Create Your Metal Work
Resume in 5 Simple Steps

  • Step 1: Add Contact Info

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  • Step 2: Include Work Experience Details

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  • Step 3: Provide Education Details

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  • Step 4: Select Your Skills

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  • Step 5: Fill in Your Background

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Get Expert Writing Recommendations for Your Metal Work Resume

LiveCareer’s Resume Builder makes the resume-writing process simple by providing industry-specific suggestions for metal work roles. Our certified resume writers craft professionally written phrases like the following that you can use on your own resume:

  • Managed repair and maintenance schedule efficiently to increase shop organization and equipment longevity
  • Exceeded daily production goals regularly by effectively troubleshooting machinery and programming issues
  • Chipped away debris and thick crusts of rust, slag and other materials to ready surfaces for welding
  • Increased production efficiency by studying blueprints for accurate machine programming
  • Fabricated large and small parts per drawings

6 Do’s and Don’ts for Writing a Metal Work Resume

  • Do include all certification and coursework. Many metal work jobs only require a high school diploma, but some positions call for certain certifications or coursework such as CNC programming. Check the job posting and include all the certification and training you have that relates to the job.
  • Do use numbers when possible. Using figures helps a hiring manager get a better picture of your work experience. List the average number of metal products assembled in a day or, if applying for a management position, how many workers you supervised.
  • Do proofread your resume. Just because a position does not require higher education does not mean it’s OK to have errors in your resume. Attention to detail is important in metal work, as a small mistake can damage or ruin an entire piece. Demonstrate this quality by using spell-check and read over the document several times before submitting it.
  • Don’t forget to include computer skills. Many metal work positions use computers, robots and other programmable devices. List all you have training in, such as AutoCAD and industrial control software.
  • Don’t submit the same resume for each position. When applying for multiple metal work positions, customize your resume for each job ad. Every employer has particular requirements, such as experience with a specific type of machine or manufacturing software, so tailor your application accordingly.
  • Don’t include unnecessary information. If you are applying for a structural metal fabricator position, you don’t need to list your work experience as a pizza delivery driver. Only include experience, training and skills, such as control precision or lathe operation, that relate to the position.

Beat the ATS with These Metal Work Resume Skills

With a high number of applicants vying for the same position, hiring managers often use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to help sort through applications. The employer enters certain phrases into the ATS, and the system only passes on the resumes that contain them. Most national manufacturers will use an ATS, but even small machine shops may nowadays.

LiveCareer’s Resume Builder helps you get your resume into the hands of a recruiter by suggesting sought-after skills for metal work jobs. Here are some suggestions our builder might make for your metal work resume:

  • CNC programming certification
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills
  • Proficient with AutoCAD and industrial control software
  • Gas-torch soldering
  • Smelting furnace operation
  • Reading blueprints and manufacturing instructions
  • Accurate piece arrangement
  • Trimming, grinding and polishing with hand and power tools
  • Sheet Cutting Suite software
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Metal Work Resumes for Every Professional Level

Entry-Level

Apprentice Fitter

For entry-level metal work positions, most applicants do not have an extensive work history. This job seeker therefore uses a functional resume format to list his information. This format puts more of a focus on the relevant skills as opposed to specific work duties. By listing skills and qualifications towards the top of the document, the hiring manager can see them right away, while paying less attention to the limited professional experience at the bottom.

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Mid-Career

Jewelry Designer

Job seekers who have a few years of industry experience under their belts should consider using a combination resume format like this example. This format puts equal focus on work history and qualifications. Skills such as gemological equipment appear towards the top, while the detailed job experience demonstrates and reinforces this knowledge. The reverse-chronological work history helps showcase a progression from jobs with less responsibility to those with more while giving the hiring manager a good picture of the applicant’s abilities.

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Executive-Level

Working Foreman

Job applicants who are seeking a senior-level position in the metal work field must prove to the hiring manager that they can handle a high-responsibility job. This chronological resume format puts the emphasis on the applicant’s years of work experience rather than plain skills by placing this section immediately after the summary. The positions’ bullet points demonstrate how he used industry-related abilities in important accomplishments, with a focus on leadership and managing others. The job seeker included skills in the document, but listed them towards the end.

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More Metal Work Resume Samples

Find resume examples for your desired metal-work career. Get access to expert writing recommendations, do’s and don’ts and everything you need to write a perfect resume.

Resume Success Stories

Statistics and Facts About Metal Work Jobs

Median Annual Pay by Job Title

Metal and Plastic Machine Workers$36080
Sheet Metal Workers$48460
Machinists and Tool and Die Makers$44950
05K10K15K20K25K30K35K40K45K50K

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Job Outlook by Job Title 2018-2028

  • Metal and Plastic Machine Workers
    % decline
  • Sheet Metal Workers
    % growth
  • Machinists and Tool and Die Makers
    % growth
-20%
0
20%

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

Education Statistics

Sheet Metal Workers

High school diploma or equivalent60%
Less than a high school diploma18%
Post-secondary certificate13%
0102030405060708090100

Layout Workers, Metal and Plastic

High school diploma or equivalent60%
Some college, no degree15%
Post-secondary certificate12%
0102030405060708090100

Structural Metal Fabricators and Fitters

High school diploma or equivalent47%
Some college, no degree17%
Post-secondary certificate29%
0102030405060708090100

Source: O*Net

Gender Statistics for Sheet Metal Workers

Female 5.64%

Male 94.4%

Average Salary

Female $39,578

Male $47,746

Source: DataUSA

Race and Ethnicity Statistics for Sheet Metal Workers

White84.8%
Black or African American6.76%
Two or More Races1.67%
Asian1.48%
Other4.9%
0102030405060708090100

Source: Data USA

Institutions with Most Degrees Awarded in Precision Metal Working

Tulsa Welding School (Houston)1.53%
Tulsa Welding School (Jacksonville)1.49%
Front Range Community College1.45%
02.55

Source: Data USA

States with the Highest Employment of Sheet Metal Workers

California11720 employees
Texas10060 employees
Florida8370 employees
New York7350employees
Illinois4990 employees
02K4K6K8K10K12K14K16K18K20K

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

States with the Highest Annual Mean Wage for Sheet Metal Workers

Hawaii$76900
New York$70070
Illinois$69780
Minnesota$68870
Washington$65360
08K16K24K32K40K48K56K64K72K80K

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

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