Engineering Resume Guide

Crafting a strong resume may feel like a daunting task, but college is the perfect time to develop this essential skill—especially entering a competitive field like engineering. A well-crafted resume should clearly and concisely communicate relevant experiences and qualifications, optimizing the content for hiring teams. Keep reading for practical tips to help you build a resume that stands out in the engineering field.

Build Off the Bare Bones

Education

When starting to build a resume, it is important to highlight your area of focus and the accreditation of your school. Northwestern’s Bachelor of Science in Engineering program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission (EAC) of ABET under the General Criteria. Employers looking to hire often prioritize degree accredited institutions. This is especially important for entry-level positions.

Personal Information

Start by giving your name, address, phone number, and email. Choose an email that represents you as a young professional, this isn’t the time to pull out your middle school email with your favorite animal, color, and number.

Pro Tip: Applicants often make the mistake of including a headshot on their resume, but this often violates HR directives on hiring.

The Goal

When building a resume, it is important to clearly communicate what you are looking for. The clearer your resume, the easier it is for employers to determine if you’re a strong fit for the role.

Applicable Skills

Industry Specific

Unlike other fields, an engineering resume should include a bulleted list of relevant skills and qualifications in software, hardware, etc. This will highlight your skills for the position you are applying for.

Extracurriculars

Be sure to include experiences that you have had outside of the classroom such as research projects and internships––it is important to highlight them in depth so that the employer can fully understand the work you’ve done. Did you lead a research project? Did you make a new discovery that your internship started implementing? Did the company teach you a new skill at your internship? Were you able to present your research to a board of engineers?

Additional Qualifications

Skills that make you qualified to be an engineer aren’t only from the classroom and your specific degree. Are you strong in organization and time management? Do you lead in areas such as public speaking and writing? These skills show maturity and self-awareness as an employee as well as a commitment to mastering practical communication skills.

Pro Tip: Use keywords from job descriptions to optimize your resume for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). Hiring software often filters out resumes that don’t contain relevant industry-specific keywords.

Cover Letter

A personalized cover letter gives you the opportunity to introduce yourself and express your interest in the engineering role you are applying for. It also makes way for you to highlight specific qualifications or skills that make you a strong candidate for the position. Do you have any gaps or changes in your work experience on your resume? A cover letter also gives space to explain or bring light to those parts of your resume.

This process can seem overwhelming and nerve wracking, but you are equipped and qualified for this next season of your life. You can do it!