You’re applying to one of the toughest jobs on the planet. But getting this job is just as hard. Parents want the best for their kids, and daycare centers want the best candidates. So you need a daycare resume they’ll want to hang on their fridge.
Don’t worry—whether you’re looking for part-time child care jobs or lifelong careers, we’ll show you how to write a child care resume that takes care of your future.
One of our users, Brittanya, had this to say:
Zety really helped me create the best resume possible. It pointed out how things could be better on my existing resume and suggested many things to be re-worded or removed.
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Child Care Resume Example Austin Nemecheck
Child-Care Professional
(123) 456-7890
austin.nemecheck@email.com
linkedin.com/in/austin.nemecheck
Summary
Enthusiastic Child-Care Professional with over 5 years of experience in nurturing and developing children of different ages. Eager to support Little Sprouts Child Care Center in building an invigorating and nurturing early childhood environment. Recognized as the "Employee of the Year" for outstanding performance and unwavering commitment at Playful Pals Daycare for my dedication.
Experience
Child-Care Worker
Playful Pals Daycare, Mobile, AL
January 2015–Present
Key Qualifications & Responsibilities
Planned and led educational activities for children aged 4-6. Implemented group activities that reduced the learning gap by 45%. Regularly communicated with parents regarding children's progress. Developed games to help children learn through play. Key Achievement:
Awarded "Employee of the Year" for exceptional performance and dedication. Child-Care Assistant
Happy Hearts Nursery, Mobile, AL
January 2013–December 2014
Key Qualifications & Responsibilities
Assisted in providing care for children aged 3-5, including setting up and clearing after activities. Regularly communicated with parents and provided feedback on children's day and development. Created activities tailored to the needs of each child. Key Achievement:
Assisted in implementing an innovative group activity program which improved children's social skills. Education
Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Education
Mobile Community College, Mobile, AL
August 2010–May 2012
Relevant extracurricular activities
Participated in fundraising events for the Early Childhood Education Department. Volunteered as a tutor for underprivileged students at Mobile Community College. Academic achievements
Awarded "Excellent Performance" for my role in organizing a charity event. Selected to represent the college at the Annual Early Childhood Education Conference. Skills
Child care CPR & First Aid Early childhood education Excellent communication Exceptional patience Creative thinking Leadership Problem Solving & Conflict Resolution Abilities Knowledge of Child Development & Behavior Management Techniques Proven Ability to Organize Educational Activities for Children of All Ages Certifications
Pediatric First Aid/CPR/AED, American Red Cross, 2013 Child Development Associate (CDA), Council for Professional Recognition, 2012 Awards
2015, Employee of the Year, Playful Pals Daycare Memberships
Member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) since 2012
Coordinated a mentor program that paired senior students with new early childhood education students. Served as an official delegate to attend the annual NAEYC conference in 2016. Languages
English—Native proficiency Spanish—Intermediate proficiency Interests
Volunteering at a local community center, organizing children's activities during holidays. Running a childcare blog providing tips and advice for parents and other child care workers. 1. What’s the Best Format for a Child Care Resume? Know the difference between a properly-formatted resume and one that isn’t?
One is supercalifragilisticexpialidocious and the other is just atrocious.
Use reverse-chronological to format your resume for child care jobs. Daycare managers easily understand this resume structure.
Here’s what to include in a childminding resume:
Start off with an eye-catching resume summary or objective. Follow the resume heading with your work history, starting with the most recent position. Add a section on education, skills, and certificates to hook the recruiter. Finish off with extra sections to stand out from the crowd. Section order varies depending on your experience, but we’ll get to that in a bit.
Pro Tip : Save your resume as a PDF so it’s able to render correctly on any device the child care facility manager chooses to use.
Don’t think reverse-chronological is right for your child care resume? See our guide: Best Resume Format & How to Choose It [Guide with Examples]
2. Child Care Resume Summary or Resume Objective? Whether you’re applying to work at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's Division of Environmental Health, Bureau of Child Care (that’s an actual thing) or just your neighborhood’s friendly daycare—
You need a compelling heading statement.
A heading statement is a short and sweet intro at the top of your resume, a paragraph of about 2–4 sentences in length and 3 or 4 lines.
You’ve got two options: the resume summary or the resume objective .
If you have child care experience, use the resume summary .
The summary statement introduces you with your best traits, like a key accomplishment, relevant experience, and choice skills.
Here are two example child care summary statements:
Child Care Resume Summary right Patient and dependable child care specialist with 3+ years expertise in developing quality care plans and coordinating child care programs. Achieved month-over-month increase in program assessments of 12% and heightened child care service complaint investigation time by 25%.
wrong For the last 3 or so years, I’ve been a child care specialist. During this time, I conducted assessments, provided assistance, monitored plans, and offered coaching.
In the wrong example, you gave some of your everyday duties, but it doesn’t show them how well you did the job. Oh, and you used first-person pronouns, a resume boo boo!
