Engineering Resume Tips From Engineering.

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Resume Tip #1 - Technical Summary

Generally speaking, engineering jobs are technical in nature, regardless of what discipline you have received your training in. As such, you should dedicate a portion of your resume to your technical skills, qualifications and certifications in the form of a technical summary. For the best results, subcategorize these skills, qualifications and certifications. For example, if you were a computer engineer, the following would be an appropriate set of subcategories for your Technical Skills Summary:

Technical / Computer Certifications Hardware Operating Systems Networking / Protocols Programming / Language Web applications Database applications

Each subsection should briefly touch on any pertinent information such as course content, duration, projects completed, platforms used and any accomplishments that arose from the skill, qualification or certification. Do not get into too much detail - save that for the interview.

Resume Tip #2 - Avoid Overused and Clich Resume Keywords and Phrases
When writing a resume, you want to do your best to capture your accomplishments and skills in a way that makes you stand out from fellow job applicants. Using critical keywords can make or break you as recruiters and employers search their resume database. The following is a list of 5 (there are many more) keywords and phrases that do more to hinder an applicants chances than helping their chances at getting a face-to-face interview with an employer.

Strong communication, customer service and organizational skills Track record of success Team player Hard-working Experience working in fast-paced environment

Employers are not looking for vague expressions or generic resume fillers. They want specifics that demonstrate these vague generalities. After all, how many times you think a particular employer would come across Hard-working when looking through a pile of 1,000 resumes? Instead of using clich expressions that group you in with the rest of the jobseeker talent pool, try and strengthen the generality or clich with specific examples to help you rise above the rest. Heres an example of how to do that:

Instead of using, A Track record of success has followed me where ever I have worked, try to explain how you got this track record. Try something like I have consistently increased regional sales revenue by 10% for the past 5 years. Using examples such as this will lead employers and recruiters to determine for themselves that you have a track record of success. Finally, in addition to the above phrases, the following is a list of keywords to try and avoid, or at the very least strengthen with specific examples: Aggressive, Ambitious, Competent, Creative, Detail-oriented, Determined, Efficient, Experienced, Flexible, Goal-oriented, Independent, Innovative, Knowledgeable, Logical, Motivated, Meticulous, People person, Professional, Reliable, Resourceful, Self-motivated, Successful.

Resume Tip #3 - Tips for Writing an Engineering Resume

In order to take the first steps of securing yourself a new position, you must be able to grab the attention of the reader in the first 35-45 seconds. If you are REALLY good, that span will extend beyond one minute. In essence, the success of your engineering job search depends on the effectiveness of your resume. Engineering resumes can be a more difficult document to develop than a regular resume, especially because engineering jobs are often technical while those doing the hiring are not. Most engineers can get the basics of their past projects and experiences down on paper in a chronological and sensible fashion. However, many of them run into problems when trying to sell to the employer. That said, it is important to focus your efforts on what will sell the product (thats you). And what sells are the skills and experience of you the engineer. Its all about your pitch. Here are a few things to keep in mind when trying to create a sparking resume: Organization of the Resume Most resumes are written in chronological order. That is the most recent job at the top, followed by the next most recent, and the next after that, etc. But that does not necessarily mean that chronological is the best for you as an engineer. Chronology does not take into account things such as your skills set, achievements, organizational advancement and more. As such, a combination format that balances both these and the chronology of your career might be more appropriate so you can highlight specific projects for a greater impact. Details Employers want to see the details of your engineering work history and experience, but they dont need your life story. Keep information specific to the job and with one goal in mind getting an interview. That means anything that you have done in past jobs that is not relevant to this job in any way is just filler. Accomplishments Instead of Duties Why are you the best person for this job? Just because you fulfilled the same functions in a previous position does not make you the best person for the job. Did you revamp company processes, or do things in a more efficient way? Did this generate cost

