Zookeeper CV Guide

What to include in a Zookeeper CV

Before considering what to include in your CV, make it your own and provide specific details. You may come across many generic CV examples and templates online, and if you choose to use any of them, you must tailor them accordingly. If you use a generic CV and do not customise it, recruiters may spot this, which can mean unsuccessful applications and missed opportunities.

When you take the time to think carefully about your CV and prepare it thoughtfully, it can demonstrate to recruiters that you are serious about the role and committed to the field. It also shows professionalism and attention to detail and helps you stand out from other candidates, as zookeeper jobs are competitive.

Creating a CV and knowing what to include can feel daunting, but breaking it into manageable sections can make it much easier. Here is a step-by-step guide to help you get started:

Contact information

Let us start with the easier part of your CV, your contact information, which should be at the top of the page. You want to make it easy for employers to contact you, so ensure it is clear and accurate.

When adding your contact information, you should include your full name, location, email address and phone number, but bear the following in mind:

• You do not need to add your full address; your town, city or county is sufficient.
• Use a professional email address and avoid nicknames, aliases and social media handles.
• Ensure your phone number is current and you regularly check calls and messages.

If you have a LinkedIn profile, website or an online portfolio, you can add these where relevant.

You should avoid adding your date of birth, a photo and personal information, such as marital status, gender, nationality or religion. This information is irrelevant to your professional qualifications, can lead to bias and may detract from important parts.

Remember to check that your contact details are current so employers can promptly reach you.

Professional summary

Below your contact information should be your professional summary, which is also known as a career objective statement, personal statement, or professional profile. It is a 3-5 line paragraph emphasising your most relevant qualifications, skills, experiences and achievements, making it easier for employers to see how you fit the zookeeper role.

A well-crafted summary can pique the employer’s interest, encouraging them to read the rest of your CV in more detail. When you craft your professional summary, you want to ensure it is to the point, engaging and tailored to the zookeeper position. Basically, you are telling the employer why you are the best person for that job. Here are some tips to help:

• Begin with a sentence that captures who you are and your experience level. Mention your job title and years of experience.
• Avoid generic statements and focus on your unique qualifications.
• Mention any hands-on experience with animal care, including specific tasks you have performed, such as feeding, cleaning or health monitoring.
• Showcase key skills for a zookeeper, such as animal husbandry, enrichment activities and public speaking.
• Highlight any notable achievements or contributions to animal welfare.
• Convey your passion for animal care and conservation. Employers want to see genuine dedication to the field.

Here is an example of a professional summary for a zookeeper:

“Dedicated and passionate zookeeper with over 3 years of experience in animal husbandry and wildlife conservation. Proven ability to provide excellent care for a diverse range of species, ensuring their health and well-being. Skilled in enrichment activities, habitat maintenance, and public education programs, with a strong commitment to promoting animal welfare and conservation efforts.”

Education

Your education should be the next section of your CV, or you can put your work experience first; it is at your discretion. This section informs employers of your academic background. It is important as they often look for specific qualifications or skills relevant to the position. It demonstrates your suitability for the role and provides a structured and standardised way for employers to assess your background.

When you add your education to your CV, you want to ensure you highlight your relevant qualifications, certifications and training and how they apply to the zookeeper role. List your qualifications in reverse chronological order, i.e. the most recent first, and you should include the following information:

• Formal education – includes any degrees, diplomas, A levels, apprenticeships and GCSEs. You should add the following:
  • Qualification or degree name, e.g. BSc (Hons) Zoology.
  • Institution name, e.g. The University of Liverpool.
  • Attendance or graduation dates, e.g. September 2019 – June 2022.
  • Relevant coursework (optional), e.g. Molecular Biology, Ecology, Genetics, Wildlife Conservation, Animal Care, etc.
  • Honours, grades or awards (optional), e.g. 2:1.
  • The title of your thesis or dissertation (if applicable).
• Additional training – highlight any other training, certifications or workshops relevant to zookeeping, e.g. first aid for animals or wildlife handling. It could include short courses, seminars or conferences attended. Give the course name, location of training and date of completion.

If you are a school leaver or a recent graduate, include more details in this section to compensate for your lack of work experience. If you have already worked in zookeeping or a related field, you may want to focus on your work experience and have a shorter education section.

If you have gaps in your employment history, listing your education can show that you were actively engaged in learning and developing your skills during that time.

Work experience/employment history

The next section of your CV is your work experience. It enables you to showcase relevant skills, knowledge, achievements and contributions gained in previous roles. It also highlights your dedication and passion for the field.

