Engineering Resume Tips and Templates

Crafting a professional engineering resume is a key component to landing a job in the competitive field of engineering. An effective resume showcases your professional background, education, skills, and goals. It highlights your accomplishments and makes you stand out from other job applicants. Learn how to write a strong engineering resume for today’s job market. Resume writing can seem intimidating, but we’ll share our best engineering resume tips, show you an expertly written example, and help you get started with our free downloadable engineering resume templates.

Engineering Resume Example

See an example of what an engineering resume should look like once you’ve finished adding all of your information and experience.

Download Engineering Resume Sample >>

Downloadable Engineering Resume Templates

Download one of our free engineering resume templates to create your own professional resume.

Download Engineering Resume Template #1 >>
Download Engineering Resume Template #2 >>

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How to Write an Engineering Resume

Now that you’ve seen what a professional engineering resume looks like, get started creating your own. Whether you’re a seasoned engineer with a lot of experience to showcase or an engineering intern who is just getting started, the overall process of writing an engineering resume is essentially the same. 

Here is the step-by-step process on how to write an engineering resume: 

Step #1

Gather the resources you need to write your resume. Is your LinkedIn page up-to-date and ready to be used as a basic outline for your resume? (Alternatively, you can build your resume and then update your LinkedIn page). What certifications have you earned? What project notes do you need to look back on? Get all of these resources ready to reference as you write your engineering resume.

Step #2

Choose your engineering resume template. A good engineering resume is neither too long nor too busy. It’s more important to showcase your qualifications than it is to spend time on flashy graphics. Need help getting started? Use one of our free downloadable engineering resume templates.

Step #3

Add your name, protected professional title, and contact information to the top of your resume. For example: “John Kaplan, P.E.” It is also recommended that you include your title, your location (city and state), and a link to your LinkedIn profile. If you are looking to relocate, include your desired location on your resume instead of your current one.

Step #4

List your professional experience in reverse chronological order. Include the name of the company, the title of the job you held, and the dates of your employment. Underneath this information, highlight relevant professional success using action verbs such as “executed,” “coordinated,” and “achieved.” Use past tense for roles you no longer have and present tense for current roles. Also, use numbers and statistics wherever possible to demonstrate accomplishments. 

Remember: Be concise! You can elaborate on your successes in your cover letter, on your LinkedIn profile, and during your interview.

Step #5

Add your education. Most engineering jobs require at least a Bachelor’s degree, so it’s important to include your degree(s). Here’s the information you’ll want to write in this section:

• University or college name
• Degree title and any honors you received 
• Minor(s)
• Graduation year 
• GPA (only recommended if you are new to the workforce and it’s above 3.5, applicants with previous full-time job experience should omit this)

Step #6

Add your engineering certifications and licenses. If you’re a licensed engineer, be sure to include your license and certification on your engineering resume as you may be disqualified from some jobs if the hiring manager or recruiter thinks you are not qualified. Here’s what you’ll want to include in this section:

• Name of the certification or license
• Name of the licensing board or agency
• License/certification ID number (if applicable)
• Year of obtainment

If the license or certification is currently in progress, be sure to specify that.

Step #7

List your technical and general (soft) skills. This list can go on one side of your resume or under your professional summary. You’ll want to highlight whatever skills you possess that are relevant to the job you are applying for. Below we list some skills you might include on your engineering resume depending on your specialty.

Step #8

Write a professional summary. Near the top of your resume, write a short paragraph summarizing your qualifications, key strengths, career interests and goals. Tailor it to whatever job posting you are applying to.

Step #9 (optional)

Include additional relevant information that will help you stand out as a job applicant. If you have extra space on your engineering resume and have additional relevant information to add, feel free to include it. Achievements such as industry awards or publications would be ideal to include, as would foreign language competencies which could help you differentiate you from other candidates. Alternatively, if you have any professional leadership titles (ex. President), be sure to include it on your engineering resume.

What to Include on an Engineering Resume

Here’s a quick summary of what you should include on your engineering resume:

• Your name
• Contact information
• Technical skills and soft skills
• Professional summary
• Job history
• Education
• Certifications and licenses

For more details, refer to the detailed list above.

Should I put soft skills on my engineering resume?

What Not to Include on an Engineering Resume

Like all types of resumes, there are a few things you should leave off your engineering resume. Your engineering resume should not include:

• Typos and grammatical errors
• Salary history
• Full mailing address
• An unprofessional email address
• Skills you do not have
• Irrelevant experiences/skills
• High school information
• An interests section
• Coursework 
• References (these should be submitted separately, usually later in the interview process)

Can an engineering resume be two pages?

Ideally, your engineering resume should be one page in length. As discussed, you want to keep your resume concise and only highlight relevant experience and skills. However, if you are a seasoned professional with decades of experience to showcase, expanding your engineering resume to two pages may be appropriate.

Engineering Resume Tips

Wondering how to make your engineering resume stand out from the competition? Follow these tips:

Tip #1: Tailor your resume to the job description. The contents of your resume should be relevant and customized to the role you are applying for. 

Tip #2: Be concise! Your resume should be detailed but easy to scan.

Tip #3: Highlight your skills and accomplishments. Each bulleted accomplishment you list in your professional experience section should include an action verb, describe the task you completed, and showcase the result (using data, if possible). 

Tip #4: Provide context. Highlight how you have positively impacted your former employer, whether it's through innovations, profits, culture, or leadership.

Tip #5: Tell a (success) story. Your resume should tell your professional story – what you’ve accomplished, what skills you’ve learned along the way, and what your goals are. 

Resume Format for Engineers

When choosing a format for your engineering resume, it’s important to pick one that looks professional and keeps your information organized. While there is no “right” or “wrong” choice, we recommend using one that isn’t overly stylized which would distract from your professional experience. Many job sites require you to submit resumes as a PDF, so whether you’re using Google Docs or Microsoft Word to write your resume, be sure to download a version as a PDF.