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As a welder looking for a job, you can stand out by having the right qualifications listed on your resume and being able to talk about them effectively during an interview. These qualities include some essential math skills, a certain level of physical ability and a bevy of soft skills, including the capacity to perform detailed work.

When composing your resume and cover letter for an open welder position, be sure to highlight the following abilities.

Math skills

As a welder, you will be required to perform precise measurements and calculations. Therefore, you must be comfortable working with fractions, decimals, geometry and trigonometry.

Fractions and decimals permit welders working in either construction or fabrication roles to ascertain exact sizes of the materials they use. A welder must also have a strong understanding of geometry to be able to work with angles, lengths and volume. An experienced welder depends on precise formulas so they can determine shapes, identify volumes, figure out gas pressure and determine how temperature alterations will affect pressure.

The average person might not associate trigonometry with welding, but this field of mathematics is quite essential to the job. Welders use trig to calculate degrees for precise angles, lengths of sides and the theoretical strengths of a weld.

Physical ability

While an employer cannot hire based on physical ability, they can rule out candidates if the job description explicitly lays out the physical demands of a job.

For the typical welding job, you should be able to bend, turn and stoop and take apart large objects like automobiles and aircraft. Welders also need to be able to see small details and perceive depth. Some welding jobs call for the ability to lift heavy weights and good manual dexterity.

Soft skills

Soft skills are personal professional qualities, like leadership and problem solving, gained more from experience than they are from formal education. Many employers see soft skills as a way to differentiate great employees from those who are mediocre.

First and foremost, a welder must be detail oriented. Welders need the know-how to evaluate the welding equipment they purchase. They’ll also have to clean grease, remove corrosion and chip out minor defects prior to welding. A welder must also be able to inspect and objectively judge their work. Maintaining a clean work area is also part of being detail oriented.

Welders also need mental and physical stamina. The job can be physically and mentally demanding at the same time. Deadlines must be met, adverse conditions must be tolerated and issues need troubleshooting. All of this requires a certain level of internal fortitude and stamina.

A good welder can also handle administrative tasks such as documenting their work, conducting an accurate inventory of supplies and planning upcoming projects.

At Action Group Staffing, we regularly connect welding professionals to job opportunities where they thrive and flourish. If you are currently looking to take the next step on your career path as a welder, please contact us today.


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