Warehouse Operative CV: Example for a Warehouse Worker

You know how to pick and pack with the best of them, your forklift skills are second to none and your palletising is a work of functional art. But if you want to get the best warehousing jobs you’re going to need a warehouse operative CV to prove it.

And in less time than it takes to fulfill a one item order, you’re going to learn how to write one. 

Keep reading and you’ll get a perfectly written warehouse operative CV example that you can adapt and make your own. You’ll also get a simple formula for creating a CV for warehouse worker jobs that’ll get you more interviews than any other CV you’ve written previously.

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For CV writing guides for other jobs, read more here:

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Sample Warehouse Operative CV Template

Here’s how to write a warehouse operative CV:

1. Use a Solid Format for Your Warehouse Operative CV

A warehouse operative collects and prepares items for orders, sorts and places items on shelves and performs inventory controls and stock counting. The purpose of your warehouse operative CV is to show you can perform this wide range of tasks effectively and help keep the chain of logistics moving smoothly.

Putting together your warehouse worker CV is like packing a pallet, you need a solid base to create a neat and effective result. Here’s what you need to do.

• Use the best CV format as a base. The best choice for a warehouse operative CV is the chronological format. It’s the one hiring manager’s know best and it puts the focus on your work experience.
• Before you start writing, create a neat and tidy CV structure. Have your page margins set at one inch on each side, use left-alignment and leave a double space between each CV section. This creates white space and just like a well-arranged and spaced-out storage shelf it makes things easier to find and work with. 
• Go easy on the hiring manager’s eyes with an easy-to-read CV font. Cambria and Garamond are two excellent choices.
• Unless the job advert says differently, save your warehouse operative CV as a PDF. That ensures your layout stays intact.
• And don’t include any personal info like your photo, marital status or date of birth. Your postal address isn’t needed either.

Read more: How to Create a Professional CV Layout

2. Prepare a CV Profile for a Warehouse Operative

Your CV profile for warehouse operative jobs, also known as a personal statement, is a short 3–4 lines long paragraph that introduces your CV. To be effective it has to catch the hiring manager’s eye and make sure they stay interested enough to keep reading. 

To forklift as much value as possible into it, you need to answer these questions.

1. Who are you? 
2. What can you offer to the employer? 
3. What are your career goals? 

But you’ll fulfil that order differently depending on how experienced you are. If you’re writing an experienced warehouse worker CV then answer the questions like this.

• Write down a list made up of all your strengths and abilities as a warehouse worker. Consider all of your experience to list everything that makes you good at your job.
• Next, check the job description in the job advert and note what it requires. Then choose 3–4 points from your own list that match.
• Use these points to create a personal profile that’s tailored to the warehouse operative job you’re targetting.

If you’re writing a warehouse operative CV with no experience, then do this instead.

• Make a list of the experience and skills you already possess. Take your previous work history into consideration and write down everything that’s transferable to being a warehouse worker.
• Then write your personal statement by combining those transferable skills with eagerness for the job and knowledge about its requirements to prove you’ll be a good fit.

In both cases, leave writing this section until last. It’s much easier to write a summary of your CV when you’ve got everything else ready to refer to. 

Read more: How to Write an Effective CV Summary

3. Pack a Perfect Warehouse Operative CV Job Description

Get this section wrong and it’s as disastrous as a major miscount on a stocktake. Hiring managers want operatives who can hit the warehouse floor running and get straight to work. Here’s how to prove you know a pallet truck from a hard hat.

• Write your CV in reverse-chronological order. Your most recent employer goes first and you move back from there. 
• For every job, include your employers name, your job title and the dates you worked there. Use ‘present’ as the end date if it’s your current employer.
• Write 4–6 bullet points describing each job, starting them off with action words to make them more impactful. 
• Make sure you don’t just list warehouse operative duties on your CV, you’ve got to prove how well you did the job, not just describe your responsibilities. The best way to do that is to use numbers to describe your achievements and structure your bullet points using accomplishment statements.
• And always make sure your work experience section is targeted to the job description. Don’t reuse the same wording for every job application. Look at each individual job advert and make sure you address the specific skills and skills and experience it requires.

