How to write a scaffolding CV (with example and template)

When you apply for a role in scaffolding, having strong documentation supporting your application can highlight your experience and skills. This lets employers know that you they can trust you to complete projects based on your previous experience and qualifications in construction. You benefit from a CV that comprehensively sets out your abilities for the role and why you're the ideal candidate for the position. In this article, we discuss what a scaffolding CV is, detail how to write one and provide both a template and an example of a CV that candidates use in this field.

Please note that none of the companies, institutions or organisations mentioned in this article are affiliated with Indeed.

What is a scaffolding CV?

A scaffolding CV is a document that people use in the application process for working in a scaffolder role. A CV features a series of pieces of information that provide prospective employers with a better understanding of your career to date and some of the benefits of employing you. This is the first thing that an employer reads about you, typically alongside a cover letter that expands upon your technical skills and past project successes. A CV for scaffolding work primarily contains information relevant to working as a scaffolder in a company or for an individual client.

How to write a CV for a scaffolding job

There are several steps in the process of writing your CV, including:

1. Think about your experience

Begin by assembling all your scaffolding experience. This includes collecting significant information about each of your previous roles, including the company or client name, your job title, the location of the work and your dates of employment. Think about your main duties in these positions too, as including this information provides further clarity of the skills and competencies that you have besides the fact that you have held similar positions. Completing this research in detail reduces the chance of having any factual inaccuracies in your CV.

Related: 12 reflection questions to help your career (plus benefits)

2. Read scaffolding job descriptions

When you have all the necessary information from your career, start reading through scaffolding job descriptions. Read through as many as you can so you have a complete understanding of what employers across the market look for rather than a single employer. When you read through job descriptions, specifically look for keywords that refer to qualifications and workplace skills. By comparing these skills to your own career and including those that apply, you increase your chances of holding the reader's attention and securing an interview for the role in the company.

3. Choose a format

There are two main formats for a CV. The first is an experience-based CV. These are ideal for people with lots of experience working as a scaffolder without having thorough qualifications, such as those grandfathered into scaffolding roles. The alternative is a skills-based CV, which focuses on candidates with all of the skills for the position without much experience as a scaffolder. By choosing the right format you increase your chances of success, as you highlight the better aspects of your career so far.

4. Include personal details

At the start of a scaffolding CV, mention your personal contact details. This includes your email address, home address, phone number and your full name, besides any prefixes or suffixes that you have. This provides a means for companies to contact you after completing your application. Keeping this information up to date can benefit you in the long term because some construction companies or clients need scaffolders for freelance or last-minute projects. Having your contact information on hand can save them time from commencing an entirely new hiring process.

5. Write your professional summary

The start of your CV's main content is the professional summary. This is a two to three-sentence summary of your career thus far, including your job title, a summary of your skills and a mention of your main competencies as a scaffolder. An effective professional summary provides the reader with an understanding of who you are as a person and what you offer in a scaffolding role, setting a strong first impression on the reader. A compelling professional summary can increase your chance of securing an interview by holding a recruiter's attention from the start.

Related: How to include a profile summary in CV

6. List your scaffolding experience

Your experience includes the dates of your employment in each of the roles, your job title and a series of responsibilities in each of the roles. For your most recent experience, including five of your key responsibilities, with three each for any further experiences you list. Focus on including the most relevant experience possible, with those in the construction industry benefiting your application further than those with less relevance.

Related: How to be a scaffolder (with salary and education info)

7. Mention your construction skills

After your experience, list some of the skills you have in the construction industry. This includes your skills directly relating to working in renovations and others that relate more closely to working with clients, such as providing good customer service. This simple list is an ideal opportunity to state the skills that employers feature in job descriptions as keywords, attracting employers to your application by directly signposting your skills and their relevance to the position. Where possible, mention skills not listed anywhere else in the CV, adding more depth to your portfolio of abilities.

Related: 9 popular construction careers (plus duties and salaries)

8. Highlight your education and certificates

Finish your CV by including your education and certificates that are relevant to the role. For example, a relevant certificate to working in a scaffolding position includes a workplace health and safety certificate, a CISRS Scaffolding Certificate or any other construction-oriented qualification. By including this information, employers benefit from considering you as you require less training for the role than some of your rivals for the position. This increases your chance of securing an interview and getting further towards a successful job application.

9. Complete a proofread

After completing your first draft, proofread your work. Read through the document again and make adjustments that improve the spelling, punctuation and grammar of the piece. By ensuring that everything is correct, you appear more professional to the reader. Look for factual errors where possible in case the employer goes through a thorough referencing process. Consider asking a friend or professional for support with proofreading to ensure that there are no remaining errors.

Related: How much does a proofreader make? (Plus career info)

Template CV for scaffolding

See a template of a CV for a scaffolder below:

[First name] [Last name]
[Phone number] | [Email address] | [City]

Professional Summary
[Two to three sentences that highlight years of experience, relevant skills, education or certifications and achievements as a professional].

Experience
[Job Title] | [Employment dates]
[Company Name] | [City]

• (strong verb) + what you did (more detail) + reason, outcome or quantified results

• [Job duty]

• [Job duty]

• [Job duty]

• [Job duty]

[Job Title] | [Employment dates]
[Company Name] | [City]

• (strong verb) + what you did (more detail) + reason, outcome or quantified results

• [Job duty]

• [Job duty]

Skills
[Skill] | [Skill] | [Skill] | [Skill] | [Skill] | [Skill]

Education
[Degree and subject], [Name of school or university]
[Certification name], [Host organisation] - [Year completed or expiration date]

Example CV for scaffolding

See a template of a CV for a scaffolder below:

Robert Chapman 01234 567 890 | b. builder@mail.net | Brighton

Professional Summary
I am a builder and scaffolder with over two decades of experience in the industry. My work includes scaffolding complex structures and offering bespoke solutions to clients requiring assistance with construction issues.

Experience
Scaffold Manager | December 2011–Current
Fixham Construction | Brighton

• guide customers and clients on their scaffolding requirements

• complete procurement tasks for a range of projects

• create complex scaffolding structures

• test structures for safety and compliance

• train new employers in scaffolding work

Scaffolder | March 2007–December 2011 Fixham Construction | Brighton

• supported over 200 clients in creating scaffolding structures

• designed reliable scaffolding for a series of worksites

• resolved ongoing issues with problem clients

Skills
Communication | Strength | Dexterity | Customer service | Working with machinery | Design

Education
HNC Construction, Bedale College Worksite Health and Safety, Fixham Construction – 2021