What Employers Mean When They Ask for ‘Experience With Automation’: Resume Examples for Non-Technical Roles

What employers really mean by “experience with automation” — and how non-technical candidates should show it on a resume (2026)

Hook: Recruiters increasingly list “experience with automation” on job postings — and many students, teachers, admins and HR professionals hear a scary phrase that sounds technical and out of reach. The truth in 2026: hiring managers usually want evidence that you improved processes using tools and teamwork, not a computer-science degree. This article explains the three kinds of automation employers look for, shows how to phrase that experience for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), and gives ready-to-use resume bullets for operations, HR, and administrative roles.

The bottom line up front (inverted pyramid)

• Employers mean three things when they ask for automation experience: process automation, tool literacy, and cross-functional collaboration.
• Non-technical roles win interviews by quantifying impact (time saved, errors reduced, throughput increased) and naming the tools and workflows used.
• This guide gives ATS-friendly keywords, formatting rules, and concrete resume bullets for operations, HR, and admin roles — junior to senior.

Why “automation experience” matters in 2026

Automation has moved beyond isolated robots and back-end code. The dominant trend in late 2025 and early 2026 is integrated, data-driven automation that spans human workflows, cloud tools and operational systems. Warehouse leaders, TMS vendors and HR platforms now connect through APIs, low-code integrations and “citizen developer” tools — meaning everyday professionals are expected to operate, improve and collaborate around automation systems. For non-developers, read practical micro-app examples like Micro Apps Case Studies to see how small builds drive big ops wins.

"Automation strategies are evolving beyond standalone systems to more integrated, data-driven approaches that balance technology with the realities of labor availability, change management, and execution risk." — Connors Group webinar, January 29, 2026

Another example: in late 2025 Aurora and McLeod launched a TMS integration enabling carriers to tender autonomous truck capacity directly in operational workflows — a reminder that tools are increasingly embedded into daily systems. For non-technical candidates, the opportunity is clear: describe how you used, improved, or supported these systems to produce measurable operational gains.

Three concrete meanings of “automation experience” (and what to list on your resume)

1. Process automation — redesigning workflows and SOPs

What hiring managers want: evidence that you mapped processes, removed manual steps, created standardized workflows, or ran pilots that saved time or reduced errors. This is about thinking like a problem-solver.

Examples to list: process maps, SOP rollouts, Kaizen or continuous-improvement projects, and measured outcomes such as % reduction in processing time.

2. Tool literacy — using low-code/no-code or platform automations

What hiring managers want: familiarity with common automation tools (no need to be a developer). Employers expect you to know or learn tools their teams use: Power Automate, Zapier/Make, Google Apps Script, Excel macros, UiPath for attended RPA, or platform-specific flows (Workday/Greenhouse/NetSuite/Salesforce Flow).

Examples to list: automations you built or maintained, templates you created, dashboards you configured, or integrations you owned.

3. Collaboration & change management — working with IT, ops, and leaders

What hiring managers want: proof you can partner with technical teams, lead pilots, train staff, and measure adoption. Automation projects fail when people aren’t prepared — so describe your role in rollout, documentation, and user training.

Examples to list: cross-functional project leadership, training sessions delivered, adoption rates, and stakeholder management.

How to present automation experience on a resume (high-impact rules)

1. Be specific — name the tool + the outcome. Example: "Reduced invoice processing time 65% using Power Automate to route approvals."
2. Quantify impact. Use percent, time, error rates, volumes or dollar savings. Numbers make automation concrete.
3. Use ATS-friendly phrasing. Mirror wording in the job posting ("process automation", "RPA", "workflow automation", "low-code"). Avoid images, headers/footers or complex tables.
4. List automation in multiple places. Include it in your Summary, Skills, and Work Experience, and add a short Projects section for larger builds.
5. Show collaboration. Use verbs like "partnered", "piloted", "trained", "documented" to emphasize people skills.

