Planning Technician Resume Guide

Planning Technicians assist in the research and analysis of land use data to support local government planning activities. They help develop, review, administer and enforce plans related to zoning regulations, subdivision ordinances, comprehensive plans and other development-related documents. Planning Technicians also coordinate with public works departments for the implementation of capital improvement projects such as parks or streetscapes.

Your organizational and planning skills make you the perfect candidate for a planning technician role. But potential employers don’t know anything about your capabilities. To demonstrate your expertise, you must write a resume that stands out from the competition.

This guide will walk you through the entire process of creating a top-notch resume. We first show you a complete example and then break down what each resume section should look like.

The guide is divided into sections for your convenience. You can read it from beginning to end or use the table of contents below to jump to a specific part.

Full Resume Example Summary Experience Skills Education Certifications Contact Info Cover Letter Templates

Planning Technician Resume Sample

Lily Cronin
Planning Technician

[email protected]
312-826-0653
linkedin.com/in/lily-cronin

Summary

Well-rounded planning technician with 8+ years of experience in urban planning, land use management, and environmental impact assessment. Adept at utilizing GIS software to create maps for comprehensive analysis of project feasibility. At ABC Corporation managed an ambitious $14 million infrastructure development program from concept to completion within budget and timeline constraints. Awarded “Employee of the Year” commendation for outstanding performance on a high-profile project.

Experience

Planning Technician, Employer A
San Diego, Jan 2018 – Present

Formulated detailed plans and reports for a wide range of development projects; organized data in GIS maps to accurately track project progress and completion rates, resulting in an 8% reduction in costs.
Spearheaded the preparation of environmental impact assessments (EIAs) for new construction works by sourcing relevant data from internal records and external sources, saving 250+ hours over the course of a year.
Utilized expert knowledge on planning regulations & legislation to advise clients on best practices when applying for permits or licenses; provided technical advice that enabled 4 major developments to be completed within budget and timeline expectations.
Administered day-to-day operations related to land use management activities such as zoning reviews, boundary adjustments, rezoning requests etc., while proactively identifying potential areas where improvements can be made across all processes involved with planning projects.
Proficiently handled confidential documents related to local government policy changes by adhering strictly to security protocols at all times; maintained 100% accuracy rate when filing paperwork into appropriate categories/folders electronically or physically.

Planning Technician, Employer B
Indianapolis, Mar 2012 – Dec 2017

Competently scheduled, structured and monitored projects to ensure that all deadlines were met within the allocated budget; reduced project costs by 12% in the last quarter.
Developed comprehensive plans for upcoming events such as conferences, trade shows and workshops; coordinated with vendors to secure necessary materials ahead of time, saving over $1,000 on event preparations.
Structured daily tasks for a team of 10+ planners according to priority level; assigned appropriate resources based on individual strengths and capabilities while ensuring efficiency at all times.
Developed creative solutions for unforeseen challenges during planning process utilizing problem-solving techniques taught in Project Management 101 coursework; resolved conflicts before they reached upper management twice in the past year alone.
Participated actively in collaborative efforts between various departments when organizing large scale events such as conventions or festivals – increased attendance rate by 20%.

Skills

Scheduling
Budgeting
Cost Estimation
Risk Management
Database Management
GIS Mapping
Technical Writing
Regulatory Compliance
Data Analysis

Education

Bachelor of Science in Urban Planning
Educational Institution XYZ
Nov 2011

Certifications

Certified Planning Technician (CPT)
American Institute of Certified Pl
May 2017

Related Resume Examples

All Examples

1. Summary / Objective

Your resume summary should be a concise and compelling introduction to your professional experience as a planning technician. In this section, you should highlight the most relevant skills and qualifications that make you an ideal candidate for the job. For example, mention any certifications or training courses related to urban planning that you have completed, how many years of experience in land use analysis or zoning regulations you possess, and any successful projects in which you played a key role.

Below are some resume summary examples:

Passionate planning technician with 10+ years of experience in the private and public sectors. Skilled at developing strategies for community development, environmental planning, urban growth management, land use regulation and zoning. At XYZ Corporation, successfully managed numerous projects from concept to completion within budgeted timelines. Recognized for exceptional attention to detail as well as strong problem-solving skills that enable successful project outcomes.

Hard-working planning technician with 8+ years of experience helping to develop and implement city-wide urban plans. Skilled in GIS mapping, environmental analysis, public engagement activities and project management. Seeking a role at ABC City Council where my expertise can be used to help create innovative solutions for the local community. Key achievements include successfully delivering 10 projects within budget constraints during 2020/21 financial year.

Skilled planning technician with 7+ years of experience in city planning and urban design. Proven success analyzing zoning ordinances, creating detailed maps and drawings for land-use applications, conducting research on development projects, and preparing reports to meet local government regulations. Seeking to join ABC Planning Department as a planning technician where I can bring my expertise to help shape the future development of the community.

