things to put on engineering resume

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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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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Engineering resume example & writing guide

Technical engineering 

Mechanical engineering  .

A great engineering resume is the equivalent of a beautiful formula: when done correctly, it will empower you to reach the next step in your career. Begin fabricating the perfect design solution for your engineering advancement with a resume that gets you noticed.

Let Resume.io help you get there with its powerful resources for job seekers, including writing guides and resume examples for 300+ professions, backed up by an easy-to-use resume builder. 

This guide, along with the corresponding engineering resume example will cover the following topics:

What does an engineering professional do?

• How to write an engineering resume (tips and tricks)
• The best format for an engineering resume
• Advice on each section of your resume (summary, work history, education, skills)
• Professional resume layout and design hints.

Engineers are structured yet creative thinkers who perform a host of tasks that lead to improving products and systems. Here are some action words that describe engineering tasks (and that you should use in the body of your resume): evaluate, design, test, modify, install, inspect, maintain, build, oversee, invent, fix, improve, research, calculate, construct.

Some engineering professionals do several of these tasks, others focus on one. Engineering is a large category that encompasses many specialties. Types of engineers include:

• Aerospace engineer
• Mechanical engineer
• Electrical engineer
• Civil engineer
• Structural engineer
• Nuclear engineer
• Biomedical engineer
• Chemical engineer
• Computer engineer
• Industrial engineer
• Environmental engineer

How much do engineers earn? It depends on where their expertise lies. Below are the top 5 earning engineering careers.

Engineering job market and outlook

The job market for engineering professionals, like the salary scale, depends on the type of engineering you specialize in. The market for four of the five highest paid engineers is expected to stay fairly stable, but the demand for computer software engineers is skyrocketing.

If you are looking for a lot of opportunity, here are eight specialties that are in high demand, according to New Engineer :

• Data science and machine learning
• Automation and robotics
• Alternative energy
• Project manager

How to write an engineering resume

You don’t start a project without knowing what elements go into it. Here are the parts necessary to create a winning CV:

• The resume header
• The resume summary (aka profile or personal statement)
• The employment history section
• The resume skills section
• The education section

Your resume is a means of selling your skills to your prospective next employer. It's your job here to explain to them how you are going to engineer solutions to their problems. You do that by understanding what their problems are and what the work style and environment are like. That means doing a bit of research so that you can use a tone appropriate to the company and direct your message directly to the boss’s pain points.

Do as much research as you can. If you know anyone who works at your targeted company, get in touch. Find out the name of the hiring manager and your prospective boss. Try to make a connection to one or both of them that you can leverage during your interview.

A engineering resume that will get you in the door should follow these guidelines:

• Write as though you are speaking directly to the boss and answering the question: “Why should I hire you?”
• Use a resume template that makes a positive visual impression, since it will be the first impression the hiring manager will get.
• Tailor your resume for each job to give you a better chance at avoiding the ATS filter.

Use your knowledge to beat the ATS

As an engineer, you probably understand algorithms and computer thinking. Use that knowledge to tailor your application and get the upper hand on the Applicant Tracking Systems designed to scan and filter resumes.

Your analysis skills will also come in handy as you survey the job listing and check it against your resume. Make sure you use those keywords and phrases that come up within the listing exactly as they are written!

Here’s another hint: If you are applying online, you will know which ATS the company uses. You may also find that information by looking on the company’s website (where you are sure to go during your research).

Choosing the best resume format for engineering

Typically, the best resume format is the standard reverse chronological order structure. There may be some cases within engineering where a function format serves you better. This format is valuable for technical professions and specialists (as well as for some scientific roles) as it emphasizes important niche or complex skills with an expanded skills section and a shortened employment history section. The skills section allows for detailed explanations of your competencies.

Barring the need to explain your technical skills in detail, we highly recommend the reverse chronological order resume as recruiters and ATS software prefer it.

Resume summary example: modeling your best

The summary section of your engineering resume distills your career into three or four lines that offer insight into who you are as an engineer. This section is not as tightly formatted as the rest of your resume, but you can use this basis structure to guide you:

• One or two sentences to highlight a career accomplishment or two
• One sentence to explain why you want the job
• One sentence to bring out a special skill and describe your engineering style.

The idea behind a summary section (also known as a profile) is to enhance the rest of your resume without repeating it. Give the hiring manager a hook they will want to explore during your interview. Try something like, “My love of fixing cars gives me a unique perspective for solving the problems electrical engineers often face.” This sentence tells something about you and that you consider yourself a divergent thinker.

If you want summary section resume samples for specific engineering fields, give these a try: 

• Facilities Engineer resume sample
• Electrical Engineer resume sample
• Civil Engineer resume sample
• CNC machinist resume sample
• Agricultural Engineer resume sample
• Technician resume sample
• Health and Safety Engineer resume sample
• Research Engineer resume sample
• Process Engineer resume sample
• Project Engineer resume sample
• Structural engineer resume sample
• Mechanical Engineer resume sample

You can find a resume example for your summary section below.

Experienced Engineer bringing forth 5+ years providing superior technical guidance and successfully executed engineering designs. Adept in overseeing all aspects of project management including design, implementation, verification, and validation of engineering designs. 

Employment history sample: compiling your career

For most candidates,  this section will be the largest of your engineering resume, but it should not be a mere listing of your job responsibilities. Begin with your most recent position and work backwards through the past ten years of your experience.

Below each job title, start each bullet item with a strong action verb, following it with a description of exactly what you did and your results. Remember, your resume really isn’t about you. It’s about your prospective employer. You want the message to be: “See, I understand your problems and here are examples of how I have already fixed similar ones. I can do this and more for you!”

Use the STAR method to detail your career successes. Tell what the work situation was and the task you were assigned. Describe the actions you took and detail the results you achieved. You’re an engineer so you know the details are key. Use data to back up your assertions whenever possible.

Below you will find an adaptable employment history resume example.

• Effectively guided technical project development and helped to steer and improve program processes.
• Planned and executed assigned engineering designs with accuracy.
• Worked with program managers to ensure proper and adequate technical staffing.
• Executed design and development efforts in adherence to all engineering design standards.
• Worked to quickly resolve technical conflicts and issues.
• Developed and maintained project timelines.
• Monitored and adjusted control systems.

CV skills example: career coordinates

Your CV skills section is the at-a-glance look at your attributes and abilities. You should tailor this section to the requirements of each job (which will also help you win the ATS battle).

The main purpose of this CV section is to offer recruiters a quick way to see if you have the attributes they seek and to get a first glimmer as to what you think are the most important skills for the job.

Choose your top 4-7 skills and remember that your technical skills are an integral part of your value, but emotional intelligence as well. This may mean natural curiosity, logical thinking and reasoning, communication, creativity, and collaboration among others according to this list from Embibe .

As your career advances, your skill level and range of skills will grow. To keep track and ensure you are putting your best foot forward, develop a “Master List” of all your skills. Add to this list as you go.

Categorize this list in the way that makes the most sense to you. You may want to organize it by hard skills and soft skills and then further break it down by skills needed in various functions and for different projects. Refer to this list each time you apply for a new job.

Below you will find the skills section from our engineering resume sample.

• PMI Certified Project Management Professional
• Microsoft Project
• MS Dynamics AX
• Advanced Analytical Thinking Skills
• Hardware Design

Engineering education resume example

The education section of your engineering resume is the least time-consuming to put together. You are simply creating a list of your degrees and certifications and formatting these correctly. 

Engineers at a minimum need a bachelor’s degree. If you have earned a degree higher than that, you may eliminate your high school diploma. Also consider adding any accolades you have been awarded. If you have a lot of certifications, you may want to create a separate section to highlight them.

Check out the formatting of our engineering education resume sample below.

• Master of Science in Systems Engineering, Boston University, Boston
• Sep, 2014 - May, 2016
• Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering, Northwestern University, Chicago
• Sep, 2009 - May, 2013

Resume layout and design: structure your first impression

You’re an engineer, so you know how important clean design is. The first visual impression a hiring manager will get of you is your resume layout and design. What is it you want them to think? “Wow! If this candidate designs engineering projects as clean as this resume, we want to meet them!” 

How do you make that impression? Here are some tips:

• Use at least ¾-inch margins even if it is tempting to get a few more words in. (Save them for your interview!)
• Choose legible fonts. Try a sans serif for the text and a serif font for your contact information or vice versa.
• Leave off the graphs and charts.

If you’d like to save time and effort in formatting your resume, you may benefit from using a resume template . These professionally-designed layouts are already equipped with attractive headers and font styles – all you need to do is add your own experience.

