Zookeeper Resume Example
If you're hoping to start a career as a zookeeper, you'll need experience in maintaining enclosures and monitoring animal health. A professional resume for zookeeper applications will showcase your relevant skills and career achievements, to help you stand out from the crowd. In this article, we'll discuss how to create a zookeeper resume that catches the eye of employers, with tips and examples to help you write your own.
After reading this article, you'll feel confident creating a zookeeper resume that effectively showcases your relevant skills and experience. You'll find valuable tips on writing a resume that best showcases your unique skills and achievements. There is also extensive guidance on how to structure your resume to match the job description, and to reflect your experience levels to impress HR specialists and employers. Continue reading to find expert tips and advice from Jobseeker that will help you with your zookeeper resume.
What to include in a zookeeper resume
The key sections to include in a zookeeper resume are similar to those for any role or profession. If you're a candidate without much experience, you may wish to present your resume in a way that draws attention to your most valuable skills. These might not be in traditional work settings, so sections like education, projects, hobbies and skills can be more prominent.
Your resume layout and structure may differ depending on your experience levels, but make sure your resume includes the following:
Resume Header with Contact Details
In your zookeeper resume header, list your name, email address, phone number and address or location. You can also add your LinkedIn, if you have one, to help employers better understand your work history and skills. While in some countries, you might include additional personal information or a photo, these aren't necessary. Make sure your resume header is as brief as possible and doesn't take up too much valuable space. Choose a clear, professional design that sets the tone for your application.
Make sure the email address you list in your header is professional-looking and doesn't contain any inappropriate content such as nicknames or unsuitable language. Opt for an email address based on your name or profession, or a combination of both. Finally, check your contact details before sending your resume, to ensure everything's up-to-date.
Samantha Cox
samantha.cox@example.com
(111) 222 33 444 55
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC
linkedin․com/in/samantha–cox123
Resume Summary
In your resume summary, write a short paragraph that highlights two or three of your key achievements and skills for zookeeper roles. You could also call this section 'resume objective' or 'personal profile'. A resume summary covers your career experience to date, while a resume objective focuses more on your ambitions for the future. Furthermore, when writing your profile, focus on two or three key skills and achievements that showcase your suitability for zookeeper roles.
Alternatively, write a paragraph that concentrates on your career objectives and how this role fits with your wider ambitions and progression.
The best resume summaries reflect the job description and focus on qualities that are relevant to working as a zookeeper, while highlighting elements of your personality that make you an ideal candidate. They also quantify the information provided with evidence. The graphic below showcases some good examples of what to include in your zookeeper resume summary.
Dedicated and knowledgeable Zookeeper with a Bachelor of Science in Zoology and extensive experience as an Animal Care Specialist. Proven expertise in animal husbandry, behavioral observation, and veterinary support. Skilled in creating and maintaining enriching environments for diverse species, ensuring their health and well-being. Strong background in implementing care protocols, conducting educational programs, and collaborating with veterinary teams. Passionate about wildlife conservation and committed to the highest standards of animal care
Zookeeper with some background in zoology and experience in taking care of animals. Worked in roles involving animal care and observation. Have experience in creating spaces for animals and ensuring their well-being. Familiar with care routines, educational activities, and working with vets. Interested in wildlife and focused on maintaining good animal care practices
Conversely, an ineffective resume summary would include generic, unspecific information on your skills and experience, while failing to provide any useful information on what makes you a unique and interesting candidate. See above for some examples of things to avoid when writing your zookeeper resume summary.
Skills
Adding a list of your key skills provides a quick reference for the reader of what you can bring to a zookeeper role. Skills such as animal care techniques or animal welfare knowledge are particularly useful for zookeeper jobs. Again, refer to the job description and make sure you include skills that the employer has listed as essential or desirable for employment as a zookeeper.
Listing hard skills on your zookeeper resume
Hard skills are the key technical skills required for zookeeper positions. They include specific industry knowledge and abilities that you could learn on the job, or through a specialist qualification. Furthermore, your list of hard skills provides a strong indication to the reader of your expertise in zookeeper roles, and how well you'll fit into the position. Add up to five key hard skills that show you're an ideal candidate for the role. It can also be beneficial to add context to each skill, showing how you've used it to positive effect in your career to date.
