Land surveyor CV – template and practical tips

A land surveyor is a role where precision, accountability, and the ability to work both on-site and with documentation matter every day. If you’re applying to a surveying office, a construction company, or a design studio, a well-written land surveyor CV should clearly show: what types of work you’ve done, what equipment you use, and what licenses/qualifications you have.

Table of contents

1. Why does a land surveyor CV matter?
2. Land surveyor CV – structure template
3. What skills should you put on a land surveyor CV?
4. Experience and projects – how to describe them?
5. Licenses, equipment, and software
6. Common mistakes in a land surveyor CV
7. Summary
8. FAQ – land surveyor CV

Why does a land surveyor CV matter?

In surveying, recruiters evaluate the essentials: scope of work, tools, and responsibility. A well-prepared land surveyor CV helps them immediately understand whether you’re focused on field work, office processing, or a hybrid role.

A good land surveyor CV:

• shows your experience in typical tasks (measurements, setting-out, as-builts, map deliverables),
• lists the equipment and software you actually use,
• signals quality: accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with documentation requirements.

Land surveyor CV – structure template

📐 Precise • Technical • One A4 page

👤 1. Personal details and contact

• 📌 full name
• 📌 phone number
• 📌 email address
• 📌 city (optional)
• 📌 LinkedIn / project portfolio link (if you have one)

📝 2. Professional summary

2–4 sentences. The goal is to say what type of surveying work you do best and what projects you’ve worked on.

Example professional summary:

“Land surveyor with 4 years of experience in field measurements and office processing. I’ve delivered setting-out and as-built surveys for building projects as well as topographic maps for design purposes. I work with GNSS RTK and a total station, and I prepare deliverables in AutoCAD/QGIS.”

💼 3. Work experience

Use bullet points, but add outcomes too (numbers and scale):

• 📌 company / surveying office
• 📌 employment period
• 📌 scope (field/office/hybrid)
• 📌 key types of jobs
• 📌 measurable results (e.g., number of sites, area, deadlines)

Example responsibilities (bullet points):

• • setting-out for construction works (axes, foundations, utilities)
• • as-built surveys and documentation compilation
• • planimetric and leveling measurements, calculations, sketches
• • deliverables for topographic/design maps

🎓 4. Education

• 📌 degree: Geodesy & Cartography / related
• 📌 university / school
• 📌 years attended
• 📌 thesis topic (optional, if relevant)

🧾 5. Licenses / training / courses

If you have professional surveying licenses (or you’re in the process of obtaining them), that’s a strong differentiator. Also add software or equipment training you’ve completed.

What skills should you put on a land surveyor CV?

For a land surveyor CV, the best approach is to split skills into technical and soft skills. Avoid vague claims like “good organization” without context.

Technical skills (examples):

• GNSS measurements (RTK), total station work, leveling,
• setting-out and as-built surveys,
• office processing: calculations, sketches, reports,
• topographic/design maps, property subdivision (if applicable),
• AutoCAD / Civil 3D, QGIS / ArcGIS (based on real experience),
• working with documentation requirements and local standards.

Soft skills (also important):

• accuracy and accountability for measurement results,
• communication with the client/site manager,
• field work in changing conditions,
• planning work and meeting deadlines.

Experience and projects – how to describe them?

In surveying, a great format is: task → tool → outcome. It shows you understand the process and can deliver results.

Licenses, equipment, and software

Employers often want to know whether you’re independent in the field and whether you can produce office deliverables. That’s why a land surveyor CV should explicitly list your tools.

• Surveying equipment you work with: GNSS RTK, total station, level (list what you actually use).
• CAD/GIS software and industry tools: AutoCAD / Civil 3D, QGIS / ArcGIS, manufacturer utilities (if applicable).
• Professional licenses (or the stage you’re at): license scopes or “in progress” + current step.
• Work standards and documentation quality: procedures, deliverable standards, and documentation requirements.

Land surveyor CV tip: If you’ve worked on construction sites, mention collaboration with the site manager and subcontractors. It’s a strong signal you can operate at real project pace.

Common mistakes in a land surveyor CV

• overly generic descriptions (“surveying measurements”) without specifying task types,
• missing equipment and software list,
• messy dates and projects (this looks especially bad in technical roles),
• an unnecessarily long CV (2–3 pages) without added value,
• no tailoring to the offer (field vs. office processing).

If you apply to many companies, prepare two variants: a field land surveyor CV and an office-processing land surveyor CV (or a hybrid version with a clear split). This often makes the difference.

Summary

• A land surveyor CV should clearly show your tasks and tools: work types, equipment, outcomes, and responsibility.
• The best format is one A4 page with a clean structure and bullet points.
• Add equipment, software, and licenses — these are often the key to getting an interview.

FAQ – land surveyor CV