5 Contractor Resume Examples & Writing Tips
As a contractor, you'll need a resume that showcases your accomplishments. We show you how with five contractor resume examples as well as guided writing tips.
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Contractor Resume Template (Text Format)
Learn how to write a cover letter that goes with your contractor resume.
Copy & Paste Contractor Resume Template
FULL NAME
Email: youremail@email.com
Phone: 123.555.1234
Address: Street, City, State, ZIP
LinkedIn: LinkedIn.com/in/
SUMMARY
Hardworking contractor with [number] years of experience. Seeking to leverage my experience in [relevant abilities] to fill the [Job Title] position. Hold a [degree/diploma/certification] in [Degree/Diploma/Certification Title]. Skilled at [2–3 relevant skills]. A [adjective #1] and [adjective #2] worker aiming to contribute to the success of [Company Name].
WORK HISTORY
- Include a bulleted list of your achievements as a defense contractor
- Start each bullet point with an action verb (like “secure” or “advise”) to grab attention
- Use the present tense for your current contractor role, unless describing a completed project or initiative
- Use hard numbers when possible to quantify your accomplishments as a contractor
- Mention how you’ve used some of the skills listed in your skills section to demonstrate your mastery of these abilities
- List relevant accomplishments from your previous role as a general contractor
- Assuming you’re no longer working in this contractor role, use past tense verbs to describe your work
- Include 3–6 bullet points for each contractor role, both your current one and previous ones
- Skip the pronoun “I” and begin directly with a verb
- Although you’ll usually list work experience, feel free to include contractor-relevant internships as well as any volunteer work and extracurricular activities if you lack formal work experience
EDUCATION
GPA: 3.X/4.0 (optional)
Latin honors (if applicable)
SKILLS & CERTIFICATIONS
- List skills and certifications relevant to the contractor job you’re applying for
- Look at the job description for ideas of the skills the employer wants and that are common in the sector you work in
- Emphasize specific hard skills and technical skills in this section
- Be as specific as possible by including names of tools, equipment, and software you’ve mastered that are used in the industry you’re working in
Looking for resume samples? We’ve got you covered: Scroll down for four more good contractor resumes.
Resume for independent contractor
An effective resume for an independent contractor shows you can act as your own boss, and looks something like this:
Independent contractor resume highlights
- Strong productivity: This candidate proves that they can work for themselves and maintain high levels of productivity, by stating that they’ve created 15 high-quality websites. Employers will want to see you are a highly competent self-employed worker to prove you’d be just as efficient in their company.
- Prior company experience: Some hiring managers may worry self-employed workers won’t fit into a corporate environment. Dispel that notion by including any company-based employment you have to show you can be an effective cog in the corporate machine.
Self-employed security contractor resume
Here’s another way of showing your effectiveness in a self-employed role:
Self-employed security contractor resume highlights
- Impressive credentials: With a long career in security, this applicant has racked up several licenses and certifications, which’ll go a long way in proving to hiring managers they’re an excellent hire.
- Security-related skills: Firearms skills, victim relationship-building skills, investigative skills — this applicant has all the skills they need to succeed as a security contractor, and lists them both in the skills section and in their professional experience bullet points.
Government contractor resume
What could be more fulfilling than serving your country while maintaining an arm length’s distance from the federal government? Show you’re a competent government contractor with a resume like this one:
Government contractor resume highlights
- Brief education section: This contractor has copious work experience so their educational background is less relevant. They limit the information here to their degree title, school name, graduate date, and (impressive) GPA.
- Government department size: This worker supports a government department with 2,000+ employees, which shows that they can adapt to a large, diverse organization.
IT contractor resume
Showcase your computer skills with an IT contractor resume as in the example below:
IT contractor resume highlights
- Budget-minded: This IT contractor knows the value of money, having saved an e-commerce client $30,000 in infrastructure costs. Employers will recognize that this worker performs excellent work while keeping costs to a minimum.
- Always prepared: This candidate lives the Scout motto, “Be Prepared”, since they developed a disaster recovery plan in a prior role, showing they’re never caught off guard.
Average contractor salaries in the US
The following table includes contractor salary information from O*NET Resource Center by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Average contractor annual salaries by state
State | Salary / Year |
---|---|
Florida | $102,940 |
California | $124,690 |
Georgia | $99,540 |
Texas | $98,290 |
New York | $139,370 |
Pennsylvania | $104,420 |
Illinois | $108,140 |
Ohio | $93,050 |
North Carolina | $101,400 |
Michigan | $104,610 |
National Average | $105,813 |
How to write a contractor resume
There are many types of contractors, so we’ve provided these general writing tips that can help you craft a resume no matter the kind of contractor you are.
