Health Educator ATS Optimization Checklist: Get Your Resume Past Automated Screening
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 7,900 annual openings for health education specialists through 2034, with a median salary of $63,000 and 4% employment growth — yet the field's increasingly competitive applicant pools mean most resumes never reach the hiring manager who posted the role. Governments, healthcare providers, and social services organizations are actively expanding health education staffing to reduce long-term care costs and improve population health outcomes, according to the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. The demand is real. The bottleneck is the applicant tracking system sitting between your resume and the interview.
NCHEC and SOPHE released the HESPA III 2025 competency framework — expanding from 7 to 9 Areas of Responsibility with 39 competencies and 243 sub-competencies — which means job descriptions are getting more specific, keyword requirements are deepening, and generic resumes are scoring lower than ever. This checklist gives you the exact keyword categories, formatting rules, and section-by-section structure to get your health educator resume past ATS screening and into human hands.
Key Takeaways
- Health educator ATS screening weighs certification keywords (CHES, MCHES) highest — always spell out the full credential name alongside the abbreviation because ATS matching is literal string comparison.
- The 2025 HESPA III framework expanded health education competencies from 7 to 9 areas, which means job postings now include more granular keyword requirements your resume must mirror.
- Include 25-30 role-specific keywords distributed across your Professional Summary, Work Experience, and Skills sections — never cluster them in one place.
- Name specific tools and frameworks (REDCap, PRECEDE-PROCEED, Social Cognitive Theory) rather than writing generic phrases like "data collection" or "program planning models."
- Maintain separate resume versions for community health, corporate wellness, and clinical/hospital settings because ATS keyword relevance scoring penalizes one-size-fits-all submissions.
How ATS Systems Process Health Educator Resumes
Applicant tracking systems in public health and healthcare screen health educator resumes through three sequential filters. Failing any single filter eliminates your application before a human reviews it.
Filter 1: Format Parsing
The ATS converts your uploaded file into structured data fields: contact information, education, work history, certifications, skills. If the parser cannot extract these fields cleanly, your resume gets flagged as incomplete. Tables, text boxes, multi-column layouts, headers and footers, and embedded graphics are the primary parsing failures. Health educator resumes are particularly prone to this problem because candidates in public health frequently use infographic-style resumes, colorful templates, or creative layouts designed to "stand out." Those design choices actively prevent parsing.
Filter 2: Keyword Matching
The system compares your resume text against the job description's required and preferred qualifications. For health educator positions, ATS platforms weight keyword categories in this order:
- Credential keywords (CHES, MCHES, CPH) — weighted highest because they represent professional certification requirements
- Core competency keywords (health promotion, needs assessment, program evaluation) — matched against the position's functional requirements
- Methodology keywords (PRECEDE-PROCEED, Social Marketing, Community-Based Participatory Research) — matched against the organization's programmatic approach
- Technology keywords (REDCap, SPSS, Qualtrics) — matched against the team's data infrastructure
Analysis of health educator job postings shows that "health promotion," "community outreach," "program development," and "health education" appear in the highest percentage of listings. The terms "needs assessment," "program evaluation," and "behavior change" collectively represent another significant portion of keyword frequency.
Filter 3: Qualification Screening
Many ATS platforms include knockout questions — binary filters for non-negotiable requirements. For health educator positions, these typically include:
- Bachelor's degree in health education, public health, or a related field
- CHES or MCHES certification (preferred or required)
- Minimum years of professional experience
- Master of Public Health (MPH) for senior or specialist roles
- Bilingual proficiency (required for many community-facing positions)
If your resume does not explicitly state these qualifications in parseable text, the system cannot confirm them. Certifications buried in paragraph text, degrees listed without the field of study, or language skills mentioned only in passing all cause false negatives at this stage.
Essential Keywords and Phrases for Health Educator Resumes
The following 25+ keywords are organized by the weight ATS systems assign to each category. Include terms from every category, adapting the specific terms to match each job posting.
