how to write a resume engineering

Engineering Resume for 2024 [w/ Examples & Template]

Whether you’re a mechanical, electrical, civil, software, or chemical engineer, you’re great at solving problems.

And yet, when it comes to writing a job-winning engineering resume, you experience the equivalent of writer’s block.

You know you have the right skills, education, and work experience to land your next dream engineering position, yet you can’t seem to express all that effectively in your engineering resume.

And, for better or worse, a strong engineering resume is a prerequisite to land an interview and, eventually, land your next job.

Well, you actually have no reason to worry! 

Writing a job-landing engineering resume that shows off your professional background is not hard and we’re here to guide you through the process.

So, in this article, we will cover:

Engineering Resume Example

• How to Build Your Engineering Resume (Step-By-Step)
• 40 Skills For Your Engineering Resume

Like the look of the template above? Create your own modern and professional engineering resume in minutes with these easy-to-update templates.

If you were applying for a different position in this field, you might find one of our other resume examples more useful:

• Software Engineer Resume
• Artificial Intelligence Engineer Resume
• Computer Science Resume
• Data Scientist Resume
• Data Analyst Resume
• Data Entry Resume
• Java Developer Resume
• Web Developer Resume

Here are the elements that make this engineering resume example outstanding:

• Reverse-chronological format. This resume format puts your engineering work experience in the spotlight AND is the most popular resume format around the globe.
• Contact information. The engineering resume example above includes relevant contact information, such as the candidate’s email address, phone number, LinkedIn profile URL as well as Skype handle.
• Resume summary. The engineering resume example above includes an engineering resume summary that briefly introduces the candidate and his areas of expertise.
• Achievement-focused work experience section. This engineering resume example includes the candidate's professional achievements, making his engineering resume stand out among other candidates’ resumes.
• Brief education section. In the engineering resume example above, the candidate only mentions his highest degree details, such as his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees.
• Use of bullet points. The information in this engineering resume example is presented in bullet points to make the resume look well-organized and easy to skim through.
• Relevant engineering skills. The engineering resume example above mentions only engineering-related skills, including computer-aided design and project management.
• Use of additional sections. The candidate included relevant additional sections in the engineering resume example above, such as certificates and field-related interests. 

How to Build Your Engineering Resume (Step-By-Step) 

Now that you know exactly what makes an effective engineering resume, let’s put theory into practice and see how you can create a powerful engineering resume!

Here are the steps to building your engineering resume:

#1. Pick the Right Format For Your Engineering Resume 

Before you start filling in the contents, let’s address how you should format your engineering resume.

Now, there are 3 resume formats you can choose from:

• Reverse-chronological
• Combination  

You’re best off using the reverse-chronological resume format for your engineering resume. 

It’s the preferred resume format among recruiters worldwide, so it’s obviously the safest and most obvious choice for you!

And the best part? It starts off with your most recent - and relevant - engineering work experience, highlighting your achievements and skills first.

Here’s what it looks like:

Next, let’s talk about the resume layout . 

Here are the guidelines for making a great resume layout:

• Pick a professional font style . Choose a font that’s easy to read on a PDF file and use it throughout the length of your engineering resume.
• Choose the right font size. Use 11-12 pts for the body and 14-16 pts for headings in your engineering resume.
• Bullet points. Whenever possible, use bullet points to present the information and make it easy for the recruiter to skim.
• Mind the length. Recruiters shouldn’t go through a 3-page resume to see whether you’re the right candidate, so the optimal length of your engineering resume should be one page (unless you’re a professional with 10+ years on the job, that is).
• Save your engineering resume in PDF format . Unless asked to do otherwise, your best bet is to save your resume as a PDF file to ensure it looks the same on every device and OS.

Use Our Tried & Tested Templates

As an engineer, you should use every opportunity to show the recruiter how innovative you are and your engineering resume is your first chance to do that.

Like most people, you probably tried creating a Word resume… admit it, using 30+-year-old software is the opposite of being innovative.

Think about it. You can spend hours on formatting alone, but in the end, your engineering resume will still look boring and outdated.

Well, what if we told you there is an easy way to save time AND stand out with your engineer resume?

Just use a resume template !

Our resume templates are created in collaboration with professional recruiters, so they don’t just look fresh and modern - they’re also well-organized and easy to scan.

Want to check for yourself?

Here’s how our resume templates compare to basic text-editors resumes:

#2. Add Contact Information

Now that the formatting is out of the way, you can start filling in the contents of your engineering resume.

Let’s start with the basics - your contact information .

You don’t have to invent anything new here - just make sure to avoid making any mistakes (you don’t want the recruiter to think you aren’t capable of successfully providing your contact information - after all, attention to detail is key to being an engineer!).

So, simply include the following details:

• First name and last name
• Professional title
• Phone number
• Email address
• Relevant social media profiles, such as LinkedIn 

Here’s an example of the contact information section:

Sam Edwards

Mechanical Engineer

012-345-6789

[email protected]  

Sacramento, California

linkedin.com/in/samedwards71

#3. Write an Engineering Resume Summary or Objective

After including your contact details, you should add a 2-3 sentence resume summary or objective to your engineering resume to quickly decide that your engineering resume is worth taking a closer look at.

Here’s how to choose which one to use:

• If you have lots of engineering experience , write a resume summary to highlight your skills and achievements.
• If you lack engineering experience , use a resume objective to show your career aspirations and how you can benefit the company.

First impressions matter, so whether you’re writing a resume summary or objective, it must effectively show your professional background or how you can be an asset for the company you’re applying to. 

Otherwise, the recruiter might just move on to the next resume.

So, here’s what an impressive resume summary should include:

• Your position and years of experience
• Your most important engineering skills
• Your top 1-2 professional achievements 

And here’s an example of an eye-catching engineering resume summary:

Driven and detail-oriented Electrical Engineer with 4+ years of experience with the design and fabrication of integrated circuits. Excellent troubleshooting, problem-solving, and analytical thinking skills. Solved a long-standing testing bug at Company X which increased the average testing time by 17%. 

Now, if you don’t have the relevant experience and opt for a resume objective, this is what you need to include to make it as memorable as possible:

• Title of your engineering degree
• Any engineering-related experience
• Your motivation to work for the company

Specifically, it should look something like this:

Enthusiastic Software Engineering undergraduate student looking for an entry-level job at Company X. Experienced with Python, C++, and MATLAB programming languages. Looking to apply coding skills and creativity in educational game development.

#4. Make Your Engineering Work Experience Stand Out

Now, let’s move to the most important section of your engineering resume - your work experience .

First, let’s address the formatting.

Begin with your most recent/current job position and simply do this:

• Start off with the job title. This shows the recruiter what role you had in the company.
• Add company details. Include the name and location of the company you worked at. Optionally, you can briefly describe the company if it’s relatively unknown.
• Include the date of employment. Use the mm/yyyy format to write down how long you worked in each company.
• Add responsibilities and achievements. Use 5-6 bullet points for the most recent jobs, and 2-3 for older jobs.

Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s talk about making the most out of your work experience section.

Of course, you want your engineering work experience to stand out among hundreds of other applications, so simply listing your responsibilities isn’t enough.

Luckily, you don’t need to reinvent the wheel!

Here are some tips to perfect your work experience section:

• Tailor your work experience section to the job. If you’re an engineer, your work experience section should show exactly that, so skip the barista job you had in university and use the space for your achievements or to include additional sections instead.
• Focus on achievements over responsibilities. Every civil, electrical, mechanical, or another type of engineer has the same responsibilities, more or less, but it’s your achievements that can really set you apart from the competition.
• Use action verbs to describe your achievements. Power words (e. g. developed, organized, operated, redesigned, assisted…) will spice up your engineering resume.
• Make your achievements quantifiable. Whenever possible, use numbers to drive the point home (e. g. “Led a team of 15 engineers” instead of “Led a team”).

And here’s an example of an effective work experience section:

02/2017 - 01/2022

• Worked with a team of 14 to design, build, and install industrial air compressors.
• Ensured compliance with safety rules and regulations.
• Increased production efficiency by 9% by strategically minimizing production bottlenecks. 
• Planned and redesigned equipment layout to optimize workflow, resulting in a 7% production capacity increase over the span of 3 years. 
• Consistently met the company's needs at 12% under budget.

What if You Don’t Have Work Experience?

Now, if you’re a fresh engineering graduate or haven’t graduated just yet, you likely don’t have relevant work experience.

That’s totally okay - even Elon Musk didn’t have enough relevant work experience at one point in his life.

But the lack of work experience shouldn’t set you back from building a powerful engineering resume!

You probably have more engineering-related experience to choose from than you think - after all, engineering studies typically involve lots and lots of practice.

So, instead of your work experience, consider including your internships, assistantships, academic projects, and merits, or extracurricular activities.

Here’s an engineering experience example:

Electrical Engineering Experience

Teacher’s Assistant for Electromechanics II

University of Bristol, UK 

10/2019 - 03/2020

• Led problem-solving tutorials for 80+ second-year students.
• Created 10+ laboratory assignments for students using MATLAB Simulink and Adam Pluto transceivers.
• Took attendance, made questionnaires, and helped with other administrative work.

#5. List Your Education the Right Way

Nikola Tesla is a role model to many engineers. 

As such, you probably already know he dropped out of university .

Of course, the lack of an engineering degree didn’t stop Nikola Tesla from becoming one of the greatest engineers, but today the situation is quite different.

Most engineering jobs ask for a Bachelor’s degree at the very least, because engineering is a highly technical field, where theoretical knowledge goes hand in hand with your practical skills.

But, even though your higher education is important to the recruiter, let’s face it - they don’t care which high school you went to.

So, instead of wasting space, make sure to only include relevant education details in your engineering resume.

To keep your education section short and snappy, start with your latest degree and include the following:

• Degree title
• University/college/other institution
• Program location (optional)
• Years attended

And here’s an example of the education section on an engineering resume:

MSc in Electrical Engineering

Eindhoven University of Technology

10/2017 - 05/2019

Of course, you can also include relevant education details, such as your academic achievements, the courses you’ve taken, your GPA, projects, etc. - if they add value to your resume, that is. 

