The Ultimate Resume Guide for Utility Vegetation Management Professionals and Job Candidates
At ACRT Services, we know what separates a good resume from a great one, especially in the utility vegetation management (UVM) industry. While employer’s recognize a resume does not capture all the potential that a candidate holds, it can make the difference between who gets the interview, who makes it to the next round, and even who lands the job.
Understanding important skills to add to your resume, such as communication skills, technical skills, problem-solving skills and leadership skills, is critical to what sets you apart from other candidates and lands you the interview. At ACRT Services and our family of companies, we understand the most important skills that employers, like ourselves, look for in a candidate, and we want to help candidates put their best foot forward as they enter the UVM industry or search for their next career opportunity.
Here’s how UVM hiring managers evaluate resumes—and how to stand out. Before applying, ensure your resume highlights relevant information, reflects attention to detail, and makes a strong first impression.
What to Include in your Resume:
Education:
Every resume should feature a candidate’s highest level of education as well as the timelines of how long school was attended. If you achieved a GPA of 3.5 or higher during your education, you may also consider adding your GPA to your resume.
You may expand upon your education if your education is especially pertinent to the position or industry. For example, if you obtained a relevant major, minor or certification. While it’s necessary to include education on your resume, employers value work experience most, so keep this information as short as possible.
Work Experience:
If you are applying for a job in a new industry, it can be challenging to tailor your resume to the position, especially if you feel like you may lack technical experience. If this is the case, noting experiences from your previous role that may be beneficial to the role you’re applying for as well as including key words from the job description is a great start.
If you have experience in industry, such as UVM, you want to showcase your experience by including technical information relevant in the industry. For example, companies hiring UVM will value skills such as the following:
- Line clearance tree trimming
- Experience with transmission vs distribution
- Storm response or mutual deployment, patrols, audits or inspections
- Experience working with utility customers/property owners
Training, Certifications, and Licenses:
In addition to relevant technical work experience, employers will also find candidates with training, certifications and licenses of high value. In UVM, relevant or qualifying training, certification and licenses include the following:
- OSHA trainings
- ISA certifications
- First Aid certifications
- Defensive driving certifications
- TRAQ qualifications
- Electrical hazard awareness training
Skills:
Depending on the position, there may also be some relevant skills that an employer is looking for. For example, if the position you’re applying for includes customer-facing projects, you will want to be sure to feature customer communication skills in your experience or in a skills section on your resume.
Today, many employers value candidates with knowledge or experience of technology. Some relevant technology that you could familiarize yourself with if you’re applying to a position in but not limited to UVM might include Microsoft Excel, GIS platforms, work management systems, tablets and mobile data collection, GPS mapping tools, and more.
What to Avoid in Your Resume:
There are several things that you can generally avoid when creating your resume as they appear less professional or may prohibit you from receiving the job offer down the road. Check out our list of things you should avoid on your resume, below.
Photography:
Many resume templates contain space to include either a photo of the candidate or to help showcase experience on the resume. It’s worth noting that information surrounding you and your experience is more valuable than images of that experience. If you have relevant photography you’d like to share, consider sharing it with your LinkedIn audience, which your interviewer will likely review prior to or after your interview.
Grammar errors:
While we all make mistakes, avoiding grammatical errors might set you apart from another candidate. When you avoid grammar errors, it shows employers not only that you have basic grammar knowledge, but also that you pay close attention to details. Documentation accuracy in the field mirrors resume accuracy.
Dishonesty:
It is surprising how many candidates try to embellish their experiences or education to land the job. The irony is that your employer will find out sooner or later which details were embellished. For example, many companies complete background checks and will quickly realize if your work experience or education was embellished. Your colleagues will quickly realize how much help that you need if you embellished how familiar you are with a particular platform, etc. Try to be confident in being yourself.
Uploading Your Resume File:
Before you upload your resume, check to see if the employer notes a particular file format they prefer. Most employers prefer PDF files. You will also want to be sure that your resume is named appropriately and contains your first and last name, as well as the company and position you are applying for. Here’s an example, “FirstName-LastName_Job-Position-Title_Company_Date-of-Application,” or a title along those lines. It will also help you keep track of which resume you submitted, if you are applying to multiple positions at a time.
Find your next UVM Career Today:
So, whether you are entering the UVM industry for the first time or making the next step in your career, take the time to highlight relevant experience, certifications, technical knowledge, and attention to detail. By presenting your skills clearly, professionally, and honestly, you position yourself for success before the interview begins and throughout the entire interview process. Invest in your resume, refine it often, and let it reflect the value you bring to the role as well as to the industry.
If you’re ready to take the next step in your UVM career, join a team that invests in your development and leads the industry in safety. View current openings with ACRT Services and our family of companies or send your resume to recruiting@ACRTinc.com to start the conversation.
