Pet Sitting Resume Sample, Job Description & Writing Guide for 2024
If you want to bring in potential clients as an animal care expert, you need a pet-sitting resume that commands attention. Show everyone that you can take proper care of dogs and cats, fill bowls up with fresh water and food, and keep the litter box clean and fresh. This position is in demand since it often comes with a flexible schedule and lets you work around the other things going on in your day.
However, there’s a difference between a generic pet-sitting resume and one that stands out. You need to have the latter if you want to get the best jobs working with animals of all kinds. Don’t worry if you aren’t sure how to put pet-sitting on a resume because this guide will walk you through all the steps. When you’re finished reading, you’ll have everything you need to move forward.
The reality is that pet sitters have a ton of responsibility. You care for other people’s pets by feeding, grooming, walking, and generally looking after them. When so many people consider their pets a part of the family, your job is a crucial one. Being able to translate your love of animals on paper can help you gain a new client or join a company that focuses on animal care. This might seem challenging but it doesn’t have to be.
As you read this guide, we’ll share example resumes that you can use to create your own. In addition, we’ll share insights about types of resumes for pet sitters and which types of information are mandatory for this professional document. Whether you’re an entry-level pet sitter or someone with tons of experience, you’ll gain knowledge that will help you succeed in your chosen field.
Pet-sitting resume writing guide: Where to start?
Pet owners are often very particular about what kinds of people they want around their dogs, cats, rodents, and reptiles. Your resume needs to show that you’re adept at a wide variety of pet services and offer excellent customer service at the same time. Below, we’ll share the two phases that make up creating a resume for a pet sitter. Both a master resume and a job-specific resume are needed for the process.
Master dog sitting resume
A resume is a great way to market the services you offer to humans and their favorite animals. The first phase of creating a resume will leave you with a master resume that you can use throughout your career. During this stage, there’s no need to pull out the pet-sitting dog-walking job description for the resume. However, you’ll need that when you move into phase two of the creation process.
Master resumes are a source of information that you use in job-specific resumes. The idea is that you take down information about your past jobs, relevant skills, education, and other details that typically end up in resumes. Even things that might not pertain to your current position can be saved in case you need them in the future. Put it all down and you can use it as needed later on.
So create a Word doc, open a notebook, or otherwise start compiling this kind of information. This resume doesn’t have to be overly organized or aesthetically pleasing. It’s merely a source of information that you can use for customized resumes. Once you have a master resume, make sure you keep it updated so it remains useful.
Job-specific resume for a dog sitter
Now you can dig out the pet-sitting job description for the job-specific resume. This is the resume that ends up in a client or company’s hands. You want to show that you have an excellent pet-sitting service for anyone who cares about their animals. You can indicate that you’re adept at providing companionship to animals in homes for vacation care.
If you’re applying for a specific job, make sure to use the description to decide what keywords to include. Anything that the company wants that you have available should be noted. This is part of customizing the resume to prove you’re the best person for the position. It’s important since those keywords are noticed and can make you stand out.
Since this is going to a specific person or organization, take time to research them to be sure your resume fits the occasion. Each time you send in an application, you want to make a new resume using the information from your master resume. Everything from your skills to your resume objective should be edited to match that position.
Pet sitter resume example
Above is an excellent pet sitter resume example that you can use as a guide. You’ll see that the skills include many service offerings, and additional information can be found in the experience section. The pet sitter profile sample at the top indicates what the applicant is capable of and makes a strong case for them moving forward in the process.
What to include in a resume for a pet sitter? Writing tips and examples
You know how to go on daily walks to exercise animals, have excellent service standards, and have worked with a variety of animals. How do you show that in a way that makes a client take a second look? This next part of the guide will focus on the most important resume sections and how to shine. This will help you stay competitive with other pet sitters in the area.
How to write a resume objective on a pet-sitting resume
When you’re promising daily care for pets in a safe environment, clients and companies want to see that you have experience and knowledge. The resume objective is a great way to prove those things so you get the job you want and can stop the job search. You’ll find the resume objective at the top of the resume. It’s a short paragraph about accomplishments and skills.
