ATS keywords for a plumber resume
Many employers keep applications in an Applicant Tracking System (ATS), where recruiters search and sort them by the skills the role needs. Use these terms where they honestly describe your experience, so your resume is easy to find and easy to read:
Key skills to highlight
- ▸Installation, maintenance and repairs
- ▸Drainage, water and gas systems
- ▸Reading plans and meeting standards
- ▸Fault finding and diagnosis
- ▸Working safely across site types
Credentials Australian employers screen for
- ▸Current plumbing licence (state and number)
- ▸Certificate III in Plumbing
- ▸White Card and any endorsements (gas, backflow, drainage)
- ▸Driver's licence and relevant tickets
Common mistakes to avoid
- ▸Not stating the licence and endorsements, the first screening filter.
- ▸Listing 'plumbing' without the systems or work type.
- ▸Omitting current tickets the role requires.
- ▸One resume across very different work (domestic vs civil).
Plumber CV example: before and after
One experience entry, written twice. The numbers are illustrative, the structure is what matters.
Before
Plumber, 2019 to present. Carry out plumbing work on residential and commercial jobs, including installing and repairing pipework, clearing blockages and attending call-outs. Work alongside other trades on site and complete job paperwork as required.
It never states the licence, the state or the endorsements, which is the first filter a plumbing employer applies, and it gives a hiring supervisor no way to tell whether this is domestic maintenance or commercial and civil work.
After
Licensed Plumber | Licence No. XXXXXX (state issued, current) | Endorsements: water supply, sanitary, drainage, roofing (stormwater), gas fitting | White Card
Mid-sized commercial plumbing contractor, apartment fit-out and civil drainage packages | February 2019 to present | Full time
- ▸Rough-in and fit-off across a 148-apartment residential project over three stages, covering hot and cold water reticulation, sanitary drainage and vent work to AS/NZS 3500.
- ▸Installed and commissioned around 620 metres of DN100 to DN225 sewer and stormwater drainage, including set-outs from hydraulic plans, pits, inspection openings and connection to the authority main.
- ▸Gas fitting works on 40 plus domestic and light commercial appliances, including copper and PE run-outs, pressure testing, compliance certificates and commissioning.
- ▸Backflow prevention: annual testing and reporting on 60 plus devices across a maintenance portfolio, with defective devices repaired or replaced and results lodged with the water authority.
- ▸Fault finding on live sites for leak detection, drainage failures and hot water system faults, typically 6 to 10 service call-outs per week with first-visit rectification on most jobs.
Same plumber, same jobs. The rewrite leads with the licence number and the endorsements a screener filters on, then names the systems, the standard and the scale, so the employer can see whether this is the right kind of plumbing in one glance.
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Frequently asked questions
Do I need my plumbing licence number on my resume?
Yes. Australian employers verify plumbing licences, so state your licence type, state and number near the top, along with any endorsements.
Should I list my endorsements separately?
Yes. Gas, backflow and drainage endorsements decide which jobs you can take, so list them clearly with currency dates.
How do apprentice plumbers stand out?
Lead with your apprenticeship stage, employer, the systems you have worked on, and your White Card. Hands-on experience carries the resume.
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