When you add your work experience to your CV, it should be in reverse chronological order (most recent first), like the education section, to allow employers to see your most relevant experience first. For each position, include the following:

• Job title: Begin with your job title, e.g. “Zookeeper”.
• Employer/organisation name: Name of the zoo or organisation.
• Location: Town, city or county.
• Dates of employment: Clearly indicate employment start and end dates (month and year).
• Responsibilities: Highlight key duties and tasks you performed (aim for three to five bullet points and use action verbs to describe your tasks), e.g.:
  • Daily care and feeding of various animals, including dietary planning and preparation.
  • Maintenance and cleaning of animal enclosures to ensure a safe and hygienic environment.
  • Monitoring animal health and behaviour and reporting any concerns to veterinary staff.
  • Educating visitors about wildlife conservation and animal behaviour.

If you are applying for your first job and have little or no work experience, do not worry. You can use this section to showcase any volunteering, projects, coursework and internships. We will cover how to describe your experience later.

Key skills and achievements

The next section of your CV is your key skills and achievements, which highlight your expertise and capability to perform the duties of a zookeeper. It also provides concrete evidence of how you successfully applied your skills previously and what your accomplishments were, which can help you stand out from other candidates.

So, how do you add your key skills and achievements to your CV? First, ensure that they are tailored to match the specific requirements of the zookeeper role and emphasise those most relevant to the job description. You also want to include relevant hard and soft skills, for example:

• Hard skills – are specific, teachable abilities or knowledge that are typically easy to quantify and often acquired through education, training programs or on-the-job experience. Examples of hard skills for a zookeeper might include animal care, monitoring, veterinary skills, habitat maintenance, record-keeping and public speaking.
• Soft skills – are personal attributes that enable someone to interact and work effectively and harmoniously with others. Soft skills for a zookeeper might include communication, teamwork, empathy, compassion, problem-solving, patience and resilience.

It is important to read through the job description and highlight the skills the employer is looking for to see how yours are aligned. If you are applying for your first zookeeper job, focus on transferable soft skills as above and any hard skills acquired from your education.

Your relevant achievements, which are typically measurable, can be added to this section. Alternatively, you can add them to your work experience section under your previous responsibilities. We will look at how you can showcase your achievements later.

Many organisations use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), which pick up keywords in applications, so including these in your CV can help demonstrate your skills and increase your chances of passing through the ATS filter and a successful application. Keywords that may help include those covered in the hard skill section above. Again, look at the job description to identify the words they use.

Other information

The main sections of a CV typically include what we have covered so far. However, there is additional information you can include if it is relevant to the zookeeper role, have sufficient space on your CV, and you think it will maximise your chances of securing an interview. Here are some additional sections you may want to consider:

• Certifications and training – can include first aid, animal care or other professional training. You can add this information to the education section or detail it separately. If you include it, add the name of the training, provider and date, and ensure that your certifications are current.
• Professional development – list any relevant workshops, conferences or seminars you have attended to develop your knowledge and skills on zookeeping.
• Volunteer work – showcase any volunteer experience relating to animal care or wildlife conservation. You can add this to the work experience section if preferred. If you do include it, detail the name of the organisation, the dates you volunteered and your key duties and contributions.
• Publications and research – list articles, papers, research or projects related to zookeeping. You could also mention any presentations delivered on the topic.
• Professional associations – include memberships in professional organisations, associations and charities related to animals and zookeeping.
• Languages – list any additional languages spoken and proficiency levels.
• Interests and hobbies – include relevant interests and hobbies that align with the role of a zookeeper, e.g. wildlife photography, surveying, outdoor activities, etc.

Include relevant information demonstrating your commitment and passion for zookeeping to make you an attractive candidate to prospective employers.

References

Adding references to your CV enables potential employers to verify your qualifications, experience, skills, work ethic and character, and gives them confidence in your suitability for the role. Recruiting takes time and money, so they want to ensure you are credible.

The references section is usually the last in your CV. If you are struggling for space and the job posting does not ask for specific details, you can mention “References available upon request” under the heading. However, if asked to provide further information in your application, you can format it in the following way:

• Reference name – start with the name of your reference.
• Job title – include their current job title or the job title they held during your time working with them or when you were in education.
• Organisation – provide the name of the organisation they work for.
• Contact information – list their email address and phone number.
• Relationship – briefly mention how you know the reference and your relationship, e.g. tutor, supervisor, colleague, mentor, etc.

Most organisations will ask for two references. Select people who can vouch for your qualifications, skills, experience and character, as this can differentiate you from other candidates and increase your chances of securing the position.

Always ask for permission before including their details on your CV, and ensure that the contact information for your references is up-to-date and accurate.