How To Write a Great PSW Resume (With Template and Example)

Personal support worker (PSW) is a general term for professionals who provide daily healthcare assistance to patients. Those in this role often help the elderly or disabled clients complete activities, taking medication, and travelling around. If you're thinking about applying to this type of job, consider preparing a resume that can impress potential employers and convey you're an excellent candidate for their job opening. In this article, we discuss what a PSW resume is, explain why it's important, and describe how to write one with a template and example to help guide you.

What is a PSW resume?

A PSW resume is a document that a person submits when applying for a job as a personal support worker. It outlines the person's professional background, including education level, work experience, and skills. A PSW provides healthcare services to clients, usually at home, long-term care facilities, or adult day care centres. Their clients are often those who are elderly, disabled, or experiencing impairments. There are different types of PSW roles with different requirements, such as:

• Nursing assistants

• Personal care aides

• Home health aides

• Social workers

• Registered nurses

What does a PSW do?

The duties of a PSW can vary based on organization and job title. Still, they usually involve helping clients maintain their personal hygiene, cleaning their residence or room, exercising, travelling from one place to another, and taking medication. These types of resumes prove that a job candidate can perform the following responsibilities:

• Provide emotional support, advice, life planning information, and medical assistance to clients

• Help clients with everyday tasks such as eating, exercising, bathing, and using the bathroom

• Teach family members and friends about ways to take care of client

• Explain a doctor's diagnosis and treatment plan

• Encourage clients to join community groups, take part in counselling and treatment programs, and complete social activities

Related: 25 Top Healthcare Jobs in Canada

Why is creating a good personal service worker resume important?

A PSW resume is important because it can be the deciding factor in getting a job. Resumes are often the first introduction of a candidate to a hiring manager, so it's critical they can capture the reader's attention. Including the right information on your resume can even help you increase your earning potential.

Candidates use resumes to apply for jobs, but they can also feature this document on their professional social media profiles to attract recruiters and build their professional network. In addition, resumes are great ways to track your work experience and accomplishments. It's beneficial to update your resume every time you get a new job, earn a certification, or reach other achievements.

Related: How to Write a Resume

How to write a PSW resume

With the proper planning and effort, you can develop a resume that proves you're an expert in personal support work. Follow these eight steps to write a PSW resume:

1. Study the job description

Study the job description closely to check if you meet all the requirements for the role. For example, candidates may need to possess specific certifications or have a certain number of years of experience in the field to apply. If you find you have all the necessary qualifications, express evidence of this on your resume. You can also note keywords in the job description and use them to describe your work experiences. This can help emphasize that your professional background makes you an excellent fit for the position.

2. Create a header

In many professional documents, especially resumes, it's important to have a header at the top with your full name in large, readable, bold letters. Including this enables employers and hiring managers to recognize and keep track of your application package easily. Under your header, be sure to feature your contact information, like your professional email address and phone number. This is so a hiring manager can contact you to ask questions or set up an interview. If you have professional social profiles and a website, you could list these too.

3. Write a professional summary

A professional summary is a concise description of your most relevant qualifications for a position, usually one to five sentences long. You can write one to introduce yourself to the reader of your resume and provide valuable context for your application. This section outlines your most impressive accomplishments and skills. You can make this quantifiable by using metrics or numbers to describe them if you can. Make sure they fit the job description and explain why you're an excellent option for the role.

Read more: A Guide To Writing a Resume Summary With Samples

4. Highlight your skills

Including a skills section can be especially helpful for a personal support worker's resume, as this type of professional needs specific abilities to excel in their role. In addition to soft and hard skills, you can mention any industry-specific services you have experience handling. Here are some ideas of PSW competencies to include:

• Communication

• Patience

• Care plan development

• Medical administration and management

• Long-term care

• Recordkeeping

• Palliative care

• Resident assessment

Related: Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills

5. List your most relevant work experience

List the jobs you've completed that relate to the PSW job and organize them in reverse-chronological order, with the most recent at the top. Along with writing each position title and company name and location, include measurable results you achieved in that job. Consider using healthcare terminology to show the hiring manager your expertise in the PSW field.

