how to write a resume for general labour position

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5 General Laborer Resume Examples Built to Work in 2024

General Laborer Resume

• General Laborer Resumes by Experience
• General Laborer Resumes by Role
• Write Your General Laborer Resume

You help uphold the foundation of countless building projects—and sometimes you lay the concrete down, too! Your skills with power tools, codes and regulations, and heavy machinery enable you to get the job done, and done well.

But how do you use all your job skills , work experiences , and relevant personal traits to create a cover letter and build a jaw-dropping resume that will get you the job you crave?

Don’t worry; we’ve done this before. After years of helping laborers like you, we’ve developed five general laborer resume examples to help you pave the way to your success!

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Why this resume works

• An effective general laborer resume should not only provide your expertise in using a variety of tools but also how your safety efforts helped minimize potential accidents.

Skilled Laborer Resume

• When you pick the right skills to highlight for example achieving an impressive first-time-right installation rate, you can impress the recruiter despite having less direct experience.

Concrete Laborer Resume

• When you demonstrate your vigilant skills such as reducing unforeseen breakdowns, you give the recruiter an idea of your supervising abilities.

Farm Laborer Resume

• Rogers leveraging weather data from AcuRite sensors to mitigate a risk that could have cost Sagura Farms $4,132 in yield losses makes for an excellent inspiration here. And as if that wasn’t enough, he also mentions using data from Decagon sensors to up water conservation by 11% at Shamrock Farms. Now, wouldn’t a side-column list of those agricultural software you’re well-versed in look peachy?

Asphalt Laborer Resume

• The last thing you expect potential employers to look at when reviewing your asphalt laborer resume are typos, grammatical errors, and awkward phrases. And yet, they could be the key factors determining whether you receive that long-awaited email or call.
• Double-check your piece for grammatical mistakes that could torpedo your chances. Take it as making your masterpiece as spotless as a freshly laid asphalt road. A second pair of eyes could be handy, so why not rope in a friend to identify errors you might have missed?

Related resume examples

• Construction Worker

Adjust Your General Laborer Resume According to the Job Description

No two laborer’s jobs are quite the same, so you’ll want to pay close attention to the job description . See what you’re actually applying for. Does the job emphasize the operation of heavy machinery? Or are you more likely to be working with power tools and chemical compounds?

Whatever the “heart” of the job is, make sure you reflect it in your resume! Don’t pitch the wrong skills to the wrong job ad. Instead, write down various job skills and work experiences that you can switch out for various jobs.

Need some ideas?

15 popular general laborer skills

• Concrete Brushes
• Concrete Saws
• Claw Hammer
• Cordless Drill
• Welding Torch
• Wire Stripper
• Pipe Wrench
• Concrete Vibrator
• Code Compliance
• Circular Saws
• Accurate Measurements

Your general laborer work experience bullet points

Now, as valuable as that job description is, you want to go beyond it instead of just repeating parts of it back to the recruiter. Leverage your experiences in the laborer setting, whether they involve working for a company or excelling at trade school.

Use metrics to substantiate your statements of how successful you’ve been, too! Tell the reader what you did, why, and how it made an impact (in numbers). Quantifiable data gives your credibility a huge boost.

Write your resume with active verbs and language, too. Show that you care about the job and that you show up to each concrete pour or stud installation with your best foot forward.

• Budget savings in dollars indicate your finesse and efficiency with project materials
• Positive employee scores show that you’ve worked well with teammates and supervisors
• Improved customer return percentages show that your work is just plain good
• Reduced turnover rates thanks to your strategic thinking show strong coordination skills

See what we’re talking about?

• Supervised the regular maintenance of the concrete pump, resulting in a 37% decrease in unforeseen equipment breakdowns
• Operated the walk-behind power trowels, contributing to the successful completion of 51+ large-scale projects with efficiency that reduced time-to-completion by an average of 3 days
• Customized around 277+ fabrication projects, leveraging router skills to craft intricate designs which boosted client satisfaction rates by 58%
• Adhered to safety regulations by making proper use of hard hats and other safety equipment, maintaining a zero-accident record
• Carefully measured materials for renovation projects, facilitating accurate installations and reducing material waste by an average of 19%

9 active verbs to start your general laborer work experience bullet points

• Facilitated
• Streamlined

3 Tips for Writing a General Laborer Resume if You Don’t Have Much Experience

• If your experience section feels a bit “thin,” you can always reference notable projects you worked on. These could be internships, school projects, or even volunteer labor. Experience doesn’t have to be paid to gain you some sweet skills!
• A resume objective , or objective statement , provides a concise overview of why you want the job and how you’re qualified for it. Reference the job description here to drop super relevant qualifications like “concrete pouring” or “circular saws.” Choose thoughtfully so you don’t repeat these traits later in your resume!
• If you earned some recognition in school for a really high GPA, or you were top of the class in a workshop that fits with your resume, add that in! You can place it next to your education unless you racked up a handful of achievements that warrant their own section.

3 Tips for Writing a General Laborer Resume if You Already Have Some Experience

• Now that you already have some experience under that tool belt, make sure you’re showing recruiters your highest points. Stick with just three or four laborer jobs for your experience section, and pick only the most impressive points for each one.
• Honestly, reverse-chronological formatting is always pretty great! Use this layout to put your best achievements at the top. This makes your greatness more eye-catching and reinforces a trend of learning and growth throughout your professional history.
• You probably don’t need to list academic achievements on your resume anymore. They’ll just be taking up valuable space that would be better used to show off your experiences and complex skills!

Regurgitating the job requirements word-for-word is a big “Nope!” but you do want to use some of the exact skills they list to get past that ATS. Work them into your experiences and skills list organically so that they look good for recruiters after that!

If you lack experience, a resume objective can help outline your career goals and level of promise as a worker. If you’re already experienced, a resume summary could help you give a quick overview of the highlights. Sometimes, if you have enough other qualifying information, you’ll need neither!

While all three of our resume templates will work well for you, you’ll ultimately want to select the one that puts your most impressive creds front and center! If your skills or extra achievements really shine, you might want to use a side column. If your experiences are the most eye-catching, let them take center stage.

General Laborer Resume Examples and Templates for 2024

• Resume Examples
• Resume Text Examples

How To Write a General Laborer Resume

• Entry-Level
• Senior-Level

General Laborer Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples

Perry L. Smith (012) 345-6789 [email protected] 1561 NW Some Street, West Palm Beach, FL 33401

A results-driven General Laborer with two of experience, specializing in landscaping, grounds maintenance, customer service, and residential construction. Adept at interfacing with clients, collaborating with contractors, and ensuring compliance with OSHA safety standards.

Professional Experience

Landscape & Maintenance Crew Member, Palm Beach County Landscape, West Palm Beach, FL August 2018 – Present

• Execute maintenance and construction projects for residential, public, commercial, and industrial properties in collaboration with large teams of contractors and general laborers
• Cut lawns with various sized power mowers and conduct trimming and edging of foliage with shears, pruners, and gas-powered edgers
• Perform landscape grading, apply fertilizers and chemicals, and remove debris using hand tools

Volunteer Groundskeeper, Palm Beach County Parks & Recreation, West Palm Beach, FL January 2018 – Present

• Removed trash and debris from trails at Riverbend Park, shaped plants with hand tools such as cutters and shears, and supported program managers with special events
• Maintained trails and provided support to landscaping staff for various projects
• Landscaping
• Residential Construction
• Client Relations
• Preventative Maintenance
• Power Tool Operation

High School Diploma Palm Beach Lakes High School, West Palm Beach, FL, 2018

Lisa Berman (720) 987-6543 [email protected] 19 Brookhaven Way, Boulder, CO 80300

A dynamic General Laborer with eight years of professional experience performing landscaping projects for residential and commercial properties. A strong history of performing high quality cement finishing and conducting property maintenance with a 92% client satisfaction rate.

Construction General Laborer, Colorado Construction Associates, Boulder, CO May 2016 – Present

• Execute a variety of landscaping projects for clients, including cutting, grouting, and cement finishing for residential and commercial properties valued at up to $1M
• Load and unload construction material and supply deliveries, maintain hand tools, power tools, and equipment, and ensure compliance with OSHA safety regulations

Landscaping General Laborer, CM Staffing Company, Boulder, CO October 2014 – May 2016  

• Mowed lawns, trimmed hedges, and raked leaves and maintained landscapes and gardens, including planting, pruning, removing debris, and other tasks
• Installed concrete stepping-stones and statues and assembled decorative structures, such as gazebos, benches, and canopies

Associate in Applied Science in Construction Management Boulder Community College, Boulder, CO, June 2011 – August 2014 

• OSHA Safety
• Property Maintenance
• Customer Service

Certifications

• Concrete Flatwork Finisher Certification
• Residential Concrete Foundation Technician Certification

Jason Alves (123) 456-7890 [email protected] 567 Second Street, Orlando, FL 12345

A General Laborer with 10+ years of experience supporting commercial and residential projects, including construction, home renovations, and landscaping. Adept at coordinating with diverse teams to execute complex projects on-time and under budget.

General Construction Laborer, HRH Construction, Orlando, FL March 2012 – Present

• Deliver support to project managers and subcontractors for construction and home renovation projects valued at $500K-$1.2M, including digging and leveling to establish building foundations
• Erect scaffolding on buildings up to three stories, load and unload various construction machinery and materials, and perform various labor tasks in compliance with OSHA safety
• Conduct routine and preventative maintenance on machinery, hand tools, and power tools

Landscaping General Laborer, Garden Style, Orlando, FL July 2006 – March 2012

• Performed a range of general landscaping duties, including mowing the lawn, raking leaves, pulling weeds, trimming hedges, and leaf blowing
• Unloaded garden design elements and ensured they were placed in the correct position
• Followed detailed instructions provided by clients and management
• Maintained and used various gardening tools such as lawnmowers, shovels, rakes, and leaf blowers.
• Maintained yards and gardens for commercial and residential clients

High School Diploma Orlando Central High School, Orlando, FL, September 2002 – June 2006

• Commercial Construction
• Power Tools

If you’re seeking a general laborer position, your resume should demonstrate you can handle various physical tasks and assist with various maintenance and construction activities. Writing a resume that shows your qualifications and skills to be a productive crew member can help you get the job. Use the steps and examples below as a starting point.

1. Write a brief summary of your general laborer qualifications

The profile summary should immediately tell a hiring manager what kinds of projects you have experience with, such as construction and landscaping or electrical and plumbing. This is also a place to list any extra skills you have, such as working with customers or providing estimates. Any kind of safety training or OSHA certification is a bonus. Ideally, the profile summary should let the hiring manager tell whether you fit the position and entice them to keep reading.

Senior-Level Profile Example

A general laborer with over 10 years of experience supporting commercial and residential projects, including construction, home renovations, and landscaping. Adept at coordinating with diverse teams to execute complex projects on time and under budget.

Entry-Level Profile Example

A results-driven general laborer with two years of experience specializing in landscaping, grounds maintenance, customer service, and residential construction. Adept at interfacing with clients, collaborating with contractors, and ensuring compliance with OSHA safety standards.

2. Create a powerful list of your general laborer experience

The professional experience section of the resume is where you list your current and previous job duties and responsibilities. But don’t sell yourself short, thinking you have nothing specific or noteworthy to include. While you should list what you did in a position, it’s even better to tie this into how you benefited the organization. For example, maybe you were part of a team with the quickest job completion times or the fewest safety incidents. You can add the kinds of tools and equipment you worked to show a hiring manager you won’t need extensive training to get started.

