In the age of online shopping, one-day shipping and home delivery, the demand for drivers is booming. Not all drivers move boxes however. Whether you're a delivery driver, truck driver or chauffeur, a great resume is one of the most important tools to land you your next job on the road. This driver resume example is designed to help you highlight your ability to be trustworthy, efficient and flexible – key skills that will set you apart in the transportation industry.
This driver resume example along with our adaptable driver resume sample, templates and tools will show you how to:
- Understand the job market for drivers and how it affects your resume
- Get your resume past the ATS scanners in use at most large logistics companies
- Create the necessary resume sections that highlight your experience and skills
- Format your resume or CV so that it is attractive and professional
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for passenger drivers is projected to increase by 11 percent over the coming decade – that's much faster than average for other occupations!
How to write a driver resume
Although driving positions may sometimes be considered entry-level, they are often highly competitive. Drivers can earn decent income without ever facing a shortage of hours. Some large delivery companies even require that candidates for driver positions first gain experience in the warehouse. To beat out the competition, you'll need a resume that sets you apart.
First, read the job description several times through. What skills and qualities are highlighted as important for this particular driver position? Whether it's a focus on customer service, a need for quick deliveries or an ability to follow safety protocols, this is the information you will need to address on your resume to prove that you're the right candidate for the position.
As you'll see in our driver resume example, your resume should highlight a candidate’s ability to ensure proper vehicle function and safe travel at all times. A driver should be knowledgeable about the systems of a vehicle, and be able to handle a variety of issues ranging from simple to complex. The candidate should have superior navigation skills, and be able to plan efficient routes. A winning driver resume sample should showcase excellent communication skills, as well as superior customer service skills.
According to the Financial Times, delivery drivers are one of the few professions that have been positively affected by the health crisis. With more people staying at home and ordering online, demand for delivery drivers has skyrocketed.
In need of more inspiration? Have a look at one of our related transportation resume samples here below:
Outmaneuver the ATS
Reading and understanding the job description is not only important when it comes to impressing the hiring manager. In fact, before your resume will be seen by human eyes, it must first pass the Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) in use at many of today's large and medium-sized companies. The ATS scans your resume for keywords and then ranks your resume against other candidates. Only the top-scoring applicants will be passed on. While this process saves the hiring manager considerable time, it also means you could spend hours on a resume only to be filtered out by an automated system.
Luckily, there are simple yet effective ways to take action against the ATS:
- Understand the hiring process for drivers and the most requested skills
- Use keywords from the job description strategically throughout your resume
- Format your resume so that is it well-organized and easy to read for both the humans and robots
A "keyword" is just a fancy way of saying an important skill or experience noted on the job description. If a skill or phrase is repeated multiple times, that's a good sign it is probably a keyword. Make sure to incorporate the exact phrasing of these words naturally throughout your resume, paying special attention to the summary and skills section. Never force keywords that don't make sense or are untrue – you may fool the ATS but the hiring manager will likely give you the cold shoulder.
Summary example: Gearing up for success
Your summary is just what it sounds like: a place on your resume to offer a bit of your skills, experience and qualifications. A great summary example shouldn't be boring. Even though drivers may spend hours alone on the road, you'll still want to showcase some customer service skills and a generally pleasant demeanor – no one wants to work with a grouch! Remember to use as many powerful action verbs and job specific information as you can. Highlighting your key attributes and talents that prove your qualifications and accomplishments is crucial.
Check out the summary section from our driver resume sample:
Experienced and reliable Driver with vast experience working in the transportation of goods and passengers. Adept in safe driving practices and traffic laws. Bringing forth a clean driving record as well as a career history full of satisfied customers and clients. Experienced in performing maintenance and minor repairs on vehicles. Committed to the safety and successful transportation of goods, passengers, and vehicles.
Employment history example: A great track-record
Your employment history example is the place to showcase previous work experience. First, list the name of the company, the location and the dates you worked there. Underneath, you can create 3-5 bullet points that highlight your most relevant skills. Remember to use powerful action verbs and mention job specific accomplishments that prove you are an excellent candidate.
If you have at least three positions related to driving, you may want to leave unrelated work experience off your resume. If this is your first driving job, use your employment history section to point out transferable skills that will help you quickly adapt to the driving role. Whenever possible, use numbers and percentages to quantify your achievements and prove your value.
Here's the employment history section from our driver resume example:
- Reached 700k accident free miles.
- Was awarded Best Driver in 2011.
- Safely and efficiently transported cargo to destinations.
- Read maps and identified the fastest routes.
- Worked to achieve ultimate customer satisfaction.
Education section example: The right direction
Since many drivers can begin working without a college degree, you won't have to worry about creating a lengthy education section on your resume. However, some large shipping companies are known to prefer college student drivers, so listing a degree in progress in this section may increase your odds of landing the job. If you hold a degree higher than a bachelor degree, you may leave out your high school.
Certifications
While drivers might not need much formal education, their c are essential for the job. List your licenses and their numbers here. If you've completed any training like hazmat driving or road safety courses, you should include it in your education example.
Here's the education section from our driver resume example:
- 2000-2004 St. Francis High School, High School Diploma NY, NY
- 2004 New York State, CDL License NY, NY
Skills section example: Accelerating your career
The skills section is at the heart of a great driver resume sample. Make sure to include any hard skills from the job posting like a clean driving record, mechanic experience or shipment tracking software. A driver resume sample should also include several soft skills like communication, efficiency or organization to show that you're a well-rounded candidate.
Here's the skills section from our driver resume example:
- Excellent Leadership Skills
- Mechanical and Electrical Knowledge
- Manual Dexterity
- Strong Customer Service Skills
Choosing the correct CV format for a driver job
All your essential driving experience won't amount to much if it's not clearly organized on your CV format or resume template. A great format allows both the ATS and the hiring manager to quickly find the information they are looking for. Use traditional section headings like "Education" or "Work Experience" so as not to confuse the reader. Your CV format should also contain a header that keeps your name and contact information highly visible.
For a driver resume format, we recommend minimal color and design elements. Readability and organization are key. If you don't have time to design your own format, a resume template may be able to help. Resume.io's collection of simple templates are expertly designed to give you a jumping off point that you can easily modify to create a stellar driver resume sample of your own.
- Keep a balance of white space to text
- Use a commonly accepted resume font like Georgia or Helvetica
- Create an attractive header with your personal information
- Go overboard with colors, creative fonts or images
- Use usual section heading titles
- Create a resume longer than one page
What does a driver do?
Drivers are transportation professionals who transport passengers, goods, or vehicles. They seek to provide efficient and safe travel and please customers. Drivers are able to read maps and locate the fastest driving routes. They have excellent judgment skills, and are able to make strong decisions quickly. An ideal candidate for a Driver position possesses excellent mechanical, navigation, and troubleshooting skills.
Here are some of the common duties of drivers:
- Load cargo at warehouses and shipping centers
- Make deliveries to homes and businesses
- Complete delivery paperwork and obtain customer signatures
- Accept and process payments
- Maintain vehicles or report problems to supervisors
- Pick up and drop off passengers
- Clean vehicles
- Help load and unload passengers and belongings
- Follow predetermined routes avoiding delays
Key takeaways
- A thoughtful and organized resume full of the right skills and experiences is the best way to get a hiring manager's attention and land your next driver job.
- Your resume will first need to pass through the ATS, so make sure to optimize it with the right keywords and exact language from the job description.
- Pay special attention to your summary section since this is the one place you'll get to show off your personality and professional demeanor.
- Keep a balance of white space to text and use a simple resume to make your writing shine.
- Use our resume builder and recruiter-approved free resume examples to save your time and nerves. Create a great resume in no time!
