Dog Groomer Resume Example

This complete guide to a dog groomer resume will equip you with the tools you need to compete in your applications. The guide will show you practical examples of how to structure your resume to show off your best and most relevant skills and career achievements. It will also show you how to tailor your resume according to the job description and your unique skill set. Read on to learn how to write a perfect dog groomer resume, from the advice of careers experts at Jobseeker.

Key sections for a dog groomer resume

Most resumes contain similar key sections, with a dog groomer resume being no different. For junior candidates with little work experience, other sections of the resume take on more prominence and might be placed before the work experience section. These could include education, skills, projects, hobbies and volunteer work.

Your resume layout and structure may differ depending on your experience levels, but make sure your resume includes the following:

Header and Personal Information

Your dog groomer resume header should contain your name and contact details. These include your email address and phone number. If you have a LinkedIn profile, you can also add that, to give employers the chance to learn more about your skills and experience. It's not necessary to include a photo or any other personal information. Create a clear, well-structured header that acts as the headline of your resume. Use color accents and blocks to help this section stand out and catch the eye of the reader.

Use an email address that's professional and appropriate for professional communication. Typically this would be an email address based on your first and last name, or your initials. If necessary, you could include your profession or another unique identifier. Avoid using old email addresses that could be considered unprofessional or inappropriate. Additionally, always check your contact details before sending your resume to ensure they're up-to-date.

Resume Summary

Next, write a short paragraph to introduce yourself. You could also call this section 'resume summary' or 'personal profile'. In two or three sentences, explain your professional background, achievements and key skills. If you choose to write a resume summary, this focuses on your career experience to date. On the other hand, a resume objective addresses your future plans and career ambitions. In addition, your objective should highlight why you're an ideal candidate for dog groomer roles by showing key skills and qualities that reflect the job description.

Alternatively, focus on introducing your career ambitions, and why this role is a good fit, both for you and the organization.

A good resume summary is short and snappy, and focused on the skills and experience listed in the job description, with evidence to back it up. It will also help the reader to form their first impressions of you by providing an insight into your personality and unique qualities. You can see some positive examples of a resume summary for dog groomer jobs below.

Conversely, a bad resume summary might be too generic, lacking focus on the specifics of the job description. It will also fail to provide any useful insights on what makes you a unique candidate. See above for some examples of things to avoid when writing your dog groomer resume summary.

Skills

Listing your key skills can help to prove your suitability for dog groomer jobs. These could be skin and coat care, CPR and first aid or various other relevant skills. Additionally, read the job description to make sure your skills match those required for dog groomer positions. You could also include some unique skills that help you stand out as a candidate.

Highlighting your hard skills

For your hard skills list, include any technical abilities or specific industry knowledge that's essential to working as a dog groomer. These could be skills gained through work experience or qualifications. Furthermore, these skills are essential for a dog groomer resume as they showcase your expertise in the field. It's best to aim for four or five key hard skills that match the job description. These can really showcase your suitability for the job.

You'll make more impact with your resume hard skills list if you focus on technical skills that reflect your unique expertise and specialism, and that match the key requirements in the job description. See the graphic below for some tips on hard skills for a dog groomer resume.

Showcasing your best soft skills

Your soft skills are the core qualities and personal characteristics that make you a good employee. They tend to apply to multiple professions and jobs, though the soft skills you'll require may change as you move from junior to senior positions. Indeed, as the nature of work changes, soft skills are growing in importance, so make sure you include them in your resume. In this section, add four of five transferable skills that match the job description.

An effective dog groomer resume soft skills section should be targeted to include skills that reflect your personality and unique characteristics, while also matching the job description. The graphic below includes some examples of good resume soft skills.

Education

In your education section, include details of your most relevant dog groomer qualifications and educational achievements.

Candidates aren't usually required to have a degree for dog groomer positions, but it's still worth listing your highest or most relevant qualifications. If you have a recognized certification or qualification, such as AKC S.A.F.E. Groomer, be sure to include this. You might also want to include any educational achievements that showcase hand stripping techniques or breed-specific styling.

For each entry in this section, add the name and level of your qualification, the institution you studied at, its location and your dates of study. You can enhance this section by adding bullet points that show any outstanding grades, awards or achievements and any specialist subjects you studied. These details can make you stand out from other candidates.

If you organized or participated in any clubs or societies while at university, or you took part in any voluntary work, you could also mention these here.

