As a machine operator, you're the expert at precision and efficiency – but does your resume run as smoothly as the machines you operate? You must stand out like Daryl Dixon—getting things done and solving problems.
Let’s shift gears on your machine operator resume and accelerate your job search toward a rewarding career!
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.
Wondering how to put machine operator on a resume for other jobs? Making a machinist resume? Try these guides:
Writing a specific type of machine operator resume? Try these guides:
And if you’re writing a forklift operator resume targeting a warehouse job, follow up with:
Still need more examples? Check Sample Resumes to Land Any Job .
1
Machine operator resume example
Mark Truex
Machine Operator
123-456-7890
marktruex@email.com
linkedin.com/in/mark.truex
Summary
Dedicated Machine Operator with over 8 years of experience in the manufacturing industry. Seek to support SwiftWing Solutions in producing top-quality components with maximum efficiency. Successfully increased production output by 20% at Wing Innovations through the implementation of lean manufacturing practices. Intend to continue researching the topic to bring stronger results.
Experience
Machine Operator
Wing Innovations, Kenosha, WI
June 2012–Present
Key Qualifications & Responsibilities
Operated CNC machines, performed tool changes, offsets, and routine maintenance. Assisted in the development and implementation of lean manufacturing practices. Ensured safety standards and quality control measures were met. Key Achievement
Increased production output by 20% through lean manufacturing implementation.
Machine Operator Apprentice
FusionByte Co., Kenosha, WI
January 2010–May 2012
Key Qualifications & Responsibilities
Assisted senior machine operators in routine tasks. Participated in safety training and adhered to safety protocols. Helped maintain machinery and kept the workplace clean and organized. Key Achievement
Gained valuable experience that proved instrumental in progressing to a machine operator role.
Education
High School Diploma
Kenosha High School, Kenosha, WI
September 2006–June 2010
Skills
CNC Machine Operation Lean Manufacturing Principles Safety Regulations and Quality Control Routine Machine Maintenance Teamwork Problem-solving Communication Attention to detail
Certifications
Certified Machine Operator, National Institute for Metalworking Skills, 2012
Memberships
Member of Metalworking Professionals Society since 2015
Presented a talk on "Lean Manufacturing in the Modern Workshop" during the 2017 MPS National Conference.
Languages
English—Native proficiency Italian—Intermediate proficiency
Interests
Reading about the latest developments in manufacturing technology. Participating in the local model engineering club.
What's the Best Format for a Machine Operator Resume?
Imagine you’re the hiring manager, Bob.
You get a sloppy machine operator resume. Do you—
Assume the candidate will do a good job? Suspect he’ll drop Cheetos in the lathe bed?
Don’t be sloppy.
Start with the reverse-chronological resume format . It shows your best wins first.
Build it with the best resume fonts , white space, and big headings so you don’t burn out Bob’s eyes.
Save it as a PDF. Machine operator resume PDFs keep their tooling in transit. MS Word resumes can turn to scrap.
Worried about sending a PDF? Check the job offer. If you shouldn’t send one, it’ll say so.
Pro Tip: Moving to machine operator jobs from another field? Use the combination resume format . It installs transferable experience into your resume for machine operator jobs.
Is your heavy machine operator resume format still a work in progress? See our guide: 3 Resume Formats: How to Choose the Best One [Examples]
2
Machine Operator Resume Summary or Resume Objective
Here’s why you don’t get hired.
The manager is bored. Why?
Have you ever read 150 machine operator duties resumes? The dentist is more fun.
You’ve got to stand up and say—
Psst.
I’m your knight in shining coveralls.
Do that with a machine operator resume objective or a resume summary.
Use a resume summary if you’ve got so much experience you practically worked for Henry Ford. It shows your vast work history.
Write a resume objective if your experience would fit within a =/- .0002 micron gap. An objective promises you’re excited for the job.
The real secret?
Assemble either with measurable achievements.
These two senior machine operator resume examples show the standard work.
Machine Operator Resume Examples [Resume Summaries]
Where’s the defect in the first of our senior machine operator resume samples?
wrong Hard-working machine operator with 5 years of experience. Responsible for all machine operator duties at Cal Penna Rounds, Inc., including performing tool offsets, handling setups, and operating a CNC lathe.
That's not exactly sabotage, but it won’t overstock you with interviews.
Instead, do like the next of our resume for CNC machine operator examples:
right Dependable machine operator with 5+ years of experience. Seeking to support Stanley Black & Decker with proven skills in CNC operation and Kaizen. At HGT, assisted in pilot to slash setups from 8 seconds to 5 seconds, saving 25 machine hours per week and $300,000/yr factory-wide. Handled setups and offsets with 3 commendations from management for efficiency.
