How To Write a Material Handler Resume
Write a material handler resume that gets you noticed by the hiring manager. Focus on your experience receiving and moving materials, managing inventory, and following safety procedures. This article will show you how to write an engaging resume and provide examples relevant to material handlers.
- Entry-level
- Mid-career
- Senior-level
1. Summarize your material handler qualifications in a dynamic profile
The profile is a critical component of your resume. It summarizes your skills, qualifications, and experience and is a way for the hiring manager to tell if you’re a good fit without having to read the entire resume.
Start with a sentence including your job title, years of experience, and working environment, such as manufacturing or warehouse operations. In the next sentence or two, include as many keywords from the job description as possible. The final sentence can include a particular achievement, such as ranking in the top three for team productivity or winning an award.
Profile Example #1
Service-oriented Material Handler with 5+ years of experience in fast-paced work environments. Demonstrated success in high-volume freight handling and processing. Committed to continually gaining new work skills and expertise. Bilingual: Fluent in English and Spanish.
Profile Example #2
Efficient Material Handler with 5+ years of experience in large-scale manufacturing. Highly collaborative and focused on new process solutions. Recent achievements include ranking #4 on a 40-person team for overall productivity.
2. Outline your material handler experience in a compelling list
The professional experience section covers your job duties and responsibilities in previous positions. It’s also your chance to show the hiring manager what you can accomplish in their organization.
Present your achievements in a way that demonstrates how you can benefit the company you’re applying to. Material handling companies want detail-oriented employees with high accuracy rates in scanning, tracking, and documenting inventory, plus experience in high-volume environments.
Use metrics whenever possible. To highlight your inventory accuracy, say something like, “Achieved a 99% accuracy rate during annual inventory of 25,000 items.”
Professional Experience Example #1
Material Handler, ECM Corp., Miami, FL | October 2017 to Present
- Handle and process various freight materials and packages
- Maintain close adherence to all protocols and best practices
- Praised for upholding high standards of workplace safety and customer service
Professional Experience Example #2
Material Handler, NCV Manufacturing, Detroit, MI | October 2017 to Present
[Industry-leading manufacturer with $15M revenue and presence in 11 states.]
- Charged with moving various materials to and from main production area
- Build and maintain productive relationships with team members, machine operators, and other personnel
- Consistently exceeded personal productivity goal by more than 20%, ranking #4 on a 40-person team
- Recommended process improvements that were adopted as standard, helping both raise efficiency and lower associated costs by 25%
3. Include material handler-related education and certifications
The education requirements for a material handler position will vary by company, so make sure to read through the job description and see what’s expected. If a degree is required, list that in your profile as well as in a separate education section, as shown below.
Investing in your career by obtaining certifications shows a hiring manager you’re serious about your duties and continuing to improve your skills and knowledge. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) safety certifications are of particular value to this position.
Education
Template
- [Degree Name]
- [School Name], [City, State Abbreviation] | [Graduation Year]
Example
- Associate Degree in General Studies
- University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI | 2021
Certifications
Template
- [Certification Name], [Awarding Organization], [Completion Year]
Example
- Materials Handling and Storage, OSHA | 2021
4. List material handler-related skills and proficiencies
Hiring managers in warehouses and manufacturing spaces need team members who can execute their duties efficiently with high accuracy while following safety procedures. Check the job duties or experience requirements in the job description to find out what’s most important to the hiring manager and focus on those.
Pay attention to word choice, and tweak your list to mimic the language in the job description. For example, list the specific inventory management software the hiring manager mentions instead of the general skill.
| Key Skills and Proficiencies | |
|---|---|
| Cargo loading and unloading | Equipment maintenance |
| Freight materials handling | Freight materials processing |
| Inventory management | New employee training |
| Order assignment | Order documentation |
| Process redesign and improvement | Product packaging and shipping |
| Productivity and efficiency gains | Team support and collaboration |
| Warehouse operations | Workplace safety |
How To Pick the Best Material Handler Resume Template
A good material handler resume template should be organized, have a clean design, and be easily customizable. Look for a template that has additional sections or header wording that aligns with this position, such as a section for equipment proficiency or safety training certifications.
Always read the job description and see if your resume needs to be delivered in a certain format. A resume required in the body of an email will need to be formatted differently than one required as a downloadable PDF.
Material Handler Text-Only Resume Templates and Examples
- Example #1
- Example #2
- Example #3
Meera Patel
123 W Adams Ave, Detroit, MI 12345 | (123) 456-7890 | [email protected]
Profile
Efficient Material Handler with 5+ years of experience in large-scale manufacturing. Highly collaborative and focused on new process solutions. Recent achievements include ranking #4 on a 40-person team for overall productivity.
Key Skills
- Equipment Maintenance
- Process Redesign & Improvement
- Productivity & Efficiency Gains
- Team Support & Collaboration
- Workplace Safety
Work Experience
Material Handler, NCV Manufacturing, Detroit, MI | October 2017 to Present
[Industry-leading manufacturer with $15M revenue and presence in 11 states.]
- Charged with moving various materials to and from main production area
- Build and maintain productive relationships with team members, machine operators, and other personnel
- Consistently exceeded personal productivity goal by more than 20%, ranking #4 on a 40-person team
- Recommended process improvements that were adopted as standard, helping both raise efficiency and lower associated costs by 25%
Cashier, ABC Grocery, Detroit, MI | August 2015 to September 2017
- Gained strong foundation in teamwork and customer service
- Ranked #3 out of 14 peers for efficient order processing
Education
Bachelor of Science (BS), University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
Frequently Asked Questions: Material Handler Resume Examples and Advice
What are common action verbs for material handler resumes?-
The more specific you can be in your language, the more engaging your resume is for the hiring manager to read. Using dynamic action verbs also communicates the value of your duties.
When writing your bullets, go beyond “trained new hires” or “reduced waste.” Instead, write “mentored new hires on company procedures, reducing training time by 30%” or “implemented recycling initiative to decrease landfill waste by 20% and generate $15,000 in annual recycling revenue.”
| Action Verbs | |
|---|---|
| Carry | Collaborate |
| Ensure | Follow |
| Lift | Load |
| Maintain | Monitor |
| Move | Open |
| Organize | Package |
| Pick | Process |
| Pull | Record |
| Remove | Retrieve |
| Sort | Wrap |
How do you align your resume with a job description?-
The job outlook for material handlers is strong, with open positions expected to grow by 5% through 2032 — which amounts to more than 1 million new jobs each year. This dramatic growth can also attract more applicants, so take the time to align your resume to the job description to ensure you stand out.
Read the job description to identify what is most important to the hiring manager. For example, if they’re looking for an applicant who has an associate degree and five years of experience in warehouse operations, your profile should specifically mention these things.
What is the best material handler resume format?-
A combination resume — sometimes called the hybrid format — blends the best elements of the reverse-chronological and functional resumes. It still includes a space for your work history, which is important for employers looking for reliable, consistent employees. But it puts more emphasis on your skills and qualifications.
The combination resume format also has more flexibility in organization. Depending on what’s most important to the hiring manager, you may choose to put your equipment proficiencies and OSHA certifications directly after the profile or start with a list of skills.
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