Forklift Operator Resume: Examples and Tips
Forklift operators work in industrial, shipment and construction settings, loading and unloading heavy materials and deliveries. Ideal candidates for this role should have a strong understanding of OSHA regulations, possess a high regard for safety in the workplace, and proficiency in using equipment and handling materials.
Capture employers’ attention with a perfect resume for this position, using these expert resume examples and tips
Table of Contents
Featured Resume Example: Forklift Operator
Name: Luke Nichols
Address: City, State, Zip Code
Phone: 000-000-0000
E-Mail: email@email.com
Professional Summary
Skilled Forklift Driver adept at working quickly in fast-paced, demanding environments. Strong team player and problem-solver. Offering top communication and conflict resolution skills as well as a comprehensive background in shipping and receiving
Skills
- Order picking and processing
- Safety standards and protocols
- Heavy equipment operations
- Production reporting
- Certified in forklift operation
- Teamwork
- Equipment maintenance
- Materials transport
- Forklift Operation
- Assembly line experience
Professional Skills
Equipment Operation
- Unloaded and stacked materials up to 5,000 lbs by raising and lowering lifting devices.
- Used strapping and bracing techniques combined with proper balancing to prevent load shifting.
- Boosted team efficiency by moving materials with forklifts, cranes and other equipment.
Order Fulfillment
- Completed over 500 customer orders each day in warehouse setting.
- Manually transported warehouse materials weighing up to 80 pounds and maintained stamina while standing, sitting, bending and walking for extended periods of time.
- Labeled and accurately moved customer orders to meet shipment timetables and minimize errors, ensuring a timely shipment rate of 99%
Maintenance
- Serviced minor equipment malfunctions to keep machinery operational and completed equipment condition reports for VP of Operations.
- Troubleshot and diagnosed mechanical issues, completed basic repairs and conducted preventive maintenance actions to keep equipment functional.
- Reported damage to racks, faulty equipment and other safety hazards to Supervisor for remediation.
Work History
Forklift Operator
10/2018 – Current
Company Name, City, State
Warehouse Lead
03/2015 – 07/2017
Company Name, City, State
Warehouse Worker
03/2013 – 01/2015
Company Name, City, State
Education
Some College (No Degree)
City, State
Certifications
OSHA Fork Lift Certification
Top 4 Characteristics of a Best-in-Class Forklift Operator Resume
- Summary Highlight your best skills and work achievements in a few short sentences. Feature capabilities that fit what the job description requires, such as being a team player, and handling equipment maintenance. Then combine these skills with a relevant accomplishment or two from your career. For example: “Skilled forklift operator trained in all aspects of shipment inspection and transportation. Experienced in boosting team efficiency by moving materials using forklifts and cranes.”
- Skills Examine the description for the forklift operator job you’re applying for, take note of key skills that match your own, such as “troubleshooting and diagnosing mechanical issues,” and list them here. Make sure to include soft skills that are important for the production industry, such as attention to detail, multitasking, and critical thinking.
- Work History Stress your achievements and quantify them using numbers — this will give them more impact. For example: “Pulled and prepared 50+ products a day for shipment, consistently meeting customer service standards” makes more of a statement than “Pulled and prepared products for shipment.”
- Education In addition to your highest education credential (e.g., high school diploma), include any vocational training you’ve had in areas such as materials handling, as well as any related certifications or licenses, such as a seat down forklift operator certificate.
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Do’s and Don’ts for Your Resume
- DO make your summary an “elevator pitch.”Just as business people need an “elevator pitch” to introduce themselves to others, you should think of your summary as an elevator pitch. Within a few sentences, aim to communicate who you are as an employee in terms of your best attributes and experiences. Boil down your pitch to answering these questions:
• Who you are
• What position you’re applying for
• What skills you have
• How you’ve contributed to current and previous companies - DO use action verbs to illustrate your contributions. Stating “Inspected and examined stock items for defects and wear” puts you at the forefront of your own achievements. Using more passive language such as “Was responsible for inspecting and analyzing stock items for defects and wear” presents you as a passive employee.