While this is a short section, it needs to be packed with useful information. You have up to four sentences to sell yourself and become a pet sitter for someone new. This is one of the most important sections to customize to the position. After all, a generic objective isn’t really going to show how you’re going to excel in a specific position.
We recommend focusing on your achievements and accomplishments as much as possible. Use action verbs and numbers to indicate the things you’ve done in the past that are worthy of notice. Talk up the things that matter and pertain to the job. You can also weave in information about your skills, certifications, and other items that fit.
For those who are seeking additional clients, your resume can still be customized based on the type of pet and what care the person is seeking. Putting a few minutes into building a new resume objective is well worth it to show you took time to care about what the person in question needs from an animal care specialist.
Skills to list on a pet-sitting resume
The second section of major importance to show you have experience in animal care is the skills list. For day or overnight pet-sitting, clients want to know that you can handle any situation that comes up. Creating a list of resume bullets for pet-sitting and care shows that you understand this and want to give clients peace of mind that you can handle the position.
Both soft skills and hard skills are recommended for your list. Soft skills are innate traits that make it easier to work with others, while hard skills are things you have learned and trained in. The right set of skills is going to vary based on what kind of pet-sitting you do and what the client’s expectations are. However, a few of the best options are listed below:
· Active listening skills
· Animal grooming duties
· Animal safety
· Applying topical medications
· Cleaning ears
· Communication skills
· Customer service
· Giving food supplements
· Grooming services
· Leashed walks
· Overnight care
· Safety awareness
· Scheduling appointments
· Understanding signs of illness
· Working in stressful situations
· Working with medical issues and behavioral issues
A list is recommended for this section because it’s easier to read for prospective clients. In addition, you don’t want this section to be too short or overly long. Most people should have about five to 10 skills listed. Since you need to narrow them down, this should be customized for the position just like you did for the resume objective.
How to write work experience on a dog sitter resume
When client satisfaction matters to you, you need to show that with a well-written work experience section on your resume. Not sure how to add pet-sitting to your resume? It isn’t complicated and can be basically the same as listing any other form of employment for a resume. The important thing is to add keywords and achievements that show how good you are at this type of work.
If you’ve worked with specific employers, you can list their names, the dates you worked there, and what your role was. Those who have worked for themselves in pet-sitting can list the employer as “self-employed” or something similar. Then the space underneath can be used to talk about the types of animals you work with and all your special skills.
While you want to include the basic details, the bullets under each job are even more important. This is where you show the impact you had in various positions. Make sure the things you list are relevant to the new job you wish to hold. If it’s not relevant, leave it out and find something else to include. Experience is an extremely important section of any pet-sitting resume.
If you’re new to pet-sitting, that doesn’t mean you are out of luck. Add in volunteer experiences, internships, or other situations where you have cared for pets. There’s nothing wrong with adding jobs that aren’t in the same field as long as some of the things you did apply to the new position. It’s all about tying things together and showing you’d be a great caregiver for someone’s animals.
Armed with knowledge and information about how to create a great pet-sitting resume, the final step is to make the document attractive. Templates are a quick and easy way to make a mark and make a potential client more interested in you. CVMaker offers a variety of pet sitter templates to meet your needs.
Key takeaways on building a good pet sitter resume
You know you offer high-quality customer service and excellent care to cats and dogs. Now you can build a pet-sitting resume that proves that to prospective employers. Use the examples and guide above and the tips below to create a resume that shows you’re the perfect person for the job. Good luck!
Extra tips while writing a pet-sitting resume
Before you finish up your pet-sitting resume and turn it in, take time to read the below tips. This will help you polish the document and move forward with confidence.
· Make sure to read over the resume once you’re done with it. Correct any misspellings and typos before you turn it in.
· Double-check that all the information in your contact section is correct. Not doing so could result in not being contacted even if a client wants to hire you.
· If you have limited experience in a professional capacity, you can note that you’ve done pet-sitting for family and friends on the resume.
· Read the document again to make sure it has a good flow and that all the information fits together well.
· If references are being used, only include individuals who have agreed to talk about you with other clients or employers.
