“The Heat Treat Recruiter” Talks About Resumes in the Heat Treat Industry

Once a quarter, Managing Recruiter, Josh Hale and/or Sr. Recruiter, Jessica Maier, will address questions that come up regularly from industry professionals (email questions for future editions to [email protected]). Recently, Josh and Jessica have been approached by several people with inquiries about embarking on a job search, so this quarter they’ll tackle a question that comes up often for people in stage of their career:  

How can I craft a strong resume that will improve my odds of getting noticed and landing an interview when starting a job hunt? 

If you work in heat treating, or any heavy industrial manufacturing sector for that matter, and are looking for new employment, having a well-structured resume can significantly improve your chances of landing a great opportunity. After 20+ years of recruiting and hiring in this space, here are our top five tips to optimize the formatting of your resume: 

    1. Keep It Clear and Concise. It used to be a hard-and-fast rule to keep your resume to one page, but that was because when hiring managers were reading hard copies, it was hard to track multiple pages or papers would get caught up on staples. In today’s digital age, that’s no longer a strict requirement, but a resume should still never be more than two pages lest you lose the reader’s attention. Speaking of, it’s important to remember that your resume is likely being viewed on a computer screen, so be sure to use a clear, easy-to-read font (Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman are best) and don’t bother with anything too “fancy” like monograms, multicolored fonts, tables, etc. 
    2. Highlight Relevant Experience. Always start with your most recent job and work backward (reverse chronological order) and list job titles, company names, employment dates, and a brief description of your responsibilities with an emphasis on measurable achievements (e.g., “Increased production efficiency by 15% through process optimization…”).
    3. Showcase Skills and Certifications. You want to include both technical skills (e.g., CNC operation, welding, machine maintenance) and soft skills (e.g., teamwork, problem-solving) while also highlighting any notable certifications (e.g., OSHA safety certification, Six Sigma, forklift operation, etc.) to stand out, but be careful about being too thorough here – try and keep it to 6-8 bullet points that are pertinent to your job specs. 
    4. Include Education and Training. List relevant degrees, apprenticeships, and training programs. Even if you haven’t completed certain schooling or earned a diploma, it’s good to mention any ongoing education or professional development courses that you’ve partially completed.
    5. Use Industry Keywords. You want to avoid any particularly narrow jargon, but using industry-centric language is a great way to indicate your knowledge of the company’s core business. Additionally, many companies now use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to filter resumes, so using keywords can help increase your visibility.  
    6. BONUS – don’t forget your online profile! As our resident Millennial grew up online, Jessica reminds us that in 2025 it’s not just your resume that will get you noticed, but your LinkedIn profile is crucial as well. To maximize your virtual presence, be sure you: 
      • Have a professional profile pic. 
  • Use a strong headline and summary. 
  • List out detailed and specific work experience (you can copy your resume here). 
  • Utilize the skills and endorsements tools via LI. 
  • Ask for recommendations. 
  • Network and engage by posting to industry groups, asking questions, sharing articles, etc. 

Adhere to these tips, and you’ll be sure to increase your chances of standing out in the job market and securing a new position with a great company… and, when you do find yourself looking for your next career move, please always feel free to reach out to ISP directly for a complimentary resume review! 

Josh Hale has collaborated with companies to identify, engage, and hire top performers as a professional “headhunter” where he’s focused exclusively on the heat treat industry as part of International Search Partners since acquiring the firm in 2015. He works closely with Jessica Maier to support the practice, and, together, they’ve helped nearly a hundred companies and almost a thousand candidates find the right match within the industry, including for roles such as engineering, sales, quality, metallurgy, management, and more. For additional information on recruiting or job search services, please email [email protected] or call 619-465-9621.

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