#6. List Your Engineering Skills

Skills are an important part of your engineering resume. They testify to your professional abilities, so you should only include the skills which are relevant to engineering.

Now, although engineering is a technical job, you’re also expected to have a variety of soft skills .

After all, no engineer works in total isolation, so communication and teamwork skills are must-haves for most positions.

So, here are some tips to better organize the skills section on your engineering resume: 

• Write your soft and hard skills separately. 
• Your hard skills largely depend on the type of engineering you do (mechanical, electrical, software, etc.), so make sure to customize the skill section to fit your engineering resume.
• If you're unsure which skills to include in your engineering resume, you can always check the job ad and see if you have the skills the company is looking for.

Need more ideas on which skills to add to your engineer resume? 

Check out our list of the 40 most in-demand soft and hard engineering skills!

Write down your hard skills as specifically as possible to give the recruiter a clear idea of your skills. For example, if you’re good at programming, make sure to include all programming languages (Python, C++, PHP, MATLAB, etc.) you know.

40 Engineering Skills to Put on Your Resume

25 soft engineering skills.

• Attention to detail
• Problem-solving 
• Communication skills
• Ability to work under pressure
• Analytical thinking
• Active listening
• Prioritization
• Time management
• Emotional intelligence
• Organizational skills
• Adaptability
• Brainstorming
• Interpersonal skills
• Self-motivation
• Reliability
• Self-management
• Flexibility

15 Hard Engineering Skills

• Mechanical skills
• Project management
• Troubleshooting
• Prototyping
• Machine Learning
• Workflow development
• Web Development
• Computer skills
• Knowledge of manufacturing processes
• Knowledge of applicable laws
• Technical documentation
• Data Structures

#7. Add Your Engineering Certifications & Licenses

Your university diploma is just one part of engineering training, so the next step is to include your engineering licenses and certifications .

This part is especially important if you want to work abroad because each country has different rules on what kind of education, licenses, and qualifications you need to work in engineering.

So, if you’re a certified or licensed engineer, list your licenses and certifications in your engineering resume in reverse-chronological order and include the following:

• Certification/license name
• Name of agency 
• Year of obtainment
• Location (optional)
• Expiration date (if applicable)
• In progress (if applicable, and add the expected date of obtainment)

Here’s an example:

Professional Certificates

Certified Chemical Engineer (2019)

National Certification Commission in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

#8. Make Use of Additional Resume Sections 

Do you still have some space on your engineering resume?

Consider adding any of these additional sections to make your engineering resume stand out and paint the full picture of your engineering experience:

• Conferences , such as International Conference on Sustainable Energy Engineering, International Conference on Internet Technologies and Society, International Conference on Power Control and Embedded System, International Conference on Industrial Engineering, and others. 
• Associations and organizations , such as engineering societies, including your role in them (if applicable).
• Awards , no matter if they’re company-wide or nationwide.
• Publications , such as studies, scientific articles, interviews, etc.
• Personal projects , if any of them are related to engineering.
• Languages , especially if you’re applying to a company overseas.
• Hobbies and interests , especially if they’re related to engineering. 

And here’s what these extra sections should look like on your engineering resume:

Organizations

• Caspian Engineers Society (2018 - Present) - Board Member

Conferences

• Nanotech Eurasia 2021
• Nanotech Eurasia 2019

#9. Attach a Cover Letter to Your Engineering Resume

If you got this far, you’re just a step away from writing an effective engineering resume for yourself!

But before you get to it, there’s one more important element to your resume we need to address - writing a compelling cover letter.

The point of a cover letter is to convince the recruiter that you are the engineer they’ve been looking for. 

Essentially, you need to prove you’re a competent engineer and a great match for the company, its values, vision, and goals.

So, your cover letter is a chance to give a detailed description of your engineering experience and include any important information that didn’t make it to your engineering resume.

But how exactly do you do that?

Actually, it’s quite simple with the right guidance! 

Here’s how to write a job-winning cover letter :

• Include your contact details in the header.
• Address the cover letter directly to the recruiter.
• Grab the recruiter’s attention from the start by including your 1-2 top achievements in the first paragraph.
• In the body of your cover letter, give a detailed picture of your engineering background and explain why you want to work for this particular company.
• Lastly, end your cover letter with a call to action.

Want to make sure your cover letter is flawless? Check our cover letter writing tips and cover letter mistakes !

And here’s an example of a top-notch cover letter : 

Want your cover letter to catch recruiters’ attention? Match it to your engineering resume by picking one of our cover letter templates !

Key Takeaways

By now, you have all the tools and tips you need to write an outstanding engineering resume (and a cover letter, too!).

Before you go, let’s go over some of the main elements of an impactful engineering resume:

• Choose the reverse-chronological format to focus your work experience and make your engineering resume easy to read.
• Write an impressive resume summary if you have plenty of work experience, and an eye-catching resume objective if you lack engineering experience.
• Make your work experience section stand out by quantifying your achievements.
• Show off your unique engineering experience with licenses, certifications, associations, publications, and other additional information that fits your engineering resume.
• Don’t forget to add a compelling cover letter to your engineering resume to prove you’re the perfect candidate and a great asset to the company.

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• • Implemented a new automated assembly process, reducing assembly time by 25% and saving $100,000 annually.
• • Led a project to redesign the factory layout, improving workflow and increasing productivity by 15%.
• • Developed a new scheduling system, reducing project completion times by 10%.
• • Designed and implemented a new quality control system, reducing defects by 20%.
• • Managed a project to upgrade manufacturing equipment, increasing production capacity by 30%.
• • Implemented Lean Manufacturing principles, reducing waste by 15% and saving $50,000 annually.
• • Developed a new process for the assembly of electronic components, reducing assembly time by 20%.
• • Implemented a new inventory management system, reducing stockouts by 30%.
• • Led a project to upgrade manufacturing equipment, increasing production capacity by 25%.

23 Engineering Resume Examples & Guide for 2024

Your engineering resume must prominently feature your technical expertise. Detail your proficiency in relevant software tools and programming languages. It's crucial to showcase completed projects that demonstrate practical experience. Highlight your role and the impact of your contributions in each project.

All resume examples in this guide

Engineering Student

Sophomore Engineering

Engineer In Training

Engineering Intern

Entry-Level Engineering

Senior Engineer

Aerospace Engineering

Audio Engineer

Automotive Engineering

Biomedical Engineer

Chemical Engineer

Civil Engineer

Director of Engineering

Engineering Manager

Entry Level Mechanical Engineer

Mechanical Engineer

Geotechnical Engineering

Hardware Engineer

Industrial Engineer

Petroleum Engineer

Structural Engineer

VP of Engineering

Electrical Engineering

Resume guide.

How to format an engineering resume

How to write a successful engineering resume experience section

How to list your hard and soft skills on your resume

How to list your certifications and education on your resume

How to write your engineering resume summary or objective, additional sections for an engineering resume, key takeaways.

By Experience

Engineering a successful career begins long before the first blueprint is drafted or the first code is written—it starts with crafting the perfect resume. In today's fiercely competitive job market, visibility is more crucial than ever. An analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data  forecasts that the demand for engineering skills is expected to increase by approximately 13% from 2023 to 2031.

Yet, many engineers face a common pitfall: they can design complex systems but struggle to engineer a resume that effectively showcases their expertise and how it translates into business value or team contributions.

In this article, we'll bridge the gap between your technical skills and your ability to communicate them, ensuring your resume isn't just one of many in a pile, but the foundation of your career construction.

Addressing these pitfalls by focusing on soft skills, customization of applications, clear communication, and effective networking can significantly enhance an engineer's job prospects.

In this guide, we’ll navigate you through the following steps:

• The proper way to format your resume for an engineering job.
• We’ll walk you through all of the top sections that need to be included on your resume as well as things that recruiters are watching out for.
• How to successfully provide your professional work experience by demonstrating how to target your application in a way that both impresses and informs.
• How to choose the right skills based on the job you’re applying for and the best way to present them.
• The most effective way to list your education, certifications, and licensure as an engineer.
• Crafting a compelling, game-changing resume summary (or for those of you with less work history—an objective statement).
• Possible additional resume sections  to put that final shine on your application.

So, let's get the gears turning and build a resume that's as innovative as the minds we're writing for!

Here are some more position-specific resume guides:

• Hardware Engineer Resume Guide
• Chemical Engineer Resume Guide
• Manufacturing Engineer Resume Guide
• Audio Engineer Resume Guide
• Electrical Engineering Resume Guide
• Design Engineer Resume Guide
• Infrastructure Engineer Resume Guide
• Engineering Manager Resume Guide
• Software Engineering Manager Resume Guide

Need a cover letter for your engineering resume? Check out this guide:

• Professional Engineering Cover Letter Guide

An Engineering Fact

An interesting fact about the engineering industry is its pivotal role in addressing some of the world's most critical challenges, such as climate change, sustainable energy, and infrastructure resilience. For instance, according to the United Nations , engineering innovations are central to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

Engineers are at the forefront of developing renewable energy technologies, designing green buildings, and creating efficient waste management systems that minimize environmental impact and foster sustainable growth. This reflects how engineering isn't just about constructing buildings or developing software—it's increasingly about innovating for sustainability and social good.

Choosing the right resume format  is crucial for engineers, as it can significantly enhance the presentation of your technical prowess and professional experience.

Let’s look at the details.

How to format an engineering resume

When crafting a resume as an engineer, choosing the right format for an engineer largely depends on individual circumstances, including career stage, work history, and specific job requirements.

However, here's a general guideline on which format might suit different types of engineering candidates:

• Reverse chronological order format : This is ideal for engineers with a clear and progressive work history—starting with the most recent and working backward. If you’ve been steadily advancing in your field, with each job building upon the last, this format can effectively showcase your upward career trajectory. It's particularly effective for those applying to traditional engineering firms or industries where career progression is valued.
• Functional format : This format is well-suited for engineers who are transitioning into a different area of specialty, those re-entering the workforce after a gap, or new graduates who want to emphasize skills over limited work experience. It allows the candidate to highlight specific technical skills and projects that are relevant to the job, regardless of when they occurred in the career timeline.
• Hybrid (combination) format : This is often the best choice for many engineers because it combines the strengths of both chronological and functional formats. The hybrid format is particularly useful for experienced engineers who have a strong set of relevant skills and a solid work history. It allows you to showcase your key skills and accomplishments upfront, followed by a detailed work history. This format can cater to ATS systems while still appealing to human recruiters who value both skills and experience.