Enthusiastic planning technician with 7+ years of experience in project planning and scheduling. Skilled at creating accurate, detailed plans that meet deadlines while taking into consideration the resources available. At XYZ, managed a team of 10 staff members to complete projects on time and within budget. Recognized for expertise in anticipating potential problems and providing quick solutions to ensure successful completion of all tasks.

Seasoned planning technician with 8+ years of experience in urban and regional planning. Seeking to bring my expertise to XYZ Corporation, where I can utilize my knowledge of GIS software, land use regulations & policies, public outreach strategies, and environmental review processes. At ABC Planning Department successfully managed the development process for over 30 projects while adhering to budget constraints.

Dependable planning technician with over 8 years of experience in designing and evaluating projects for the development, implementation, and maintenance of urban infrastructure. Skilled at generating reports from GIS data to accurately assess project feasibility. Seeking to join ABC Inc., where my knowledge in planning best practices could be applied towards optimizing current operations.

Driven planning technician with 7+ years of experience in managing and coordinating the development, implementation, and evaluation of citywide building projects. Proven track record for effectively communicating with departments, agencies, stakeholders to ensure successful project outcomes. Looking to bring expertise in urban planning strategies to ABC City as a Planning Technician.

Committed planning technician with 5+ years of experience supporting the planning process for large-scale projects. Skilled in researching and analyzing data, preparing reports, and coordinating efforts to ensure timely completion of tasks. Seeking a role at ABC Tech where I can use my knowledge and dedication to help develop successful plans that meet all requirements.

2. Experience / Employment

For the experience section, you should list your employment history in reverse chronological order, meaning the most recent job is listed first.

When writing about what you did at each role, stick to bullet points and provide detail on the tasks completed and results achieved. For example, instead of saying “Prepared zoning documents,” say something like “Reviewed zoning ordinances for compliance with local regulations; prepared detailed reports that identified potential issues.”.

You can also include any awards or recognition received during a particular role as well as any special projects undertaken.

To write effective bullet points, begin with a strong verb or adverb. Industry specific verbs to use are:

Coordinated
Scheduled
Monitored
Analyzed
Developed
Implemented
Forecasted
Researched
Assessed
Prepared
Streamlined
Evaluated
Revised
Administered
Optimized

Other general verbs you can use are:

Achieved
Advised
Compiled
Demonstrated
Expedited
Facilitated
Formulated
Improved
Introduced
Mentored
Participated
Presented
Reduced
Reorganized
Represented
Spearheaded
Structured
Utilized

Below are some example bullet points:

Compiled statistical data for various planning projects and prepared detailed reports with accurate results; increased efficiency of project completion by 20%.
Revised existing zoning plans, building permits and other related documents to ensure compliance with the local government regulations; developed streamlined procedures that reduced processing time by 50%.
Evaluated new development proposals in accordance with current laws and regulations, while utilizing GIS mapping techniques to identify potential problems before they arose; averted costly disputes between stakeholders on 3 occasions.
Meticulously monitored land use applications within assigned district, ensuring all documentation was completed correctly according to established deadlines; improved response times from 60-90 days down to 30 days or less.
Improved communication among city departments concerning zoning issues through weekly meetings and email updates; successfully resolved over 25 contentious issues within a 6 month period.

Monitored the status of current and upcoming projects to ensure that all deadlines were met, resulting in a 95% success rate for project delivery.
Introduced new systems such as resource tracking and budget management tools which improved efficiency by 40%.
Accurately forecasted requirements and sourced materials ahead of time; saved $15,000 on procurement costs over the span of 6 months.
Represented the planning team at regular meetings with stakeholders to discuss progress updates; facilitated resolution among cross-team conflicts 70% faster than before.
Achieved an average customer satisfaction score of 4 out 5 across 100+ projects involving 20+ different departments within the organization.

Streamlined the planning process for over 50 projects, resulting in a 15% overall improvement in project completion time.
Assessed and analyzed data from public hearings to provide thoughtful recommendations on zoning applications; reduced budget overruns by 3%.
Reduced code violations by 12%, through the implementation of rigorous safety guidelines and protocols while inspecting construction sites on a regular basis.
Demonstrated strong communication & interpersonal skills when interacting with various stakeholders during community development meetings, ensuring that all concerns were addressed effectively and efficiently.
Substantially increased revenue through strategic grant writing initiatives; secured $50K+ worth of funds within 6 months for local parks projects.

Reorganized planning processes to maximize efficiency and reduce costs by 15% over a 3-month period.
Coordinated the day-to-day activities of 10 employees, ensuring that tasks were completed on time and within budget objectives.
Diligently forecasted resource needs for upcoming projects; accurately estimated project timelines based on available resources and requirements with 95% accuracy rate.
Accurately analyzed data from multiple sources to identify trends in customer buying behaviors and developed strategies accordingly which increased sales revenue by $10,000 per month compared to the previous year’s figures.
Identified areas of improvement through regular performance reviews with team members, instituting new policies that led to an overall increase in productivity across all departments by 25%.