ATS and formatting best practices (2026 updates)

ATS software in 2026 still prefers simple, semantic structure. Follow these up-to-date rules:

• File type: submit .docx unless the employer requests PDF. For writing that parses well for AI and bots, see content templates designed for AI-friendly parsing.
• Headings: use clear headings (Summary, Experience, Education, Skills, Projects).
• Fonts & layout: use standard fonts (Arial, Calibri) and avoid text boxes, images, or fancy characters that break parsing.
• Keywords: include exact phrases from the job post but avoid keyword stuffing — context matters.
• Bullets: 2–4 bullets per role for junior jobs, 4–6 for mid-level, and up to 8 for senior roles; start each with a strong action verb and include tools where relevant.

Where to place automation experience

• Summary / TL;DR: One line: "Operations professional with 4 yrs improving workflows using Power Automate and Excel macros."
• Skills: list tools (Power Automate, Zapier, Workday, Excel VBA) + process skills (process mapping, SOPs, change management). For hybrid tool workflows and productivity patterns, see hybrid edge workflows.
• Experience bullets: the primary place to quantify projects and outcomes.
• Projects (optional): a 2–3 line project entry for automation builds that deserve more context.

Ready-to-use resume bullets: Operations, HR, and Admin

Below are ATS-friendly bullets you can copy, paste and personalize. Each bullet includes the type of automation (process, tool, collaboration) and the suggested keywords to include.

Operations (warehouse, logistics, supply chain)

Key employer focus: throughput, error reduction, integrations with WMS/TMS, pilot automation projects.

• Junior / Entry: "Implemented barcode-driven picking checklist in Google Sheets with barcode scanner templates, cutting pick-post error rate 28% and speeding order validation by 22% (process improvement, workflow automation)."
• Mid-level: "Led 6-week pilot integrating WMS pick routes with TMS tendering using API workflows and Zapier, reducing dwell time 18% and improving carrier assignment speed (integration, data-driven automation)." — see examples of integrations and middleware strategies in composable platforms like composable cloud case studies.
• Senior / Manager: "Spearheaded cross-functional automation project with IT and 3PL partners to connect WMS, TMS and carrier APIs; drove a 32% reduction in manual load planning hours and documented SOPs for scale (strategic automation, change management)."

Human Resources (HRIS, recruiting, onboarding)

Key employer focus: candidate experience, payroll accuracy, onboarding throughput, compliance.

• Junior / Entry: "Built onboarding packet automation in Google Forms + Google Drive script that auto-populated employee folders, cutting manual folder prep from 10 to 1.5 minutes per hire (tool automation, Google Apps Script)."
• Mid-level: "Automated offer-to-hire workflow by integrating Greenhouse with DocuSign using a middleware flow (Workato), reducing offer turnaround 40% and increasing accepted offers by 9% (HR automation, integration)." For middleware and API integration patterns, see resources on composable integrations like composable platforms.
• Senior / HR Lead: "Owned Workday tenant automation roadmap: implemented approval rules and Power Automate flows that cut payroll exception reconciliations 45% and improved HR service SLAs (HRIS automation, stakeholder management)."

Administrative (executive assistant, office manager)

Key employer focus: time savings, scheduling efficiency, document management.

• Junior / Entry: "Created calendar routing automation in Outlook and Teams that auto-assigned meeting assets and cut scheduling back-and-forth by 60% (workflow automation, Microsoft 365)."
• Mid-level: "Developed an expense submission template with Excel macros and a Power Automate approval flow, reducing reviewer time by 50% and improving reconciliation accuracy (process automation, Excel VBA, Power Automate)."
• Senior / Office Manager: "Piloted a Slack workflow + Airtable asset-tracking system with automated return reminders; decreased lost equipment incidents 70% and standardized check-in SOPs (tool integration, change management)."

Before-and-after examples — make generic bullets measurable and ATS-friendly

Use this template to transform vague bullets into outcomes that hire managers care about.

