Which breed should a pet care CV list first?

List the breed you do most and do best first — small dogs, large dogs, short-haired or long-haired cats — one line each with 2–3 services you really did. Owners assign shifts by the breed they are short of, so the first breed in the CV decides whether you get called first.

Never cared for a large aggressive dog — should I put it in the CV?

No. State the breeds and services you never handled at the end of the technical section, for example “never cared for large aggressive dogs, only small dogs and gentle cats”. Taking an animal and letting it panic or bite someone costs treatment money and loses customers far faster than admitting the limit up front.

Should I list the tools I own in the CV?

Yes, one line is enough: clippers, thinning scissors, grooming brushes, a dryer — and say which tools you own and which the shop must provide. A shop assigning grooming shifts needs to know whether you can start at once or must go back for tools.

After registering on TimViecDe, what do I do so recruiters receive my CV?

Verify your email right after registering — with an unverified email you cannot upload a CV or receive selection emails (verified in experiment 22/10-C). Only after verifying should you upload the CV, then check that it shows the right breeds and services.

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Job seekers8 min read

CV for pet care and grooming staff: write it so employers call you

Keep it to 1–2 pages: one line with your main service and the animals you care for, 3–5 services plus the breeds you handled written as concrete action verbs, past employers (one main service per place), your service area plus shifts, and your contact details. Skip vague lines like “love animals, good with pets, enthusiastic” with no specific breed, service done or way of handling frightened animals attached.

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How pet shop owners read a CV

Unlike office CVs, a pet care CV is read closely in exactly two places: the breeds you can really care for and the services you can really do. Owners look for four answers: which breeds can you care for, which services have you done, can you work with frightened or aggressive animals and the shop's shifts, and do you keep hygiene and safety after each shift. Missing any one of the four usually puts the CV behind others, even if you truly love animals and are serious. So put the breeds and services right after the role line, then past employers, with service area, shifts and safety at the end of the main part.

One role line: main service + animals + work mode

Open the CV with exactly one line: the main service, the animals, and the work mode. Examples: “Dog and cat bathing and grooming staff, small dogs and long-haired cats, at a pet shop in the inner city.” For sitting: “Overnight pet sitter, dogs and cats already used to the home, evening and weekend shifts.” For a clinic assistant: “Pet care assistant at a clinic, holding animals and supporting the vet, working to the clinic's shifts.” One such line tells the owner at once whether you fit the shift and breeds needed. The most common mistake is writing it too generally (“applying for pet care work”) or naming the service without the breeds and work mode — both force the owner to ask, and when staff are urgently needed, people who need asking are usually skipped first.

Breeds and services done: one service per line, only real work

This section is mandatory for pet care CVs. List the services you can do, one line each, written with concrete action verbs plus the breeds you cared for. For bathing and drying: bathe and dry short- and long-coated dogs, handle matted, tangled and smelly coats; choose shampoo by skin type and dry fully before returning the animal. For grooming: trim Poodles, Shih Tzus and long-haired British cats; trim faces, paws and hygiene areas as the owner asks; clip nails, clean ears and empty anal glands. For walks and sitting: walk dogs on schedule, feed the right portions at the times the owner set, clean cages, watch droppings and unusual signs and report to the owner at once. For clinic support: hold animals in the right position during examination, help give medicine by prescription, watch animals after injections and report anything unusual. Claiming a breed or service you never handled to “make the CV look good” shows up in the very first shift and costs you the role and your reputation with pet owners and the shop.

Handling frightened or aggressive animals, and hygiene after a shift: be specific

Handling frightened or aggressive animals and hygiene after a shift set this CV apart — state how you work: approach the animal slowly, speak softly, let it sniff your hand before touching; use a muzzle, lead and towel correctly when the animal panics; stop the service and tell the owner when the animal shows signs of biting, scratching or prolonged panting; and after each shift clean the table, bath, grooming tools, change towels and disinfect the work area. If you handled a mildly injured animal, one that stopped eating or one unsettled in a new home, say how you handled it and reported to the owner. Owners assign animals by shift and breed — stating a handling method that does not match, only discovered after an owner complains, wastes everyone's time. State your real method from the start, even if you are slower but safer, rather than writing vaguely and leaving an animal frightened during the shift.

Past employers: workplace + dates + main service, no long descriptions

For each pet shop, vet clinic or sitting service you worked in, three facts are enough: the workplace type (pet shop, pet spa, vet clinic, home sitting service — no need to name the old place or give its address if you prefer not to), the dates (month/year from–to), and one or two main services you did there. No long description, no list of every small job. A new owner cares whether you really cared for that breed — one line stating the main service answers that. If you worked in many places for short periods, do not hide them: list them all, one main service per place. Short stints are not automatically a weakness when the breeds and service area are clear; hiding them and being found out at a trial is.

Safety for animals, people and tools: only real, verifiable facts

For safety, state what you did: never force an animal that is panicking, check leads and cage doors before opening, wash hands and change gloves between animals, and keep your rabies vaccination up to date, stating your vaccination status. For tools, state what you have: clippers, thinning scissors, grooming brushes, a dryer — and say which tools you own and which the shop must provide. Do not claim breeds you never cared for, no hobbies, no elaborate portrait photo. Owners mostly call or message — the phone number must be one you actually use and answer during office hours. Photos of animals you cared for (before and after grooming) should only be sent when the owner asks, and only real photos of your own work, with the pet owner's consent.

Contact details and next step

At the end, only three things are needed: full name, phone number, and the area you live in and work in. No detailed home address, no hobbies, no elaborate portrait photo. Next, create an account and upload your CV so pet shops, vet clinics and recruiters can find it: register as a candidate on timviecde.vn (/register). Note: with an unverified email you cannot upload a CV or receive selection emails — verify your email right after registering, before uploading.

Do this next

One role line: the main service you want to do + the animals + work mode.
3–5 services plus breeds handled, written as concrete action verbs; how you handle frightened animals stated clearly.
Service area, shifts and start date stated; a phone number you actually use and answer.

Common questions

Which breed should a pet care CV list first?: List the breed you do most and do best first — small dogs, large dogs, short-haired or long-haired cats — one line each with 2–3 services you really did. Owners assign shifts by the breed they are short of, so the first breed in the CV decides whether you get called first.
Never cared for a large aggressive dog — should I put it in the CV?: No. State the breeds and services you never handled at the end of the technical section, for example “never cared for large aggressive dogs, only small dogs and gentle cats”. Taking an animal and letting it panic or bite someone costs treatment money and loses customers far faster than admitting the limit up front.
Should I list the tools I own in the CV?: Yes, one line is enough: clippers, thinning scissors, grooming brushes, a dryer — and say which tools you own and which the shop must provide. A shop assigning grooming shifts needs to know whether you can start at once or must go back for tools.
Worked in many pet shops for short periods — should I list them all?: Yes, list them all, one main service and the dates per place. Short stints are not automatically a weakness when the breeds and area are clear; hiding them and being found out at a trial is the real weakness.
After registering on TimViecDe, what do I do so recruiters receive my CV?: Verify your email right after registering — with an unverified email you cannot upload a CV or receive selection emails (verified in experiment 22/10-C). Only after verifying should you upload the CV, then check that it shows the right breeds and services.

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