How to write a labourer CV (with tips and examples)

Updated 14 April 2023

A labourer can perform many tasks, usually within the construction industry. A labourer's work experience may generally cover a wide variety of manual duties. It's therefore important that your CV includes your work experience and skills that are most relevant to the job for which you're applying. In this article, we discuss the kind of information to include in your CV, explore some tips on how to improve your CV and look at some examples.

What to include in your labourer CV

There are some essential sections to include in your labourer CV. Here are the seven important sections and the information to include:

1. Contact details

This is the section where you provide your personal contact details. This includes your name, email address, current town or city and landline or mobile phone numbers. It's not necessary to provide your complete home address. Make sure these details are up to date so recruiters or employers can contact you.

2. Summary

A summary is a brief introduction to you and your general abilities. You can base your summary on the example below:

Example: Motivated labourer with more than 20 years of experience who understands construction processes and projects. A very competent craftsman and valuable team member who takes responsibilities seriously, fulfils duties efficiently and complies with all health and safety regulations applicable to construction sites.

3. Key skills

Including some of your relevant skills can give recruiters a more comprehensive idea of your abilities. Showcase the skills that an employer is most likely to seek in a potential employee. These can include skills you learned during your academic education or during an apprenticeship, on-site training or through work experience. Prioritise any skills specified in the job application. These include industry-specific skills, such as an understanding of building site safety and competency in using construction tools and equipment. General skills include things like time management and the ability to work unsupervised and as part of a team.

4. Employment history

Your employment history is essentially a list of your previous employers, the dates you worked for them and brief details of the duties you performed. You can list your responsibilities in a bulleted list, which may make it easier to read. You may have decades of work experience, but it's only necessary to include your employment history covering the last ten years. Your work history may give the recruiter an overall idea of your relevant work experience and illustrate why an employer might consider hiring you.

5. Key projects

This section provides a brief description of any significant projects that you've worked on during your career so far. You can include the name of the project or building, the purpose of the project, the cost of the project if you know it and, if appropriate, the name of the lead construction contractor or your employer. You may also list any other relevant details and accomplishments in those projects.

6. Education and certification details

List your education qualifications starting with the most recent. Provide the name of the college or school, subjects covered, the overall grade you achieved and the date you graduated. After that, you can include the details of any non-academic achievements. This can include a driver's licence or first aid or fire safety certificate. Include the date of the certifications and the expiry date of any licences. Make sure you have hard copies of these in case a recruiter asks you to bring them with you to an interview.

Related: GCSE Equivalent Qualifications

7. Keywords

Some companies use software that scans documents to identify specific keywords. This enables them to weed out irrelevant applications or job seekers who don't meet the job requirements. Including keywords in your CV can help to promote you to the interview level. If you're applying for a particular job, read the job description and choose relevant keywords therein to include in your CV. Some appropriate keywords are:

construction, renovation and demolition
digging and backfilling
drywalling
cleaning and site preparation
loading and unloading
scaffolding erection and dismantling
basic carpentry
assisting skilled tradespeople

Tips for writing a labourer CV

While you may know how to structure a CV, it's important to present it in such a way as to grab and hold the recruiter's attention. Here are some tips on how to write an impressive CV:

Formatting your CV

The way you format your CV may depend on your experience level. There are three types of general CVs:

Entry-level: An entry-level CV focuses more on your abilities, since your work experience may be minimal. Include any work history and education, but place these after your skills and any industry-relevant certifications.
Chronological: A chronological CV lists your job history starting with the most recent. Place your work history first, including brief details of your duties. Follow this with your skills and certifications.
Combined: A combined CV is a mix of the above CVs, and ideally starts with a list of core skills, followed by your work experience and education. You can add other relevant skills at the end or in a sidebar.

Customising your CV

A customised CV indicates that you're interested in a specific job and have conducted some research in the company. It can show diligence and attention to detail. To customise your CV, it may help to determine the following:

name of the hiring manager
company's mission statement and goals
type of projects the company usually takes on
ideal candidate requirements, including experience, skills and education

The goal of a customised CV is to illustrate that it's designed for a particular job, so it's a good idea to include the job title and company name in your summary.

Labourer CV example

Here's an example of a CV that you can refer to for guidance when creating your own CV:

Bruce Johnson
Nottingham, UK
07912 345678
b.johnson@email.uk

Experienced labourer, having worked on both industrial estates and luxury residential construction projects, seeking a labourer role with Build-It-Right Company. Efficient, conscientious, safety-focused, and excellent team player with leadership potential. Aims to help create the best possible construction to meet and even exceed expectations.

Core competencies

Time management
Problem-solving
Best practice site safety
Physical strength and fitness

Key projects

Riverside Towers: Construction of high-spec residential building, 40 storeys, including penthouse, luxury apartments and underground parking facility (£80m).
Riverside Hotel and Conference Centre: Retro-fit of suites and spa (£18m).
Riverside Health Centre: Renovation of clinic, consulting and ICU rooms (£32m).

Experience

Labourer | Spencer & Co, 2015 to present

Assisting skilled tradespeople
Learned basic carpentry skills
Learned basic equipment maintenance
Worked on industrial, commercial and residential buildings
Compliance with safety regulations and building codes

Labourer | TWG Construction, 2012 to 2014

Digging, compacting and backfilling
Loading and unloading building materials and equipment
Assisting with erecting and dismantling temporary scaffolding
Compliance with health and safety regulations

Education

Wydenham Technical College, graduated 2011

Credentials

Points-free HGV driver's licence
First aid certificate
Fire safety and emergency evacuation certificate
Construction Skills Certification Scheme
Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) cardholder

Is a cover letter necessary?

A cover letter isn't essential, but it may supplement your CV by briefly explaining why you're the ideal candidate for the job. You can mention the qualities and skills you possess and explain how they could benefit the company. You can also include any particularly relevant previous job experience and how it relates to the job for which you're applying. Ensure your cover letter includes your current contact information.

Final steps to complete your labourer CV

Proofread your CV

Before submitting your CV, proofread it for spelling, grammar or punctuation errors. You may consider checking it twice. If possible, ask someone else to read through it to pick up any mistakes you might have missed. If you plan to use your CV for more than one job application, make sure you change the potential employer details in a customised CV.

Save your CV

Save your CV in the same format in which you created it. This makes it easy to update it in the future. Since many job applications are submitted online, also save your CV as a PDF so you can submit it along with your online application. It's also a good idea to print a copy if you're invited to an interview and asked to bring your CV with you.

Please note that none of the companies, institutions or organisations mentioned in this article are affiliated with Indeed. The model shown is for illustration purposes only, and may require additional formatting to meet accepted standards.