Key takeaways for an engineering resume

• Engineers are problem-solvers who know how to design — skills that will help you in your resume creation.
• The market for some engineering specialties is expanding rapidly, but demand in almost all areas is growing.
• Use your analytical and software skills to get the better of Applicant Tracking Systems.
• Check out our engineering resume sample for more ideas on how to format an attractive and effective resume!

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Write the Top Engineering Resume (Examples and Tips)

In this article, you will learn about:

How to Write a Killer Engineering Resume

What should an engineering resume look like, tips for writing the best engineering resume, extra tips on a perfect resume for engineering freshers, engineering resume sample.

Engineering is a field that comes with immense scope of applicability. Many engineers are equipped with the knowledge in math and science to provide solutions to different technical problems. Designing and drafting blueprints to solutions are also one of the specialties of engineers. 

However, crafting a professional and structured engineering resume is also relatively important to engineers, especially if they want to land themselves a dream job in today’s competitive market.

This article will be specifically tailored for engineers, providing all sorts of information from engineering resume examples, engineering resume format, to some useful tips.

Different types of engineering depending on the field they are invested in, and so are the resumes:

• Chemical engineering resume
• Civil engineering resume
• Computer engineering resume 
• Electrical engineer resume
• Mechanical engineer resume
• Software engineering resume

Step 1: Understand the differences between a CV and a resume.

The main differences between a CV and a resume lie in the content , purpose , and length . A CV is largely used for academia, and the content elaborates more on the professional life of the applicants. A resume is often used for general job applications and is a tailored version of applicant information depending on the job specification.

While a CV could be lengthy and consists of a lot of information, a well-written engineer resume should not exceed 2 pages.

Step 2: Choose the right resume format.

There are 3 most commonly seen resume formats:

• Chronological resume format: This is an ATS friendly resume format that adopts reverse chronological order to easily show the recruiter your work experience (from latest to oldest).
• Functional resume format: This format is preferable for those who have gaps in their work history as it categorizes work experience into different skills sections.
• Combination resume format: It is as what it is called, a combination of the chronological and functional resume formats. This format is suitable for those who have a substantial amount of work experience.

Step 3: Look up resume templates & examples online for reference.

Use the internet to your advantage. You could use a lot of different keywords to look at engineering resume samples. You might also refer to some resume format for freshers engineers or resume format for experienced engineers to look at the differences and adopt some of the goods into your engineer resume.

Step 4: Tailor your resume for the job.

The purpose of a resume is to gain the chance for an interview for a specific job opening. Therefore, it is advisable to adjust the content of the engineering resume according to the job descriptions. The more correct keywords you have, the more likely you are to meet the requirements of the company.

Step 5: Proofread.

This sounds trivial but is often neglected by many applicants. It is very important to have someone proofread your engineering resume to check for any grammatical errors. Luckily, someone might also provide some additional insights during the process.

1. Resume Header (Personal Information)

A resume header generally consists of applicants’ details to let the hirer grasp the important details and information. 

You should include these:

• Professional title
• Email address
• Phone number
• Address or location
• LinkedIn (Optional)
• Personal website (Optional)

You should not include these:

• Sexual orientation
• Religion/belief
• Marital status

Example of resume header & profile:

Principal Engineer

[email protected] San Francisco, CA +666 332221 linkedin.com/in/pony-jones

2. Resume Title

Also known as a resume headline, a resume title is positioned at the top section of the resume to let the recruiter have a comprehensive view of your engineering resume.

To have a well-crafted resume title, you need to choose catchy and creative words to grasp the attention of the recruiter. Please also include your best achievements and qualifications. 

Example of a resume title for an engineer:

Detail-oriented Certified Information Security Manager

3. Resume Summary

An engineering resume summary or profile summary for engineers consists of 30-50 words explaining the relevant skills and capabilities of the applicant. It is best used as a section to sell yourself to the company. 

Example of a resume summary for an engineer:

Focus-oriented network professional with 5+ years of experience analyzing network issues with Cisco.  

4. Resume Objective

An engineering resume objective is a section consisting of 2-3 lines that explain the goal and objective of the applicant. Career objectives in resumes for engineers are often located on the top section of the resume.

Example of a resume objective for an engineer:

Looking for an information systems security position with ABX Company to apply  problem-solving and analytical skills. 

Hard skills are the pride of any engineer, yet the value of soft skills should not be undermined as they might allow you the chance to stand out among the best.

A good selection of engineering skills on the resume could let the company know if you have got what it takes to work with them.

Examples of hard skills for an engineering resume:

• Prototyping
• Workflow development

Examples of soft skills for an engineering resume:

• Critical reasoning

6. Work Experience

A great experience section for an engineering resume should be able to highlight the relevant  experience. 

The work experience section for an engineer resume could be written by including these several aspects:

• The name of the company
• The location of the company
• The title and/or position
• Employment dates:  include the month and year
• Responsibilities and achievements

Example of work experience on an engineering resume:

PPOP Company | Pittsburgh, PA Technical Support Specialist 01/2012 - 01/2018

• Solved 100+  first-tier technical troubles
• Maintained the machines budget at under 20% from 2015 to 2017

7. Education

For fresh engineering graduates with little experience, the education section often appears on the first half of the resume.

In the resume for experienced engineers, the education section comes in second right after the work experience section. 

The education section should cover these few elements:

• Major(s) and/or minor(s)
• The graduation year
• The school’s name and location
• Honors or awards

Example of education on an engineering resume:

Carnegie Mellon University, PA B.S in Engineering 2016 - 2020

8. Additional Information

Besides all the basic requirements to include in your engineering resume, there are also several additional pieces of information that could make your resume more complete. 

• References: Reference from people you had great working chemistry and relationships with will do more good than harm to your future job search.  Some companies still required the applicant to attach some references to help them further evaluate the candidate. 
• Hobbies: You could include hobbies in your resume if the hobbies are closely related to engineering or beneficial to the position you are applying for.  
• Declaration: The declaration section is pretty common for some formal applications, especially for traditional companies, governmental sectors, and academic institutions.  Simply put down the applicant’s signature and date to assure that the provided information is correct and trustworthy.

Example of hobbies on an engineering resume:

Photography

✏️ Note:  Photography is a hobby suitable for someone who is applying for a mechanical engineering position in the camera and optical sensor industry to put on the resume.

👍 1: Customize the resume for the job.

A well-customized engineer resume will increase your likelihood of getting an interview. First, read through the job description and tailor the resume in accordance with the job requirements. Include only relevant previous work experience and relatable skill sets. 

👍 2: Quantify results on resumes.

The hirers would be pleased to see any supporting numbers on your resume since it will give them a basic idea of your capabilities and previous achievements as an engineer. 

👍 3: Craft an ATS-friendly resume.

Many competitive global companies have integrated the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to do a preliminary screening of candidates before their resumes reach the hirer’s desk. 

How to create an ATS-friendly resume format for engineers:

• Follow the common structure and labeling for sections in your engineering resume.
• Use a chronological resume format.
• Utilize keywords that match with work descriptions.
• Avoid using unnecessary visual aids.
• Opt for commonly used fonts (Arial, Calibri, and Times New Roman).
• Convert the engineer resume into  a PDF file.

👍 4: Adopt resume action words .

Action verbs show that an applicant is ready and made for the job opening. It also made the overall  tone of your engineering resume sound more confident and straightforward.

👍 5: Create your own resume template for engineering jobs.

Sometimes, you might need to send out hundreds of engineering resumes in order to get your dream job. However, it might take forever to write  them one by one to the specific job descriptions. 

Therefore, you could create your own outline and resume structure, and a list of useful and relatable skill sets for engineering jobs and make small adjustments to your template for each job you’re applying for.

It might be a little tricky and brain wrecking for fresh graduates with little to no experience in creating their first entry-level engineering resume.

Below is some advice to make your engineering resume with no experience look professional:

✅ Advice 1: Use skill-based (functional) resume format.

The functional resume format is recommended for fresh engineering graduates since it focuses more on the specific skills one attains from certain experiences or volunteering activities. 

The hirer’s attention will be diverted directly to certain skill sets and expertise of applicants.

✅ Advice 2: Include a career objective statement.

A well-written career objective statement could  distinguish you from other applicants. By writing your goal and what you can provide for the company, you could show the hirer your dedication, willingness to learn, and value.

Besides, it could also provide a brief overview of your key strengths..

✅ Advice 3: Highlight your educational qualifications.

Unlike experienced engineer's resumes, a recent graduate’s resume should underline the education section since the applicant lacks professional experience.

Therefore, fresh engineers could instead put emphasis on academy-related experience, for example, the school, major(s), GPA, club activities, relevant courses, and achievements on their resumes. 

