Check your care worker CV against the job advert
Care worker adverts ask for much the same things: the right checks, some training, kindness you can show, and reliability. Here's how to make each one easy to see on your CV.
Many care jobs welcome people without experience, so the advert often cares as much about your values and availability as your history. That doesn't mean any CV will do. The reader still looks for the basics first.
Start with your advert
Every care worker advert is different. The list below is what adverts for this job usually ask for, not what yours does. So start with your advert:
- Read the advert and copy out every "must have" or "essential" line, then the "desirable" ones.
- For each one, find the line in your CV that proves it. If you can't point to a line, that's a gap.
- Fill the gap with something true: a duty, a setting, a qualification or a result you really have. If you don't have it, say what you have that's closest, or leave it out.
Our guide to matching your CV to a job description goes through this in more detail.
What care worker adverts usually ask for
Care experience, or the values to learn
Why they askEmployers need to know you can give personal care with dignity, or that you're ready to learn. New starters are often welcome, but they look for signs of a caring attitude.
How to show itName the setting (residential, nursing home, home care, supported living), who you supported, and what you did for them. If you're new to care, show caring experience from elsewhere: looking after a relative, volunteering, or customer-facing work where you helped people who were struggling.
Example lines: fill the gaps with your own facts- Gave personal care, including washing, dressing and help with meals, to [number] residents a shift in a [type of setting].
- Cared for a family member with [condition] for [length of time], including [specific tasks, such as medication reminders or mobility support].
The Care Certificate and care qualifications
Why they askIn England, new care workers are expected to complete the Care Certificate, and many adverts ask for it or for a Level 2 or 3 adult care qualification. Scotland and Wales have their own registration and qualification rules.
How to show itList each one with its full name, the awarding body if you know it, and the year. If you're working towards one, say how far through you are.
Example lines: fill the gaps with your own facts- Care Certificate, completed [year] with [employer or provider].
- Level [2 or 3] Diploma in Adult Care, [completed year / in progress, due to finish month year].
An enhanced DBS check
Why they askCare roles in England and Wales need an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Adverts often mention it, and some ask if you're on the Update Service. In Scotland this is a PVG check (Disclosure Scotland), and in Northern Ireland an AccessNI check.
How to show itYou don't have to have one already, as the employer will usually apply for it. If you have a current one and are on the Update Service, say so in your skills or a short "checks" line.
Example lines: fill the gaps with your own facts- Enhanced DBS ([adult / adult and child] workforce), on the DBS Update Service since [year].
Medication, moving and handling, and safeguarding training
Why they askThese are the training areas care employers ask about most, because they're where mistakes cause harm.
How to show itList the courses by name with dates. In your experience, show you used them: who you gave medication to and how it was recorded, what equipment you used for moving and handling.
Example lines: fill the gaps with your own facts- Administered and recorded medication for [number] residents using [eMAR system or MAR charts], following the home's medication policy.
- Trained in moving and handling ([year]), including using hoists, slide sheets and [other equipment].
- Safeguarding adults training ([year]); reported concerns to the senior on shift in line with policy.
Care plans and record keeping
Why they askGood care follows each person's care plan and is written down accurately. Many homes now use digital care systems, and adverts may name one.
How to show itSay that you followed care plans and kept daily notes, and name any care software you've used.
Example lines: fill the gaps with your own facts- Wrote daily care notes and recorded fluid and food intake using [digital care system].
- Followed individual care plans for [number] people and fed back changes in their needs at [handover / team meetings].
Reliability, shifts and (for home care) a driving licence
Why they askCare rotas include early, late, night and weekend shifts. Home care jobs often need a full UK driving licence and access to a car to get between visits.
How to show itState your availability honestly, and your licence and car if the advert asks. A record of reliability, such as covering shifts, is worth a line.
Example lines: fill the gaps with your own facts- Full UK driving licence and own car; available for [early / late / weekend] shifts.
- Covered [extra shifts or short-notice shifts] during staff shortages.
Only use a line if it's true for you. Swap each [gap] for your own detail: the setting, the number, the tool or the result. If you can't fill a gap honestly, cut that part of the line.
Mistakes that cost care worker applications
- Writing "caring and compassionate" without one example that shows it.
- Leaving out training because it was short or in-house. Moving and handling, medication and safeguarding courses all count.
- Not saying which setting you worked in. Residential, nursing, dementia and home care are different jobs to a manager.
- For home care adverts, forgetting to mention your driving licence and car.
- Unexplained gaps. If you were caring for family, say so: it's relevant experience.
Questions
Can I get a care worker job with no experience?
Often, yes. Many employers train new starters. Show caring experience from anywhere in your life, your availability, and your willingness to complete the Care Certificate.
Do I need a DBS check before applying?
Usually not. The employer normally applies for an enhanced DBS check once they offer you the job. If you already have one on the Update Service, mention it.
What should a care worker CV personal statement say?
Who you are (new to care, or your years and settings), one specific example of the care you give, and the kind of role and shifts you're looking for. See our guide to personal statements.