· Make sure all information in your resume can be proven. You can expect to need to talk about it when you get an interview.
Next steps?
At this point, you have all the tips you need for an amazing pet-sitting resume. However, we know that some people find it challenging to create this document. If you’re among that number, CVMaker is here to help. We offer Resume Writing Services so you can take advantage of a resume that shows what a great candidate you are.
FAQs
What should I put on my resume for pet-sitting?
There are several sections that make up a typical pet-sitting resume. We recommend starting with the contact information and ending with the resume objective. While the objective is at the top of the document, writing it last lets you pull from your work experience section.
In general, you want to include contact information, a resume objective, work experience, education, and skills. However, you can also add other information, such as references, certifications, hobbies, and more. It all comes down to what kind of information you want to convey to a potential employer.
You also need to think about pet-sitting wording on the resume as you want to be professional throughout. Take the job application process seriously for the best chance of moving forward.
What are some skills of a pet sitter?
When you’re crafting a resume for house and pet-sitting jobs, skills should be placed in their own section. The right skills will depend on the exact job that you hope to land. However, we recommend an assortment of both hard skills and soft skills to show your capabilities.
Knowledge of animal behavior, basic animal first aid, patients, reliability, problem-solving, and decision-making are a few common skills for a pet sitter. If you have any special skills that most people do not, make sure to list them. About five to 10 skills are considered standard for a pet-sitting resume.
How do you write a pet sitter profile?
A pet sitter profile (also known as a resume objective) should be written based on the pet sitter job description for a resume. This is a section that should be customized for every position so you can provide the most useful information. It spans two to four sentences at the top of your resume.
The basic idea is to share your most significant accomplishments, skills, and other details that make you stand out. The profile should give an idea of who you are and what you can do. It also needs to convince a client to read the rest of the resume and hire you. Use keywords and action verbs for the best results.
How do I promote myself as a pet sitter?
Take a look at a pet sitter description example or two for an idea of how you can promote your own business. A great resume is part of that since all prospective employers will have a copy of that to go over. However, stopping there might be doing a disservice to yourself.
Consider using social media, posting on local bulletin boards, or taking out an ad in a local newspaper so people know what you do. Flyers, partnerships, and referrals are also great ways to get new clients when you need them. Don’t be afraid to take risks and try new things to find out what works for you.
How long should a pet sitter resume be?
When you’re describing pet-sitting on a resume, it’s easy to get into the topic and write a lot. That’s why there’s a standard length for these resumes so you can be sure you don’t go overly short or excessively long. For most people, a one-page resume is more than enough but you can do two pages if needed.
For resumes of all types, it’s considered good form to stick to a single page if you have less than a decade of experience. Going longer is possible if you’ve done a lot in the field but it’s never mandatory. Keep in mind that resumes are meant to be short and succinct and other information can be shared further along in the hiring process.
Which format is best for a pet-sitting resume?
When you’re crafting a pet-sitting sole proprietor resume, you have to think about the details. One of those details is which format to use. The three most common are chronological, functional, and combination. The first focuses on dates and experience, the second highlights skills, and the last has a mixture.
The most common form of resume format is reverse-chronological. This means you list jobs starting with the one you are at or had last. It’s the best choice for most people. However, a functional resume can work if you have less experience. Combination resumes are nice to get the same style as a chronological resume but without as much depth for some sections.
What layout is recommended for a pet sitter resume?
Take a look at any teen pet-sitting resume sample and you’ll see there are common layouts that help you get the job. However, you can make the layout your own as long as the resume is easy to read. One of the biggest choices you’ll need to make is whether to go with a one- or two-column style.
Each item on your pet-sitting resume should be highly relevant. It needs to have a purpose for being there. Place similar sections together to allow your resume to tell a story of who you are, what you can do, and why you’d be a great pet sitter for someone new. Choose a one- or two-column style depending on which works best for you to convey information.
Your pet-sitting resume is part of your brand and one of the best ways to provide information to prospective clients. Having all the needed information is a must, but so is making sure the document is eye-catching and laid out well. To build an aesthetically pleasing resume, use one of our many resume templates.