You'll make more impact with your resume hard skills list if you focus on technical skills that reflect your unique expertise and specialism, and that match the key requirements in the job description. See the graphic below for some tips on hard skills for a zookeeper resume.
- Animal care techniques
- Habitat maintenance skills
- Veterinary assistance knowledge
Showcasing your best soft skills
Soft skills are your transferable skills and personal qualities that make you a good match for a zookeeper position and the organization. Soft skills tend to be more universal than hard skills, and can often apply to multiple jobs and industries. In fact, you can develop soft skills throughout your career, and they tend to be suitable for various roles and professions. In this section, add four of five transferable skills that match the job description.
The strongest resume soft skills sections include a mix of skills that match your best personal strengths, and that reflect the skills listed in the job description. See below for some examples of effective soft skills for a zookeeper resume.
- Animal welfare knowledge
- Excellent communication skills
- Attention to detail
Education and Qualifications
In this section list any educational qualifications or degrees that are relevant to zookeeper roles.
A zookeeper role tends to require candidates to have a university or college degree, so make sure you list yours in your resume. A Bachelor of Science in Zoology degree or similar is the most suitable for this job, but you could also include any other relevant qualifications that show your veterinary assistance knowledge or record-keeping proficiency.
List your relevant qualifications in reverse-chronological order. Add the name and level of the award, the institution, its location (if this isn't obvious from the name) and your dates of study. If you have space, include some bullet points outlining any specialist areas of study, awards or high grades, so the employer can learn more about your unique skill set and knowledge.
Additionally, mentioning any leadership roles or any societies and clubs you participated in while studying shows proactivity and initiative.
Bachelor of Science in Zoology, 2017 - 2020
University of Vermont, Burlington, VT
Certifications and Training
Under this section, list any relevant certifications or licenses that are relevant to zookeeper jobs. You could list accreditations for certain professional roles or licenses for certain activities that help to make you a strong candidate. Therefore, list any official licenses and certifications, along with their dates, so employers can assess whether you've got the necessary qualifications to work as a zookeeper.
See below for some suggestions of relevant certifications for a zookeeper resume:
- AZA Professional Development, 2022
- ZAA Certified Zookeeper, 2022
- Animal Behavior Certification, 2022
Work History
In your work experience section, list any previous relevant roles you've worked in, as well as your key achievements as a zookeeper. Add each previous employment in reverse-chronological order. This means starting from your current or most recent role and working back in time from there. Include your job title, the company name, the location of the job and your dates of employment.
For each job listed in this section, add some bullet points so the employer can understand the skills you developed, and your achievements. Focus on showcasing the impact you made on the organization, and show evidence of how you made a difference.
The best resume work experience sections focus only on the most relevant previous jobs, and link each bullet point back to a skill or experience listed in the job description. It's also critical to provide evidence that shows the value you added to each role in a quantifiable way, such as project outcomes, key performance indicators or feedback from customers, colleagues or managers. Take a look at the examples below for some guidance on what works best for your work experience section.
Animal Care Specialist, January 2022 - Present
Wildlife Haven Management, Wichita
- Enhanced animal welfare by developing and implementing individualized enrichment programs for over 50 animals, leading to improved health and behavior
- Successfully rehabilitated and rehomed 100+ rescued animals, reducing shelter population and increasing community adoption rates by 30%
- Trained and supervised a team of 15 volunteers in advanced animal care techniques, resulting in a 40% increase in staff efficiency
Animal Care Specialist, January 2022 - Present
Wildlife Haven Management, Wichita
- Improved animal care practices, contributing to overall better outcomes and enhanced team performance
- Played a key role in animal welfare initiatives, positively impacting the organization
- Assisted in various animal care tasks, supporting team objectives and goals
See above for some of the pitfalls to avoid with your resume work experience section. Poor examples of resume work experience sections tend to be vague and fail to quantify your achievements and the impact you've made in your career to date. They may also focus on responsibilities above relevant skills and how you've used them.
