A Guide to Creating the Ultimate Engineering Resume
Are you a freshly-graduated engineer or in the market for a new job, and having no luck finding employment?
It could be your resume that’s stopping you from getting an interview.
Engineering fields are some of the highest paying jobs out there, so you can sure that competition is fierce. It’s time to take a look at your engineering resume and see how it measures up.
Next, follow our top tips for creating a standout resume that may just land you the position you have been dreaming of.
Give consultants what they want
Take a look at what top consulting firms look for in a resume as a starting point to fine-tuning your engineering resume.
Consultants tend to scan for important points when they receive a resume. Use the following tips to attract their eye:
- Center your headings and key points so that they are noticeable at a glance.
- Use a clear and professional-looking font.
- Use keywords wisely
Useful keywords are ones that describe the type of tasks you are qualified to oversee or perform. Words like drilling, oil and gas, operations or production, catch the consultants’s eye. Make sure you use the same terms stated in the job ad for relevance.
Be transparent
State your goals and objectives clearly and don’t leave out your GPA. Very few employers have a minimum GPA requirement, and if you exclude it, they may assume the worst.
Anything you leave out now is bound to be discovered later on anyhow.
Leadership is key in an engineering resume
Mention any leadership roles that you have undertaken, whether in college or while employed.
Note the number of employees that you have overseen and any benefits your leadership has brought to an employer. For example: ‘My new systems have saved company X $ 100 000 to date’.
Don’t mention every one of your high school achievements, highlighting the most relevant ones will suffice.
Show your personality
The choice of language used in your engineering resume will reveal to potential employers whether you are a good fit for their team. Mention a few of your interests, but don’t go overboard. There will be plenty of time for charming chit-chat during the interview.
Include a summary of qualifications and a cover letter
These are the two things a recruiter will look at first. In your cover letter, you should introduce yourself and state why you would suit the advertised position.
A summary of qualifications is a quick-to-scan list of all your formal diplomas, degrees and any awards that you may have earned.
Include any previous jobs you have had as well as the dates that you were employed. The employer may be looking for someone who has regularly moved on to better things or someone who has stuck it out – there’s no way to tell.
Include a link to your online profile only if it is good enough to be shown in the final stages of interviewing too. If it isn’t, you need to upgrade it. Many recruiters will search for you online if your resume makes the grade.
Now that you know how all you need to do is get on with it. Compose your brilliant engineering resume and let us have it. We are here to guide you towards finding your dream job so you can start earning top dollar.