Perfect. The hiring manager just stopped breathing. Those metrics made him drop his copy of The Toyota Way.
Does your work history have less horsepower? See the junior machine operator resume examples below.
Two Entry-Level Machine Operator Resume Objectives
Is your machine operator experience is still in the design phase? Write a machine operator duties resume objective.
Back in the “any color you like” days, that meant showing you’d work hard. That’s what the next of our lathe machine operator resume objectives does:
wrong Energetic machine operator, skilled in Kaizen, setup reduction, troubleshooting, and equipment maintenance. Expert at following work instructions and sticking to the manufacturer’s schedule. Willing to learn on the job.
That’s not terrible, but some other applicants have passion and experience.
Deep breath.
You just need to show a few achievements. Learn from the next of our entry-level machine operator resume examples:
right Energetic machine operator, skilled in setup reduction and troubleshooting. As material handler at Petretich Poly, filled in as machine operator 3x per month. Worked as a big rig mechanic for 2 years at Kruger-Pyle. Commended 5x by management for ability to follow work instructions and stick to a tight schedule.
The hiring manager is nodding. A resume for CNC machine operators like that will pass QC.
Pro Tip: More is better, right? Not with a resume for CNC machine operators. In general, your resume should fit a single page .
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
When you’re done, our professional resume builder resume checker exactly how to make it better.
Writing a resume objective for a beginner machine operator? It’s not a letter to Santa. It’s a letter from Santa, to the employer. See our guides:
+20 Resume Objective Examples - Use Them on Your Resume (Tips)
How To Write A Resume Summary: 21 Best Examples You Will See
3
How to Describe Your Machine Operator Experience
Let’s get back to Bob, our hiring manager.
Does he care about your cool machine operator certification? Your high school GPA?
Nope.
He cares about experience.
But here’s the problem—
If you’ve operated a machine for years, which bits do you show on a resume for machine operator jobs?
And if you’re a newbie, how do you keep from writing a blank resume?
We’ll rework both problems in a bit.
First, list your most recent job. Add 3-5 resume bullets .
Write them like the next of our professional machine operator resume examples.
Machine Operator Resume Examples [Experience]
These sample machine operator resume experience sections should help:
right Hamilton-Gallardo Tech Industries, Inc.
Machine Operator
2015—2018
Ran CNC machine every shift for 3 years. Assisted in reducing setups from 8 seconds to 5 seconds, saving 25 machine hours per week across all 70 machines. Total savings of $300,000/year. Suggested adding clear chain guards with lubrication points and air filters to my lathe. Reduced maintenance visits by 70% and was adopted by entire plant. Frequently worked on 3+ projects at once to meet deadlines 100% of the time.
Click. The hiring manager would have to have a loose chuck in his head to pass up that resume for CNC and lathe machine operators.
But pull out those accomplishments, and:
wrong Hamilton-Gallardo Tech Industries, Inc.
Machine Operator
2015—2018
Responsible for operating lathes and CNC machines, plus doing tool offsets, setups, and following work instructions. Tasked with meeting deadlines for all jobs on time. Filled out all shift paperwork in a timely fashion.
That resume for machine operators won’t pass inspection.
Next—
What if you have no experience at machine operator jobs?
See these entry-level machine operator resume examples.
How to Write a Resume for Machine Operator with no Experience
Don’t have experience for your resume for CNC machine operators?
I’m not gonna lie.
It’s tough to get machine operator jobs with no experience. Some companies won’t even look at you.
But—
Some factory hiring managers couldn’t care less if you’re not trained. They’re happy to train the right employee on the job.
So, be the right employee. How?
Show your machine operator experience from non-machine operator jobs.
Did you work as a mechanic? Play up your troubleshooting achievements. Did you handle inventory? Show your time management accomplishments.
Do that, and your entry-level resume for machine operators will take off like Boeing made it.
The next entry-level machine operator resume samples show how.
Two Entry-Level Machine Operator Resume Samples [No Experience]
The first of these resume for CNC machine operator examples jams the mill.
wrong Machine Operator Experience: None yet because I’m still trying to get my first real job on the shop floor.
Other Experience:
What’s that burning smell?
