Laborer? Contractor? Retail Associate? Yes, You *DO* Need A Resume!

The last few days I’ve been working on a skilled trade opening for a Floorlayer. I’m amazed at the number of people that find the position online, send me email, yet don’t have or don’t bother to include a resume. EVERYONE that has a job should have a basic resume. It isn’t difficult to write one, and it doesn’t need to be elaborate. But these days, business practices dictate that you should have a full resume. Whether you are an electrician, plumber, janitor, short order cook, or retail associate, having a current resume is vital to increase your chances of finding a job. There are several reasons why.

1) It shows that you know how to communicate effectively in English.

2) A resume clearly lays out your skills and employment history for an employer to see.

3) You are presenting a more professional profile to a potential employer

4) Any business involved with the federal, state, county, or city government *requires* a resume to evaluate candidates for positions.
5) A resume is an excellent way to track your employment history for purposes of filling out applications.

Putting together a "blue collar" resume is no different than any other. The same pitfalls should be avoided as you would for a profession such an accountant or a lawyer.

B />Full contact information (name, phone number/s, email address, city and state of residence; leave your street address off as it could encourage data piracy).

A nice transition to your employment history is a professional summary detailing any licenses you have (by state and license number), specific industry/job skills with the number of years you have been practicing them, and any specialized training (NOT your HS or college education!) you have received.
B > Brief desription of your main job duties or projects for that employer.

HS/College, course of study, and degree/diploma achieved.
B >
Yo hould not put your references on your resume. You do not need a generic objective, it wastes space. A cover letter telling me you have 15 years as a journeyman carpenter is NOT a resume. It does not need to be one page or shorter, it should generally be no longer than two pages if you have more than 7 years of experience. lae please PLEASE do not use a functional resume. It does not give hiring managers and HR professionals the information we need in a way that we can make sense of. And please, do not use vague, trite words and phrases to describe your career. Be precise, targeted and contextual. Do NOT just cut and paste the same job duties under every job heading. You should NOT be doing the same thing for every different employer. If you are, you are not growing as a professional. Most of all, use proper grammar and punctuation with perfect spelling. There is absolutely no excuse for misspelled words on a resume. ohn Doe

john.doe1@gmail.com

360-555-1256

Everett, WA

Experienced painter – interior, exterior, commercial and residential with over 5 years of professional experience

Light carpentry and finishing projects including flooring
B >ihet atings on homeadvisor and Angie’s List

WA State License 43-25299, bonded/insured

Specialize in custom built-ins

All equipment provided, valid WA state DL

All Pro Painters – Snohomish and N. King County

Residential Painter 2015-Present

-Drywall, trim interior

-Siding, trim, gutters, windows

-Recognized in 2017 and 2019 as employee of the year

Luxury Marine Finishers – Seattle (South Lake Union)

Marine Paint Expert 2012-2015

-Detail interior and exterior yachts
-Detailed wood finishing
hoeline High School, Shoreline WA

Diploma, 2012