Skills
Arborist Skills & Tools
The technical skills, people skills and tools employers look for in arborists, and how to build and show them.
What skills do arborists need?
Arborists need technical skills such as tree climbing, chainsaw operation, and rigging, plus people skills like safety focus and teamwork. They also use tools such as Chainsaws and pole saws and Climbing ropes and harnesses.
Technical (hard) skills
- Tree climbing
- Chainsaw operation
- Rigging
- Pruning techniques
- Tree identification
- Electrical hazard awareness
People (soft) skills
- Safety focus
- Teamwork
- Communication
- Focus
Tools, equipment and technology
- Chainsaws and pole saws
- Climbing ropes and harnesses
- Bucket trucks
- Wood chippers
- Stump grinders
- Rigging gear
Skills in action: common tasks
These step-by-step guides show how arborists put their skills to work:
How to show these skills on a resume
- Lead your skills section with the technical skills from the job posting, for example, “Tree climbing” and “Chainsaw operation.”
- Prove soft skills with results: instead of listing “safety focus,” describe a situation where you used it.
- List credentials such as ISA Certified Arborist near the top, with the issuing organization and date.
- Use the employer’s vocabulary. Our arborist glossary covers the terms hiring managers expect.
How to build these skills
Formal training, supervised practice and certification are the most direct routes. Our Arborist training introduces each of these skills with plain-language lessons, procedures and a final knowledge check: a strong foundation before hands-on training or your first day.