In practice, many engineers opt for the hybrid format  as it offers the flexibility to underline technical skills and professional achievements while also detailing a chronological work history, making it highly effective for various scenarios in the engineering job market.

Beyond choosing the right format, other elements of resume format are also important:

Resume designs

• Template:  Engineers should consider a double-column template if they want to highlight both technical projects and professional experience efficiently. One column can showcase specific projects or technical skills, while the other lists work experience and educational background, providing a clear and comprehensive view of capabilities and achievements.
• Margins:  Keeping resume margins  between 0.5 and 1 inch ensures the document is neat and well-organized, reflecting an engineer’s attention to detail and precision—a critical aspect in engineering roles.
• Colors:  Opt for muted or professional colors on your resume  that add a touch of personality without detracting from the content. For engineers, blues or grays can suggest reliability and technical prowess without overwhelming the document’s professional appearance.
• Fonts:  Use clear, ATS-friendly resume fonts  such as Arial or Rubik, sized between 10 and 12 points. While the body of the resume should maintain simplicity for readability and ATS compatibility, headers can use a slightly different style to distinguish sections without compromising professionalism.
• Length:  Most engineers craft one-page resumes , especially those with less than 10 years of experience. If you have extensive projects, publications, or patents, extending to a second page  is acceptable, provided the information is relevant and adds value to your application.

Resume header

• Contact information : Include your full name, engineering discipline as a job title, and physical address . Ensure your contact information is straightforward and professional, including a well-chosen email address.
• Links:  Engineers should include links to their professional online profiles, such as LinkedIn , or a personal portfolio website if applicable. This is crucial for showcasing project histories or software capabilities that are better demonstrated through interactive elements or detailed descriptions.
• Resume photo :  As in most professional contexts in the U.S., it’s typically best to omit photos to focus on qualifications and avoid potential biases.

File format and naming

• Creative touches :  While creativity isn't the primary focus for engineers, using elements like subtle resume lines  or color for section breaks can be effective. Ensure any creative touches are minimal and ATS-friendly, focusing on enhancing readability rather than decoration. Enhancv’s resume builder is an excellent source for appropriate design options.
• File format:  Always save your engineering resume as a PDF  unless otherwise specified. This preserves the resume layout  across different devices and ensures that formatting remains consistent, which is crucial for maintaining the professional appearance of the document.
• Naming convention: Name your file in a professional manner, such as ‘FirstName LastName Engineer_Resume.pdf’. This helps hiring managers to find and remember your resume easily among many applicants.

By customizing your resume’s design, header, and formatting for engineering, you effectively showcase your technical skills and experience, enhancing your chances of making a great impression and passing through applicant tracking systems.

Confident with your current resume? Run it through our AI-powered resume checker  to see how it holds up.

Is your resume good enough?

Drop your resume here or choose a file . PDF & DOCX only. Max 2MB file size.

Listed below are the top 5 sections of any engineering resume that you should dedicate some extra effort on:

The top sections on an engineering resume

• Contact information  should be at the top to reach you easily.
• Professional summary  highlights your key qualifications first.
• Work experience , ideally below the summary, showcases relevant job history and skills.
• Technical skills , placed after work experience, emphasize specific engineering tools and software.
• Education and certifications , situated below skills, display academic and professional qualifications.
• Projects section , following education, details engineering projects that demonstrate experience.
• Professional affiliations , at the end, show membership in engineering societies.

Recruiters also expect you to demonstrate the following essentials within those sections:

What recruiters want to see on your resume

• Relevant technical skills:  To assess the candidate's proficiency with engineering tools and technologies.
• Project experience: To gauge the practical application of engineering principles and teamwork.
• Problem-solving abilities:  To evaluate the candidate's approach to tackling engineering challenges.
• Professional certifications:  To verify expertise and commitment to the engineering field.
• Continuous learning: To understand the candidate's dedication to staying updated with industry advancements.

Now that we've identified the ideal resume format to showcase your engineering skills, let's focus on articulating your professional work history to highlight your technical expertise and career achievements further.

Think of your resume as a technical specification sheet for a complex piece of machinery—you. Just as a spec sheet highlights the most important features and performance metrics to potential buyers, your resume should underline your top skills, achievements, and experiences to potential employers. It needs to convey clearly why you’re the best fit for the job, much like how a well-crafted spec sheet helps an engineer decide on the best equipment for their needs.

Did you know that recruiters spend an average of just 7.4 seconds on an initial resume review? This makes it vital to ensure your work experience is concise, relevant, and impressive right from the start.

Writing work experience

When writing your work experience on your resume , clarity, and relevance are key. Focus on three to five of your most recent positions including:

• Job title:  Clearly indicates your role.
• Company name: Specify where you worked.
• Location:  City and state (or country).
• Dates of employment:  Start and end dates (month and year).
• Responsibilities and achievements:  Use bullet points to describe your duties and highlight specific accomplishments.

Elements to include

• Action verbs :  Start each bullet point with a strong action verb (e.g., designed, implemented, optimized).
• Quantifiable achievements:  Include metrics to quantify your impact (e.g., “Increased system efficiency by 20%”).
• Relevant skills:  Highlight skills pertinent to the job you’re applying for (e.g., specific software, methodologies).
• Projects: Mention significant projects you contributed to or led, detailing your role and outcomes.

Tips for an effective entry

• Be specific:  Instead of saying, “Worked on project management,” say, “Managed a cross-functional team of 10 engineers to complete a $1M project two months ahead of schedule.”
• Tailor your entries:  Match your experience to the job description. Emphasize the skills and experiences most relevant to the job you’re applying for.

Tailoring your resume

Just as engineers make precise adjustments to ensure optimal performance and efficiency, targeting your resume  ensures that it effectively highlights the skills and experiences most relevant to the specific job. This can also help your resume get past Applicant Tracking Systems that many companies use.

To illustrate this we’ve provided an actual example of a job posting below for a mechanical engineer. Let’s craft our experience entries based on that and you can see how much more effective a targeted resume can be.

Job post example

Job Title:  Mechanical Engineer

Job Description: We are seeking a skilled Mechanical Engineer to join our team at ELEK-tec, a growing engineering team specializing in machine automation, custom machine design, and integration. The successful candidate will play a key role in designing and integrating mechanical solutions for both new machine builds and the enhancement of existing equipment.

Key Responsibilities and Duties:

• Design mechanical systems and components for new machine builds and integration into existing equipment.
• Develop conceptual designs and provide mechanical solutions for new projects.
• Collaborate with the team during the scoping phase of new projects.
• Assist in custom quote estimating for projects.
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with local machine shops and distributors.
• Oversee procurement and fabrication of machined parts, ensuring quality and timeliness.
• Provide system assembly and startup support as required.
• Generate technical documentation for each project, including assembly drawings and Bills of Materials (BOMs).
• Identify opportunities for machine improvements and upgrades to enhance customer equipment and processes.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field.
• Experience in mechanical design and engineering, preferably in manufacturing and automation
• Proficiency in CAD software (Autodesk Inventor) for 3D modeling and drafting.
• Strong understanding of mechanical principles, materials, and manufacturing processes.
• Experience with custom quote estimating and procurement processes.
• Comfortable with multitasking, and working in an agile environment.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.
• Detail-oriented with a focus on delivering high-quality work within project deadlines.

Experience:  Mechanical engineering or machine design: 3 years (Preferred)

Location: South Chesterfield, VA

Job Type:  Full-time

Pay:  $75,000.00 - $95,000.00 per year

Have a specific job post you want to tailor your resume to? No problem! Just use our free AI-assisted resume scanner  and get your ATS compatibility score instantly!

Now, let’s take a look at some work entries. This first example demonstrates a serious lack of certain elements.

• • Worked on mechanical systems for new machine builds.
• • Made designs for projects.
• • Dealt with procurement and parts.
• • Maintained relationships with suppliers.

As we can see, the above example isn’t the most effective one. Here are some things that are problematic in the entry:

• Lack of specificity: The descriptions are vague and don’t provide specific details about the candidate's contributions or achievements.
• No quantifiable metrics:  There are no quantifiable results or metrics to demonstrate the impact of the candidate's work.
• General language:  The language used is generic and doesn’t highlight any particular skills or technologies.
• Incomplete information:  Missing company location and detailed dates of employment reduce the clarity of the entry.

With those aspects highlighted, we can now turn that example into a well-written one. Have a look below:

• • Designed and integrated mechanical systems and components for over 15 new machine builds, achieving a 20% reduction in production time.
• • Developed conceptual designs and mechanical solutions for diverse projects, enhancing efficiency and functionality, resulting in a 15% increase in overall system performance.
• • Oversaw the procurement and fabrication of machined parts, ensuring 95% on-time delivery and maintaining a 98% quality assurance rate.
• • Cultivated and maintained relationships with local machine shops and distributors, streamlining the procurement process and reducing costs by 10%.

Candidate properly highlights:

• Relevance to job description:  The candidate’s experience directly aligns with the key responsibilities listed in the job posting, such as designing mechanical systems and developing conceptual designs.
• Technical skills:  Demonstrated proficiency in mechanical design and integration, which matches the job requirements for experience in manufacturing and automation.
• Documentation and quality assurance:  Experience in generating technical documentation and ensuring the quality and timely delivery of machined parts aligns with the job’s focus on detail-oriented work and high-quality outputs.

Here are the actual improvements they made:

• Specificity:  Clearly describes the tasks and responsibilities, providing a better understanding of the candidate's role.
• Quantifiable metrics:  Includes specific metrics to demonstrate the impact of the candidate's work (e.g., 20% reduction in production time).
• Detailed language:  Uses precise language to highlight specific skills and technologies (e.g., developed conceptual designs, managed procurement).
• Complete information:  Provides company location and detailed dates of employment, giving a clear timeline of the candidate's experience.

