Learn about the important sections, keywords, and skills that should be in a manufacturing resume.
A manufacturing resume can help you land your next job in the manufacturing field. You want to send out a resume that grabs the attention of recruiters and hiring managers. You may have just one shot to make an impression, so take the time to craft the best possible resume before applying for jobs.
While a manufacturing resume isn't that different from resumes for other fields, there are subtle differences that you should include based on your experience.
If you’ve been applying but never landing interviews, your resume could be to blame. Consider hiring a resume writing service to get a top-quality resume.
If you are looking for a manufacturing job, we recommend ZipRecruiter. ZipRecruiter is our favorite job posting site because it is free and easy to use! You can also upload your resume so that hiring managers can find you.
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What Is Unique About A Manufacturing Resume?
A manufacturing resume focuses specifically on career and education experiences related to the manufacturing career field.
In terms of format, you can opt for reverse chronological order if you prefer. It's a common resume format that organizes information from the most recent experiences and works backward. This allows employers to see your recent experiences first.
Depending on your needs, you can also use a combination resume or functional resume format.
A combination resume, or hybrid resume, combines different resume formats to highlight chronological work history and skills, and accomplishments. You might choose this format if you've had a varied work history where you've gained transferable skills related to the open position.
A functional resume focuses more on career skills and expertise over specific work experiences. It's a good choice for individuals with shorter work histories or career experience outside of their desired field.
The manufacturing field includes hundreds of various jobs with varying degrees of experience and training needed. Here are some common manufacturing job titles you may encounter during your job search.
- Aircraft Mechanic
- Assembler
- Assembly Supervisor
- Assistant Plant Manager
- Automation Technician
- Bindery Worker
- Boiler Operator
- Brazer
- Chemical Plant Operator
- CNC Operator
- Computer Control Programmer
- Configuration Analyst
- Controller
- Controls Engineer
- Customer Service Representative
- Cutter
- Design Engineer
- Designer
- Director of Quality Management
- Division Manager
- Electrician
- Electronic Assembler
- Engineer
- Equipment Engineer
- Equipment Technician
- Expediter
- Fabricator
- Facilities Manager
- Field Service Technician
- Floor Assembler
- Floor Assembly Supervisor
- General Laborer
- General Manager
- Industrial Engineer
- Industrial Engineering Technician
- Inspector
- Instrumentation & Controls Technician
- Machine Operator
- Machine Tool Cutting Operator
- Machinist
- Manufacturing Engineer
- Material Handler
- Materials Planner
- Mechanical Engineer
- Metal Worker
- Millwright
- Operations Manager
- Operator
- Packaging Engineer
- Plant Manager
- Plastic Machine Worker
- Power Plant Operator
- Precision Assembler
- Printing Machine Operator
- Process Control Technician
- Process Engineer
- Production Foreman
- Production Manager
- Production Supervisor
- Production Technician
- Production Worker
- Project Engineer
- Purchasing
- Quality Assurance Manager
- Quality Control Inspector
- Quality Engineer
- Quality Inspector
- Safety Manager
- Safety Technician
- Semiconductor Processor
- Senior Project Engineer
- Shift Supervisor
- Shipping and Receiving Manager
- Solderer
- Structural Metal Fabricator
- Tool and Die Maker
- Tool Crib Attendant
- Warehouse Associate
- Warehouse Manager
- Waste Treatment Plant Operator
- Welder
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What Should Be Included On A Manufacturing Resume?
For this article, we'll focus specifically on using a reverse chronological resume format to craft a successful manufacturing resume. It should include details and experiences related to the manufacturing field as much as possible.
What you include may also depend on the job title or type and any requirements listed in the job description. Use your best judgement to include the most relevant information on your manufacturing resume.
Below are sections to include in your manufacturing resume.
Header
Place a header at the top of your resume. The resume header includes your name and contact information, including your name, phone number, and email address. Most employers don't mail applicants, so there's no need to include your mailing address unless you want to.
Summary
You should also include a resume summary near the top of your resume. The summary gives a quick snapshot of your most recent and relevant work experiences, accomplishments, and skills. Keep your resume summary brief, limiting it to two paragraphs or less.
Work Experience
The work experience section is one of the most critical areas of your resume. List work history starting with the most recent work experience and work backward. Include relevant manufacturing experiences or work history that features transferable duties and skills. If you participated in an internship or apprenticeship program, you could list that within your work experience section.
Follow this format when listing your work experience:
- Position title
- Company name
- Location
- Dates of employment
Also, include a bulleted list of your responsibilities and accomplishments. Use action words and other data to support your claims.
Education
You also should include an education section in your manufacturing resume. This section details your formal education experience. Follow reverse chronological order starting with the highest degree you’ve received, and work backward.
When listing education experiences, include the following:
- College, university, or school name
- Location (city, state)
- Years attended
- Degree earned
- Major (if relevant)
For current students, list the same information except include your anticipated graduation date instead. List any clubs or associations you belonged to while in school if they are relevant. Do the same for any academic achievements you earned in school.
Certifications And Licenses
You may have also earned certifications or licenses during your training. If so, create a separate section to list those accomplishments. Include the certificate or license title, license number, the issuing organization, and the expiration date (if listed).
Skills
You can also include a skills section, especially if you possess specific skills related to the job you're applying for. A manufacturing resume might lean heavier on hard skills, but you can also include relevant soft skills. Hard skills are distinct skills acquired through education and training explicitly related to manufacturing jobs. Soft skills are generalized skills applicable to most work environments. List your 10 to 15 most relevant skills maximum.
What Should Be Left Off A Manufacturing Resume?
Focus your resume only on experiences and training that relates to manufacturing. There's no need to overfill your resume with needless information. If there are gaps in your work history or varied work history, you can explain that in the job interview. If your resume still is lacking, consider adding experiences and training that provided transferable skills valuable to the open position.
Important Job Skills For Manufacturing Resumes
Manufacturing jobs often require highly technical skills that need years of training to learn. There are also soft skills that are valuable to possess when working in a manufacturing environment. Here are some of the skills you might include on a manufacturing resume.
- Attention to detail
- AutoCAD
- Computer-aided technology
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking
- Dependability
- Design
- Engineering
- Fabrication
- Fire safety
- Implementation
- Lean manufacturing
- Logistics
- Machine maintenance
- Machine repair
- Machining
- Management
- Microsoft Office Suite
- Operations
- Production
- Project management
- Sales
- Teamwork
- Technological aptitude
- Welding
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I put on my resume for manufacturing?
A manufacturing resume should include your name and contact information, a summary of relevant highlights and accomplishments, work and education history, and skills pertinent to the job.
How do I write a resume for a manufacturing company?
Writing a manufacturing resume is similar to other resume types, except it focuses on experiences and skills that relate directly to manufacturing. It should include your contact information, work and education experience, and relevant skills to the job.
How do you describe a factory job on a resume?
When listing a factory job on your resume, include your job title, employer name, location, employment dates, and a bulleted list of your duties and accomplishments during your employment.
What are manufacturing skills?
Manufacturing skills are skills that are related directly to the manufacturing career field. They can be hard skills, like fabrication, welding, and engineering, or soft skills, such as communication, management, and dependability.
The Bottom Line
You can search for millions of jobs on ZipRecruiter. The online job marketplace features more than 9 million jobs and is free to use. Gather the necessary information and craft a manufacturing resume that will grab the attention of the right people and land you a job interview and your next job. If you need help, consider using a resume writing service to craft the perfect resume.
