Never worked in a factory — what do I write to still get called?

Write the related work you really did: helping with sewing at home, packing online orders, helping in a warehouse, seasonal line work — one line each with the product. Do not write “experienced in production” in general when you never stood on a line.

Should I put the number of pieces I made per shift in the CV?

Only a true, checkable number, for example “sewed to specification during a rush-order shift”, instead of inventing an absolute figure. The supervisor will ask how you reached that number in the interview.

How do I write shifts so I am not rostered for a shift I cannot do?

Write exactly the shifts you can do — day, night, overtime, Sundays — and state clearly which ones you cannot. Writing “can do all shifts” and then dropping shifts is the fastest way to lose the job in this group.

I made many different products — list them all or only one group?

Put the product group that matches the job first, and the others in one short line. Applying to a garment workshop and listing footwear, wood and electronics at length leaves the supervisor unsure which line you are strong on.

Never ran a new machine — should I put it in the CV?

State clearly that you never ran that machine, but list the machines you did run: single-needle, overlock, Kansai. The supervisor assigns the right line without the new machine — claiming it and being found out during probation is the real weakness.

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Job seekers8 min read

CV for factory workers, garment workers and machine operators: write it so the workshop calls you

Keep it to 1–2 pages: one line with the main step plus the product plus the work mode, 3–5 steps written as concrete action verbs with the products you made, each past workshop in one line with its main step, the area you can work in plus the shifts you can cover, and your contact details. Skip vague lines like “hard-working, skilful, good at factory work” with no specific product, step or shift attached — a supervisor has nothing to assign you to.

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How supervisors read a CV

Unlike office CVs, a factory CV is read closely in exactly two places: the products you can really make and the steps you can really do on the line. Supervisors look for four answers: which products can you make, which steps have you done, can you cover the workshop's shifts, and can you hold quality, output and schedule after each shift. Missing any one of the four usually puts the CV behind others, even if you are genuinely hard-working and skilful. So put product plus steps right after the role line, then past workshops, then area, shifts and honesty about skill at the end of the main part.

One role line: main step + product + work mode

Open the CV with exactly one line: the main step you want to do, the product, and the work mode. Examples: “Garment worker, T-shirt sewing, assembly + overlock + seam checking, day shift with overtime.” For machine operation: “Industrial sewing machine operator, machine adjustment + needle change + thread-jam handling, rotating shifts.” For quality checking: “Garment quality checker, seam + measurement + export packing checks, day shift and Sundays.” The most common mistake is writing it too generally (“looking for factory work”) or naming the step without the product and work mode — both force the supervisor to ask, and when hiring urgently, people who need asking are usually skipped first.

Products and steps: one task per line, only real work

This section is mandatory. List the steps you can do, one line each, written with concrete action verbs plus the product. For sewing and assembly: sew garment bodies, sleeves and collars to pattern and sample; overlock, hem, attach buttons and make buttonholes to specification; read technical specification sheets and step cards. For machine operation and checking: run a single-needle machine, overlock machine and Kansai machine — state which machines you have used and which need further guidance; check seams, measurements, colours and fabric faults before the next step; separate faulty goods and report to the team leader in the same shift instead of fixing them quietly and passing them on. For cutting and packing: spread fabric, cut to pattern and mark pieces; fold, bag and box to export specification. Claiming a product or step you never did shows up on the first shift.

Faulty goods, output targets and shifts: state them, do not make supervisors guess

Faulty goods, output targets and shifts are what set this CV apart. Faulty goods: separate them, label them and report to the team leader in the same shift, never hide them in a passed batch. Output: state that you are used to the line pace and report when materials are off or a machine slows so the leader can adjust the line in time. Shifts: state clearly whether you can do day shifts, night shifts, overtime, Sundays, or an early line start. If you handled a rush order piling up at the end of a shift, off-colour fabric or a machine jamming repeatedly, write how you handled it and reported it. A shift pattern that does not match, discovered only after the line is loaded, wastes everyone's time.

Experience by workplace: workplace + dates + main step, no long descriptions

For each workshop, company or production site, three facts are enough: the type of place (garment, footwear, wood, electronics workshop or food factory — no need for the old employer's name or detailed address), the dates (month/year from–to), and one or two main steps you did there. No long description, no list of every small task. If you worked many short stints, do not hide them: list them all, one main step per place. Short stints are not automatically a weakness when the products and work area are clear; hiding them and being found out during probation is.

Quality, safety and machines: only real, checkable claims

Quality: sew to the right seam and measurement, check goods before the next step, report faults by process. Safety: wear protective gear when working machines, never repair a machine yourself without guidance, keep workshop walkways clear. Machines: single-needle, overlock, Kansai and cutting machines — state which you have used, which need further guidance, and state clearly if you have never run a CNC or embroidery machine. Do not list products you never made, hobbies, or an elaborate portrait photo. Supervisors mostly call or message — the phone number must be one you actually use and answer during office hours.

Contact details and next step

At the end, only four things are needed: full name, phone number, the area you live in and can work in. No detailed home address, no hobbies, no elaborate portrait photo. Next, create an account and upload your CV so workshops and recruiters can find it: register as a candidate on timviecde.vn (/register). Note: with an unverified email you cannot upload a CV or receive selection emails — verify your email right after registering, before uploading.

Do this next

One role line: the main step you want to do + the product + the work mode.
Real products + 3–5 steps written as concrete action verbs, one task per line.
Shifts you can really cover stated (day, night, overtime, Sundays), plus the steps and machines you have never done.

Common questions

Never worked in a factory — what do I write to still get called?: Write the related work you really did: helping with sewing at home, packing online orders, helping in a warehouse, seasonal line work — one line each with the product. Do not write “experienced in production” in general when you never stood on a line.
Should I put the number of pieces I made per shift in the CV?: Only a true, checkable number, for example “sewed to specification during a rush-order shift”, instead of inventing an absolute figure. The supervisor will ask how you reached that number in the interview.
How do I write shifts so I am not rostered for a shift I cannot do?: Write exactly the shifts you can do — day, night, overtime, Sundays — and state clearly which ones you cannot. Writing “can do all shifts” and then dropping shifts is the fastest way to lose the job in this group.
I made many different products — list them all or only one group?: Put the product group that matches the job first, and the others in one short line. Applying to a garment workshop and listing footwear, wood and electronics at length leaves the supervisor unsure which line you are strong on.
Never ran a new machine — should I put it in the CV?: State clearly that you never ran that machine, but list the machines you did run: single-needle, overlock, Kansai. The supervisor assigns the right line without the new machine — claiming it and being found out during probation is the real weakness.

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