Handyman resume template
A clean starting structure with example content grounded in what handymans 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 handymans should default to, since most Australian recruiters and ATS software expect it.
Professional summary
Experienced handyman with a strong background in property maintenance and repair across residential and small commercial settings. Skilled in carpentry, painting, tiling and minor installations, with a focus on safety and customer satisfaction. Proficient in job management software including ServiceM8, Tradify and AroFlo, and committed to delivering high-quality work on time.
Key skills
- Hand and power tool operation
- Installation and maintenance
- Worksite safety management
- Quoting and estimating
- ServiceM8
- Tradify
- AroFlo
- Xero
- Attention to detail
- Problem solving
- Customer service
- Time and deadline management
Experience: example bullet points
- Completed general repairs and maintenance across a portfolio of 40 rental properties per month, including door, window and lock repairs, improving tenant satisfaction and reducing repeat call-outs.
- Installed shelving, fixtures, fittings and appliances in homes and small commercial spaces, ensuring compliance with Australian Standards and manufacturer instructions.
- Prepared and painted interior and exterior surfaces, patching and sanding as needed, to a professional finish that met client expectations.
- Assembled flat-pack furniture, equipment and outdoor structures for 20 clients monthly, often within tight timeframes.
- Inspected properties and reported defects to owners and property managers, providing clear quotes and recommendations for remedial work.
Education
Certificate III in Carpentry or a related trade, or equivalent on-the-job training and experience.
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.
- White Card
- Work Health and Safety (WHS)
- public liability insurance
- police check
- Working with Children Check
- ServiceM8
- Tradify
- AroFlo
- Xero
- Australian Standards
- National Construction Code
- property maintenance
- reactive maintenance
- preventative maintenance
- strata maintenance
- real estate maintenance
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.