Why a good resume is essential when applying for a new certified surgical technologist job

A refined and effective resume is vital to secure a position as a certified surgical tech (CST). Your resume is your first introduction to an employer and should be used to showcase your professional qualifications, skills, certifications, and experience. A compelling resume is your initial point of contact with a new employer and should be written to make a lasting impression.

Your resume should be detailed, yet concise, and should highlight your associates degree in surgical technology and your certification. It is used to effectively communicate your proficiency in surgical care and to differentiate you from a field of competitive candidates.

We will provide a few important tips and an example of a template resume to help improve your resume/CV and secure a certified surgical tech job interview.

How long should the certified surgical tech job resume be and what information should be included?

A CST’s resume should be comprehensive but concise. You should provide just enough information to showcase your qualifications, skills, certification, and experience. Generally, a resume should be around two to three pages in length, but it’s important to prioritize the content over the length.

The following information should be included in your resume: contact information, resume summary or objective, education, certification, clinical experience, skills, professional membership, continuing education, and any honors and awards.

Points that need to be included in a resume

Contact Information: Include your full name, professional title, phone number, email address, and LinkedIn profile (if applicable).

Pro Tip: Your name should be highlighted with the biggest text on the page and listed near the top. Your address should only include city and state. The provided email should be a professional email, but not an employer email. (Never use your current job email for a resume.)

Resume Summary or Objective: Provide a brief, targeted statement summarizing your expertise, career goals, and what you offer as a surgical technician.

Education: Include your educational background, including the name of the institution, degree earned, and graduation date. List your education in reverse chronological order with your most recent and highest degrees first. List your associate’s degree and certification.

Pro Tip: If you are a new graduate, you may want to place the education section above the experience section. As you gain work experience, your education section should be shortened. If you have not graduated, you can add “expected graduation date” to the school.

Certifications and Licenses: Specify any relevant surgical tech certifications you obtained through the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA).

Clinical Experience: Include your work history in reverse chronological order. For each position, include the name of the hospital or clinic, location, and dates of employment. Highlight any specialized procedure or technique you have experience with.

This is the most important section as a surgical tech. Your professional experience should be presented in bullet points, and a separate section should be created for each relevant previous job. The headline for each previous job experience section should in bold with the addition of the time you were employed. Beneath the company name, the position should be mentioned, and the bulleted points should list the job responsibilities.


Pro Tip: It is important to mention not only your job responsibilities but your achieved results.

Skills: Outline both your technical and interpersonal skills that are relevant to surgery. Include your proficiencies in relevant technology or subspecialties.

Professional Memberships: List any associations like the AST.

Awards and Honors: Highlight any special recognition or awards you have received for your contributions to the profession.

Professional Development: Showcase ongoing education and training that you have attended to stay current in the field.

Note: If applicable, mention any languages that you are proficient in. 

A certified surgical tech’s resume should highlight a combination of medical, technical, interpersonal, and leadership skills. Here are some important and relevant skills to include:

  • Medical Skills:
    • Ensuring infection control by maintaining sterile conditions and infection control protocols
    • Expertise in setting up the OR with necessary instruments, sterile drapes, and solutions
    • Understanding of surgical anatomy to assist effectively during procedures.
    • Familiarity with preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative procedures.
  • Medical Equipment Proficiency:
    • Familiarity with a wide range of surgical instruments and how to use them
    • Knowledge of sterilization procedures for instruments and operating room equipment
  • Technical Skills:
    • Proficiency in setting up, operating, and troubleshooting surgical equipment.
    • Experience with surgical robotics, imaging systems, and electronic medical records (EMR).
  • Teamwork and Communication Skills:
    • Clear communication with surgeons, nurses, and anesthesiologists in high-pressure environments.
    • Ability to manage interpersonal conflicts within the surgical team.
    • Remain calm and efficient during unforeseen surgical events.
  • Leadership:
    • Assign and delegate tasks during multi-stage surgeries
    • Mentorship and training of new surgical technicians
  • Communication Skills:
    • Compassionately communicate with patients and their families
    • Detailed documentation of patient records as needed
  • Quality Assurance:
    • Monitoring and ensuring safety during surgical procedures
    • Ensuring all instruments and supplies are accounted for before and after surgery.

Pro tip: It is common for each job post to receive hundreds of applications and a resume-checking system is often in place for recruiters to filter through relevant applications. You should customize your resume to each specific surgical tech job you are applying for. Be sure to emphasize your relevant skills and experience to demonstrate to the employer you understand the requirements of the job and are the best candidate. You will be more successful if you identify the key phrases in the job description and incorporate them into your resume. 

Resume example-template: Here is a template resume for a certified surgical technician courtesy of LiveCareer.com. You can also build, view other similar resumes, and customize your resume on their site.