Best CNC machinist CV examples for you to use this year

Secure your dream CNC Machinist role this year by learning about the sections you need to include in your professional CV to impress a hiring manager.

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Table of Contents

  1. CNC machinist CV examples
  2. What to highlight in a CNC machinist CV
  3. Structure of a CNC machinist CV
  4. Do’s and don’ts for a CNC machinist CV
  5. FAQ: CNC machinist CVs

CNC machinist CV examples

A CNC machinist creates tools and parts from various materials, such as metal and plastic. They usually specialise in a specific type of machinery but can also work with various machines. When hiring a CNC machinist, a recruiter wants to see that you have experience working with the specific machines in their manufacturing facility and that you can create the needed parts.

In this article, you will learn how you can show off your skills, experience and extensive industry knowledge impressively and engagingly!

What to highlight in a CNC machinist CV

Creating tools and parts for machinery is hard work, and candidates will need specialist skills such as operating a CNC lathe or knowing g-code before working as full-time CNC machinists. You’ll need to produce an impressive CV to increase your chances of securing an interview. You should highlight: 

  • CNC machinist skills 
  • In-depth knowledge of the manufacturing process from planning to the fulfilment stages
  • Previous work experience

Structure of a CNC machinist CV

Your CNC machinist CV structure will depend on the CV format you choose. For example, choosing a chronological CV format will mean focusing on your work experience. Choosing a functional CV format will highlight your skills and if you have gaps in your employment history or are changing careers, you can choose a combination CV format to showcase your skills and experience.

Header

The header is at the top of your CV and contains your contact information with your name, email address and phone number. Be sure also to add any professional links like your Linkedin.

Professional summary or career objective

You will need a professional summary or career objective. This is a short two-to-three-sentence paragraph. This section intends to hook the recruiter and entice them to read your entire CV.

If you have several years of experience, you will write a professional summary where you can highlight your best achievements and work experience. Summarise your years of experience in the manufacturing industry and point out one or two prominent skills.

If you don’t have a lot of industry experience you can write a career objective. It is similar in length to a professional summary but focuses on your career intentions and goals. You should explain why a CNC machinist role aligns with your career development plan. You should also explain how your knowledge of CNC machines and specialist skills compensate for a lack of experience.

Skills

Including the right skills is an important part of creating the best CV. You must include a mix of CNC machinist-specific hard skills and soft skills, hard skills require training and certification (e.g., CNC milling), while soft skills are transferable across many industries (e.g., communication skills).

Here are some bullet points to consider adding to your CV:

  • Problem-solving skills
  • Machine tool operation
  • Designing and reading blueprints 
  • Troubleshooting machine parts 
  • Computer numerical control 
  • Grinder operation 
  • CNC programming 
  • Quality control 
  • Cutting tool operation 
  • Precision measuring with measuring instruments 
  • Completing all work orders to customer satisfaction
  • Forklift operation 
  • Working safely with hand tools 
  • Comprehensive knowledge of the machining process
  • Preventative maintenance 
  • CNC milling machines 
  • CNC Programmer and technical skills
  • Automotive knowledge 
  • Collaborating with several industry professionals (e.g., aerospace construction workers and engineers)
  • AutoCAD 
  • Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word)
  • Quality assurance

Work history

Depending on the seniority of the job title, you might need to include a long list of previous roles in the work history section. You need to list your previous job titles in reverse-chronological order, starting from the most recent job. You should also provide a list of brief bullet points underneath each job title, explaining your primary responsibilities. 

For a perfect CV, you should include only relevant experience in a CNC machinist role to avoid cluttering your CV. You should also provide the employer’s details in this section, such as the company name and the date you started and finished. 

Education

Typically, to become a CNC machinist, you can get into the job by finishing a college course or an apprenticeship. Courses include: 

  • Level 1 Certificate in Engineering and Manufacturing
  • Level 1 Certificate in Performing Engineering Operations
  • Level 2 Certificate in Mechanical Engineering 
  • You’ll usually also need two or fever GCSEs at grades 3 to 1 and 9 to 3. 

List all your education and training in the education section with the name of the school you attended or the certifying authority for the certificates you hold.

Do’s and don’ts for a CNC machinist CV

Here are some do’s and don’ts for a CNC machinist CV: 

Do:

  • Use a machinist CV template. This can provide structure to a professional CV. 
  • Use a CV builder to simplify your CV writing process.
  • Include keywords that describe your CNC machinist skills and qualities. You can find these in the job description which will help you get through applicant tracking systems (ATS).

Don’t:

  • Include unrelated information, such as unnecessary qualifications or experience.
  • Forget to provide specific examples of when you operated machinery from your previous job.
  • Over-explain your experience. This might make your CV sections too long.

FAQ: CNC machinist CVs

Q: Do I need to include a cover letter for a CNC machinist application?

Yes! A cover letter is important to your application process and you can use the CVHelp CV builder to assist you in writing yours. This short letter lets you go into further detail about your experience and skills. You can also provide specific anecdotes to evidence some of your key skills. For example, you can describe an instance where you demonstrated high safety conformity.

Q: How can I write a CNC machinist CV without a lot of experience?

You can still create a CV if you’re applying for an entry-level position. You can use a functional CV format and a career objective. You should focus on transferable skills instead of CNC machinist-specific qualities. For example, instead of including role-specific keywords like machine operation, you can focus on transferable skills, like dexterity or collaboration skills.

Q: How do I change my CNC machinist CV to apply to different jobs?

Customising your CV is an important part of creating the best CV you can. To customise, you should adapt your professional summary or career objective for each application. You can also change your skills section to match the exact role. To do this, you’ll need to choose keywords from the job description. Keywords are terms that describe role-specific qualities, include these words in your CV to match yourself to the exact role.

You should draw parallels between you and the ideal candidate’s profile. You can also include company-specific information, such as company values and mention them in your CV summary.

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