James Flinn

Mechanical Engineer

[email protected] Seattle, WA +222 99332211

Professional Statement

Hardworking LEED-certified Mechanical Engineer with 3+ experience in troubleshooting and maintenance.  Solved multiple technical errors daily and engaged in 15+ one-to-one basis project management cases. 

Work Experience

LALA Company | Seattle, WA Senior Mechanical Engineer January 2016 - January 2021

• Trained and mentored 100 junior engineers annually.
• Completed 10 projects with budgets of over $10 million 
• Collaborated with Cisco to create computer-aided design

MAX Company | Seattle, WA  Junior Mechanical Engineer January 2012 - December 2015

• Assisted in developing system security network
• Supervised 10 engineer interns

Hard Skills

Soft skills.

• Problem-solving
• Observation skills
• Communication
• Interpersonal skills

Northeastern University B.S in Engineering (2008 - 2012)

CakeResume provides the right engineering resume templates & formats for you to showcase your skills and experiences. Sign up to create and download the best engineering resume Now for free!

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--- Originally written by Fedrick Hansen ---

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How to List Engineering Skills on a Resume: Best Skills and Examples

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Why employers want to see engineering skills on your resume

How to list engineering skills on a resume, best engineering skills to add to a resume, how to improve engineering skills.

Engineering is divided into several different branches, each requiring a distinct set of skills. Both technical and soft skills are an essential addition to your engineering resume. In this article, find out which engineering skills you should include on your resume and how to list them effectively.

Engineers operate in various industries, and employers want to select candidates with distinct skills that are relevant to their specific industry. Given that engineers are creative problem-solvers, they must have the technical skills to succeed in these types of innovative roles. Engineers must also be able to demonstrate the interpersonal skills, or soft skills, that employers are seeking such as communication and leadership.

Follow these steps to list engineering skills on your resume:

1. First, review the job posting  

Each skill that you add to your resume must be custom-tailored to the specific needs of the engineering field you are applying for. Take your time to carefully read the job posting, then list your applicable skills that are relevant to the job. 

2. Second, make a list of your strongest skills

Write a list of the various skills that you have acquired. Compare this list with the job requirements. By doing this step, you will be able to decide which skills you are going to include in your skills list and work experience section. You should also be able to see where they intersect with the specific job requirements. 

3. Next, highlight specific examples of your engineering skills in your work experience

If you have a particular skill that is relevant to the job, support it with a suitable example. For example, describe an instance in which you used your data modeling skills in a previous role. 

4. Last, organize your skills to make them easier to read

This is achievable through the use of logically organized bullet points. Use a clear, easy-to-read format to list the skills you choose. It is usually best to list skills in a one- or two-column format on a resume. 

Here is a list of the best engineering skills to add to your resume: 

• Statistics and probability skills. Closely intertwined abilities with machine-learning logarithms, which are applicable in removing data uncertainties
• System design skills. Ability to understand how smaller components can fit into larger systems of services and products
• Data modeling skills.  Ability to estimate the underlying structures of datasets to identify useful patterns
• Computer science fundamentals. Ability to show familiarity with logarithms, computer memory manipulation and data structures 
• Giving and receiving feedback. Ability to provide kind, actionable and honest feedback when working with teams as well as being able to listen attentively for feedback from other members of the team
• Attention to detail. Ability to consider a myriad of details from the problem-solving and concept stages to the testing and modeling phases, and ensuring that nothing critical gets lost in the process
• Problem-solving and critical thinking skills. Ability to approach every problem and task with a calm and analytical mind, and being able to solve all aspects of issues at reduced risk levels
• Desire to learn.  Staying updated on industry trends while absorbing new technologies 
• Excellent communication skills. Ability to give instructions to members of the team, and being able to explain various concepts to managers and clients clearly and concisely 
• Management and leadership skills. Ability to take on responsibilities and lead a team by knowing when to mentor, how to use the strengths of a team member, and how to recognize other people’s skills

Having the most appealing skills on your resume will make your application an attention grabber, thus putting you at a competitive advantage. 

Here are a few steps you can take to improve your engineering skills:

1. First, attend several training sessions

The best way to build your knowledge and skills is by attending training sessions. Such training enables you to refresh your current skills while also developing new ones. Learning new skills can make you a dependable employee who is dedicated to keeping up with industry trends. 

2. Second, ask plenty of questions

If you don’t understand something, the best thing you can do is ask for help. You can be resourceful and research on your own or ask coworkers directly. 

3. Third, learn things by doing them

The best approach for new engineers may be hands-on learning. You could ask to collaborate on some ongoing projects in order to gain some new experience at work. Depending on your field of interest, you could join a club or organization to develop your technical skills or teamwork abilities.

4. Fourth, embrace changing technology

Engineering is never a static field. There are always rapid changes in technologies and, as an engineer, you must be ready and willing to take up the changes as they come. This way, you will remain flexible and prepared to learn the best approaches to give to any situation, thus improving your efficiency and work output.

Improving your engineering skills will enable you to increase your work efficiency. It is also one way of preparing yourself to advance your career. 

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How To Make Your Entry-Level Engineering Resume Stand Out

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According to Glassdoor, for one job opening, only 2% of applicants will be called in for an interview. Yikes…that sounds intimidating. But don’t stress, I’m here to help you be part of that 2% by letting you know how to make your entry-level engineering resume stand out.    

You see, I have been on both sides of this process. As an engineering student, I held three internships and landed my dream job out of college. Then, as an engineer I have interviewed numerous candidates ranging from co-ops to principal engineers. Moreover, I’ve worked at a number of career fairs. Therefore, I am going to give you insight into what employers are looking for, which will make you stand out.

First, let’s start with what not to do. Hiring managers are bombarded with resumes so they look for easy mistakes to quickly cut the pile down.  As reported by Careerbuilder, 39% of HR managers spend less than a minute initially looking at a resume and 19% spend less than 30 seconds . Therefore, make sure you don’t give them a reason to pass you by, by avoiding the mistakes below.

Here’s what not to do if you want to make your entry-level engineering resume standout:

1. don’t list course work.

By stating you are an engineering major you are already covering this. It also takes up space that you could be using for valuable information to make you stand out. The majority of resumes I’ve seen from students include a course section, but yours won’t!

Instead think about what you did in those courses. For example, did you learn a specific skill? Did you complete a project? What was the outcome of the project? Did you lead a team working on a group project? This is much more important to an employer than listing classes. In addition, it is great to use if you do not have any relevant work experience. This is the information to include instead.`

2. Don’t Include An Interests Section

The interests section immediately makes the employer assume you are trying to take up space because you are lacking experience. It looks unprofessional as well. The only exception is if the interests relates to the job. For instance, you participated in a robotics club or you enjoy carpentry. These are hands on interests that are relevant to engineering. On the other hand, maybe you traveled to over 40 countries and the job you are applying for is a global company. If the job requires a lot of travel, then this would be okay to add as well.

You can also highlight your personality using a volunteer section for your resume. Think of it as what can you do for the company as opposed to an about me. So keep the relevant interests and ditch the irrelevant, like gym enthusiast (yes, that was on a resume).

This one might be shocking to you, but I have seen it a number of times so it made the list. If you are doing all of the work to get an engineering degree, please list it on your resume correctly. Do not list a Bachelor of Arts when you are getting a Bachelor of Science. You can verify the degree you are receiving by looking in the course catalog under your major. There, you can double check how your degree and major should be listed on your resume.

4. Don’t Have An Unprofessional Email Address

This may not seem like a big deal, but it is. Employers are looking for quick ways to review resumes so do not give them an easy reason to reject yours. Surprisingly, 35% of employers will reject your resume if it has an unprofessional email address. Usually your school email address is appropriate because it will usually be your name, such as [email protected]. So use that instead of your personal email address you created in high school that might not be professional.

5. Don’t List Something You Cannot Speak

There is nothing worse than sitting in an interview and being asked about something on your resume, that you cannot answer. Everything on your resume you should be able to talk about. Answering questions about your resume should be the easy part of the interview.

For example, if you list that you designed a specific part for a group project, you may be asked to explain how you did it or what materials you used. If you cannot elaborate or answer easy questions about a topic, it is better to leave it off your resume.

Here’s what you should do to make your entry-level engineering resume standout:

1. start with the basics.

• Key sections you should include are contact information, education, work experience, projects, skills (computer, languages, activities/volunteer/leadership), and awards/honors.
• Add your GPA to the education section if it is a 3.0 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
• Make sure to list your employment and project work experience in order of most recent to oldest.
• Use bullet points under each section to make your resume easy to read.
• Start each bullet point with an action verb, such as developed, designed, led, and organized.

2. Customize Your Resume To The Job Description

The first thing you should do when you want to apply for a job is to start with the job description. Review it and note the requirements that align with your skills and experiences. Make sure that these are included in your resume.

