Travel Therapy Resume for New Grads

What agencies look for, how to format it, and how to stand out with limited experience.

What Agencies Want to See

Travel therapy resumes are different from permanent job resumes. Agencies and facilities care about: licensure status, clinical rotations/fieldwork (settings, populations, weeks), certifications (BLS, specialty), documentation systems you've used, and availability.

They care less about: GPA, academic honors, research papers, or undergraduate experience. Keep it clinical and practical.

Resume Structure

Header

Name, credentials (PT, DPT or OTR/L, etc.), phone, email, state licenses held.

Professional Summary

2-3 sentences: your discipline, licensure, clinical strengths, and that you're seeking travel positions. Example: "New graduate Doctor of Physical Therapy with clinical experience in SNF and outpatient settings. PT Compact privilege active. Seeking travel assignments with a focus on geriatric rehabilitation."

Licensure & Certifications

List every active license, compact privilege, BLS, and any specialty certifications. Include expiration dates.

Clinical Experience

List each fieldwork rotation/clinical affiliation: facility name, setting type, dates, weeks completed, populations treated, and key skills developed. This is your most important section as a new grad.

Education

Degree, school, graduation date. Keep it brief.

Skills

EMR systems used, evaluation tools, treatment techniques, languages spoken.

New Grad Tips

Emphasize clinical rotations. Your fieldwork is your experience. Detail each rotation with setting type, patient population, and specific skills you developed.

List EMR systems. If you've used Net Health, WebPT, Casamba, PointClickCare, or any other EMR, list it. Facilities value this because it reduces training time.

Include your skills checklist results. Agencies will ask for this separately, but noting your top-rated areas on your resume reinforces your competency.

Keep it to 1-2 pages. Agencies review hundreds of resumes. Concise wins.

Pro Tip: When you send your resume to agencies, the recruiter's first question will be about your preferred settings and locations. Have answers ready. Saying "I'll go anywhere" sounds flexible but actually makes their job harder — give them 2-3 preferred states and 1-2 preferred settings to start with.

Ready to Submit Your Resume?

Connect with professionals who specialize in placing new grad travelers.