Phlebotomist CV Template & Writing Guide (UK)

Why Your CV Matters

Your CV is often the only thing a hiring manager sees before deciding whether to interview you. A clear, well-structured CV that shows relevant skills and experience improves your chances of being shortlisted.

CV Structure

• Contact details — name, phone, email and town. A full address is not needed.
• Personal statement — a few sentences on who you are, your key skills and what you are looking for.
• Key skills — a bulleted list of your most relevant competencies.
• Work experience — most recent role first.
• Qualifications and training — phlebotomy certification, healthcare qualifications and relevant short courses.
• Additional information — DBS status, driving licence, first aid, professional memberships.

Writing a Strong Personal Statement

Tailor it to the role. Avoid generic lines like “hardworking team player looking for a new challenge”. Be specific:

“Qualified phlebotomist with [X] years’ experience in primary care and mobile phlebotomy. Skilled in venepuncture across all age groups, including children and older patients. Holds an enhanced DBS check and a current phlebotomy certificate from [provider]. Seeking a mobile phlebotomist role delivering patient-centred care in community settings.”

This names specific experience, credentials and a clear objective. Adjust it for each application.

Key Skills Section

List the skills that match the job description. For a phlebotomist these typically include:

• Venepuncture and capillary blood sampling
• Patient identification and sample labelling
• Infection prevention and control (IPC)
• Blood collection from children and older patients
• Difficult venous access
• Sharps handling and clinical waste disposal
• Patient communication and anxiety management
• Electronic patient record and requesting systems
• Order of draw and sample handling
• Basic life support (BLS)
• Lone working (for mobile roles)

Work Experience: How to Format It

For each role, give the job title, employer, dates (month and year), a short description and bullet-point achievements. Use action verbs and concrete detail. For example:

Phlebotomist | [Employer] | [Month Year] – Present

• Carry out venepuncture across outpatient clinics and wards
• Trained and mentored new phlebotomy trainees
• Helped introduce a patient identification check that reduced labelling errors
• Recognised in patient feedback for putting anxious patients at ease

If you are new to phlebotomy, emphasise transferable skills from earlier roles: patient communication, infection control, working under pressure and familiarity with clinical settings.

Qualifications Section

List your phlebotomy qualification first, then other relevant qualifications, most recent first:

• Phlebotomy certificate — [Training Provider], [Year]
• Care Certificate — [Employer], [Year]
• Healthcare support qualification — [College], [Year]
• Basic Life Support (BLS) — [Provider], [Year]
• GCSEs — including English and Maths

What Recruiters Look For

• A relevant qualification — a recognised phlebotomy certificate.
• An enhanced DBS check — current, or a willingness to get one. State the status clearly.
• Evidence of competency — supervised practice, logbooks, patient feedback.
• Infection control awareness — IPC training and any audit work.
• A patient-centred attitude — examples of managing anxious patients or adapting to patient needs.
• Reliability — consistent employment history and professional conduct.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Too long — more than two pages is unnecessary.
• A generic personal statement — the same text for every application shows.
• Vague experience — “performed blood tests” says far less than a concrete example.
• Spelling and grammar errors — in healthcare, attention to detail matters.
• Missing DBS status — phlebotomy employers ask for it. State yours clearly.
• Irrelevant information — leave out hobbies unless they show a relevant skill.
• A photo or personal details — UK CVs do not usually include a photo, marital status, nationality or age.

Tailoring Your CV for Mobile Phlebotomy

• A full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle
• Experience of lone working and community care
• Managing your own schedule and working independently
• Experience with a range of patients, including older people, children and people with disabilities
• Knowledge of sample transport requirements

Final Tips

Save your CV as a PDF and give the file a clear name. Keep a master version, and tailor a copy for each application. Mirror the language of the job advert: if it says “venepuncture”, use that word.

Pair your CV with a targeted cover letter, and see our phlebotomy interview questions to prepare for the interview.