Certifications and Training

In your certifications section, list any professional certifications or licenses that are relevant to working as a dog groomer. You could list accreditations for certain professional roles or licenses for certain activities that help to make you a strong candidate. Therefore, include the details of any licenses and professional certifications required for dog groomer roles, along with completion dates so employers can see you're up-to-date.

Review the list below for some suitable certifications for a dog groomer resume:

Employment History

Next, list your relevant employment history and any key achievements that show you're suitable for a dog groomer position. Mention only the most appropriate and relevant jobs you've had in reverse-chronological order, starting with your most recent and working backwards. Add your job title, the name of the employer, the location of the role and your dates of employment.

For each job listed in this section, add some bullet points so the employer can understand the skills you developed, and your achievements. Focus on showcasing the impact you made on the organization, and show evidence of how you made a difference.

The best resume work experience sections focus only on the most relevant previous jobs, and link each bullet point back to a skill or experience listed in the job description. It's also critical to provide evidence that shows the value you added to each role in a quantifiable way, such as project outcomes, key performance indicators or feedback from customers, colleagues or managers. See the examples below for some ideas of what a great resume work experience looks like.

The example above can give you some idea of what not to include in your resume work experience section. A poor resume work experience section would typically use vague descriptions of activities in previous jobs, while focusing too much on responsibilities rather than achievements. Failing to focus on the skills and experience that match the job description is likely to harm your chances of success.

Optional Sections

To provide further information on your suitability for the role, you could add some optional sections to a dog groomer resume. Choose optional sections from the list below, if they help to showcase your relevant skills and experience.

Hobbies and Interests

Adding your hobbies and interests is a legitimate way of showing off your skills and personal qualities. Your hobbies and interests are useful for a dog groomer resume if you want to show a different side to your personality, or to stand out among other candidates. They can also be valuable if you're a junior candidate without much relevant work experience. Think about adding hobbies and interests to your resume if they add some insight into your personality that you can't express elsewhere in your application.

Voluntary Work

If you're lacking relevant dog groomer work experience, volunteer work can help to show you still have the relevant skills. Include the title of your volunteer role, who you volunteered for, as well as the dates you carried out the work. Provide brief details of your responsibilities and the impact you made.

References

Although it's rare to include references on a dog groomer resume, some employers may ask for it. Don't add references unless they're specifically mentioned by the employer in the job advert. Include a maximum of three professional references, being sure to check with your referees before including them in your resume.

Best action words for your dog groomer resume

Using strong action verbs in your work experience bullet points can make a stronger impression on employers and show the value you added to your previous roles. Add strong verbs from the list below to create a greater impact with your work experience section.

Jobseeker's clean, attractive resume formats can help your applications make a strong impression on employers. Check them out for help designing a winning resume, and see our cover letter templates to help win over recruiters and hiring managers.

Example of a dog groomer resume

Using each of the sections above, we've created this example dog groomer resume, to help guide you when creating your own:

Tips on creating an ATS-optimized resume

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are one of the key ways recruiters and employers manage the hiring process. The systems can screen candidates by scanning and ranking resumes based on each candidate's likely suitability for the vacancy. When drafting your dog groomer resume, there are a few guidelines to follow to give you the best chance of passing the ATS screening stage and progressing with your application.

Here a some simple tips to follow for an ATS-friendly resume:

• Adopt a traditional structure for your resume, such as a reverse-chronological format or a functional format. These are likely to be the easiest layouts for ATS software to scan.
• Add keywords that match the job description throughout your resume, as ATS applications scan for these and well-placed, considered use can help your resume rank more highly.
• Add each section with clear headings that match the established resume conventions, so ATS software can easily identify each part of your resume.
• Use a resume design that includes clean, professional design elements to give your content space to breathe. This might include clear, readable fonts, subtle color accents and simple design elements.
• Keep your resume as concise as possible, to make it easier to read, and for ATS software to scan.

Takeaways for your dog groomer resume

The best resumes focus on your skills and the value you've added to previous roles, rather than focusing on your duties and responsibilities. Use a suitable resume format and tailor your resume for every application you submit.

Remember, Jobseeker resume templates and other tools make it easy to create a resume and cover letter that leaves a positive impression on hiring managers. Sign up now to start building your perfect resume. To make the best possible impression with your applications, write a cover letter with the help of Jobseeker. You can also find plenty of expert-designed cover letter examples for inspiration.

Sources:

(1) Writing a Resume, California Department of Human Resources: https://www.calhr.ca.gov/employees/Pages/resume-tips.aspx

(2) Resumes, Cover Letters and Job Applications, New York State Department of Labor: https://dol.ny.gov/resumes-cover-letters-and-job-applications