Think of an ATS as the grumpy gatekeeper who skims your resume in two seconds. It hunts for words like “cabinet assembly,” “pocket-hole jig,” or “Biesse Rover CNC” before a human even sees you.

If you skip those exact phrases, you’re invisible—even if you can build a dovetail drawer in your sleep.

Keep it simple: use plain titles like “Work Experience,” list tools in a tidy “Skills” block, and never hide text inside tables, headers, or cute graphics. A clean .docx or readable PDF keeps the bots happy.

• Mirror the job ad: if it says “edge-bander operator,” write that, not “trim guy.”
• Stick to one column, 10–12 pt Arial or Calibri, and spell out OSHA 10-hour cert every time.
• Save fancy portfolio photos for the interview; ATS can’t smell walnut through a JPEG.

Common trip-ups: writing “wood whisperer” instead of “frame-and-panel assembly,” tucking contact info in a header that gets stripped, or forgetting to list “AWI standards.” Fix those and you sail past the digital bouncer.

Think of your resume like a clean workbench: everything in its spot, no clutter. Stick to a single-column layout in Word or Google Docs—ATS systems read top-to-bottom like you read a cut list.

One page is plenty unless you’ve got ten years at places like Schuster-Powlowski. Use 11-pt Calibri or Arial; headers at 14-pt bold. Leave at least 0.5" on all sides so the text can breathe—just like the gaps you leave for wood expansion.

Skip fancy graphics, columns, or tiny serif fonts that jam up the scanner. Instead, break your story into four tidy stacks: Contact, Skills, Experience, Education. Recruiters glance for six seconds; give them straight grain, no knots.

Think of your cover letter as the first cut in a fresh board—get it straight and the rest of the build follows. For a Wood Working Assembler role, the letter shows you can read drawings, handle tools, and fit parts the way the shop needs.

Start with a clean header: your name, phone, email, city, today’s date, and the shop’s address. If you know the foreman’s name, use it. If not, “Dear Hiring Team” works fine.

Open fast. State the exact job you want and share one quick win that proves you belong. Maybe you once assembled 120 chair frames in a shift with zero rejects.

In the body, connect your past builds to the shop’s posted needs. Mention the species you’ve milled, the fasteners you prefer, and the finish you’ve applied. Drop numbers: cabinets built, waste cut, on-time shipments. Show you know their product line and want to add to it.

• Highlight safety record—days without incident
• Note machine list you’ve run: table saw, bander, CNC pod
• Close with a clear ask: an interview slot and a thank-you

Keep tone friendly, like talking across a workbench. One page, short paragraphs, no fancy words. Proofread once aloud to catch splinters.

When you’re aiming for a Wood Working Assembler spot, tiny errors can make a shop manager toss your resume aside. Clean, accurate details show you already treat wood—and paperwork—with respect.

Avoiding the usual slip-ups keeps your application out of the scrap bin and lands you the interview.

Building a resume for a Woodworking Assembler job? Here’s how to show off your craftsmanship and get noticed by hiring managers.