General Laborer Resume Sample with Job Description

From bricklaying to concrete, piping to paving, and landscaping to construction, this complete guide will help you write the best general labor resume the employer will read.

Christian Eilers, CPRW

Career Expert

Updated 06/03/2022

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Without the work ethic and skills of general laborers like you, the world would fall apart and there would be nobody to fix it.

But this doesn’t mean that getting a general labor job is easy. To land well-paid gigs, you need a resume that shows how you stand out from the other laborers on the market.

Would you rather hit your finger with a hammer than write a resume? We feel you. Resume writing can get overwhelming if you don’t have a clear blueprint.

So we made a blueprint for you. Just follow the steps and your general labor resume will be ready in no time.

This guide will show you:

A general labor resume example better than 9 out of 10 other resumes.
How to write a general labor resume that will land you more interviews.
Tips and examples of how to put skills and achievements on a general labor resume.
How to describe your experience on a resume for a general laborer to get any job you want.

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Sample General Labor Resume—See more resume templates here.

One of our users, Nikos, had this to say:

[I used] a nice template I found on Zety. My resume is now one page long, not three. With the same stuff.

General Laborer Resume Sample

Wilma M. Bergan

wilma.bergan@gmail.com

(718) 123-4567

linkedin.com/in/wilmabergan

Summary of Qualifications

Reliable and dedicated general laborer skilled in construction work, landscaping and trimming, and other commercial and residential tasks. Decreased concrete gridwork time by 10% with new implementation method. Seeking to build upon current general labor skills while building new abilities as a general labor worker for Brooklyn Piping and Paving.

Work Experience

Construction General Laborer
May 2015–March 2019
All-Queens Construction, Long Island City, NY

Key Qualifications & Responsibilities

Performed concrete cutting, grouting, and other concrete work on various commercial and industrial job sites.
Loaded and unloaded construction site supplies and materials from trucks and delivery vehicles.
Maintained, utilized, and repaired entrusted equipment and tools, including hand tools and power tools.
Carried out other miscellaneous duties and responsibilities around the job site as requested.

Key Achievements

Overhauled concrete gridwork implementation to decrease overall time by 10% per job.

Landscaping General Laborer
November 2013–May 2015
Labor of Love Staffing Co., Brooklyn, NY

Key Qualifications & Responsibilities

Performed general landscaping duties and tasks, including mowing lawns, leaf blowing, trimming hedges, and raking leaves.
Used and maintained assorted power tools and hand tools, including lawn mowers, trimmers, shovels, rakes, leaf blowers, and hoes.
Maintained yards and gardens by planting new flora, pulling weeds, removing tree limbs and debris, and other general landscaping tasks.

Education

Bedford Stuyvesant Preparatory High School, Brooklyn, NY

Graduated 2013

Key Skills

Landscaping (mowing, trimming, planting, etc.)
Concrete Work
Ability to Lift Over 75 Lbs.
Quick Loading & Unloading
Multitasking Skills
Hand Tools & Power Tools

Languages

Spanish (Latin American): Professional Working Proficiency

Here are some other resume examples related to general labor:

So, above was our take on the best general laborer resume sample.

Now, let’s give yours the same treatment.

Here’s how to write a resume for general labor jobs:

1. Choose the Best Format for Your General Laborer Resume

General labor jobs involve unskilled (not specialized) work. These responsibilities can be found in every industry, from construction sites to home chores. The purpose of your general labor resume is to prove to the employer that you have the dedication, drive, and abilities to handle various tasks and duties.

However—

Though you might be a jack of all trades, you still need to follow the one master rule:

Have a perfect resume format that is easy to read and understand.

On a general labor resume, here’s the proper format:

Put resume contact information in the professional resume headers.
Divide the sections of a resume using big, legible titles.
Use the chronological resume template, as it’s the standard resume format and recognized universally.
Choose the best font to use for a resume.

Pro Tip: A PDF resume is best, unless the general labor job ad explicitly requests one in Word format. That’s because the PDF format is able to be read on any device, whereas Word docs often look funny on certain phones and computers.

2. Write a General Labor Resume Objective or Summary

A resume objective or summary is a profile on a resume, and it works just like an elevator pitch.

Hiring managers use this brief introduction paragraph to learn about your general skills and level of relevant experience.

Choose the resume summary when you’ve loads of general labor experience. The summary statement shows off your skills and general labor background.

