Surgical technologist CV examples that work

Create a surgical technologist CV that stands out to hiring managers with our CV examples and useful advice on what to include in your application.

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Table of Contents

  1. What to highlight in a surgical technologist CV
  2. Structure of a surgical technologist CV
  3. Do’s and don’ts for a surgical technologist CV
  4. FAQ: Surgical technologist CVs

What to highlight in a surgical technologist CV

Surgical technologists are a vital part of hospital operating rooms and have a great deal of responsibility on their shoulders during operative procedures. If you want to occupy this highly skilled profession, then your CV will need to show off a strong array of healthcare skills. During your job search, you will also notice that a typical surgical tech job description will include the following skills: communication skills, ability to collaborate with your team members, troubleshooting during surgical procedures and an empathetic approach to patient care.

Structure of a surgical technologist CV

When you create a CV, you should first select your format. The format you choose should reflect your best qualities, whether it’s your experience, the skills that make you suitable for this role, or both.

 
A popular CV format is the reverse chronological format, which goes in-depth about your work experience. 
 

Make sure to include the following information in your CV to stand out:

  • Contact information
  • Summary
  • Skills
  • Work experience
  • Education

Header

 

Your CV should always have a header as its first section. Your header should be brief and straightforward, consisting of  your contact information:

  • Your full name
  • Phone number
  • Email address
  • LinkedIn profile link (optional, but good to include if you have professional services on your website, etc.)
  • Location (city and state)

Personal statement 

 
A personal statement is a helpful way to communicate your top strengths and past achievements to recruiters in a few short sentences at the beginning of your CV. If you lack experience (e.g., if you are just about to start college), you can refocus your summary to explain your career goals. For example: “Aspiring surgical technologist looking for a role to gain experience assisting surgeons while studying for my associate’s degree.”
 
Skills
 

Featuring your best skills in your professional CV is crucial for hiring managers to see if you are suitable for this job. Even if you don’t have much professional experience, featuring important skills and training you already have can be a valuable way to overcome a lack of experience. Below are relevant skills that would be beneficial to note:

  • Experience handling surgical instruments
  • Knowledge of how to use surgical equipment such as; sponges, retractors and sterile supplies.
  • Aseptic techniques such as gloving, sterile technique, draping and gowning.
  • Knowledge of general surgery in a medical centre
  • Administrating surgical supplies and surgical cases
  • Paediatric care
  • Compassion
  • Attention to detail
  • Multitasking
  • Patient safety

Work history

 
You should always cite this in reverse chronological order, with your most recent and relevant experience is at the beginning of your CV. Include dates of your work experience and 3-5 bullet points for each job highlighting top responsibilities and achievements. 
 
Education
 

List your top academic credential here, such as:

  • An associate’s degree or related degree
  • Certifications that prove you are a certified surgical technologist (e.g., from National Board of Surgical Technology)

Do’s and don’ts for a surgical technologist CV

Do:

  • Examine relevant job descriptions. Take note of required skills and qualifications as inspiration for your CV, and update your skill and work experience sections to fit the needs of the job.
  • Use a cover letter. A cover letter will allow you to go further in detail about your relevant experience and skills.
  • Make use of surgical tech CV samples for inspiration, and take advantage of CV templates to create the right structure for your CV.

Don’t:

  • Forget to check your CV for any mistakes. Misspelling and grammatical errors can be the difference between securing an interview and not.
  • Go too far in detail on irrelevant previous experience. Unless you can show that you used transferable skills, it’s best not to go in-depth regarding experience from a long time ago. 
  • Use over-long sentences that are more difficult for human readers and applicant tracking systems (ATS) to scan. Employers often use ATS to screen applications through a digital server that refines the best applications due to relevant skills for the job. 

FAQ: Surgical technologist CVs

Q: Do I need to include a cover letter for a surgical technologist application?

Including a cover letter is a great way to stand out in your job application whilst allowing you to go more in-depth on your experience and proving that you know your industry. To help you write the perfect cover letter for your application, use our cover letter templates.

Q: How can I write a surgical technologist's CV without a lot of experience?

If you don’t have a lot of experience, then it is best to choose a CV format that focuses on your skills and knowledge instead, such as a functional CV that ensures your skills are at the forefront.

Q: How do I change my surgical technologist CV to apply to different jobs?

When applying to different jobs, pay attention to job descriptions and note the listed relevant skills. Then, you can tailor the summary, work experience and skills sections of your CV to tick the boxes the hiring manager will be looking for.

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