One of the key factors in whether or not an applicant is hired for a job is the resume. HVAC designers, civil engineers, lighting designers, architects, design engineers, and other engineers may find it difficult to come up with a comprehensive engineering resume that outlines all of their skills, qualifications, awards, and accomplishments, and is still visually pleasing.
Some tips that will make your engineering resume stand out from the rest are outlined below.
Formatting and Structure
The engineering resume should have an attractive format in order to attract the attention of the prospective employer. Although most achievements are outlined in chronological format in most resumes, this does not mean it is the best format for you. Your resume may require a combination of formatting in order to bring out your skills and accomplishments.
The resume should not be too wordy, nor should it look empty. Ensure you leave a one-inch margin at the sides of the résumé and use at least an 11-point font for headings and 10-point font for the body text. Using font sizes less than 10 points make the resume hard to read.
It is important to use descriptive titles and communicative headlines, rather than fancy fonts and graphics. The bottom line is that the engineering resume should be well-formatted in order to catch the attention of the prospective employer.
Outline The Basics
The employer should not have a hard time locating the primary information in your resume. Your contact information (name, residential address, phone number, email address, etc.) should be easy to locate. The primary information is best placed at the top center of your resume in bold font.
Your education qualifications should be shown with the aggregate marks that you obtained. The qualifications are best placed in a subsection that is titled ''Education''.
Remember to outline your work experience in reverse chronological order. You should list the companies where you have worked in, the duration of employment at the companies, and the projects and responsibilities that you have been in charge of.
Other important accomplishments, like awards, publications, and patents should be listed as well. If your awards, publications, and patents are numerous, you may consider listing them on a different page and then attaching it to your resume.
Outline any computer skills that you posses either in software, hardware, programming language, or operation. You may list only the important items that are relevant to the position you are applying for.
Ensure you go through your resume for spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. You can use word processing applications like Microsoft Word to check your spellings and errors. In addition, have another person proofread your resume to catch any errors that may have slipped past you.
Some of the errors you should look out for include double-spacing between words, misspellings of your name or the company's name, and double periods. Minor errors usually indicate that you are unable to execute high-quality work. Keep in mind that most good engineering resumes are rejected because they contain minor mistakes.
Maintain Consistency
Although it is okay to be creative, being consistent is more important. Consistency brings out an organized and logical resume. When you are summarizing your accomplishments or responsibilities, start every line with an action verb. It is also good to only write in the first person. Formatting should also be consistent.
Avoid Lying
Today's employers use sophisticated means and methods to check your background and confirm any claims you have outlined in your engineering resume. It is best not to lie, as this can lead to automatic disqualification if you are caught.
Know Your Resume
You should have all the information regarding projects and responsibilities that you have indicated you handled before. Employers will not be amused if you give excuses for not knowing or having enough information on what you have indicated that you previously handled. If you lack enough information on a certain project, it is best to leave it out of your resume.
Use Action Verbs
Action verbs should be used to indicate any projects that you handled. The verbs to use will depend on the field that you are in. Some examples include words such as designed, worked on, managed, debugged, developed, and led.
Conclusion
A good engineering resume can ensure that you are granted an interview. Although it may be a daunting task to make an effective resume, there are other options that you may go for. You can decide to hire a professional resume writer to guide you in the format and writing of your resume. Finally, remember to send in your cover letter alongside your resume. Then all you have to do is wait for the call offering you an interview.
