How do you write an engineering CV that stands out and gives you an edge to land the job? Being an engineer presents a special challenge when it comes to writing a CV due to the range of qualifications, skills and duties it requires. By far the biggest challenge for any engineer is writing a CV that stands out from the crowd!
Having a well written CV will improve your application by grabbing the attention of hiring managers ahead of time. Let’s dive into how to write a compelling engineering CV that stands out. Here are 5 CV writing tips
Because engineering positions are typically very technical, structured, and detail-oriented, it is crucial that your CV demonstrates these abilities. Your engineering resume should be organized in a clear, concise manner to highlight your qualifications, experience, and education.
An Engineering CV Should Be Clear & Concise
All disciplines, but especially engineering, place a premium on having a well-organized CV.
Engineering hiring supervisors lack the time to analyse and attempt to comprehend a CV. An engineering CV that is simple to read and comprehend will quickly stand out from the competition.
Even though they have the same title, two equivalent engineering careers could require totally different backgrounds. Adapt your resume! It’s crucial to go over each job description and prioritize your duties according to the experience that is most pertinent. A recruiter can assist you in figuring this out.
Should You Put A Photo on Your Engineering CV?
There is a lot of misunderstanding around CV photos. Some people find it completely strange to include a headshot on a job application, while for others it’s commonplace.
Similar to how the country you are looking to work in will determine whether you submit a resume or a CV, so will the resume photo conventions. When searching for jobs, it’s crucial that job searchers prepare themselves for such cultural differences.
Companies must be able to demonstrate that there is no profiling based on factors like ethnicity, gender, age, attractiveness, etc. during the employment process. They therefore prefer not to see candidate images with job applications as a precaution.
Intro/ Personal Profile
Your work title, skills, and personal traits should be briefly outlined in this section, which should be the first thing on your CV. For example
“I have ten years of experience in the pharmaceutical sector as a quality engineer and I am a results-driven professional. I have extensive experience managing and implementing CIP initiatives that have saved the organization €80,000.
Keep it brief (four to five lines maximum) and avoid revealing too much about your personality.
Your Education
Many engineering graduates have studied a wide range of topics since the university’s introduced STEM subjects began. On CV’s, only topics and areas of interest should be highlighted.
For instance, the majority of process engineers worth their salt would have some sort of belt in Six Sigma lean manufacturing, demonstrating this expertise and indicating an interest in this industry. Maintenance engineers seeking positions in automation engineering should emphasize their familiarity with Allen Bradley, Siemens, Mitsubishi, and other systems.
Professional development is a passion for engineers. Include all current coursework, even if you are still finishing it, such as lean Six Sigma and auditor. You should never undervalue this since it demonstrates desire and determination.
Accomplishments
Hiring managers admire accomplishments, data, and outcomes. If you completed a landmark project include it in your CV. Showcase what was involved in it, and the outcomes.
By including this in your CV, you could stand out from the competition and get the edge you need over applicants who simply repeat the job description verbatim.
Include Keywords
Be specific about your training, credentials, qualifications and software system knowledge, such as Autocad, Solidworks, Inventor, QP, Allen Bradley, Siemens, CNC, and Profibus.
These are what we’re looking for not only when we search through mountains of CVs on databases, but also when hiring managers or recruiters glance through printed copies. Use keywords that are in the job description for your CV.
Work Experience
It’s crucial that you organize your description of your work history utilizing bullet points. There shouldn’t be more than 10 bullet points per job, and each one shouldn’t be more than two lines long. Once more, you must emphasize your experience that is pertinent to the position you are applying for. You must position oneself as useful as you can.
The ideal engineering CV highlights the candidate’s accomplishments from both current and previous roles, and the terminology used should align with the job description. For instance, “problem solving,” “fast-paced environment,” and “energetic.”
Revise Your Engineering CV
Given that engineers are known for their attention to detail, it is unacceptable to have spelling errors on your cv. This detracts from your application and raises questions about your abilities right away.
What We Can Do For You
If you need a professional opinion on your CV or your future career prospects get in touch with us.
STEM Recruitment Partners specialises in the placement of candidates from Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics backgrounds into Manufacturing, Life Science, Supply Chain & Engineering Businesses nationwide.
Our leading engineering and life science recruitment agency have offices based in Limerick & Cork, and we have excellent job openings all over Ireland. Check out some of our roles in our job portal.
Reach out to the team in STEM Recruitment Partners for the best advice and support in building your engineering career, contact us today www.stemrp.ie
Our goal is to become Ireland’s No.1 Recruitment Agency Specialising in the following areas
- Executive Search Recruitment
- Manufacturing and Engineering Recruitment
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- Engineering to Senior Management Recruitment
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