When applying for a Support Worker role show you can help vulnerable people with their Personal Care, Daily Living and household chores such as meal preparation and shopping. You have tell recruiters you can build strong, meaningful relationships with your clients as well as provide physical and emotional support.
If you’re applying for a Support Worker position then you’ve got to show recruiters you have what they want in a candidate. The best way to do this is to firstly read the job description to find out what skills, competencies and abilities are needed for the role. Secondly to then see if you have these, and finally if you do to then list them in your CV and job application.
By: Iejaz Uddin – Updated: 27 January 2026
Why skills are important for your CV
Basically, they demonstrate that you are able to do things and as such are a great way to stand out from other equally qualified candidates. Employers believe that the more skills you have, the less likely you have to rely on others to solve problems or get things done. Furthermore, when you use keywords to describe your skills you can help your CV get past any automated Application Tracking System that a
Hiring Manager is using to screen CVs.
Which skills to focus on
Support Worker are at the front line of providing holistic, person-centred support that promotes independence, dignity, and empowerment. They works with a diverse set of clients, including those with learning disabilities, autism, physical disabilities, and mental health needs. Meaning you must show recruiters you are an individual who can offer practical and emotional guidance tailored to each individual’s needs.
Key skills for a Support Worker
Today’s Support Workers need a wide range of skills to be capable of working both independently and as part of a team. They have to be able to perform all their duties in accordance with the organisation’s policies and procedures.
Empathy and Compassion
These are vital when working in people’s homes, in the community or in health and social care settings.
Employers want to see evidence that you can understand the feelings of others and have a non-judgmental attitude that allows you to treat everyone with respect, regardless of their background or needs. Do this by explaining that you have the emotional intelligence needed to recognize and manage your own emotions and understanding others’ feelings.
Support Worker hard skills
Hard skills and practical, quantifiable and technical abilities that are usually gained through front line working experience. They are learnable and teachable skills which are crucial for ensuring the safety of vulnerable clients, maintaining legal compliance, and delivering practical daily assistance.
Below is a list of must have technical skills that should be included in your CV or cover letter.
Daily Living Skills
- Helping people with their budgeting, meal preparation, and personal hygiene.
- Assisting service users with their cooking, cleaning, shopping, budgeting, and organizing routines.
- Promoting personal hygiene and grooming such as bathing, brushing teeth, hair care, and shaving.
Personal Care
- Improving a clients sleep by prioritizing quality and consistent sleep.
- Encouraging exercise through regular physical activity like walking.
- Undertaking domestic duties within the home, such as cleaning, washing and ironing.
Administering Medication
- Giving prescribed medicine and drugs to people and to completing medical records accurately.
- Looking out for the side effects of any drugs that have been administered.
- Explaining the medication to the patient, gaining their consent, and respecting the right to refuse.
Record Keeping
Keeping precise administrative records is crucial to ensuring the best possible care is provided to those you look after.
- Maintaining accurate and up-to-date records of all interactions and interventions, including risk assessments and case notes.
- Completing all paperwork and relevant documentation promptly and accurately.
- Recording facts and not assumptions, for instance ‘Service User ate 60% of meal’ rather than ‘Service User was not hungry.’
- Writing up notes clearly in plain English, avoiding jargon or ambiguous language.
Homeless Accommodation Support
- Assisting clients in finding, securing, and maintaining tenancies to prevent homelessness.
- Providing advice and advocacy with welfare benefits, health appointments, and legal advice.
Outreach Work
- Going out on the streets in shifts and all weathers on early mornings, nights, and weekends.
- Engaging with individuals experiencing rough sleeping and people involved in street-based activity.
Case Management
- Able to simultaneously manage a bank of cases.
- Acting as a key worker coordinating with other agencies, such as local authorities, police, or health services.
Support Worker soft skills
Soft skills are personal attributes and traits that are not of a technical nature or related to practical hands on workplace duties. They are vital for building trust, delivering compassionate care, remaining calm in challenging circumstances and dealing with emotionally charged situations. Listed below are a list of soft skills that could boost your job application.
Team Player
- Ability to work collaboratively with families and other professionals.
- operating as part of a team and to support colleagues to do their jobs.
- Proactive: Offer help to colleagues during busy periods or when they face challenges.
Communication
Being a good listener and talker is vital to making a meaningful impact on the lives of vulnerable people and helping them to build independence, stability, and confidence for the future.
- Having a warm and patient manner, coupled with being a great listener and encourager who is focused on achieving outcomes for others.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Using clear, simple language when talking to people.
- Able to read non-verbal clues like body language and voice tone to understand a situation.
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