savings, or speed up development time? This sort of information is what will get your resume moved to the top of the pile and keep it out of the trash. No Errors Ok, this goes without saying, but I am going to say it anyway. Make sure you have absolutely no errors in your resume. Even if youve checked it before, making small edits here and there tend to generate typos. So best recheck the whole thing when making edits. An error in your resume can be the determining factor between you and another candidate, IF you even make it that far. As an engineer you are supposed to be detail oriented. So how poorly does an error reflect on you and your future performance? We are Moving Towards a Paperless Society These days, most resume are sent, received and managemed via PC. But that doesnt mean your resume has to be dull, drab and visually ugly. In fact, you can use this to your advantage to spruce your resume up and include pertinent pictures, images or other documents of project work related to the job your are applying for. You could even make a CD-ROM portfolio. Focus on the Positives Inevitably, not everything you have done in the past has been a smashing success. There is no place on an engineering resume for why you left your old job, failed initiatives or anything else that is generally negative in nature. Try to emphasize your enthusiasm for the position, how you can contribute and how you successfully performed similar tasks in the past. Finally, remember that resumes do not get jobs. People get jobs. Resumes get interviews. Your goal with the resume is to get an interview.

Resume Tip #4 - The 3 Rs of Resume Writing: Research, Research, Research

You may have heard of the 3 Rs before, but this time we arent talking about school anymore. These 3 Rs are about your future, and they all point to one thing - research. Before applying for a job, you must know what the company does, what the position involves, and whether youd be a good fit. All of these are good areas for you to focus on when conducting research for your resume. Research the Company A companys website is a great place to start your company research. On their website you should be able to find information on company background, community involvement, special events, executive bios and annual reports. You can also physically visit the company to find whatever literature is available. You can even call the company directly. During such a call, you are looking to find out how the company is structured, what qualities they generally seek in their employees, job openings, names of department heads, etc. When you are finished, thank the person and ask who would be the best person to direct a resume to. Research the Position It almost goes without sayingalmost. The more you know about the position, the greater the chance that you will be able to target your resume to that position and the better you will be able to sell yourself. If possible, see if you can speak with somebody who does the same job. Find out the particulars of the job, if there is any on-the-job training, whether emphasis is placed on experience or education, and how frequent turnover is. Find out what they like about the position and the company, and perhaps more importantly, what they dont like. Speaking with somebody already in the position can give you valuable insight into the sorts of things that will be asked of you in the interview, as well as day-to-day. Research Yourself Your goal is not just to find a job. Your goal is to find a job that you enjoy. After finding out all you can about the company and the position, make sure it is in line with what you really want to do and where you really want to be. Perhaps just as important, be confident that you are capable of doing a good job in the position. While you may not spend your entire career in this position, it could be the base of your lifetime career. You do not want to find yourself in a situation where you spend too much time doing something you do not enjoy, working with people you do not like, living somewhere you do not want to live, or in a position that isnt challenging enough, or worse yet, one you are not capable of doing.

Resume Tip #5 - Successful Cover Letter Writing

Writing a cover letter for a resume is difficult for most people. Not only is it difficult to talk about yourself, you can spend a lot of time refining before finally producing a copy that hits the mark. That is why job seekers often do not take the time to even write a cover letter. This is the biggest mistake job seekers can make, as well-written cover letters prove very influential in swaying a Human Resource manager. To ensure you get every opportunity to secure a job interview, not only should you write a cover letter, but also follow these tips to get the most out of it. The First Sentence is the Most Important Sentence As is the case with resumes and interviews, capturing and holding the readers attention is crucial, making the first sentence the most important one. You have approximately 15-seconds to stand out before the reader loses attention, so make good use of your time. Your first sentence should be a strong statement of your top skills and experience and what they would bring to the job. Dont waste your opening sentence explaining that you are applying for a job you found on the company website. Be Results -Oriented Poorly written, generic cover letters that you send to all potential employers simply do not cut it. Specifics are what most hiring managers are looking for - specifics regarding your skills, experience and your achievements thus far in your career. Your achievements are of particular importance. Use your past achievements to paint a picture of a proven track record. Use short sentences to highlight these successes. The Cover Letter as a Demonstration Cover letters serve as more than just an avenue for job seekers to set themselves apart, or allow employers to weed out whose skills fit the job description and whose do not. It is also an opportunity to demonstrate your writing and communication skills. Everything from writing style and tone to your choice of words gives some insight into your character, and perhaps how well you would fit into the companys culture. Address the Qualifications of the Job Many applicants do not directly address the list of qualifications outlined in the job listing. Rather, they just state their skills, experiences and achievements and leave it to the reader to connect those points to the job being offered. This is a quick way to drop your resume to the bottom of the pile. Job advertisements state qualifications for a reason. If you specifically address those qualifications and demonstrate how your skills and experience are related, you will be in a much better positions to secure an interview. Take Care You might be surprised at the number of good candidates who are overlooked because of an error in

their cover letter or resume. If you dont proofread your cover letter and resume before sending them, that oversight could cost you the job. In addition to making sure you have no spelling or grammatical errors or typos, make sure that you have used a font that is pleasing to the eye and easy to read (i.e. not too small). This is especially important if you are sending your cover letter and resume by fax. Contacting Me Lastly, remember to include the same contact information used on your resume on your cover letter as well. Cover letters can mistakenly get separated from resumes and consequently lost. Make sure you have included your name, address, home or cell phone number and e-mail address.

