Respiratory Therapist resume skills and keywords
In 23 Respiratory Therapist job postings from 9 employers analysed on October 23, 2026, the most requested skills are Working independently (48 %), Pulmonary Function Testing (43 %), BLS (43 %), Patient Safety (35 %) and Bilingual (35 %). Of the top 35 skills, 23 are hard skills, tools or certifications and 12 are soft skills.
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Top 35 skills in Respiratory Therapist job postings
| Skill | Share of postings | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Working independently | 48 % | Hard skill |
| Pulmonary Function Testing | 43 % | Hard skill |
| BLS | 43 % | Certification |
| Patient Safety | 35 % | Hard skill |
| Bilingual | 35 % | Soft skill |
| Safety protocols | 35 % | Hard skill |
| Communication | 35 % | Soft skill |
| CPR | 35 % | Certification |
| Patient assessment | 26 % | Hard skill |
| Patient care | 26 % | Hard skill |
| NBRC | 22 % | Certification |
| Leadership | 22 % | Soft skill |
| Pediatric | 17 % | Hard skill |
| Anatomy and Physiology | 17 % | Hard skill |
| Compassion | 17 % | Soft skill |
| Ventilator | 17 % | Hard skill |
| Talent acquisition | 17 % | Hard skill |
| Driver license | 17 % | Certification |
| State license | 17 % | Certification |
| Critical Care | 13 % | Hard skill |
| Teamwork | 13 % | Soft skill |
| Rehabilitation | 13 % | Hard skill |
| Prioritization | 13 % | Soft skill |
| Self-motivated | 13 % | Soft skill |
| Patient positioning | 13 % | Hard skill |
| Repositioning | 13 % | Hard skill |
| Quality control | 13 % | Hard skill |
| Interpersonal Communication | 13 % | Soft skill |
| Facility Management | 13 % | Hard skill |
| Situational Awareness | 13 % | Hard skill |
| Attention to detail | 13 % | Soft skill |
| Interpersonal skills | 13 % | Soft skill |
| Workday | 13 % | Tool |
| Professionalism | 13 % | Soft skill |
| Decision making | 13 % | Soft skill |
Hard skills vs soft skills vs tools and certifications
Hard skills (17)
- Working independently 48 %
- Pulmonary Function Testing 43 %
- Patient Safety 35 %
- Safety protocols 35 %
- Patient assessment 26 %
- Patient care 26 %
- Pediatric 17 %
- Anatomy and Physiology 17 %
- Ventilator 17 %
- Talent acquisition 17 %
- Critical Care 13 %
- Rehabilitation 13 %
- Patient positioning 13 %
- Repositioning 13 %
- Quality control 13 %
- Facility Management 13 %
- Situational Awareness 13 %
Soft skills (12)
- Bilingual 35 %
- Communication 35 %
- Leadership 22 %
- Compassion 17 %
- Teamwork 13 %
- Prioritization 13 %
- Self-motivated 13 %
- Interpersonal Communication 13 %
- Attention to detail 13 %
- Interpersonal skills 13 %
- Professionalism 13 %
- Decision making 13 %
Tools and software (1)
- Workday 13 %
Certifications and licenses (5)
- BLS 43 %
- CPR 35 %
- NBRC 22 %
- Driver license 17 %
- State license 17 %
Keyword phrases recruiters use
Multi-word phrases that recur across these respiratory therapist postings, with the share of postings that use each one.
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 Respiratory Therapist resume example. Then prepare for the Respiratory Therapist interview questions that test them.
Build a respiratory therapist resume with these skills
Start in the editor, tailor your bullets to the job you want and download an ATS-friendly resume.