Resume trends are constantly changing, and it can be difficult for professional engineers to keep up with those trends, especially if design isn’t one of your passions. However, you want to get noticed by hiring managers and you don’t want them to think you’re completely out of touch by sending an outdated resume design. Use these tips to get your engineering resume noticed for all the right reasons.
Get to the Point Quickly
It’s frustrating when a newspaper buries the lead in the middle of a story. Similarly, hiring managers don’t want to dig through your whole resume to see if you meet their requirements for a role. Make it easy for them by putting a summary at the top of the page that outlines what you’re looking for and your unique selling proposition as a candidate.
Under your summary, include a “Relevant Skills” section the hiring manager (or their automated scanning software) can read quickly to assess your fitness for the position, as well.
List Your Experience by Relevance
Traditionally, people list their employment in chronological order. However, you want to make it easy for hiring managers to assess how well your experience aligns with their needs. Therefore, it pays to list your experience by relevance, providing a quick snapshot for the hiring manager to scan.
Use Quantifiable Performance Data
When it comes to evaluating candidates, hiring managers only care about the value you bring to the table. Therefore, it does little to list your tasks from previous jobs. Instead, focus on your achievements and performance statistics. Make sure any data you cite can be verified by your previous employer.
Keep it Clean and Crisp
No matter what style of resume you choose, keep the design clean, crisp and easy to read. Use short bullet points instead of lengthy sentences or paragraphs and allow some white space to make it easy to read.
Use a Bit of Tasteful Flair
Your resume should be clean, professional and easy to read, but it is perfectly acceptable to add a touch of tasteful flair. Choose a design element that makes your resume stand out, like a sidebar in a muted color that lists out your skills or most impressive achievements. Elements like this can be unexpected but quite welcome, and it shows your willingness to go the extra mile to get noticed without being flashy.
Are You an Engineer Seeking New Career Opportunities in the Southeast?
If you are an engineer or technical professional in the Southeast region and you’re looking to grow your career, contact the recruiting experts at Selectek today. We can match you with an opportunity that will help you achieve your goals and help you craft an effective, well-designed resume.
