Contractor Resume Examples to Help You Build Yours

A contractor is someone who does individual contract work, typically in a construction capacity. How do you show off these skills when you’re trying to find a job?

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Contractor Resume Examples

Technically speaking, a “contractor,” also called a “subcontractor,” is any employee who is hired on a project basis for a job. They are not directly employed by a company but instead hired to work for that company for a short period of time. In general usage, a contractor is most frequently a person who works on construction projects of all types. If you’re applying to work as a contractor, then you’ll usually be applying to the contractor company, which will match you up with jobs that fit your skill set. Here’s what you need to know if you’re writing an independent contractor resume.

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Jobs That Can Use in a Contractor Resume

When you look at general contractor resume samples, you’ll notice that most of them emphasize skills above all else. That’s because your skills will help decide which specific jobs you get. Here are a few types of jobs that often fall under the “contractor” umbrella:

Carpenter
Electrician
General laborer
Project management
Construction management
Roofing

When writing a professional resume for one of these contractor jobs, it’s up to you to show what your skills are, so the hiring manager knows how to place you.

The Structure of a Contractor Resume

The resume format you choose will impact your resume structure. The chronological resume format is most common, placing the most emphasis on your work history. If you don’t have as much work history, you may opt for a functional format or for a combination format. Either way, you’ll use these sections when putting your contractor resume together.

Header

The header will include your full name, your contact information like your phone number, and your professional social media links, including your LinkedIn profile. A winning resume may include some design flourishes in this section.

Resume summary or objective

At the top of your resume should be your resume summary or resume objective. This is a two to three-sentence paragraph that gives a hiring manager a general overview of your resume. Think of your summary as your opportunity to explain in a few words why you’re the right person for the job. A resume objective also includes details on your career goals (and is best if you lack professional experience).

Skills

Here are some skills you should consider for a general contractor resume:

Reading blueprints
Understanding building codes
Sending out cost estimates
Using power tools and hand tools
Remodeling
Business development
Carpentry
Problem-solving
Time management
Working on construction sites and other job sites
Managing customer satisfaction
Applying drywall
Quality control
Residential construction
Interpersonal skills

Work history

Include up to the last ten years of relevant work experience on your resume. As an independent contractor, this might include work with other contracting companies or specific jobs you’ve worked in the past. If you didn’t have a job title, then you can typically just write “Contractor.”

Education

Many contractors have a high school diploma, but certifications are often mandatory in this industry. If you’re planning to move into a job where certification is important, then include such certifications in this section of your resume.

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Do’s and Don’ts for a Contractor Resume

Do:

Include specific skills that you would be comfortable using on a daily basis in contracting work. This helps you get the right contractor jobs.
Include a balance of soft skills and hard skills. This allows you to showcase that you’re good at many different elements of your job, which can be a factor for contractors.
Use the ResumeHelp resume builder to create your resume. This helps you gain access to resume templates and designs that will help give your resume a clean, beautiful look.

Don’t:

Use graphs to display your skills. This negatively impacts your ability to get through an applicant tracking system (ATS), which scans resumes before a hiring manager sees them. The more straightforward a resume is, the easier it’ll be to pass ATS.
Lie in your resume. A hiring manager will check your information to make sure that it’s true, and lying can have negative impacts on your career as a whole.
Disclose identifying information about previous clients. If you want to talk about previous clients, then make sure it’s in fairly vague terms.

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FAQ: Contractor Resumes

Q: Do I need to include a cover letter for a contractor application?

Yes. A cover letter is always a great way to show off your skills and experience a little more effectively, and it also allows you to ask directly for a job interview. Resume writing is important, but even the best resume can benefit from an accompanying cover letter. If you’re not confident in your skills at writing cover letters, then use the ResumeHelp cover letter builder to create one as easily as possible.

Q: How can I write a contractor resume without a lot of experience?

If you don’t have a lot of official experience as a contractor, then you’re instead going to want to rely on your certifications and your skills. After all, a hiring manager just wants to know that you’ll be able to do your job. You don’t necessarily need years of professional experience; you can list internship experience if you went through an internship to become a contractor.

Q: How do I change my contractor resume to apply to different jobs?

Your best bet at applying to multiple jobs more effectively will be your resume keywords. Resume keywords are keywords that a hiring manager includes in the job description to try and attract job seekers with very specific skills. If you look through the resume keywords and include those keywords in your own resume, then you can show employers the abilities and qualifications you have that are closer to their perfect applicant.

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