Choose the resume objective when you’re a greenhorn. The career objective tells them you’re new, but it pitches them your goals and the reason you’d like to be hired.

If possible, include a numbered accomplishment to really stand out above the other general labor job applicants.

Pro Tip: The hiring manager or contractor will read the heading statement first, since it’s at the top. However, write it last. This way you’ll be able to grasp better what to put in your intro paragraph after completing the other sections first.

3. Create the Perfect General Labor Job Description for a Resume

Whether you sweep streets, do landscaping, or lay concrete, don’t neglect the work experience description on your resume.

How do you get it right?

Here are the steps to follow to impress them with your general labor job description:

Place your most recent job first, followed by the next—that’s the reverse chronological resume layout we talked about earlier.
Your job title goes at the top, then your dates of employment, the contractor or company name, and up to 6 bullet points listing your general labor duties and responsibilities.
Use action words (e.g., maintained, loaded, etc.) to start each bullet point entry.
Tailor your resume to one specific job. Contractors, farmers, and other employers really despise those generic resumes.

Pro Tip: If you are writing a no-experience resume for general labor jobs of a particular trade, no worries. Still list the most relevant duties and tasks you’ve undertaken from other jobs.

4. Make Your General Laborer Resume Education Section Shine

How to write education on your resume?

Keep these rules in mind to get it right:

Add your highest education level achieved, first.
List the degree (if higher than high school), school name, and completion date.
If you have some college but it isn’t finished, add high school below as a second entry.
Include any helpful extras to boost your chances, such as the dean’s list, honors classes, and relevant coursework.

Pro Tip: Have a GED or didn’t finish high school? No problem! Most general labor jobs don’t require any particular level of education. List what you have, and then astound them with the other general labor resume sections.

5. Highlight Your General Labor Skills on a Resume

General labor jobs are increasing rapidly.

For example, in the US, construction laborers and helpers are set to increase in number by 12% between 2016 and 2026.

That’s more than 180,000 other laborers aiming for your job.

So, just because “general labor” is defined as unskilled or unqualified work, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have a killer skills section on your resume.

General Labor Skills for a Resume

Landscaping (mowing, trimming, planting, etc.)
Construction Demolition
Quick Loading & Unloading
Multitasking Skills
Hand Tools & Power Tools
Farm & Field Work
Ability to Lift Heavy Loads
Physical Stamina and Strength
Knowledge of Health & Safety Regulations
Concrete & Grouting
Interpersonal Skills
Critical Thinking Skills
Works Well Under Pressure
Time Management Skills
Problem Solving Skills
Communication Skills
Attention to Detail
Decision Making Skills
Teamwork Skills
Accountability

Technical Skills

Hold up a sec, though—

You will only hurt your interview chances if you take that list and add it right into your resume.

You need to tailor your resume, remember?

So, here’s how to add skills a better way:

Write down the special professional skills (soft skills and hard skills) which you have that are connected with your general labor job field or trade.
Pull out the general labor job description, and highlight skills they’re looking for from their job requirements. Those are the best keywords to use on a resume.
If something you’ve highlighted matches something from your previous list, add that to your general labor resume.

Pro Tip: Most general labor includes a physical component, if it’s not the entire thing. Make sure to list your strength and stamina attributes (e.g., able to lift over 100 pounds).

When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building a professional resume template here for free.

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When you’re done, Zety’s resume builder will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better.

6. Add Other Sections to Your General Labor Resume

Now, time to make yourself unique.

Everyone and their mother include those previous, core sections.

Make your resume for general laborer jobs spectacular by adding extra resume sections.

Here are some great examples for labor resumes:

7. Attach a General Labor Cover Letter to Your Resume

Are cover letters necessary?

Pretty much.

Without a cover letter for a job, many hiring managers will reject you.

So—

Here’s how to create a cover letter for general labor jobs they’ll appreciate:

Sort the format of a cover letter before you start to write.
Include a cover letter opening with a compelling intro.
Knock their socks off with your general labor skills and experience.
Include numbered achievements to really make them swoon.
Finish strong with an intriguing cover letter ending.

Also, we have answers on what to include in a cover letter, how many words should a cover letter be, and more great cover letter advice.

Check them out!

Pro Tip: Follow up on your job application two or three days after you send it. While you wait, prepare for a job interview!

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:

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See more cover letter templates and start writing.

Got any questions on how to write a general labor resume? Not sure how to talk about your general labor skills on an unskilled labor resume? Get at us in the comments below, and thanks for reading!

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