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Landscaper CV example

Landscaping ads look for two kinds of skill: hard landscaping like paving, retaining and decks, and soft landscaping like planting and irrigation. This example shows both, the machines you can drive and whether you can lead a crew, with numbers that show the size of the jobs.

Written for New Zealand, with notes for Australia · Checked

Free. Then compare it with a real Landscaper job ad.

The example

A Landscaper CV, start to finish.

Iosefa Faleolo is made up, and so are the employers. The layout and the wording are what New Zealand employers expect: no photo or date of birth, the most recent job first, and every bullet showing what was done and what came of it.

Iosefa Faleolo

Landscape Foreman, hard and soft landscaping

Tauranga · 021 555 0927 · iosefa.faleolo@email.com

Profile

Landscape foreman with seven years in residential and commercial landscaping, from paving and retaining walls to planting and irrigation. Leads a crew of three, reads landscape plans, and runs a digger and tipper so jobs keep moving without waiting on subcontractors.

Skills

Paving and hardscaping · Timber retaining walls and decks · Planting and garden beds · Irrigation installation · Reading landscape plans · Digger and tipper operation · Leading a crew · Safe agrichemical use

Experience

Landscape Foreman, Mauao Landscapes

Tauranga · 2022 to now

  • Lead a crew of three on residential landscapes worth $20,000 to $120,000, from site clearance to final planting
  • Build timber retaining walls, decks and paved courtyards to the plan, with levels checked before each stage
  • Install drip and pop-up irrigation systems and show clients how to run them
  • Operate a 3.5-tonne digger and tipper truck, saving the business around $15,000 a year in hire and cartage
  • Order materials and plants for each job, keeping waste low and jobs on budget

Landscaper, Bay Garden Builders

Mount Maunganui · 2019 to 2022

  • Laid pavers, concrete paths and edging on new subdivision sections, about 40 sections a year
  • Planted and mulched commercial gardens for a local council contract, with plant losses under 5 percent
  • Sprayed weeds on maintenance rounds under the supervision of a certified applicator

Education

New Zealand Certificate in Horticulture Services (Landscape Construction) (Level 4), Primary ITO

2023

Other details

Agrichemicals
GrowSafe Standard certificate
Driver's licence
Full class 1 and class 2
Site safety
Site Safety Card

Referees

Available on request

Iosefa wrote a cover letter to go with it. Read the landscaper cover letter

Skills and keywords

What landscaper job ads look for.

Use the ad's own words where they're true of you. An ATS, and a recruiter skimming, both look for them.

  • Hard landscapingName the work: paving, retaining walls, decks, fencing and concrete.
  • Soft landscapingPlanting, turf and garden beds. Say if you know your plants.
  • IrrigationA skill many ads ask for and fewer landscapers have.
  • Machine operationName the machines and sizes. A landscaper who can run a digger is worth more.
  • Class 2 licenceLets you drive the tipper truck, which many landscaping firms need.
  • GrowSafeNeeded if the job includes spraying. Say which certificate you hold.
  • Reading plansShows you can build a designer's plan without them on site.

Bullet points

8 strong lines to borrow from.

Each says what was done, how, and what came of it. Swap in your own facts: a line is only strong if it's true.

  1. 1Led a crew of three on residential landscapes worth $20,000 to $120,000, from site clearance to final planting
  2. 2Built timber retaining walls, decks and paved courtyards to plan, checking levels before each stage
  3. 3Installed drip and pop-up irrigation systems and showed clients how to run them
  4. 4Operated a 3.5-tonne digger and tipper truck, saving around $15,000 a year in hire and cartage
  5. 5Laid pavers, concrete paths and edging on about 40 new subdivision sections a year
  6. 6Planted and mulched commercial gardens with plant losses under 5 percent
  7. 7Ordered materials and plants for each job, keeping waste low and jobs on budget
  8. 8Left every site swept and tidy at the end of each day, which clients mentioned in reviews

Common mistakes

What costs landscaper CVs interviews.

  • Writing "general landscaping" for every job.

    Split it into hard and soft landscaping, and say what you built and how big the jobs were.

  • Leaving out licences and machines.

    List your licence classes and the machines you can run. They often decide who gets the job.

  • Forgetting the plants.

    If you know plants and planting, say so. Employers want someone who can finish a garden, not just build its bones.

New Zealand and Australia

What changes across the Tasman.

New Zealand

Most regional plans in New Zealand expect commercial agrichemical users to hold a GrowSafe Standard certificate or equivalent training, so list yours if the job includes spraying.

New Zealand CV format

Australia

In New South Wales, structural landscaping such as retaining walls, paving, decks and pergolas worth more than $5,000 needs a contractor licence, so check the rules in your state. Australian employers usually say resume rather than CV, and expect about two pages.

Australian CV format

Sources: GrowSafe Standard certificate, NSW Government: structural landscaping work.

FAQ

Questions, answered.

Something else on your mind? Email support@smartcvs.ai and a person will reply.

Should I include photos of my work?

Not on the CV. Add a link to a short gallery of finished jobs if you have one.

I've only done garden maintenance. Can I apply for landscaping jobs?

Yes. Lead with the planting, irrigation and any building you've done, and be clear about what you'd like to learn.

Should I list plant knowledge as a skill?

Yes, if it's real. Say what kind: natives, edibles or commercial planting. It helps you stand out from builders who landscape.

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