"How to Write an Occupational Therapist Resume"
An occupational therapist resume has to prove that your therapy helps people do what matters to them — daily living, work, and independence. Employers screen first for licensure and clinical skill, then for outcomes. "Treated patients" misses the functional gains that define OT. Here's how to write an occupational therapist resume that lands interviews.
What an OT Resume Needs to Prove
- Licensure — your OT license and degree.
- Clinical expertise — evaluation, intervention, and rehabilitation.
- Functional outcomes — the independence your therapy restored.
- Setting and specialty — where and with whom you work.
OT is outcome-driven clinical care. Lead with license and results.
Put Licensure and Education Up Top
- License: your state OT license.
- Education: MOT/OTD (master's or doctorate in occupational therapy).
- Certifications: NBCOT certification, specialty certs (hand therapy, etc.), CPR.
Put these near the top — an applicant tracking system (ATS — the software that screens resumes before a person does) and employers check them first.
Lead With Functional Outcomes
Show the therapy you provided and the independence it restored:
- "Evaluated and treated 10+ patients daily, improving daily-living independence."
- "Developed intervention plans that returned patients to work and self-care."
- "Improved functional outcome scores across a rehabilitation caseload."
- "Adapted home environments and recommended assistive devices for safer living."
The pattern: the patient's challenge → the intervention you designed → the functional outcome. (See quantify your resume achievements and resume action verbs.)
Show Your Clinical Skills
- Evaluation and assessment — functional, cognitive, and ADL assessments.
- Intervention planning and goal setting.
- ADL/IADL training and adaptive techniques.
- Rehabilitation — physical, cognitive, developmental.
- Assistive technology and home modification.
- Documentation and EMR.
Note Your Setting and Specialty
- Settings: hospital, outpatient, school, home health, skilled nursing, mental health.
- Specialty: pediatric, geriatric, hand therapy, neuro.
Lead with the experience that matches the role. (For related rehab roles, see the physical therapist resume guide and how to write a nursing resume.)
New Graduate? Here's How
Lead with your license and degree, fieldwork/clinical rotations (treat as experience), and transferable strengths. Lead with credentials rather than an empty history — see writing an entry-level resume with no experience.
Keep It ATS-Readable
- Clean, single-column, standard-section layout.
- Mirror the keywords in the posting (the license, NBCOT, the setting, the specialty).
- Use a standard title (Occupational Therapist, OT, Staff Occupational Therapist).
More in our guide to writing an ATS-friendly resume.
Common Mistakes
- Burying licensure — the OT license and NBCOT are a top screen.
- No outcomes — functional independence is the core metric.
- Vague duties — "treated patients" without evaluation, intervention, or results.
- No setting or specialty — these signal fit.
- An empty resume as a new grad — lead with license and fieldwork.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should an occupational therapist put on a resume?
Lead with your license and degree (MOT/OTD), clinical skills (evaluation, intervention, ADL training, rehabilitation), and functional outcomes (independence restored). Note your setting and specialty, and keep it ATS-readable.
Where does my OT license and NBCOT certification go on a resume?
Near the top — in your summary or a licenses/credentials section, with your state. They're required, so employers and ATS check them first. Include specialty certifications and CPR.
How do I quantify an occupational therapist resume?
Use clinical outcomes: patients evaluated/treated per day, functional outcome scores, independence or return-to-work/self-care results, and caseload. "Returned patients to daily-living independence" shows the function your therapy restored.
How is an occupational therapist resume different from a physical therapist resume?
An OT focuses on function for daily living, work, and self-care (ADLs, adaptive techniques, assistive technology); a PT focuses on movement, strength, and physical rehabilitation. Both lead with license and outcomes — tailor the skills and outcomes to your discipline.
An occupational therapist resume should reflect the work — clinically expert and focused on restoring independence. PrismResume helps you put your license front and center and turn "treated patients" into evaluation, intervention, and functional-outcome results, in a clean, ATS-readable layout. Try the free resume check at prismresume.com.
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