Remember, your job is to show the employer how you can help them. The contents of your resume should be relevant to the company. An easy way to do this is by using what they are looking for and including it in your resume.  Careerbuilder says 60% of HR managers pay attention to whether their resume has been customized to their open position.  Therefore, by doing this you will stand out!

However, make sure you do not copy the job description. Make sure it is in your own words and that it fits naturally. In addition, do not over stuff your resume with the job description, otherwise it will seem like you are just copying the job description.

If you are applying to multiple jobs, then it is okay and a best practice to have multiple versions of your resume. This way you will ensure you are tailoring each resume to the specific job you are applying.

3. Highlight Your Work Experience And Technical Accomplishments​

Many students sell themselves short when it comes to their accomplishments and experience. For example, I have seen an entry-level engineering resume that has internship experience listed, but one of the bullets is-  Performed testing.  Testing is valuable experience, but this person is selling themselves short. You see, they did not include the equipment they used, what they tested, why they did the testing, and the result.

Including the equipment used will show your knowledge of test equipment. Also, noting what you tested and why demonstrates the importance of the testing to the project. Above all, including the result shows the value you brought the company, which again, is what all employers care about.

Therefore, a simple equation for writing a description that is sure to stand out is  action verb + task accomplished + result=great bullet .  Following this equation the above example could be improved to-  Performed  tensile testing using an Instron  to  determine which material to choose for the design .

Whenever possible, it is great to include numbers, such as dollars made or percent of time saved, for your result. This quantifies your impact, which will impress employers.Using this formula will ensure you stand out by thoroughly explaining your experience!

This section is particularly important if you have not had an internship yet. Your project work will be the most relevant representation of your work. This is a section many students leave off and it is a big mistake. You will stand out if you have this. Also, you can include anything from personal research projects to group projects. When describing the project on your resume, identify your role in the project, your contribution or responsibilities, and the outcome.

This is also a great place to emphasize your soft skills. Soft skills are also referred to as interpersonal skills. Some of these skills include communication, organization, and critical thinking. These are extremely important in engineer because engineers work with so many different people. Don’t just take my word for it. According to LinkedIn, 92% of talent professionals say soft skills matter as much or more than hard skills when they hire.  Why is that? Soft skills are often challenging to teach. Most employers feel they can teach new hires technical skills, which is part of the on the job training. However, it is much more difficult to teach someone soft skills. Therefore, make sure to include these in your resume if you want to stand out!

Need some inspiration for the technical and soft skills employers are looking for? The good news is that we’ve built a  quick summary list  that covers all the skills so you can quickly identify your strengths to highlight on your resume and next interview, this will definitely pay off! For a limited time, get  your free list now !

5. Include Categories In Your Skills Section

Having a skills section is critical for engineers. Some categories you could include are lab techniques and equipment, computer software, and languages. Make sure to include your experience or skill level for each (such as novice, intermediate, and expert).

For computer software, don’t forget to include the Microsoft Office Suite. This might seem obvious, like everyone knows this so why put it on your resume. However, it usually is in the job description, which you are trying to have your resume align with. Also, Word, PowerPoint, and Excel are critical in engineering. In addition if you are proficient in one of these areas, such as Excel, you should highlight that in the skills section.

6. Save As A PDF

Make sure you save your resume as a PDF and not a word document. Saving it as a PDF will ensure your formatting you worked so hard on is not impacted by the device the hiring manager views it on.

For example, if you write your resume on a Mac using Pages, the manager could open the document on a PC using Word. This could impact your formatting. Saving it as a PDF will ensure this does not happen.

If you already have a resume or you are just starting to draft yours, making sure you follow the suggestions above will make you stand out. To sum it up, be sure you avoid these five mistakes:

• Don’t list course work
• Don’t include an interests section
• Don’t list the wrong degree
• Don’t have an unprofessional email address
• Don’t list something you cannot speak to

On the other hand, make sure you follow the guidelines below:

• Start with the basics
• Customize your resume to the job description
• Highlight your work experience and technical accomplishments
• Detail your project experience
• Include categories in your skills section
• Save as a PDF

By avoiding these 5 mistakes and following these 6 best practices will make your entry-level engineering resume stand out amongst your peers.

Need some inspiration for the technical and soft skills employers are looking for? The good news is that we’ve built a  quick summary list   that covers all the skills so you can quickly identify your strengths to highlight on your resume and next interview, this will definitely pay off! For a limited time, get  your free list now !

If you enjoyed this article on how to make your entry-level engineering resume stand out or have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below!

• 10 Things Aspiring Engineers Should Know How To Do
• How To Prepare For A Career Fair
• The Best Advice I Ever Received As An Engineering Student

Source: Engineering Expectations

• • Worked on innovative projects, contributing to a 10% increase in company innovation
• • Used experience to provide strategic value adds to the organization, leading to a 20% increase in efficiency
• • Demonstrated skills, responsibility, and entrepreneurial spirit, leading to a 15% increase in project completion speed

5 Entry Level Engineering Resume Examples & Guide for 2024

Your entry level engineering resume must highlight relevant education credentials. Emphasize any engineering coursework, projects, or programs you've completed. Additionally, showcase your problem-solving abilities and relevant technical skills. Employers look for practical experience, so include internships, lab work, or any hands-on projects.

All resume examples in this guide

Traditional

Resume Guide

How to write an entry-level engineering resume: getting started, entry-level engineering resume header: how to make it short and sweet, how to make your student or entry-level engineering objective memorable, entry-level engineering resume experience section: things to know, what skills to feature on an entry-level engineer resume, entry-level engineering resume education: how to position it, what certificates to add in my entry-level engineer resume, other sections to include on your resume, summary and action points for your next entry-level engineering resume.

There was a story about this graduate who was looking for his first job in the engineering world.

Over a few years he applied to 400 job listings with his entry level Engineering resume.

Do you know how many interviews he got? Three.

Do you know what the problem is? These days that’s considered a success.

Mechanical Engineers, for example, send out an average of 100 resumes before landing an interview and then wait up to 90 days before getting a job offer. That’s if they even get one.

Are you ready to send your first 100 resumes? That’s what we thought.

How about we help you to create a highly effective entry level Engineer resume and possibly cut this number in half. Or more.

How? You gotta know the game. Read on.

This Entry-Level Engineer resume will teach you:

• How to make use of our 10+ resume examples from real candidates.
• What are the biggest myths in entry-level resume applications?
• Which resume layout works best for entry-level Engineer resumes.
• How to show your soft skills without coming off too vague.
• How to emphasize your education and certification sections for greater impact.

Looking for related resume guides? We got you covered.

• Engineering resume examples
• Entry-level Mechanical Engineer resume examples
• Electrical Engineering resume examples
• Industrial Engineer resume examples
• Manufacturing Engineer resume examples
• Mechanical Engineer resume examples
• Quality Engineer resume examples

Finding engineering work is tough, we already know that much. What you don’t know, however, is that most advice you hear on how to write an entry level engineering resume simply won’t work.

Myth #1: “Play the numbers game. Send as many applications every day as possible and eventually you’ll land an interview.”

You can’t play the numbers game, because the game is rigged.

Recruiters look for very specific things (we’ll talk about those very soon) in your entry level Engineering resume.

If you get those wrong, you’ll be rejected again and again no matter how many resumes you send out.

Myth #2: “I have a GPA above a 3.0, I’ll have no problems getting this job”

GPA alone doesn’t matter much. In fact, there are at least two things that mean more to recruiters on any given day: internships and relevant experience.

Our HR won't even pass the resume to me without the keywords ‘internship’ or ‘co-op’ (cooperative education), but then again we get over 150 applicants for our entry level positions.

Engineer lead on Reddit.com

We’ll talk about what to do about that in your junior engineering resume in the “Summary” and “Experience” sections.

Myth #3: “All that matters are my technical skills”

[In your Summary:] “I know AutoCAD, MATLAB, Excel…” just stop. The recruiter is already reading the next resume.

Yes, technical skills are the bread and butter of your profession. Yes, you diligently learned them. Yes, you have them. So do all of your 20+ classmates actively looking for a job.

How do you stand out?

In the eyes of employers, tech skills are something you can learn while working. You can learn all the missing technical skills you need during the first two months of your job anyway.

On the other hand, who will teach you soft skills? Leadership, communication, collaboration - these you can’t teach in two months. And yet, successful engineers need them.

The ability to work on big projects, to build relationships with clients, to help people - those are the qualities that will make your resume stand out.

Even if you demonstrated those doing volunteer summer work.

We’ll talk more about soft skills and how to effectively present them in your entry level Engineer resume’s “Skills” section.