6. Include any certifications you've earned

Certifications can show potential employers your unique proficiencies and dedication to continuous learning. They may even help you negotiate for a higher salary. If you've earned impressive industry certifications, be sure to write proof of this on your resume. You could either feature these in your education section or create a certification section on its own. Note the title of the certification, the authoritative body you earned it from, and the date you achieved it. Here are some certifications you might include:

• Certified personal support worker

• Certified home health aide

• Certified nursing assistant

• Certified disability support worker

• Certified or licensed social worker

• First aid

• CPR

7. List your educational background

You might not need postsecondary education to be eligible for a PSW position, as many employers provide on-the-job training. However, earning a college diploma or university degree can help you gain valuable skills and expand your job prospects. Be sure to check the job description for educational requirements. On your resume, detail the name and location of the academic institutions you've attended, the date you earned your degree, and the type of degree you earned.

8. Format your resume

After writing all the necessary information, it's important to format your resume in a readable and visually pleasing way. Because hiring managers are often reviewing hundreds of resumes at a time, a simple resume can help them understand your background efficiently.

Related: A Guide on How to Write a PSW Resume with No Experience

Template for a PSW resume

Follow this template when writing your own personal support worker resume to ensure you capture all your relevant skills, education, and experience:

[First and last name]
[Your city and province]
[Email], [Phone number]

Professional summary
[One to five sentences about your top qualifications for the role]

Skills

• [Relevant skill]

• [Relevant skill]

• [Relevant skill]

Work experience
[Job title]
[Company name], [Location], [Dates you worked there]

• [Job accomplishment]

• [Job accomplishment]

• [Job accomplishment]

[Job title]
[Company name], [Location], [Dates you worked there]

• [Job accomplishment]

• [Job accomplishment]

• [Job accomplishment]

[Job title]
[Company name], [Location], [Dates you worked there]

• [Job accomplishment]

• [Job accomplishment]

• [Job accomplishment]

Certifications and awards
[Name of certification], awarded by [Awarding body] in [Date you earned it]

Education
[College or university name], [Location]
[Type of diploma or degree] in [Area of study], [Date you earned it]

Example of a PSW resume

Depending on your experience level, you may apply for an entry-level or more advanced PSW position. Whatever your situation, here's an example that may help you write your own resume:

June Davis
Calgary, Alberta
junedavis@email.com, 555-555-5555

Professional summary
I am a committed personal support worker with over five years of experience in the healthcare industry looking to use my skills in at-home care and health planning. Certified in personal support work, I have extensive knowledge of health and nutrition guidelines. I also have specific expertise in providing palliative care and working with clients with developmental disabilities.

Skills

• First aid and CPR

• Disability support

• Palliative care

• Communication

• Empathy and compassion

Work experience
Home health aide
Promise Home Healthcare, Regina, Saskatchewan, May 2018—Present

• Kept track of and administered various medications for three different clients

• Formed lasting, positive relationships with three different clients

• Helped clients complete everyday tasks

Personal care attendant
Lighthouse Care, Regina, Saskatchewan, January 2017—April 2018

• Provided at-home assistance to a 10-year-old child with Down syndrome

• Formed a close, trusting friendship with the client

• Helped client attend virtual classes, play games, and complete daily tasks

Volunteer Health Aide

Sunshine Adult Care, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, February 2015—December 2016

• Aided supervisor in the mental and physical well-being of five residents

• Gained five positive reviews from residents

• Coordinated three meal times and three exercise times throughout the day

Certifications and awards
First aid and CPR, awarded by Canadian Red Cross in June 2018
Disability Support Worker, awarded by Saskatchewan Polytechnic in May 2020

Education
Campion College, Regina, Saskatchewan
Bachelor of Arts in Health Care Management, May 2020

Please note that none of the companies mentioned in this article are affiliated with Indeed.