Senior-Level Professional Experience Example

General Construction Laborer, HRH Construction, Orlando, FL | March 2012 – present

• Deliver support to project managers and subcontractors for construction and home renovation projects valued at $500,000 to $1.2 million, including digging and leveling to establish building foundations

Entry-Level Professional Experience Example

Landscape and Maintenance Crew Member, Palm Beach County Landscape, West Palm Beach, FL | August 2018 – present

• Cut lawns with various-sized power mowers and conduct trimming and edging of foliage with shears, pruners, and gas-powered edgers

3. Add general laborer education and certifications

As a rule, resumes should list any formal education and certifications you’ve obtained. It’s okay if your education doesn’t match the job; list the highest level of education you’ve completed. If you went to, or are still in, trade school, list this as well. Other credentials that can help you edge out the competition include taking classes in construction or any trade and certifications, such as safety certifications through OSHA or specific trade certifications.

• [Degree Name]
• [School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] | [Graduation Year]
• Associate in Applied Science in Construction Management
• Boulder Community College, Boulder, CO | August 2014
• [Certification Name], [Completion Year]
• Concrete Flatwork Finisher Certification, 2020

4. Outline your most useful general laborer skills and proficiencies

General laborer positions require a lot of physical strength and endurance, which isn’t always easy to show in a resume. Use the list of key skills to show you have the physical capabilities and technical knowledge to handle maintenance and construction projects. You could organize your strengths into categories, such as physical and trade skills, and professional skills, like conflict resolution and team collaboration. Use this list to get started.

How To Pick the Best General Laborer Resume Template

If you love working with your hands, spending an afternoon writing a resume could be the last thing you want to do. Resume templates can make this process much quicker, but picking the right one is important. For a general laborer position, look for a simple, clean template that keeps everything on one page. A functional resume focusing on skills can make it easier to group your qualifications without needing multiple pages if you’ve worked many jobs.

Frequently Asked Questions: General Laborer Resume Examples and Advice

What are common action verbs for general laborer resumes -.

As you’re writing the professional experience section, start each new bullet that describes your duties or responsibilities with a strong action verb. These verbs show what you accomplished in a previous position and the value of that job. It can be challenging to develop unique action verbs for every line, so we’ve included a list of common ones that general laborers may use. Make your language as specific as possible, such as “troubleshot” or “repaired” instead of “fixed.”

How do you align your resume with a general laborer job description? -

Overall, the job outlook for construction laborers and helpers looks strong, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicting continued growth on par with most other industries. However, general laborer positions often have high turnover and many applicants for the same role. Ensure you stand out and increase your chances of getting hired by aligning your resume to each job. Use keywords, skills, and qualifications from the job description to build your resume. Research the company to see what projects they generally take on and what they’re looking for in a crew member.

What is the best general laborer resume format? -

Reverse chronology is the ideal format for general laborers. This ensures your most recent and relevant work experience is featured at the top of your resume. Functional resumes, or skill-based resumes, are generally considered outdated by most recruiters. They don’t provide sufficient detail for your construction projects and career achievements. If you’re applying at the entry level, you can highlight your skills and certifications above your work experience. Craft bullet points to show transferable skills from your previous jobs.

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While many general laborer positions won’t require a cover letter, including one with your resume can show a hiring manager you’re willing to go above and beyond what’s needed and help you stand out from other applicants. If you’re not sure how to create a cover letter or what should be included, our guide to writing a cover letter can help.

Frank Hackett

Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW)

Frank Hackett is a professional resume writer and career consultant with over eight years of experience. As the lead editor at a boutique career consulting firm, Frank developed an innovative approach to resume writing that empowers job seekers to tell their professional stories. His approach involves creating accomplishment-driven documents that balance keyword optimization with personal branding. Frank is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches (PAWRCC).

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General Laborer resume examples & templates

Salary and job outlook for general laborers

What is the job outlook for general laborers, resume header, what if i have no experience.

If you’re a general laborer, don’t make the mistake of thinking you don’t need a resume. A resume is a critical document for anyone seeking a job, and laborers are no exception. But you’re in the right place for help with the heavy lifting that might be encountered preparing your general laborer resume.

Resume.io is a global provider of tools designed to significantly lighten anyone’s job search workload. That includes more than 350 occupation-specific resume examples and corresponding writing guides.

The guide you’re reading now will explore how a general laborer should prepare a resume, step by step. Backed by wording you can adapt from a general laborer resume example, we’ll cover the following points:

What do general laborers do?

• How to build write a general laborer resume, starting with the correct framework and most suitable format,
• Nailing each resume section for maximum impact: summary, work history, education and skills for general laborers
• Finishing details: professional resume layout and design tips

Whatever the boss tells them to! As the name implies, general laborers are not classified by specialty, but are more like generalists in the labor market. 

General laborers build the homes we live in, the buildings we work in and the roads we drive on — for starters. They do landscaping, farm and field work; they pour cement and pavement; they operate power tools and heavy machinery. They are sometimes described as “unskilled,” but if you think they lack skills, have you ever seen a heart surgeon operate a forklift?

General laborers are blue-collar workers who may be employed in any number of fields, including construction, agriculture, gardening, maintenance and many others. 

As the name also implies, general laborers labor , getting their hands dirty, using their backs, doing physical work. They usually work in outdoor environments more than air-conditioned offices, wearing boots more often than high heels, and work shirts more than suits. 

General laborers are often, but certainly not always, younger entry-level workers who are just starting out. However, many laborers develop specialties that are essential to getting any job done. And if you don’t believe that, feel free to grab a shovel and dig your own swimming pool. 

Need more ideas and inspiration to build your resume? See our other related resume samples listed here below.

• Construction resume sample
• Welder resume sample
• Construction worker resume sample
• Construction manager resume sample
• Construction project manager resume example
• Contractor resume sample
• Technician resume sample
• Tractor driver resume sample
• Forklift operator resume example
• Handyman resume sample
• Maintenance worker resume sample
• Maintenance and repair resume sample
• Cement mason resume sample

General laborers work in so many fields that it’s difficult to define the occupation, but there are various estimates of their pay ranges and job outlook.

How much do general laborers make?

The following averages are provided by Payscale.com , a leading aggregator of job salary info

JOB DESCRIPTION HOURLY PAY

• Laborer $16.10
• Construction laborer $17.16
• Construction worker $17.22
• Public works laborer $16.33
• Unskilled worker $15.18
• Canadian laborer C$18.03
• Canadian construction worker C$20.62
• UK construction worker £11.23

For comparison, the federal minimum wage in the United States is $7.25 an hour. In Washington, D.C., it’s $16.10 an hour; in the state of Washington, it’s $15.74 (for large employers), and all other state minimum wages are lower than that. So average wages for general laborers are generally above the minimum wage in almost all of the United States.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is the best resource for statistics on job outlook, meaning the projected growth or decline in any occupation in future years. While the BLS doesn’t specifically track “general laborers,” its projections for related fields appear below.

While the BLS job outlook for all occupations predicts 5% growth between 2021 and 2031, these are projected rates for growth or decline in U.S. labor-related occupations:

• Construction laborers and helper s 4%
• Hand laborers and material movers 6%
• General maintenance and repair workers 5%
• Agricultural workers 1%
• Masonry workers -2%
• Grounds maintenance workers 5%

How to write a general laborer resume

A general laborer resume should be a one-page document that lays out the work experience, education/training and specialized skills that make you good at what you do. When building a general labor resume, it’s important to highlight your skills, the projects or companies you’ve worked for and your overall work attitude. Your new employer is likely looking for a solid and dependable employee, so make sure your resume conveys exactly that impression.

This the appropriate structure for a general laborer resume, with the following components in this order:

• Summary/profile
• Employment history

The all-important ATS test

Many larger employers use applicant tracking systems (ATS) — electronic gatekeepers that filter resumes according to the keywords they contain.

Employers use this software by inputting key job qualifications into the system — critical keywords — so that incoming online job applications can be screened to see if they incorporate the same keywords.

For example, suppose Walmart is seeking a warehouse worker to unload trucks at its warehouse and replenish the shelves of its … wait for it … warehouse. Then take a wild guess what word it might include among the crucial keywords in its applicant tracking system.

Now let’s say Walmart receives 500 resumes applying for this position. The hiring manager, not willing or able to read them all, feeds them into the ATS first. If your resume never includes the word “warehouse,” then the computer ’bots that automatically filter all these resumes could reasonably conclude that you have no warehouse experience — or that you didn’t even read the job listing. The ATS is likely to reject your resume before a human being ever looks at it, while greenlighting resumes that do contain the all-important word “warehouse” for human review.

This is why it’s important to tailor your resume to each potential employer. Even if you have zero warehouse experience, you could convey in your resume that you’re a fit, fast, highly organized worker well-suited to a shipping and receiving role in a retailer warehouse. Suddenly you will pass this crucial keyword test , and your resume will rise to the top of the pile.

Choosing the best resume format for a general laborer

The chronological resume format is recommended for general laborers who have mainly worked for companies in employee positions. For the same reason, it’s the best resume format for about nine out of 10 job seekers in all occupations. It’s the most straightforward way to highlight your work experience with each employer, in order from most recent to earliest dates. 

The functional resume format emphasizes transferable skills rather than employers, while the hybrid (combination) resume format features both chronological and functional elements. One of these options might work well for self-employed general laborers looking for contract work. They are sometimes suitable for newcomers to the workforce lacking experience, or those making a career switch.

Now, let's take a closer look at each resume section and how general laborers can optimize the impact.

The header is an attractively designed section at the top of a resume that contains your name, occupation, address, phone number and email. 

The most prominent words on the resume page should be the applicant’s name. In a resume you are selling yourself, and you want the hiring manager to remember you, so make sure your name appears first and stands out from everything else. 

Add a line that includes your occupation — “General Laborer” in this example. You may prefer to use a job title that reflects your specialization in the field, or one that matches the job you are seeking. 

Your resume header should also display an address, phone and email. The obvious reason for this is so that employers can contact you if interested. But the placement of these details also provides an eye-pleasing element that simply makes the page look more inviting to read. 

The header is one of the most important components of the resume because it comes first and sets the visual tone for the rest of the page. It can also be one of the most challenging parts to design, which is where a resume template can save you a lot of time and uncertainty. We’ll have more to say about that later on.

Now let’s talk about the four other elements you need on your resume page.

General laborer resume summary example

Sometimes called a profile and sometimes called a summary or personal statement , this resume section provides a concise synopsis of your occupation, specializations, and directly relevant experience and training that makes you good at what you do.

Notice from our general laborer resume example that you don’t need to say “I am a…” — or even to use complete sentences. But in describing yourself and your skills, you do need to use compelling, interesting language — never flabby or vague. 

Most important, your resume summary should speak directly to the employer’s hiring needs and demonstrate your understanding of what’s expected. Carefully scrutinize the advertised job requirements to ensure your familiarity.

The summary is the best opportunity you have in a resume to describe yourself in your own words, so make the most of it. You don’t want to sound arrogant or presumptuous, but you do need to blow your own horn a bit. Remember that when you’re seeking a job, if you don’t make a good case for your candidacy, nobody else will. 

Here is an example of a general laborer summary you can modify to suit your situation:

Hardworking and reliable General Laborer with over a decade of residential and commercial construction experience. Skilled in performing the gamut of building tasks from site excavation to  landscaping stages, with exemplary safety record operating heavy machinery. Exceptional work ethic, physical stamina, and time management abilities supported team records for meeting or beating work deadlines.

