Healthcare

Veterinary assistant CV: example and template

This example is for veterinary assistants and veterinary technicians in small animal practices and clinics, rural practices and animal shelters, and for graduates of veterinary technical schools.

A vet wants to know how you handle animals, which procedures you help with and whether you can talk to a stressed owner. We show you how to describe this.

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Example CV: veterinary assistant

All the details in this example are fictional. Treat it as a model of layout and wording, and replace the content with your own experience.

Kamila Jasińska

Veterinary technician, vet's assistant

Olsztyn +48 123 456 789 kamila.jasinska@example.com

Professional profile

Veterinary technician with 3 years of experience in a small animal clinic. I prepare patients and the theatre for procedures, assist with anaesthesia and surgery and look after hospitalised animals. I stay calm with frightened animals and their owners.

Work experience

Veterinary technician, vet's assistant

07.2022 - present

Veterinary clinic for dogs and cats, Olsztyn

  • Preparing patients and the treatment room, assisting with anaesthesia and surgery.
  • Taking samples on the vet's instructions and preparing them for the lab.
  • Caring for hospitalised animals: feeding, giving medicines, monitoring.
  • Sterilising instruments and keeping the consulting rooms tidy.
  • Reception and talking to owners about aftercare instructions.

Volunteer

2019 - 2022

Animal shelter, Olsztyn

  • Caring for dogs and cats, feeding and socialising animals.
  • Helping during the vet's visits to the shelter.
  • Talking to people who wanted to adopt an animal.

Education

Veterinary technician

2018 - 2022

Veterinary technical school in Olsztyn

Skills

  • Assisting with procedures and anaesthesia
  • Caring for hospitalised animals
  • Safe animal restraint
  • Taking and preparing samples
  • Sterilising instruments
  • Reception and owner care

Qualifications and training

  • Veterinary technician diploma
  • Animal first aid training, 2023

Languages

  • English: B1

Additional information

  • Category B driving licence
  • Available for weekend duty

I hereby consent to the processing of my personal data for the purposes necessary to carry out the recruitment process, in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 (GDPR).

How to write a veterinary assistant CV

Professional summary

Say which animals you work with, where and which procedures you help with. Add how you cope with frightened animals and their owners, because this is part of everyday work in this job.

Veterinary technical school graduate with a placement in a small animal practice and volunteering at a shelter. I handle animals safely, help with examinations and want to develop in surgical assistance.

Experience: duties and achievements

List your tasks during procedures, in the hospital and at reception. Say which species you work with, because a small animal clinic, an equine practice and farm work are very different experiences.

Weaker: Helping the vet.

Better: Preparing patients and the treatment room, assisting with anaesthesia and surgery.

Weaker: Looking after animals.

Better: Caring for hospitalised animals: feeding, giving medicines as instructed, monitoring.

Weaker: Contact with clients.

Better: Talking to owners about aftercare instructions and patient reception.

Skills worth listing

Show your skills with animals and with people. Calm, gentleness and the ability to explain instructions are as important as work at the treatment table.

Professional skills

  • Procedure assistance
  • Animal restraint
  • Giving medicines on the vet's instructions
  • Taking samples
  • Sterilisation and disinfection
  • Practice management software

Personal skills

  • Calm with stressed animals
  • Empathy towards owners
  • Emotional resilience
  • Accuracy
  • Teamwork

Qualifications and training

List your veterinary technician diploma and training, for example in animal first aid, anaesthesia or inpatient care. A driving licence is useful in practices that visit farms.

Veterinary assistant CV with no experience

Describe school placements, volunteering at a shelter and any work with animals, for example at a dog hotel or pet shop.

Say which tasks you already do on your own and what you want to learn. Many clinics hire technical school graduates and teach them to assist on the job.

Tailoring your CV to the job offer

A small animal clinic looks for surgical assistance and inpatient care, a rural practice for work with large animals and farm visits, and a shelter for animal care and socialisation. Move what fits the offer to the top.

The most common mistakes on a veterinary assistant CV

Questions and answers

What should a veterinary assistant put on a CV?

The species, tasks during procedures and in the hospital, taking samples on instruction, sterilisation, owner care, education and training.

Is volunteering at a shelter worth putting on a CV?

Yes, especially at the start. It shows experience of working with animals and commitment.

Can a veterinary technician work as a vet's assistant?

Yes, it is a common role for veterinary technical school graduates. The scope of tasks is set by the supervising vet.

Create a veterinary assistant CV in the builder

In the CV Majster builder you enter your details step by step and see right away what the document looks like. You can copy the wording from this page and adapt it to yourself. The finished CV as a PDF costs a one-off PLN 5, with no subscription, and you see the preview before you pay.

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See also

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