Certifications and Credentials (Highest Weight)
Always spell out credentials AND include the abbreviation:
- Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES)
- Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES)
- Certified in Public Health (CPH)
- Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE)
- Certified Prevention Specialist (CPS)
- Community Health Worker (CHW) certification
- First Aid / CPR / AED certified
- National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC)
Health Promotion and Education (High Weight)
- Health promotion
- Health education
- Health literacy
- Patient education
- Community health education
- Chronic disease prevention
- Tobacco cessation
- Substance abuse prevention
- Sexual health education
- Nutrition education
- Physical activity promotion
- Maternal and child health
- Injury prevention
- Mental health awareness
- Health disparities reduction
Program Development and Evaluation (High Weight)
- Program planning
- Program development
- Program implementation
- Program evaluation
- Needs assessment
- Community health needs assessment (CHNA)
- Curriculum development
- Evidence-based programming
- Logic model development
- Outcome measurement
- Process evaluation
- Impact evaluation
- Grant writing
- Grant management
- Budget management
Assessment and Research (Medium-High Weight)
- Community health assessment
- Health risk assessment
- Behavioral risk factor surveillance
- Epidemiological data analysis
- Qualitative research methods
- Quantitative research methods
- Survey design and administration
- Focus group facilitation
- Data collection and analysis
- Statistical analysis
- Social determinants of health
- Health equity
Community Outreach and Engagement (Medium Weight)
- Community outreach
- Community organizing
- Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR)
- Stakeholder engagement
- Coalition building
- Partnership development
- Health fairs
- Screening events
- Culturally responsive programming
- Multilingual outreach
- Health communication
- Social marketing
Theoretical Frameworks and Models (Medium Weight)
- Health Belief Model
- Social Cognitive Theory
- Transtheoretical Model (Stages of Change)
- PRECEDE-PROCEED Model
- Social Ecological Model
- Theory of Planned Behavior
- Diffusion of Innovations
- Motivational Interviewing
- Behavior change theory
Technology and Tools (Medium Weight)
- REDCap
- SPSS
- SAS
- Qualtrics
- SurveyMonkey
- Microsoft Office Suite
- Electronic Health Records (EHR)
- Learning Management Systems (LMS)
- Canva or Adobe Creative Suite
- Telehealth platforms
- Community health information systems
Resume Format Optimization for ATS Compatibility
File Format
Submit your resume as a .docx file unless the posting specifically requests PDF. While modern ATS platforms handle PDFs reasonably well, .docx remains the safest format for full-text parsing. If you submit a PDF, ensure it is text-based (created from a word processor), not a scanned image.
Layout Rules
Use single-column layout. Multi-column designs confuse parsers, which read left-to-right across the full page width. A two-column resume may parse as scrambled fragments that match nothing in the ATS keyword database.
Use standard section headings. ATS platforms are trained to recognize specific header text:
- Professional Summary (not "My Mission" or "Passion Statement")
- Work Experience (not "Community Impact" or "Where I've Served")
- Education (not "Academic Journey" or "Training Background")
- Certifications (not "Credentials Earned" or "Professional Growth")
- Skills (not "What I Bring" or "Core Strengths")
Avoid these formatting elements entirely:
- Tables (ATS reads cells out of order or ignores them)
- Text boxes (content inside text boxes is often invisible to parsers)
- Headers and footers (many systems skip these — never put contact info in a header)
- Graphics, icons, or images (including certification logos or health-themed graphics)
- Columns created with tab stops (use line breaks instead)
- Decorative bullet characters (use standard round bullets or hyphens)
Font and Sizing
Use standard fonts: Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman, or Georgia. Font size between 10pt and 12pt for body text, up to 14pt for section headers. Do not use light or thin font weights — some parsers struggle with low-contrast text.
Date Formatting
Use a consistent format throughout: "January 2022 – Present" or "01/2022 – Present." Avoid formats like "Jan '22" or "Spring 2022" — parsers may not recognize these as dates, which leaves your experience timeline unparseable and can trigger false negatives on minimum experience requirements.
Before/After Bullet Point Examples
Every bullet in your Work Experience section should follow the Action Verb + Health Education Task + Quantified Result formula. Here are 15 examples showing the transformation from vague to ATS-optimized:
1. Before: Taught health classes to community members. After: Designed and facilitated 36 chronic disease prevention workshops for 480+ community members annually, achieving a 27% increase in participant health literacy scores measured by pre/post assessments.
