An outstanding direct support professional resume will help you get interviews. To accomplish this, name the specific disabilities you have worked with and identify any area of specialty. Include this information in your summary statement to start your resume off on a strong note. Go more in-depth in your skills and work history section. Don’t forget to detail the type of care you provided as well. If you performed additional duties, such as light housekeeping, provide this information in your work history section as well. For more guidance, check out the direct support professional resume example.
Resume Tips for Direct Support Professionals
Though the economy is growing, looking for jobs as a direct support professional can still be a difficult pursuit. Keep these tips handy to make the process a little bit easier.
1. Look into telecommute jobs. If you are having trouble finding jobs locally, research to see if there are any companies hiring for remote positions. You may even find hybrid opportunities that blend online and in-person work.
2. Look to your area’s biggest sectors. If all of your experience is in education, but the area’s biggest sector is mining and logging, you can still put your experience to use. Seek out positions in the biggest fields that align with your goals and work history.
3. Work your way up. You may be qualified for a management-level position but find that there are few of these jobs available. Do not hesitate to start at a position with the goal of moving up to your dream job. If you have the skill and expertise, you should earn opportunities to advance.
4. Get creative. You might find that the position you are looking for doesn’t quite exist in any of the places you are looking. You may be able to fill a niche a company didn’t know they had, so don’t hesitate to propose new ideas to forge opportunities for yourself.
5. Negotiate later. It is rare to find a position that fulfills all of your preferences, but if you find that the salary for a certain position is low, don’t let it thwart you from applying. Your qualifications will demand the salary you deserve, so you can always negotiate later.
Direct Support Professional Advice
Your resume is the ticket to getting interviews for jobs as a direct support professional. If you need some tips for polishing it, take a look at the following advice.
1. Don’t hide anything. Employers will not have a hard time digging up any important information that you leave off your resume. Be honest and upfront about all of your relevant work history.
2. Prioritize. Organize the contents of your resume according to what you think is the most relevant. There is no rule stating that you must list your education last or your objective to the side. Be consistent, but organize it however highlights your most important qualities best.
3. Include a cover letter. One of the biggest oversights jobseekers make is omitting a cover letter. Though you should tailor your resume to the position you are applying for, only a cover letter can truly personalize your application.
4. Drop names. If you have any work experience with well-known companies or names in your field, highlighting this experience can boost your profile. An internship at a Fortune 500 company, for example, can make a bigger impact than several years of work elsewhere.
5. Enlist help. Even if you proofread your resume several times, a different set of eyes can pick up on an error you missed. Enlist help from a friend or family member to help you look it over one more time and ensure there are no mistakes.
Direct Support Professional Job Seeking Tips
A direct support professional (DSP) is someone who works with and helps care for people with disabilities. With the right training and a good resume, this can be a rewarding career. The resume examples below will help you create your direct support professional resume more quickly and easily. Just choose one of the resume example templates below and adjust it to fit your needs. Get started today and get on the path toward a great new job.
No Experience Direct Support Professional Resume
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Compassionate Direct Support Professional with immense patience and talent for encouragement of individuals toward pursuit of their individual goals. Supportive and responsible professional with experience in guidance of individuals with learning and physical disabilities. Strong communicator with fluency in sign language.
- Sign language
- Observations documentation
- Microsoft Office
- Curriculum planning
- Time management
- Organization
- Creative arts
- Training leadership
- Complete general clerical tasks for the director of a facility for the aging with several group homes for adults with learning and physical disabilities.
- Transport developmentally disabled individuals from work center to the group home as fill-in for group home managers unable to fulfill transportation duty.
- Assist clients in completion of job applications and paperwork for educational pursuit.
- Provide friendly support and companionship for clients when group home manager needs to attend appointments or meetings.
- Provide ongoing “peer” support for female client with developmental age of 16 years.
- Instructed students aged six to nine years in classroom setting.
- Provided spiritual guidance and support to students as needed.
- Provided daily snack and beverages, organized the classroom, compiled needed materials, developed curriculum, and maintained full responsibility for children under my supervision.
There are plenty of opportunities to land a Direct Support Professional job position, but it won’t just be handed to you. Crafting a Direct Support Professional resume that catches the attention of hiring managers is paramount to getting the job, and LiveCareer is here to help you stand out from the competition.