Let’s talk about how you structure all those sections in your resume.

What’s the proper layout for entry-level Engineer resumes

Even though you’re applying for an entry-level Engineering position, your resume should be nothing short of a professional looking document.

It should present your strengths and experiences in a clean and structured manner.

The sample entry-level Engineering resume example we’ve included above is built on the theory behind Hybrid resumes.

In hybrid resumes, both skills and work experience are key sections that bring a cohesive narrative of your work history.

Have a look at our article to learn more about how to create the best hybrid resume .

Afterwards, you’d only have to make sure you’ve picked up a legible and professional font to finish off a great design.

You’re now ready for the next step and fill the layout with the relevant resume sections.

Let’s have a closer look at each of them separately.

For more information on the best resume formats, read our guide: The Best Resume Formats You Need to Consider (5+ Examples Included) .

Even though most entry level jobs have the word “Entry” in their title, you don’t necessarily need to insert this word in your resume header.

This title gives off a rookie vibe. The thing is, most companies, even when looking to fill entry-level positions, prefer candidates with at least some experience.

That is why you often see “0-3 years of experience” in their requirements.

If you apply with “entry” in your header, your resume will automatically have a lower priority because it gives off this “inexperienced” vibe.

To raise your chances, use a title that is close or relevant to the position you’re applying for, e.g. Civil Engineer, Mechanical Engineer and so on.

Also notice that you missed an opportunity to demonstrate your social skills.

What about your LinkedIn profile? It provides evidence that you have connections and can network. Talk about soft skills.

Also, in your LinkedIn profile you can demonstrate memberships in major engineering organizations, such as ASME or EYE (European Young Engineers).

If you want more ideas for stand-out resume headers, read through our guide Perfecting Your Resume Header so You Get Noticed .

Your header signals experience and even slightly hints at your developed soft skills. Let’s grab the recruiter’s attention with a catchy summary.

The summary is, perhaps, the most critical section of your entry level Engineering resume. If you got it wrong, recruiters won’t even bother reading further.

So how do you write it? To answer this question, we should first talk about how you don’t write it.

Anything below a GPA of 3.0 automatically urges recruiters to stop reading your resume. The national average is 3.0 and most engineering jobs aim for that number.

If you have a lower GPA, it's not the end of the world. Just don’t mention it. Especially don’t start your resume with it.

If anything, the first things you need to mention in your resume summary are internships and co-ops . If you have them, by all means monetize on that.

It sets you apart from all the candidates that don’t have those.

If you don’t have internships, you have to focus on work-related experience. Don’t just list your technical skills.

You’ll have a “Skills” section for that.

Instead, bring up your biggest achievements relevant to the position you’re applying for.

These may be: volunteer work, outside the classroom activities, college special projects and your role in them. Just keep it short.

If you have a lot to talk about, consider writing a cover letter.

For more tips on crafting an attention-grabbing resume summary, check out our guide Resume Summary: How-To Guide (30+ Examples You Need To See) .

If you’re looking to craft a compelling resume objective instead, read our writing tips at 10 Resume Objective Examples You Need to Steal (How-to-Guide) .

After writing a convincing summary section, what is the next step? Your experience section.

How do you write your experience section, when you have no experience? Change your perspective.

Look at it this way: you do have some experience. Just not in the sense that it is commonly meant.

Student projects, volunteer work, internships, and personal projects - you can write about anything that is relevant to the position you’re applying for, or that is relevant to engineering as a whole.

Tip #1 : if you graduated in engineering several years ago and have had only irregular work history since then, remove the dates.

Also, if you had an engineer internship several years ago and are looking for an engineering job just now, consider removing those dates from your resume as well.

The fact that you had an internship should not be offset by how long ago you did it.

Tip #2 : put the most relevant skills and work-related experience at the top.

If a position requires experience with CAD tools, emphasize it. Same with handling reports to Senior Engineers and developing project documents.

But don’t just blindly copy requirements from the job description, they are usually very vague and generic. Be specific in what you did.

• • Performed routine tasks assigned by engineers
• • Participated in electrical engineering for buildings
• • Developed plan drawings

There are three things that are wrong here:

• The experience is generic with no specific tasks mentioned. “Performed routine tasks” could mean mopping floors.
• No collaboration experience — recruiters can’t tell if you work well with others.
• No technical skills mentioned, which is a missed opportunity.

Here is how it’s done.

• • Worked in a team environment with other engineers and designers to design power (critical, life safety, emergency), lighting, data communications, and integrated process control systems.
• • Performed power, lighting and grounding calculations at the direction of mid and senior level engineers
• • Utilized AutoCAD and Revit to develop schematics and plan drawings

There are over 40 engineering degrees and your experience section for each one of them will look differently.

However, the key takeaways are the same: show your soft skills, collaborative experience, and technical skills while being specific about what you did.

Here’s a final example of the experience section for an entry level Mechanical Engineering resume. Observe mentioning of technologies and job-specific responsibilities.

• • Worked closely with equipment suppliers and plant staff to ensure successful operation of the plant.
• • Participated in the creation of preventative maintenance routines and bills of materials for new equipment.
• • Worked with modeling CAD tools to create mechanical models and accompanying drawings

For more ideas on how to create an actionable resume experience section, check out our guide How to Describe Your Resume Work Experience .

Most employers prefer T-shaped applicants. These individuals demonstrate a technical depth in their area of study as well as soft skills and different interests.

What that means is that it’s equally important to reflect both technical expertise and soft skills in your entry level Engineer resume.

Let’s start with technical skills.

Technical skills are the bread and butter of any engineering job and it’s critical to list them on your resume.

However, it’s even more critical for entry-level Engineer resumes, because those are most likely to be scanned by ATS robots for certain keywords.

While engineering responsibilities vary greatly from job to job, there are some technical skills you’ll see in most of the job descriptions.

Entry-level Engineers do a lot of project documenting and calculating while learning the ropes with senior Engineers, so make sure you mention tools like CAD , MATLAB , Microsoft Office.

Although not required, coding skills look great on an entry level Mechanical Engineering resume and most others.

Skills in Python and C++ allow you to automate many engineering tasks.

Also, the number of embedded robotics and automation jobs that need Mechanical Engineers with coding skills is growing every day.

Same with BigData — it’s not necessary, but can give you an edge for certain positions.

Top 7 technical skills for engineering student resumes

• CAD/CAE/CAM
• Microsoft Office

Now to the soft skills.

Soft skills are extremely valuable for entry level Engineers, because usually no one is deliberately teaching or studying them.

Yet, it’s important for Engineers to work well in a team, to effectively communicate their ideas and to successfully lead projects on their own.

So far we’ve tried, given the importance of soft skills during the resume screening process, to emphasize or hint at them in every previous section.

However, there is a devoted section for Soft skills and you’re reading it right now.

Don’t be generic.

There’s a huge temptation to simply start listing skills like “communication”, “leadership”, and “time management”.

There is a problem, though. Everyone is doing it. Recruiters don’t like generic resumes. They look as if they were written by someone else.

Or worse, they were written by someone who is not enthusiastic about a new job.

In any way, here’s how you write about your soft skills.

Don’t : Organization skills. Do : Organized student and local ASME conferences.

Don’t: Communication skills. Do : Was a key speaker at 2018 Boston ME Student Fair

Don’t : Leadership. Do : Led a student engineering project that won 2nd place at U.S.A Young Robotics competition

If any of your engineering student projects were covered by news or authoritative engineering publications, mention that too.

Are you still not sure what skills will win recruiters over? Check out our guide on How to Create A Resume Skills Section To Impress Recruiters (+10 Examples You Need to See) .

Now let’s talk about your education.

Almost every junior engineering position requires relevant education.

The only possible exception would be if a candidate has a relevant field experience.

There are over 40 engineering degrees. Some of those might be highly relevant to the job (e.g. Aerospace Engineering graduate going for NASA).

Others not so much (think Chemical Engineering graduate applying to Civil Engineering job).

If your education features a prestigious university (think USA top 10) and a relevant degree, by all means put the education section as close to the top as possible.

If, however, your education is not that relevant or you have a low GPA, de-prioritize this section and put it after your skills.

If you have a GPA above 3.0, emphasize it (e.g. make bold). IF, however, your GPA is lower than 3.0, consider not mentioning it altogether.

Browse more essential tips on how to feature education on your resume, in our guide Perfecting the Education Section on Your Resume .

Certifications are a valuable asset for any engineering graduate.

There are three types of certificates that might be helpful to you:

• Engineering certificates (FE)
• Technical tools certificates (AutoCAD certification, MATLAB)
• Engineering-related certificates (project-management & statistics Sigma6, ANSYS)

It’s a common job requirement for entry-level Engineers to pass the FE exam (The Fundamental of Engineering).

