Creating a Tree Surgeon CV: A Guide For Candidates
If you are a tree surgeon, and you are looking for a change of scenery, then it might be time to update your CV. Keeping your CV as up-to-date as possible will allow you to quickly move between roles, should the opportunities arise. However, in the real world, you often just want to update your CV when you are looking at moving on, either to a new role or because you are looking at working elsewhere.
As we meet and speak with hundreds of tree surgery and arborist firms globally, we thought we’d share with you some of the key areas of your CV that employers are looking for.
As a tree surgeon, you will know that your job is in constant demand. Trees will always grow, and when they do, it will be you who is called upon to make sure that they grow safely. Global demand for tree surgeons isn’t looking like it will slow down anytime soon. So, with this in mind, let's see how tree surgeons should update their CVs to ensure they are providing prospective employers with the information that they are looking for.
Creating an Arborist or Tree Surgeon CV is slightly different to other roles because certain industry-specific training standards have to be shown to the employer, this includes:
- Work Experience/ Professional Summary
- Education
- Licences and Certifications
- Relevant Skills
- Languages Spoken
Continue below with Arbjobs to see how you can create a CV that will provide tree surgery firms with the information they are looking for, giving you the best possible chance in the jobs market.
Creating a Tree Surgeon CV and Arborist CV
If you are new to the word of arboriculture, then you might want to first check out some of our resources on becoming a tree surgeon and arborist. These guides supply you with the information you need to start your career off with the knowledge of what will be required for career progression. For apprenticeships, our Tree Surgeon Apprenticeships: How To Start A Career In Arboriculture should give you all the information that you need.
For a more general approach, why not read How to Become a Tree Surgeon: A Comprehensive Guide?
So, what is required from your tree surgery or arborist CV to help you get your head above the tree line and find rewarding work in this booming global jobs market?
Work Experience
‘Ensure that your experience is clear and understandable at a glance, this shows the employer that you can give clear instructions, and that you are willing to do the work for them.‘
Tree surgery firms often know each other, certainly within the town, city or county in which they operate. If you have previous experience working with a tree surgery firm in your area (or even if you haven’t), include this high up in your CV. Adding this early in your CV allows prospective employers to get a quick sense of who you are as a worker.
When hiring a member of staff, the work experience section is often the part that is used to define the applicant, or at least the applicant in the employer's mind.
Include your work experience as the first thing that the employer reads, after your name and personal details. Ensure that your experience is clear and understandable at a glance, this shows to the employer that you can give clear instructions, and that you are willing to do the work for them.
Structure your experience in chronological order, with the most recent role held at the top.
Education
‘Communication is key on a CV, and it's a great chance to include clear information and remove any need for clarification further down the line.’
Education should appear straight after your work experience on your arborist or tree surgeon CV. Including all relevant education is important to give a clear indication to the employer that you have taken the necessary steps to go through the due process to become a qualified tree surgeon/ arborist.
For instance, if you have attained a Level 2 Certificate in Arboriculture from a higher-qualification organisation such as City & Guilds, then don’t be afraid to shout about it to prospective employers.
If any further information needs to be provided in this section, such as an attainment of a particularly high grade, or a reason for you not finishing the course, include that too. Communication is key on a CV, and it's a great chance to include clear communication and remove any need for clarification further down the line.
Licences and Certification
‘If licences and the completion of courses are required for the role, then this may save the employer time and money, knowing that employing you will be a safer investment than with other, less qualified candidates.’
As you know, gaining certificates, such as The Emergency First Aid at Work + Forestry course (EFAW+F) can show the employer that you are serious about the industry and your own level of formal training. If licences and the completion of courses are required for the role, then this may save the employer time and money, knowing that employing you will be a safer investment than with other, less experienced candidates.
Including licences and certificates outside of your ‘Education’ section can draw attention to extra steps that you have taken to become a tree surgeon or arborist. Including any relevant licences and certificates later on in your CV can strengthen the previous ‘Work Experience’ and ‘Education’ sections. Include these licences or certificates in order of importance, with the most relevant and necessary at the top and more general licences towards the bottom.
Ensure to include the dates that these documents were obtained. You should also include which authority the certificate was provided to you as some may need to be retaken after certain lengths of time. Including the relevant dates (and grades) shows the relevant employer that you have an eye for detail and that you understand the importance of these accreditations.