2. Before: Helped develop health programs. After: Developed a community-wide tobacco cessation program using the Transtheoretical Model (Stages of Change), enrolling 215 participants and achieving a 34% quit rate at 6-month follow-up.
3. Before: Did outreach in the community. After: Coordinated outreach to 12 underserved neighborhoods through partnerships with 8 community-based organizations, increasing health screening participation by 41% among uninsured residents.
4. Before: Worked on grant proposals. After: Wrote and secured $385,000 in grant funding from CDC and state health department sources for a 3-year maternal and child health education initiative serving 1,200 families.
5. Before: Managed social media for the health department. After: Launched a bilingual (English/Spanish) social media health communication campaign reaching 45,000 followers, generating 12,000+ engagements per month and driving a 28% increase in flu vaccination appointments.
6. Before: Conducted health screenings. After: Organized and administered 24 community health screening events annually for blood pressure, glucose, and BMI assessment, screening 3,200+ individuals and referring 18% to primary care follow-up.
7. Before: Trained staff on health topics. After: Trained 85 community health workers and clinic staff on motivational interviewing techniques, resulting in a 22% improvement in patient adherence to chronic disease management plans.
8. Before: Created health education materials. After: Produced 45 culturally responsive health education materials (brochures, infographics, video scripts) at a 6th-grade reading level, reviewed by a 15-member community advisory board for cultural and linguistic accuracy.
9. Before: Evaluated program effectiveness. After: Designed and implemented a mixed-methods program evaluation using REDCap data collection and SPSS analysis for a diabetes prevention program, documenting a 19% reduction in HbA1c levels among 340 participants over 12 months.
10. Before: Collaborated with community partners. After: Built and managed a coalition of 22 stakeholders — including hospitals, school districts, faith organizations, and local government — to address childhood obesity, reducing youth BMI percentiles by 8% across the target population over 2 years.
11. Before: Assessed community health needs. After: Led a comprehensive community health needs assessment (CHNA) using survey data from 2,400 residents, 6 focus groups, and county-level epidemiological data, identifying 5 priority health areas that informed a $1.2M strategic plan.
12. Before: Taught nutrition classes. After: Facilitated 48 nutrition education sessions per year for 600+ WIC participants using the USDA MyPlate curriculum, achieving 91% participant satisfaction and a 15% increase in reported fruit and vegetable consumption at 3-month follow-up.
13. Before: Managed program budgets. After: Administered a $520,000 annual program budget across 4 federally funded health education initiatives, maintaining 100% compliance with CDC cooperative agreement reporting requirements and zero audit findings.
14. Before: Provided health counseling. After: Delivered one-on-one health behavior counseling to 25+ clients weekly using motivational interviewing and the Health Belief Model, documenting a 31% increase in self-management goal attainment among participants with Type 2 diabetes.
15. Before: Supported health policy initiatives. After: Drafted policy briefs and testimony for 3 municipal health ordinances (smoke-free parks, menu labeling, safe routes to school), 2 of which were adopted by city council within 18 months.
Skills Section Strategy
Your Skills section exists primarily to boost ATS keyword density. It supplements the contextual keyword usage in your Professional Summary and Work Experience sections. Format it as a pipe-separated list or single-column bullet list — never use graphics, charts, or rating systems.
Format the section like this:
Skills: Health Promotion | Program Development & Evaluation | Community Health Needs Assessment | Curriculum Design | Grant Writing & Management | Health Literacy | Chronic Disease Prevention | Behavior Change Theory (Health Belief Model, Social Cognitive Theory, Transtheoretical Model) | Motivational Interviewing | Cultural Competency | Coalition Building | Data Analysis (SPSS, REDCap) | Survey Design (Qualtrics) | Community-Based Participatory Research | Health Communication | Social Marketing | Epidemiological Analysis | Bilingual (English/Spanish) | HIPAA Compliance | Telehealth Education
Strategic keyword placement rules:
- Mirror the exact phrasing from the job posting. If the posting says "community health assessment," use "community health assessment," not "population-level health evaluation."
- Include 15-20 skills in this section — enough for keyword density without overwhelming the reader.