Resume Tip #6 - Successful Cover Letter Writing Part 2

Last month we gave you a few suggestions on what to include in your cover letter. This month, were going to focus a little more on the actual structure of the cover letter. Remember, an effective cover letter could be the difference between getting your foot in the door for an interviewor not. Basic Look of a Cover Letter A cover letter should be a single page that is three or four paragraphs in length. No more, no less. A cover letter that is too long could take the employer too long to read, if the frustration doesnt prevent them from getting to the end of it first. A short, concise cover letter will be appreciated by the employer as they scour through hundreds of other applications. The Opening Paragraph Use the first paragraph to identify yourself, where you are coming from (meaning the school you graduated from), what position you are applying for, and a brief overview of why you think you are a good fit for the position or are applying for the job. Remember though, this is your chance to grab the employers attention, so try to keep away from dull and dreary introductions such My name is, I went to X school, and I am applying for Y position. Spice it up a little and make an honest effort to grab the employer's attention. The Middle Paragraphs (The Second and Sometimes Third) The middle paragraphs of your cover letter are used to convey 2 types of information. The first is a description of your skills and experience and why the employer should be interested in them. In other words, a more detailed account of why you feel you are a good candidate for the job. You can start off simply by stating your educational background, followed by relevant employment experience. Try to avoid repeating word-for-word what will follow in your resume. Pick your best skills and demonstrate them using examples from youre your previous experience. Match these experiences as much as possible to the companys requirements. Depending on your age and experience, the middle part of your resume may contain 2 or 3 paragraphs. The more experience you have, the more difficult it will be to squeeze it all into 1 paragraph. A second middle paragraph is acceptable if your skills and experience warrant it. If not, dont waste your time or the employers. Try your best only to convey facts and avoid tooting your horn.

The Closing Paragraph The final paragraph is used to confirm the items that are included in the application package. This should include your resume, any required transcripts or copies of relevant documents from your work portfolio, and likely your references as well. It should also invite the employer to contact you (meaning you should include your phone number at the very least, as well as your email address) and to thank them for their time and consideration of your application. End the cover letter with professionally with Sincerely or another suitable closing. A Few Other Quick Tips:

Maintain a business tone, avoid slang or jokes Be consistent in the type of paper, heading, font, etc. you use as on your rsum Type your full name when ending the cover letter and remember to sign it After double-checking for spelling and grammatical errors, have somebody else read over it Date the cover letter the day you send it out

Resume Tip #7 - Formatting Your Resume for Email Use

The Internet has dramatically changed the landscape of our daily lives. Everything from work life, social life and family life are now in some way impacted by the Internet. Searching and applying for jobs is no different. Handwritten letters, typewriter resumes and personally delivered job applications are a thing of the past. Instead job seekers are presented with an increasing number of online job boards and websites that use web-based applications or email to seek out potential new employees. The job board at ENGINEERING.com is but one example. Unfortunately, most of these services require an electronic version of your resume, either in plain text or HTML. It might not look as pretty as a Word formatted resume, but it could be what lands you your next job. Why Do I Need an Electronic Resume Simply put, an electronic resume is more useful to an employer than a Word formatted resume. It allows them to weed through applicants using a tracking system that doesnt really care how your resume looks by electronically matching keywords used in job descriptions and skill sets with submitted resumes. If your resume is formatted differently, the system will not be able to read your resume and you will be passed over. Here are a few quick pointers on how to reformat your current Word resume into a text-based one: 1. Remove your existing formatting from your resume As explained earlier, the formatting that makes your Word resume look nice also makes it impossible for systems to read. Therefore, you will need to remove your existing formatting. To do so, open your resume and choose Save As from the File menu.