Employment history sample

Your resume's employment history section must highlight the relevant work experience that convinces a potential employer that you have the chops to do the job you’re seeking. 

List the past jobs you’ve held in reverse chronological order (last job first), along with the dates and employer (company or project).

Below each employer or project heading, use bullet points to showcase key job highlights. Use strong action verbs to describe specific accomplishments. Avoid saying “Was responsible for ... ” and instead report what you actually did in each job. Quantify the beneficial outcome by using facts and figures wherever possible.

Here is an example of a general laborer work history resume section:

General Laborer at Woodward & Sons, Salisbury July 2018 - February 2023

• Provided a variety of physical labor services to ensure job completion, helping improve team deadline completion rates by 15%.
• Transported equipment and work materials, safely and efficiently unloading to provide ease of access in orderly job sites.
• Maintained, operated, and repaired trucks, heavy machinery, and power tools needed to perform all work tasks.
• Assisted and oversaw other crew members in safely  discarding hazardous materials.
• Carefully followed instructions to ensure accuracy, while utilizing strong mathematical and problem-solving skills.
• Communicated closely with project supervisors, promptly reporting issues needing attention and following up as needed.

General Laborer at Mohawk Lumber Company, Mohawk August 2012 - May 2018

• Maintained clean and safe workplaces.
• Exemplary  team strengths working collaboratively and independently.
• Reported to site managers and followed all safety protocols, while referring to blueprints and complying precisely to job instructions.

You may fear that you can’t get a job without general laborer work experience, and that you can’t get experience without a job. But remember that every worker in every field starts out with no experience. If it were impossible to get any job without a job history, nobody in the world would have a job.

General laborers with no experience actually have a big advantage over many fields, because it’s an occupation where experience is often not required. If you’re young, eager to work, and don’t mind getting your hands dirty, there’s a job for you out there.

If you have absolutely no paid experience performing any kind of labor, you may have to get a bit creative in preparing your resume. Did you ever mow a lawn? Help paint a house? Unpaid or volunteer labor is still labor. 

For those with no experience, it’s often prudent to list your education first (see below), highlighting any special achievements (like an impressive GPA) or academic awards. It’s also important to write a resume summary that speaks to your passions, aspirations and eagerness to go to work.

General laborer resume education example

General laborers do not need college degrees, but you should never  underestimate the value of completing the education section of your resume. It can be important for a few reasons:

• You can list certificates and training courses. Anything that qualifies you for even a remotely formal document may be fine,
• It shows that you’ve already put effort into something and have a work ethic. This is vital when you have little or no work experience.
• It enhances your professional image if you have any ambition for a future promotion in the work crew or project.

Reading, writing and math skills are often needed in general laborer jobs. If you have a high school degree or the equivalent, that is absolutely relevant. You may be competing with laborers who have never finished high school, or who speak little or no English. Competency in the basic skills imparted by any level of formal education will make you more attractive to employers. 

You may also have special training in blue-collar skills that are essential to doing your job — for example, a trade school welding class. 

Here is an example of a general laborer resume education section:

Engineering Science A.S., Herkimer County Community College, Herkimer January 2020 - Present

CV skills section  example

The skills section of your general laborer resume may be one of the most influential in the entire document. It should include a good mix of hard skills and  soft skills to showcase what you can do and how well you’ll be doing it. So make sure to put some thought into your choice of skills, based on the job you’re applying for. Employers will pay close attention.

Back to the idea that general laborers are “unskilled” — that’s often pure baloney. If you can drive a nail with five blows, how many librarians can do that?  Physical strength and stamina, speed and accuracy, experience with power tools or heavy machinery, expertise in landscaping, paving, plumbing or carpentry — all speak to the specialized talents that will make hiring managers take a closer look at you.

Brainstorm a list of all the things you’re good at doing, even if you don’t think these skills are noteworthy because they come as second nature to you. Write down everything you can think of, even if the list becomes way too long. Then go back, take a close look at your list, trim it down to your most marketable skills, and find the best ways to describe them. Chances are, you’ll come up with an excellent list of skills that will interest employers. Keep this “master list” on hand to customize each time you apply for a different job. Again, the posted job requirements will help you cherry-pick the most relevant ones.

Since yours is largely a hands-on occupation, this section will tend to emphasize hard skills. that But don't overlook some of the soft skills that reflect your personal attributes and work habits. 

Avoid clichés like “self-starter” or “team player,” which might sound good but basically say nothing. Use original language to highlight skills that will be different from what’s on everyone else’s resume.

Here’s an example of a resume skills section for a general laborer:

• Adaptability
• Forklift Operator
• Ability to Multitask
• Communication Skills
• Knowledge of Power Tools and Hand Tools

Resume layout, design and formatting

Your general laborer resume needs to look as good as it reads, so you need to put some thought into its layout, design and formatting. That's not to say it should be overloaded with fancy visual elements to make it look  “pretty.” You want readers to focus on you and your qualifications, so avoid unnecessary visual distractions.

Resume.io offers resume templates divided into four design categories:  simple, creative, professional and modern. You can’t really go wrong with any of these, but don’t underestimate the impact of a simple style, which is recommended for physical and technical fields, as well as positions in transport, logistics, maintenance and repair.

You don’t need a resume format that’s overloaded with fancy visual elements or too “pretty.” You want your resume to focus on you and your qualifications, so try to avoid unnecessary visual distractions.

Trust your instincts in finding the right look and feel for your resume. When you find one you like, all you have to do is click on it, and the easy-to-use builder tool will guide you through the steps to making it your own. 

Key takeaways

• General laborers are an essential part of our economy, earning a living wage and looking forward to healthy projected job growth.
• A general labor resume should be confined to one page, with a well-designed header that sets the overall visual tone.
• Your resume needs a well-written summary, work history, education section and skills section.
• Your resume should be customized for each job you seek, addressing the crucial qualifications mentioned in the job listing to avoid rejection by the electronic ATS filter.
• General laborers should choose a resume layout and design that looks simple and attractive without detracting from the content.

Best of luck in finding the job that’s right for you!

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Resume Examples Laborer Resume

Laborer Resume Example

Laborers are responsible for construction-related work, so employers need to see you have the skills and experience to succeed. Our tips and laborer resume sample will help you write an effective resume.

A good resume template for you is both professional and suits your style (and there are many options).

Related Resume Samples

Laborer Resume Template

Average laborer salaries in the us, how to write a laborer resume.

The format of a resume won’t win anyone the job, but it might hurt their chances if it’s messy.

Copy-paste Laborer Resume (Text Format)

FIRST AND LAST NAME

Email: [email protected]

Phone: (123) 456-7891

Address: Street, City, State

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/yourprofile

RESUME SUMMARY

Self-driven general laborer with 6+ years of experience working on large-scale commercial and residential construction projects. Solid expertise in drilling, cutting, mixing, and applying cement and other construction materials. Strong knowledge of health and safety guidelines for a variety of construction jobs.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Asper Construction LLC, New Orleans, LA Laborer/Crew Leader, October 2019–present

• Participate in multiple construction projects involving demolition, site maintenance and cleanup, materials transport, and general support of all phases of construction
• Operate all hand and power tools, including air hammers, earth tampers, cement mixers, small mechanical hoists, and surveying/measuring equipment
• Supervise a team of 7+ laborers, delivering efficient and flawless work with 99% on-time completion of all assigned jobs
• Administer on-site work and inspect all completed jobs to ensure efficiency and quality, reducing client complaints by 47%
• Support project manager in implementing a behavior-based safety program that reduced safety incidents by 69% per year

Fins Construction LLC, New Orleans, LA Laborer, January 2017–September 2019

• Worked on footings, foundations, and framing stages of multiple residential and commercial projects valued in excess of $4.7M
• Functioned as a crew member on a 13+ team, achieving the goal of 98% on-time completion for multiple construction projects
• Ensured 100% on-time delivery of all materials and equipment on the construction site
• Revamped fixing structure of gridwork girders which minimized time by 15% per job
• Maintained a clean and safe work area averaging 80,000 sq. ft.
• Performed physical labor responsibilities to facilitate construction activities on a regular basis and cleaned construction sites to eliminate possible hazards

Enda Karr High School, New Orleans, LA High School Diploma

ADDITIONAL SKILLS

• Certified forklift operator
• Ability to operate a variety of hand and power tools and lift and carry up to 80 pounds
• Excellent knowledge of relevant safety rules and procedures

The following table includes information from O*NET Resource Center by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. The data is presented based on the top states in the USA.

Average laborer annual salaries by state

Laborers are employed for their physical stamina, ability to operate certain tools, attention to safety, and capacity to work well in teams.

As a laborer, you’ll be evaluated based on the hard and soft skills you possess, so keep this in mind while crafting your laborer resume.

Here are four tips to assist you in writing a compelling laborer resume:

1. Highlight your hard laborer resume skills

An impressive resume skills section is the first step toward securing a laborer job.

Hiring managers look at your skills to determine whether you’ve got the expertise required to succeed.

Here are some of the most sought-after hard skills to include in your laborer resume:

• Site maintenance
• Materials transport
• Microsoft Office (Word, Excel)
• Hand tools (saws, shovels, etc.)
• Construction, maintenance, and renovation
• Pipe laying
• Snow plowing
• Power tools (lawn mowers, snow blowers)
• Proficiency in foreign language(s)
• Concrete cutting
• General landscaping
• Maintaining yards and gardens
• Google Docs
• Trunk strength
• Physical stamina

2. Add hard numbers to your achievements

Employers look at your past achievements because they show what you can achieve for them if they hire you.

The clearest way to highlight your professional impact is by adding hard numbers to your resume experience section . For example:

• the number of projects you took up
• the dollar value of the biggest projects you worked on
• the safety incidents you helped reduce in percentage terms
• the customer satisfaction scores you received in percentage terms
• the number of people you supervised or trained

Here’s how you can use hard numbers on your resume:

Supervised a team of 7+ laborers, delivering efficient and flawless work with 99% on-time completion of all assigned jobs Worked on footings, foundations, and framing stages of multiple residential and commercial projects valued in excess of $12M

3. Include strong laborer action verbs

To make your professional experience stand out, add action verbs to your work experience bullet points.

Action verbs convey your impact more powerfully than general descriptive words. They show employers that you’re a go-getter rather than someone who simply follows orders.

Here are some of the strongest action verbs to include in your laborer resume:

•   Load and unload
•   Manoeuvre
•   Coordinate
•   Transport

4. Emphasize your soft skills

Laborers work with teams and need to communicate well with their supervisors and clients, so having impressive people skills is crucial.

Below are some of the top soft skills for a laborer:

• Communication skills
• Customer service skills
• Interpersonal skills
• Multitasking ability
• Safety and compliance
• Time management skills
• Attention to detail
• Calmness under pressure
• Professional
• Responsible
• Project management skills
• Cultural intelligence
• Organizational skills
• Punctuality
• Spatial thinking

5 examples of a general labor resume objective

A resume objective is a customized introduction tailored for each application that emphasizes your career goals. Here are some examples of impactful general laborer resume objectives:

Hardworking general laborer with 5 years of experience in construction, landscaping, and warehouse settings. Skilled in using hand tools and operating various machinery safely and effectively. Seeking a general labor position to contribute physical abilities and strong work ethic.

Reliable general laborer with experience assisting skilled tradesmen, performing demolition, hauling materials, and site clean-up. Work well independently or collaboratively as part of a team. Looking to leverage strengths in a fast-paced, hands-on general labor role.

Physically fit general laborer able to carry out repetitive tasks requiring endurance and strength such as stacking, loading, and unloading. Work safely and efficiently without direct supervision. Seeking a general labor position with opportunities for skill development.