- Place your strongest matches to the job posting first. Recruiters and ATS scoring algorithms both tend to weight items appearing earlier in a list.
- Group related skills using parenthetical notation to fit more terms in natural phrasing: "Behavior Change Theory (Health Belief Model, Social Cognitive Theory)" covers three keyword matches in one line.
- Never rate your skills (e.g., "Expert" or "4/5 stars"). Skill rating graphics are invisible to ATS parsers and waste space.
7 Role-Specific ATS Mistakes That Get Health Educator Resumes Rejected
1. Writing "CHES" Without Spelling Out the Credential
Certified Health Education Specialist is one of the highest-weighted keywords in health educator job postings. If the job description says "Certified Health Education Specialist" and your resume only says "CHES," the ATS may not register the match. Always include the full term on first use, then abbreviate: "Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) with 6 years of experience in community health promotion..." The same rule applies to MCHES — always write "Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES)."
2. Listing "Program Management" Instead of "Program Evaluation"
Health educators frequently describe their work as "program management," but ATS keyword analysis of health educator job descriptions shows that "program evaluation," "program development," and "program implementation" appear far more frequently. These terms signal the specific health education competencies that employers require, which are codified in NCHEC's 9 Areas of Responsibility. "Management" is generic. "Evaluation" is discipline-specific.
3. Omitting Theoretical Frameworks
Health education is a theory-driven profession. Job postings for health educator positions routinely reference specific models: PRECEDE-PROCEED, Health Belief Model, Social Cognitive Theory, Transtheoretical Model, Social Ecological Model. If your resume contains zero references to behavioral theory, you are missing an entire keyword category that ATS systems check. Include at least 2-3 framework names in your Work Experience bullets with concrete application context: "Designed a physical activity promotion program using the Social Ecological Model to address individual, interpersonal, organizational, and community-level barriers."
4. Using "Teaching" Instead of "Health Education" Language
Candidates who cross over from classroom teaching often describe their work using education-sector language: "taught lessons," "managed classrooms," "assessed students." ATS systems scanning for health educator keywords will not match these terms. Reframe your experience using public health terminology: "facilitated health education sessions," "developed health promotion curricula," "administered pre/post knowledge assessments," "conducted community health workshops."
5. Failing to Mention Data Collection and Analysis Tools
Health educator positions increasingly require data skills. Job postings frequently list REDCap, SPSS, SAS, Qualtrics, or SurveyMonkey as required or preferred qualifications. Writing "proficient in data collection" is too vague for ATS matching. Name the specific tools: "Collected and analyzed program outcome data using REDCap for data management and SPSS for statistical analysis, reporting quarterly results to CDC cooperative agreement project officers."
6. Not Specifying the Population Served
Health educator positions target specific populations: maternal and child health, adolescent health, geriatric health, LGBTQ+ health, refugee and immigrant health, rural health, occupational health. A resume that says "provided health education to community members" without identifying the population scores lower than one that says "provided culturally responsive diabetes prevention education to 400+ Latino adults in a federally qualified health center." The population keyword matches the job posting's target audience requirements.
7. Submitting One Resume for Vastly Different Health Educator Roles
A community health educator at a county health department, a patient educator at a hospital system, a corporate wellness coordinator at an insurance company, and a health promotion specialist at a university all require different keyword sets. Submitting a single generic resume to all four positions guarantees low ATS match scores on at least three. Mirror the exact language from each job posting — if the posting says "worksite wellness," use "worksite wellness," not "corporate health programming."
Professional Summary Examples by Experience Level
Your Professional Summary is the first block of parseable text after your contact information. It must accomplish two things simultaneously: feed the ATS the highest-priority keywords and give a human recruiter a reason to keep reading.
Entry-Level (0-3 Years)
Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) with a Master of Public Health (MPH) in Health Promotion and 2 years of experience designing and implementing community-based chronic disease prevention programs. Skilled in needs assessment, curriculum development, and program evaluation using REDCap and SPSS. Coordinated health screening events reaching 1,500+ community members annually and developed bilingual (English/Spanish) health education materials at appropriate literacy levels. Trained in motivational interviewing, Health Belief Model application, and culturally responsive health communication.
