Crafting an automotive technician resume is essential to landing the right job at a great shop. A resume is more than a list of jobs and skills. It’s often the first impression a potential employer will have of you. And if that resume is a mess, they probably aren’t going to call for an interview.
In this article, we will cover expert tips and examples of the best automotive technician resumes. We’ve even provided a template so you can nail a job at the best shop/dealerships in your area.
4 Tips For Writing an Automotive Technician Resume
1. Customize your resume based on the job.
Over half (55%) of recruiters say the biggest mistake job seekers make on their resume is not tailoring their resume to a specific job they are applying for. When applying for an automotive technician job, your resume should be tailored to those skills. While your employment history should always reflect accurately—technician-related or not—you should still customize other parts of your resume, like your objective or purpose statement.
An objective/purpose statement is a brief statement summarizing and highlighting your technical experience and short-term professional goals as a technician. It should be short, clear, and specific.
Objective Statement Example:
ASE and Ford-certified automotive technician with 10 years of experience seeking an opportunity at a dealership where I can achieve Master Technician level and gain leadership opportunities
Other areas where a resume can be customized to the job are in the skills and certifications sections, but we’ll get more into that below.
2. Add certifications and skills.
This is often a big missed opportunity for automotive technicians as they’ll often just casually mention being ASE-certified somewhere buried in their resume. Instead, consider adding in dedicated sections of your resume for Certifications and Skills, so you can really share your areas of expertise.
Certification Examples:
ASE Certifications: A1, A2 and A2 | May 2024
Ford Accelerated Credential Training (FACT) | December 2023
Skills Examples:
Technical skills:
Advanced diagnostic skills
Experience with European models
Heavy lines
Restoration
Transmission specialization
Soft skills:
Supervisory experience
Ability to work independently
Mentor roles
Competition results for more junior techs (i.e., Skills USA champion, etc.)
3. Summarize your job experience in a list—starting with the most recent job.
Your job experience should be a well-formatted list that’s easy to follow. The list should start with your most recent or current job and work backwards.
The exception to this rule is: If you have jobs that are not technician related, you can break this section into two—Technician Experience and Other Experience. See the resume template below for an example.
For each job, make sure to include:
- Company name
- Location (City, State)
- Position or job title
- Dates of employment (Month/Year)
- If there are any gaps in your employment history, you’ll want to be ready to explain them in the interview (not on your resume).
- Key responsibilities and achievements for each job.
- Do not include any information about why you left the position or feedback on the job or management.
Job Description Example:
Automotive Technician
Bob’s Auto Repair, Los Angeles, CA
January 2020-Present
– Diagnose and repair various vehicle issues, including engine, transmission, and electrical problems.
– Conduct routine maintenance services such as oil changes, tire rotations, and brake inspections.
– Provide excellent customer service, explaining repairs and maintenance to clients.
– Maintain detailed records of all work performed and parts used.
4. Check spelling and grammar.
While your technical skills are the most important thing you have to offer a new employer, it’s also important to demonstrate your attention to detail and professionalism. A great place to start is by making sure your resume is free of spelling and grammatical errors. A highly qualified technician is not going to miss out on a job because of one typo. However, when there’s a large amount of spelling or grammatical errors, it’s a direct reflection of your professionalism and attention to detail.
Free Tools for Spell & Grammar Check:
– Microsoft Word
– Google Docs
– Grammarly
– GrammarCheck
– ChatGPT
Automotive Technician Resume Template
Below is an example of how an automotive technician resume can be formatted. We’ve included a link to download this job template as a Google Doc that you can edit as well.
