Are you ready to launch a new career? It’s time to create a fantastic resume that will introduce your skills and experience to potential employers. A quality resume will call attention to your skills and showcase your qualifications. Your resume is one of the most valuable marketing tools you’ll use in your job search, so make sure yours stands out from the rest. Don’t be shy when it comes to highlighting exactly what you’re capable of.
Note that a forklift operator resume is incomplete without discussing your experience transporting goods. It’s important to highlight any experience you have operating a variety of forklifts. This lets potential employers know that you’re not only comfortable operating heavy machinery, but that you’re experienced, as well. It’s also important to showcase any professional safety training you’ve had. If you can fix minor forklift problems yourself, this should also be highlighted on your resume.
Check out our forklift operator resume templates to assist you as you create a memorable resume.
Forklift Operator Resume Questions
Follow the example of our forklift operator resume sample to get ideas for how to write your own application. The main sections you need to include are your header, professional summary, skill set, work history, and education.
You want to make sure you make your resume short and concise. Generally, one page is enough. Choose an easy-to-read font, such as Arial and Calibri. For your work history section, you want to present all your previous jobs in reverse chronological order. Start with whatever position you have now and work your way backward through the years.
When you have no work experience, you want to emphasize your education and skills on your resume. State your expected graduation date so the hiring manager knows you are still in school. You can list any transferable skills, which are talents you acquired in different lines of work but are applicable to the job you want now. For a first job, it is acceptable to discuss volunteer work and extracurricular involvement. List any awards you earned even if they are from high school.
Most of the time, the qualifications section, or skills section, comes directly after the professional summary, which is the case on our forklift operator resume sample. You want to list somewhere between six and 10 of the most relevant skills you have for this job. Each separate skill should receive its own bullet point. It is also acceptable to divide this section into two separate columns so you can fit more skills in less space.
The general rule to follow is that you want between five and eight bullet points for each place of employment. Each of these bullet points needs to begin with a strong, active verb. You would not want to write, “Responsible for receiving incoming shipments.” You would want to put, “Received incoming shipments.” This makes the statement more impactful.
You also want to include quantifiable accomplishments when possible. Discuss how many shipments you received daily and the exact type of equipment you used. These details make a resume stand out more.
Whether you apply for your first job or your fifth, you never want to put references on a resume. You will find references completely absent from our forklift operator resume sample, and the reason is that this information takes away space from more important information. You should only provide references if the hiring manager directly asks for them.
Some jobseekers think it is prudent to write “References available upon request”. You should not do this. It is redundant information because if the hiring manager wanted references, then you would absolutely need to provide them. Another way you can get on the hiring manager’s good side is to use our resume builder to develop a great customized application.
A fantastic Forklift Operator resume deserves an equally excellent cover letter. Use our Forklift Operator cover letter sample to finish creating the application materials that will move your career ahead.
Show Resume TextResume Text
123 Fake Street
City, State, Zip Code
Cell: 000-000-0000
E-Mail: email@email.com
Summary
Reliable and dedicated Forklift Operator with over six years’ experience. Efficient and accurate, with clean safety record. Proficient in operating under tight schedules with with minimal oversight.
Highlights
Safety-conscious
OSHA certified operator
Leadership experience
Time management ability
Organized
Able to stand for extended time
Can lift up to 70 pounds
Team player
Detail-oriented
Excellent communicator
Experience
March 2012 to Current
Company Name City, State
Forklift Operator
Correctly and efficiently move product between delivery vehicles, staging areas, and storage.
Perform minor maintenance on equipment and report complex issues to management.
Use radio frequency equipment to complete assigned product movement tasks.
Oversee junior operators to minimize safety issues and team improve performance.
Pull products for shipment to worldwide locations.
May 2009 to February 2012
Company Name City, State
Forklift Operator
Selected products for specific routes according to pick sheets.
Received incoming shipments and reviewed contents against purchase order for accuracy.
Followed proper selection procedures as established by the company.
Transported goods from racks, shelves, and vehicles.
Installed protective bracing, padding, and strapping to prevent shifting and damage to items during transport to local and regional facilities.
Worked at a rapid pace to meet tight deadlines.
Verified and recorded the count and condition of cargo received.
Removed pallets, freezer boxes, and damaged products from returning trailers.
January 2008 to April 2009
Company Name City, State
Forklift Operator
Operated powered lift trucks, floor sweepers, pallet jacks, and forklifts safely, with a 0% incident rate.
Used propane forklift to load trailer at warehouse.
Assembled product containers and crates.
Loaded flat bed by forklift and hand truck.
Assisted in physical inventories and maintained stock rotations.
Training and Certifications
Trained and OSHA-certified Forklift Operator