The ultimate resume guide for plumbers (with writing tips & examples)

A guide for writing a resume as a plumber, including writing tips and examples to illustrate how to optimize the resume. Topics covered include formatting options, writing tips for resume summaries, relevant skills to include, and how to properly create a work section and education section. 

Plumbers are one of the most essential workers within our society – after all, no house or building can function without proper plumbing! As you begin your journey to secure a position as a plumber, it is essential to write a resume that highlights your best skills and qualifications. 

In this guide, we will cover everything you need to know about writing the optimal plumber’s resume to land the job you’re pursuing.

Keep reading to learn the answers to the following questions:

• Which format best fits your experience level as a plumber?
• How do you write an effective plumber resume summary?
• What skills should a plumber include on a resume? 
• How should a plumber write their work experience section?
• What is the best way to list education on a plumber’s resume?

Plumber Resume Sample

Handyman Resume Example

See more examples like these

1. Which format best fits your experience level as a plumber? 

When choosing a resume format, there are a few different choices to choose between:

• Reverse-chronological: This resume places the greatest emphasis on your work experience, making it the largest and most central section on the document. Your most recent job is listed first and works backward from there. 
• Functional: The functional resume showcases education, skills, and unpaid experience over work experience. This is well suited for recent graduates or those without relevant work history.
• Hybrid: The hybrid resume combines the reverse-chronological and functional formats. This works well for applicants who have some relevant experience, but not enough to fill an entire resume. 

Choosing between these formats as a plumber is highly dependent on what professional level you are or which license you hold. 

Here is a breakdown of the best format for apprentice, journeyman, and master plumbers:

Apprentice

Apprentice plumbers are the newest to the job, and likely do not have the proper licensure to work independently just yet. Likewise, they will often not have enough work history to fill a whole resume – making the functional resume the best choice for apprentices. 

Journeyman

Journeymen generally work for 1 to 3 years as apprentices before leveling up to this license. As a result, they often have a robust history of work experience to showcase on a resume, making the reverse-chronological resume the best choice.
However, if a plumber is newly at the journeyman level, the hybrid resume may be best. 

Master

Master plumbers are the highest level within the field. They will have 5+ years of experience and will often own their own plumbing business and serve as a mentor for apprentices. For masters, the reverse-chronological resume format is the ideal choice, as it will showcase their years of experience. 

2. How do you write an effective plumber resume summary?

Resume summaries are incredibly important, as they help to introduce both the document and the applicant to the employer. In your resume summary is where you should highlight your best credentials, accomplishments, and skills.
Here is an example of a weak resume summary for a plumber, followed by an explanation on how to correct it. 

What's wrong with this example? This resume summary is on the right track but ultimately fails to offer a strong level of specificity. Additionally, the skills listed are those expected of any plumber – instead, the applicant should focus on what makes them stand out, such as specializations. 

Why is this better? In this example, the applicant clearly states their level (journeyman) and how many years of experience they have. They go on to list their specific specializations, as well as three key skills they believe to be their strongest assets (innovative, adaptable, customer-centric). 

3. What skills should a plumber include on a resume?

As a plumber, you work hard to gain the years of experience needed to be a reputable and trustworthy member of the industry. However, your technical abilities are not all there is to you – you also have a plethora of interpersonal skills that are important to highlight on your resume as well.

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4. How should a plumber write their work experience section? 

As you write your work experience section of your resume as a plumber, it is important to think beyond your basic abilities.

Your license and years of experience, as well as the skills you list, will cover a lot of the basics – your work experience descriptions are where you should get more creative and include key accomplishments or notable responsibilities. 

5. What is the best way to list education on a plumber’s resume?

To become a plumber, the highest level of education required is a high school diploma or GED. As such, your education section should focus less on your academic history and more on your official plumbing training and licensure. 

There will be different licensing requirements depending on your state, so make sure your credentials are up to par with your place of residence.