One of the key tasks in order to apply for any job, is also one of the many things you were probably never taught in school. A resume is key to have when applying for a Sterile Processing job. This is also one of the main items if you have ever created an Indeed account to search for jobs. But how do we write a resume?
First, let's talk about some concepts around the resume. The resume is meant to be an all inclusive snapshot of you, your training, your experiences, and your job qualifications. A lot of people get carried away with trying to create an artistic or fancy resume, which isn't necessarily wrong, but too much can take away from the key concepts mentioned above. The simpler, the better.
Name & Contact Information
This should be self explanatory, but to ensure we don't miss anything your name and contact info must be present at the top of the resume. With contact information you will want to make it as easy as possible for your future supervisor to contact you. Giving only your mailing address would be an early 1900's mistake. Managers will not contact you by mail, I promise you that. E-mail and/or phone is necessary.
Qualifications
I know you probably aren't a run of the mill egotistical maniac, but when it comes to a resume, you need to dig deep and not be afraid to advertise your best traits. This is the area where you show exactly why you are the right person for the job. Any requirements or "preferred" parts of the job announcement that you possess must be here, such as certifications or experience. With Sterile Processing, a manager will want to know right up front if you are certified, or have been formally trained in Sterile Processing. If you fail to mention that right up front, you may be passed over before the rest of your resume is even read. If BLS is a requirement for the job, place that here as well. If you have the CRCST and are currently studying for the CIS, mention that here. It shows your initiative and pursuit of continued education.
Education & Training
Even if you mentioned being formally trained in qualification highlights, this is the formal place to also include it which will give date information as well. Don't be afraid to list any college education here even if it is unrelated.
Experience
You've probably worked a job or two before applying for this new one. Place those previous positions here. Include what you worked such as part time or fulltime, what your position was, and what your daily/weekly responsibilities were. Try to not only include the day to day usual responsibilities, but also the unique responsibilities that show your work ethic such as troubleshooting equipment, or being selected to serve as a Lead tech occasionally.
Additional Information
Yes, this area is one of those "catch all" areas where you include anything that may not be relevant to the job itself, but may show your work ethic, potential, character etc. For example, a veteran may include their military awards and leadership schoolings here.
All in all, a resume is a big deal when it comes to applying for a job. Even more important is how you display your information in a simple fashion that gets the point across to the hiring manager. Your focus is to remove all excuses for them and ensure they hire you.
I have provided a free resume template which you can use for your next career application. If you clicked down the popup you can reopen at at bottom left and get that free resume template. Enjoy!