The right one quantifies your achievements, making it as strong as Lt. Shane Wolfe.
What if you don’t have child care experience?
Don’t worry—you won’t need the powers of Nanny McPhee to get the job.
Instead, write a resume objective statement .
A career objective states your goals and uses numbers to quantify your achievements.
However, since your skills, experience, and accomplishments come from another field, choose relevant ones only.
Here are two child care resume objective examples:
Child Care Resume Objective right Compassionate high school math teacher with 2 years experience diligently supervising young adults and communicating effectively. Seeking to leverage genuine passion for child enrichment with top-rated satisfaction scores (100%) to grow with Daffy’s Daycare as the new child caretaker.
wrong I am a high school teacher with knowledge of young adults and late teenagers. I don’t have much experience with infants or toddlers, but I am willing to learn!
The right example gives relevant skills perfect for a role in a child care center job. And, like a baby walking for the first time, dropping the company’s name is a great way to grab their attention!
Pro Tip : Write your heading statement last. When you’re done writing your resume, go through it again and cherry pick the info you’d like to highlight.
Want more advice on writing a career summary or career objective for daycare center jobs? Check out our guides: 20+ Resume Summary Examples for Any Career [+General Proven Tips] 20+ Resume Objective Examples for Any Career [+General Proven Tips]
Making a resume with our builder is incredibly simple. Follow our step-by-step guide, use ready-made content tailored to your job and have a resume ready in minutes.
When you’re done, Zety’s resume builder ATS resume checker exactly how to make it better.
3. How to Describe Your Child Care Experience You know how you’re able to calm a colicky baby in no time?
That’s exactly how you want to soothe the HR manager.
How?
With a work history section that intrigues them.
Look at these child care worker resume examples:
Experienced Child Care Worker Job Description—Resume Examples right Child Care Coordinator
Key Qualifications & Responsibilities
Ensured a high standard of care while controlling the quality of services provided through regular formal supervision, case consultation, and monthly staff meetings. Managed in a timely manner the collection and analysis of program data to generate reports, evaluate program performance, and determine needs. Established training program and staff development to ensure professional, informed service and to upgrade staff skills. Key Achievements
Achieved month-over-month increase in program assessments of 12% Increased child care service complaint investigation time by 25%.
wrong Child Care Coordinator
Key Responsibilities
Ensured care. Collected data. Ran training.
The right example gives your toughest responsibilities, proudest accomplishments, and numbers to back it all up.
The wrong one is missing achievements with numbers to quantify your past successes. It’s just a list of duties.
Here’s another child care worker job description resume section:
Child Care Worker Job Description—Resume Examples right Child Care Provider
Key Qualifications & Responsibilities
Supported and assisted teachers in the all academic areas. Provided activities allowing children to solve problems, initiate activities, explore, experiment, question, and master concepts through active learning. Organized and supervised children on outings and adventures. Key Achievements
Awarded “Child Care Worker of the Month” for 5 consecutive months.
List a past job using duties and achievements which are transferable.
Here’s how to list experience on a daycare resume unrelated to working with children:
Sample Resume for Daycare Jobs No Experience right High School Math Teacher Townsend Harris High School, Flushing, NY
Key Qualifications & Responsibilities
Established curriculum for student educational development. Supervised young adults during school hours without feeling overbearing. Enriched educational content of teenage programs to improve efficacy. Key Achievement
Earned top parent satisfaction reviews from teacher’s report card (100%).
Any job outside of child care is worthless unless it gives relevant resume achievements and transferable job responsibilities.
Read more: How to Put Babysitting on a Resume
4. Is Your Education Section Underperforming? It Might Be Whether it’s a babysitter resume or a senior child care coordinator resume, education on your resume is important.
Put your highest or most-recent school first.
Here’s how to list a completed degree:
Education on Child Care Resume BS in Child Development
Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY
Minor : Early Childhood Education
Relevant Coursework : human environmental sciences, human development, family studies
If you are still finishing up your degree—
Here’s how to add it:
Majoring in Early Care and Education
Hunter University, New York, NY
Expected Graduation: 2021
If a high school diploma is all you’ve finished—
Include it like this:
Bronx High School of Science, Bronx, NY
Graduated 2016
Skip high school if you’ve completed higher ed. If you have a degree in progress, add high school below as a second entry.
If your education is more relevant than your work history, move this section to just under your child caregiver resume objective.
Pro Tip : Adding coursework relevant to child care will give you a Head Start . Common courses include child care, child advocacy, family planning, early education, and youth programming.
What if you have a GED or haven’t completed high school yet? Check out: Education Resume Section: How to List High School & College Education
5. How to Put Skills on a Child Development Resume Employment of child care workers is projected to grow 7% from 2016 through 2026, by about 85,000 jobs in the US alone.
You’re facing more and more competition.