If you passed the FE and the job explicitly states it as a requirement, consider mentioning it not only in the Certification section, but also in your Summary or Experience sections.

Top 8 entry-level engineering certificates

• AutoCAD certification
• Mathworks (MATLAB)
• Sigma 6 (PM & QC)

Keep in mind that for every engineering branch (mechanical, civil, GM, electrical) there are specialized certifications. If you have those, prioritize them over technical ones.

For more information on how to properly list resume certifications, we recommend reading our guide How To List Certifications On A Resume (Examples Included) .

Depending on the company, job seniority level and your location, you may want to include more sections to your Entry-Level Engineering resume:

• Language skills
• Hobbies and interests
• Volunteer work
• LinkedIn on Resume

It’s better to spend some time writing a good resume than to spend time sending out a bad one.

Follow the advice in this guide and position yourself above the competition, because it’s quite fierce.

Here are the key takeaways from this guide:

• Focus on building a T-shape perception of your resume: combine deep technical knowledge with developed soft skills
• Emphasize your GPA only if it’s above 3.0
• Most likely you have engineering experience even when you think you don’t - focus your attention on what you did relevant to the position
• If you have an internship or co-op experience, prioritize it above anything else in your entry level Engineering resume

Looking to build your own Entry Level Engineering resume?

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What to Write in Email When Sending Resume to a Friend?

Matthew, the writer of nearly 500 resumes, how to list expected graduation date on your resume, the different ways of submitting a resume, how to include your relevant coursework on a resume, how can you reschedule your interview without ruining your chances.

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Software Engineer Skills to Put on a Resume + How to List Them

A comprehensive list of the most in-demand software engineering skills for your resume and step-by-step instructions for how to list your software skills for the greatest impact.

In this article

Creating a robust skills section on your resume is critical for software engineers aiming for their next career opportunity. With the highly competitive nature of the technology sector, a clear and strategic presentation of your key skills can set you apart from other candidates. 

Highlighting both your technical proficiencies and interpersonal abilities ensures you appear as a well-rounded professional. Equally important is strategically embedding these skills in other sections of your resume to create a cohesive narrative of your capabilities.

List of the Most Important Skills to Put on a Software Engineering Resume

Technical skills, programming languages, frameworks and libraries, tools and technologies, methodologies and practices.

• Agile/Scrum
• Test-Driven Development (TDD)
• Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD)
• Version Control Systems

Database Management

Soft skills.

• Communication: The ability to convey ideas clearly to stakeholders and team members.
• Problem-Solving: Proficiency in identifying issues and formulating effective solutions.
• Team Collaboration: Experience working within diverse and cross-functional teams.
• Adaptability: Capability to quickly adapt to new technologies and methodologies.
• Time Management: Efficient in managing and prioritizing tasks to meet deadlines.

How to Put Skills on a Software Engineer Resume

Creating a dedicated skills section.

Create a clear and focused skills section on your resume, typically between the summary and work experience sections. Use bullet points for easy readability and divide your skills into subsections if necessary.

Programming Languages:

• Java, Python, C++

Frameworks:

• React, Django, Node.js
• Docker, Git, Jenkins

Soft Skills:

• Effective Communication, Problem-Solving, Team Collaboration

Adding Skills to Other Resume Sections

Work Experience

Integrate relevant skills into your job descriptions. Highlight how you utilized specific skills to achieve significant results.

Software Engineer | XYZ Corp June 2020–Present

• Led a cross-functional team to develop a microservices architecture using Java and Spring Boot , reducing system downtime by 30%.
• Implemented CI/CD pipelines with Jenkins and Docker , accelerating the deployment process by 40%.
• Utilized problem-solving skills to debug and resolve critical production issues, improving software reliability.

Resume Summary

Incorporate top skills into your professional summary to immediately grab the attention of recruiters.

Summary Skilled Software Engineer with 5+ years of experience specializing in Java , React , and AWS . Proven track record in deploying robust systems, optimizing performance with CI/CD methodologies, and spearheading Agile development projects.

How to Tailor Your Skills to Match the Requirements from the Job Ad

• Analyze the Job Description: Identify keywords and recurring skills mentioned in the job posting. These are the skills the employer values most.
• Match Your Skills: Align your skills with those listed in the job ad. Focus on both technical and soft skills that are prominently featured.
• Prioritize Relevance: Highlight the most relevant skills first in your skills section, resume summary, and work experience descriptions.

Example Exercise:

If a job ad highlights requirements such as Python , Django , AWS , Agile , and Team Leadership , ensure these skills are prominent in your resume:

Lead Software Engineer | ABC Technologies January 2019–Present

• Directed a team of 10 developers in creating a robust API using Python and Django , enhancing data processing speeds by 50%.
• Orchestrated cloud solutions with AWS , achieving significant cost reductions.
• Promoted Agile practices to streamline project workflows and increase collaboration.

Programming Languages: Python

Frameworks: Django

Tools: AWS, Git

Soft Skills: Team Leadership, Agile Methodologies

Incorporating the right skills on your resume is fundamental for standing out in the crowded software engineering job market. By curating a dedicated skills section, embedding these skills into your job experiences and summary, and tailoring your resume to specific job requirements, you create a compelling and targeted application. This strategic approach not only showcases your technical prowess but also your ability to value and adapt to the demands of potential employers.

Editorial note: The first draft of this article has been created by AI. It has then undergone a normal editorial process, with our Editor-in-chief, Michael Tomaszewski , a Certified Professional Resume Writer, ensuring the advice in this piece is factually correct, in line with the best resume writing practices, and written in a clear, readable manner.

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Jobscan > Resume Formats

Resume Formats That Help Get You Job Interviews

Find out how to choose the best resume format to showcase your skills, experience, and achievements.

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A good resume format organizes your skills, experience, and achievements. It tells hiring managers what they need to know.

Having a good resume format is important for another reason. It helps applicant tracking systems (ATS) read and understand your resume.

ATS is a computer software that most companies use today to help them hire employees. One of the main jobs of ATS is to screen the hundreds of resumes that come in for every job opening.

If your resume isn’t formatted the right way, the ATS will have trouble reading it. This makes it far less likely that a hiring manager will see your resume.

Don’t worry! Choosing a resume format isn’t as hard as it sounds. This article will guide you through the process.

By the end of it, you’ll know which resume format is best for your situation.

The 3 basic resume formats

There are three basic resume formats to choose from. They are:

• Chronological – Lists your work history in order, starting with your most recent job first.
• Functional – Focuses on your skills and accomplishments instead of your work history.
• Hybrid – Places your skills and accomplishments at the top, before your work history.

It’s important to understand the pros and cons of each format. This allows you to choose the one that best suits your specific situation and career goals.

After choosing a format, consider using a resume template to help create your resume. A template is a pre-designed layout that provides a structured framework for presenting your skills and experience. All you have to do is fill in your information.

Jobscan has a variety of free resume templates you can use. Our templates come in all three resume formats and each one is ATS-friendly.

Chronological

The chronological resume format

Also known as the “reverse chronological” resume, this is the most common type of format. You’re most likely already familiar with it.

As the name suggests, this format lists your most recent job first. Then your second-most recent job, your third-most recent job, etc…

Why do hiring managers like the chronological resume?

Hiring managers often prefer the chronological resume format for several reasons:

• It’s easy to follow – Recruiters can scan through your resume. It’s easy for them to find the companies you’ve worked for and the positions you’ve held.
• It’s the most traditional – Hiring managers are very familiar with this format. It won’t confuse them.
• It shows your career growth – Your work history makes it easy for recruiters to see how your career is going.

Who should use the chronological resume format?

Because this resume format focuses on work experience, it’s often used by job seekers who:

Have a strong work history

This format is ideal for job seekers who have lots of relevant work experience. It allows recruiters to see your career trajectory at a glance. They can get a good sense of the breadth and depth of your expertise.

Work in traditional industries

Many traditional industries prefer the chronological format. These industries include finance, engineering, healthcare, and legal professions. These sectors generally place a strong emphasis on a candidate’s work history.

Have a stable career path

The chronological resume is good at showing steady career growth within an industry. Hiring managers like to see this because it shows commitment.

How to set up a chronological resume

The reverse chronological resume contains the following sections, from top to bottom:

• Contact Information : Begin your resume with your name, phone number, and email address. You can also include a professional website or LinkedIn profile (if applicable).
• Resume Summary : This is a short statement about your goals, qualifications, and experience. It should provide a snapshot of your professional profile.
• Work Experience : This is the heart of the chronological resume. List your jobs in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent position. Include the company name, job title, and dates of employment. Add a brief description of your responsibilities and accomplishments for each role.
• Education : This section should also be in reverse chronological order. List degrees earned, school names, and graduation dates. You may also want to list academic honors or certifications relevant to your field.
• Skills : This section allows you to highlight relevant skills. Include both hard and soft skills.
• Additional Sections : Depending on your background, you may choose to include more sections. These could include volunteer work, hobbies, publications, or foreign languages.