- DO incorporate both hard (technical) and soft skills in your resume. Often candidates will emphasize one set of skills above others, but be sure to provide both technical and soft skills in your resume, and give recruiters a full picture of your abilities. Studies show that 67% of hiring managers hire a candidate based on the soft skills they possess, so be sure to list abilities such as attention to detail, critical thinking and ability to be cross-trained, as well as technical abilities such as operations monitoring and machine maintenance.
- DON’T use negative phrases when describing your experience. Even if you’re just describing challenges at previous jobs, using negative phrases can lead to employers wondering if you played a part in the negativity. Present your work experiences in terms of positive change or results. For example, instead of writing, “Oversaw successful forklift operations in spite of underfunded maintenance budgets,” you could write “Oversaw successful forklift operations within specific budgets and parameters.”
- DON’T submit your resume before reviewing it. All your efforts to create the perfect resume will go for naught if your documents contain misspellings or other errors.Make sure you proofread your resume several times before you submit it, and also take this opportunity to ensure your content is accurate.
- DON’T incorporate jargon and acronyms unless necessary. You can’t count on the fact that the person who reads your resume will understand specific industry jargon or acronyms, so if you need to include them, be sure to provide an explanation when needed. For example, instead of just writing “Class II” as a skill, write “Class II forklift operator: Class II – electric narrow aisle trucks.”
Forklift Operator Resume FAQs
- 1. What are the skills you should list on a forklift operator resume?
- 2. How should I format my resume?
- 3. What if I have no previous experience?
- 4. How can I sharpen the focus of my resume?
- 5. How should you craft your resume if you’re looking to take the next step forward in your career?
1. What are the skills you should list on a forklift operator resume?
| Hard skills: | Soft skills: |
| Knowledge of warehouse management principles | Reliability and professionalism |
| Proficiency in technical machinery and RF scanners | Good interpersonal skills |
| Safety procedures knowledge | Ability to cross-training |
| Excellent physical condition and coordination | Critical thinking |
| Inventory management | Self-directed |
| Flexibility | |
| Attention to detail |
| Hard skills: |
| Knowledge of warehouse management principles |
| Proficiency in technical machinery and RF scanners |
| Safety procedures knowledge |
| Excellent physical condition and coordination |
| Inventory management |
| Soft skills: |
| Reliability and professionalism |
| Good interpersonal skills |
| Ability to cross-training |
| Critical thinking |
| Self-directed |
| Flexibility |
| Attention to detail |
2. How should I format my resume?
For forklift positions that don’t require extensive experience, use the functional format, which lets you focus on your wide range of skills, as well as any training and certifications you already have. For jobs that require a few years of experience, use the combination format, which features both relevant work experiences as well as skills.
3. What if I have no previous experience?
Instead of worrying about filling out a work history section, use a functional format for your resume, and provide extensive details on the forklift-related skills and training you already have, including certifications such as OSHA training. Use your summary to present yourself as someone who is professional and competent enough to learn new skills quickly, and has the right attitude to get the job done.
4. How can I sharpen the focus of my resume?
Consider a summary statement as the core of your resume where you describe your work experiences and abilities. From there, look to add abilities to your skill section that further round out your strengths. Use a standard font that won’t distract the reader from the content on the page, and create different versions of your resume to fit each individual job opportunity. Above all, remember that the recruiter will probably spend only a few seconds to read your document, so make sure that everything is concise and relevant to the job.
5. How should you craft your resume if you’re looking to take the next step forward in your career?
To move up to a more senior position, add the following to your resume:
- Examples of how you’ve effectively managed, trained, and guided junior operators in varied jobs
- Gaining more certifications in specialized areas such as safety training
- More administrative responsibilities, such as inventory management and record-keeping
Pair Your Resume with a Matching Cover Letter
