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What to include on a resume?

Ezmack

Plastic
Joined
Apr 23, 2016
Getting ready to head back on the job market. This was my first job as a machinist so my old resume is basically just an application in full sentences; contact info, work history, education. I'm thinking I should include specific machines I've run, materials worked with, typical order size... past that I'm drawing a blank. What are you looking to get from a resume that you wouldn't learn from a fill in the blank application.
 
Make sure to detail your job duties and skill level related to the machines you ran. Were you just loading slugs, making offsets, changing tools, doing set-ups? Also list what inspection tools you have used. Also mention any skills possibly related working in a shop that could occasionally come in handy. Are you familiar with basic electricity, skilled mechanic, carpenter, etc. Leave out anything unrelated to the job, no one cares if you breed wiener dogs in your spare time.
 
Getting ready to head back on the job market. This was my first job as a machinist so my old resume is basically just an application in full sentences; contact info, work history, education. I'm thinking I should include specific machines I've run, materials worked with, typical order size... past that I'm drawing a blank. What are you looking to get from a resume that you wouldn't learn from a fill in the blank application.

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some write resume edited for job they are applying for using the actual job posting and basically listing what job qualifications you have that match or are close to the job posing.
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many use keywords in resume. why ? cause some places scan resumes with computer and search for certain words and more keywords you have come up in computer search usually its better.
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sad thing is you can send out 30 resumes and only get 3 replies and often they dont say why they are not replying to your job posting. but most will say read the job posting and your resume should be almost like replying how you able to do the job listed in job posting. but usually you limit it to 2 pages.
 
job interview is usually harder part. i have seen people turned down for jobs cause they couldnt write gcode with pencil and paper fast enough. or couldnt say what exact machines they were running. that is exact model number and exact say fanuc type they are using. its not like 5 minutes of looking stuff up they couldnt do it, too often many are written off as not ok to hire. quick judgements
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many people dont interview that well and many office types wont even let these people prove themselves at the job. they get written off as not acceptable for sometimes little things. hard to say what they will ask at a interview and what answer they want to hear. many a question can be answered many ways but often they are looking for only one answer.
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for example we run facemills milling 1018 steel at 600 sfpm what do you run your facemills at ?? some might say a number and some might say depending on length of tool, length of tool holder, depth of cut, part shape and how held. so guy who says there is no one sfpm number is he correct or wrong ?? not like you can arque at a job interview
 
I think that your question has multiple answers and the answer depends on what you are applying for. Based on what you have mentioned in your post, I think you are applying for a skills-based job. I think it would be beneficial to include the specific skills that you would bring and have a short description on the few skills that you feel really make you stand out for the job. As another has mentioned, include your job duties in the description of your job history. Don't be afraid to list your personality traits that you feel are your strengths and you think would add to the work environment. Obviously, don't lie, but don't be afraid to play up your strengths. I think of a resume as a written interview with the employer. They use it to get a feel for if you are worthy of an interview. I want my resume to help make sure I start off on the right foot.
For reference, look up hybrid resumes or functional resumes. They are usually limited to 2 pages with a preference on one page or the first page.
 
What ever you do avoid flat out lying about skills you don't have. When I worked for the man and was a low level working supervisor I had a set of short tests I had people take to back up their claims. My favorite was interviewing operators that claimed they could read programs well and do editing. I would give them a part and a blueprint with numbers on it next to the dimensions and a print out of the program that made the part. I would tell them to write the corresponding number of the dimension on the program line that cut it. You would not believe how fast some people got up and walked out before even attempting the test. There isn't anything I hate more than a liar, be honest.
 
Definitely some things in this thread I hadn't considered; I can tell you the machine I run but not the controller for example. So thanks for that. I'm not too worried about flat out lying, I know what I know and I know what I don't. If I don't I'll just say it.

However. Big part of why I'm leaving this company is it seems like I hit a wall in terms of learning. I'm a 3+4 axis milling guy and if I stay here 5 more years... I'll be a 3+4 axis milling guy with 5 more years experience. It's just what the company needs.

