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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 & 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:

  • Header
  • Personal Information
  • Title
  • Summary/Objective
  • Key Skills
  • Technical Skills
  • Professional Experience
  • Education
  • 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.

Engineering Resume Example 1:

  • 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

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.

Engineering Resume Example 2:

Proposal Creation & System Designing

  • Drafting detailed proposals for design engineering projects like Buildings, Industrial Corridors, Smart Cities, etc.
  • Preparing technical offers and rendering assistance for cost estimation
  • Overseeing procurement and commissioning performance testing at the site

Testing, Installation & Report Generation

  • Performing full product development life-cycle while designing systems and components according to the requirements
  • Ensuring system quality by designing testing methods while confirming assembly and installation processes
  • Generating reports by collecting, analyzing, and summarizing information and trends

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:

Engineering-Resume-Professional-Experience-Section

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
  • Sales

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-Key Skills-Section

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:

Engineering-Resume-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-Summary-Section

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-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:

Engineering-Resume-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-Header-Section

Engineering Resume: Personal Information

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

  1. 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.

  1. 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.

  1. 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:

Engineering-Resume-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-Profile-Title-Section

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-Education-Section

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-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:

3+ years experienced Engineering Professional proficient in designing, installing and testing Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems by effectively overcoming challenges during product life-cycle for multi-million dollar organizations. Highly skilled in liaising with Mechanical Industrial Design teams to integrate control components into overall design. Adept at executing key project deliverables as part of rendering critical support to the organizational leadership.
• HVAC Systems • System Design • Mechanical Drawing • Vendor Negotiation • Procurement • Stakeholder Management
• Team Work & Leadership • Sales • Technical Specifications • Project Scheduling • Project Management • Report Generation
  • Languages: C, Python, MATLAB, VBA
  • Tools: Mathcad, CAD, FEA, MS Excel, MechaniCalc
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
    Proposal Creation & System Designing
    • 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
    Testing, Installation & Report Generation
    • 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
    • Generating reports by collecting, analyzing, and summarizing information and trends
      Technical Specifications & Project Scheduling
      • Performed testing of HVAC systems 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
      EDUCATION
        Enter text here..


        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.

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