Occupational Therapy Assistant resume examples
This page has 4 one-page occupational therapy assistant resume examples: a new graduate OTA in skilled nursing, an experienced COTA, a pediatric OTA and a home health OTA. Each one is checked against 6,911 US postings from 1,614 employers, and the note under each sample explains how it shows the accredited degree, NBCOT certification, state license, caseload and documentation record.
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) Resume Example
More than half of OTA employers require an associate degree from an accredited OTA program, and many ask for current COTA certification and CPR, so the Ivy Tech degree, NBCOT credential, state license and BLS card sit where a recruiter looks first. The bullets match the duties employers write most, carrying out treatment plans under the OT, documenting progress and teaching families, with caseload and outcome numbers.
Why this resume works:
- Manage a daily caseload of 12-14 short-term and long-term residents under individualized treatment plans set by the OT.
- Deliver ADL training in dressing, bathing and toileting, with 70% of short-term residents going home at prior level.
- Write daily notes and weekly progress reports in PointClickCare, meeting Medicare documentation deadlines 100% of the time.
Occupational Therapy Assistant Resume Example
OTA postings most often require an associate degree from an accredited program and current certification, so the 05/2026 ACC degree, NBCOT credential, Texas license and CPR card lead the page. Entry-level employers also ask for skilled nursing experience and accurate documentation, which the current job and fieldwork show with caseload numbers.
Why this resume works:
- Deliver ADL training, transfer training and upper body strengthening to 10 residents a day.
- Implement each resident's plan of care and report progress or decline to the supervising OT at daily huddles.
- Complete treatment notes in Net Health before end of shift, with no late notes in the first 3 months.
Pediatric Occupational Therapy Assistant Resume Example
Pediatric OTA employers ask for an accredited OTA degree, current COTA certification and a team-oriented mindset, and all three are visible in education, certificates and the summary. The bullets show the core OTA duties employers list, carrying out the OT's plan, documenting progress and educating families, in clinic and school settings with child caseloads and outcomes.
Why this resume works:
- Manage a weekly caseload of 28 children with autism, developmental delay and sensory processing needs.
- Run sensory integration sessions in the clinic gym, cutting average session refusals by half over 6 months.
- Coach parents on home programs for fine motor and self-care skills, with 85% reporting weekly practice.
Home Health Occupational Therapist Assistant Resume Example
Home health OTA postings ask for an accredited OTA degree, COTA licensure, CPR and a valid driver's license, and each one is visible in education, certificates and the summary. The bullets cover patient and caregiver education, progress documentation and teamwork with nurses, the duties employers write most, with visit counts and audit results.
Why this resume works:
- Complete 25-30 home visits a week across 2 counties under plans of care set by the supervising OT.
- Deliver ADL training and energy conservation teaching for patients with COPD, heart failure and recent surgery.
- Identify durable medical equipment needs such as shower chairs and grab bars, placed in 120+ homes last year.
What employers ask for in occupational therapy assistant job postings
Occupational Therapy Assistant job postings in the US, October 2026
- 6,911
- active US job postings
- 1,614
- employers hiring
- 1 yr
- median experience asked
- 72%
- ask for 1 year or less
Make sure your resume shows
- Associate degree from an accredited OTA program (55% of employers)
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills (32% of employers)
- Current state license or COTA certification (14% of employers)
- Skilled nursing or long-term care experience preferred (10% of employers)
- Current CPR certification (8% of employers)
- Works both independently and as part of a team (8% of employers)
- Compassionate, patient-focused approach (8% of employers)
- Valid driver's license and reliable transportation (7% of employers)
Duties to build your bullet points around
What employers write most often under responsibilities. Show each one with a result (numbers, scale, outcome), not a copy of the duty.
- Carry out OT treatment plans under a licensed occupational therapist (34%)
- Document patient progress and treatment outcomes (18%)
- Work with nurses, therapists, physicians and the care team (17%)
- Monitor progress and report findings to the supervising OT (16%)
- Teach patients, families and caregivers techniques and adaptive equipment (12%)
- Guide therapeutic activities for strength, mobility and ADL independence (11%)
The examples on this page, in job postings
| Example | US postings | Median years asked |
|---|---|---|
| Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) | 1,494 | 1 |
| Occupational Therapy Assistant | 1,732 | 1 |
| Pediatric Occupational Therapy Assistant | 23 | – |
| Home Health Occupational Therapist Assistant | 67 | – |
Which job title to put on your resume: the titles employers use most, so recruiters and applicant tracking systems search for them: Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (411 employers), Occupational Therapy Assistant (249 employers), Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant (217 employers), Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) (206 employers), Occupational Therapist Assistant (167 employers).