You don’t have to create your resume from scratch. You can use a resume template. This is a pre-designed layout that includes all the sections listed above. All you have to do is fill in your information.

Jobscan has free resume templates . Each one is ATS-friendly and can be easily customized to suit your needs.

Pros and cons of the chronological resume format

• Draws attention to employment gaps – Shows if you’ve had periods of unemployment or job breaks.
• Not ideal for career changers – Does not highlight your transferable skills. These are important if you are making a significant career change.
• Less focus on skills – Does not immediately highlight your specific skills. These are listed later in a separate skills section.
• Emphasizes career progression – Highlights promotions, increased responsibilities, and relevant experience.
• Preferred by recruiters – This makes it easy for them to assess your work history.
• Shows career stability – A stable career shows commitment to a job or industry.
• ATS-friendly – Applicant tracking systems are familiar with this format. They should have no problem reading and understanding your information.

Functional resume format

This is also known as the skills-based resume format. It’s quite different from the chronological resume format.

The chronological format focuses on your work history. The functional format focuses on your skills and achievements. It minimizes your work experience.

This has several advantages:

• Focusing on your skills helps recruiters see if you can do the job.
• This format downplays negatives like employment gaps, career changes, and limited work experience. Instead, it focuses on positives, such as your transferable skills.
• This format also focuses on achievements that are relevant to the job you’re applying to. This makes it easier for recruiters to assess your capabilities.

Why do hiring managers like the functional format?

Actually, hiring managers don’t like the functional resume format!

This is because the lack of work experience makes it hard for them to understand your career. The functional format can also hide periods of unemployment. Hiring managers prefer transparency.

Another big reason why you shouldn’t use the functional resume format is that it’s not ATS-friendly.

ATS scan resumes for specific keywords, job titles, and dates. They use this information to assess an applicant’s qualifications for a specific job.

But functional resumes don’t focus on job titles and dates. So the ATS might have trouble reading and understanding them. As a result, functional resumes may not receive high rankings from an ATS.

Who should use the functional resume format?

While we don’t recommend using a functional resume, it can help certain job seekers. Especially those who:

Have transferable skills

Are you considering a career change? The functional format might be for you. It emphasizes your transferable skills that are relevant to the desired role.

Transferable skills are abilities that you can use in any job in any field or industry. They include things like communication, problem-solving, leadership, time management, organization, and adaptability.

Have limited work experience

The functional resume is for recent graduates or people with limited work experience. This is because it highlights things like your school achievements, hobbies, and volunteering.

Have employment gaps

The functional format downplays gaps in your work history. It redirects the focus of hiring managers toward your skills.

How to set up a functional resume

When creating a functional resume, follow this structure:

• Contact Information: This is the same regardless of which resume format you choose. Include your name, phone number, email address, and location.
• Resume Summary: The resume summary provides a concise snapshot of your qualifications. It should touch upon your unique skills, expertise, and accomplishments. The goal is to attract the reader’s interest.
• Skills Section : This is the heart of your functional (or skills-based) resume. This section should include a combination of hard skills (technical abilities specific to the job) and soft skills (transferable skills like communication , leadership , problem-solving , etc.).
• Use bullet points when creating your skills section. List your most relevant skills first. Whenever possible, try to include achievements that display relevant skills.
• Work Experience: Whatever work experience you have should come after your skills section. Don’t list detailed job descriptions. Instead, focus on the accomplishments, projects, and experiences that show your skills.
• Education : Include information about your educational background. This includes degrees earned, institution names, and graduation dates. Also include relevant coursework, certifications , or academic achievements.

If you don’t want to build your functional resume from scratch, try Jobscan’s free resume templates . They’re easy to customize and each one is ATS-friendly.

Pros and cons of the functional resume format

• Lack of detailed work history – Employers often want to see your work experience to see if you can do the job.
• No career timeline – Recruiters may find it hard to grasp the chronology of your work experience. This is because the focus is on your skills.
• Less suitable for established industries – Some industries focus more on work history.
• Highlights skills and achievements – This shows employers that you have what it takes to do the job.
• Good for career changers – This format focuses on your transferable skills. These give recruiters a good idea of your potential.
• Hides employment gaps – This format can lessen concerns about gaps in your work history.

Hybrid resume format

The hybrid resume format is becoming more popular. It combines the best aspects of the chronological and functional resume formats.

That’s why it’s called a hybrid .

The hybrid resume emphasizes both skills and work history. It features a dedicated skills section at the top of the resume. Below that is a chronological work experience section.

This format is especially helpful when you have lots of work experience but also want to show off your skills and accomplishments.

Why do hiring managers like the hybrid format?

Hiring managers appreciate the hybrid resume format for several reasons:

• It strikes a balance – Recruiters can see your skills and your work experience.
• It focuses on key skills – Sometimes recruiters want to make sure you have the skills to do the job. This resume format tells them immediately.
• It shows career progression – The hybrid resume provides a clear overview of your career path.

Who should use the hybrid resume format?

Anyone can use the hybrid resume format to great advantage. It’s especially suited to job seekers who:

Have a diverse skill set

You might have the perfect skills for the job. But your work experience is a little weak. This format allows you to feature your skills while downplaying your work experience.

Want to emphasize achievements

The hybrid format allows you to showcase achievements as well as skills at the top of your resume.

Are changing careers

The hybrid is good if you are transitioning to a new field. It focuses more on your transferable skills and slightly less on your work history.

How to set up a hybrid resume

When creating a hybrid resume, follow this structure:

• Contact Information : Begin with your name, contact details, phone number, and email address. You can also include your professional website or LinkedIn profile (if applicable).
• Resume Summary: Try to distill your entire resume into a short, easy-to-read blurb. Summaries can help career changers who need a place to explain a shift in career trajectory.
• Skills Section : Use bullet points to list your skills and achievements. Include both hard skills and soft skills.
• Work Experience: List your jobs in reverse chronological order. Start with your most recent or current position. Include the company name, job title, and dates of employment. Also, include a brief description of your responsibilities and accomplishments for each role.
• Education : List your education as you would on a chronological resume. Include degrees earned, school names, and graduation dates. You may also want to list academic honors or certifications relevant to your field.

If you don’t want to build your hybrid resume from scratch, try Jobscan’s free resume templates . They’re easy to customize and each one is ATS-friendly.

Pros and cons of the hybrid resume format

• Can result in a longer resume – The hybrid format may result in a longer resume. This is due to the inclusion of both a skills section and a detailed work history. But this shouldn’t be a problem as long as your resume isn’t more than two pages.
• Requires more thought – It can be hard to achieve the right balance between skills and work history. It requires thoughtful consideration and planning.
• Highlights your skills – By showing your skills first, this format captures the attention of hiring managers who are looking for them.
• Showcases your career progression – This format includes a chronological work experience section. This gives employers a good sense of your professional background and experience.
• Adaptable – The hybrid resume is flexible and easy to customize for specific jobs.
• ATS-friendly – ATS should have no problem reading this type of resume format.

If you’re still not sure which format to use for your resume, follow this flowchart to help you decide based on your situation.

How to format your resume so an ATS can read it

It’s important to choose the right resume format. But it’s also important to optimize your resume layout and content for an ATS.

If your resume is not optimized for an ATS, it’s less likely to make it into the hands of a hiring manager. Even if you have relevant skills and experience.

Here are some tips for creating a resume that will get past the initial screening of an ATS.

• Use standard fonts – Stick to common fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman. Avoid fancy or decorative fonts. The ATS may not recognize them.
• Keep it simple – Avoid excessive formattings, such as tables, images, or graphics, as they may confuse the ATS.
• Use simple headings – Use headings like “Work Experience,” “Education,” and “Skills”. The ATS can read these without a problem.
• Use plain text – Stick to basic formatting like bullet points and simple indentation. Avoid using headers or footers, text boxes, columns, or special characters.
• Use a font size that is easy to read – The recommended font size is 11-12 pt for regular text and 14-16 pt for section titles.
• Use the right margin – Make sure that the margins on all sides of your resume are 1 inch so that it doesn’t look too crowded.
• Include relevant keywords – Read the job description and pick out prominent keywords. Incorporate these keywords throughout your resume. This helps the ATS recognize your qualifications. It will then rank your resume higher in the search results.
• Use standard file formats – Save your resume as a .docx or .pdf file. These formats are widely compatible with most ATS systems.
• Avoid abbreviations and acronyms – Spell out acronyms and avoid excessive abbreviations. The ATS may not recognize uncommon abbreviations.
• Keep the file name simple – When saving your resume, use a simple file name. You could use the word “resume” for example. This makes it easier for the ATS and hiring managers to identify and organize your file.

