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Ready to pursue a career in the skilled trades industry? Having the right skills, training, and certifications is just the beginning! After completing your pre-apprenticeship program comes the task of landing that perfect apprenticeship or entry-level position.
Your trades resume is important for opening doors, so let it shine. This guide will help you craft a winning resume for success, covering formatting tips and do’s and don’ts.
Format Your Resume Properly
How you format your trades resume can greatly affect how your future employer views it. Opting for a clear and direct approach is often most effective. Aim for clear, concise, and easy to read. Here's how to get it right:
- Keep it simple. Use a simple font like Arial or Calibri. Companies often use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to sift through resumes, typically ignoring anything too fancy. Stick to a simple, one-page layout. Keep it to the point, just like you would on the construction job site.
- Organize information into clear sections. Organize your qualifications and personal details into sections for easy reference by hiring managers.
- Highlight relevant skills. For skilled trades jobs, your skills and experience matter most. Ensure your resume highlights key hard and soft skills relevant to the trades job you're applying for. For instance, blueprint reading and using power tools are relevant construction skills to write for that position.
- Don’t cram your resume full of text. Strategically use white space; avoid crowding the page. This enhances readability and highlights key points.
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Include Key Details in Your Trades Resume
When writing a resume for trades, the content is as vital as the format. Showcase your skills, experience, and education in a way that appeals to employers in the industry. Key information to incorporate in your apprenticeship resume is outlined below.
Personal Information
Start your skilled trades resume with your personal information at the top. This should include your full name, phone number, and email address. If you have a LinkedIn profile that shows off your professional skills and connections, add that too!
Ensure everything is up-to-date. Don't miss a job opportunity because you used an email address you can't access anymore.
Professional Qualifications and Certifications
It’s time to flaunt those hard-earned qualifications and relevant certifications. Include safety courses, trade-specific licenses, and specialized training in your skilled trades resume with the dates of completion. This demonstrates to employers your expertise and qualifications to support your technical skills—so be confident!
Employment History
Include part-time jobs, internships, co-op placements, or volunteer work that relates to your trade. Present them in reverse chronological order and include the following information using straightforward and positive language:
- Job title
- Company name
- Dates of employment
- What you accomplished in the role
- How you contributed to the team
Education
Here, detail your academic background and accomplishments. Start with your latest education, noting your school's name, completed program, and start and end dates. Mention if you’ve been to a skilled trades college or university or completed a pre-apprenticeship program.
As a recent graduate, your skilled trades training program experience is valuable. List it, even if the job history is short. For example, if you participated in a construction course where you and classmates collectively built a 1,000 sq. ft. house to completion, including finishes, that’s a standout achievement to highlight!
Skills
List specific skills that make you a perfect fit for the job. Any field you have extensive knowledge of or experience with can be added here.
Highlight hard skills, including familiarity with equipment and tools you’re proficient with, and soft skills, such as communication and time management. Remember, skilled trades involve collaborating with others, so highlight your ability to work well in a team.
Tips for Writing a Trades Resume
Crafting a trades resume is a skill that demands precision, attention to detail, and a clear understanding of job requirements. Here are some resume tips to help you land your dream job or apprenticeship.
Do:
- Match skills to the job description. Identify the skills and qualifications the employer seeks, and ensure your resume highlights them.
- Tailor your apprenticeship resume to the job. Tailor your resume to each employer by crafting a new one for each to demonstrate you've reviewed the job description.
- Highlight achievements with action verbs. Use dynamic action verbs like developed, installed, repaired, and designed to showcase your responsibilities and accomplishments. Whenever possible, quantify your accomplishments.
Don’t:
- Forget to proofread. Errors can make a bad impression, so take time to ensure your resume is polished and professional.
- Use too much jargon. While it’s important to use industry-specific terms, don’t overload your trades resume with jargon that might not be universally understood. Keep your language clear and accessible.
- Lie or exaggerate. It might be tempting to embellish your experience, but don’t. Employers can often spot exaggerations, and if you’re caught lying, it could cost you the job.
Invest in Your Success at Skilled Trades College of Canada
Want to create a trades resume employers can’t ignore? Enrol in Skilled Trades College of Canada’s pre-apprenticeship programs and give yourself the ultimate advantage!
Our programs are practical, hands-on, and designed to help students build a career in the trades from scratch. Learn first-hand from our active tradespeople instructors who bring current industry insights directly to you.
We don't just teach you skills; we help you build the connections you need to land apprenticeships and excel in your chosen trade. With ongoing support from our dedicated teachers and administrative team, you'll have the guidance you need to create a standout trades resume, ace interviews, and secure coveted apprenticeships.
With Skilled Trades College of Canada, you'll have a strong foundation for your career long after you graduate. Book an open house or tour one of our campuses today!