Mid-Level (4-7 Years)
Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES) and Certified in Public Health (CPH) with 6 years of progressive experience in community health promotion, program development, and federal grant management. Led a team of 4 health educators and 12 community health workers delivering tobacco cessation, diabetes prevention, and maternal health programs across a 5-county service area. Secured and managed $1.4M in CDC and HRSA grant funding with zero compliance findings over 3 grant cycles. Expertise in PRECEDE-PROCEED program planning, mixed-methods evaluation, coalition building, and health equity initiatives. Proficient in REDCap, SPSS, Qualtrics, and electronic health record documentation.
Senior-Level (8+ Years)
Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES) with 12 years of leadership experience directing health education and health promotion programs for a state health department serving 2.8 million residents. Managed a $3.2M annual budget and supervised 18 health education staff across chronic disease prevention, injury prevention, and health equity divisions. Designed a statewide opioid prevention education initiative that reached 45,000 residents and contributed to a 14% reduction in opioid-related emergency department visits over 3 years. Published 6 peer-reviewed articles on health literacy and social determinants of health. Appointed to the Governor's Advisory Council on Health Disparities. Expert in strategic planning, policy development, workforce training, and large-scale program evaluation.
40+ Action Verbs for Health Educator Resumes
ATS systems count action verb variety as a quality signal. Using "managed" and "responsible for" repeatedly signals low specificity. Rotate through these role-specific verbs organized by competency area.
Health Education and Promotion
- Educated
- Facilitated
- Presented
- Instructed
- Counseled
- Advocated
- Promoted
- Communicated
- Disseminated
- Mentored
Program Development and Evaluation
- Developed
- Designed
- Implemented
- Evaluated
- Assessed
- Planned
- Launched
- Piloted
- Administered
- Scaled
Research and Analysis
- Analyzed
- Surveyed
- Investigated
- Measured
- Documented
- Collected
- Interpreted
- Reported
- Monitored
- Quantified
Community Engagement and Leadership
- Coordinated
- Organized
- Mobilized
- Partnered
- Collaborated
- Convened
- Recruited
- Trained
- Supervised
- Established
Grant and Resource Management
- Secured
- Wrote
- Budgeted
- Allocated
- Administered
- Submitted
- Reported
- Justified
- Procured
- Stewarded
The Complete ATS Optimization Checklist for Health Educator Resumes
Print this checklist and review it before every submission.
Format and Structure
- [ ] Resume is saved as .docx (or text-based PDF if required)
- [ ] Single-column layout with no tables, text boxes, or graphics
- [ ] Standard section headers: Professional Summary, Work Experience, Education, Certifications, Skills
- [ ] Contact information is in the document body, not in a header or footer
- [ ] Standard font (Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman) at 10-12pt
- [ ] Consistent date format throughout (e.g., "Month Year – Month Year")
- [ ] No photos, logos, icons, or skill rating graphics
- [ ] File name includes your name: "Jane_Smith_CHES_Resume.docx"
Credentials and Compliance
- [ ] CHES or MCHES credential is spelled out AND abbreviated
- [ ] NCHEC listed as the issuing body for health education certification
- [ ] CPH credential listed if held (with NBPHE as issuing body)
- [ ] All specialty certifications listed with issuing organization
- [ ] Degree field of study clearly stated (Health Education, Public Health, Health Promotion)
- [ ] MPH or graduate degree listed prominently if held
- [ ] Continuing education credits or recent professional development mentioned
Keyword Optimization
- [ ] "Certified Health Education Specialist" spelled out at least once (not just "CHES")
- [ ] "Health promotion" and "health education" both appear in the resume
- [ ] At least 2-3 behavioral theory frameworks named (Health Belief Model, PRECEDE-PROCEED, etc.)
- [ ] Specific data tools named (REDCap, SPSS, Qualtrics, etc.)
- [ ] Target population specified (maternal/child, adolescent, geriatric, etc.)
- [ ] Setting identified (community health center, health department, hospital, school, corporate)
- [ ] Program types named (chronic disease prevention, tobacco cessation, diabetes education, etc.)
