Printing

Printer CV: example and template

This example is for offset, flexo and digital printers at commercial, packaging and book printing houses, and for printer's assistants who want to run a press on their own.

The employer wants to know which presses you print on, how many colours and which substrates you handle, how fast you do makeready, how you hold colour and how you cut waste. We show you how to describe this on your CV.

Create your CV in the builderSee the example

Example CV: printer

All the details in this example are fictional. Treat it as a model of layout and wording, and replace the content with your own experience.

Sebastian Michalak

Offset printer

Kielce +48 123 456 789 sebastian.michalak@example.com

Professional profile

Offset printer with 10 years of experience, the last 6 at a carton packaging printing house. I run a 5-colour sheet-fed offset press with a coating unit on my own, do makeready, match colour to the proof with a densitometer and spectrophotometer, and print on board and coated papers. Makeready for a new job takes me 20 minutes on average, and makeready waste fell by 25%.

Work experience

Offset printer

04.2020 - present

Carton packaging printing house, Kielce

  • 5-colour sheet-fed offset press with a coating unit.
  • Makeready for a new job in 20 minutes on average.
  • Matching colour to the proof with a densitometer and spectrophotometer.
  • Printing on board, coated papers and with spot colours.
  • Makeready waste down 25%.

Printer's assistant

05.2014 - 03.2020

Commercial printing house, Kielce

  • Preparing inks and substrates.
  • Washing printing units.
  • Checking sheets during the run.

Education

Printer

2011 - 2014

School of Printing

Skills

  • Running sheet-fed offset presses
  • Makeready and changeovers
  • Colour management and measurement
  • Printing plates and inks
  • Printing on board and coated papers
  • Print quality checks

Training

  • Offset press manufacturer's training, 2020
  • Colour management in print training, 2022
  • UDT licence for operating forklifts

Languages

  • English: A2

Additional information

  • Shift work

I hereby consent to the processing of my personal data for the purposes necessary to carry out the recruitment process, in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 April 2016 (GDPR).

How to write a printer CV

Professional summary

Write which presses you print on, how many colours you handle and which products you print. Add results, for example makeready time or less waste. The employer is looking for a printer who will prepare the press quickly, hit the customer's colour and hold quality through the whole run.

Printer's assistant with 4 years of experience at a commercial printing house. I prepare inks and substrates, wash printing units and check sheets during the run. I am looking for work as an offset printer.

Experience: duties and achievements

Describe the presses, number of colours, formats, substrates, products, makeready and colour. Show results in numbers. Add press manufacturers' training. Also say whether you handle coating, spot colours or digital printing.

Weaker: Printing.

Better: 5-colour sheet-fed offset press with a coating unit.

Weaker: Makeready.

Better: Makeready for a new job in 20 minutes on average.

Weaker: Colour.

Better: Matching colour to the proof with a densitometer and spectrophotometer.

Skills worth listing

List the presses, makeready, colour management, plates and inks, substrates and quality checks. In your soft skills show accuracy, a good eye for colour and resilience under deadline pressure.

Professional skills

  • Offset presses
  • Makeready
  • Colour management
  • Plates and inks
  • Substrates
  • Print checks

Personal skills

  • Accuracy
  • Eye for colour
  • Resilience under pressure
  • Independence
  • Teamwork

Training

List press manufacturers' training, colour management training and UDT licences. Training on a specific press shortens onboarding at a new printing house.

How to become a printer

Most people start as a printer's assistant, with or without a printing school. On your CV show the presses and work you know.

Add your willingness to work shifts. Printing houses often work around the clock.

Tailoring your CV to the job offer

A packaging printer looks for board and coating, a commercial printer for quick makeready and short runs, and a book printer for long runs and stable colour. Move to the top what the job ad is about.

The most common mistakes on a printer CV

Questions and answers

What should a printer put on a CV?

The presses, number of colours, substrates, products, makeready, colour management, training and results.

Which results are worth giving?

Makeready time, less waste, fewer colour complaints and runs done on time.

Is a printing school necessary?

Not always. Many printers learn the trade as assistants at a printing house.

Can an offset printer move to flexo?

Yes, many skills are shared, but on your CV it is worth saying which techniques you already know.

Create a printer CV in the builder

In the CV Majster builder you enter your details step by step and see right away what the document looks like. You can copy the wording from this page and adapt it to yourself. The finished CV as a PDF costs a one-off PLN 5, with no subscription, and you see the preview before you pay.

Go to the CV builder

See also

Resume examples for similar jobs

Career guide

All resume examples by job