You don't need mining experience to write a strong FIFO resume. Most people land their first site job with experience from somewhere else: construction, warehousing, transport, hospitality, cleaning or a trade. Your resume's job is to show a recruiter that this experience transfers to a mine site.
This guide shows you how. It starts with a complete example from someone who has never worked in mining, then walks through each section.
What transfers to a FIFO role
Construction and labouring: site safety, pre-starts and JSAs, small plant, physical work in heat Warehousing and logistics: forklifts, stock control, fixed procedures, shift work Hospitality and cleaning: camp kitchen, housekeeping and village roles, long shifts, food safety Driving and transport: licences, fatigue management, pre-start checks
FIFO resume example (no mining experience)
This candidate has five years in construction and warehousing and no mining experience. They're applying for trade assistant and general hand roles in Queensland's Bowen Basin.
Ryan Cooper
FIFO Worker (Entry Level)
- r.cooper@email.com
- 0418 234 567
- Mackay, QLD
Professional Summary
Motivated and physically fit worker transitioning into the mining industry with 5+ years of experience in construction and warehousing. Proven ability to work in demanding environments, follow strict safety protocols, and operate as part of a team. Holds the Standard 11 surface coal mine induction, an HR licence and Working at Heights. Eager to apply transferable skills in manual handling, equipment operation, and workplace safety to a FIFO mining role.
Employment History
General Hand / Trade Assistant
Mar 2024 – Present- Provide trade assistance to boilermakers and fitters on shutdown maintenance projects
- Operate hand and power tools including grinders, drills, and oxy-acetylene equipment
- Maintain clean and organised work areas in compliance with site safety requirements
- Complete daily JSAs and participate in pre-start safety meetings
Warehouse Operator
Jun 2021 – Feb 2024- Operated forklifts (counterbalance and reach) in high-volume distribution warehouse
- Maintained zero damage record across 2+ years of materials handling operations
- Trained 6 new team members on warehouse procedures and safety protocols
- Consistently met daily pick-and-pack targets while maintaining accuracy above 99%
Construction Labourer
Jan 2019 – May 2021- Performed general labouring duties on commercial and civil construction projects
- Operated small plant including bobcats, compactors, and elevated work platforms
- Assisted with concrete pours, formwork, and steel fixing tasks
- Maintained strong safety record with no incidents across multiple project sites
Education
Certificate II in Surface Extraction Operations
2024 – 2024Certificate III in Warehousing Operations
2021 – 2022Certifications & Training
Standard 11 Surface Coal Mine Induction Current
HR Truck Licence Current
Working at Heights 2026
Confined Space Entry 2026
Forklift Licence (LF) Current
First Aid Certificate · St John 2025
White Card (Construction Induction) Current
Manual Handling 2025
Skills
Manual Handling · Hand & Power Tools · Forklift Operation · Small Plant Operation · Safety Compliance · Team Communication · Physical Fitness · Shift Work Adaptability · JSA/SWMS Completion · Housekeeping Standards
Bullet Point Assistant
1. What did you do?
2. What metric did you improve and in what time span?
3. Connect your action to your strategy.
Key sections of a FIFO resume with no mining experience
Professional summary
Your summary does the most work when you're changing industries. In three or four lines, say what you've done, which of your skills transfer, which tickets you already hold, and that you're ready for a FIFO roster.
Strong summary elements
- +Name the transferable skills from your current industry
- +List any tickets you already hold
- +Say you're available for FIFO rosters
- +Back up safety and fitness claims with examples
Avoid these weaknesses
- -Describing your current job with no link to mining
- -Leaving out tickets you already have
- -No mention of FIFO availability
- -Generic 'hard worker' statements without evidence
Employment history
Describe your existing roles in terms a mine site recognises:
- Safety compliance: JSAs, SWMS, pre-starts, toolbox talks, PPE
- Physical work: manual handling, outdoor work, 10–12 hour shifts
- Equipment: forklifts, small plant, trucks, power tools
- Teamwork: working in crews, shift handovers, following instructions
Reframe your experience
Mining employers look for evidence you can work safely in demanding conditions. "Operated forklifts in a warehouse" becomes relevant when you write "Operated forklifts to daily pre-start and traffic management procedures with no incidents in two years."
