Machinist Resume—Examples, Skills, and Writing Guide

Many machinist resumes have terrible fit and finish.

Hiring managers reject them off hand and at first sight.

But—

Getting the aesthetics right is just half the battle.

Don’t forget to take care of the moving parts, too.

You need your machinist resume to show them you know your way around a machine shop.

In this guide:

• A machinist resume sample better than most.
• How to create the perfect machinist job description for resumes.
• How to write a resume for machinist jobs that stands out.
• Expert tips and examples to boost your chances of landing a machinist job.

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Considering other roles? Check out some of our other guides:

• Mechanic Resume
• Delivery Driver Resume
• Truck Driver Resume
• Warehouse Resume
• Factory Worker Resume
• Construction Resume
• Construction Worker Resume
• Military to Civilian Resume
• Career Change Resume
• Engineering Student Resume
• Engineering Resume
• Technical Resume
• Supervisor Resume
• Resume with No Experience
• Best Resumes for Every Job

Machinist Resume Sample

Now here’s how to write a machinist resume they’ll love:

1. Go With the Right Machinist Resume Format

Imagine:

There’s the hiring manager, at his desk in the back office.

He’s flipping through a pile of machinist resumes—

Dropping roughly every third one into the recycle bin.

Wait, was that yours?

It was. Straight into the bin, he barely glanced at it.

Why?

Because it didn’t look right, and he’s already got more good ones than he can handle.

So—

Make sure your resume format is flawless. Here’s how:

Machinist Resume Format

• Use the reverse-chronological resume format to show your most recent experience first.
• Choose a low-key resume font like a Noto in 11–12 pt.
• Leave one-inch margins all around your resume and don’t crowd the page.
• Send in a one-page resume. Machinists with less than 20 years’ experience don’t need more.
• Include these sections: Resume header, Summary, Experience, Education, and Skills.

No matter what software you use to make your documents, it’s best to submit your resume as a PDF file. It’ll keep your resume layout intact and looking great on any device. 

The only exception is when the job ad asks specifically for a Word document. Most companies use ATS software to scan resumes, and not every ATS can handle PDF files. So make sure to submit your ATS resume in a format that's supported by the employer's software.

2. Lead With a Tempting Machinist Resume Objective or Summary

The best way to start a resume for machinist jobs?

With an eye-catching, engaging resume profile that will grab the reader’s attention from the get-go. 

Here’s how to get it right: 

Been working as a full-blown machinist for a year or more?

Make your profile a resume summary. It’ll let you put that experience front and center.

Use:

1. One adjective (efficient, hard-working, dedicated)
2. Job title (Machinist)
3. Years of experience (1+, 7+)
4. How you’ll help (machine high-precision parts)
5. Two or three of your most impressive achievements (estimated cycle times to within 10% at the job-quote stage, increased short-run production capacity by 87%)

These machinist resume summary examples show how:

Machinist Resume Examples—Resume Summary

Efficient machinist with 5+ years’ experience, skilled in prototyping. Seeking to help Company ABC produce low-volume and custom parts of the highest quality. At Goodwin University, achieved tolerances as low as 0.0005" and established a machine shop for manufacturing test equipment worth over $200,000.

Machinist with 5 years’ experience. Seeking opportunity to join an easy-going shop crew at a company that looks after its employees. At Goodwin University, worked towards achieving lower and lower tolerances and established a machine shop for manufacturing test equipment.

See?

There’s no question that the first example makes a much stronger impression.

How? Two things:

It puts numbers to duties, turning them into achievements, and—

It stays focused on what the candidate can do for their employer, not the other way around.

Just starting out as a machinist or still at the apprentice stage?

Drop the resume summary in favor of a resume objective. It’ll let you talk up achievements from non-machinist jobs.

Take a look at these resume objective examples for machinists:

Machinist Resume Objective—Examples

Hard-working machinist with 11+ months’ experience, skilled in assembly line work. Seeking to help Company ABC produce low-volume and custom parts of the highest quality. At Wurley Tech, complied with 40+ relevant ISO requirements and collaborated with mechanical engineers to stay within 3% of budget limits.

Just finished apprenticeship and ready to get to work as a fully fledged machinist. Great with cutting tools, machine tools, and milling machines. No CNC experience.t

Once again—

The first example puts numbers to relevant achievements (they don’t have to be machinist achievements if you’re just starting out) and focuses on bringing value to the employer.

Struggling to write a winning resume profile?

Write your machinist resume profile last of all.

You’ll find it much easier once you have your job descriptions and skills section done.

