Resume

HIV Counselor Resume Example & Writing Guide

Use this HIV Counselor resume example and guide to improve your career and write a powerful resume that will separate you from the competition.

If you’re passionate about helping others and want a job that gives you the opportunity to make a real difference in people’s lives, a career as an HIV counselor might be right up your alley. HIV counselors provide education and support to people living with HIV and their loved ones. They help people understand their diagnosis and the treatment options available to them. They also work with clients to develop an effective plan for living with the virus—and staying healthy.

Because HIV is such a sensitive topic for many people, it can be difficult to talk about openly. But if you have the right skills and experience under your belt, landing an HIV counselor position should be easy. Just follow these tips plus an example resume template to write a compelling HIV counselor resume that hiring managers will love.

Michael Garcia
New York City, NY | (123) 456-7891 | [email protected]
Summary

Passionate HIV counselor with nine years of experience providing support to individuals and families affected by HIV/AIDS. Proven ability to connect with clients, build trust, and provide hope in the face of a challenging diagnosis. Dedicated to providing quality care and education to those affected by HIV/AIDS.

Education
Columbia University School of Social Work Jun '10
M.S.W.
University of California, Santa Barbara Jun '06
B.A. in Psychology
Experience
Company A, HIV Counselor Jan '17 – Current
  • Provided HIV counseling and testing services to clients, as well as linkage to care for those newly diagnosed with HIV.
  • Assisted in the development of a new program that provides comprehensive case management services to people living with HIV/AIDS who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
  • Developed and implemented an outreach plan for the program which resulted in increasing client numbers by over 100%.
  • Trained staff on best practices related to working with individuals affected by HIV/AIDS including cultural competency training regarding transgender populations, substance use disorders, mental health issues, etc..
  • Collaborated closely with other service providers within the community such as housing agencies, food banks, legal aid offices, etc., to ensure continuity of care for clients transitioning between programs.
Company B, HIV Counselor Jan '12 – Dec '16
  • Provided individual counseling and group classes on HIV prevention, transmission, treatment options, mental health issues and end-of-life care
  • Assessed client needs and developed a plan of action that included referrals to community resources when necessary
  • Collaborated with medical staff to ensure clients received the most appropriate treatments for their condition(s)
  • Maintained an up-to-date knowledge base of current research in HIV/AIDS field through professional conferences and publications
  • Supervised interns who were completing coursework requirements for certification as HIV Counselors
Company C, Social Worker Jan '09 – Dec '11
  • Provided social work services to patients and families for the purpose of improving quality of life through education, risk mitigation, resource development and utilization.
  • Supervised a caseload of 20+ patients per day including clinical assessments, treatment planning, crisis intervention and discharge planning as needed.
  • Ensured that all required documentation is completed in timely manner according to agency/HHA guidelines and review by medical director when applicable.
Skills

Industry Knowledge: HIV, AIDS, STDs, Prevention, Awareness, Testing
Technical Skills: Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Suite, ACT HIV/AIDS, SAS
Soft Skills: Communication, Good Listener, Compassion, Empathy, Emotional Intelligence

How to Write an HIV Counselor Resume

Here’s how to write an resume of your own.

Write Compelling Bullet Points

When you’re writing bullet points, it can be tempting to simply list your responsibilities. But that’s not enough to make a strong impression. Instead, you should use your bullet points to demonstrate your value by describing how you contributed to the organization.

For example, rather than saying you “provided counseling services to clients with HIV/AIDS,” you could say you “provided counseling services to clients with HIV/AIDS, resulting in a 15% increase in retention rate over six months.”

The second bullet point paints a much clearer picture of what you did and how you contributed to the organization. And it provides a quantifiable result—a 15% increase in retention rate.

Identify and Include Relevant Keywords

When you apply for a job as an HIV counselor, your resume is likely to be scanned by an applicant tracking system (ATS) for certain keywords. This program looks for specific terms related to the position, like “HIV” or “infectious disease” in order to determine whether your skills are a match. If your resume doesn’t have enough of the right terms, the ATS might filter out your application.

To increase your chances of getting an interview, make sure to include relevant keywords throughout all sections of your resume. You can find a list of commonly used HIV counselor keywords below:

  • HIV Counseling
  • Mental Health Counseling
  • Crisis Intervention
  • Case Management
  • Group Therapy
  • Psychotherapy
  • Mental Health
  • Community Outreach
  • Counseling Psychology
  • Working with Adolescents
  • Nonprofit Organizations
  • Mental Health Service Provider
  • Psychotherapy Training
  • Working with Children
  • Social Services
  • Counseling
  • Behavioral Health
  • HIV/AIDS
  • Group Counseling
  • Interventions
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Personal Development
  • Motivational Interviewing
  • Communication
  • Leadership
  • Microsoft Access
  • Social Work
  • Individual Counselling
  • Mediation
  • Mental Health Issues

Showcase Your Technical Skills

As an HIV counselor, you need to be proficient in a variety of software programs and systems in order to effectively do your job. These might include HIV counseling and testing software, case management software, and electronic health records (EHR) systems. Additionally, you should be familiar with HIV prevention programs and have a solid understanding of HIV/AIDS.

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