Safety-focused general laborer with experience in manufacturing and production line roles. Complies with all PPE and protocol requirements. Handles hazardous materials appropriately and maintains clean workspace. Looking for a reliable general laborer position.

Diligent general laborer with expertise performing a wide variety of functions including construction, landscaping, janitorial, and production line work. Willing to take on any task efficiently and complete it to specifications. Looking for new opportunities to develop skills.

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General Laborer Resume Sample & Writing Guide

Are you looking for a new job as a General Laborer? Why don’t you take a look at our General Laborer resume sample detailing every aspect to consider when crafting your own unique resume document?

General Laborers are perceived as strong, dexterous individuals doing physical, back-breaking work. However, you need more than muscle power and endurance to be shortlisted for a job, and the competition is tough out there.

Using our General Laborer resume guidelines may assist you in presenting an application that stands out from the rest and of course, landing the job in the end.

What you can read in this article

General Laborer Resume Sample

(Free sample downloads are at the bottom of this page)

General Laborer Resume Writing Guide

Resume sections.

1. Contact Information:

• Mobile Number
• Email Address
• Drivers license

2. Resume Summary: View this as the 30-second elevator pitch to your application, which will prompt recruiters to continue reading the meatier part of your resume. Stick to one paragraph and no more than three sentences (seen examples below)

3. Qualifications Summary: General Laborers can find jobs with or without formal qualifications. The more qualifications you have, the better your chances of securing the job and also increase your pay grade.

4. Relevant General Labor Experience: This is a tricky section because General Laborers are employed in almost every industry imaginable. Just remember that the skills that you learn in one job can often be applied to another job in a completely different industry. Present your employment history from front to back and also give details about apprenticeship or in-service training if applicable. Remember to use brief but informative descriptions about your duties under each role you have had.

5. Skills Summary/Key Skills: The skills section is the area that would set you apart from the rest. General Laborers require technical, physical, and soft skills. Make sure to sprinkle the required job skills stated in the job description throughout your resume summary, and accomplishment, reinforcing them yet again in your skills section. This approach will add more validity to your application.

6. Licenses/Certifications/Relevant Coursework/Training: General Laborers can go from unskilled to semi-skilled to skilled by supplementing work experience with training programs, accreditations, and licenses. Any post-school education (safety, maintenance, occupational compliance) will significantly boost your chances of being shortlisted for a job.

What to Highlight in a General Laborer Resume

Regardless of your experience as a General Laborer, recruiters, and employers are looking for certain things in your resume that would point to other you are a fit for the role at hand.

Firstly, you need to mention if you are a skilled, semi-skilled or unskilled General Laborer.

• Skilled Laborers have specialized training or a taught/trained technical capability backed by accreditation or a special license. This could be anything from a tradesman (electrician, plumber) to perhaps a Red Seal (health and safety).
• You may also be classified as a Semi-Skilled Laborer if you have completed post-school training, on-the-job training or courses relevant to your work experience. For example, you could have completed an Adult Education program to improve your English, completed a short course in building and construction maintenance, or completed a commercial truck driving license.
• You would fall into the Unskilled Laborer category if you don’t have a high school diploma and have worked in jobs as a Grocery Clerk, Fast Food Worker, Seasonal Picker or Parking Lot Attendant.

The second aspect to highlight is the industry you are working in. General Laborers can work in agriculture (permanently or seasonally) where they assist ranchers and farmers in maintaining crops, and livestock, or doing general maintenance on machinery. General laborers are also found in the logistics and warehousing industry where they are responsible for moving objects, packages and pallets of freight and stock inside storage facilities for manufacturing, consumer goods, or pharmaceutical companies.

Similarly, a general laborer could also be tasked with operating, maintaining, or cleaning equipment and machinery in these industries. Pickers and packers are also identified as general laborers, and the individuals work in retail and wholesale sectors. Material-moving machine operators are falling under the General Worker classification, and they would use machinery to transport various objects around work sites in construction, mining, harbors, or airports.

Now you need to specify the purpose of your job. Think of what you do and describe that in one sentence. For example:

• Mix concrete, shotcrete, grouting & gutter
• Conduct small-scale demolition with concrete cutting and pavement breaking, Sweep streets and walkways
• Install piping for sewers and storm drains
• Dig trenches and tunnels
• Paint signs on roads and pavements
• Drill and blast underground tunnels
• Loading and offloading physical goods, materials, and products from trucks

Next is a section dedicated to your physical abilities, for example, your dexterity to life more than 50 pounds, your nimbleness to climb into small spaces or your endurance to stand on your feet for long hours. Exemplary hand-eye coordination is imperative in manual labor work (you may lose an eye or a hand after all) and so is multi-limb coordination to climb ladders or descend via a rope into a utility hole. For most hard labor dobs excellent vision and depth perception are a must-have to firstly perform your job well, and secondly for your own safety and the safety of those around you.

Numerical and reading adeptness is next on the list. Understanding drawings, schematics, and ability to interpret blueprints and other work-related documents are vital to General Laborer roles in mining or construction, for instance. Mathematics and geometry comprehension and mechanical knowledge are also required in various skilled laborer jobs.

Finally, pay attention to ‘’the tools of the trade”.  General Laborers should also have experience in using mechanical tools, operating machines, repairing, and maintaining equipment. (Examples include: claw hammers, lifting hooks, power hoists, pallet jacks, slings, cranes, saws, winches, hoses, wrapping machinery, banding machines)

Make sure to include the following details:

• The locations you are willing to work in, some General Laborer work is seasonal and may take you out of state, like packing fish in Alaska or helping with the harvesting in Louisiana.
• If you are a skilled laborer, you may have obtained certain licensing to allow you to perform more specialized duties such as Hazmat cleaning operations.
• Special machinery you can work with like forklifts, load-bearers, conveyor belts, industrial vacuums, washing bay equipment or large-scale fans and dryers.
• General workers should also include the work settings they are comfortable with within their resumes, for instance, working underground in a mine or doing underwater maintenance duties for a shipping company, even being stationed at sea for long periods such as an oil rig or aircraft carrier.
• Also, include your safety experience and if you are familiar with the most recent ISO standards as well as any other regulatory compliance requirements for fields such as FDA (Medical/Healthcare) or GMP for manufacturing and processing plants.
• You need to state your willingness to work shifts. Most workers have 8-hour shifts, although longer shifts like 12 hours, weekend and overtime are also typical to a General Laborer’s job.
• General Laborers are also responsible for transporting refuse and recyclable materials, and for this, a commercial driver’s license (CDL) is needed.

General Laborer Career Summary & Examples

Hiring Managers and Recruiters are drowning in resumes most of the time. Make their lives easier by presenting them with a well-constructed resume document. To do that you need to write a stellar career summary that hits the proverbial nail on the head by being concise, packed with relevant information, and instantly eye-catching.

Every General Laborer job has its own sets of terminology and buzzwords. Use these as SEO for your resume to highlight technical ability, soft skills, years of working experience, and qualifications. The more your resume resonates with the job description of keywords, the better fit you will seem. A career summary should consist of 3-6 lines that take no more than 20 seconds to read through.

Three Examples:

Career summary 1.

Experienced and tenacious General Laborer with five years of working experience as a crew member for the metropolitan refuge department. Holds a perfect attendance record and the physical capacity to lift and load commercial refuse bins exceeding 25 pounds. Physically in mint condition and used to working long hours in adverse environmental conditions clearing debris and removing garbage sidewalks, pavements, and public walkways. 

Career Summary 2

An energetic youngster with 8 months of experience as a General Laborer in the construction sector. Physically fit with oodles of endurance to perform site duties such as drilling and sawing/cutting construction materials as per the specifications of the bill of work document. Involved in prestigious building projects including the new waterfront gated estate where building works were finalized two months ahead of schedule. Mathematically orientated to interpret drawings, schematics, and blueprints backed up by a diploma in AutoCad Rivet.

Career Summary 3

General Laborer with green fingers and a passion for gardening, landscaping and cultivating lush vegetation for upscale country clubs. Over a decade of experience in pruning. Mowing, mulching, fertilizing and watering large-scale gardens exceeding 228 acres to perfection.

General Laborer Job Descriptions, Responsibilities and Duty Examples

An employer would expect to see the following proven foundational duties and skillsets within an applicant’s resume, depending on the type of role they fulfill as a General Laborer. We have provided a few examples below to help you formulate your own list of job duties.

Example Job Descriptions:

A general laborer in agriculture may:.

• Responsible for general farm duties
• Plant, spray, and irrigate crops
• Fix gates and locks regularly
• Clean stables and groom and feed the horses twice daily
• Assist in rolling hay loops and hoisting them onto trucks
• Prepare medicinal compounds provided by the vet and pour them into three-hole plungers to vaccinate cattle

A General Laborer in Landscaping may:

• Maintain laws with edgers and power powers
• Plant seeds for foliage, plants, grass, ground cover and scrubs during the Fall
• Prune trees, flowering plants, and shrubs during the months of spring
• Mow and edge lawns, using power mowers and edgers
• Decorate gardens and terraces with stones, pot plants, and garden accessories

A General Laborer in Furniture Removal may:

• Wrap furniture and carry them to loading trucks
• Use 4-wheelers and dollies to maneuver furniture around
• Clean carpets, walls, and windows after furniture is taken to the loading bay
• Label and tag all furniture products according to the removal itinerary list

A General Laborer in a Production Plant may:

• Loading and unloading product pallets from supplier trucks
• Unpack pallets and carry boxes to specified storage areas
• Use forklift equipment to maneuver large pallets around the facility
• Clean and maintain plant machinery used in the production process
• Keep a register of all maintenance activities

A General Laborer in Demolition may:

• Prepare the excavation site for drilling and blasting activities
• Secure safety and detour signs in designated areas to warn the public of upcoming demolition
• Conduct appropriate safety checks before and after each blasting process

A General Laborer in Road Maintenance may:

• Lay concrete and perform backhoe activities
• Fill potholes with appropriate materials
• Cordon off areas around sinkholes with reflective tape
• Operate high powered drilling and compacting equipment
• Assist with digging, leveling and paneling duties

Highlight Your Accomplishments

Under your accomplishment section, you may be tempted to copy and paste one or two of your everyday tasks just to fill up the section. Believe it or not, If you contemplate for a moment and think about what sets you apart, what you are most proud of, or what you accomplished in your previous roles, the accomplishments will start dropping fast and furiously onto the resume page.

The trick to writing compelling accomplishment statements is to quantify each statement with a number, timeframe, percentage ore score. By quantifying your achievements in this way, you are effectively providing concrete proof of your capabilities as a General Laborer.

When writing your resume, you should be answering questions such as, “How much?” or “How many?”. For instance:

• How many products do you package daily?
• How many safety incidents were in the last 12 months?
• What was the average time per product from offloading raw materials to unloading onto distribution trucks?
• What is the ground size of the site you have worked on?
• What is the load weight of the pallets you hoist onto delivery vehicles?
• How many potholes have you filled in a day?
• How many building sites do you work at in a month?

Examples of General Laborer accomplishment statements:

• Fix a 1000 yards of farm fences every month
• Clean 2000 square feet of tile flooring per day
• Held a perfect attendance record on all projects for the last six months
• Created a preventative maintenance roster for heavy machinery which reduced shutdowns by 48% during the quarter
• Implemented a mini recycle storage unit for the refuse removal truck which made sorting of plastics, glass and paper materials 50% less time consuming

General Laborer Education Section Example

General Laborers can secure jobs without having completed any formal education. However, the more post-school qualifications you have, the better your chances of securing higher-paid jobs. In short, indicate What, Where, and When regarding your qualifications, certifications or courses or workshops completed. The name of your qualification, institution, and date of completion is more than sufficient.