In summary, listing work experience on your engineering resume effectively and tailoring it to the job posting are critical steps to landing your desired role. By clearly showcasing your responsibilities, achievements, and relevant skills, you make it easier for hiring managers to see your potential as a valuable team member.

Applicant Tracking System (ATS)  is software that scans resumes for keywords , skills, and qualifications matching the job description. It filters out unqualified applicants, ensuring only the most relevant resumes reach recruiters. Effective resumes must be tailored with appropriate keywords and a clear format.

How to quantify impact on your resume

Doing this is essential because it provides clear, specific evidence of your achievements, making it easier for recruiters to understand and compare your contributions. It highlights your effectiveness and results-oriented approach, demonstrating your capability to deliver tangible outcomes. Specific metrics enhance your credibility and capture recruiters' attention, helping your resume stand out  in a competitive job market.

Here are some specific elements that an engineer can quantify using numbers on their resume :

• Quantify cost savings from project optimizations  to demonstrate fiscal responsibility.
• Detail percentage increase in efficiency through process improvements  to show impactful outcomes.
• Specify the reduction in downtime achieved by upgrading systems  to emphasize reliability improvements.
• List dollar amounts of budgets managed  to highlight financial stewardship capabilities.
• Include statistics on reduced project timelines  to show proficiency in expediting deliverables.
• Mention the scale of data analyzed in projects  to illustrate an ability to handle complex information.
• Record the improvement in product quality metrics  to evidence commitment to excellence.
• Cite energy consumption reductions  to showcase sustainability contributions.

Scientists investigate that which already is; Engineers create that which has never been.

Albert Einstein

Is it possible to craft an engineering resume with no work experience

Absolutely! While experience is valuable, there are several ways to make your application stand out and demonstrate your potential to employers. Let’s explore some ways to enhance your engineering job application even without work experience :

• Highlight relevant education:  Display your academic achievements, relevant coursework, and any projects you completed during your studies. This demonstrates your foundational knowledge and skills.
• Showcase projects and competitions:  Include any engineering projects, capstone projects, or competitions you've participated in. Detail your role, the technologies you used, and the results you achieved.
• Gain certifications and skills:  Obtain certifications in relevant software or engineering principles. Online courses can also help you build skills and show your dedication to continuous learning.
• Internships and volunteer work:  Internships, even unpaid ones, and volunteer positions  can provide valuable hands-on experience. Include any relevant work you've done, even if it's not a traditional job.
• Join engineering clubs or societies:  Being an active member of engineering clubs or professional societies like ASME or IEEE can provide networking opportunities, access to resources, and experiences to add to your resume.
• Develop a strong portfolio: Create a portfolio showcasing your projects, designs, and any technical work. A well-presented portfolio can provide concrete evidence of your abilities.
• Leverage networking: Connect with professionals in the field through LinkedIn, attend industry events, and participate in forums. Networking can open doors and lead to opportunities that aren't advertised.
• Tailor your resume  and cover letter:  Customize your resume and cover letter  for each job application, emphasizing the skills and experiences that are most relevant to the position.

Remember, every engineer started somewhere. By showcasing your passion, skills, and willingness to learn, you can make a strong case for yourself and land that first engineering job. Stay motivated and keep pushing forward—your opportunity is out there!

Now that we've analyzed the aspects surrounding your professional experience, let's focus on illustrating the hard and soft skills that make you a well-rounded and capable engineer.

How to list your hard skills and soft skills on your resume

Listing skills on your resume is important because it underlines your qualifications and capabilities, making it easier for recruiters to see your suitability for the role. It helps match your profile with job requirements, enhances your resume's visibility in Applicant Tracking Systems, and demonstrates your value to potential employers.

Let’s have a look at hard skills  first.

Hard skills

Listing hard skills on an engineering resume is crucial because it showcases your technical expertise and proficiency in specific tools and technologies essential for engineering roles.

Create a dedicated resume skills section  labeled " Technical Skills " or "Hard Skills,” typically placed near the top or after the work experience section. Be specific and relevant by listing particular tools, software, and methodologies you’re proficient in.

Tailor these skills to the job you’re applying for.  If you have many hard skills, consider organizing them into categories like "Software," "Programming Languages," and "Engineering Tools" for better clarity.

Below are several crucial ones that you would really benefit from having on your application:

Best hard skills for your engineering resume

• AutoCAD / CAD
• PLC Programming
• Electrical Circuit Simulation
• 3D Modeling
• Finite Element Analysis
• SCADA Systems
• HVAC Systems
• Hydraulic Analysis
• Project Management Software (e.g., MS Project)
• Lean Manufacturing
• Quality Control Analysis

Now, let’s get into soft skills .

Soft skills

Including soft skills on your resume is crucial as they showcase your ability to collaborate and adapt. Instead of listing them in a separate section, integrate them throughout your resume.

Mention key soft skills in your summary or objective, and highlight them within work experience bullet points to show real-world application, such as leading a team or effective communication.

Additionally, relevant soft skills can be noted in the education section, like teamwork in group projects or leadership roles. Focus on the most relevant skills, use job description keywords, and balance hard and soft skills to present yourself as a well-rounded candidate.

Don’t forget to be honest about your proficiency, as you may be tested on these skills during interviews.

Here are some of the more sought-after engineering soft skills we’ve come across in our research:

Best soft skills for your engineering resume

• Problem-solving
• Critical thinking
• Team collaboration
• Communication
• Adaptability
• Time management
• Attention to detail
• Project management
• Conflict resolution
• Negotiation
• Decision-making
• Interpersonal skills
• Organizational skills
• Stress management
• Analytical thinking

Let's move on to crafting compelling education entries that highlight your academic achievements and qualifications.

Detailing education, certifications, and licensure is extremely important on an engineer's resume. These elements not only validate the technical competencies and qualifications of the engineer but also fulfill essential criteria that many employers require for engineering roles.

Let’s go through each of these components and why they’re so crucial.

Education  on your resume  establishes the fundamental knowledge base and technical expertise necessary in engineering. It's especially important because:

• Credential verification:  Many engineering positions require at least a bachelor’s degree in an engineering discipline. This is often the minimum educational requirement to even be considered for technical roles.
• Specialization:  Your degree can also indicate your area of specialization, such as civil, mechanical, electrical, or chemical engineering, which helps employers quickly understand where your expertise lies.

Present your degrees in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent. For each degree, include the type of degree earned, your major and minor  if applicable, and any relevant coursework  or academic honors, such as cum laude distinctions  or Dean's List recognitions . Also, specify the name of the institution and your year of graduation.

Another note is that it would be best to avoid stating your GPA on your resume  if it’s lower than 3.5.

Here’s how an education entry should look like:

• • Honors: Magna Cum Laude
• • Relevant Coursework: Thermodynamics, Fluid Mechanics, Material Science, Advanced CAD
• • Senior Project: 'Design and Optimization of a Solar-Powered Water Pumping System' – Led a team of four in the design and development of an efficient, cost-effective solar-powered water pumping system for rural areas.

Certifications

Certifications  on your resume  provide proof of professional development and specialization beyond initial education. They’re vital because:

• Skill enhancement:  Certifications demonstrate that you've obtained additional skills and are proficient in specific tools, technologies, or methodologies relevant to your engineering discipline.
• Professional credibility: They enhance your professional credibility and can make you a more competitive candidate, particularly for advanced or specialized engineering roles.

Include certifications that are current and relevant to the job you're applying for. List the certifying body and the year of certification.

A dedicated "Certifications" section is generally the most effective and professional way to highlight them. Here's why:

• Visibility:  A dedicated section makes it easy for recruiters to find and review your certifications quickly.
• Professionalism: It shows that you take your professional development seriously and are organized in presenting your qualifications.
• Relevance: It allows you to list multiple certifications without cluttering other sections of your resume.

It’s recommended to place this section immediately after your education. This is a logical spot since certifications often complement your educational background.

Here’s an example:

Licensure , such as a Professional Engineer (PE) license, is crucial in many branches of engineering, especially where public safety and welfare are concerned, like civil or structural engineering. Licensure is important because:

• Legal requirement: In many cases, a license is legally required to perform certain services or to hold specific titles, such as “Professional Engineer.”
• Trust and authority:  Having a PE license or similar accreditation establishes a level of trust and authority, and enables engineers to sign off on projects, take on a higher level of responsibility, and potentially lead projects.

Specify any licenses you hold along with the licensing body and the state in which you’re licensed.

Placement of your licensure should usually go after your education and it would be effective to even combine them with your certifications. If it’s of particular importance in the job offer, it can be mentioned in your professional summary at the top of your resume.

In conclusion, showcasing your education, certifications, and licensure prominently on your resume not only highlights your qualifications and readiness for the role but also aligns with regulatory and industry standards, enhancing your professional standing and job prospects.

Here are a few of the most prominent certifications and licensure available for engineers:

Best certifications for your engineering resume

• Professional Engineer (PE)
• Project Management Professional (PMP)
• Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)
• Lean Six Sigma Green Belt
• Autodesk Certified Professional (ACP)

With that clearly outlined, let's now focus on crafting impactful resume summaries and objective statements to capture the attention of potential employers.

A resume summary or objective statement is crucial on an engineering resume as it quickly highlights your qualifications and career goals. Did you know that a well-crafted summary can improve your chances of getting noticed by 70%? Engineer your success from the start!

Resume summary vs objective statement

A resume summary  puts your key skills and accomplishments in the spotlight, ideal for experienced engineers. An objective statement  outlines your career goals, better for entry-level engineers or career changers.

It’s vital to reiterate once again to tailor your resume in all aspects but especially so for your personal statement . Customizing these sections to reflect the job description and company values helps demonstrate your genuine interest in the position and highlights how your skills and goals align with the employer's needs. This tailored approach makes your resume more relevant and increases your chances of catching the recruiter's attention.

Let’s dive in a bit deeper and explore each one.

Resume summary

What it should contain:

• Key skills:  Highlight your most relevant technical and soft skills.
• Accomplishments:  Mention significant achievements or projects.
• Experience: Briefly note your years of experience in the field.