- [ ] Both "program evaluation" and "program development" appear
- [ ] "Needs assessment" or "community health needs assessment" included
- [ ] Skills section contains 15-20 relevant terms from the job posting
- [ ] No keyword stuffing — every term appears in natural context
Work Experience Quality
- [ ] Each bullet follows "Action Verb + Health Education Task + Quantified Result" structure
- [ ] Participant/reach numbers included (e.g., "480+ community members")
- [ ] Program outcomes quantified (knowledge gains, behavior change rates, screening numbers)
- [ ] Grant amounts listed where applicable
- [ ] Partnerships and collaborations named with specific organizations or stakeholder counts
- [ ] Documentation and reporting practices described
Professional Summary
- [ ] Leads with credential (CHES/MCHES) and years of experience
- [ ] Contains top 3-5 keywords from the target job posting
- [ ] Includes one quantified achievement
- [ ] Names target population and program specialty
- [ ] Mentions relevant tools/technology by name
- [ ] Written in 3-5 concise sentences
Final Quality Check
- [ ] Resume has been tailored to this specific job posting
- [ ] All spelling is correct (especially public health terminology)
- [ ] No orphan abbreviations — every abbreviation is spelled out on first use
- [ ] Resume length is 1-2 pages (1 page for less than 5 years experience, 2 pages for 5+ years)
- [ ] A colleague or supervisor has reviewed for accuracy
- [ ] You have run the resume through at least one ATS simulation tool
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I include both CHES and MCHES on my resume if I hold the master credential?
If you hold the MCHES, list it as your primary credential. You do not need to also list CHES separately because the MCHES supersedes it — NCHEC considers the MCHES an advanced-level credential that encompasses all CHES competencies plus advanced practice. However, if a job posting specifically requests "CHES," include both: "Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES) — also qualifies as CHES." This covers both keyword variations. According to NCHEC, the MCHES examination validates 81 advanced-level sub-competencies beyond the entry-level CHES credential, making it the stronger keyword signal for senior positions.
How important is the CHES credential for getting past ATS screening?
Critically important when the job posting lists it. The BLS notes that "some employers require or prefer that health education specialists be certified." When a posting says "CHES required" or "CHES preferred," the ATS almost certainly includes it as a knockout or weighted keyword. Even when not explicitly required, including "Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES)" signals professional credentialing that ATS scoring algorithms reward. NCHEC reports that CHES-certified professionals must complete 75 continuing education contact hours every 5 years, which demonstrates ongoing competency that employers value. If you are eligible but not yet certified, prioritize sitting for the exam — it removes a significant ATS barrier.
What is the difference between "health educator" and "health education specialist" for ATS purposes?
The BLS and O*NET formally classify this occupation as "Health Education Specialists" under SOC code 21-1091.00. However, job postings use both "health educator" and "health education specialist" interchangeably, along with variations like "community health educator," "public health educator," and "health promotion specialist." For ATS purposes, include the exact title from the job posting in your Professional Summary and mirror it in your Work Experience job titles where accurate. If the posting says "Health Education Specialist," use that phrase. If it says "Health Educator," use that one. Including both somewhere in your resume covers keyword matching for either variation.
How many keywords should I include, and what is the risk of keyword stuffing?
Aim for 25-30 relevant keywords distributed across your Professional Summary, Work Experience bullets, and Skills section. The critical distinction is context: "Designed a diabetes prevention program using the PRECEDE-PROCEED Model, achieving a 19% reduction in HbA1c levels among 340 participants" uses multiple keywords naturally. Listing the same keyword repeatedly in white text or stacking keywords without context is keyword stuffing, which modern ATS platforms detect and penalize. Every keyword should appear in a grammatically correct sentence that describes real professional experience or qualifications.
Do I need a master's degree to be competitive in ATS screening for health educator positions?
The BLS states that health education specialists "typically need at least a bachelor's degree in health education or health promotion," but a master's degree — particularly an MPH — is increasingly preferred. O*NET classifies health education specialists as requiring "considerable" work-related knowledge and experience. For ATS screening specifically, whether a graduate degree helps depends entirely on the job posting. If the posting lists "MPH preferred" or "Master's degree required," the ATS will weight that keyword. If the posting requires only a bachelor's degree, your graduate credential still helps with human review but does not provide additional ATS scoring advantage. Focus your ATS optimization efforts on matching the specific education requirement stated in each posting.