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Save the document as Plain Text or Text Only. In the dialogue box that follows, choose the option to insert line breaks. Reformatting in Notepad, WordPad or SimpleText Close the original resume and open the newly created text version in a simple text editor like Notepad, WordPad or SimpleText. You will notice that most of the formatting such as graphics, borders and fonts have been removed and you may need to do some minor editing. Text should be flush with the left side of the document Font & Style When editing your Electronic Resume, make sure to use clear, sans-serif fonts, like Courier, Arial or Helvetica. This way, the computer won't mistake your fancy lettering for a jumbled word. The font size should be no smaller than 12 point. Otherwise, it will not scan well. Instead of using bold text, use capital letters to separate section like your education and experience. Bullets should be replaced with standard keyboard characters such as an asterisk or a dash. Instead of using the "Tab" key, use the space key to indent. Headings such as your name and address should appear on separate lines, with a blank line before and after. Applying Keywords Because applicant-tracking systems scan resumes for keywords that match the companys job descriptions you should edit your resume to use the same and similar words as the company description when describing your education and experience. However, it should be noted that using the same word more than one time will not improve your chances of getting an interview. Try to use the most important words first, as some scanners are limited to the number of words it reads. Keywords are best used as nouns instead of action verbs. For example, "communications specialist," would be preferential to "communicated with coworkers. Finally, do your best to avoid abbreviations. Spell out phrases like, "bachelor of science" or "master of business administration." Testing Before submitting your new Electronic Resume, you should probably run it through a few tests to ensure it is e-friendly. Try emailing it to yourself, as well as friends. Make sure you use different service providers (Hotmail, AOL, ENGINEERING.com Mail, etc.) to see if there is a difference in the way each renders your resume. Because your resume is plain text, you should paste in the body of the email, rather as an attachment. Ask for feedback and make adjustments accordingly.

A Final Thought While making an e-friendly resume is a good practice, keep in mind that not all employees are up-to-date on the latest technology. For this reason, you should always have a hard copy of your resume that is formatted nicely. Plus, you'll need one to give to employers when meeting them face-to-face during an interview

Resume Tip #8 - How Many Resumes do I Need?

Some people have one resume. Some people have three. Some people have even more. They all want to know the answer to one question. Is one resume all I need? The answer to that question in most cases is no, but it really depends on you and what career goal or goals you have set. The truth of the matter is the more you want to achieve in your career, the more resumes you will need. What further complicates the process is not knowing what direction to take your career at the current moment. If you are looking for a job in more than one specific area, job role or industry, you will need multiple resumes.

Why cant I just put all my info in one resume? It is indeed a good idea to keep a single resume full of all of your accomplishments dating back to high school, on to university, and through your professional career to date for use in creating resumes. Do the people looking to hire you need to know all of this information? Not likely. You might be applying for 2 different jobs in the same field, both of which you are qualified for. However, the skill sets required for each job are different. Adding information not relevant to the job complicates the process for people in Human Resources. You need to focus your resume to each particular job from your varied assortment of skills and experiences to make the decision for the hiring manager as easy as possible. So I need 2 resumes? You will only need 2 resumes if you have 2 career goals. If you are searching for a job in sales, one resume may be enough. If you are also searching for a job in investing, you will need at least 2. Similarly, you would likely need 2 resumes if you were applying for a job in advertising sales versus a job in retail sales. Are you starting to get the picture? Writing a generalized resume for each of your different aspirations is too extensive. Not only is it far too long, but it does not help employers match their focused job description and skills to you as a candidate. The goal is to have the hiring manager look at your resume and know immediately that you are a good candidate for the job. Anything that gets in the way of that is not necessary, and will likely see your resume in the trash. The goal is to have the hiring manager look at your resume and know immediately that you are a good candidate for the job. Anything that gets in the way of that is not necessary, and will likely see your resume in the trash. If you need help in assessing your goals, have a friend or relative read over your resume. If they cannot figure out your goals or assess how your skills are relevant to the job, chances are that hiring managers wont either. This is a sign that you have skills and goals mismatched and are in need of more than one resume. Afterthought You should keep track of all of your resumes in a spreadsheet or some other manner you are comfortable with. When and where it was sent, which type of resume it was, what the result was that came from the application. This will not only allow you to remember when and where you applied, but also which resumes resulted in the most interviews. As you make changes to your resumes or develop new ones, you can track their success against the previous ones.