What it should express:

• Professional competence: Show that you’re highly skilled and experienced.
• Value proposition: Convey what you bring to the table and how you can benefit the employer.

Let’s put theory into action. Below is a poor example of a resume summary from a candidate applying for the position listed in the example from earlier. Have a look.

Here’s exactly what they did wrong:

• Lack of specificity: The summary is vague and doesn’t mention key skills or accomplishments.
• Generic language:  Uses broad terms like "various areas of engineering" and "projects" without detailing any specific experiences or achievements.
• No tailoring:  Doesn’t reference the job posting or how the candidate's experience aligns with ELEK-tec's requirements.
• Missed key qualifications:  Fails to highlight critical qualifications such as experience in machine automation, custom machine design, or proficiency with Autodesk Inventor.
• Weak impact:  Doesn’t convey the candidate's unique value or how they can contribute to the company's goals.

Now if we improve those shortcomings, we’ll get something more like this:

This improved version has a significantly higher chance of impressing recruiters. Here are the points they remedied:

• Specificity:  Clearly mentions key skills and experiences, such as proficiency in Autodesk Inventor and specialization in machine automation and custom machine design.
• Relevance:  Tailors the summary to align with the job posting, underscoring relevant qualifications and experiences.
• Key qualifications: References critical qualifications such as experience in mechanical design, procurement, and fabrication processes.
• Value proposition:  Conveys the candidate's unique value and how they can contribute to ELEK-tec's goals.
• Professional tone: Maintains a professional and confident tone, emphasizing the candidate's strengths and suitability for the role.

Objective statement

• Career goals:  Clearly state your professional aspirations.
• Relevant skills: Mention the skills that align with your career goals.
• Position sought:  Specify the role you’re targeting.
• Career direction: Indicate where you see your career heading.
• Alignment with company goals:  Show how your goals match the company's objectives.

Below is an excellent version of a targeted objective statement.

Adding additional sections is beneficial as it showcases a comprehensive skill set and differentiates you from other candidates. These sections provide context to your experience, highlight specialized expertise, and improve ATS compatibility. However, only include them if you have enough space and they’re relevant to the particular job posting.

Here are some additional sections for an engineering resume:

• Location: Directly after work experience. Provide a link to an online portfolio  if you have numerous projects to show and/or if the projects are best demonstrated visually.
• Content: Highlight specific projects  you've worked on, detailing your role, technologies used, and the outcomes. This section showcases your practical experience and ability to deliver tangible results.

Professional affiliations

• Location: After education
• Content: List memberships in relevant engineering societies and organizations, such as ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) or IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers). This demonstrates your commitment to the profession and staying updated with industry standards.
• Location: After technical skills
• Content: List any additional language skills  you may have, especially if they could be beneficial in a diverse work environment or for collaborating with international teams and clients.

Including these sections will make your resume more compelling and relevant to the job posting, highlighting your qualifications, practical experience, and commitment to professional development.

Now that we have gone through all the essential elements of crafting a successful engineering resume, let’s just recap some of the more important points we covered.

Don’t forget to:

• Choose the right resume format (reverse chronological, functional, hybrid) based on your career stage and job requirements.
• Use a double-column template to efficiently highlight technical projects and professional experience.
• Keep resume margins between 0.5 and 1 inch for a neat, organized look.
• Opt for muted, professional colors and ATS-friendly fonts like Arial or Rubik.
• Limit resume length to one page unless you have extensive relevant projects or publications.
• Include contact information and professional online profiles in the resume header.
• Save your resume as a PDF and use a professional naming convention.
• Emphasize relevant technical skills and project experience in dedicated sections.
• Quantify your achievements with specific metrics to demonstrate impact.
• Tailor your resume to the job description, using keywords and focusing on relevant skills and experiences.

Engineering resume examples

Explore additional engineering resume samples and guides and see what works for your level of experience or role.

• Learn more about your target company workflows and tools. Chances are, your target company uses a unique set of tools for its projects: open-sources tools, or niche platforms. Study company’s LinkedIn and blogs to learn more. If you have relevant experience with the same or similar tools, make sure to include it in your resume. While a non-technical hiring manager will probably ignore this information, you might get bonus points with a technical recruiter or a tech lead when your electrical engineer resume moves further down the funnel.
• Use a targeted resume. When a company searches for an electrical engineer, they have a very clear idea of what their ideal candidate looks like. There are serious budgets at stake, and no one would trust someone who has not proven themselves before. So when a company writes: “We are looking for individuals who are very innovative with a proven track record both in development and volume manufacturing,” they mean it. Study job requirements. Study company blogs. Make sure to target your electrical engineering resume to the company’s needs. Put the most relevant experience first, and frame the rest accordingly to maximize your chances.

Looking to build your own Engineering resume?

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9 Mechanical Engineer Resume Examples Built for 2024

• Mechanical Engineer
• Mechanical Engineer Resumes by Experience
• Mechanical Engineer Resumes by Role

A mechanical engineer’s job is to take a product from an idea to the marketplace. Mechanical engineering is the mother of all engineering because it produces all the mechanics that help the world work seamlessly.

You’re considered the jack-of-all-trades in engineering circles because of your working knowledge of everything from computer applications to structures to electricity, mathematics, and physics. You shouldn’t have to add “cover letter and resume-writing  wizardry” to your accomplishments.

Just use these nine mechanical engineer resume samples to highlight your talents and  build a resume  before writing a great cover letter for the mechanical engineering job of your dreams in 2024 .

Mechanical Engineer Resume

or download as PDF

Why this resume works

• Unless you’re going to customize your objective for each role you apply to, it’s better to leave it off your resume. Save that space for your shining achievements as a mechanical engineer.
• Look at the job description and responsibilities required and match your metrics to what the hiring manager is seeking. If this sounds about as clear as mud, consider our  AI for resume writing  your new best friend and resume coach.
• Consider adding the number of people on your team, the positive, quantifiable results for the clients, and company leadership. Seeing you not only as an accomplished engineer but also as a team player can elevate your resume.

Mechanical Engineer Internship Resume

• The key is to show you stood out in your non-engineering roles. Did you innovate by creating new processes or improving efficiency? These skills surely appeal to hiring managers for mechanical engineering internships.
• You can do this in four places: your  cover letter , your  resume objective , the skills section, and your work experience.
• If the internship you’re applying to is looking for someone who can work independently, you can mention that in all four places to increase your chances of landing an interview.

Entry-Level Mechanical Engineer Resume

• If this is your first mechanical engineering position, show things you’ve learned, like the ability to work with a team, the times you took a lead role or accomplishments in your last position.
• Metrics show accomplishments effectively, make an impact, and transcend language. By working with our  resume checker , you can see how numbers solidly shape a resume.
• And hey, for an entry-level position, don’t hesitate to include soft skills like time management or communication (as opposed to hard skills you might not yet possess, like AutoCAD or Autodesk) on your resume and mechanical engineer cover letter .

Senior Mechanical Engineer Resume

• You can also add your strict adherence to quality designs and products by leveraging tools such as Intellect QMS.

Experienced Mechanical Engineer Resume

• Above everything else, you should prove your leadership potential by showing how you led teams to complete projects while satisfying clients’ needs.

Mechanical Design Engineer Resume

• Demonstrate skills in action like collaboration, innovation, prototyping, and constructing.
• If you’ve got any of these certs, be sure they’re current before proudly listing them. Nothing says “outdated resume” like a certification that’s expired but still there!
• In other words, your most recent experience should go at the top of your resume, with your oldest experience at the bottom.

Mechanical Project Engineer Resume

• Reinforces to the hiring manager that you’re only including skills in which you’re strong.
• Provides more context around  how  you used your skills, therefore, making your resume persuasive.
• Your  resume should be formatted  to just one page, so real estate is gold. Don’t waste your space! 
• We suggest opting for a  resume summary  only if you can tailor it to the job and have some specializations with a “wow” factor.
• Discern between what you’d like to include, being proud of your accomplishments, and what is more  truly relevant to the job . Relevance is key with a career objective or summary.

Mechanical Service Engineer Resume

• When you provide impressive metrics of your success, show how you got there with specific software names like Oracle ERP or a quick mention of how you generated 3D models. 
• Licenses and official certifications such as CSEP and CMfgE are invaluable selling points, so don’t leave them out!

Associate Mechanical Engineer Resume

• Use quantifiable metrics instead of leaving things vague: Are there some eye-catching accomplishments or projects you’ve racked up and can include in your associate mechanical engineer resume? 
• When you’re light on experience, list your most well-rounded and transferrable strengths in the skills section; certs can also go a long way to supplement a limited work history.
• Quality can stand out over quantity when you’re new to the field, so keep everything laser-relevant to the  job description  while providing your personal highlights.

Related resume guides

• Electrical Engineer
• Civil Engineer
• Financial analyst
• Engineering
• Research Assistant

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Click here to directly go to the complete Engineering Resume Sample

How to write an engineering resume?

Drafting your engineering resume can be simple if you know what details to add and how to add them.

With section-wise engineering resume examples, you will be able to make an impeccable resume from scratch in no time.

All we ask is a little patience and to read on!

You can also get an insight into the following FAQs:

• What is an engineering resume?
• How to choose the perfect engineering resume format?
• What should be included in an engineering resume?
• How do you describe engineering experience?
• What skills are needed to be an engineer?
• How do I write an engineering internship resume?

What Is an Engineering Resume & Why Do You Need It?

The work responsibilities of an engineer include things like evaluating different designs closely to zero in on the one that is most suitable according to their needs and requirements.

Engineer's professional tasks also require them to analyze testing and production that is taking place within the company. Apart from this, their duties also involve estimating the cost and time which will be required to complete the projects.

An engineer should be able to measure the performance of mechanical devices, components, and engines, as well as be able to maintain the same.

So, since engineers do such a vast level of work as well as possess such a wide range of skills, they need an engineering resume that can correctly demonstrate these duties and skills to the recruiters.

And to do that, all you need is to make a 1 or 2-page-long engineer resume.

Freshers and engineers with less than 10 years of experience should make an engineering resume of one page, whereas engineers with 10 years and above of experience should opt for a two-page engineer resume.

