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In this guide, we’ll cover exactly how to put seasonal harvesting jobs on a resume, what to include, formatting tips, and real examples you can use for inspiration.
Tips for Writing a Standout Seasonal Harvesting Resume
Writing about seasonal work doesn’t have to feel limiting. The key is to frame your experience in a way that highlights your skills, reliability, and ability to adapt. Here’s how to do it:
1. Start With a Clear and Focused Summary
Your resume summary is your first chance to make an impression. Use two to four sentences to explain who you are, your harvesting experience, and what you bring to future employers.
Mention the type of crops you’ve worked with, the scale of the work, and any special strengths such as machinery operation or speed and efficiency in the field.
Example summary:2. Highlight Your Harvesting Experience
This section is the backbone of your resume. List your roles starting with the most recent job. Include:
- Job title (e.g., Harvest Worker, Farmhand, Agricultural Laborer)
- Farm name or company
- Location (city and state)
- Dates worked (month and year)
- Bullet points showing your duties and achievements
Be specific. Instead of writing “Picked fruit,” write something like:
3. Include Your Education
Even if it’s not related to agriculture, list your highest level of education. Employers like to see a complete background.
If you have farming-related coursework, agricultural training, or certifications, make sure they’re included. For example:
4. Add Other Relevant Work Experience
Many seasonal workers do different jobs during the off-season. If you’ve worked in construction, landscaping, food service, or warehouse roles, add them. These jobs often require similar skills like physical endurance, teamwork, and meeting deadlines.
Example entries could include:
5. List Your Relevant Skills Clearly
Create a skills section with short, specific bullet points. This makes it easy for employers to see your strengths at a glance.
Examples of skills for temporary and seasonal jobs in harvesting to include:
6. Keep the Format Simple and Clean
Resumes for temporary or seasonal jobs should be easy to scan. Use:
- A standard font like Arial or Calibri, size 10–12
- Bold section headings
- Bullet points for duties and skills
- Clear spacing and margins
Stick to one page unless you’ve had many seasons across different farms and roles. Employers want quick, clear details, not long paragraphs.
7. Add Optional Sections for Extra Impact
Want to stand out to hiring managers? Add extra sections to your resume that show your reliability and achievements. These could include:
- Achievements: Meeting record quotas, being selected as team lead, or earning return contracts across seasons
- Certifications: Safety, pesticide handling, machinery training, or first aid
- Languages: If you can communicate in multiple languages, it’s a huge advantage on diverse farm teams
- References: You can include them or simply state “Available upon request”
8. Tailor Your Resume for Each Seasonal Job
Not every harvesting role is the same. A vineyard may want experience with grape picking and winery production, while a large-scale farm may look for machine operators.
Adjust your resume depending on the job description. Highlight the experience most relevant to the position.
If a job post mentions “operating farm equipment,” make sure that’s near the top of your skills or experience section.
How to Handle Multiple Short Harvest Jobs and Resume Gaps
Seasonal work often means short contracts and breaks between jobs. The key is to present this in a way that shows reliability, not instability.
- Group roles together under one heading like “Seasonal Harvesting Experience” instead of listing every short job separately.
- Use months and years for very short contracts, but list years only if you returned seasonally to the same farm.
- Address off-season gaps by including other temporary work, training, or simply noting “seasonal employment.”
Seasonal Harvesting Resume Examples
Need to see how it looks in practice? Here are two examples of resumes for temporary jobs in harvesting you can use as inspiration.
Example 1: Experienced Fruit Picker
Name: Carlos Ramirez
Phone: (555) 123-7890
Email:carlos.ramirez@example.com
Location: Yakima, WA
Professional Summary
Dependable harvesting worker with over five years of experience picking apples, cherries, and grapes in Washington State. Skilled in working long shifts outdoors, maintaining fruit quality, and meeting production targets consistently.
Work Experience
Job Title: Fruit Picker
Valley Orchards | Yakima, WA
May 2020 – Present
- Picked and sorted apples and cherries during peak season, averaging 450 lbs daily
- Trained new seasonal workers on harvesting techniques and safety practices
- Assisted in packing and loading produce for distribution
Grape Harvester
Riverbend Vineyards | Prosser, WA
Aug 2018 – Oct 2019
- Harvested grapes for wine production across 120-acre vineyard
- Operated mechanical harvesters under supervision
- Ensured accurate handling and transport of delicate crops
Education
High School Diploma, Yakima High School, 2016
Skills
- Fruit picking and grading
- Tractor and basic machinery operation
- Meeting quotas
- Outdoor endurance
- Team collaboration
Example 2: Entry-Level Harvest Worker
Name: Sarah Johnson
Phone: (555) 456-7891
Email: sarah.johnson@example.com
Location: Fresno, CA
Summary
Motivated and adaptable seasonal farm worker with two years of experience in vegetable harvesting. Known for reliability, teamwork, and ability to quickly learn new techniques in seasonal positions.
Work Experience
Harvest Worker
Greenfield Farms | Fresno, CA
Jun 2021 – Aug 2022
- Harvested tomatoes, peppers, and squash during summer season
- Sorted and packaged vegetables for distribution
- Maintained high-quality standards while working under time pressure
Education
Forklift Safety Training, 2022
Skills
- Vegetable harvesting
- Sorting and packaging
- Forklift operation
- Problem solving
- Safety and hygiene practices
- Time management
How To Optimize Your Resume for ATS
Many farms, staffing agencies, and agricultural companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to screen resumes before they ever reach a hiring manager. If your resume isn’t ATS-friendly, it could be filtered out, no matter how qualified you are.
To make sure your resume passes the ATS scan, keep these points in mind:
- Use keywords from the job posting. If the ad mentions “fruit picking,” “tractor operation,” or “packaging,” include those exact words in your experience and skills section.
- Stick to simple formatting. Avoid tables, text boxes, graphics, or fancy fonts. ATS software often can’t read them. A clean structure with bold headings and bullet points works best.
- Write out job titles clearly. Instead of just “Picker,” use “Seasonal Fruit Picker” or “Agricultural Laborer” so the system recognizes the role.
- Save as a Word doc or PDF. Most ATS tools can process these formats without issues.
- Avoid uncommon abbreviations. Spell out terms like “Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)” at least once before using the abbreviation.
Final Thoughts
Seasonal harvesting work may be temporary, but the skills you gain are lasting. A well-written resume helps you show reliability, physical ability, and dedication. These are all traits that employers value.
Keep your resume simple, highlight measurable achievements, and tailor it to each job. Even if you only worked one season, present it in a way that proves your worth.
Keep in mind that it’s not just about listing farm or other temporary jobs. It’s about showing you can meet challenges, work hard, and contribute wherever you’re needed. That’s something every employer wants to see.
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