Respiratory Therapist Resume: Sample and Writing Guide [20+ Tips]

Sample Respiratory Therapist Resume Template

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Sample Respiratory Therapist Resume—See more templates and create your resume here.

Here’s how to write a respiratory therapist resume that gets jobs:

1. Use the Best Format for Your Respiratory Therapist Resume

Make a messy respiratory therapist resume and they’ll think you’re messy.

So—

Prove you’ve got the right stuff.

These steps will get you breathing easy:

• You’re going to need to start by formatting your resume correctly. The best way is to list your last job first with the reverse-chronological layout.
• Make a header for your resume with your job title and name in big, clear type.
• Use enough white space so you don’t overtax the hiring manager’s eyes. Write with respected resume fonts.
• When deciding whether to save it as a Word document or a PDF file, use a PDF—unless the job posting says that’s a no-no.

Pro Tip: How many pages should you make your resume for respiratory therapist jobs? Go with one. The goal is to show your best moments that fit a single page.

2. Write a Respiratory Therapist Resume Objective or Resume Summary

Why don’t you get interviews?

Probably because there’s so much competition.

That’s why your respiratory therapist resume needs to wow them fast.

How?

With a winning job profile jammed with your professional accomplishments.

Are you experienced? 2+ years means you can write a resume summary. It says what you’ve done to help your past employers most.

Writing an entry-level resume for respiratory therapist jobs? Start off with a resume objective. The idea there is to share your skills.

Pro Tip: In an entry-level respiratory resume objective, add achievements from other jobs (like waitressing or retail). Use them to show your transferable skills.

3. Make a Glowing Respiratory Therapist Job Description for Your Resume

Who’s the better applicant?

Someone who was “responsible for” respiratory therapist duties?

Or an RRT who did it better than anyone?

Your respiratory therapist resume work history section has to show you’ve done it right.

• For each job, list the work title, business name, and dates of work.
• Add five bullet points—give or take. What to put in them? Your responsibilities, but also your best accomplishments.
• How can you show you’re better than the rest? By adding numbers to your “wins,” like percents or numbers of patients.
• How can you customize your resume to each job you apply to? Look in the job ad. See the skills there? Share your professional accomplishments that prove you’ve got them.
• What about your wording? You need strong resume power verbs to keep employers from dozing off.

4. Write a High-Capacity Respiratory Therapist Resume Education Section

You know your education matters.

But you probably don’t know how it can matter even more.

It’s simple—

Create a thoughtful education resume section and put lots of school achievements in it.

Each one should prove a soft skill or a hard skill.

Do it like this:

• Write your school name and degree.
• Add projects, classes you excelled in, and courses you were passionate about.
• Include teams or clubs to show your teamwork skills.
• Did you walk away with a certification? Put that in a special section right under your education.

Pro Tip: Where does GPA go in respiratory therapist resumes? Nowhere unless it’s really high or very recent. In that case, make it one of your bullet points.

5. Show Off Your Respiratory Therapist Skills

Use this respiratory therapist resume skills list:

Respiratory Therapist Resume Skills

Hard Skills:

• Life support ventilation system management
• Aerosol-based medication administration
• Blood O2 analysis
• Patient education
• Equipment monitoring
• Artificial airway management
• Lung capacity assessment
• Vital sign assessment
• Reading chest x-rays
• Respiratory rehabilitation
• Following plan-of-care

Soft Skills:

• Interpersonal relations
• Bedside manner
• Conflict resolution
• Teamwork
• Communication
• Active listening
• Cheerfulness
• Stamina
• Problem solving
• Time management

But—

Don’t just inject a lot of common skills for resumes and call it good. What did the respiratory therapist job ad say? Did it talk most about reading chest X-rays? You’d better list that then.

Pro Tip: Add skills from other jobs to your respiratory therapist resume. For instance, maybe they need someone with a lot of stamina. You can prove that with lots of other jobs.

When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building your resume here.

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When you’re done, Zety’s resume builder will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better.

6. Add Other Sections to Your Respiratory Therapist Resume

How can you really shine?

Show your passion and skill carries over to your normal life.

Add sections for:

• Activities
• Volunteering
• Commendations
• Side hobbies
• Continuing education classes
• Fitness

7. Attach a Cover Letter to Your Respiratory Therapist Resume

Wow.

Did you know you have to have a cover letter with a respiratory therapist resume?

It’s true.

Most hiring managers appreciate a good one.

So—

Make yours one of those.

• Kick off with a well-respected cover letter format.
• Make sure you start each cover letter with a snappy hook.
• In the middle, show your passion for this job.
• Always end cover letters by teasing something like, “I’d love to explain why the charge nurse called me the best therapist she’d ever worked with.”

Pro Tip: After sending a respiratory therapist resume and cover letter, check in on your job application. Give it a few days before you nudge. Then after a week, do it again.

That’s it!

That’s how to write a resume for respiratory therapist positions.

Still asking how to write a respiratory resume? Got tips for new recruits to get them in the picture? Give us a shout in the comments. We’d love to talk!