Also Read: How to curate an entry level mechanical engineering resume?

How to Write an Engineering Resume?

Making an engineering resume is not quantum physics!

And to further simplify the process for you, we've divided the process into multiple stages and those multiple stages into small and easy-to-follow steps.

The only thing that is going to get you that precious interview is the content of your engineering resume.

The design of your engineer resume will not play a major role as compared to a graphic designer resume or an interior designer resume.

However, this does not mean that you can use a blank word page as your engineering resume template.

You need to use a professional engineer resume template that has a decent amount of design in it and that isn't overpowering your content.

Engineering Resume Format

There are three types of formats in which you can write your engineer resume. They are:

Functional Resume Format : Functional Resume helps in highlighting your qualifications and accomplishments instead of jobs & skills. This engineering resume format works best in favor of those people who have gaps in their work history.

As it focuses more on accomplishments and qualifications instead of skills & jobs, it doesn't highlight the gap in your work history that other resume formats will. So, if you have any career gaps in your work history, then opt for this resume format for engineer as it will put all those shortcomings at the back.

Reverse Chronological Resume Format : This engineering resume format is a boon for those people who have a long history of work experience and don't have any gaps in their professional work trajectory.

In this format, the most recent information in terms of dates is written first dating back to the oldest one. This approach is followed throughout the professional experience, internships, education, and other additional sections.

Combination Resume Format : The combination resume format for engineers is named so because both the functional and reverse chronological resume format for engineer are used in this format.

The functional resume format for engineers is used to make the first half of the resume which helps in highlighting the accomplishments and skills of the person at the starting of the resume.

The second half of the resume is written using the reverse chronological engineering resume format which includes the professional experience and education section along with any additional sections.

This resume format for engineer can be used by any person, no matter if you have career gaps in your professional experience history or not.

Also Read: How to pick the right resume format?

Engineering Resume Sections

Follow the below-given order to arrange your engineer resume sections correctly:

• Personal Information
• Summary/Objective
• Technical Skills
• Professional Experience
• Internships (if any)
• Certifications (if any)
• Awards & Recognition (if any)

Engineering Resume: Professional Experience

For professionals who have over 10 years of work experience, the professional experience section plays a major role in their engineering resume.

To provide you with a better understanding of how to frame the points of the professional experience section, we will take an example of a mechanical engineers profile and frame points according to it.

Framing Points in Your Mechanical Engineer Resume Professional Experience Section

There is a specific method used for writing the points in the professional experience section, and this method is known as the cause-effect method of writing points. Cause-effect points help in bringing out the impact that one's work had on the business. See the below-given mechanical engineering resume examples to understand how to frame these cause-effect points.

Engineering Resume Example 1:

• Drafting detailed proposals for design engineering projects
• Performing full product development life-cycle
• Preparing technical offers
• Ensuring system quality while confirming assembly and installation processes
• Overseeing procurement and commissioning performance testing
• Generating reports

The points in the above-given example are written without using the cause-effect method and so they are unable to provide complete information about the impact that one's contribution has on the business.

Engineering Resume Example 2:

• Drafting detailed proposals for design engineering projects like Buildings, Industrial Corridors, Smart Cities, etc.
• Performing full product development life-cycle while designing systems and components according to the requirements
• Preparing technical offers and rendering assistance for cost estimation
• Ensuring system quality by designing testing methods while confirming assembly and installation processes
• Overseeing procurement and commissioning performance testing at the site
• Generating reports by collecting, analyzing, and summarizing information and trends

In the above-given example, the points are written using the cause-effect methodology, and hence, they can provide complete information that the person's work had on the business.

Grouping & Highlighting the Points in Your Mechanical Engineering Resume Professional Experience Section

Grouping and highlighting are the two elements in a mechanical engineer resume that help in increasing the readability.

By grouping the contents and highlighting important words, phrases, and numbers throughout your mechanical engineering resume, you help the recruiters to read more information in just 6-10 seconds.

Let us see with the help of mechanical engineering resume examples how grouping and highlighting increase the readability of your mechanical engineer resume.

The points that are written in example 1 have low readability and since the recruiters scan a resume for just 6-10 seconds, they won't be able to read much.

Proposal Creation & System Designing

Testing, Installation & Report Generation

In example 2, we've created groups by listing the points in which the same skills are being used to do the work.

These groups are Proposal Creation & System Designing and Testing, Installation & Report Generation

Also, the important words and phrases throughout the professional experience section, on which the recruiters will have just one glance and will understand what you did. There will be no for them to read all the points.

Look at the below-given example to get more clarity about what a professional experience section comprising all these variables should look like:

Also Read: How to draft a mechanical engineer resume?

Engineering Resume: Key Skills

The third last section to make while making your engineer resume is the key skills section. It is best to make your key skills section towards the end of the engineering resume-making process as at this point you can scan your engineering resume for the skills which you possess.

When making the key skills section, make sure you include a bullet before each key skill, for example:

• System Designing
• Mechanical Drawing

After you're done making the key skills section, mark the key skills section in bold. Doing this will ensure that it is the first section that the recruiter reads.

To get more clarity around how this section should ideally be written, notice the sample engineering resume skills section given below:

Engineering Resume: Technical Skills

Add your knowledge of technical skills like languages, frameworks, and packages in this section.

Make broad level sub-headings like languages & frameworks, and packages, and then write the names of all the languages and frameworks which you know in front of these sub-headings.

After you've finished making this section, bold all the sub-headers which you made under this section.

To have a better understanding of how to make this section, observe the below-given example of the technical skills section:

Also Read: What skills to put on a resume?

Engineering Resume: Summary

After you've finished making all the sections mentioned in the article above, the very last section to make is the summary section.

When making the summary section, make sure you explain briefly in just 3-4 line paragraphs how you used your skillset to benefit the previous organization in which you've worked. As we mentioned at the starting of the article, opt for a summary section only if you have over 3 years of work experience.

Look at the sample engineering resume given below to see how to customize your summary section according to your work experience:

Engineering Resume: Objective

In case you are a fresher or are applying for an internship, then go for an objective section.

An objective section only serves the purpose of freshers or people who are looking for an internship. While making your objective section, do not write what you expect the company to provide you with, rather, write what you can provide the company with.

Also, try to provide the quantifiable impact which you can provide the company with.

Look at the below-given sample engineering resume to get a better understanding of how to write an objective section:

Engineering Resume for Internship & Freshers

Now, you must be thinking: Which section should a fresher in this field make or a person applying for an internship should make?

Well, as a fresher, the max experience which one has is that of 2-3 internships which one has done during their graduation. So, in a freshers engineering resume, an internship section holds a lot of significance. In place of a 'Professional Experience' section, you will make an 'Internships' section if you are a fresher.

As a fresher, adding an internship section will give you the upper hand over other freshers who have done no internships during their graduation. The internship section in an engineer resume conveys to the recruiter that you have a basic level of practical knowledge in your field.

Follow the same process of writing points for your internships section which is explained above to write the points for the professional experience section.

If you are applying for your 2nd or 3rd internship, then make an internship section in place of a professional experience section consisting of your previous internships.

And in case you are applying for your first internship, then include the engineering resume sections which we will talk about ahead.

Have a glimpse at the below-given example to have a better understanding of how to make an internship section:

Also Read: How to draft an engineering internship resume?

Engineering Resume: Header

The name which you write at the top of your engineer resume is known as a header.

A header is what helps in differentiating various engineering resumes from each other on a broad level.

Making an engineer resume header in the correct resume format for engineer is very important. If you're not able to write your name correctly as the very first thing, it will leave a negative impact on the recruiter's mind making him think if you're not able to write your name correctly, how will you be able to do other important duties in the company?

While writing your name, give a single space between your first name and last name. Spacing inconsistencies like that of no space or multiple spaces will leave a negative impact on the recruiters as we've told you earlier.

And if you have a middle name, then do not write your complete middle name. Just write the first initial of your middle name followed by a full stop. For example: 'Walter B. Willis'.

Also, only write your original name on an engineering resume, and don't even think of writing any kind of pet name just because you think it sounds cooler than your original name.

Have a glance at the below-given example to get more clarity on what a perfect header should look like:

Engineering Resume: Personal Information

There are three things that you need to write in the personal information section. They are:

• Phone Number : Provide a number on which you are available 24x7.

Also, don't just go and write down those 10 digits. There is a proper resume format for engineers in which you need to write your phone number.

First, write the ISD code of your country with a plus sign (+) before it. Then give a single space and write the first five digits of your mobile number, then add another single space and after that write the last five digits of your mobile number.

Only provide one phone number which you use primarily and do not write more than one phone number as it will unnecessarily create confusion for the recruiter.

• Official Email Address : The same applies to email addresses, do not write more than one email address in your information section. In case you have multiple email IDs then just write the one which you use almost daily.

Along with the email address, you can also provide hyperlinks to your various social media handles such as LinkedIn and Facebook as well as to any personal portfolio or websites which you have if they support your proficiency as an engineer in any way.

Hiration Pro Tip : If you decide on providing links to any of the social media handles then make sure the information on those handles is up-to-date and in sync with each other.

Do not forget to write an email address in your information section as the email address will serve as the second means through which a recruiter might contact you, with the phone number being the first medium.

• Current Location : When writing the location, make sure you write the location at which you are residing currently.

Also, writing only the city name followed by the ISO code of the country is sufficient. No extra information is required.

Have a brief look at the below-given sample engineering resume personal information section to get a clear idea of how to make your personal information section:

Also Read: What to add to your resume contact information section?

Engineering Resume: Profile Title

The third thing from the top which comes in an engineering resume is the profile title.

Every field has multiple profiles within it which demonstrate the level at which a person is proficient. That is why it is important to write a profile title to let the recruiter know what is your proficiency level.

The profile title is supposed to be the second-largest text in your engineer resume with the header being the first largest text. To write your profile title, use the font size of either 12 or 14 points.

Many engineering resumes don't even have a profile title which is the most rookie mistake that one can make. If you don't include a profile title, and with recruiters only spending 6-10 seconds per resume, won't even make an effort to go through your professional experience section to gauge the position which you have applied for.