Relevant Skills
‘…relevant hobbies, interests, previous key moments in your career, awards or health and safety certification. Including these on your CV shows that you are prepared to go above and beyond other candidates for a job…’
Anything that can’t be included in ‘Work Experience’ or ‘Education’ ought to be included in ‘Relevant Skills’. Relevant skills may include relevant hobbies, interests, previous key moments in your career, driving licences, awards, ability to use any relevant software, or general health and safety certification. Including these on your CV shows that you are prepared to go above and beyond other candidates for a job in an already competitive market.
You can start this section with a brief introduction to yourself, too. A well-written introduction to yourself above ‘Relevant Skills’ can help your prospective employer visualise you as a person working within their team. This can break down barriers, helping them pick up the phone and possibly arrange an interview with you at a later date.
Languages Spoken
‘If you are looking to work abroad, then speaking another language at any level will help you enter this market better than someone who can’t speak another language. Include this in the final section of your tree surgeon or arborist CV to get ahead of the pack and show your ability to learn.’
In the UK, USA and Australia, we are lucky enough to speak one of the world's most widely spoken languages. However, if you can speak any other language at any level, it is worth including in your CV. If you are looking to work abroad, then speaking another language at any level will help you enter this market better than someone who can’t speak another language. Include this in the final section of your tree surgeon or arborist CV to get ahead of the pack and show your ability to learn.
In markets such as the USA, where an estimated 68 million people speak another language to English at home, having a grasp of Spanish could be the difference between you and an unlucky candidate for the job.
The ability to work across borders is one of the benefits of becoming a tree surgeon. However, the requirements of the role in different countries can change from location to location. Ensure that you are familiar with the job requirements of the UK, US, European Union and Australian tree surgeon and arborist fields before you make any solid plans to work from a faraway country.
What Else Should I Include in My Tree Surgeon CV?
Once your CV is in place, there are still 3 things that you can do to maximise the efficacy of your application.
As one of the world’s largest job boards for arborists, tree surgeons, lead climbers, groundworkers and technical arborists, we see hundreds of people just like you find their ideal role every day. In our experience, we think that you can do the following to still get ahead of the pack, even if your tree surgeon CV isn’t as complete as other candidates for the role. This includes:
- Research the role and firm yourself.
- Understand why it should be you who gets hired for this position.
- Be easily contactable and communicate well once you have applied.
Let’s look at these aspects of the job application process to see how they can benefit you in the job market.
Research
If you have applied for a job, ensure that you look through the website of the hiring firm and get to know the business a little better.
You can gain some information about the hiring firm by looking at the homepage on their website. This will include more information on the services provided. You can even review the ‘about us’ pages provided by the hiring firm to get to know the culture of the owners, workers and the firm itself a little better.
Even reviewing the Jobs Page for Tree Surgeons here on Arbjobs can provide you with useful insights into the expectations of tree surgery firms that are hiring all over the world.
If the firm appears to be environmentally focused, then this might be something that you want to prepare for, should you get asked for an interview, for example.
You may also want to send a brief cover letter along with your CV outlining your fit for the role and what attracted you to the hiring company.
Understand Why It Should Be You Who Gets Hired For This Position
Understanding the hiring firm is certainly important, however, understanding why it should be you who gets considered for this position is also a step that you should consider.
If your experience doesn’t adequately line up with the requirements of the job listing, can you provide any extra information to the employer that might convince them that you are right for the job? If your experience and credentials do align with those posted on the job listing, can you add anything extra to prove to the employer that you should be at the top of the pack? Use your knowledge of our industry to understand what employers are actually looking for in a new employee - and make sure to include these in communications between you and the hiring manager if it doesn’t fit onto your CV. Preparing to speak about these reasons can help, should you receive a phone call interview.
Always Be Contactable
Perhaps most important is your ability to communicate with the hiring firm or manager. Good email etiquette and the ability to speak clearly on the phone cannot be overstated, as it will be assumed that this ability to communicate will be the same 20 feet up when it really matters.
Answer email communications promptly, give key dates and ensure that you can answer any call between your application date and the closing date of the job listing (within reasonable hours, of course).
This may give you the edge over someone who can’t communicate as efficiently as you. First impressions always count.
Finding Your Dream Tree Surgery Job with Arbjobs
Here at Arbjobs, we understand that finding work in the arboricultural field is sometimes difficult.
This is why we provide employment guides for tree surgeons, arborists, groundworkers or technical arborists to get them moving in the job market. We also act as a meeting point for employers and employees within the arboricultural field. At Arbjobs, employers pitch to prospective candidates just like you, and you can apply to those positions that appeal to you.
Sign up for a Free Jobseekers Account or receive Free Job Alerts and have access to hundreds of hiring firms within the field of arboriculture today.
Remember to check back with us here for more employment guides, opportunities and news in the world of arb, with Arbjobs.