3. Create the Perfect Machinist Job Description and Skills Sections

Average machinists and absolute lathe masters look the same on paper, right?

Not if you’re doing it right.

Let your skills shine through the page—

Make your resume work experience section a workplace-achievement best of.

How to write a job description for machinists:

1. Go back over the job ad.
2. Mark the machinist skills and duties in it.
3. Think of times you’ve wowed employers by applying those skills.
4. Write resume bullet points that put numbers to those times.

For maximum impact, start each bullet point with a verb and quantify your performance, turning duties into professional achievements. 

These machinist resume examples show how:

Job Description for a Machinist Resume—Examples

Manual Machinist

Goodwin University, Pittsburgh, PA

Jan 2018–present

• Achieved tolerances as low as 0.0005".
• Estimated cycle times to within 10% at the job-quote stage.
• Increased short-run production capacity by 87%.
• Established machine shop for manufacturing test equipment worth over $200,000.

Manual Machinist

Goodwin University, Pittsburgh, PA

2018–present

• Achieved lower-than-average tolerances.
• Estimated cycle times at the job-quote stage.
• Worked to improve short-run production capacity.
• Established machine shop for manufacturing test equipment.

Huge difference.

Focusing on the benefits you brought to your employer and backing them up with hard numbers never fails to impress.

Before you move on—

You’ll need skills to put on a resume.

But—

Less is definitely more:

List enough skills to cover those mentioned in the job ad—

Add at most one or two on top of that, if need be. 

The best way to go about it is to take a close look at the job ad and mark keywords pointing to skills. This way, you’ll tailor your resume exactly to the employer’s expectations. 

These lists will give you a sense of the wording you can use:

Skills for a Machinist Resume

Hard skills

• Cutting tools
• Machine tools
• Milling machines
• Blueprint reading
• Tool die making
• Lathe machining
• Quality control
• Troubleshooting
• Precise measurement
• Testing

Soft skills

• Communication skills
• Teamwork skills
• Collaboration skills
• Attention to detail
• Time management skills
• Organizational skills
• Problem solving skills
• Prioritization
• Safety orientation
• Critical thinking

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4. Remember to List Your Education Correctly

Beyond a high school diploma, education isn’t the be-all and end-all of becoming a machinist—

But you still need to at least mention it on your resume. Leaving it out will leave a glaring gap in the recruiter’s impression of you that may ultimately cost you the interview. 

So, to list your education on your resume, add:

Your educational institution, degree/diploma/certificate, and graduation date. 

You only need to list your highest completed level of education, so if you have a college degree, leave your high school off your resume. 

If you’re an experienced professional, that’ll be enough. However, if you recently graduated, you can add bullet points that indicate key skills. Consider adding projects, classes, and accomplishments that show machinist skills like blueprint reading and general dexterity.

This machinist resume example shows how:

Entry-Level Machinist Resume Example—Education Section

Kenmore High School

Kenmore, North Carolina

2013

• Excelled in metalwork classes.
• Won second prize in Robot Battle competition.

5. Load Your Machinist Resume With Added Sections

Here’s a tip you can’t afford to ignore:

Don’t stop writing your machinist resume at just experience, education, and skills.

Add one or two sections:

• Additional Activities
• Foreign Languages
• Classes Taken
• Hobbies and Interests
• Volunteering
• Certifications

These two machinist resume examples show yes vs no:

Machinist Resume Examples—Extra Sections

Certifications

• Journeyman Certificate, Apprenticeship North Carolina, 2016
• First Aid, CPR, AED, American Red Cross, 2015

Languages

• English—native speaker
• Spanish—communicative

Hobbies and Interests

• Slowing down EDM
• Speeding up 80’s ballads
• Lawn darts

Languages

• English, Spanish

See the difference?

The first machinist resume example gets it.

The second one misses by a mile, but not because there’s anything wrong with including hobbies and interests.

Anything you add to your machinist resume, including any hobbies or interests, has to be very obviously relevant to the job ad at hand.

One final hurdle—and it’s a doozy.

Does the job ad ask you specifically not to include a cover letter?

No?

Then you’ll need to write a cover letter to go with your machinist resume.

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Key Points

For a machinist resume that gets interviews:

• Use the machinist resume template up top. It’s up to standard and checks all the right boxes.
• Put machinist achievementsin your resume profile, work experience, and education sections to make it clear that you walk the walk.
• Mention only the right machinist skills. The job ad will tell you what those are.
• Write a machinist cover letter. Use it to not only make your case, but to put your passion on display as well.

Still not 100% sure how to write a resume for machinist jobs? Finding our machinist resume samples a little too daunting? Drop us a line down below.

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