Engineers have to have a lot of technical and interpersonal skills. Depending on the specific discipline – civil engineering, mechanical engineering, chemical engineering, bioengineering, electrical engineering, or industrial engineering, to name a few – the qualities and skills you need to land the job will be different. Some engineers need experience building circuits while others need to know about the human body. So, when you write your resume for an engineering position, make sure to do your research and list the skills that are vital to your discipline. However, there are some general skills every engineering needs. Be sure to include these, too:
A good education. Engineers need to have a basic knowledge of math, chemistry, and physics (in most cases). Having these courses from a reputable college will really help you out. A Bachelor’s degree will get you an entry-level position in most cases, but some disciplines (Bioengineering especially) require a Master’s degree for some positions. Mention all of your education on your resume.
Computer proficiency. Engineers are always working with computers. Make sure to list the programs you are proficient in. Basic programs, like Microsoft Work, are always important, but CAD, Matlab, and other technical programs are very important, too.
Previous work or intern experience. Many engineers hold an internship while studying. Make sure to include this information on your resume. That, and any undergraduate or graduate research you performed will help. These are both forms of job experience.
Good interpersonal skills. Engineers usually work in teams, so you have to be able to interact with other people. This is a good skill to list on a resume.
There are plenty of example engineering resumes available online. Use these samples as guidelines when writing your own resume:
