A warehouse worker is employed in a warehouse or factory environment and is responsible for carrying out a number of duties related to shipping, receiving and processing merchandise. In most cases, they work directly for a company, or through a third-party shipping or storage company, and help facilitate company operations.
Many warehouse worker tasks require both physical and mental skills and qualities, and you are relied on heavily to ensure the logistics of the company are carried out efficiently and accurately.
If you’re applying for a warehouse worker position, knowing how to structure your resume and what you should list and call out, including education, skills and objectives, can help your resume get noticed and selected and an interview scheduled.
How to structure your warehouse worker resume
When formatting your resume for a warehouse worker position, you should include:
A summary/career objective
Education/certifications
Relevant work history, including the company, dates worked, and brief description of the duties performed
Relevant skills for the role
Most warehouse worker positions don’t require formal education other than a high school diploma or GED, so unless the job description has a formal education requirement, you likely don’t need to list it.
When creating your resume, you’ll want to carefully read the job description to ensure you include all relevant keywords, skills and experience that shows you are the best candidate. By tailoring your objective and resume to the job description, it’s more likely it will make it through any applicant tracking system software and to the desk of the hiring manager.
Warehouse worker job description
A warehouse worker ensures the logistics of shipping, receiving, processing and storing inventory are carried out, facilitating the delivery of goods to companies or directly to consumers.
Warehouse workers must follow strict shipping schedules and detailed purchase orders to ensure everything comes and goes accurately and on time. They may load orders into trucks or other shipping devices, organize incoming stock and inventory, accept orders and enter them into the warehouse database, and keep track of stock in the warehouse.
Warehouse roles can look different depending on the industry and company for which they work. Generally, the job description for a warehouse worker can include duties such as:
Operate a forklift or other machinery to move products
Prepare and complete warehouse orders for delivery or pickup while meeting strict shipping and delivery schedules and guidelines
Pack, prepare, and load goods for delivery
Receive, unpack, organize and store goods and merchandise properly
Organize documentation for product delivery or shipment
Keep track of inventory as it ships and is received using inventory tracking software
Safely and securely pack and label products for shipping
Coordinate company operations by ensuring workflows are completed on time.
Verify and maintain inventory for shipment
Warehouse worker education
Most warehouse worker roles don’t require formal education other than a high school diploma or GED. However, some certifications, such as certification in operating a forklift, may be beneficial to have.
Some warehouse workers may have some college education or a degree in a field such as supply chain management, logistics, business, or administration. If this is the case, be sure to list that on your resume, even if the degree is in progress.
You may want to outline your education on your resume like the following:
Education
XYZ College
City, State
Bachelor’s of Science degree, Supply Chain Management
XYZ High School
City, State
High School Diploma
When listing your education, here are a few tips:
Consider leaving off the years you attended school or your graduation date. Typically, that’s not as important unless you’re still pursuing your degree. In that case, be clear your education is in progress. For example,
Bachelor’s of Science (Supply Chain Management); anticipated completion May 2022
List the order of your education as the highest level first. For example, if you have a Bachelor’s degree and high school diploma, list the Bachelor’s degree first, followed by your diploma.
If you have additional certifications or training, list them in their section with the heading “Additional Certifications.” Include the organization that provided the certification, the title, and the date of completion or renewal.
Unless you’re a recent graduate or it’s a requirement for the role, you don’t need to include your high school education.
What to include on your resume for a warehouse worker
Typically, a warehouse worker’s resume will list the education or formal training you have that makes you most qualified for the role.
Then, in the work experience section, you’ll want to include duties related to the job description, such as:
Checked and ensured product quantity and quality according to company inventory management procedures
Followed safety protocols to ensure the safety of X employees
Operated equipment such as forklifts to safely transport and load goods
Developed an organization and cleaning system to keep the work area operating efficiently
Trained recruits to ensure they knew everything about the position and became the formal trainer of new hires
Maintained and updated warehouse task documentation and records for submission to supervisors
The experience and skills you list should be relevant to the job you’re applying for. Try to go beyond simply listing duties you’ve performed, and instead show both duties and achievements with examples or numbers to support the statements.
Warehouse worker skills
There are many skills and traits you could list on your resume for a warehouse worker position. Here are a few to choose from to get you started:
Ability to operate X and Y equipment
Ability to schedule and accept deliveries
Ability to monitor and order supplies
Packing, stocking, and loading skills
Computer skills
Organization
Time management
Communication skills
Teamwork
Problem-solving
Dependable
Attention to detail
Desire to learn
Decision making
Critical thinking
Leadership skills
Self-discipline
Adaptability
Many warehouse skills and tasks are learned while on the job, and gaining experience can help ensure you not only get the job but also advance in the role. Some warehouse worker job descriptions ask for previous experience in a similar role before working in the warehouse, which helps to ensure tasks are completed safely and effectively without much supervision.
If you have previous warehouse experience, be sure to list it on your resume. If you don’t, you can still highlight the experience and skills you may have that make you a great candidate for the position. Look at the experience (volunteer or employment) you have and figure out which of the above skills were learned or improved upon.
Action verbs to include on a warehouse worker resume
Conducted
Coordinated
Stocked
Performed
Supervised
Monitored
Operated
Measured
Inspected
Handled
Documented
Should I include references in my warehouse worker resume?
Your resume is a professional representation of your career qualifications and skills that make you an ideal candidate. As a general rule, avoid including references in your resume unless they are specifically asked for. This is information that tends to distract hiring managers from the information you want them to see, and it can take up valuable space on the page.
If references are requested, you can include them on your resume or as a separate document. Be sure to list the name, job title, company, email address, and phone number for each reference.
Warehouse worker resume objectives
A career objective, also known as a resume objective or summary, is a brief statement toward the top of your resume that explains your professional goals and intentions for applying to a job. In 1 to 3 sentences, you should mention the job title, add a couple of key skills, and share what you’re hoping to achieve in the job.
Correct Examples:
Seeking a position as a warehouse employee at XYZ company to help streamline the ordering and distribution process through my organizational skills and ability to learn quickly on the job.
A team player with a strong work ethic, problem-solving, critical thinking, and organizational skills and methods seeks a job as a warehouse employee at XYZ company.
Highly-motivated individual looking for an entry-level warehouse associate position with XYZ company to apply my X years of experience in inventory management, logistics, and distribution.
Incorrect Examples:
Warehouse worker looking for a position with XYZ company.
This is too short and doesn’t include enough detail about your skills or intention.
Hardworking warehouse employee with experience scheduling and accepting deliveries, monitoring and ordering supplies, packing, stocking and loading stock, organization, time management, problem-solving, decision making and critical thinking skills, and the ability to operate a forklift seeking employment with XYZ company.
This option is too long and attempts to cram too many skills and experiences in the objective when it should be explained later in your resume in your work experience and relevant skills sections.
Individual with no experience seeking a position as a warehouse worker for XYZ company, but willing to complete on-the-job training.
Not all warehouse employee positions require prior experience, but you shouldn’t call out your lack of experience in the objective. Instead, throughout your resume, list out other roles and responsibilities at past jobs, volunteer work, or other tasks you’ve done that could be relatable to working in a warehouse.
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