Expert Tip:
Focus on specific accomplishments that highlight your work ethic and reliability, such as "reduced processing time by 15%" or "earned Employee of the Month twice." (1) Pair this with a simple, clean format that ensures your resume looks professional and approachable. (2)
Optional Sections
There are several additional sections you could add to a zookeeper resume, to improve your chances of success. Add any of the sections below that help you showcase your key skills and experience.
Personal Interests
Including your hobbies and interests can be a valuable way of showing your key skills and qualities. These are particularly useful for your resume if you're short of work experience and need to showcase a particular skill or experience. Don't include hobbies and interests in your resume unless they showcase a specific interest or aspect of your personality. You'll want them to add something to your application that you can't add elsewhere.
Volunteering
This section can be valuable for a zookeeper resume, if you've done any voluntary work (especially with animals!) that showcases your relevant skills. List your volunteer job title, the organization you volunteered for, its location and the dates of your involvement, alongside a brief explanation of your responsibilities in the role.
References
Standard zookeeper resumes don't tend to include references, but you might find them requested occasionally. Check the job advert to see if you'll need to add references to your resume. Add two or three professional references, and be sure to approach each referee before you include them.
References are available upon request.
Best action words for your zookeeper resume
Using strong action verbs in your work experience bullet points can make a stronger impression on employers and show the value you added to your previous roles. Choose from the list of words below to increase the impact of your work experience section.
- Supervised
- Maintained
- Cared
- Monitored
- Administered
- Trained
- Educated
- Rehabilitated
- Documented
- Assisted
If you need help creating a resume that impresses HR managers, take a look at Jobseeker's professional resume templates. You can also access beautiful cover letter templates that help your application stand out.
Example of a zookeeper resume
The zookeeper resume example below includes all the sections above, so you can see how a completed resume looks:
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC
•
samantha.cox@example.com
•
(111) 222 33 444 55
•
linkedin․com/in/samantha–cox123
Dedicated Zookeeper with a Bachelor of Science in Zoology and extensive experience as a Wildlife Care Specialist. Proven expertise in animal care, habitat maintenance, and enrichment program development. Skilled in monitoring animal health, administering treatments, and fostering educational interactions with the public. Committed to the well-being and conservation of wildlife.
Wildlife Care Specialist
2020
-2022
WildHaven Sanctuary (Minneapolis)
- Successfully rehabilitated and released over 50 injured and orphaned wildlife species, enhancing local biodiversity and ecosystem health
- Led a team in developing and implementing a comprehensive wildlife care and enrichment program, increasing animal welfare and public engagement
- Authored and presented research on innovative wildlife rehabilitation techniques at national conferences, influencing best practices in the field
Animal care techniques
Habitat maintenance skills
Veterinary assistance knowledge
Animal welfare knowledge
Excellent communication skills
Attention to detail
AZA Professional Development
ZAA Certified Zookeeper
English - Fluent
Spanish - B2
Tips for zookeeper resumes
- Include your educational achievements, including any impressive grades. Focus on the most relevant qualifications for the role.
- Include any relevant work experience in reverse-chronological order, starting with your current or most recent role, for maximum readability.
- Make a strong first impression with a concise, impactful zookeeper resume summary that showcases your key qualities.
- Proofread your resume before sending it, to avoid any unnecessary mistakes that may harm your chances.
- Use a clear resume format with professional elements, including suitable headings, line spacing, fonts and margins, to make your resume as readable as possible for hiring managers.
- Don't lie or exaggerate the details of your zookeeper career or education, as this can backfire later in the recruitment process.
- Don't use passive language because it can switch off the reader. Adapt phrases like 'the work was completed' to 'I completed the work'.
- Don't add work experience that's unrelated to the role you're applying for, as it isn't likely to help your chances of success.
- Don't use overly complex formatting and layouts that can make your zookeeper resume harder to read, and less scannable for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).
- Don't use out-of-date contact information. Always make sure your email address and phone number are correct before sending your resume.
