Engraver resume template
A clean starting structure with example content grounded in what engravers actually do day to day, not generic filler. Download and replace the bracketed placeholders with your own details.
Which resume format should you use?
Reverse chronological
You have a steady work history. This is the format almost every recruiter and ATS expects by default.
Functional
You're changing fields or have gaps in your employment. Leads with skills rather than a job-by-job timeline.
Combination
You're early career or have worked consistently but for only a few employers. Blends a skills summary with a shorter chronological history.
This template uses the reverse chronological format: the one most engravers should default to, since most Australian recruiters and ATS software expect it.
Professional summary
Engraver with hands-on experience cutting lettering, logos and decorative patterns into metal, glass, timber, acrylic and plastic. Works from digital files and hand-drawn artwork, setting up pantographs and rotary or laser machines for one-off and small batch jobs where depth control, alignment and finish matter. Keeps a clean, accurate finish and communicates clearly with customers about artwork and turnaround.
Key skills
- Craft and handmade production
- Visual design
- Creative software production
- Hand and power tool work
- Plant and equipment operation
- CorelDRAW
- Adobe Illustrator
- LightBurn
- AutoCAD
- Adobe Photoshop
- Attention to detail
- Customer service
Experience: example bullet points
- Interpreted design briefs, artwork and templates to plan engraving work, checking font, size and material before cutting.
- Set up and operated hand tools, pantographs and rotary or laser engraving machines, adjusting depth and speed to suit metal, glass, timber and plastic.
- Engraved lettering, logos and decorative patterns onto awards, signage and industrial parts, keeping alignment and spelling accurate across each run.
- Checked finished work for depth, alignment, spelling and surface finish, reworking or rejecting pieces that did not meet the brief.
- Sharpened cutting tools and carried out routine maintenance on engraving equipment, keeping machines reliable and reducing unplanned downtime.
- Worked with retail and trade customers to confirm artwork and deadlines, explaining material options and care requirements.
Education
Year 12 or equivalent is common, with most engravers learning on the job or completing a Certificate III in engineering fabrication, design fundamentals or a related trade; a diploma or degree in visual arts or graphic design supports design-heavy roles.
Keywords an ATS is likely to scan for
Applicant tracking systems match your resume against terms in the job ad before a person ever sees it. Only include the ones that actually apply to your experience, but if a term below matches something you've done, use the same wording the job ad uses.
- Engraving
- Laser engraving
- Rotary engraving
- Pantograph
- Depth control
- Surface finish
- Awards and signage
- Personalisation
- Metal engraving
- Glass etching
- Acrylic and timber engraving
- CorelDRAW
- Adobe Illustrator
- LightBurn
- AutoCAD
- Work Health and Safety (WHS)
- Quality checks
- Trade qualified
- Certificate III in Engineering
- Customer service
Getting past ATS screening
- Match the specific skills, certifications and terms used in the job ad, not just your own wording for the same thing.
- Keep formatting simple: no tables, text boxes, columns, headers/footers or graphics. Parsers frequently drop content placed in these.
- Submit as .docx or PDF unless the job ad specifies otherwise.
- Use standard section headings (Experience, Education, Skills) rather than creative alternatives.
- List your core skills and technical competencies in their own section so a keyword scan can find them instantly.
This is a starting point, not a guarantee of interviews. Tailor every bullet point to your own real experience and the specific job ad.