You need details to get a machine operator duties resume like this:
right Machine Operator Experience
2017—2018
As material handler at Petretich Poly, filled in as machine operator 3x/mo. In shipping dept at Jansen-Adkins Precision, trained to operate CNC machine. Worked as big rig mechanic for 2 years at Kruger-Pyle Trucking. Completed all jobs 100% on time. Worked as HVAC tech. Commended by manager for troubleshooting skills.
Ship it.
Pro Tip: Should you talk about the kind of CNC machine or lathe you ran, like a Haas or Okuma? If the machine operator job description talks about the same brand, yes.
Don’t lockout the hiring manager with boring words in a molding machine operator resume. Deburr your resume with action words. See our guide: 240 Resume Action Words & Power Words to Make Your Resume Shine
4
Is Your Education Section Offline? It Might Be
Can you have too much education on a machine operator resume?
Yep.
Many plant hiring managers look for a high school degree.
Some are happy to hire future engineers as machine operators and work them up through the ranks.
Whichever type of company you target, start with:
School Name and Location Years in School Degree
But here’s the sweet spot:
Add things you’ve done that’ll make employers put their coffee down.
The next CNC machine operator resume examples show the plan.
Machine Operator Resume Examples [Education]
Both these factory machine operator resume samples are for the same job. It needs someone who can run a plasma cutter and knows their way around a shop.
right Romulus High School
2006–2010
Learned to run a CNC plasma cutter in Voc Tech class. Programmed and cut 3-letter steel logo for local fitness center, 2 feet high. Excelled in metalwork classes. Member, school mechanics team.
That’s not some hopeful lawyer, slumming in manufacturing for a little while.
That machine operator resume example comes from the heart.
Now scrap those details:
wrong Romulus High School
2006–2010
Ugh. That applicant probably thinks bar stock is a type of whiskey.
Pro Tip: Does the job offer say “3 years of experience” but you only have one? Apply. The worst they can do is toss your resume for lathe machine operators. You can make more.
What if you didn’t graduate high school? Is your heavy equipment operator resume a goner? Nope. See our guide: How to Put Your Education on a Resume [Tips & Examples]
5
How to Put Skills on a Resume for a Machine Operator
I’ll be blunt.
There are two ways to show skills on resumes for machine operators.
The first gets you interviewed.
The second gets you tossed.
To get ignored, copy-paste a list of machine operator resume skills from the internet.
To get the job, do this:
Look in the machine operator job offer. Highlight the machining skills you see. Put the most important on your manufacturing resume. Add a couple more so you’re not just making replicas. Prove your machinist skills in your resume bullet points.
The professional machine operator resume examples below show the best practice.
Machine Operator Resume Examples [Skills]
Let’s say Bob put these skills in the machine operator job description:
Required Machine Operator Skills: 1) Fast Setups, 2) Work Instruction Creation, 3) Paperwork, 4) Perceptiveness
Of course put them in your factory or warehouse machine operator resume skills list.
Then do this:
(1) Performed setups 20% faster than plant average.(2) Created standard work instruction that increased efficiency 30%.(3) Filled out paperwork 5x per shift with 99% accuracy.(4) Noticed wrong part install that would have wrecked a $2 million machine.
Do that, and you’ll fill a pallet rack with interview requests.
The machine operator skills for resumes below will set you up.
List of Skills to Put on a Machine Operator Resume
The machine operator resume skills list below is pre-loaded with great resume keywords .
Pick and pack from it, but rely on the skills listed in the job offer.
Machine Operator Resume Skills Soft Skills
Hard Skills
Communication
CNC Operation
Collaboration
Kaizen
Problem Solving
SMED
Critical Thinking
Setup Reduction
Time Management
Standardized Work
Physically Fit
Equipment Maintenance
Interpersonal Skills
Quality Control
Adaptability
G-Code
Coordination
Kanban
Dependability
Troubleshooting
Pro Tip: What if the hiring manager doesn’t believe your production worker resume bullets? He will—at least enough to get the interview.
What’s the difference between key skills and job-related skills on an SMT machine operator resume? See our guide: +30 Best Examples of What Skills to Put on a Resume (Proven Tips)
6
How to Show Certifications on a Resume
Do you need a Six Sigma certification or a CNC programmer certificate on a heavy equipment operator resume?
Absolutely not.
But—
They can help in different ways.
A Six Sigma certification (White Belt, Yellow, Green, Brown, Black) shows your eye for improvement. It’s a big plus.A CNC Programmer Certification looks good on an entry-level factory worker resume, but not much else.Other certifications like fire safety and CPR can help a weak CNC operator resume.
As with anything you put on a resume for machine operator jobs, read the job offer carefully to make sure it fits.
Put your certification section below your education.
