Welding, which is the process of connecting two metal components, is an important part of the modern construction era. Hiring managers are often looking for welders who, along with their welding abilities, have good math skills, attention to detail and great communication skills. However, if you’ve never applied to a welder position, you may not know how to write a strong welder resume. Here’s what you need to know about crafting your perfect resume.
Welder resumes typically have several important elements. First, you’ll want to mention efficiency in all four of the most common welding types: flux-cored arc welding (FCAW welding), gas metal arc welding (GMAW / MIG welding), gas tungsten arc gas welding (GTAW / TIG welding) and shielded metal arc welding (SMAW welding). You’ll also want to mention whether you’re a certified welder.
Your resume format will naturally have an impact on your resume structure. There are three resume formats: chronological which emphasizes work experience, functional which emphasizes skill and combination which emphasizes both. However, all resume formats will typically include the following sections.
Your resume header is where you put your contact information, including your name, phone number, location and email address. You can also include links to any job networking profiles such as LinkedIn.
Your skills section should include several competencies that you pride yourself in. Here are a few bullet points to consider:
Remember that you should collect your best handful of soft skills and hard skills display those. Be specific and don’t just include a long list of skills that any welder would have.
If you already have experience in welding, include those job titles in your work history section. A more experienced welder will often have an easier time finding a great job, and your professional resume should reflect any experience you have. Even if the experience was short or working for a private organization, it can still be helpful to show that you are qualified for the job you are applying for.
When you are creating a welder resume, you’ll want to include your welding certification and any relevant memberships to prominent organizations like the American Welding Society.
Yes. You should include a cover letter for all job applications, including welder applications. Although the resume itself is one of the most important parts of submitting a job application, the cover letter allows you to showcase as much information as you can about past welding jobs and general professional experience. You can use ResumeNerd to discover cover letter templates and once you’re ready to write your own, the cover letter builder makes it even easier.
Although it can feel like you need a lot of welding experience to become a welder, the truth is that your welding certification and varied welding skills are typically more than enough to land you a job. Emphasize your skills and knowledge over your experience to land a welder job even if you’re more of an entry-level worker.
The most important point to consider is the fact that the best resume for each job application will be different. They’ll want you to have different skills, different generalized knowledge, and different types of work experience. Check out the job description for resume keywords before you start building yours.