Most resume advice online is written for office workers. It talks about "action verbs" and "quantifying impact" in ways that don't translate to a career where your impact is measured in clean welds, machines running at tolerance, and production lines that don't go down.
Skilled trades resumes have different rules. Hiring managers at manufacturing companies and trade contractors spend an average of 15-30 seconds on each resume. They're scanning for three things: Can you do the work? What equipment do you know? Do you have the certs?
This guide covers exactly what to put on a trades resume, what to leave off, and the formatting mistakes that get resumes tossed.
The One-Page Rule
Your resume should be one page. Not two. Not "one and a half." One page.
This isn't arbitrary. Trades hiring managers are reviewing stacks of 50-200 resumes for a single position. They're looking for specific qualifications, not reading essays. A one-page resume forces you to include only what matters and makes it easy for them to find it.
The exception: if you have 15+ years of experience across multiple employers with genuinely different skill sets at each, a second page is acceptable. But most tradespeople—even experienced ones—can fit everything relevant on a single page.
Resume Structure for Trades
Here's the format that works. Follow this order:
1. Header (Name + Contact Info)
Your full name, phone number, email address, and city/state. That's it.
- Do: Use a professional email ([email protected])
- Don't: Include your full street address (city and state are sufficient)
- Don't: Add a photo, age, marital status, or social media links unless you have a relevant LinkedIn profile
2. Certifications and Licenses
This goes near the top—above work experience. In the trades, your certifications are often more important than where you worked. Hiring managers scan for specific certs before reading anything else.
List each certification with the issuing body and year earned:
| Certification | Organization | Year | |--------------|-------------|------| | AWS D1.1 Structural Welding | American Welding Society | 2024 | | EPA 608 Universal | EPA | 2023 | | OSHA 30 Construction | OSHA | 2023 | | NATE AC Installation | NATE | 2025 | | Forklift Operator | OSHA-compliant | 2024 |
If you hold a state journeyman license or contractor license, list it here too—with the license number and state.
For a breakdown of which certifications matter most, see our post on 7 most in-demand certifications in skilled trades.
3. Skills / Equipment Summary
This is the section that does the most work on a trades resume. List the specific equipment, processes, and technical skills you have experience with. Be specific—brand names and model numbers matter.
For a welder:
- Processes: GMAW (MIG), GTAW (TIG), SMAW (Stick), FCAW
- Materials: Carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminum, Inconel
- Positions: All position (1G-6G)
- Equipment: Lincoln Power MIG 256, Miller Dynasty 350
- Codes: AWS D1.1, ASME Section IX
For a CNC machinist:
- Machines: Haas VF-2, Mazak QTN 200, DMG Mori NLX 2500
- Controls: Fanuc, Mazatrol, Siemens 840D
- Software: Mastercam, Fusion 360, SolidWorks
- Capabilities: 3-axis, 4-axis, 5-axis, live tooling
- Inspection: CMM operation, micrometers, calipers, height gauges, GD&T
For a maintenance technician:
- Electrical: 480V 3-phase, motor controls, VFDs (Allen-Bradley PowerFlex)
- PLCs: Allen-Bradley RSLogix 500/5000, Siemens TIA Portal
- Mechanical: Precision alignment, bearing replacement, gearbox rebuild
- Hydraulics/Pneumatics: Valve troubleshooting, cylinder repair, pump maintenance
- Welding: MIG, Stick (structural repair)
- CMMS: SAP PM, Maximo
4. Work Experience
List your work history in reverse chronological order (most recent first). For each position, include:
- Job title — Use the actual title your employer used
- Company name and location (city, state)
- Dates (month/year to month/year)
- 3-5 bullet points describing what you did
How to Write Bullet Points for Trades
This is where most trades resumes fall apart. Here's what works:
Be specific about what you did, not vague about your responsibilities.
| Weak | Strong | |------|--------| | "Performed welding duties" | "Welded structural steel per AWS D1.1 using GMAW and FCAW processes, all positions" | | "Operated CNC machines" | "Set up and operated Haas VF-2 and VF-4 3-axis vertical mills, holding tolerances of +/- .001" | | "Maintained equipment" | "Troubleshot and repaired 12 packaging lines including PLC-controlled servo systems, reducing unplanned downtime by 22%" | | "Worked on HVAC systems" | "Installed and serviced commercial rooftop units (5-25 ton Carrier and Trane) across 40+ locations" |
Include numbers when they're meaningful:
- Tonnage of equipment you worked with
- Number of machines you operated or maintained
- Tolerances you held
- Downtime reductions you contributed to
- Square footage or units installed
Skip the generic filler:
- "Team player" — Everyone says this. Nobody cares.