Certifications
Six Sigma Yellow Belt Certification CNC Programmer Certification, NTMA Certified Fire Protection Specialist, NFPA
Pro Tip: Not certified? No sweat. An entry-level resume for machine operator jobs looks good with a cert. But if you’re smart and attentive, you can still get in without one.
Can you put online classes in a packing machine operator resume? See our guide: How to List Certifications on a Resume: Guide
7
Add These Things and Get Your Resume Ready to Ship
Your resume is still WIP until you—
Go beyond experience and education.
Your machine operator resume must show you’re a great employee too.
So—prove you’re not just an assembly robot.
Do that with dedicated "other" resume sections that stand out like reflective safety tape.
See that work in two sample machine operator resume sections.
Machine Operator Resume Examples [Other Sections]
The first of our packing machine operator resume examples has a bent shaft:
wrong Riding my Harley. Bowling. Spending time with my kids.
You seem all right. But are you a good machine operator?
Instead, write other sections to your resume for machine operator jobs like this:
right Conferences
NTMA Conference 2017, Spoke on panel about SMED. GBMP Shingo Prize Conference 2016.
Additional Activities
Member, NTMA. Avid viewer, GBMP lean manufacturing videos. Do regular charity walks for fun and fitness.
Like cold-rolled steel. That process operator resume could get you hired anywhere.
Pro Tip: Why doesn’t “riding my Harley” look good on machinist resumes? It can—if you can use it to show leadership, maintenance skills, or other machine operator job requirements.
How can hobbies on a lathe machine operator resume get you interviewed? See our guide: +20 Best Examples of Hobbies & Interests To Put on a Resume (5 Tips)
8
What About a Machine Operator Cover Letter?
Why would you need to submit a cover letter with a machine operator resume?
Aren’t they being phased out?
Yes—60% of the time.
But 40% of employers won’t read your manufacturing resume without one.
The bad news?
You can’t just say, “Here’s my resume” in your machine operator cover letter.
You have to tailor it to the job offer.
To impress the hiring manager—
Use his or her name. Show you understand the facility’s needs for the position. Tell why you’ll fit them like a laser-measured jig.
This short example machine operator cover letter shows the finished goods:
Since I became a machine operator over five years ago, I’ve wanted to work at Stanley Black & Decker. I was at the 2016 Shingo Prize Conference when your company received the Silver Medallion. It’s been my dream to work in a shop that values its employees’ ideas like yours.
I believe I’d make a great addition. At HGT, I was on the team that slashed setups from 8 to 5 seconds, saving over $300,000 per year. My commitment to sharing my ideas with management...
Always end a cover letter with an offer. Try, “I’d be excited to talk about how I got a TPM idea that cut maintenance visits by 70%."
Pro Tip: Writing a cover letter for machine operator jobs? Mention things like why you were promoted or why you excelled on a certain machine.
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.
See more cover letter templates and start writing.
What’s the best way to start a machine operator cover letter? See our guide: How To Write A Cover Letter in 8 Simple Steps (+12 Examples)
9
Do This Before You Add Contact Info to a Resume
Is it possible to mess up contact info on a resume?
Yep.
Start with:
Full Name Updated Phone Number Professional Email Address
Like this:
Curt Barrocal, Machine Operator, curt.barrocal@gmail.com, 313-318-3174
A "professional email address," means john.doe@gmail.com, not BillyPartyzHardDude3824952@yahoo.com.
Most important? Check your social media presence for any digital skeletons in your virtual closet. One off-color comment can ruin a great machine operator resume.
Pro Tip: Should you list G-Code achievements? If the job needs G-Code skills, yes. Do you need them but don’t have them? You can even put Lynda tutorials you’ve watched on your resume for machine operator jobs.
What’s the ideal amount of work experience on an embroidery machine operator resume? See our guide: How to Make a Resume: A Step-by-Step Guide (+30 Examples)
Key Takeaway
Here’s a recap of how to write a machine operator resume:
Make a machine operator resume objective or resume summary. Galvanize the hiring manager’s attention with measurable achievements.Don’t make generic resume bullets in a resume for machine operator jobs. Link yours to the job description like you line-bored them.Add other sections that prove you fit the job to +/- .0001. List conferences, certifications, hobbies, and professional associations.Write a machine operator cover letter. Use it to show you understand the job specs and you’ll fill them without deviation.
Do you have questions on how to write a great heavy equipment operator/machinist resumes? Not sure how to describe your skills or achievements? Give us a shout in the comments! We’d be happy to reply.
