So, you want to let a recruiter know you have hands-on experience on your resume.
However, are you a little worried it’s too repetitive or generic to help you stand out?
Fear not! We’re here to help.
This article will show you how to mention hands-on experience on a resume.
6 Alternative Ways to Say “Hands-on Experience”
You can also review these 6 alternatives to learn more about how to write hands-on experience on a resume:
- Practical experience
- Real-world experience
- Applied experience
- Direct experience
- Active participation
- Practical know-how
1. Practical Experience
Another word for hands-on experience is practical experience. It’s a great choice that keeps things formal when writing your resumes.
Recruiters will like reading something like this. If anything, it’s a great buzzword that shows you like getting stuck in with something.
If you have hands-on experience, you really can’t go wrong with using this phrase. It’ll set you apart from other candidates and let employers know you’re serious.
Check out these CV samples to find out more if you still need help:
I have a lot of practical experience relating to this program. Therefore, I know this is the opportunity for me.
My practical experience allows me to explore new ventures in this field. I’m certain that you’ll be impressed with what I can achieve.
2. Real-World Experience
Next, real-world experience is another synonym for hands-on experience.
Just make sure you include the hyphen here. Real-world modifies experience, so it needs the hyphen to become a compound adjective.
From there, this phrase shows you get stuck in and learn on the job. It’s effective because it shows recruiters that you already have a lot of the knowledge they’re looking for.
So, you can check out these resume examples if you need more help:
My real-world experience with these events has helped me to understand more about what’s expected of me.
I have a lot of real-world experience that I’ve picked up from other workplaces. I’m certain you’ll be impressed with what I can do.
3. Applied Experience
You can use applied experience as a formal way to say hands-on experience.
This is a great way to spice up your CVs or cover letters. Recruiters will be impressed to hear this and will most likely be interested in knowing where the applied part of your experience is from.
Generally, you should talk about this when you can include direct examples. It lets recruiters know where your experience is from and what to expect from you if they hire you.
Check out these cover letter and CV samples if you’d like to find out more:
I have a large amount of applied experience to offer here. I’m so proud of the work I’ve put in to get here.
My applied experience helps me to stand out from other candidates. I’m certain you’ll be impressed when you read my portfolio.
4. Direct Experience
When you have gained hands-on experience, you can write about your direct experience. This is a useful way to sell yourself on a resume.
It’s a formal way to say hands-on experience,showing you’ve handled a situation directly. It relates to similar things you’re applying to in an application, which should excite the recruiter.
Generally, this works well when encouraging a recruiter to hire you. It’s a great way to show you need less training because you already have direct experience with what they’re looking for.
Also, you can review these resume samples to learn a bit more about it:
I have direct experience here. So, I’d be more than happy to train any of my peers that might need more guidance.
My direct experience allows me to get stuck in. I’m more than comfortable getting into these situations and finding the best solutions.
5. Active Participation
It’s also good to use active participation as a formal synonym for hands-on experience.
This works well because it shows you get stuck in with new tasks in your work. This could be a great way to let people know you’ve developed your skills over time and learned a lot.
Generally, the more active you are in the workplace, the more desirable you become. Opportunities will open themselves up to you, making you much more hireable in the long term.
Recruiters also like finding candidates who actively participate in learning new skills whenever possible.
Especially if you go out of your way to learn them, this is a great way to show you care about your job.
Feel free to review these CV samples to learn more about how it works:
My active participation in this field has taught me all I know. I’m so proud of the work I’ve put into getting where I am.
I have a lot of active participation from my previous company. They paid for a lot of courses that I decided to go for.
6. Practical Know-How
It’s also good to write practical know-how instead of hands-on experience.
After all, it’s a formal and confident way to show you mean business. Generally, recruiters will be keen to hire someone like this, as it shows you apply yourself and get stuck in.
Most of the time, practical know-how comes from courses or learning on the job. So, you can use it to let people know you’re always willing to expand your horizons.
Finally, you should review these resume samples to learn more:
I have a lot of practical know-how in this field. Please feel free to review my cover letter to learn more about it.
My practical know-how came from getting involved with new projects. I jumped at the chance to expand my knowledge.
Is It Correct to Say “Hands-on Experience”?
Hands-on experience is correct to include on your resume.
It’s a formal way to say that you have practical knowledge or experience in a role. Generally, it is a good resume word that suggests you’ve already got the experience a new job is looking for.
Most of the time, this is a great way to convince a recruiter to hire you.
So, it’s important to mention if you’re looking to secure an interview for a new job.
You should review these resume samples to learn more about how to use it:
I have a lot of hands-on experience in this field. Therefore, I know I’m going to be a good fit for this role.
My hands-on experience will help me to stand out from other candidates. Please review my portfolio to learn more about it.
However, you need to remember to include the hyphen when using this phrase. If you don’t, it’ll make your writing incorrect, which isn’t ideal when trying to appear formal and hireable.
Mistake: Not including a hyphen
- Correct: I have hands-on experience.
- Incorrect: I have hands on experience.