Weak: "Improved onboarding process with automation."
Strong: "Automated onboarding in 3 steps using Google Forms and Zapier; reduced new-hire packet completion time from 48 to 12 hours and increased first-week compliance to 98%. (tools: Google Forms, Zapier; keywords: onboarding automation, process improvement)." For more sample micro-projects non-developers can copy, see micro-app case studies.

Keyword cheat sheet (copy into your Skills and Summary)

Use these phrases exactly when applicable — they align with modern ATS expectations in 2026.

• process automation
• workflow automation
• RPA / attended automation
• low-code / no-code
• Power Automate, Zapier, Make (Integromat)
• Excel VBA / macros
• HRIS automation (Workday, Greenhouse)
• WMS / TMS integrations
• API integrations / middleware
• change management / adoption

Advanced strategies for higher-impact resumes (2026)

For candidates targeting competitive roles, use these next-level tactics:

• Include a one-line Projects section for complex automation builds: name the problem, the tools, and the outcome. If you publish a short case study, link to it from your resume — creators often reformat portfolios for distribution; see tips on reformatting content in the field guides for creators.
• Link to a short case study or portfolio (hosted on LinkedIn, Notion or a personal site) that shows process maps, screenshots, or before/after metrics. Add a short URL in your resume header or LinkedIn.
• Show measurable adoption: employers care about behavior change — include adoption percentages, training completions or SLA improvements.
• Certify when relevant: low-code platform badges, Lean/Six Sigma Yellow/Green Belt, or vendor certificates (UiPath, Microsoft Power Platform) add credibility. Learn hybrid productivity patterns and how certifications plug into workflows at hybrid edge workflows.
• Contextualize AI/GenAI usage — in 2026 many teams use GenAI to generate SOP drafts or automate email triage. Be transparent: state the role of AI (e.g., "used GenAI to draft SOPs, reviewed and validated outputs"). For practical GenAI integration patterns, see notes on automating metadata with modern LLM tools.

Common hiring manager red flags — and how to avoid them

• Vague claims: avoid lines like "improved processes" without numbers or tools.
• Overly technical language: if you’re non-technical, don’t pretend to be an engineer — emphasize outcomes and collaboration with IT.
• No evidence of adoption: automation that doesn’t stick is a liability; show metrics that prove real use.
• Resume formatting that hides keywords: images, PDFs with odd encodings, and creative layouts can hide your experience from ATS.

Quick checklist before you submit an application

1. Match 3–5 automation keywords from the job description in your resume.
2. Include 1–2 quantified bullets showing measurable impact from automation projects.
3. List specific tools used, and indicate whether you implemented, administered or trained on them.
4. Keep formatting simple: .docx, clear headings, normal bullets.
5. Add one line in Summary that signals you’re comfortable with automation and collaboration (e.g., "Skilled in process automation and cross-functional rollout of workflow tools").

Real-world mini case: operations wins with integration (why this matters)

Late-2025 integration wins like the Aurora–McLeod TMS connection show a broader pattern: employers value people who can translate operational needs into automated workflows. A logistics coordinator who doesn’t build APIs but can operationalize an integration—by writing SOPs, coordinating testing, and measuring reduced dwell time—becomes indispensable. That kind of collaboration is exactly the automation experience hiring managers want.

Final actionable takeaways

• Think three-dimensionally: process + tools + collaboration are your proof points.
• Quantify everything: add percent, time or dollar metrics to every automation bullet.
• Be explicit about tools: ATS and hiring managers both look for named platforms.
• Make adoption visible: training and SOPs signal sustainable change, not one-off hacks.

Call to action

Ready to turn your on-the-job automation into interview-winning bullets? Use these examples to rewrite 3 experience lines now. If you want hands-on help, download our free ATS-ready resume template and tailored bullet library for operations, HR and administrative roles — or request a 15-minute resume review to get personalized edits that highlight your automation impact.

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