How to make your resume ATS compliant
Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are one of the key ways recruiters and employers manage the hiring process. The systems can screen candidates by scanning and ranking resumes based on each candidate's likely suitability for the vacancy. When you're writing your zookeeper resume, there are several things you can do to make sure your resume stands the best chance of passing the ATS stage.
Here a some simple tips to follow for an ATS-friendly resume:
- Use a traditional resume format, such as reverse-chronological or functional. These will give your resume a structure that's easier for ATS systems to scan.
- Add keywords throughout your resume that help ATS software match your application to the job description. A higher match means your application is more likely to proceed to be reviewed by human eyes.
- Include clear headings in each section that match the traditional resume structure and format. This will make it easier for the ATS software to scan your resume.
- Adopt a resume design that uses clear, professional design principles and leaves white space for your content to breathe. Use the most readable fonts and incorporate subtle design elements to enhance the readability of your document.
- Use concise language to keep the length of your resume to between one and two pages. This will make it easier to scan for ATS applications.
For tips and ideas to help you draft a professional resume to get noticed by employers, read our expert career articles and check out our detailed resume examples.
FAQs for a zookeeper resume
Now that you know how to write a professional zookeeper resume, you might also want to learn how to write an accompanying cover letter that makes a similar impact.
In some situations, a full, professional cover letter may not be necessary. Check the job advert and decide whether to write a formal cover letter, or if a brief email is more suitable.
For a full, traditional cover letter, follow formal letter-writing conventions with your header, address line and greetings. The main text of the letter tends to be split into three short paragraphs. Firstly, introduce yourself, confirm the role you're applying for and explain why you're applying for the zookeeper role. In the second paragraph, highlight your skills and experience that are most relevant to the job description. The third paragraph gives you the opportunity to express your enthusiasm for the role and your gratitude to the employer, while leaving a call to action which encourages them to make contact with you.
If you want to impress employers with a professional cover letter, use Jobseeker's simple and beautiful cover letter templates.
For an experienced zookeeper, the resume is an account of your achievements and the skills you've gained through your career. You may wish to include a longer-than-average work experience section in your zookeeper resume, to emphasize your career experience to date and showcase relevant achievements in work. Include any optional sections that help to show your credentials and reputation in your industry. These could include awards, achievements and successful projects you've been involved in.
Use a resume headline to make it easy for the reader to start assessing your suitability for zookeeper positions at first glance. Resume headlines are also a powerful way of increasing your resume's chances of passing the ATS stage. They reference the job title and some of the keywords that match the job description. Write a concise headline including the job title, a reference to your experience or track record and one or two key skills.
Here's an example of a strong resume headline:
- Junior Zookeeper Seeking Growth Opportunities
- Dedicated Wildlife Care and Conservationist
- Senior Zookeeper and Wildlife Specialist
The most suitable resume format for you depends on two crucial factors. Firstly, whether you have a body of relevant work experience. Secondly, the type of job and its seniority level. For roles where you're lacking experience, such as graduate jobs or career changes, you could use a functional or skills-based resume format. This places your skills and education above your work experience. On the other hand, if you're experienced in your industry or applying for senior positions, a traditional, reverse chronological resume format is usually best. This places most emphasis on your work experience.
Takeaways for a winning zookeeper resume
The best resumes focus on your skills and the value you've added to previous roles, rather than focusing on your duties and responsibilities. Choose the most suitable resume format for your experience levels, and focus on tailoring your resume based on the requirements listed in the job description.
HR-approved resume templates and other tools by Jobseeker are the easiest way to create a winning job application. Sign up and follow the simple instructions to complete a resume that stands out from the crowd. A stylish, professional cover letter can make all the difference to your job prospects. See Jobseeker's cover letter examples, written by careers experts, to help you craft an eye-catching application.
Sources:
(1) Writing a Resume, California Department of Human Resources: https://www.calhr.ca.gov/employees/Pages/resume-tips.aspx
(2) Resume Tips, Duke University: https://careerhub.students.duke.edu/resources/resume-tips/