So I plan on applying to jobs that I'm not quite qualified for. Specifically I've seen some 5 axis milling jobs that could double or triple my salary. I can't run a 5 axis, and I dont expect that much money on day 1 but atleast I'd have the potential to get there. So... not sure what I'm asking. I guess any advice on getting my foot in the door at a place that's a little out of reach?
 
Definitely some things in this thread I hadn't considered; I can tell you the machine I run but not the controller for example. So thanks for that. I'm not too worried about flat out lying, I know what I know and I know what I don't. If I don't I'll just say it.

However. Big part of why I'm leaving this company is it seems like I hit a wall in terms of learning. I'm a 3+4 axis milling guy and if I stay here 5 more years... I'll be a 3+4 axis milling guy with 5 more years experience. It's just what the company needs.

So I plan on applying to jobs that I'm not quite qualified for. Specifically I've seen some 5 axis milling jobs that could double or triple my salary. I can't run a 5 axis, and I dont expect that much money on day 1 but atleast I'd have the potential to get there. So... not sure what I'm asking. I guess any advice on getting my foot in the door at a place that's a little out of reach?

Looks like you're thinking about this the right way. Just don't forget that gainful employment (and interviewing) is a two-way street. You don't want to do what I did, so be patient in your search. I got "lucky" and backed into a job offer about a month after meeting a nice young lady. Changed my life plan entirely; I was going to go teach sailing for a year or two down in the Virgin Islands before settling into a big boy job. Well the nice young lady convinced me to stick around, I took the job, and it wasn't a good fit. Gave it a year, things were not going to change, so I wanted OUT. Desperate to make a change, I took the first offer I got, about a month after I started looking. Out of the frying pan and into the fire. Gave them three years of my life anyway. Now I've settled into a much more stable situation, so be patient and remember that you need to evaluate your employer at the same time as they are evaluating you. You will both be happier that way.

Best of luck to you, and keep your eyes open.
 
List everything you can, but what I look for is Honesty, and integratiry (sp) along with any mechanical skills, almost anyone who has those qualities it trainable in almost anything.
one thing that kinda turns employers off is a shit ton of jobs in a short amount of time. in my life Ive had maybe 8 jobs since I was 14 and i'm over 55. a few of those jobs were because I had a second job at the same time and didnt liek to sit around the house.

good luck
 
...I can tell you the machine I run but not the controller for example...Big part of why I'm leaving this company is it seems like I hit a wall in terms of learning.

You don't know the control type? If you want to call that "hitting a wall" it's an easy enough wall to climb over. Try reading the operator's manual for the control. If they won't let you do that, take a night course.
 
Getting ready to head back on the job market. This was my first job as a machinist so my old resume is basically just an application in full sentences; contact info, work history, education. I'm thinking I should include specific machines I've run, materials worked with, typical order size... past that I'm drawing a blank. What are you looking to get from a resume that you wouldn't learn from a fill in the blank application.

Apart from all other advice if you can write something showing you know about the company/shop you're applying to then they'll know it isn't something you just send to every Tom, Dick and Harry.

Imagine it was you doing the hiring. What would you like to read? Keep it short and "sweet".

The more you know about them means that you have a good idea as to what you can contribute with. Don't lie or that'll bite your ass at a job interview.
 
Good suggestions above. As to general format of a resume, there should be no multiple pages. One page will guarantee that the resume is read. Two pages maybe, but any more than that and you run the risk of having it round-filed.

I learned about resumes working as an administrator at an aerospace company. We would routinely review as many as ten resumes a week. The ones with multiple pages or pictures of the applicant were tossed. That may have just been the managers personal tastes, but that's what happened.
 
The ones with multiple pages or pictures of the applicant were tossed.

I once got a resume where a guy had a picture taken of him standing by every machine he operated, all the way down to a freaking belt sander. I passed it around for laughs before I threw it away.
 
