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Occupational Therapist resume skills and keywords

In 224 Occupational Therapist job postings from 63 employers analysed on October 23, 2026, the most requested skills are Communication (44 %), Leadership (33 %), Patient care (29 %), Collaboration (29 %) and Mentoring (24 %). Of the top 40 skills, 25 are hard skills, tools or certifications and 15 are soft skills.

Download the full list as a CSV or check your own resume against a posting with the free keyword scanner.

Top 40 skills in Occupational Therapist job postings

Skills requested in 224 Occupational Therapist job postings, by share of postings
SkillShare of postingsType
Communication44 %Soft skill
Leadership33 %Soft skill
Patient care29 %Hard skill
Collaboration29 %Soft skill
Mentoring24 %Soft skill
CPR23 %Certification
EHR23 %Tool
Rehabilitation21 %Hard skill
Driver license21 %Certification
Compassion21 %Soft skill
Pediatric18 %Hard skill
Patient-Centered Care15 %Hard skill
State license15 %Certification
IEP14 %Hard skill
Interpersonal skills14 %Soft skill
Time Management14 %Soft skill
Flexibility13 %Soft skill
Teamwork12 %Soft skill
BLS12 %Certification
Therapeutic Intervention10 %Hard skill
Organizational skills10 %Soft skill
Charting9 %Hard skill
NBCOT9 %Certification
Clinical Judgment8 %Hard skill
Problem Solving8 %Soft skill
Discharge planning7 %Hard skill
Attention to detail7 %Soft skill
Case management7 %Hard skill
Tablets7 %Hard skill
Licensed Occupational Therapist7 %Certification
Professionalism6 %Soft skill
Telehealth6 %Hard skill
Bilingual6 %Soft skill
Sensory Integration6 %Hard skill
Accountability6 %Soft skill
Care Coordination5 %Hard skill
Microsoft Office5 %Tool
Care planning5 %Hard skill
Training & Mentorship5 %Hard skill
Program Development5 %Hard skill

Hard skills vs soft skills vs tools and certifications

Hard skills (17)

Soft skills (15)

Tools and software (2)

Certifications and licenses (6)

Keyword phrases recruiters use

Multi-word phrases that recur across these occupational therapist postings, with the share of postings that use each one.

treatment plans 29 %therapy program 28 %home health 27 %therapy services 24 %develop individualized 20 %health care 18 %individualized treatment 17 %educate patients 17 %adaptive equipment 15 %patient outcomes 15 %patient family 13 %mileage reimbursement 11 %therapy sessions 11 %clinical excellence 11 %reliable transportation 11 %

How to use this on your resume

Treat the table as a checklist, not a script. Put the skills you genuinely have in your skills section, using the same wording as the posting, and back the top ones with a bullet that shows the result.

Each job posting differs from the average, so compare your resume with the actual ad: paste it into the resume keyword scanner to see which terms you already have and which are missing. The ATS keywords guide explains where to place them so applicant tracking systems read them.

Skip any skill you cannot talk about in an interview; a keyword that falls apart under one question costs more than it gains. For a full layout with these skills in context, see the Occupational Therapist resume example. Then prepare for the Occupational Therapist interview questions that test them.

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Occupational Therapist resume skills: FAQ

Which skills matter most for a Occupational Therapist resume?

In 224 Occupational Therapist job postings analysed on October 23, 2026, the most requested skills were Communication (44 %), Leadership (33 %), Patient care (29 %), Collaboration (29 %) and Mentoring (24 %). Lead your skills section with the ones you can back up, and show them in your experience bullets too.

Should I list soft skills on a Occupational Therapist resume?

Yes, but prove them rather than list them. 15 of the top 40 skills in these postings are soft skills, led by Communication (44 % of postings). Show them through results in your bullets, for example a project you coordinated or a process you explained.

Which tools and certifications do Occupational Therapist postings ask for?

The tools and certifications named most often were CPR (23 %), EHR (23 %), Driver license (21 %), State license (15 %), BLS (12 %) and NBCOT (9 %). List the ones you have exactly as the posting writes them.

Where does this data come from?

From 224 public Occupational Therapist job postings at 63 employers, collected on October 23, 2026 from Greenhouse (139), Lever (55) and Ashby (30). A skill's share is the number of postings that mention it divided by 224. The data is updated quarterly and can be downloaded as a CSV.

Method and data

Source: 224 public job postings for occupational therapist roles (titles such as Occupational Therapist, Occupational Therapist – Adult Social Care, Occupational Therapist, OT and Occupational Therapist- Home Health) at 63 employers, collected on October 23, 2026 from employer applicant tracking system job boards: Greenhouse 139, Lever 55 and Ashby 30. Employers in the sample include Pulse Healthcare, AnthroMed Education (School Services), Liquid Personnel, Upstream Rehabilitation, InHome Therapy and BAYADA Home Health Care. A skill's share is the number of postings that mention it divided by 224. Updated quarterly. Download the data: occupational-therapist-resume-skills.csv (CC BY 4.0). Browse skills for other roles.