1. Quantify your contractor resume
Numbers reflect the output you’re capable of, and hiring managers love seeing numbers on a resume because they show what you’ll be able to achieve for their organization.
The Resume Genius Golden Rule for resumes is quantify, quantify, quantify because quantifying your resume accomplishments is the most effective way of standing out as a candidate for the role you want. (All six of our certified resume experts endorse this advice).
Here are five good contractor resume bullet points with compelling numbers (bold numbers on your resume to make them really stand out):
Good bullet points for contractor resumes
- Led a cross-functional team of 15 engineers to successfully develop and deploy a cutting-edge radar system, exceeding project milestones by 20% and securing a $10 mil. follow-on contract
- Managed a $5 mil. budget for a statewide infrastructure project, ensuring on-time completion and strict adherence to regulatory compliance, resulting in a 98% client satisfaction rating
- Developed and implemented comprehensive security protocols for a high-profile government facility, reducing security breaches by 30% and enhancing overall safety for personnel and assets
- Led a team of 10 engineers in the design and fabrication of a critical component for the Mars rover, ensuring strict adherence to NASA quality standards and contributing to the mission’s success
- Spearheaded the development of a 100% secure communications network for a classified military operation, ensuring seamless information flow and safeguarding sensitive data, resulting in the successful completion of the mission
2. Provide your certifications
You may need certifications depending on your contractor job title and specialty.
If you’re unsure what you’ll need, check the job description or see if there’s a professional association for the field you work in nationally or in your state.
To format your certifications section on your resume, follow this example (for a US Space Force defense contractor specializing in logistics):
- Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM) by APICS (Issued: 20XX)
- Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) by APICS (Issued: 20XX)
- Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM) by ISM (Issued: 20XX)
- Hazardous Materials Transportation Certification (IATA) (Issued: 20XX)
- Department of Defense (DoD) Secret Security Clearance (Issued: 20XX)
3. Emphasize your soft skills
Since a contractor is not a full-time employee, you’ll need exceptional soft skills to stay on the good side of the person responsible for extending your contract and to keep up with the workload.
Listing your soft skills in the skills section of your resume is not impactful, because there’ll be no specific proof of your claims there, so highlight them throughout the work experience section of your resume.
Firstly, here are some of the soft skills a good contractor needs:
Relationship Building
- Communication
- Active listening
- Negotiation skills
- Interpersonal skills
- Conflict resolution
Workload Management
- Prioritization
- Time management
- Adaptability
- Organization
- Decision-making
And secondly, here are five bullet points proving you have some of these soft skills:
- Effective communication: Successfully presented complex technical concepts to diverse audiences, including senior executives and non-technical stakeholders, resulting in increased project buy-in and smoother implementation
- Negotiation skills: Secured a $2 mil. contract with a major client by skillfully negotiating terms and conditions, exceeding initial targets by 15%
- Conflict resolution: Mediated a dispute between two subcontractors, facilitating a mutually agreeable solution that prevented project delays and cost overruns
- Prioritization skills: Effectively managed a multi-million dollar project with multiple concurrent tasks, ensuring critical deadlines were met and resources were allocated efficiently
- Decision-making skills: Made timely and informed decisions on critical project issues, such as vendor selection and risk mitigation strategies, resulting in successful project outcomes
4. Write an intro that wins over employers
The most powerful resume introductions lead with your most career-defining achievements as well as your unique selling points like skills and certifications. Numbers also don’t hurt. Here are three good contractor resume summaries for you to take ideas from to write your own:
Cybersecurity expert with 8+ years of experience delivering secure solutions on time and under budget. Proven ability to collaborate with diverse stakeholders and maintain strict adherence to security protocols, resulting in a 25% reduction in security incidents.
Data-driven professional with 5+ years of experience in SSA claims processing. Expertise in SSA’s Electronic Claims Collection System (ECCS) enables efficient processing of 30+ claims per day while ensuring compliance with SSA regulations and achieving a 99% accuracy rate.
Marketing content writer with 3+ years of experience and a proven track record of increasing conversion rates by 47%. Skilled in crafting targeted résumé and cover letter writing blog articles that lead users into our builder software. Expertise in SEO optimization and keyword research ensures maximum traffic growth.
Why not try out a resume summary similar to the last example if you’d like to work with us as a contractor?
Not sure what your resume should look like? The best way to learn is by taking inspiration from resume examples written by other candidates in your industry.
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