I started with a plant tour. Then for the interview, my first question was, "How do you feel about working here?"

Believe it or not, several applicants replied, "I guess it'd be OK," or words to that effect. Thank-you. Interview over.

I was much more concerned with attitude than skills.

Skills can be taught and learned. Not so easy to change a poor attitude.
 
I started with a plant tour. Then for the interview, my first question was, "How do you feel about working here?"

Believe it or not, several applicants replied, "I guess it'd be OK," or words to that effect. Thank-you. Interview over.

I was much more concerned with attitude than skills.

Skills can be taught and learned. Not so easy to change a poor attitude.

How many people gave an acceptable answer? I think that question caught them off guard, especially if it came before discussions of job duties, pay and opportunities for advancement.
 
How many people gave an acceptable answer? I think that question caught them off guard, especially if it came before discussions of job duties, pay and opportunities for advancement.

Even caught off guard a "I guess it'd be OK" is a pretty daft answer. Certainly if you want the job. Of course, as I'm married to a very competent HR manager, I know how the good ones think :)

I had a PM member and his wife over here a few years ago and we did a plant tour around one of Denmark's largest manufacturing companies. One of his remarks was, "Everybody seems to know what they are doing and look to be in a good mood".

Re that tour then something I hadn't anticipated happened the first 10 minutes. We were asked to wait as one of the workers (a machinist) had his 25th work anniversary. He and his family had been picked up in a limo and his department got time off for a company supplied lunch. This is a company with over 7,000 employees on this site. His (the PM member) jaw dropped.

Same thing happened when my wife had her 25th work anniversary. We (son and daughter too) even got Champagne in the limo before arriving.

That kind of thing is more normal than abnormal.
 
Keep it simple.

Your education, where and when you worked.

What your capabilities are, what sets you apart.

Leave out your hobbies and interests and skip the fluff.



And most important, do not say you can do what you can't.

Had a new trial run yesterday.

CNC machinist very knowledgeable on Haas Mills, 3, 4 and 5 axis.
Can also do programming.

First task, he was stuck as he didn't know how to offset tools or adjust wear offsets. Quick tutor got him up to speed on that..sort of.

Then is was how to find center of a round part that stumped him.


Last but not least we tried his hand at programming.

Spot and drill a hole...

3/16" spot drill in 12L14 was being run at 500rpm,

The .113 drill was being spun at 800rpm...better, but not close.

To boot he choose a peck drilling cycle to drill a .15 deep hole with pecks of .02.


It wasn't his fault...the programs he cut and patched from were wrong. I was asked to come over as the other moves after the canned cycle had holes being drill at every location. Seems he never heard to G80 or programming a G0 to cancel drill cycle.
But he claimed everything else in program was right on...when I said rpm of drill...he said it's what was in the other program. Kinda sort, he was right...just a much larger drill.

If you can setup, program and operate 3 axis mills, but want to learn 5 axis...let them know. Let them know you'll learn and study on your own time...and maybe if someone could help mentor a little once in awhile if you got stuck it would be great, but your ambition is to learn those machines.

Good luck.
 
No disrespect, but if after standing in front of multiple 3 and 4 axis machines and programmeing them till you topped out and you can't remember what the control is, well not sure thats going to help you much!

Are you actually programming them, are you actually setting them up, or are you just pushing the green button and swapping the parts out?
 
No disrespect, but if after standing in front of multiple 3 and 4 axis machines and programmeing them till you topped out and you can't remember what the control is, well not sure thats going to help you much!

Are you actually programming them, are you actually setting them up, or are you just pushing the green button and swapping the parts out?

I have had the same machines for ages, but was exposed to somewhat of a small variety of them over the years when working for the man yet I don't recall a machine that didn't have the make and generation of control in plain sight like on the bezel around the CRT.
 
While I would agree with that for the most part, my Siemens don't have any models shown on the outside.

... my older Mits doesn't either....

Can't recall for sure on the Dynapath's?

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