Look at the sample engineering resume given below to get a better understanding of what a profile title is supposed to be written:

Engineering Resume: Education

The second most important thing in an engineering resume after the professional experience or internships section is the education section.

Based on this section only the recruiters will decide whether you are qualified enough to get the position which you have applied for.

The sample engineering resume given below will give you a clear idea of how to make your education the right way:

Engineering Resume: Certifications

The section which will go at the very end of the engineer resume is the certifications section.

In this section, you can add any and every certification which you ever did related to engineering as it will add value to your engineering resume.

Use the below-given resume format for engineer to write your certifications section:

{Name of Certification} | {Affiliating Institution} | {Location} | {Date} (in month & year)

Look briefly at the below-given sample engineering resume to get a better idea of how to make a certifications section:

Engineering Resume Sample

To get a better idea of what an engineer resume should look like when it's completed, have a glance at the below-given sample engineering resume:

• Languages : C, Python, MATLAB, VBA
• Tools : Mathcad, CAD, FEA, MS Excel, MechaniCalc
• Drafting detailed proposals for design engineering projects like buildings, industrial corridors, smart cities, etc.
• Preparing technical offers and rendering critical assistance in cost estimation
• Overseeing procurement and commissioning performance testing at site
• Creating specifications for AC Ventilation systems , reviewing vendor proposals and conducting bid evaluation
• Collaborating with other departments for false ceiling layouts and examine mechanical drawings for Chilled Water Plants
• Preparing Heat load calculation for ACV systems
• Directing end-to-end product development life-cycle while designing systems & components according to the requirements
• Ensuring system quality by designing testing methods while validating and streamlining assembly and installation processes
• Performed testing of HVAC system s and components
• Oversaw project schedules while presenting the project outcomes to the Senior Leadership
• Created system specifications in accordance with technical requirements of the project and needs of the end-user
• Preparing prototype vehicles for testing, removal & installation of components and instrumentation
• Liaising with other departments, vendors, and manufacturing team for end-to-end project management

Key Takeaways

• Add relevant sections to add details of awards & recognition, training, extracurricular activities, and languages.
• Add achievement figures in your engineering resume points where you have liaised with vendors, contractors, or have led teams, mention how many vendors, contractors, or people you have led.
• Revise your engineer resume multiple times for grammatical errors before sending it to any recruiter or posting it on some job portal.
• Do not write anything except for the summary/objective in paragraph form.
• Add details of what you did and why you did it while framing the professional experience or internships section.
• Use bullets points to write every point in your engineer resume.
• Do not use any kind of abbreviations as there always is a possibility that the recruiter might not know them.

Visit Hiration's resume builder and create a professional resume for yourself with the help of our 24x7 chat support.

You can also write to us at [email protected] for professional assistance with all your job & career-related queries.

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How to write a killer Software Engineering résumé

An in-depth analysis of the résumé that got me interviews at Google, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft, Apple, and more.

This résumé got me interviews at Google, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft, and Apple.

I obtained these interviews by sending my résumé to the résumé black hole , also known as applying online.

Applying online is the most common way people go about applying for a job and therefore the least effective way to land an interview due to competition. Yet that is exactly how I obtained all my interviews.

How did I accomplish this?

In this article, I will go through a line-by-line analysis of my résumé for the following purposes:

• explaining the choices that I made in creating my résumé
• why I believe this résumé worked to help me land those interviews, and
• how you can create an even better résumé!

I decided to write this article because I struggled a lot with landing interviews when I first started looking for a job. It would have been extremely helpful for me to have a real-life example résumé to look at.

This article is organized into the following sections:

• The All Too Familiar Way of Not Landing an Interview - a short anecdote of my frustrations when I first started applying for jobs
• Evaluating the Options: Moving Forward - a reflection on different strategies to improve the odds of landing interviews
• Learning How to Write a Killer Résumé By Example - the step-by-step analysis of my résumé with each of the following sections corresponding to my résumé:

The Essentials from a Glance

• Who Are You
• Contact Information
• Personal Projects

The All Too Familiar Way of Not Landing an Interview

Applying online.

You probably know the link that every company provides for online applications. It’s the classic career site that shows you a bunch of job titles which you think you are totally qualified for until you open the job description and read the minimum requirements.

A job description with a bunch of words that you have never heard of, may have heard of, or hoped you had heard of. And it has an innocent-looking “ Apply” button .

Despite the uncertainty you may feel about your qualifications, you apply anyway because you want a job.

So you fill out the application form, press submit — and wait and hope for a positive response.

Your results will be varied:

• Phone Interview ? (yay, a chance at employment!!!)
• Immediate Rejection ? (darn, back to the drawing board)
• No reply  ? (ugh, at least give me the courtesy of having some closure)

Repeat Until Success… Right?

Sadly, this is the typical process that many people go through when looking for a job/internship.

Apply to a couple of companies. Get a couple of rejections or no replies. Apply to a couple more companies. Get a couple more rejections or no replies. Over, and over, and over again.

Why do we do this to ourselves? We spend all this time doing the same repetitive task to obtain the same, disappointing results.

Because this is what everyone does to get an interview, right? Because at least we’re working towards the right direction and have a glimmer of hope, right? How else are you supposed to get an interview?

Evaluating the Options: Moving Forward

“Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.” - Dale Carnegie, (author of “How to Win Friends and Influence People”)

We can think of approaching the problem of not getting interviews in two ways:

• Putting your application/ résumé under the microscope
• Questioning the process in which you go about obtaining an interview

This article focuses on the former, because no matter what avenue you end up taking to get an interview, essentially every company utilizes your résumé as a basis for evaluation . Therefore, we will examine my résumé under a microscope and focus on learning how to write a remarkable résumé.

Getting an interview via online application is extremely challenging because your résumé has to pass numerous stages before it gets into the hands of the hiring manager.

It has to bypass online keyword filters , stand out to a recruiter who reviews it for about 6 seconds and meet the expectations of the hiring manager who decides whether you are worth interviewing.

Yet, despite all those hurdles, I obtained all my interviews by applying online. How? Trial and error . I’ve applied to hundreds of different software engineering positions since my sophomore year of college.

When I first started applying, I faced a staggering number of rejections, but over time I learned how to adapt. By the time I was a senior, I was extremely successful in landing interviews from almost every company I applied to.

The résumé that landed me all those interviews is the exact one in this article.

It took me four years of iteration and real-life testing to get to this point. From this experience, I have come up with a list of résumé writing principles to help you write an even better software résumé. These are principles that have helped me land my dream job and are principles that can help you land yours.

While it took me four years of college to figure this all out, you don’t have to go through all the leaps and bounds because you can learn all of it right here, right now.

My goal is to be the one-stop hub for all your questions on how to obtain a software engineering interview. That way, you don’t have to waste countless hours cross-referencing Google search results to find the best answer on how to write a software engineering résumé that gets interviews.

Your valuable time could be better spent on writing your killer résumé.

So start here and now with this article. Reap the benefits from my past experiences and let’s begin the step-by-step walkthrough of my résumé!

Learning How to Write a Killer Résumé — By Example

“As to methods there may be a million and then some, but principles are few. The man who grasps principles can successfully select his own methods. The man who tries methods, ignoring principles, is sure to have trouble.”

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Let’s take another look at this résumé:

One-page résumé

Recruiters do not have all day to read your résumé. On average they view it for less than 6 seconds. Keep it short and concise .

Sections (Header, Education, Employment, Software Projects, Skills)

Place sections in order of importance from top to bottom. The ‘ Personal Projects ’ section is a unique, must-have for people looking for a software engineering position.

Consistent layout + font per section

Make sure each section contains a uniform look. Consistent style is important as it enhances the readability. Readability is essential.

So why does this résumé work? Let’s explore the numbered bullet points.

Who Are You (1)

Target Audience: Anyone writing a résumé

Starting off real easy. Your name. Place your name at the top of your résumé in a large legible font.

No need to be all fancy about it with extravagant colors or fancy fonts. Plain and simple does the trick. You want the recruiter to see this easily from a mile away because you want them to know who you are. A recruiter who has to do minimum work is a happy recruiter. A happy recruiter is one who is more likely to give you an interview.

Recap: Make it ridiculously easy for the recruiter to read and find your name.

Contact Information (2)

Your contact info should be as easy as identifying your name. This is so important. Of all the things in the world, please do not mess this one up because how else on earth will the recruiter contact you?

Recap: Put in the correct contact information or you’ll never be contacted.

Education (3)

Target Audience: Anyone writing a résumé with a degree

If you are attending or attended college, this should be the first section of your résumé, because going to college is a huge accomplishment. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, only “66.7 percent of 2017 high school graduates age 16 to 24 enrolled in colleges or universities”. So be proud of it and include it!

Right off the bat, this tells the recruiter that you are invested in education and learning, which is crucial because technology is continuously changing. Furthermore, this information serves as an indicator of your successes, so be sure to put it down.

Recap: Put down where you got educated.

Be sure to include relevant coursework corresponding to the position that you are applying for. While a course on the History of Italian Gastronomy sounds exceptionally appetizing, it doesn’t have a place in a résumé that is trying to get you a job in computer science.

This will significantly improve the ability of the recruiter and the hiring manager looking at your résumé in deciding whether you are a good fit for the position. And as previously mentioned, a happy recruiter is more likely to give you an interview.

Recap: Only include relevant coursework.

Okay. GPA. Before we talk about this, let’s remind ourselves of the main purpose of a résumé.

The main purpose of a résumé is to highlight your knowledge, skills, and accomplishments succinctly. You want to include things on your résumé that you are proud of, but also things that will impress. You want to paint a picture of yourself in the best light possible so that recruiters and hiring managers want to interview you.

Now back to your GPA. It should be fairly obvious whether or not your GPA is impressive. If your GPA is below a 3.0, don’t put it on your résumé. There’s nothing wrong with excluding your GPA from your résumé if it only harms your chances.

If you have a GPA between 3.0–3.2, this is a judgment call. From personal experience, I have talked to some companies that require a minimum GPA of 3.2, but these were primarily financial or quantitative companies. Most software companies have little regard for your GPA. If you have anything above a 3.2, I would place it on your résumé.

