Employment; Resumés and Cover Letters
Resumés and Cover Letters
If you have never written a resumé a good place to get help is the Center for Career Services. The Center for Career Services offers a resumé writing seminar at least once each quarter.Below are some tips for writing a resumé for an engineering position:
Your resumé needs to be tailored for each job listing. If there are specific requirements or recommended skills in the listing you should address how your skills will fit the job description.
You need to write a resumé that will pique the interest of the reader enough to call you for an interview.
Key words are important in a resumé written for posting on a web site. Many companies are using resumé-scanning software. This software uses key words to match candidates to a job. If your resumé does not contain these key words your resumé will be bypassed. Key words refer to those words or phrases that are used for searches of the resumé scanning software database for resumés that match. Key words tend to be more of the noun or noun phrase type (AutoCAD, C programming, Engineering Internship) as opposed to power action verbs often found in traditional resumes (Designed, Organized, Completed, Coordinated).
Keep in mind when you are writing your resumé that the type of skills engineering employers are looking for are good written and oral communication skills, teamwork/collaboration skills, computer skills, people who can learn quickly and can adapt well to change, and for mechanical engineers a good mechanical aptitude. Include in a resumé the following type of information for a position as an engineer:
- Computer skills.
- Former or present work experience.
- A double degree or a minor (this can show your ambition).
- Design projects you have completed in school such as your senior design project (this will show your teamwork/collaboration activities).
- List any internships, international exchange program, sports, academic competitions, or awards you have received.
- Outside interests such as clubs and organization you belong to and list the committees were you a member of, and the officer positions have you held.
- List volunteering you have done, or any hobbies in engineering (for instance do you tinker with cars, bikes, computers, etc.).
- Have you invented anything or are you artistic? This will show your creative side and is especially important if you are applying for an engineering design position.
Below are resources that will help you create a resumé. The pages listed contain links to articles on the web as wel as reviews of the articles.
Help with Writing Your Resumé on the Web
- CareerBuilder Information on writing cover letters, resumes and thankyou notes.
- JobWeb - Catapult - Resume Writing Tips
