The Welder Resume Guide: What Recruiters Look For

Welders get screened on two things before anything else: current certifications and a clean safety record. Process codes on the resume matter just as much, because TIG, MIG, stick, and flux-core experience determines whether you can pass the shop weld test on the first attempt.

• Certifications must match the job's code, with AWS D1.1 for structural and ASME Section IX for pipe and pressure vessels.
• Shift and travel flexibility matters, including 4x10s, night rotation, and out-of-town jobs at remote sites.
• Listing specific joint positions like 6G pipe or 3G and 4G plate carries more weight than writing all positions.
• Blueprint reading and weld symbol knowledge get checked quickly, because fit-up mistakes waste shop time and material.

• SMAW stick welding on carbon steel in all positions
• GTAW TIG welding on stainless and aluminum, 2G through 6G
• FCAW flux-core welding with dual-shield wire on heavy plate
• Interpreting AWS D1.1 acceptance criteria for weld defects
• Blueprint reading and weld symbol interpretation
• Operating plasma cutters, grinders, and beveling machines
• Passing 6G pipe and 3G and 4G plate bend tests
• Fit-up and tack welding to blueprint tolerances

I hold a current 6G TIG and stick certification through AWS D1.1 and have spent eight years welding carbon steel, stainless, and aluminum across shop and field settings. With over 1,200 production welds completed, my first-pass inspection rate sits at 98 percent, and I keep a zero lost-time incident record.

Keep the resume to one page, use a plain font, and list every certification with its issuing body and expiration date. Avoid photos, logos, tables, or text boxes, because ATS scanners read simple left-to-right layouts best — so submit a clean PDF or Word file.