Sources
-
Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Health Education Specialists: Occupational Outlook Handbook," U.S. Department of Labor, 2024. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/health-educators.htm
-
O*NET OnLine, "21-1091.00 — Health Education Specialists." https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/21-1091.00
-
National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC), "CHES Exam Eligibility." https://www.nchec.org/ches-exam-eligibility
-
National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC), "MCHES Exam." https://www.nchec.org/mches-exam
-
NCHEC and SOPHE, "HESPA III 2025 Validates and Reveals Nine Areas of Responsibility for Health Education Specialists." https://www.nchec.org/news/posts/hespa-iii-2025-validates-and-reveals-nine-areas-of-responsibility-for-health-education-specialists
-
NCHEC and SOPHE, "A Competency-Based Framework for Health Education Specialists — 2025." https://www.nchec.org/news/posts/competency-based-framework-2025
-
Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE), "Areas of Responsibilities, Competencies of Health Education Specialists." https://www.sophe.org/seven-areas-responsibility-health-education-specialists/
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Resume Worded, "Resume Skills for Health Education Specialist — Updated for 2025." https://resumeworded.com/skills-and-keywords/health-education-specialist-skills
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Resume Worded, "Resume Skills for Public Health Educator — Updated for 2025." https://resumeworded.com/skills-and-keywords/public-health-educator-skills
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Indeed, "Health Educator Job Description — Updated for 2025." https://www.indeed.com/hire/job-description/health-educator
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Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2024." https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ocwage.t01.htm
-
University of Florida HEB Online, "How to Become a Certified Health Education Specialist." https://hebmastersonline.hhp.ufl.edu/articles/how-to-become-certified-health-education-specialist/
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{"number": 5, "title": "HESPA III 2025 — Nine Areas of Responsibility", "url": "https://www.nchec.org/news/posts/hespa-iii-2025-validates-and-reveals-nine-areas-of-responsibility-for-health-education-specialists", "publisher": "NCHEC / SOPHE"},
{"number": 6, "title": "A Competency-Based Framework for Health Education Specialists — 2025", "url": "https://www.nchec.org/news/posts/competency-based-framework-2025", "publisher": "NCHEC / SOPHE"},
{"number": 7, "title": "Areas of Responsibilities, Competencies of Health Education Specialists", "url": "https://www.sophe.org/seven-areas-responsibility-health-education-specialists/", "publisher": "SOPHE"},
{"number": 8, "title": "Resume Skills for Health Education Specialist", "url": "https://resumeworded.com/skills-and-keywords/health-education-specialist-skills", "publisher": "Resume Worded"},
{"number": 9, "title": "Resume Skills for Public Health Educator", "url": "https://resumeworded.com/skills-and-keywords/public-health-educator-skills", "publisher": "Resume Worded"},
{"number": 10, "title": "Health Educator Job Description", "url": "https://www.indeed.com/hire/job-description/health-educator", "publisher": "Indeed"},
{"number": 11, "title": "Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2024", "url": "https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ocwage.t01.htm", "publisher": "Bureau of Labor Statistics"},
{"number": 12, "title": "How to Become a Certified Health Education Specialist", "url": "https://hebmastersonline.hhp.ufl.edu/articles/how-to-become-certified-health-education-specialist/", "publisher": "University of Florida HEB Online"}
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"text": "If you hold the MCHES, list it as your primary credential. The MCHES supersedes the CHES. However, if a job posting specifically requests CHES, include both: 'Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES) — also qualifies as CHES' to cover both keyword variations."
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"text": "Critically important when the job posting lists it. The BLS notes that some employers require or prefer certification. When a posting says 'CHES required' or 'CHES preferred,' the ATS almost certainly includes it as a knockout or weighted keyword. NCHEC reports that CHES-certified professionals must complete 75 continuing education contact hours every 5 years."
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"text": "The BLS and O*NET formally classify this occupation as Health Education Specialists under SOC code 21-1091.00. Job postings use both titles interchangeably. For ATS purposes, include the exact title from the job posting in your Professional Summary and mirror it in your Work Experience job titles where accurate."
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