Carpenter Resume: Examples and Tips

Carpenters are experts at using natural materials (mainly wood and timber) to create and install doors, floors and furniture. Their specialization is used in new construction, renovations, or refittings and even to build sets for films and theatre companies. To become one, you can complete a college course or do an internship, where you’ll gain skills such as measuring, cutting, shaping wood, and design.

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Carpenter

Featured Resume Example: Carpenter

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Carpenter

Name: MIKE DONOVAN

Address: City, State, Zip Code
Phone: 000-000-0000
E-Mail: email@email.com

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Dedicated Carpenter with many years of experience in carpentry and construction. Excels at analyzing and solving problems using design software and systems knowledge. Dedicated completing construction projects on time or ahead of schedule.

SKILLS

  • Construction management
  • Exceptional finish carpentry skills
  • Custom cabinetry expert
  • New construction and renovation
  • Hard and power tools
  • Scaffolding construction
  • Project estimation and bidding
  • Trained maintenance mechanic

WORK HISTORY

Finishing Carpenter
03/2017 – Current
Company Name, City, State

  • Plan and execute work with proper tools and materials to maximize efficiency.
  • Monitor tool and equipment condition and arrange repairs as needed.
  • Facilitate harmonious working relationships with 23 crew members to prevent problems and conflicts.

Carpenter
07/2010 – 05/2016
Company Name, City, State

  • Organized project work by reading blueprints and assessing job specifications to determine optimal plans.
  • Planned projects by identifying necessary equipment, tools, and required assistance
  • Repaired roofs and flooring and remodeled bathrooms and kitchens, with a record 20% increase in customer satisfaction.

Carpentry Apprentice
06/2004 – 05/2007
Company Name, City, State

  • Observed all OSHA and corporate safety regulations and procedures.
  • Accepted feedback from foreman and journeyman carpenter, implementing suggestions into later work.
  • Worked with master carpenters to install 100+ decks for both residential and commercial customers.

EDUCATION

Associate of Science: Carpentry
City, State

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Top 4 Characteristics of a Best-in-Class Carpenter Resume

  1. Summary Grab the recruiter’s attention with a summary of your top skills and qualifications. In three to four concise sentences, present yourself as the best candidate for the job by highlighting your most relevant skills, experiences, and achievements, always tailoring them to the job to which you’re applying. For example: “Reliable and creative Carpenter with 5 years of experience. Highly skilled in wooden furniture restoration, interior design, and house renovations. Committed to maintaining the integrity of historical buildings while achieving client satisfaction.”
  2. Skills Being a carpenter demands technical skills such as measuring, marking up, cutting and fitting timber, using a wide range of hand and power tools, and installing floor joists, floorboards, roof trusses and wall partitions. Complement these hard skills with soft skills such as attention to detail, excellent communication and time management.
  3. Work History Organize your work history in reverse chronological order, putting your latest place of employment at the top. Instead of explaining daily tasks, focus on highlighting your work achievements and begin every statement with an action verb — if you can add numbers, better. For example, instead of writing “I installed floorboards,” consider: “Installed floorboards for 8 projects in 1 month, accelerating construction timeline.”
  4. Education Your education section should be concise. Limit your information to the official title of your degree or diploma and the name and location of the academic institution from which you earned it.

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Do’s and Don’ts for Your Resume

  • DO tailor your resume to the job. Make sure you tailor your resume to every job you’re applying for using keywords and phrases from the job description. You can include them in your skills, summary statement and work history sections.
  • DO proofread your resume. Before you submit your resume, be sure to proofread and edit accordingly. Typos and grammatical errors are among the most common mistakes job seekers make and can impact your application process negatively.
  • DO get straight to the point. A recruiter spends an average of 7.4 seconds reviewing a resume. Keep your resume only one page long and write concisely. The only scenario where a two-page resume is acceptable is if the candidate has more than 10 years of experience in the same field.
  • DON’T use fancy resume fonts. Avoid using difficult-to-read fonts. Not only will the hiring manager have a hard time reading through your resume, but it will likely not pass the ATS scan most companies use to filter resumes. Instead, stick to more professional fonts like Times New Roman, Arial or Helvetica.
  • Don’t use first-person terms. Keep your resume impersonal. Don’t directly refer to yourself with terms like “I” and “me” in the summary statement or bullet points. Such terms take away the professionalism of your resume and make the document seem self-indulgent.
  • DON’T include references in your resume. Writing the list of your references in your resume is no longer in practice. Don’t waste valuable space that can be used to expand on more important information, such as your work achievements and qualifications. Furthermore, employers usually ask you to submit a separate document with your references when they’re ready to extend an offer. To learn how to address references, read our article References on Your Resume 101.

Carpenter Resume FAQ

1. What format should be used for a carpenter’s resume?

Your resume format will depend on your years of experience and the strength of your skills. If you’ve been a carpenter for more than eight or ten years with plenty of work experience and growth, then the chronological format is the best option for you. It focuses on work history, showing the employer how you went from an apprentice to an expert. Use the combination format if you’ve only been a carpenter for a couple of years or are changing careers and have transferable skills that can help you excel in this new job. On the other hand, if you don’t have a lot of work experience or just graduated from college, consider using the functional format, as it emphasizes your job-specific skills, education and training.

2. What are hard and soft skills you should consider for a carpenter resume?

The specific skills needed for a job will vary, as no two jobs are ever the same. However, here are some common skills that employers look for in a carpenter’s resume:

Hard skills:Soft skills:
Measuring woodExcellent communication
Cutting woodExcellent verbal and written skills
Power tools knowledgeTime management
Floorboard installationSelf-motivated
Trained maintenance mechanicAttention to detail
Custom cabinetry expertTeam player
Furniture restorationOrganization
Residential buildingsSolutions-driven
Commercial buildingsCritical thinking
Material preppingCreativity
Materials handlingProblem-solving
Construction drawing interpretation 
Design 
Hard skills:
Measuring wood
Cutting wood
Power tools knowledge
Floorboard installation
Trained maintenance mechanic
Custom cabinetry expert
Furniture restoration
Residential buildings
Commercial buildings
Material prepping
Materials handling
Construction drawing interpretation
Design
Soft skills:
Excellent communication
Excellent verbal and written skills
Time management
Self-motivated
Attention to detail
Team player
Organization
Solutions-driven
Critical thinking
Creativity
Problem-solving

3. What common mistakes should be avoided when creating your resume?

It’s not necessary to include experiences and skills that are outdated or aren’t relevant to the job you’re applying for — you might be an excellent cook, but this won’t help you get a carpenter job. Avoid using unusual fonts, graphics and colors on your resume, as they might be difficult for the employer (and the software they use to scan resumes) to read.

4. Is it necessary to have a certification to work as a carpenter?

No, a certification isn’t necessary. Carpenters typically only need a high school diploma and learn on the job through an apprenticeship. However, if you do have a relevant certification or finished specialized training related to this job, you should include it in your resume under the education section.

5. What’s the best file format to download a resume?

The most commonly used file format for a resume is PDF, as it is universally accepted and most computers can open it. However, some employers may specifically request candidates to submit their resume as a MS Word document. Whatever the case, our Resume Builder allows you to export your resume as an Adobe PDF file, MS Word document, JPEG, plain text, or SVG.

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