INDUSTRY STATS
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Carpenter positions are at a 2% growth rate, which is slower than average. With that said, there are currently 942,900 jobs in the market right now. The total number of jobs is expected to increase by 20,100 to 963,000 in the period of 2020-30.
What’s more, the median annual wage for the Carpenter jobs was $49,520 in May 2020. The lowest 10% earned less than $31,200, and the highest 10% more than $87,410.
Our conclusion? The Carpenter job market is wide open for candidates.
Top Carpenter sections that make the best resume
- Header
- Professional summary
- Experience (with numbers and results)
- Relevant skills
- Education
- Certifications
How to write a Carpenter resume experience section
Carpenter Resume’s Job Experience Checklist:
- Use 4-6 bullet points per job title;
- Don’t go further than a decade behind when describing your job history, unless you’re applying for an executive position;
- Combine job responsibilities as well as achievements with numbers in results when you describe your past work;
- Start each sentence with a power verb and avoid overused buzzwords;
- Use either C-A-R or S-T-A-R methodology, when describing your experience.
The work experience samples below come from real Carpenter resumes that got people hired at top companies. You can use them as an inspiration to build your own resume:
- Performing drywall installation, roofing painting, framing, staining, and cement repair
- Delivered materials to worksites
- Installed flooring in various unfinished properties
- Worked effectively in residential, commercial and agricultural settings.
- Effectively utilized demolitiion and custom renovation strategies.
- Successfully created fencing, decks, walkways, and Arbor construction.
- Effectively implemented framing, window and door installation, and trim and crown molding within construction projects.
- Demonstrated strong attention to detail while shingling roofs, truss and rafter systems and webbing procedures.
- Insulated concrete form "ICF" housing, concrete flooring, and foundations.
- Drywall hanging, filling and painting.
- Carpenter, builder
- Construction, building, renovation and renewal of villas and houses
- Got certificate of usage of pneumatic airtools
- Built custom furniture from reclaimed materials
- Sketched Designs Furniture
- Managed Custom Orders
- Shaped materials to exact measurements for job requirements using hand tools and power equipment
- Cut timber, panels and other wooden materials according to measured dimensions
- Cut roofing paper to size and nailed and stapled paper to roof in overlapping strips to form base for roofing material
- Overlapped successive layers of roofing material, determining distance of overlap using chalk line, gauge on shingling hatchet and lines on shingles
- Supported safe and clean working environment by complying with procedures, rules and regulations
- Assisted master carpenters with gutter installations for residential and commercial customers
- Cleaned job site after work completion and disposed of debris in proper containers
- Cut materials on job site to prepare for installation
- Followed government and corporate safety regulations and procedures
- Led a crew of 5-10 glaziers and carpenters installing in new. construction and occupied dwelling with no injuries reported.
- Experience with aluminum storefront systems, aluminum and vinyl windows, and steel doors.
- Completed projects ranging up to 18 buildings with 1000+ windows.
- Follow blueprints and building plans to meet the needs of clients
- Install structures and fixtures, such as windows and molding
- Measure, cut, or shape wood, plastic, fiberglass, drywall, and other materials
- Construct building frameworks, including wall studs, floor joists, and doorframes
- With a passion to put my architecture degree to use and learn the construction industry from the ground up I'm pursuing this position as a carpenter.
- Work as part of a team to construct single and multi-family units for numerous home builders in the twin cities. Performing all aspects of rough stick framing to shape residential structures.
- Utilize prefabricated wall sections to streamline, reduce waste and cost, while adding precision to the building process.
- Mostly tasked in construction of ceiling
- Movement of materials from source to crane
- Involved in day to day construction tasks (lifting, mixing, etc)
- Hull repairs
- Varnishing
- Interior and exterior repairs
- Resiliency - Took an opportunity and risk to step back and pursue a career related to my degree, learning the building trade from the ground up.
- Leadership - Work with Foreman to read, follow blueprints and provide laborers with leadership and direction.
- Team work - Worked as part of a team to construct single and multi-family units for numerous communities in the twin cities.
- Remodel houses following blueprints and designs
- Install cabinets, windows, drywall, and other wooden structrures
- Laid architectural and 3-tab shingles
- Boxing and Concrete
- Panels marking
- Reading Plans
- Frame work
- Gib repairs
- Soffit work
- Applied carpentry skills to build, assemble, and modify custom display components for tradeshow exhibit booths & event display layouts
- Provided technical & logistical support, throughout all project phases.
- Led teams across Canada for 2,000+ special events and exhibits
- supervise local crews and trades throughout project build phases
- lead national teams to efficiently accomplish tasks and meet deadlines
- provide technical & logistics support, from concept to completion
- interpretation of floor plans for exhibit booths & event display layouts
- install and modify retail displays and corporate environments
- effectively communicate with clients, adapting to site requirements
- generate reports & recommendations to streamline onsite operations
- Follow blueprints and building plans to meet the needs of clients.
- Install structures and fixtures.Measure, cut, or shape wood, plastic, and other materials.
- Construct building frameworks, including walls, floors, and doorframes.
- Inspect and replace damaged framework or other structures and fixtures.
- Project planning
- Coordinated work teams in different projects
- Improved organization and productivity on supervised projects
- Planned and coordinated the activities on the department of carpentry
- Coordinated different projects
- Installed cabinets and furniture for different projects
- Forman that was undergoing training to be a Superintendent
- Roofing
- Carpentry
- Concrete finishing
PRO TIP
The person reading your Carpenter resume will be busy, make sure you never waste their time with fluff.
