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Painter and Decorator CV example

Painting ads want to know whether you're qualified, what kind of work you've done and whether you can be trusted in someone's home. This example shows the trade certificate, the type of jobs and the care taken on site, all before the first job.

Written for New Zealand, with notes for Australia · Checked

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The example

A Painter and Decorator CV, start to finish.

Pieter van der Berg 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.

Pieter van der Berg

Qualified Painter and Decorator, residential and light commercial

Dunedin · 027 555 0226 · pieter.vanderberg@email.com

Profile

Qualified painter and decorator with eight years in residential repaints, new builds and light commercial work, including a four-year apprenticeship. Known for careful preparation, tidy sites and wallpaper hung straight the first time, and trusted to run small jobs without supervision.

Skills

Surface preparation · Interior and exterior repaints · Wallpapering · Airless spraying · Plaster stopping and touch-ups · Lead-safe preparation · Colour matching · Working at height

Experience

Painter and Decorator, Kōwhai Painters

Dunedin · 2022 to now

  • Run exterior repaints on older villas and bungalows alone or with one hand, finishing most within two weeks
  • Strip and prepare surfaces in pre-1980s homes using lead-safe methods, with containment and clean-up on every job
  • Hang wallpaper and feature walls for interior clients, with no rehangs needed in the last two years
  • Spray interior walls and ceilings on new builds, keeping pace with the builder's programme
  • Talk clients through colours and finishes, which brings in repeat work and referrals

Apprentice Painter and Decorator, Kōwhai Painters

Dunedin · 2018 to 2022

  • Completed a four-year painting and decorating apprenticeship on residential and commercial jobs
  • Prepared, filled and sanded surfaces so finishes passed the foreman's check before the client walkthrough

Education

New Zealand Certificate in Painting and Decorating (Level 4), Wallcoverings strand, BCITO

2022

Other details

Site safety
Site Safety Card
Driver's licence
Full, with own van and gear

Referees

Available on request

Pieter wrote a cover letter to go with it. Read the painter and decorator cover letter

Skills and keywords

What painter and decorator 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.

  • PreparationEvery painting employer cares about it most. Say how you prepare, not just that you do.
  • WallpaperingNot every painter can hang paper well, so say if you can.
  • SprayingNew build and commercial work often ask for airless spraying by name.
  • Lead-safeOlder homes often have lead paint. Knowing how to handle it safely stands out.
  • Residential or commercialName the kind of work: repaints, new builds, commercial or heritage.
  • Working at heightExterior work means ladders, scaffolds and sometimes elevated work platforms. Say what you're trained on.
  • Site Safety CardBuilding sites often ask for one before you start.

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. 1Ran exterior repaints on older villas and bungalows, finishing most within two weeks
  2. 2Stripped and prepared surfaces in pre-1980s homes using lead-safe methods, with containment and clean-up on every job
  3. 3Hung wallpaper and feature walls with no rehangs needed over two years
  4. 4Sprayed interior walls and ceilings on new builds, keeping pace with the builder's programme
  5. 5Matched colours for touch-ups so repairs disappeared into the existing finish
  6. 6Talked clients through colours and finishes, bringing in repeat work and referrals
  7. 7Protected floors, furniture and gardens on every job, with no damage claims
  8. 8Prepared, filled and sanded surfaces to pass the foreman's check before the client walkthrough

Common mistakes

What costs painter and decorator CVs interviews.

  • Writing only "painting" as your experience.

    Split it into interior, exterior, wallpapering and spraying, and say whether the work was repaints, new builds or commercial.

  • Skipping preparation because it isn't the finished job.

    Say how you prepare, including lead-safe work in older homes. That's what employers worry about most.

  • Leaving out how you look after the client's home.

    Mention protecting floors and furniture and leaving sites tidy. Residential work depends on trust.

New Zealand and Australia

What changes across the Tasman.

New Zealand

The New Zealand Certificate in Painting and Decorating (Level 4) is the trade qualification, with strands in specialised spraying, wallcoverings and specialised coatings, so name yours. Many building sites ask for a Site Safety Card from Site Safe before you start.

New Zealand CV format

Australia

In New South Wales, painting work worth more than $5,000 in labour and materials needs a contractor licence, though stand-alone interior painting doesn't, so check the rules in your state. Australian employers usually say resume rather than CV, and expect about two pages.

Australian CV format

Sources: BCITO: New Zealand Certificate in Painting and Decorating (Level 4), Site Safe: Site Safety Card, NSW Government: painting work.

FAQ

Questions, answered.

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

Should I add photos of my work?

Not on the CV. A link to a short gallery of before and after photos is a good way to show your finish.

How do I show that I can work on my own?

Say which jobs you ran without supervision, how long they took and how the client felt at the end.

Should I mention colour consulting?

Yes, if you do it. Helping clients choose colours brings in work, and employers value it.

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