Lead with licensure, setting and the occupations you address
Open with a short summary that states your license and jurisdiction (OTR/L, OT/L or the equivalent in your country), NBCOT or comparable certification, and the setting where you practice—schools, acute care, inpatient rehabilitation, outpatient, hand therapy, home health, pediatrics or mental health. Mention seniority cues such as fieldwork supervision, program development or mentor roles, and specialty credentials (for example CHT, or pediatric or driving-rehabilitation certifications) only when they are current.
Mirror posting language only when it matches work you have done. Claiming school-based caseloads, custom orthoses, sensory-based intervention, dysphagia support or a high-acuity acute caseload without examples invites a hard clinical screen. Point readers to the evaluations, interventions and participation results that prove the skills the job emphasizes. Do not describe yourself as a physical therapist, or as providing nursing or medical management that sits outside OT scope.
Write bullets that connect evaluation, intervention and participation
Strong OT bullets name the population or setting, the occupational problem and a participation result: improved independence in ADLs or IADLs, return to a school, work or play routine, successful use of adaptive equipment, a documented goal on an IEP or plan of care, or a timely discharge to a prior living situation. Caseload, documentation timeliness and caregiver training can help when they are honest and not the only story. Prefer measured occupational outcomes over vague claims that you “provided excellent therapy,” and treat mobility as a means to occupation rather than as the main result.
The fictional examples below illustrate wording only. They are not Make.CV performance claims and should not be copied as your own. Replace every figure with results you can support from de-identified outcomes, and strip client names, record numbers and any protected health or education information. If a case is distinctive, describe the occupational presentation and intervention without identifying the person.
Show clinical tools and credentials without a modality dump
Group skills into readable categories such as evaluation methods, intervention areas, adaptive equipment or orthoses, and documentation or scheduling systems. Prioritize assessments and approaches named in the posting when you have genuine experience—for example COPM, GG or FIM items, a sensory profile, or a school-based goal format you actually use. A short accurate list of the tools and occupations you treat beats a long inventory of every continuing-education course you attended.
Place state licensure, NBCOT or equivalent certification, and specialty credentials where they are easy to verify. Fieldwork, residencies and volunteer coverage belong when they show settings or populations your employment history does not; label the role honestly and do not present student work as independent licensed practice. Examination focused on gait, strength and mobility outcomes belongs on the physical therapist CV. Unit nursing and medical diagnosis or panel ownership belong on the nurse, physician assistant or nurse practitioner guides, unless you are actually applying for those roles.
Choose a clean layout and review the export
Use a readable template with standard headings so credentials, setting, participation evidence and skills stay easy to find. Keep dates consistent and leave room for quantified bullets. Browse Make.CV templates if you want to compare layouts before writing.
Build your CV in the free maker with live preview, then download a PDF with no watermark. Check that license, certification and assessment abbreviations wrap cleanly. Confirm the exported text remains selectable before you submit.
Frequently asked questions
How is an occupational therapist CV different from a physical therapist CV?
An occupational therapist CV emphasizes occupational performance, ADLs/IADLs, participation and adaptive equipment within OT scope. A physical therapist CV emphasizes examination, movement and functional mobility. Nurse, physician assistant and nurse practitioner CVs belong to different licenses. Use the guide that matches the role in the posting.
Where should OTR/L, NBCOT and state licensure go?
Put current state licensure, OTR/L or equivalent designation, NBCOT or comparable certification, and specialty credentials such as CHT high on the page or in a dedicated Credentials section so hiring and credentialing teams do not have to hunt for them.
Should I list every assessment tool or continuing-education course?
No. Prioritize current licensure, specialty certifications and assessments or interventions you can discuss with a client or student example. Mention a tool or course briefly if the posting names it and you have used the method in practice.
How do I describe outcomes without sharing client information?
Use de-identified or aggregate results—caseload, documentation timeliness, discharge destination, IEP goal progress or a change in a named occupational measure—without names, record numbers or identifying details. Never invent scores.