Source: Owlapply analysis of active US job postings, October 2026. Requirements and duties are grouped by meaning from the postings' own bullet lists and counted once per employer.
Advertised pay, experience and the skills employers ask for: Occupational Therapy Assistant pay and requirements.
Check your occupational therapy assistant resume against a real job posting
- Paste a occupational therapy assistant job posting into the job match score tool to see which of its skills your resume is missing.
- Upload your resume to the ATS resume checker to read the text an applicant tracking system gets from it.
Occupational Therapy Assistant resume sample (text you can copy)
This is the text of the Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) example above. Paste it into the resume builder and replace the details with your own.
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) resume sample
BRIANNA HOLLOWAY
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA)
Indianapolis, IN · (317) 555-0152 · [email protected] · linkedin.com/in/briannaholloway
SUMMARY
Certified occupational therapy assistant with 5 years in skilled nursing and assisted living, carrying a caseload of 12 to 14 residents a day. Carries out individualized treatment plans for ADL training, therapeutic exercise and fall prevention, and writes clear daily documentation in PointClickCare. NBCOT certified, Indiana licensed and known for steady, compassionate care.
EXPERIENCE
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA), Meridian Hills Rehabilitation Center, Indianapolis, IN | 04/2023 - Present
- Manage a daily caseload of 12-14 short-term and long-term residents under individualized treatment plans set by the OT.
- Deliver ADL training in dressing, bathing and toileting, with 70% of short-term residents going home at prior level.
- Write daily notes and weekly progress reports in PointClickCare, meeting Medicare documentation deadlines 100% of the time.
- Report changes in strength, cognition or skin to the supervising OT and nursing within the same shift.
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA), Eagle Creek Senior Living, Indianapolis, IN | 06/2021 - 03/2023
- Led therapeutic exercise and fine motor groups for 8-10 residents, 3 times a week.
- Fitted and trained residents on adaptive equipment such as reachers, sock aids and built-up utensils.
- Ran fall prevention screens for 60 residents each quarter and flagged 15 for full OT evaluation.
- Taught 40+ families safe transfer techniques before move-in and discharge visits.
Rehabilitation Aide, Westfield Therapy Partners, Westfield, IN | 08/2019 - 05/2021
- Prepared treatment areas and equipment for 25+ patient visits per shift, following infection control steps.
- Scheduled appointments and tracked authorizations for 3 therapists, cutting missed visits by 20%.
- Supported patients through exercise routines set by therapists and recorded completed sets.
EDUCATION
Associate of Applied Science, Occupational Therapy Assistant, Ivy Tech Community College, Indianapolis, IN | 05/2021
SKILLS
Individualized Treatment Plans, ADL Training, Therapeutic Exercise, Fall Prevention, Adaptive Equipment, Documentation, PointClickCare, Infection Control, Interpersonal Skills, Compassion
CERTIFICATIONS
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA), National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) (07/2021)
Occupational Therapy Assistant License, Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (08/2021)
BLS Provider (CPR), American Heart Association (03/2026)
How to write a occupational therapy assistant resume
Write a occupational therapy assistant resume summary
- Open with COTA or OTA, your NBCOT certification and your state license, then your years and setting, such as skilled nursing, pediatrics, schools or home health.
- Give your caseload, such as 12 to 14 residents a day or 25 to 30 home visits a week.
- Name the treatment areas you work in, such as ADL training, transfer training, fine motor work or fall prevention.
- For a new graduate, name your accredited program, its completion date and your fieldwork settings, since about 55% of employers ask for an accredited OTA degree.
Occupational Therapy Assistant summary (entry level)
Occupational therapy assistant and 2026 graduate of the Austin Community College OTA program, now treating 10 residents a day in skilled nursing. Carries out rehabilitation procedures, ADL training and transfer training under the supervising OT, and keeps documentation accurate and on time. NBCOT certified and Texas licensed, with strong communication skills with residents and families.