Pro Tip : Use Jobscan’s free resume templates to start building your resume. All our templates are ATS-friendly and easy to customize.

5 tips for writing a resume that will get you interviews

Here are some additional tips that will help you create an effective resume:

Tailor each resume to the job you are applying for

Don’t make the mistake of sending out the exact same resume with every application. Yes, it’s easy. It’s also ineffective.

Instead, read the job description to find out which skills and qualifications are most important. Then try to include those skills on your resume.

When you use the same language on your resume that’s found in the job description, you increase your chances of getting an interview.

Highlight achievements as well as responsibilities

While it’s important to list your job responsibilities on your resume, you also want to highlight accomplishments .

Responsibilities are what you did. Accomplishments are how well you did it.

For example, if you increased sales or reduced costs, be sure to mention these accomplishments.

Use action verbs

Action verbs paint a clearer picture of your qualifications. They increase the overall impact of your resume.

Instead of simply stating that you were “responsible for” a certain task or project, explain how you took charge and made it happen.

For example, you could say that you “spearheaded a new initiative” or “coordinated a complex team effort.”

Use numbers

Try to use numbers whenever possible. Numbers show the true scope of your accomplishments to hiring managers.

Instead of saying that you “Created marketing campaigns” you could say that you “Created 10 successful marketing campaigns that generated a 20% increase in leads.”

Use active voice, not passive

Always try to use active voice instead of passive voice when writing your resume. Active voice is more direct, concise, and easier to read.

In active voice, the subject of the sentence is doing the verb. In passive voice, the subject is being acted upon by the verb.

If you’re not sure whether your resume is using active or passive voice, try running it through the Hemingway editor . It’s free and will tell you if you’re using passive voice.

Additional resume resources

Selecting the right resume format is the first step to creating an impactful resume. To learn more about how to create a resume that will stand out, check out these additional resources:

• How to Write a Resume That Recruiters Will Really Love – This step-by-step resume guide will teach you how to write a resume that stands out.
• How to Add Work Experience to Your Resume – Learn how to create a work experience section that will grab the attention of hiring managers.
• 8 Things You Need to Know About Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) – Here’s everything you need to know about ATS. What they are, how they work, and especially how you can “beat” them!
• How to Write a Strong Resume Skills Section – Here are the top resume skills employers are looking for. Learn how to list them on your resume.
• Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills – Learn the difference between hard and soft skills and why you need both on your resume.
• Free Professional Resume Templates – These ATS-friendly resume templates feature sleek, minimalist designs.

FAQs about resume formats

What does ats-friendly resume format mean.

An ATS-friendly resume format is one that can be read by Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). Employers use these systems to manage and filter large volumes of resumes.

When you use an ATS-friendly format , it increases the chances that a hiring manager will find your resume.

Is a resume format the same as a resume template?

No, they are two different things.

Resume format refers to the structure and organization of the content in a resume. A resume template refers to a pre-designed layout you can use to create a resume.

Is there a separate student resume format?

There isn’t a specific “student resume format” per se. Students generally use the same resume formats as other job seekers. But they may emphasize different sections or information.

A student’s resume highlights coursework, internships, part-time jobs, extracurricular activities, and academic achievements.

What is the best resume format for 2023?

The best resume format for you depends on your specific circumstances. This includes your work experience, career goals, and the industry you’re targeting.

Having said that, we like the hybrid resume format .

Employers are looking for job candidates who have the right skills. And the hybrid resume features skills right at the top of the resume. Employers also want to see a work experience section on a resume. The hybrid has that as well.

This powerful combination of skills and experiences makes the hybrid resume our top choice for 2023 and beyond.

Free Professional Resume Templates

Jobscan’s free Microsoft Word compatible resume templates feature sleek, minimalist designs and are formatted for the applicant tracking systems that virtually all major companies use.

Explore more resume resources

How to write a resume

Resume Templates

Resume Examples

Resume Builder

6 Details You Should Put On Your Professional Website To Get A Job In Tech

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There was a time when paper business cards and printed resumes were the only way to network — but nowadays job-seekers have a whole slew of online tools to get discovered and hired. In addition to making profiles on sites like LinkedIn and Dribbble , having your own website is a smart way to showcase your personal brand and share your resume and experience with potential employers.

What you display on your resume website depends on your specialty and expertise within tech, explains Francesca Galbo, Codecademy Talent Director. For example, someone in the design field, like a UI/UX designer or a web designer, would want to have a stylistic website that’s easy to navigate and demonstrates their technical skills, she says. A data scientist, on the other hand, might want to include links to data visualizations and projects that they’ve created.

You should think of your resume website as a case study for recruiters or hiring managers who want to see a sample of your work, Francesca says. There are things you can communicate through your website that may not come across on a standard resume or CV. Here are the relevant details and helpful features that Francesca recommends including on a personal resume website.  

Projects you’ve built

If you’re applying to any type of technical position — from software developer to data analyst — you’ll need a professional portfolio that has examples of projects you’ve worked on. In the video below, we’ll show you how to create a portfolio from scratch.

And if you really want to flex your coding skills, we’ll show you how to make it interactive .

How you organize your portfolio is up to you: Some folks might have a dedicated page for each project with details about what technology they used or their role in the project, while others prefer a list with links and a brief sentence about their contributions. “Having some sort of visual portfolio to connect to the work that you’ve done is exceedingly helpful,” Francesca says.

Still building out a portfolio that you can use to apply for jobs ? We have lots of tips that will help you compile a portfolio that’s tailored to specific tech roles, like a game developer or web developer . Check out our career center for pre-planned projects that you can complete and include in your portfolio. With portfolio projects , you’ll also get a list of tasks and a Kanban board to keep you on track, plus lots of external resources and information you might need to complete it.

Links to open-source contributions

Including a link to your GitHub profile is an easy way for technical recruiters to see the open-source projects that you’ve contributed to, Francesca says. Your GitHub profile shows how comfortable you are writing and reading code, plus gives a glimpse into how you collaborate with other developers. Make sure your GitHub profile is updated and visible to potential employers.

The programming languages you know

Your resume website is a great place to list all the programming languages you’ve learned . Not sure how to organize all the skills in your arsenal? These guides explain what to put on a full-stack developer resume and how to list the most relevant developer skills .

A writing sample

Sometimes recruiters will ask candidates to share a writing sample as part of a job application. If writing isn’t your strongest suit, don’t stress — Francesca says writing samples are just meant to give people a sense of your communication style.

Examples of writing samples for job applications can be things like a bio, personal statement, blog post, article, or even research paper from a class or job, Francesca says. Just make sure to proofread your writing sample for any grammar or spelling errors before you post it on your website.

A link to your LinkedIn profile

It might seem redundant to add a link to your LinkedIn on your resume website, but Francesca says it’s a must-have on any resume whether it’s on paper or digital.

Recruiters often operate within the LinkedIn platform when they’re gathering candidates for a position, Francesca says. “It’s so much easier when we can actually pull up a LinkedIn profile and save that person to a project or archive them,” she says. (FYI, this is also why a job application might require that you provide a link to your LinkedIn profile.)

To that end, if you want to make sure recruiters are seeing your professional website, it’s a good idea to add the link to your website somewhere on your LinkedIn profile — fish where the fish are, so to speak.

Your contact information

Make sure people who visit your website have a way to get in touch with you. Add a contact form or list your email address directly on the site, with some sort of instruction about ways you can work together.

Your resume website should contain enough information and evidence of your past accomplishments to tell your story and make yourself stand out as a candidate. To recap, you’ll want to include: past projects you’ve completed, links to open-source contributions, a list of the programming languages and frameworks you know, plus a writing sample and your contact information — including a link to your LinkedIn.

If you’re looking for a way to practice coding and also build out your own resume website, check out our Portfolio Project Portfolio Website . You’ll learn how to build a responsive and interactive resume website using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. (Here’s an example of a resume website we imagined Ada Lovelace might have.) Want to see some examples of resume websites that other Codecademy learners have created? Check out this Codecademy forum post to see how fellow learners designed and organized their Portfolio Projects — you can even offer feedback if you’d like.

While you’re finessing your online presence, consider following these recruiter tips for making a LinkedIn profile that will make you stand out as a strong candidate. And for even more job-search advice, like interview prep practice and advice from recruiters, head to our career center .

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