ATS keywords for an occupational therapist resume
Many employers keep applications in an Applicant Tracking System (ATS), where recruiters search and sort them by the skills the role needs. Use these terms where they honestly describe your experience, so your resume is easy to find and easy to read:
Key skills to highlight
- ▸Functional and home assessments
- ▸Prescribing assistive technology and equipment
- ▸Intervention planning and goal setting
- ▸Writing funding and clinical reports
- ▸Client-centred, evidence-based practice
Credentials Australian employers screen for
- ▸Current AHPRA registration (Occupational Therapy Board of Australia)
- ▸Accredited occupational therapy degree
- ▸NDIS Worker Screening Check and National Police Check where required
- ▸Working With Children Check and a driver's licence for community roles
Common mistakes to avoid
- ▸Not stating AHPRA registration and clearances up front.
- ▸Generic duties instead of assessments, prescriptions and outcomes.
- ▸Omitting NDIS or report-writing experience the role needs.
- ▸A generic resume rather than matching the setting.
Occupational Therapist CV example: before and after
One experience entry, written twice. The numbers are illustrative, the structure is what matters.
Before
Occupational Therapist, 2022 to present. See clients in the community and complete assessments. Recommend equipment, write reports and provide therapy to help clients with daily tasks. Liaise with families and other providers as needed.
Registration and clearances are absent and NDIS never appears, so a screen filtering on AHPRA registration, an NDIS Worker Screening Check and funding report experience finds none of them, and the assessment and report volume stays invisible to the team leader.
After
Occupational Therapist | AHPRA registration OCC000XXXXXX (Occupational Therapy Board of Australia) | NDIS Worker Screening Check and WWCC current
Community based allied health provider, NDIS and aged care clients across a regional catchment | January 2022 to present | Full time, vehicle provided
- ▸Held an active caseload of 30 to 35 NDIS participants across adult physical disability and paediatric developmental needs, seen in home, school and community settings.
- ▸Completed around 10 functional assessments a month covering activities of daily living, transfers and access, using standardised measures (COPM, FIM) alongside home assessment.
- ▸Prescribed assistive technology including manual and power wheelchairs, pressure care, shower commodes and ceiling hoists, trialling equipment with suppliers before recommending it.
- ▸Wrote 8 to 12 assistive technology and home modifications reports a month to NDIS evidence requirements, with more than 90 per cent approved on first submission.
- ▸Ran intervention planning and goal setting from a client-centred base, reviewing each plan with the participant, family and support coordinator at every plan period.
Leading with AHPRA registration and the NDIS Worker Screening Check clears the compliance screen, and quantifying assessments, equipment prescribed and reports approved shows the funding-report skill most Australian OT roles are actually hiring for.
Score your occupational therapist CV against any job, free.
See your ATS match score and the exact edits to make. No account, no credit card.
Check my CV free →Missing keywords
Your live ATS match score, with the exact edits to make.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need AHPRA registration on an OT resume?
Yes. Registration with the Occupational Therapy Board via AHPRA is required to practise, so state it near the top.
Should I mention NDIS experience?
Yes where you have it. Much OT work in Australia is NDIS-funded, so highlight functional assessments, reports and equipment prescription in that context.
How do graduate OTs write a resume?
Lead with placements, the settings and client groups you worked with, your registration, and report-writing experience. Placement detail carries the resume early on.
More CV guides
▸Registered Nurse resume
How to write a registered nurse resume for Australian hospitals: AHPRA registration, ATS keywords, clinical skills, and the mistakes that undersell RNs.
▸Primary School Teacher resume
Write a primary school teacher resume for Australian schools: teacher registration (VIT/QCT/TRB), Working With Children Check, AITSL standards, and ATS keywords.
▸Accountant resume
Write an accountant resume for Australian roles: CPA/CA status, software (Xero, MYOB, SAP), compliance keywords, and the mistakes that get applications filtered.