Phlebotomist resume example & writing guide

What is a phlebotomist’s job?

A phlebotomist is a medical professional who draws, collects, and processes blood for testing in medical labs or for donations. Phlebotomists also perform blood transfusions and work in clinics, hospitals, and doctors' offices. A phlebotomist is specially trained to draw blood in different ways that include venipuncture (puncture of a vein), pricking a finger, and heel pricks (usually for infants).     

Why use this phlebotomist resume example?

The best way to start your resume is with an attention-grabbing introduction. The example resume has a very good introduction because it is short and contains great skills and expertise relevant to the field. It lists some specific skills that are required to be an expert in the field. It also references the number of years of experience and working environments. 

Speaking more than one language is a fabulous ability to have. This resume highlights that right away in the first sentence of the introduction. It is also common to have a separate section that lists out any languages you know. This is especially good if you know more than two languages or have different levels of proficiency.

A good portion (if not the majority) of your resume will be taken up by the professional experience section. Creating a good description for each job role is not easy. Include only the most important aspects of the job, including any tasks that are mentioned in the job posting. A hiring manager doesn’t need to know details about every single task you performed.

We highly recommend you tailor your resume to match the job you want. Study the job listing carefully. Pay attention to the skills, specific experience, and knowledge they’re seeking for the role. Use those in your resume, if you have those things. If you don’t have certain things they’re looking for, then use something close. If you’re going for a job that is similar to something you’ve done before, then it’s likely you have skills and experience that will match up. Make sure your resume has all of those things included. That’s what will get the hiring manager’s attention.

How to write a great phlebotomist resume 

When you start gathering information to build your phlebotomist resume, remember that your resume must be short. The best resumes are only one page or two (if you have a long career). You don’t need to include references or any details about experience that is more than 10 to 15 years old. As you are putting together your job history, focus on creating very short descriptions and look for anything you can portray as an accomplishment or outstanding performance. These are the things that will most impress your potential new employer.  

Being short and to the point is especially true for your resume introduction. Depending on which type of resume format you use, your introduction or resume summary should be no more than a few sentences or a short bulleted list of items (about four to six items) with each bullet being on one line. Every section of your resume needs to be concise. Don’t use extra words or flowery descriptions with a lot of adjectives. You don’t need to embellish your achievements because they should speak for themselves.

Speaking of accomplishments, this is where you want to use most of the space on your resume. Fill your resume with outstanding career achievements. One of the most impactful and sometimes difficult things to do is to come up with achievements that are measurable. When you’re working on projects or tasks, you don’t always take the time to make note of the numbers associated with them. No one thinks about that until they need to write a resume! But having quantifiable accomplishments is the best way to demonstrate how you have performed on jobs.

Which key skills are relevant for a phlebotomist resume?

A good phlebotomist needs to have a lot of great skills, especially related to working with patients.  See the list below for examples of some great skills for you to put on your phlebotomist’s resume:

• Blood collection

• Attention to detail

• Lab testing procedures

• Empathy

• Infection control

• Patient care

• Tool sterilization

• Taking vitals

• Lab reports and logs