Advised on the development of 5+ zoning ordinances, land use plans and public works projects to ensure compliance with local laws; resulted in an increase of $1.5 million in capital improvements for a 3-year period.
Expedited permitting processes by efficiently processing over 100 applications related to environmental regulations, building codes and health & safety standards on an annual basis.
Presented compelling arguments at various board meetings regarding proposed planning initiatives that were approved unanimously; saved the city over 200 hours of research time per year as a result.
Confidently identified trends through analyzing data from Census reports, surveys and other sources while making recommendations based upon findings; increased budget efficiency by 12%.
Implemented new strategies aimed at engaging citizens via workshops and open forums which generated feedback on urban design changes ultimately leading to improved quality of life within communities.

Prepared and submitted detailed zoning, planning and development applications for over 150 projects within a 2-year period; reduced document processing time by 20%.
Facilitated the acquisition of permits from local governments to construct various buildings on client sites; obtained approvals in an average of 8 weeks per project.
Optimized capital budgets and minimized operational costs through cost-effective analysis of land use regulations, building codes, compliance standards and other related documents.
Researched current trends in urban & regional planning as well as best practices used by leading firms around the world to ensure that plans were up to date with industry standards at all times.
Reliably monitored progress throughout each stage of development while providing timely updates to stakeholders upon request; achieved 98% customer satisfaction rate across 30+ completed projects annually.

3. Skills

Skill requirements will differ from employer to employer – this can easily be determined via the job advert. Organization ABC may be looking for a planning technician with experience in GIS software, while Organization XYZ may require knowledge of AutoCAD.

It is essential to keep this in mind because many employers use applicant tracking systems these days; their role is to scan resumes for certain characteristics (such as specific keywords), filtering out the ones they deem not to be a high-quality match for that particular job.

Once listed here, you should also elaborate on your skillset by discussing it further in other areas such as the summary or experience section.

Below is a list of common skills & terms:

Budgeting
Cost Estimation
Data Analysis
Database Management
GIS Mapping
Regulatory Compliance
Risk Management
Scheduling
Technical Writing

4. Education

Mentioning an education section on your resume will depend on how far along you are in your career. If you just graduated and have no prior experience, include an education section below your resume objective. However, if you have significant work experience to showcase, omitting the education section is perfectly acceptable.

If including an education section is necessary for the job application process, try mentioning courses and subjects relevant to planning technician roles that demonstrate a level of knowledge about the profession.

Bachelor of Science in Urban Planning
Educational Institution XYZ
Nov 2011

5. Certifications

Certifications are a great way to demonstrate your knowledge and proficiency in a certain field. They show potential employers that you have been tested by an accredited organization, which can be extremely beneficial when applying for jobs.

When putting together your resume, make sure to include any certifications relevant to the job you are applying for. This will help give hiring managers confidence in your abilities and set you apart from other applicants who may not have such credentials.

Certified Planning Technician (CPT)
American Institute of Certified Pl
May 2017

6. Contact Info

Your name should be the first thing a reader sees when viewing your resume, so ensure its positioning is prominent. Your phone number should be written in the most commonly used format in your country/city/state, and your email address should be professional.

You can also choose to include a link to your LinkedIn profile, personal website, or other online platforms relevant to your industry.

Finally, name your resume file appropriately to help hiring managers; for Lily Cronin, this would be Lily-Cronin-resume.pdf or Lily-Cronin-resume.docx.

7. Cover Letter

Submitting a cover letter along with your resume is an essential part of the job application process. It provides recruiters and hiring managers with more information about you as a professional, adds personality to your candidacy and allows you to explain why you’re the best fit for the role.

Cover letters are typically made up of 2 to 4 paragraphs that detail relevant qualifications and experiences not mentioned in your resume. They should be tailored specifically for each job opportunity and written in a way that grabs attention from employers.

Below is an example cover letter:

Dear Darrell,

I am writing to apply for the Planning Technician position at the City of New Haven. As a certified Planning Technician with experience working in both the public and private sector, I am confident that I would be a valuable asset to your team.

In my current role as a Planning Technician for the Town of Hamden, I provide administrative support to the Director of Planning and Zoning and oversee all aspects of zoning enforcement. I have also been instrumental in updating the town’s comprehensive plan and land use regulations. Prior to this, I worked as a Senior Planner for XYZ Corporation, where I managed large-scale development projects from start to finish.

Some of my key strengths include:

– Strong research and writing skills: I have authored numerous reports, articles, and studies on planning-related topics such as land use patterns, economic development trends, housing market analysis, etc.
– Excellent project management abilities: I have successfully managed multiple complex planning projects simultaneously while staying within budget and meeting all deadlines.
– In-depth knowledge of planning principles and practices: My extensive education and experience has given me a deep understanding of all facets of the planning process.

Enclose my resume for your review.

Sincerely,

Lily