Your resume is your ticket to the high-end engineering role you have always wanted. It serves as your calling card, introducing you to potential employers. But you have just seconds to make a great first impression. And you’ll need to make sure your resume can get through an automated screener before a human ever lays eyes on it. Here are some tips for creating the perfect engineering resume.

Qualifications

This section should be front and center on your engineering resume, just below your contact information. Think of it as an elevator pitch, in which you have just a couple of sentences to highlight your strongest achievements.

Skills

The second section on your resume should be a bulleted list of your skills. If you like, you can divide this into Hard Skills and Soft Skills. Hard skills are technical competencies, while soft skills include organization and problem-solving.

Experience

Professional experience is a key component of any engineering resume. But don’t just list what you did at each job. Instead, lead with action verbs and focus on quantifiable accomplishments.

Education

List each institution you attended and the degrees you earned. Note any honors that you received, along with any extracurricular activities that are related to your engineering career. Include continuing education courses in this section.

Other Sections

Make your resume stand out by adding any other sections that are relevant to you. Examples include Certifications, Training, Professional Affiliations, or Patents. Skip any section that doesn’t apply.

Keywords

Carefully read the job description to find relevant keywords, and sprinkle them naturally throughout your resume. Be careful not to overdo it; use a few to help your resume move through the automated scanning process.

What Not to Include

Don’t be tempted to throw your entire life history into your resume. Things to leave out include, but are not limited to:

• GPA
• Graduation date or other information that would reveal your age
• Jobs you held more than 10 years ago
• Irrelevant jobs, unless you need to cover a time gap
• Photos
• Typos or other mistakes

Your engineering resume is your calling card. Follow the strategies above to put your best foot forward and ultimately land the high-end engineering role of your dreams.

About PEAK

PEAK Technical Consulting has created connections with employers nationwide, where you can find projects and roles to make the most of your abilities and advance your career. Since 1968, PEAK has helped engineering professionals find jobs with flexibility, challenges and rewards. We are committed to giving you the resources and support you need to build the career of your dreams.