Completed Secondary and Post School Education must be listed as follows:

Start with the commencement date and completion date for diplomas, associate degrees, and bachelor's degrees. For courses, you can just list the date of completion. Next comes the full name of the qualification, then the full name of the institution, and then the City or abbreviated State name. List your high school diploma details similarly, but only include this when you have less than five years of working experience.

Here are some examples of a General Laborer Resume in terms of education:

2018 Public Certificate in Basic Construction & Maintenance, Houston Community College, Houston, TX Course Curriculum: Measuring and estimating building materials Job site management techniques Coordinating the construction process Quality and safety standards in the construction industry

2012-2013 HVAC Certificate, Altierus College, Washington DC

2011 – Trades Diploma in Carpentry, Kirkwood Community College, Cedar Rapids, IA

2010 – Waste and Refuse Disposal Course, Graduate, Penn Foster College, Ridgefield, NJ

2009 – Hazardous Materials Transportation Training, KMI Learning Institute, Columbus, Ohio

2008 – Forklift Driver Certification, Forklift Training USA, Clinton, MI

2012 High School Diploma, Geneva High School, Ackley, IA

What to Write in a General Laborer Resume Skills Section

Prospective employers may have different requirements listed in the job advertisement, therefore your skills section may need to be customized for each role that you apply for. (This entails extra work on your part, but well worth the effort in the end). Instead of listing your key skills and attributes in bulleted format spanning over two pages, rather present them in a skills matrix. For this, insert a three by ten table and dedicate a column to physical traits, one to technical skills and one to personality attributes, also called soft skills.

Qualifications/Certifications associated with General Laborers

Action Verbs for your General Laborer Resume

Industries using General Laborers:

• Construction
• Oil, Gas & Exploration
• Medical Device
• Agriculture & Farming
• Life Sciences
• Food Manufacturing
• Consumer Goods
• Shipping, Ports & Harbors
• Metals & Steel Production
• Packaging & Distribution
• Agriculture
• Electronic Components
• Power Plants
• Specialty Chemicals
• Pharmaceutical
• Industrial Engineering
• Federal Government
• Educational Institutions
• Food & Beverage
• Tourism & Hospitality
• Waste Removal & Disposal

Professional Information on General Laborers

Sectors :  Various Career Type :  Unskilled, Semi-Skilled, Skilled Person type :   Laborer, Worker, Picker, Handler, Sorter, Mover, Cleaner, Packer, Sweeper Education levels :  From no formal education to post-school qualifications Salary indication :  $27,456 and $37,651 per annum / $13 – $18 per hour Labor market : 12% growth from 2016 – 2016 ( BLS ) Organizations : Plants, Factories, Production Facilities, Manufacturing Operations, Drop Shipping Facilities, Retail, Wholesale, Mining, Cargo, Shipping, Utilities, Construction, Commercial, Corporate, Agriculture

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General Laborer Resume Examples

General Laborers work on a wide range of construction sites, from buildings to highways. Typical duties mentioned on a General Laborer resume sample include preparing job sites, ensuring safety conditions, transporting materials, using power tools and other equipment, building temporary structures, and collaborating with engineers and contractors. Based on our collection of example resumes, these workers should demonstrate stamina, physical strength, attention to safety, time management, teamwork, and good communication skills. No formal education is necessary, but a high school diploma may be required to start a specialized apprenticeship program.

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0-5 years of experience

Loaded and unloaded structure materials and moved material in work areas.

• Assisted with clerical duties .
• Maintained tools, equipment, and work sites.
• Managed shift equipment and material.
• Removed debris and trash.
• Performed other duties as assigned by the manager.

General Services

• Provided cooking, maintenance, assistance and handling of the food grill station.
• Provided cooking, maintenance, assistance and handling of the bakery station.
• Performed routine utility services throughout the various departments of the restaurant for quality daily operations.
• Oversaw the kitchen maintenance issues and needs.
• Served as a dishwasher as needed in the kitchen.

Received, stocked, and re-warehoused merchandise on a daily basis as requested by immediate supervisor

• Handled stock in a careful and safe manner and ensured customer satisfaction by maintaining expected stock level to all store sections.
• Operated assigned warehouse equipment in performing the functions of the job
• Keep warehouse, including inventory, neat and orderly

Performed duties as a freelance carpenter for fashion week events

• Assisted lead carpenters with the assembly of furniture and other related tasks
• Helped with the installation of flooring and staging for performances
• Loaded and unloaded all project materials, performed rubbish removal

General laborer

• Performed each task with focus on quality
• Maintained a clean and safe work environment
• Gathered and removed trash and debris
• Removed dirt, grime, and bugs, prior to the detailing process
• Provided general cleaning of facility

Assisted with construction and demolishing of buildings

• Loaded and unloaded structure materials and moved materials in work areas
• Maintained tools and equipment
• Dug trenches and placed pipes or cables for drains and extra services
• Removed debris and trash at construction sites using wheelbarrows
• Performed other duties as assigned by manager

Carried out various mechanical operations such as washing parts, removing burs, tumbling and sandblasting parts.

• Efficiently operated various types of machines to ensure parts are completed within specified tolerances.
• Helped other co-workers to carry out mechanical assembly related tasks.
• Carried out other jobs such as tooling or area cleaning.

10+ years of experience

Generated daily orders to pull from in-stock door styles, drawer fronts, and open frames.

• Prepared orders for shipping.
• Shipped trucks and tracked orders to confirm orders are correct and delivered.
• Addressed any questions/concerns that truck drivers have.
• Assisted with monthly inventory counts and processing.
• Team Leader of a crew of 21, mediating employee relations.
• Managed communications in-house and corporate wide in reference to work flow and productions needs.
• Assisted with evaluations, safety reports, and quality concerns.
• Issued maintenance orders.

Exceeded production quote at the warehouse through application of efficient strategies for speedy and high quality production.

• Check merchandise for damage and perform repairing tasks before dispatching for shipping.
• Profound ability to communicate in small and large group situations to clients and employees of the organization.
• Highly skilled in transporting raw materials, finished products, and tools through plant physically or by means of powered equipment.
• Familiar with health and safety regulations, and able to recognize quality control methods.

Assisted operation of general site vehicles and tools for example sweepers, mowers, trimming equipment, etc.

• Cleaned up work areas
• Performed general maintenance on machines such as minor repairs and changing oil, etc.
• Fueled vehicles and equipment
• Cleaned trucks
• Completed landscaping projects
• Followed all safety policies and procedures
• Performed other job-related duties as assigned

Move freight, stock, or other materials to and from storage or production areas, loading docks, delivery vehicles, ships, or containers, by hand or using trucks, and other equipment.

• Sort cargo before loading and unloading.
• Attach identifying tags to containers or mark them with identifying information.
• Read work orders or receive oral instructions to determine work assignments, and material equipment needs.
• Stack cargo in locations such as transit sheds or in holds of ships as directed, using pallets or cargo boards.
• Maintain Cleanliness and organization according to safety guidelines and personal protective equipment.

Assisted clients with landscape designs

• Operate lawn mower, blower, saw, leaf vacuum, etc.
• Supervised a 6 man crew
• Ensured safe environment for crew members and clients

Coordinate and manage the safety of teachers and students during school hours and afterschool

• Establishing a good rapport with staff and students along with parents, when needed
• Provide information to students and teachers that is beneficial and supportive
• Computer literate and knowledgeable of Microsoft Office
• Proven leadership and conflict resolution skills

Firewall caulking, pressure washing, general labor

• Prepare tools and materials
• Shoot expansion joints, Control joints, and saw cuts
• Shoot head of wall and foot of wall if required by general contractors
• Backer rot any joints that sealants will fall through and cause a three point adhesion instead of a two point in which one side is stronger than the other causing the sealant to fail faster

Position vehicles, machinery, equipment, physical structures, and other objects for assembly or installation, using hand tools, power tools, and moving equipment

• Tend and observe equipment and machinery to verify efficient and safe operation
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Experience with: Air compressors, Ball peen hammers, Claw hammers, Combination wrenches

Record repairs required, parts used, and labor time.

• Disassemble defective equipment so that repairs can be made, using hand tools.
• Adjust working parts, such as fan belts, contacts, and springs, using hand tools and gauges.
• Scrape and clean units or parts, using cleaning solvents and equipment such as buffing wheels.
• Read work orders or receive oral instructions to determine work assignments or material or equipment needs.

Move freight, stock, or other materials to and from storage or production areas, loading docks, delivery vehicles, ships, or containers, by hand or using trucks, tractors, or other equipment.

Assemble caps using compressing machinery and or other tools.

• Weigh and count final cap products for shipment pick-up.
• Remove worn/damaged chair coverings. Use a hammer or tack puller to remove staples, nails and tacks.
• Attach fabric to frame. Make adjustments to ensure a tight, smooth fit. Glue, staple, or tack fabric to frame. Pick up and deliver furniture.
• Clean, organize, sweep and mop all office and program areas.
• Load and unload trucks.

Understand computer system and input of data.

• Perform quality checks on products (board grade, flutes, singleface/doubleface sides and overall board quality) and is able to identify defects.
• Maintain production efficiencies and standards.
• Able to perform the following miscellaneous job functions in an accurate and efficient manner: packing, palletizing, bundling, stacking, sorting, load tags
• Perform all duties in a manner which is safe for all parties involved
• Assist the operator in efficient operation of the machine centers
• Maintain good housekeeping in production areas

Cut and trimmed meat to prepare for packing.

• Cleaned, trimmed, sliced, and section carcasses for future processing.
• Removed parts, such as skin, features, scales or bones, from carcass.
• Weighed meats and tag containers for weight and contents.
• Processed primal parts into cuts that are ready for retail use.
• Used knives, cleavers, meat saws, band saws, or other equipment to perform meat cutting.

Putting together miscellaneous parts for semi-trucks.

• Paying attention to detail looking for damage.
• Working fast paced on assembly line reaching a set quota before the day was finished.
• Logging information about missing parts, damaged parts, and specific parts into a computer.
• Performance events such as setting up for parties, concerts etc.
• Various manufacturing positions at area industrial companies.

Responsible for the loading and unloading of delivery trucks

• Operate forklift, cherry picker, electric pallet jack and scissor lift
• Maintain various warehouse duties which include: inventory and stock which was then inputted into computer system
• Follow all safety guidelines of the warehouse
• In charge of sugar contract with Domino Sugar
• Repack floor worker

Inspected product prior to shipping using checks gauges and visual checks.

• Responsible for moving, storing, handling product prior to shipment.
• Packaged product to customer specifications.
• Equipment utilized: Tumbler, Parts Washer, Pallet Jack, Deburring Drill
• Identified, packaged, transported, scrapped, inventoried product.