Tickets and inductions
There's no single list of tickets every mining job requires. What you need depends on the state, the type of mine and the role, so check each ad before you pay for a course.
- Queensland coal mines: every coal mine worker must hold the Recognised Standard 11 induction skill set, refreshed at least every five years. If you're targeting the Bowen Basin, it's worth doing first.
- Western Australia: there's no equivalent generic ticket. The mine operator must give every new worker a site induction before they start (WHS (Mines) Regulations 2022, reg 675BA), so WA employers usually induct you after you're hired.
- Role-specific tickets: some ads ask for an HR or HC licence, Working at Heights, Confined Space, a forklift licence or first aid. These depend on the job. A camp kitchen role and a service crew role ask for different things.
See what employers are asking for right now
Our entry-level mining jobs page counts the tickets listed in current entry-level ads, and shows which roles say no mining experience is needed.
List every ticket you hold in its own section, with expiry dates, so a recruiter can scan it in seconds.
Skills to highlight
Even without mining experience, you likely have many skills that mining companies value.
Transferable skills mining companies want
Safety and compliance:
- JSA/SWMS completion
- Pre-start inspections
- PPE use and maintenance
- Hazard identification and reporting
- Fatigue awareness
Physical and operational:
- Manual handling in demanding environments
- Hand and power tools
- Equipment operation (forklifts, small plant)
- Working outdoors in extreme conditions
- Long shifts (10–12 hours)
Workplace behaviours:
- Following verbal and written instructions
- Two-way radio communication
- Team coordination and shift handovers
- Punctuality and reliability
- Housekeeping and workplace organisation
Breaking into mining without experience
Target the right entry-level roles
Not every mining role needs experience. These roles regularly hire people from other industries:
- General hand / trade assistant: assisting tradespeople during maintenance and shutdowns
- Offsider / nipper: supporting drillers and machine operators with setup and consumables
- Service crew: refuelling, water cart and support equipment
- Warehouse / stores: site inventory and logistics
- Camp and village roles: kitchen hand, cleaner, utility
Ads differ, so check whether each one asks for previous site experience. The entry-level jobs page shows how many current ads in each role say no mining experience is needed.
Labour hire and direct employment
Many entry-level site roles are filled through labour hire companies as well as directly by miners and contractors. To be ready for both:
- Register with several labour hire agencies that place mining workers
- Keep your resume to two pages
- List your tickets with expiry dates
- Be ready to mobilise at short notice
FIFO lifestyle considerations
Show you're ready for FIFO
Employers want to know you understand and can handle the FIFO lifestyle. Address this directly:
- Mention any previous experience with extended time away from home
- Mention shift work experience (nights, weekends, rotating rosters)
- Show you understand common rosters (2/1, 8/6, 4/3)
- Highlight self-discipline and routine management
FIFO tip
If you've never worked FIFO, mention anything that shows you adapt well to time away: interstate work trips, defence service, remote construction projects or extended travel.
Common mistakes to avoid
Strong resume elements
- +Mining-relevant language throughout
- +Tickets listed with expiry dates
- +Transferable skills clearly mapped to mining tasks
- +Clean, professional two-page format
Weaknesses to address
- -Paying for tickets the roles you want don't ask for
- -A resume that reads like a non-mining job application
- -More than three pages for an entry-level role
- -Hiding your tickets at the bottom of page two
Ready to apply?
Next steps
- Pick two or three entry-level roles to target
- Check which tickets those ads ask for in your state
- Rewrite your resume using the example above
- Browse entry-level mining jobs and apply to several at once
- Register with a few labour hire agencies
Have a resume from any industry? Upload it (PDF or Word) and Resource Jobs will rewrite it for the mining roles you're targeting. Don't have one yet? Start from the example above.
Looking for more mining resume examples? Check out our guides for Haul Truck Operator, Boilermaker, FIFO Kitchen Hand, Construction Labourer and Underground Miner roles.