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) summary (mid level)
Certified occupational therapy assistant with 5 years in skilled nursing and assisted living, carrying a caseload of 12 to 14 residents a day. Carries out individualized treatment plans for ADL training, therapeutic exercise and fall prevention, and writes clear daily documentation in PointClickCare. NBCOT certified, Indiana licensed and known for steady, compassionate care.
Write occupational therapy assistant experience bullets
- Show caseload and visit counts in each role so the reader can judge your pace.
- Report outcomes, such as residents discharged home at their prior level or goals met for children on IEPs.
- Show documentation quality: notes done the same day, Medicare deadlines met or zero notes returned in audits; about 18% of employers list documentation as a duty.
- Include caregiver and family teaching with numbers, such as families trained before discharge or equipment placed in homes.
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant (COTA) experience bullets
- Manage a daily caseload of 12-14 short-term and long-term residents under individualized treatment plans set by the OT.
- Deliver ADL training in dressing, bathing and toileting, with 70% of short-term residents going home at prior level.
- Write daily notes and weekly progress reports in PointClickCare, meeting Medicare documentation deadlines 100% of the time.
- Report changes in strength, cognition or skin to the supervising OT and nursing within the same shift.
Pick the skills for a occupational therapy assistant resume
- Communication (about 31% of postings), interpersonal skills and being compassionate (about 16% each) and organizational skills (about 15%) lead the list; show them through family teaching and teamwork with the OT and nursing.
- Add teamwork (about 6%) and infection control, plus the clinical skills you use daily, such as ADL training, therapeutic exercise, sensory integration or transfer training.
- List your documentation software by name, such as PointClickCare, Net Health, WebPT or Homecare Homebase.
Do's and don'ts
Do this
- Put your accredited OTA degree, NBCOT certification, state license and CPR where they are seen first.
- Name your setting in every role, since skilled nursing, school, pediatric and home health jobs look for different work.
- Give a caseload or visit number in each job.
- Show that you work under the supervising OT's plan and report changes back to them.
Avoid this
- Don't write that you evaluate patients or set the plan of care; that is the OT's role, and the resume should reflect your scope.
- Don't list fieldwork without the setting, weeks and what you did there if you are a new graduate.
- Don't leave out your driver's license for home health roles; about 7% of employers ask for one.
- Don't fill the skills section with soft skills only; add the treatments and software you use.
Related resume examples
- Physical Therapist Assistant
- Occupational Therapist
- Physical Therapist
- Speech Language Pathologist
- Certified Nursing Assistant
- Licensed Practical Nurse
- Registered Nurse
- Medical Assistant
Occupational Therapy Assistant resume questions
What should I put on an occupational therapy assistant resume?
Your COTA credential and state license, your setting and caseload, treatment work with outcomes, documentation results, and your accredited OTA degree. About 55% of employers ask for an associate degree from an accredited OTA program and about 32% ask for strong interpersonal and communication skills. The duty they write most is carrying out treatment plans under a licensed occupational therapist, named by about 34%.
How much experience do occupational therapy assistant jobs ask for?
Not much: of the 699 postings that state experience, the median ask is 1 year, and about 72% ask for a year or less. About 10% of employers prefer earlier work in skilled nursing or long-term care. New graduates should count fieldwork placements as experience.
How do I write a new grad occupational therapy assistant resume?
Lead with your accredited OTA program and graduation date, your NBCOT status and your state license or its pending date. List each fieldwork placement with the setting, weeks, caseload and treatments you delivered. Add CPR and any work as a rehab aide or caregiver, since it shows patient handling experience.
What is the difference between an OTA resume and a COTA resume?
COTA means you passed the NBCOT exam, so a COTA resume shows the certification and state license up front. Employers use both titles: Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant appears at 411 employers and Occupational Therapy Assistant at 249. Use the title in the posting you apply to and list the credential either way.
What skills belong on an occupational therapy assistant resume?
Communication appears in about 31% of postings, interpersonal skills and being compassionate in about 16% each and organizational skills in about 15%. Add the clinical skills you use, such as ADL training, therapeutic exercise, transfer training, sensory integration and infection control. List your documentation software too.
What should a home health or pediatric COTA resume show?
For home health, give weekly visits, the area you cover, caregiver training, equipment placed and Medicare documentation results, and list your driver's license. For pediatrics, give the ages and diagnoses you treat, caseload, IEP or home program work, and how you coach parents. Both examples on this page show these with numbers.