Forklift experience (loading trucks, moving palettes of products, etc )

• Small manufacturer of precast concrete
• Demonstrated proficiency operating the forklift
• Filled containers with sand and stone with a small front end loader
• Operated a cement mixer, concrete probe, hand tools, power washer, sprayer and shrink wrap
• Assemble product containers or crates, using hand tools and precut lumber.
• Operated assigned machine

Possess comprehensive knowledge of applicable environmental laws and regulations on waste clean-up, transportation, remediation, and disposal

• Ability to comprehend and grasp complex and dynamic legislation
• Effective communicator, resilience and patience
• Posses good leadership and management skills
• Sound problem solving, analytical, and decision-making skills
• Good administrative, organizational and administrative skills
• Flexible, multitasking and ability to work under pressure
• Strong passion to learn environment and sustainability issues
• Possess good IT and general office skills
• Great Work ethic
• Learning how to interact well with others and the public
• Set up and take down tents, chairs and tables
• Display new merchandise
• Greet and provided excellent customer service to customers
• Maintain store cleanliness and organize merchandise on sales floor

Performed duties of carpenter, general construction worker, electrician and plumber. Operated a variety of tools including power saws, planers, jointers, routers, tile saws and pneumatic equipment. Worked as drywall hangar, general laborer, roofer, installed floors, doors and moldings.

• Completed numerous kitchen and bathroom renovations.
• Installed doors, windows, framing, including thorough testing to insure air-tight sealing.
• Built custom shelving, cabinets, doors and stairs.
• Performed jobs in roofing, siding, and masonry.
• Installed major appliances according to technical manuals.
• Installed wiring, fixtures and rewired outlets and switches.
• Proficient and safe use of many power tools.

6-10 years of experience

General residential construction.

• Concrete work from setting up forms through finish work.
• Framing both adding new walls in remodels and building new homes.
• Basic drywall work.
• Demolition for remodels.
• Basic electrical work for residential housing.
• Strong skill set and understanding of a wide variety of tools and techniques.

Assemble and repair commercial suites

• Use of large mechanical tools such as sky jacks, jackhammers, concrete saws, table saws, band saws, also smaller tools such as grinders, drills, and reciprocating saws
• Plan and install basic commercial electrical systems
• Communicate with Supervisor, receive daily tasks to organize, prioritize, and execute
• Read and interpret blue prints

Operate various machines, and technical support when necessary

• Pick and pack items using, barcode scanning device
• Package products to make ready for delivery
• Work with other employees in assembly line
• Touch screen labeling
• Short term assignments at multiple warehouses, and fabrication companies

Clean up work sites

• Maintain tools and equipment
• Collect and dispose garbage
• Lift and carry merchandises as needed
• Work effectively to meet or exceed productivity goals while maintaining high quality standards
• High experience in the use of insulation

Loader/Unloader

• To maintain an accurate and efficient count to reach the production goal throughout my shift.
• To be able to lift adequate and precise weights to perform job tasks.
• To ensure products are maintained correctly throughout the shift.
• Assemble and fasten materials to make frameworks or props, using hand tools and wood screws, nails, dowel pins, or glue
• Build or repair cabinets, doors, frameworks, floors, or other wooden fixtures used in buildings, using woodworking machines, carpenter’s hand tools, or power tools.
• Install structures or fixtures, such as windows, frames, floorings, trim, or hardware, using carpenters’ hand or power tools.
• Shape or cut materials to specified measurements, using hand tools, machines, or power saws.
• Work with or remove hazardous material.

Loaded and unloaded material from trailer trucks manually and using hoist, conveyor, and handtruck.

• Weighed materials such as food supplies and other merchandise
• Shoveled scrap into trucks and storage bins.
• Sorted and stacked different material
• Marked and stamped identifying codes on castings.
• Successfully handled shipping and receiving department
• Structured and maintained a good work flow
• Cleaned work area

Serve as a general laborer for small excavating company. Jobs include hauling gravel, septic system installation, basement / slab preps, clear land, township road maintenance, and pond development.

• Operate heavy equipment, such as excavator, bull dozer, front end loaders.
• Operate and drive dump truck, including pulling trailers loaded with equipment.
• Maintain a CDL – Class A license, maintaining up to date health card.
• Perform routine maintenance and minor repairs to dump trucks and other heavy equipment.
• Perform manual labor with dirt digging, pipe installation, and culvert placement.
• Assemble pipes for septic systems.
• Communicate with customers to discuss project needs.
• Comprehend, carry out and relay multiple verbal and instructions.

Mixed various hazardous chemicals for offshore drilling companies

• Had the chemicals tested for quality
• Filled totes with chemicals for shipment to other companies
• Unloaded, picked, staged and loaded products for shipping.
• Supervised material flow, storage and global order fulfillment.
• Oversaw warehousing and storage practices and housekeeping.
• Connected hoses and operated equipment to move liquid materials into and out of storage tanks on vessels.
• Forklift experience
• Completed 10-hour OSHA training in general industry outreach training.

Assist with the general care of over 8,000 chickens.

• Gather and sort up to 7,000 eggs daily.
• Manage inventory levels.
• Ensure a clean and organized work environment.

Stack and wrap pallets

• Load material
• Check quality of product by performing
• Operate casepacker, flow wrap and other machines
• Fixing jams as they occur
• Help other employees with their jobs as needed

Ensure jobsites are free of unnecessary debris

• Assist in functions such as tool retrieval, cutting material, setting up equipment
• Occasionally take off-site trips for materials
• Working with drywall/plastering, blueboard, hardiboard, etc.
• Assist with cutting and installing siding, exterior trim, gutters, and roofs
• Install and paint baseboard
• Interior painting
• Demolition as needed

Lift & pull heavy material

• Operate machinery
• Use proper safety equipment for different duties
• Lay out Tietex & paint
• Clean proper areas around work area
• Silicone Roof area

Assisted in erecting new structures from the foundation up.

• I cut and applied measurements to metal material designed to erect new building or repair torn or damaged surfaces.
• Operated various machinery i.e. (Cherry picker, scissors lift, pilot lifts, heavy duty forklifts) to maintain safety and accurate finish of the job at hand.
• Also a major focus was to ensure the environment we were working in or around was always safe.

Strips and cleans concrete forms

• Performs layout, assembles wood and steel forms, and ties rebar
• Pours, shovels, screeds, and vibrates concrete
• Maintains good housekeeping and safety regulations in an outdoor manufacturing plan setting

General Laborer (full time temp)

• Warehouse dock duties consisting of unloading, stacking and prepping pallets of product for receiving as the trucks arrive.
• Opening up package deliveries and scanning in products into inventory.
• Picking from bins and sending them to packing and shipping as orders arrive.

Mechanic/Welder

• Daily work tasks include: Operating fork truck and overhead cranes.
• Repair various types of surface mining equipment.
• Experience using a GMAW welder, air carbon arc cutting, plasma cutter, oxygen/acetylene cutting and poly propylene torches, horizontal/vertical press and minor horizontal lathe work.

Cleaning/cooking

• Mowing and general yard work
• Taking care of 3 cats while he is away
• Checking on house every 2-3 days while away

Operated blade cutting machine

• Operated water jet machine
• Placed preform with felt into mold, place in oven
• Opened forms to examine form
• Soak them into silicone and ship to customer
• Prepare the job site and set forms for sidewalks and curbs
• Clean up after job sites
• Haul dirt, crush concrete, rocks, and asphalt
• Operate dump truck, backhoe, mini excavator, motor grader, bulldozer, and steam roller

Scan products into warehouse

• Place products in area where they go
• Put products away into sections they belong
• Unload trucks
• Drive a standup forklift
• Prepared all donations by cleaning and fixing them for resale
• Stocked donations received
• Handled all general maintenance

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Last edited by: Gabriela Barcenas, CPRW, Content Writer II -

Gabriela Barcenas

Gabriela is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and career adviser. With 10 years of digital media experience and five years of resume writing expertise, her publication history includes fashion, education, travel, social justice, equitable design and career advice.

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A Compelling General Labor Resume Sample

General laborers truly make things happen. Specifically, they are the ones who make construction work move forward, help keep our roads intact, and assist other members of the construction work team with an array of chores. 

If you plan to work as a general laborer, you deserve a job that pays well, offers great benefits, and keeps you safe. But to get the job you need, you have to have a great resume.

Want to know a secret? You don’t have to be a stellar writer to craft a compelling resume for a job. All you have to do is know the several guiding principles for formatting and curating information on your document. This post will show you how it’s done.  

Create a List of Skills and Certifications

Remember that you are using your resume as a tool to sell yourself. Don’t start until you have some good notes. Make a list of all of your relevant hand skills, certifications, union memberships, etc. Then, as you write a customized resume for each job, you can emphasize the things that are the most important.

Sample general laborer skills for a resume:

• Hand tools and power tools
• Concrete work
• Plastic injection work 
• Foundation preparation
• Material loading and unloading
• Truck driving 
• Forklift operations
• Safety protocols

Choose Your Resume Format Based on Your Experience

There are two basic resume formats :

• Chronological 
• Functional resumes 

Each one is great for general laborers. And you should choose the one that works best for you. As a general rule, use the chronological resume when you have continuous employment in your field. 

If you are less experienced or had an array of contract-based gigs, use the functional resume.

The difference between the two is that your chronological resume is written in reverse order chronologically. It shows your progression and accomplishments throughout your career. 

A functional resume list is built around your skills and emphasizes your capabilities, acquired at different times and projects. 

Don’t Forget to Detail Your Soft Skills

A successful laborer must be able to communicate with others, do basic math, use various tools and machinery without much training, and deal effectively with disagreement. It isn’t enough to have construction skills and physical strength. You have to have good soft skills too. This includes communications, teamwork, and conflict management.

Widen Your Job Search

You can write a great resume, but where will you send it? Are you finding that there isn’t much in your local job listings? Don’t worry. These jobs are often posted elsewhere. Widen your search to include the following:

• Your local unemployment office
• The jobs or workforce center at your local community college
• Labor union halls
• Construction company websites

The city or county that you live in may have a jobs training center or a recruitment agency that will help you apply for jobs and connect you with potential employers.

Edit Out Irrelevant Items

Should you include your high school in the education section of your resume? What about part-time jobs you’ve had, or work that isn’t related to being a general laborer? The answer is probably not. 

If you are younger or inexperienced, you want your resume to reflect all the education and experience you have. In that case, leave those jobs and that educational history in place. On the other hand, if you have many years of experience, you might consider leaving that off. Instead, focus on the items that are relevant. In any case, your resume should not exceed one page .

Resume Example for General Laborer (Word version)

Download resume example (.docx)

General Labor Resume Sample (text version)

Professional summary.

General laborer with more than seven years of experience in commercial and residential construction seeking a position as a journeyman laborer with a union-friendly company. Eager to move into a leadership position.

Davis Homes General Laborer – Journeyman 2018 – Present

Performed a range of tasks to assist in the construction of custom-built homes, apartment buildings, and cabins. Work included:

• Cutting and milling wood to specification
• Unloading lumber, drywall, and other materials from delivery trucks.
• Reconciling materials against shipping receipts.
• Verifying the quality of items delivered.
• Assisting carpenters with tasks such as setting trusses and digging piers.
• Maintaining tools and equipment inventory

Mayer-Thompson Development Group General Laborer/Modular Building Fabricator – Journeyman 2014 – 2018

Worked in a facility fabricating modular building parts that were used to construct a variety of warehouses, government buildings, and other commercial structures. Duties included:

• Framing interior and exterior walls
• Moving finished materials onto delivery trucks
• Ensuring work areas were clean
• Providing cutouts for electricity and plumbing

County Line Roofing 2012 – 2013 General Laborer – Apprentice

Assisted roofers and carpenters with framing, shingling, tuckpointing, and other tasks related to roofing and exterior remodeling.

International Brotherhood of Construction Laborers And Operating Engineers General Laborer Accelerated Journeyman Program  June 2014

General Laborer Apprenticeship Training And Development Program January 2012

West County Technical High School June 2011 High School Diploma Certificate in Construction and Maintenance Trades

Final Thoughts: Write a Great Summary or Objective

Every resume should start off with a well-written objective statement or professional summary . Which one should you choose? That really depends. If you have some experience, then a professional summary is a better choice. Basically, you write down what you bring to the workplace as an experienced laborer. 

