Forklift Operator Resume Examples & Templates

Important resume sections

1. Contact details

   Add your contact information to the top of your resume so hiring managers can contact you for an interview. As our sample resume for a forklift operator shows, your contact information must include your full name, city, state, ZIP code, phone number and professional email address. If you have a LinkedIn profile, add this last.

2. Personal statement

   A forklift operator resume summary is a three-to-five sentence statement that tells hiring managers how long you’ve been in the industry, your strongest job-relevant skills and qualifications and one or two quantifiable accomplishments that speak to your positive impact in past roles. For example:

   Certified forklift operator with over eight years of experience in fast-paced environments, adapting to diverse warehouse layouts and a variety of material handling needs. Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively, consistently meeting tight deadlines while prioritizing safety. Possessing expertise in loading and unloading, inventory control, maintaining accurate documentation, and safely navigating challenging environments. Adept at ensuring optimal space utilization and instrumental in reducing load time by 15% through efficient stacking and organization.

   See our expertly crafted examples for additional forklift operator resume summary examples. If you are just starting out your career, consider using a resume objective for a forklift operator instead. 

3. Skills

   Use bullet points to create a balanced skills section for your forklift operator resume. See our forklift operator sample resume for an example of how to format your skills section effectively. Here are some examples of essential skills for a forklift operator:

   • Transporting materials: Forklift operators must be skilled in loading and unloading, transferring goods and moving materials within a facility to designated areas.
   • Inventory management and control: Forklift operators need to be able to accurately track goods and materials to minimize loss, prevent damage and optimize the utilization of available space.
   • Workplace safety: Forklift operators must be keenly aware of all necessary safety regulations and protocols to protect themselves and their colleagues. 

   You want to match as many skills from the job description as possible to help show the alignment between your experience and the role requirements.

   As our sample forklift operator resume shows, it’s best to include hard skills, like inventory management, safety protocols and materials transportation and soft skills, like communication, collaboration and attention to detail.

4. Work history

   Your resume must include a work history section, even if this is your first professional job. Start with your most recent position and work in reverse chronological order, providing company names, locations and dates of employment. 

   Include three to five bullet points highlighting your most relevant skills and measurable achievements for each job you list. Here are a few examples of forklift operator resume bullet points that effectively convey key skills, responsibilities and accomplishments:

   • Consistently exceeded daily productivity targets by an average of 15%, loading and unloading 20 trucks per shift with zero errors.
   • Implemented efficient stacking techniques that maximized warehouse space utilization by 10%, improving accessibility and reducing retrieval times. 
   • Reduced product damage rates by 8% through careful handling and meticulous adherence to safe loading procedures. 

   Explore our resume examples for forklift operators to see additional work history section examples.

5. Education

   A resume for a forklift operator should also include an education section. Start with the highest level of education you’ve obtained and work your way backward. Show the name of the school and your graduation date using bullet points. 

   There are typically no formal education requirements associated with forklift operator jobs. However, there are some other requirements and preferred qualifications that you may encounter. 

   For instance, you must be 18 and possess a valid driver’s license to operate a forklift. It is also necessary to complete a forklift training and certification program, but some employers may help you train for and complete your certification after you are hired. 

   If you did not attend college, list your high school information and any classes, training or certification programs you’ve completed since graduating. See how to list education on a resume for additional tips and examples.