Whether you’re writing a child social services resume or a first-time nanny resume, show them skills they’re looking for.
But, which child care skills are right?
First, jot down essential child caregiver hard skills and soft skills.
Hard skills are those which can be learned and measured (e.g., Microsoft Office ), while soft skills are those that are learned as you grow (e.g., instructional skills ).
Here are some example child care resume skills:
Child Provider Resume Skills Child Care Resume Skills Communication Skills
Problem-Solving Skills
Decision-Making Skills
Work Well Under Pressure and Stress
Instructional Skills
Time Management
Speaking in Public
Critical Thinking Skills
Safety and Preparedness
Persistence
Stamina and Endurance
Flexibility
Solution-Based Casework
First Aid & CPR
Patience
Attention to Detail
But, don’t just list all the child care worker skills you can think of.
The hiring manager wants an overloaded skills section as much as they want an overloaded diaper.
Use the child care worker job description for reference, instead.
Here are example child care responsibilities from an actual job ad:
Looking for a Center Director to oversee the daily operations of our school while demonstrating exceptional professional conduct and consideration for the educational development, safety, and welfare of the children and staff. [1] Maintaining accurate records for both children and staff. [2] Monthly observations of the teachers and classroom environment to ensure academic excellence. Supervising staff members, implement curriculum, and develop parent rapport. Providing a safe, healthy, consistent, positive, caring environment to all children. [3] See?
The job ad’s list of child care duties is like the cheat sheet you’ll take away from children during any pop quiz—it has all the answers:
right Familiar with overseeing daily operations in a professional manner [1] Skilled at maintaining accurate records [2] Knowledgeable in providing safe, healthy, and positive children environment [3]
wrong People skills Communication skills Organizational skills
Lastly, make your resume ATS-compatible.
The applicant tracking system is software which helps bigger child care coordinators and government agencies handle the crazy amount of resumes they get.
HR managers scan a resume into the program, tell it to look for certain resume keywords , and receive a match score in return.
Use keywords on your resume word-for-word as the job ad uses them to maximize your match potential.
That’s how you tailor a resume .
Want more tips for writing the perfect daycare worker or babysitter resume skills? See our guide: 99 Key Skills for a Resume (Best List of Examples for All Types of Jobs)
Pro Tip : Most skills you’ll see on a child care job description will be soft skills. However, keep an eye peeled for any hard skill (like First Aid & CPR) requested—they’re extra important for the employer on a child aide resume.
6. How to Add Other Sections for an Effective Child Care Resume You love working with kids.
Guess what?
All your competitors for the nursery worker or child care provider job do, too.
Instead of saying the same things they do, add extra resume sections to stand out.
Here are additional resume sections to consider:
Child Care Resume Sample: Extra Sections 1. Certifications
Here are the most-recognized certificates out there:
Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential American Red Cross Advanced Child Care License CPR and First Aid Certified Child Care Professional (CCP) Early Childhood Generalist from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) via National Board Certification (NBC) For more, check out these children care organizations:
2. Volunteer Work
3. Languages
4. Hobbies & Interests
There are other additional sections to make a child care resume uniquely your own. Check out our guide on the right things to add to a resume , as well as a complete guide on resume sections and categories .
Pro Tip : Though volunteer work is experience, add it to its own resume section instead of grouping it with your paid work history. Similarly, languages are skills, but group these separately, as well.
7. How About a Cover Letter for Child Care? A child care resume without a child care cover letter is like a toddler without supervision—
A bad idea.
Always include a cover letter .
Here’s how to write a child caregiver cover letter that gets noticed :
Customize a cover letter for this one daycare job , just as you did with your resume. Use a formal, business letter format, but be open and personable in the body text. Drop the name of the company and child care case manager to grab their attention. Show them how you are a perfect fit for the job, and why they’re ideal for you. End the cover letter with a strong call to action. Pro Tip : A daycare cover letter is the first impression the hiring manager will get of you, so starting the cover letter
Did you know our resume builder will also help you write a professional cover letter for child care provider jobs? See these articles: 35+ Successful Cover Letter Tips, Advice & Guidelines (With Examples) How to Write a Cover Letter in 8 Simple Steps (12+ Examples)
Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here.
See more cover letter templates and start writing.
Key Takeaway To sum up, here’s how to write a child care resume:
Use reverse-chronological format and save your resume as a PDF. Craft a compelling resume summary or objective that makes them want to read further. Make an experience section which has key child care duties and quantifiable achievements to prove your value. List child care skills by using the job ad to understand which ones they’re looking for. Write down child care and first aid certifications to set yourself apart from the others. Don’t forget a child care cover letter to attach to the job application email. You’ve now put the “care” in a child care resume.
Now good luck on that upcoming interview!
Got any questions on how to write a resume for child care? Not sure how to talk up your babysitting skills or child carer achievements? Get at us in the comments below, and thanks for reading!