Are you entry level? Then a resume objective is best. You will use it to describe the position you want, some positive attributes you have, and your aspirations.

Elena runs content operations at Freesumes since 2017. She works closely with copywriters, designers, and invited career experts to ensure that all content meets our highest editorial standards. Up to date, she wrote over 200 career-related pieces around resume writing, career advice... more

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General Labor Resume: Guide, Example & Tips

In this article, you will learn about:

Step 1: Pick the best layout for your general labor resume.

• Step 2: Choose the right format for your general labor resume.
• Step 3: Start with contact information and basic personal details. 
• Step 4: Create an intriguing general labor resume headline. 
• Step 5: Craft a professional general labor resume summary.

Step 6: Include skills and abilities relevant to the job.

Step 7: highlight your best experience and accomplishments., step 8: list educational qualifications and background., step 9: add an extra section to highlight personal traits., step 10: craft a convincing general labor cover letter..

• General labor resume sample

A general laborer performs various physical tasks on a wide variety of sites from construction sites to public infrastructure, such as: 

• Carrying out tasks and following specific instructions.
• Operating equipment to transport materials or raw materials carefully.
• Preparing site materials and cleaning up debris.

A general labor worker is different from a skilled labor worker in that most of the general laborer tasks are considered basic and generic labor tasks. A skilled labor worker, on the other hand, possesses specific skills and knowledge to perform certain tasks. 

To land a job as a general labor worker, you have to have strong work ethics and endurance to carry out the tasks for the worksite. To show that you have the right mentality and skills, you need to prepare a professional general labor worker resume (or general laborer CV). 

Whether you plan to build a general construction worker resume or a general labor warehouse resume, the following steps and advice will guide you to writing an impressive general labor resume.

• How long should a general labor resume be? To quickly get the point across to the employer, be concise with your general labor resume and limit it to one page. 
• What is the best font to use for a general labor resume? Another method to help you easily show the employer your list of credentials is by choosing a reader-friendly font for your general labor resume, such as Arial or Times New Roman with a font size between 10 and 12. 
• What is the standard margin for a general labor resume? For your general labor resume, set margins to 1 inch on all four sides of the page. 
• What spacing should a general labor resume be in? Based on the type of font that you choose for your general labor resume, your line spacing should be between 1.2 and 1.5.
• What format should a general labor resume be in? To ensure that the information you provide in your general labor resume stays organized, save the general laborer resume in a PDF file unless the employer asks for a resume in Word format, 

So do make sure to check the job description of the general laborer job for your resume format.

Step 2: Choose the right format for your general labor resume .

To write a well-arranged general labor resume, do research on which of the three formats below will be the most suitable one for you. 

• Lists your work experience from the most recent to the oldest
• Highlights your work history
• Not ideal for people with career gaps
• Focuses on your technical and transferable skills
• Highlights your skills
• Hiring managers can doubt about your hands-on experience
• Ideal for job applicants with a strong work history and various transferable skills
• Highlights both work history and skills
• Can be lengthy and repetitive

Step 3: Start with contact information and basic personal details.

The contact information section is your introduction of your general labor worker resume and tells the recruiter who you are. What you include within this section is crucial as you want to make sure the employer will be able to reach you after reviewing your general labor resume. 

You should mention these:

• Your Full Name
• Professional Title
• Email Address
• Phone Number 
• Address (optional)
• LinkedIn URL (optional)
• Personal Website (optional)

You should not mention these:

• Date of Birth
• Sexual Orientation 
• Marital Status

Step 4: Create an intriguing general labor  resume headline .

The headline title of your general labor resume is where you construct a striking one-liner that describes your professional experience and/or achievements.

✅ Tip 1: Make the headline of your general labor resume stand out with capitalization. Using uppercases allows the employer to quickly notice the title of your general labor resume. 

✅ Tip 2: Ensure that the headline of your general labor resume is concise. To keep it brief and easy to read for the employer, limit the headline of your general labor resume to ten words or less.   

✅ Tip 3: Position your headline at the top of your general labor resume. This guarantees that the hiring manager sees your headline and wants to continue reading your resume. 

General Labor Resume Headline Examples: 

• Hardworking, Punctual General Laborer Knowledgeable in Safety Regulations
• Cooperative General Laborer with 3+ Years of Construction Experience 
• Driven General Laborer Skilled in Construction Work and Landscaping

Step 5: Craft a professional general labor  resume summary .

The summary statement of your general labor resume is where you explain your manual-related expertise further. 

A strong descriptive word is an ideal start of a professional general laborer resume summary. Hence, start with a powerful adjective describing a suitable attribute you have or the training you have completed. 

You also need to include experience and skills in the summary for your general laborer resume. It's important to display your strengths and what will be covered through the rest of your general labor resume.  

Additionally, chip away any grammatical errors by proofreading your general laborer resume summary. Show the employer that you are detail-oriented with a general laborer resume summary free of typos.   

✨ Pro Tips: 

Stuck on building a successful general laborer resume summary? If you are writing a general labor resume with no experience, you might find a general labor objective for a resume more useful.

A general labor resume objective features your career goals in the future instead of past achievements. 

Resume Summary Examples for a General Labor Worker: 

• Reliable general laborer with 3+ years of experience supporting construction projects. Skilled in operating machinery, preparing raw materials for use, and assisting with last-minute requests. 
• Coordinated general laborer experienced in commercial and residential services. Skilled in painting and carpentry work and techniques. 
• Trained general laborer skilled in performing construction work, such as plumbing, carpentry, and cementing. 5+ years of experience in handling various construction projects.

The skills you include in your general labor resume provide the employer with examples of what you are proficient in. Begin writing the skills section of your general labor resume by choosing one of the four styles to organize your skills:  

• Easy-to-view.
• Lacks details of how you utilize a skill.
• Easy-to-read.
• Provides details of how the skills are used.
• Takes up much space.
• Provides contexts and details of how the skills are used.
• Not suitable for freshers.
• Effectively lists broad skills.
• Lack details how you apply a skill.

Example General Labor Skills for a Resume:

Hard Skills:

• Blueprints 
• Manual Dexterity 
• Calibration Techniques
• Scaffolding 
• Safety Protocol  
• Replacements Materials 
• Power Tools 
• Physical Strength 
• Construction 
• Loading & Unloading
• Heavy Lifting 
• Hand Tools 
• General Warehouse 
• Assembly Line
• Landscaping 
• Electricity

Soft Skills:

• Cooperation 
• Organization 
• Critical Thinking 
• Communication  
• Mental Endurance
• Decision Making 
• Problem Solving 
• Detail-Oriented

No matter if you're a seasoned professional or a fresher, you can create a powerful general labor  using Cake. Download free general labor resume templates in PDF and get the dream job with ease!

The work experience section of your general labor resume provides the employer a detailed account of projects and jobs you have been professionally involved with.

5 elements in the work experience section in a general labor resume:

1. Name of the company/factory (with location)

2. Your professional title

3. Month and year of employment

4. Explanations and examples of work achievements

✅ 3 tips for effectively delivering your work experience in your general labor resume:

• Create a suitable general labor resume based on the type of manual work you’re applying for. 
• Upgrade examples of work experience in your general labor resume with quantifiable details.  
• While you may have the strength to take on the role, make sure to also strengthen up your general labor resume with action verbs.  

Work Experience Examples for a General Labor Resume:

General Laborer  System One, Maryland Jan 2020 - Present 

• Prepare equipment and power tools to assist with repairs and maintenance. 
• Finalize construction projects punctually and clean the site thoroughly, improving company rating to 4.8/5.0.  

Laborer  Cortex, Maryland Jan 2018 - Dec 2019

• Assembled needed supplies and equipment for the construction team.
• Transported tools and materials to the accurate construction site timely, which saved project completion time by 17%.

Even though there usually are no specific education requirements for a general laborer role, you will still want to include any educational achievements you have and related training you have completed in your general labor resume.

List your educational credentials in your general labor resume with the five elements below:

1. Type of degree

2. Major(s)

3. Month and year of education

4. Name of school

5. Additional information, such as awards or extracurricular activities

If you are crafting a general labor resume with no experience, you will find it beneficial to list your education credentials right after your objective/summary statement. If you are an experienced general labor writing a resume, place your educational background after your work experience instead. 

How to list education in different situations and examples:

• Avoid listing it if you finished college.
• Landfalls High School (MD, U.S.) 2011 - 2015 | GPA: 3.86 
• List “in progress” or “expected to graduate in (year)” 
• B.S. in Labor & Human Resources, Penn State (Expected to graduate in 2026) | GPA: 3.93 
• Include credits earned or experience earned
• Completed 40 credits towards a high school diploma. 
• List under “areas of interest” or “additional information”.
• Fit for people who have hobbies or interests that showcase relevant skills or who have enough space in their general labor resume.
• Example: crafting with hand tools.  
• List in your work experience section or additional information section.
• Example: Homebuilder volunteer at Habitat for Humanity.
• Example: Laborer of the Month at XXX Construction Company, June 2019.
• Example: Crane Development Project.
• Example: Mr. Randy Sol, the director of General Labor at ABC company | Former direct supervisor.
• Full Legal Name
• Mobile Number
• Current Address
• Introduction:  Greet the hiring manager and tell them who you are or how you found the role. 
• Motivation : Let the employer know why you applied for the general laborer position at this company/factory.
• Qualification: Provide the employer with credentials and background information to show you are fit for the general laborer position.  
• Closing: Conclude your general labor cover letter with contact information and a thank you.

With these ten effective steps, various examples of elements in a general labor resume, and the general labor resume sample below, you will have no difficulties in building a successful general labor resume for your next manual position. 

General labor  resume sample

Lyman duncan.

Hardworking, Punctual General Laborer Experienced in Workplace Safety Procedures

241 Winter Ave., Annapolis, MD 21401 (424)-111-1042  [email protected]

Reliable general laborer with 3+ years of experience supporting construction projects. Skilled in operating machinery, preparing raw materials for use, and assisting with last-minute project request duties. 

Work Experience

General Laborer  System One    Jan 2020 - Present

• Prepare heavy machinery, equipment, and power tools to assist with repairs and maintenance. 
• Finalize construction projects punctually and clean the site thoroughly, improving company rating to 4.8/5.0.   
• Support and train new employees. 

Laborer  Cortex   Jan 2018 - Dec 2019

• Transported tools and materials to the accurate construction site timely, which saved project completion time by 17%. 
• Cleaned worksites by removing waste materials, debris, and raw materials left behind after the completion of construction projects. 
• Arithmetic 
• Safety Protocol 
• Power/Hand Tools
• Raw Materials

Annapolis High School (MD, U.S.) 2014 - 2018

--- Originally written by  Jessica Sun  ---

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10 General Laborer Resume Summary Examples

A resume serves as a vital tool in your job search, and for general laborers, the competition can be extensive.

Your General Laborer resume should start with a summary statement. A summary is not just an introduction but a powerful statement that embodies your skills, experience, and work ethic.

This section of your resume is your opportunity to make a strong first impression, and with hiring managers spending only seconds on initial reviews, it’s crucial to grab their attention immediately.

The following are 10 General Laborer Resume Summary Examples that are designed to help you stand out from the crowd.