Action Verbs for your Carpenter Resume
Recommended reads:
Carpenter Resume Skills’ Tips & Tricks to Impress Recruiters
Resume Skills Section Checklist:
- Ensure your hard skills section (including technologies) are exactly matching the job description.
- Don’t simply list your soft skills. Apply the “show, don’t tell” principle - let your job achievements speak for themselves.
- Find a way to showcase your skills beyond the skills section.
- Your resume’s skill section is important to ATS systems - so don’t skip it.
Top Skills for your Carpenter resume
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adoe InDesign
- Adobe Illustrator
- Bluebeam
- PlanGrid
- Communication
- Attention to details
- Caution
- Organisation
- Punctuality
PRO TIP
Don’t feel obliged to spend a separate section for your soft skills - you can weave them throughout your job experience or career summary. But, don’t just write empty words - back them with examples.
Recommended reads:
Carpenter Resume Header: Tips, Red Flags, and Best Practices
CHECKLIST For Your Carpenter Resume Header
- Your name and surname in a legible and larger resume font
- The job title you’re applying for or your current job title as a subheading to your name
- Link to your portfolio or online profile, such as LinkedIn
- Address (City and State for the US; just your city for rest of the world)
- Email address
- Headshot (required or welcomed in the EU; not required and sometimes frowned upon in the US)
Stick to popular email providers such as Gmail or Outlook. And use these professional formats to create your username:
- first.last@gmail.com
- last.first@gmail.com
- firstlast@gmail.com
- f.last@gmail.com
- first.l@gmail.com
Recommended reads:
PRO TIP
Include a link to your portfolio in your Carpenter resume header. Most companies will require that you include one in your resume, and even if they don’t, it’s an excellent opportunity to directly show them your proudest projects.
Carpenter Resume Summary Best Practices
Checklist: What to include in your Carpenter resume summary:
- Years of experience;
- Highlight top 3 skills and proficiencies;
- One big professional accomplishment you’re most proud of, that you can tie with the aforementioned skills;
- Use short, direct sentences - but no more than three - to keep the HRs interested.
Resume Summary Formula:
PRO TIP
Your summary section should act as a professional taster. Use it wisely. Effectively convey your professional profile and let the hiring manager know that if they hire you, they won’t be disappointed. Make sure to include keywords from the job description too! Elaborate on your abilities further in your experience section. Again, cater to the job description.
Recommended reads:
Listing Your Education, Certifications and Courses
Resume Education Section Checklist:
- Ensure your hard skills section (including technologies) are exactly matching the job description.
- Don’t simply list your soft skills. Apply the “show, don’t tell” principle - let your job achievements speak for themselves.
- Find a way to showcase your skills beyond the skills section.
- Your resume’s skill section is important to ATS systems - so don’t skip it.
Top Certifications for your Carpenter resume
Recommended reads:
PRO TIP
There are dozens of certifications that you can claim as a Carpenter. But, some are more effective than others. That’s why you mustn’t include every certificate other applicants might have. Try instead to earn and list a few of the difficult ones.
Carpenter Resume: Additional Writing & Formatting Tips
There are three basic resume formats you can choose from:
- Reverse-chronological resume format;
- Functional resume format;
- Hybrid (or Combination) resume format;
The most optimal format for your particular case will depend on your years of experience, as well as whether you’re switching industries or not.
Reverse chronological resumes are best suited for experienced individuals who are sticking to their industry. The experience section takes a central place, and its bullets contain your responsibilities and achievements, coupled with numbers and results.
Functional resumes are used by less experienced jobseekers or career changers. Note that it’s not a format that recruiters prefer, as most are used to the classic chronological alignment. Instead of a list of job titles, functional resumes focus on your skills, and through what experiences you gained them.
Hybrid resumes are great for both experienced and entry-level candidates, as well as career changers. They combine the best of both worlds - most often in a double column format, where one side of the content is focused on your experience, whereas the other - on your skills, strengths, and proudest moments.
Carpenter Resume Summary best practices
Here are more resume tips regarding your layout and style:
- Clear and legible 12p resume font size;
- Use 10’’ resume margins - that’s default for a great resume design;
- Use a one-page template resume length if you’ve got less than 10 years of experience; otherwise, opt for a two-page resume;
- Save your resume as PDF before sending it to the recruiter.
To take it a step further, check out how your resume can stand out without leaning too much on the creative side.
Recommended reads:
PRO TIP
If you feel that you don’t have high chances in a particular company, due to lack of relevant experience, then you can still consider using a creative layout. That might help you get noticed and invited for an interview, as most of the other applicants will have boring resume designs.
Other sections to include in your resume
Depending on the type of company (corporation or start-up; innovative or traditional), job seniority level and your location, you may want to include more sections to your Carpenter resume:
Carpenter Resume: How to Make Yours More Creative & Stand Out
When you send your resume to a potential employer, chances are it's the fiftieth one they've seen that day. That's why you need to make your Carpenter resume stand out for the right reasons. That means showing your personality, not just your professional experience. Employers are far more likely to remember a candidate who seems like a genuine person and not a robot. Do this by including your passions (which is also a great place to demonstrate skills on a resume), share your favorite books, or even what your usual day looks like.
What Makes a Great Carpenter Resume: Key Takeaways
- Choose a resume layout that sends the right message across and fits your current career situation;
- Create a resume header that shows your desired job title, and easy to find contact numbers;
- Be specific about your experience, accomplishments and future goals in your summary;
- Feature detailed metrics and specific examples that show the impact you made in your previous roles when describing your experience;
- List soft skills backed by examples;
- Add all of your technical skills and certifications that you have and match the job description;
- Show off a dash of personality in your resume that will demonstrate your culture fit and the right mix of hard and soft skills.
