Engineer your resume to be a powerful marketing tool for your job search.
Did you know you can engineer your resume to be a powerful marketing tool? While engineering jobs encompass a broad range of specialties, effective resume strategies are applicable across most engineering disciplines.
Here are seven suggestions to keep in mind when writing your engineering resume.
Precision.
Precision is paramount when it comes to engineering projects, and the same holds for engineering resume. Failing to proofread and correct all errors on the resume is a common mistake some engineers can make.
It is imperative that you have a well-prepared, professional resume with no spelling or grammatical errors. Proofread, double-check it, have a friend or family member check it and run a spell check using software such as MS WORD or Grammarly.
Clear and Concise.
Some engineers tend to go into information overload on their resumes. Short, sharp, and to the point is best for maximum impact.
Resumes generally get accepted or rejected in 30 seconds or less, be concise and quantify your achievements in bullet points for each employment tenure.
Create a resume that is easy to read, crisp and to the point. Look at your resume with an editor’s eye—just because you think the information is important doesn’t mean the hiring manager will.
Ditch the objective and add a brief profile summary.
Skip writing an objective, it consumes valuable space, but it can potentially hurt your candidacy. Hiring managers may disregard otherwise strong candidates because their objective did not match the specifics of the position opening; If you are changing careers, then an objective is warranted. Otherwise, it could be best to leave it out. Replace the objective with a qualifications summary. Within a few hard-hitting sentences, your career summary should spotlight your most marketable qualifications. – The idea is to pique the interest of the hiring manager.
Here is an example summary for a Civil engineer:
Accomplished Civil engineer with 15 years of experience with a strong background in design delivery of major infrastructure projects above AUD 50m. Experience is complimented with Chartership, and a master’s in project and design management.
Tailor the resume to the job opportunity
It is always advisable to add personal touches to the resume every time you send it out. If it’s obvious you have mass-posted and haven’t responded to a position specifically, the resume will probably be rejected in some circumstances. Customise each resume that you send to the specific role and engineering specialty you are targeting. If you see a My Engineer Jobs advert for a civil engineer, for example, make sure you are specific about your civil engineering expertise. Civil engineering is a comprehensive discipline – define your discipline bias, e.g., an expert in roads and highways design and associated drainage and storm water engineering.
List key accomplishments – celebrate your achievements!
Use bullet points to make your resume easier to read. When writing bulleted accomplishments, keep the text to a few key points and quantify the results, so employers understand the significance of your work.
Here are examples from various engineering disciplines:
Saved $1m in implementing a new design solution for a storm water and drainage system by finding utilising the latest design software and alternative building materials.
Regarded as one of consulting firm’s most highly requested structural engineers, maintaining 89% or higher billable utilisation for the past 4 years.
Add a brief project summary.
Depending on your engineering specialty and years of experience, you may find a dozen or more key projects should be included on your resume. When this causes your document to overflow onto a third page, a separate project list sheet is an effective solution. If you can get your vitals on a page, that’s perfect; if you need two pages, that’s OK. For any more than that, split the document and add a project list. List projects by employer or client and give a short—even one-sentence—description of what you did. Most importantly, don’t forget to include your project outcomes.
Be honest.
Your resume should be compelling but never misleading. “Don’t be lulled into thinking that embellishing your resume is OK. Never put anything on your resume that is falsified or a stretch of the truth – the discrepancy could lead to disciplinary action or even be a dismissible offence if the truth were to come out.
Give your resume a boost!
To be considered for top engineering jobs, a comprehensive resume will go a long way in attracting hiring managers. Ensure your resume is a cut above your competition's! Get a free resume evaluation today from the experts at Virtue Talent Resume Writing Service. You'll get detailed feedback, including a review of your resume's appearance and content and a recruiter's first impression.
Virtue talent www.VirtueTalent.com partners with engineering and construction organisations to recruit skill shortage and underrepresented groups in the workplace; contact us to find out how we can assist in achieving your employment objectives.
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