- "Hard worker" — Show it through your experience, don't state it.
- "Responsible for..." — Start with what you actually did.
- "Duties included..." — This framing is passive and weak.
5. Education / Training
List your trade school, technical college, or apprenticeship completion. Include:
- School name and location
- Program name (e.g., "Welding Technology Certificate," "Industrial Maintenance AAS")
- Graduation year
- Relevant coursework if you're early in your career
If you completed a formal apprenticeship, list it here with the total hours and journeyman credential earned.
If you have a college degree unrelated to your trade, you can include it—but don't give it more space than your trade training.
Common Mistakes That Get Resumes Rejected
1. No certifications listed (or buried at the bottom)
If a job posting asks for AWS D1.1 and your resume doesn't mention it until page two, the hiring manager may never see it. Certifications go near the top.
2. Generic skills instead of specific equipment
"Proficient in CNC machining" tells a hiring manager nothing. "Experienced on Haas VF-2, Mazak QTN 200, Fanuc controls, Mastercam programming" tells them exactly what you can do on day one.
3. Gaps with no explanation
Employment gaps happen in the trades—layoffs, seasonal work, shutdowns. If you have a gap, a brief note is better than silence: "Seasonal layoff" or "Plant shutdown/relocation" removes the question mark.
4. Typos and sloppy formatting
This one is straightforward. If your resume has typos, inconsistent formatting, or looks like it was thrown together in 10 minutes, it signals carelessness. In a trade where precision matters, that's a disqualifier for many hiring managers.
5. Including irrelevant work history
If you worked retail or food service before entering the trades, you don't need to list every position. A single line—"Prior experience in customer service and retail (2018-2021)"—is sufficient if you need to account for the time.
Resume Tips by Trade
Welders
- List every welding process you're certified in, with positions (1G through 6G)
- Specify materials (carbon steel, stainless, aluminum, exotic alloys)
- Include any code work: AWS D1.1, D1.5, ASME Section IX, API 1104
- Mention blueprint reading and welding symbol interpretation
CNC Machinists
- List specific machines by manufacturer, model, and number of axes
- Include control types (Fanuc, Mazatrol, Siemens, Heidenhain)
- Mention CAM software proficiency (Mastercam, Fusion 360)
- Specify tightest tolerances you've held consistently
- Note materials: aluminum, steel, titanium, Inconel, plastics
Electricians
- Specify voltage ranges you've worked with (120V residential through 480V industrial)
- List PLC platforms: Allen-Bradley, Siemens, Omron
- Include conduit types and bending experience
- Mention VFD installation and programming
- Note any NEC code knowledge and permit experience
HVAC Technicians
- List system types: residential split, commercial rooftop, chillers, boilers
- Include tonnage ranges you've serviced
- Specify refrigerant types and EPA certification level
- Mention controls experience: thermostats, DDC, building automation
- Note any NATE specialties
Maintenance Technicians
- Emphasize multi-craft skills across electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic
- List specific PLC platforms and your troubleshooting level
- Mention CMMS systems you've used
- Include any predictive maintenance skills: vibration analysis, thermal imaging
- Note welding capabilities for repair work
Applying for Jobs
A strong resume gets you the interview. But you still need to apply strategically:
Apply to jobs where you meet at least 70% of the requirements. Job postings describe the ideal candidate, not the minimum. If you match 7 out of 10 listed requirements, apply.
Tailor your skills section. If a job posting emphasizes PLC troubleshooting and your resume leads with welding skills, reorder your skills section to match what the employer prioritizes.
Follow up. One week after applying, call the company and ask to speak with the maintenance manager or shop foreman. Introduce yourself, confirm they received your application, and express your interest. This one step puts you ahead of 90% of applicants.
For more on landing a trades job, see our ultimate guide to getting hired in the skilled trades.
Career and hiring data sourced from Bureau of Labor Statistics, employer surveys, and HireBuilt hiring manager interviews. Resume recommendations reflect common practices in manufacturing and construction hiring. Individual employer preferences may vary.