Tips for Writing General Laborer Resume Summary Statement

• Be Concise: Keep your summary short and to the point. Aim for 2-3 sentences that capture your skills and experience.
• Highlight Key Skills and Experience: Focus on the most relevant qualifications and experience that match the job you’re applying for.
• Use Strong Action Words: Start with powerful action verbs like “dedicated,” “motivated,” or “skilled” to create a strong impression.
• Tailor to the Job: Customize your summary for each application to reflect the specific requirements of the job posting.
• Include Achievements: Mention any notable achievements or successful projects to demonstrate your impact and work ethic.
• Show Enthusiasm: Express your eagerness and dedication to the role to convey a positive attitude.
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Top 16 General Labor Resume Objective Examples

Updated July 22, 2023 13 min read

A resume objective is a short statement at the beginning of your resume that gives employers an idea of what you are looking for in a job. It should highlight your skills and qualifications, as well as any experience you have related to the position you are applying for. When writing a resume objective for a general labor position, focus on demonstrating how your skills, abilities, and experience make you an ideal candidate for the role. For example, if you have experience with repair work, mention this in your objective and explain how it would be beneficial in the role. Additionally, emphasize any specific technical or physical skills that may be needed for the job such as operating machinery or lifting heavy objects. Finally, include any certifications or training that demonstrate commitment to safety practices. With these tips in mind, you can create an effective resume objective that will help get your application noticed by employers.

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Top 16 General Labor Resume Objective Samples

• To obtain a General Labor position with an established company where I can utilize my skills and knowledge to contribute to the success of the organization.
• Seeking a General Labor role in which I can leverage my strong work ethic and physical stamina to help increase productivity.
• To secure a challenging position as a General Labor that will allow me to use my experience and abilities for mutual benefit.
• Looking for an opportunity to join a team of professionals as a General Labor, utilizing my expertise in manual labor.
• To obtain a position as a General Laborer with an organization that values hard work and dedication.
• To find employment as a General Laborer with an organization that offers growth potential and career advancement opportunities.
• Eager to secure a position as a General Laborer where I can apply my knowledge of safety regulations and physical strength.
• Seeking an entry-level position as a General Laborer in which I can gain valuable experience while contributing to the success of the company.
• Aiming to join an organization that values hard work, dedication, and commitment by obtaining the role of General Laborer.
• Desire to join an established firm as a General Laborer where I can use my physical strength and attention to detail for the benefit of the company.
• Aiming for a job as general laborer where I can use my problem solving skills and dedication towards achieving organizational goals.
• Looking for an opportunity to join an esteemed organization as general laborer where I can utilize my skill set for mutual benefit.
• Seeking employment in general labor capacity, bringing strong work ethic, reliability, and excellent customer service skills.
• Dedicated individual seeking placement within general labor field; offering solid background in manual labor operations & safety protocols.
• Looking for full-time general labor role with reputable company; offering exceptional physical stamina & ability to learn quickly on-the-job tasks/procedures.
• Ambitious individual searching for entry-level general laborer position; bringing positive attitude & willingness to take on any task assigned efficiently & effectively.
• Highly motivated individual looking for general labor role; offering proven ability to follow instructions accurately & complete projects within deadlines set by management team/supervisors.
• Experienced worker seeking full-time employment in general labor field; bringing extensive knowledge of manual labor operations & safety protocols along with strong communication skills & customer service orientation

How to Write a General Labor Resume Objective

Writing a resume objective for a general labor position can be intimidating, but it is an important step in the job search process. A resume objective is a statement of your career goals and how they align with the needs of the employer. It should be concise, specific, and tailored to the position you are applying for. This article will provide tips on how to write a successful resume objective for a general labor position.

When crafting your resume objective, begin by focusing on what you can offer the company as an employee. Consider your skills, experience, and qualifications that make you qualified for the role. Focus on attributes that are relevant to the job description and demonstrate how you can be an asset to the employer. Be sure to highlight any relevant certifications or training that have prepared you for this type of work.

Once you have identified your skills and qualifications, create an effective statement that communicates your goal for this role. Your statement should include what kind of role you are seeking, such as “seeking a full-time general labor position” or “looking to join a team in a general labor capacity”. Additionally, include information about how your experience and knowledge can benefit the company in terms of increased productivity or efficiency.

Finally, ensure that your resume objective is written in a clear and concise manner that demonstrates confidence in yourself and your abilities as an applicant. Avoid using overly technical language or jargon; instead focus on simple yet powerful statements that articulate why you would be perfect for this job. Your goal should be to capture the attention of prospective employers with an impactful statement that highlights why they should consider hiring you as their next general laborer!

Related : What does a General Labor do?

Key Skills to Highlight in Your General Labor Resume Objective

In the competitive job market, having a well-crafted resume is crucial to stand out among other candidates. Particularly for general labor jobs, employers seek individuals with specific skills that align with their job requirements. Your resume objective should not only state your career goals but also highlight the key skills you possess that make you an ideal candidate for the position. This section will discuss the essential skills to emphasize in your general labor resume objective to increase your chances of landing the job.

1. Forklift operation

Operating a forklift is a specific and valuable skill in many general labor positions. It demonstrates the ability to handle heavy machinery and equipment, which can be critical in warehouse, construction, manufacturing, or shipping environments. This skill shows potential employers that the candidate has the technical abilities necessary to perform essential tasks safely and efficiently. Including forklift operation in a resume objective can make a candidate more attractive to employers seeking versatile workers who can take on a variety of roles within their operations.

2. Welding proficiency

A general labor job often involves various tasks that require manual skills, including welding. Welding proficiency is needed for a resume objective as it showcases the candidate's ability to join metal parts using high heat application. This skill is crucial in many industries such as construction, manufacturing, and automotive repair. It indicates the candidate's versatility, technical knowledge, and adherence to safety protocols. Furthermore, it can make a candidate stand out from others who lack this specific skill.

3. Masonry techniques

A general laborer may be required to perform various tasks in different settings, including construction sites where masonry work is involved. Having a skill in masonry techniques demonstrates the ability to handle tasks such as building structures with bricks or stones, repairing existing structures, and working with different types of cement. This skill shows potential employers that the candidate has a diverse set of abilities, can work with precision and attention to detail, and is capable of physical labor. It also indicates that the candidate has knowledge of safety procedures related to masonry work.

4. Carpentry expertise

Having carpentry expertise as a skill in a resume objective for a General Labor job is essential because it demonstrates the ability to perform various tasks that may include constructing, installing, and repairing structures and fixtures made from wood and other materials. This skill can also indicate proficiency in using hand and power tools, understanding blueprints or sketches, and ensuring safety standards. It shows potential employers that the candidate has practical skills, attention to detail, problem-solving abilities, and can contribute significantly to construction or renovation projects.

5. Plumbing knowledge

A general laborer may be required to perform a variety of tasks, including basic plumbing work. Having plumbing knowledge can demonstrate to potential employers that the candidate is capable of handling such tasks. This skill can also show that the candidate has a diverse range of abilities, making them more versatile and valuable in a general labor position. Furthermore, it could potentially save the employer time and resources on basic plumbing issues, increasing overall efficiency.

6. Electrical wiring

A general laborer may be required to perform a variety of tasks on a job site, including electrical wiring. This skill is necessary as it demonstrates the ability to handle complex tasks, adhere to safety guidelines, and contribute to the completion of construction or renovation projects. It shows that the candidate has a diverse set of skills, making them more valuable and versatile. Knowledge in electrical wiring also reduces the need for additional specialized personnel, potentially saving time and resources for the employer.

7. Heavy machinery handling

Operating heavy machinery is a crucial skill for a general labor job as it often involves tasks like loading and unloading materials, digging trenches, or moving earth. Having this skill shows the employer that you are capable of performing these tasks efficiently and safely. It also indicates that you have received proper training and can adhere to safety protocols, reducing the risk of workplace accidents. This can make you stand out from other candidates who lack this skill.

8. Landscaping abilities

A general labor job often involves a variety of tasks that may include maintaining and improving the physical landscape of a particular area. Landscaping abilities are therefore crucial as they demonstrate the candidate's ability to perform tasks such as mowing lawns, trimming shrubs, planting flowers, and other duties that keep the outdoor spaces neat and attractive. This skill also shows the candidate's knowledge in horticulture principles, which can be essential for tasks involving plant care and growth. Additionally, landscaping abilities can indicate physical stamina and attention to detail, both important qualities for a general laborer.

9. Concrete finishing

A resume objective for a General Labor job that includes the skill of concrete finishing indicates the applicant's ability to perform essential tasks related to construction and infrastructure development. This skill is crucial because it shows the applicant's capacity to smooth and finish surfaces of poured concrete, such as floors, walks, sidewalks, roads, or curbs using a variety of hand and power tools. It also highlights their knowledge in aligning forms for sidewalks, curbs, or gutters; patch voids; and use saws to cut expansion joints. This makes them a valuable asset for any construction or labor-intensive job.

10. Scaffold assembly

A general laborer may be required to work on various construction or industrial sites where scaffolding is used. The ability to assemble scaffolding demonstrates that the candidate has knowledge of safety protocols, physical strength, and coordination. This skill also indicates that the individual can work at heights and handle tools and heavy equipment, which are all important aspects in many labor-intensive jobs. Therefore, including scaffold assembly as a skill in a resume objective can make a candidate more appealing to potential employers in these fields.

In conclusion, it is crucial to carefully select and highlight key skills in your general labor resume objective. This not only helps you stand out from other candidates but also demonstrates your suitability for the role. The skills you choose to emphasize should align with the job description and reflect your ability to perform effectively in a general labor position. Remember, your resume objective serves as a first impression, so make it count by showcasing the most relevant and impressive skills you possess.

Related : General Labor Skills: Definition and Examples

Common Mistakes When Writing a General Labor Resume Objective

Writing a resume objective is an important part of the job application process. It gives employers a snapshot of your skills, experiences, and qualifications that are relevant to the position you’re applying for. However, many job seekers make mistakes when writing their resume objective that can be costly when it comes to getting hired.

One common mistake is using too much jargon or technical language. While it’s important to showcase your skills and abilities in a concise way, employers want to quickly understand what you can contribute to their organization without having to decipher complex wording. Stick with simple language that clearly communicates the value you bring to the table.

Another mistake is being too vague in your resume objective. Employers want specifics about how you plan on contributing to their team and what makes you stand out from other applicants. Try to tailor your objective statement so it reflects the specific job description and provides evidence of why you’re the best person for this role.

Additionally, some applicants make the mistake of writing objectives that are too long-winded and don’t get to the point quickly enough. A good rule of thumb is to keep your statement under three sentences so employers can easily scan through it and get a sense of who you are as an applicant.

Finally, avoid making broad statements like “seeking a challenging position” or “looking for an opportunity where I can grow professionally” as they don’t provide any real insight into what makes you unique or qualified for the job at hand. Instead, focus on how your skills and experience will benefit the employer specifically if they hire you for this role.

By avoiding these common mistakes when crafting your general labor resume objective, you can ensure that employers take notice of your application and see why you’re the perfect fit for their team!

Related : General Labor Resume Examples

A right resume objective for a general labor position would be to highlight your experience and skills that make you an ideal candidate for the job, while a wrong resume objective would simply state that you are looking for any type of job.

Editorial staff

Brenna Goyette

Brenna is a certified professional resume writer, career expert, and the content manager of the ResumeCat team. She has a background in corporate recruiting and human resources and has been writing resumes for over 10 years. Brenna has experience in recruiting for tech, finance, and marketing roles and has a passion for helping people find their dream jobs. She creates expert resources to help job seekers write the best resumes and cover letters, land the job, and succeed in the workplace.

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