If you have a low GPA, fear not, as this gives you the opportunity to be creative! My overall GPA was a 3.2 due to poor grades from my freshman engineering prerequisites and humanities classes. But once I finished and started taking courses within my major, my in-major GPA (GPA calculated from courses in my major) was a 3.44, which was significantly higher. So that’s what I put down (but make sure to qualify it as a departmental GPA).

There are many ways of going about presenting yourself in the best light possible, even when it may seem like the odds are stacked against you. I only provided one example of accomplishing this, but there are many more ways waiting to be discovered by you. Fully embrace your failures and accomplishments because they make up who are you. Be honest and truthful, and always focus on highlighting the best parts about yourself.

Recap: Your GPA does not define you. The purpose of your résumé is to present yourself in the best light. Never forget that! Be creative when going about this and DON’T LIE.

Employment (4)

Target Audience: Students with software engineering work experience

If you are a college student without any experience, don’t be afraid! This was my senior year résumé when I was applying for a full-time job. I was fortunate enough to have accumulated relevant work experience from summer internships, but this isn’t absolutely necessary to get an interview. If you find that you don’t have much to put in section, jump down to the ‘ Personal Projects ’ section.

While it is great to have past work experience, not all work experience is treated equally when it comes to looking for a job in software engineering. Focus only on including work experience that has relevance to the job that you are applying for. For instance, if you have experience working as a cashier in retail or a waiter in the food industry, don’t include it! Unfortunately, your abilities to handle money or serve food did not provide any indication that you will succeed as a software engineer.

A recruiter’s goal is to match candidates with jobs that fit the candidates’ skill sets. Therefore it is essential only to include past work experience that has some relation to the position that you are currently applying to, on your résumé.

Part of accomplishing this means creating a collection of various résumés, each tailored specifically for the different job that you are interested in. This is analogous to the college application process, where you had to write separate essays for each university that you applied to. Each college has its own values, culture, and vision, making it nearly impossible to write a generic, one-size-fits-all college essay. Therefore, tailor your résumé to the job that you are applying for.

Lastly, a note on dates. Order your experiences in descending order starting with your most recent experiences. For undergraduates, this means being mindful of including experiences that are both recent and relevant. Sadly, no one cares about whatever accomplishments you had in middle school or high school. If the experience is outdated, leave it out.

Recap: Have various versions of your résumé tailored for each job you are applying for. There is no one-size-fits-all résumé.

The hardest part about résumé writing is having descriptions that fully encapsulate your accomplishments from past work experiences in a meaningful and impressive way.

What does it mean for your descriptions to be meaningful and impressive? It means getting the recruiter to think: “This is someone that has the skill sets we are looking for. This is someone that has made a significant impact in their past jobs. This is someone we would like to interview and potentially hire.”

The primary objective of the Employment section is to show the impact and value that you had while working at an established institution. Your goal is to show recruiters that you are a candidate that can get things done and do them well.

To best showcase my accomplishments in my résumé, I adopted the following powerful formula, created by the Former SVP of People Operations at Google, Laszlo Bock:

“Accomplished [X] as measured by [Y] by doing [Z]” — Laszlo Bock

You can see this very clearly in the very first bullet point of this section on my résumé.

Improved device’s battery lifespan by 8% by integrating a fuel gauge sensor and establishing a battery saving state

Let’s break it down:

Accomplished [X]- Improved device’s battery lifespan

Measured by [Y]- by 8%

By Doing [Z]- integrating a fuel gauge sensor and establishing a battery saving state

I leveraged this formula in some shape or form in almost every sentence in my résumé.

To help you along this process, below is a word bank of excellent verbs you can and should use:

Here are some examples of fill-in the blank sentences that I have come up with for you to get started:

• Reduced _____ by _____ by _____.
• Redesigned _____ for _____.
• Implemented _____ for _____ by _____.
• Improved _____ by _____ through _____.
• Utilized _____ to _____ for _____.
• Increased _____ by _____ through _____.
• Integrated _____ by _____ for _____.
• Incorporated _____ for _____ by _____.

Recap: Use the “Accomplished [X] as measured by [Y] by doing [Z]” formula. It’s the most effective and most apparent way of showing recruiters/managers your impact.

Lastly, I end each work experience with a leveraged knowledge bullet point. The utility behind this last bit is it enables the reader to really get a sense of the technology I am familiar with by explicitly stating the technologies that I used for the project.

This also allows me to have a concise, but clean ‘Skills’ section located at the bottom of my résumé. Recruiters can then look at the bottom to immediately obtain a sense of my capabilities by seeing which computer languages I am familiar with. If they are looking to see if I have specific knowledge in a particular tool, framework, or library, then they can find this out by looking at my projects.

Recap: Including technologies that you used in your descriptions will help you bypass online keyword filters when applying online. This will also give recruiters a clearer idea of your experiences and knowledge.

Personal Projects (5)

Target Audience: Students looking for software engineering internships/full-time positions + Unique section for software engineering applicants

Maybe if I say it enough times, you will understand the importance of this section, especially for those that do not have work experience .

Personal projects are integral to piquing recruiters and hiring managers interest as it shows you are passionate about programming.

A personal project can be anything programming related, whether it be a Python script, Java program, web page, mobile application, etc. These projects show that you are genuinely interested in computer science and you have strong desires to work as a software engineer because you are willing to go beyond your schoolwork and create something on your own.

Taking the initiative to build something on your own is extremely impressive. It shows that you are dedicated to expanding your knowledge of computer science and that you are not afraid of putting in the extra work to do so. Ultimately, it is a fantastic way to demonstrate self-initiative and genuine interest in this field.

The other benefit of doing personal projects is that you inevitably gain the skills that apply to work in the real world. Things that you don’t usually do at school, but you will do at work such as using standard frameworks/libraries, understanding full-stack web development, creating mobile applications, setting up a development environment, or programming efficiently with Vim.

Tip: Create a personal website that showcases and documents all of your personal projects. This is a little hack that ‘virtually extends’ your résumé beyond the one-page limit.

To reiterate one last time, personal projects show your passion and dedication towards developing the necessary skills needed for a job that you don’t yet have. This is a must-have on any software engineering resume.

“Build some iPhone apps, web apps, whatever! Honestly it doesn’t matter that much what you’re building as long as you’re building something. You can build a fairly meaty project in one weekend. This means that with about 3–4 weekends of work, you can make your résumé go from so-so to fantastic. Seriously — I’ve seen lots of people do this.” - Gayle McDowell, former Google Engineer and Author of Cracking the Coding Interview

If there is a specific company that you really want to work at, one of the best ways to stand out is doing a personal project that is directly related to the job that you are applying for.

I got my internship at Autodesk by taking a free online interactive computer graphics course on Udacity. The course taught me to use a JavaScript library called three.js , and it just so happened that there was a software engineering internship opening at Autodesk looking for someone with full-stack website and knowledge in three.js (aka ME).

A word of caution on this technique. This strategy is not perfect. This only really works for companies like Autodesk which do not have generalized software engineering internships like Google, Facebook, and Microsoft. When starting off early in your career, it is better to generalize and figure out the different disciplines of computer science. Nonetheless, this is an excellent method worth trying if there is a specific company you want.

Recap: Personal projects are imperative. If you haven’t already, start NOW! You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Target Audience: Anyone looking for a software engineering job

The title explains it all. Keep this section dumb, simple, and clean. List all the relevant skills that you want the recruiter to know you have. The more skills you have listed here that match key technical words in the qualification section of the job description, the better your chances!

This will allow you to bypass the online keyword scanner easily. However, this is not a fool-proof method of circumventing the scanner. Ultimately it is a recruiter who gets their hands on your résumé that decides, but they will also be more inclined to give you an interview if they see you as a good fit for the job!

A thing to note about the skills section is to NOT simply list all the keywords on the job description just for the sake of showing you’re a good fit. It will come back to bite you as you will be questioned on the skills you claim to know.

Part of giving yourself some leeway in this is including an indication of your proficiency level. Since you are probably not practicing every language you’ve ever encountered on a day to day basis, including a proficiency level can help the recruiter know your strongest languages at a moment in time and other languages that you are familiar with.

I’ve opted to use two tiers:

• Proficient - Languages that I am very familiar with, feel very comfortable using, and can interview with right now.
• Familiar - Languages that I have utilized in the past but may not be as knowledgeable in currently, but can pick back up given time.

Other valid options include:

• Intermediate
• Working Knowledge
• Basic Knowledge

Recap: When applying for a specific job online, cross-reference the job description and add essential technical keywords on your résumé to increase your chance of getting an interview.

Key Takeaways

• Make sure your name and contact information is correct and legible
• Be sure to include your education. If your GPA is low, leave it out or be creative!
• Utilize the “Accomplished [X] as measured by [Y] by doing [Z]” formula to effectively show the impact that you had in your past employment
• Do personal projects — especially if you do not have past experience working in tech

Final Thoughts

While this résumé got me interviews at numerous software engineering companies, there is no guarantee that following all the principles and techniques I have explained here will yield the same results for you.

This was my senior year résumé in 2017. It is a showcase of my journey and interest in software engineering. Copying it will do you no good, as technology is constantly evolving and the talent search is an ever-changing process. Instead, use this as a reference.

Use my résumé and this article as a resource to become a better résumé writer and a more effective communicator. Focus on learning how to best convey your skills and achievements to others. This in itself is an invaluable, lifelong skill that you will need wherever you go.

As you write your résumé, please remember — be yourself!

Your résumé is a list of your own accomplishments, achievements, and interests. Your goal is to craft the most polished version of yourself. Lastly, have fun and enjoy the process!

For anyone interested in using this resume template, I obtained it from CareerCup which was founded by Gayle Laakmann McDowell, author of Cracking The Coding Interview .

From personal experience, what’s most important is the content. The resume writing principles discussed above can be applied to any template!

Also, check out my new website, memlayout.com , which helps students learn programming through visualizing their python code line-by-line.

software engineer @tesla. consider donating to https://oeop.mit.edu/. visualize python code line-by-line with https://memlayout.com/

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