is well-structured with clear headings so ATS applications can scan them accurately.
• Proofread your CV: spelling and grammar mistakes can really undermine your chances of success. Use a spellchecker and read your CV thoroughly before sending it. If possible, have someone else read it to ensure you haven’t missed any mistakes.
• Write a strong cover letter: your cover letter provides further opportunity to explain why you’re right for the job. Emphasise your enthusiasm, explain why you want the role and focus on one or two key skills or experiences that sum you up as a candidate.
• Use a professional CV design: you can make your CV more eye-catching by using a clean, professional CV design. CVwizard’s online CV maker provides simple steps to creating a CV with attractive design features and colour accents, that can help to hold the attention of the reader and make a positive impression with employers.

Key Takeaways for a Support Worker CV

A strong CV can make all the difference to your chances of success in support worker job applications. Tailor your CV for each application and make sure you include keywords and phrases that reflect the job description and demonstrate your skills and experience.

Sign up to CVwizard to access CV templates that will transform your job applications and catch the eye of recruiters and hiring managers. Simply choose your template, add the content and adjust the design to suit your style. You can also read our library of CV articles to help increase your chances of winning the perfect support worker role.