ATS is the software that reads your resume before any human sees it. It hunts for words like "overhead crane," "pulpwood," and "NCCCO." If it can't find them, you're out.

Keep it simple. Use plain headings like "Experience" and "Skills." Stick to one column, skip tables, and pick Arial or Calibri. Save as a clean PDF or Word file—no fancy graphics.

Stuff your bullets with the exact phrases from the job post. If they want "3-ton Yale cab crane," write that, not "big lift." List every license, safety course, and familiar wood species.

• Use: "Overhead crane, pulpwood, log deck, NCCCO, Yale, Verlinde, daily inspection, LMI, radio control, OSHA 30, softwood, hardwood, slings, rigging, team lift."
• Skip: "heavy thing mover," photos of you in the cab, headers, footers, tables, or text boxes.

One last tip—spell out "Certified Crane Operator" at least once, then add the short code in parentheses. That catches both searches.

Hey! As a Woodyard Crane Operator you move tons of logs every day. Your resume should move hiring managers just as fast—clean, clear, and no jams.

Stick with a simple reverse-chronological layout. List your last crane job first, then work back. Recruiters scan top to bottom in seconds, so give them the win right away.

One page is plenty unless you’ve got ten-plus years and multiple mills. Two pages max. Anything longer ends up as campfire starter.

Pick an ATS-friendly font like Calibri or Arial in 11–12 pt. Section titles can bump to 14 pt. Keep margins at 0.5–0.7 inch so the page breathes.

Skip fancy columns, graphics, or tiny text blocks. ATS parsers hate them, and mill managers don’t have time to hunt for your certification number.

White space is your friend. Blank lines between jobs and bullet points let the eye rest. A cramped sheet looks like a cluttered log deck—dangerous.

Use plain headings: Experience, Certifications, Skills. Bots and people both expect them. Creative titles like "Lifting Ninja Skills" get lost in translation.

A tight, focused cover letter tells the hiring crew you can move logs safely, fast, and without drama. Your resume lists tickets; the letter shows you understand why smooth lifts keep the whole mill humming.

Start with your name, phone, email, date, and the mill’s address. If you know the foreman’s name, use it—spells respect.

Open strong: state the woodyard crane-operator role, say where you saw the post, and drop one hook—maybe 5 years or zero lost-time incidents. Keep it to two short sentences so the reader nods yes before the coffee cools.

In the body, connect dots:

• Mention the exact crane brands you’ve run (e.g., P&H, Grove, or overhead cab) and the tonnage.
• Quantify loads: “handled 400 loads per shift” or “cut downtime 12% by spotting rig wear early.”
• Show safety smarts: reference OSHA 30, weekly toolbox talks, or your habit of pre-shift circle checks.
• Tip your hat to teamwork—sawyers, scalers, and truck drivers all count on your timing.

Close by restating excitement for that mill, that crew, that shift. Ask for a quick meeting and thank them for the read. Sign off with “Sincerely” and your name.

Keep tone calm, confident, and sawdust-real. Swap a few words for each mill so the letter feels written at the tailgate, not copy-pasted from town.

When you're running a 30-ton overhead crane, employers need to see you can move wood safely and fast. A sloppy resume makes them wonder if you'll treat their loads the same way.

Below are the mistakes that knock good crane operators out of the running every day.

Moving logs, keeping the yard safe, and hitting daily tonnage targets starts with a resume that shows you can handle 50-ton cranes without breaking a sweat.