Read more: What to Include in the Work Experience Section of Your CV

4. Include an Education Section in Your Warehouse Worker CV

True, you don’t learn how to be a warehouse operative at school. But you’re expected to have an education section in your CV and to structure it correctly. Here’s how to do it.

• If you’re a school-leaver then write the name of the school, it’s location and the dates you attended. For A-levels list each subject you completed. And for GCSE’s you only need to mention maths and English specifically. They’re considered a bare minimum to prove you have basic literacy and numeracy.
• If you’re a uni student or graduate, then list the name of your university, your degree and the dates you studied there. Include an expected graduation date if you haven’t finished your degree yet. 
• And if you’ve just graduated uni or left school then switch around the order of your CV and put your education section first, before your work history.

Read more: School Leaver CV Example & Writing Guide

5. Prove Your Warehouse Operative CV Skills

As automation increases there are more skills needed to be an effective warehouse worker. Technology is playing an increasingly important role, with an iPad and barcode scanner just as likely to feature in your professional arsenal as a pallet truck and forklift. It’s a long order list of skills to choose from, so how do you decide which ones to include on your CV?

• Check the job description and write down all the skills that are mentioned. Think of it as a wish list for the hiring manager’s perfect candidate. 
• Next, write down all of your own skills, taking into account all of your previous work experience. 
• Then compare the skills and see what matches, choosing 5–10 of the matching points to include on your CV. Aim for a mix of hard skills and soft skills for maximum effect.
• And back each skill up with a short sentence that shows how you possess it. E.g. Palletising. Confident packing and handling standard UK and euro-size pallets and skids.

These skills would all look good on a warehouse operative CV.

Essential Warehouse Operative Skills for Your CV 

• Forklift operation
• Warehouse database software
• Picking and packing
• Health & safety procedures
• Attention to detail
• Inventory control
• Data entry
• Teamwork
• Reliability
• Time management

Read More: Complete List of Skills For Your CV [Best Skills & Examples]

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6. Add Extra Sections to Your Warehouse Operative CV

The last thing you want is for your warehouse worker CV to look like everyone else’s. That’s not going to get you noticed. If you want your CV to end up on the yes pile you’ve got to add something a little extra. That’s where additional CV sections come in. Here are some ideas. 

• Add a languages section if you’re bilingual. Having good communication skills is a plus in any work environment.
• Volunteering is another good universal choice. 8 out of 10 managers say they’re more likely to hire someone with volunteering experience. 
• You could also include licenses, certificates, awards or hobbies and interests. As long as it’s relevant to the job and makes you look like a stronger candidate it’s worth including.

Read more: Best Hobbies and Interests for a CV

7. Add a Warehouse Operative Cover Letter

No matter how good your warehouse operative CV is, it’ll look even better with a cover letter to go with it. Overall, more than half of companies still expect cover letters. So if you don’t include one you’ve just cut your chances of success in half. 

Here’s what to include in a cover letter for warehouse worker jobs. 

• Use the correct cover letter formatting, and address your cover letter to the hiring manager by name. 
• Start your cover letter with a hook. Use enthusiasm for the job and an impressive professional accomplishment to grab the recruiter’s attention.
• Then move on to add more evidence of how your skills and experience will make you an outstanding warehouse operative and make a positive contribution to the business.
• End your cover letter with a call to action. Ask the hiring manager to contact you so you can discuss the role in more detail. You really do have more chance of getting an interview if you ask for one.
• Don’t overload the pallet. Your cover letter length should be one page at most. 

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your CV will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:

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See more cover letter templates and start writing.

And for one final boost to your chances of success, follow up your application. If you’ve not had any news within a week of applying then get in touch and check up on the progress of your application. Many employers actually expect it of you.

Thank you for reading. Hopefully, you found our CV template for a warehouse operative useful. If you’d like to know more about writing a CV for warehouse worker jobs then let us know in the comments section and I’ll be happy to answer any questions.

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Sources

• https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1461&context=stu_hon_theses
• https://capd.mit.edu/resources/resume-action-verbs/
• https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/us/Documents/us-deloitte-impact-survey.pdf