How do I Improve my Mechanical Engineer Resume?

The field of mechanical engineering is considered one of the broadest among the engineering disciplines. This is largely due to the simple fact that mechanical devices and systems are relevant to a wide range of industries and products. In short, it applies to anything with moving parts, whether powered by electric, gas, or steam. However, like other engineering specialties, mechanical engineers engage in research, design, product development, and testing. Knowing how to improve a mechanical engineer resume can open doors to various advanced opportunities, such as project management.

The first essential to improving an existing mechanical engineer resume is to evaluate its structural organization. Each component of the resume should stand out on its own, yet still flow as part of the whole document. In other words, the title of each section should be highlighted in bold so that pertinent information can be found quickly and easily. Keep in mind that recruiters, human resource personnel, and other individuals involved in the interviewing and hiring process, are often overwhelmed with responses to job postings and typically scan resumes first, pulling out only those likely to be read in more detail later. So, unless your resume looks professional and well-organized, it may get left in the slush pile right off the bat.

It should go without saying, but make sure that your contact information is complete and current. Perhaps you haven’t moved to a different residence in years, but e-mail addresses and cell phone numbers tend to change much more frequently. If the correct contact information is lacking, you could miss a call for an interview. Once this review task is checked off, it’s time to get down to the nuts and bolts of improving your mechanical engineer resume over previous versions.

Clearly state your objective. Are you looking for full-time or part-time work? Are you seeking a position with a focus in prototype manufacturing or research and development? The answer to these questions may vary (and even change) according to your background, as well as the position you’re applying for. In any case, clarity counts.

Review your qualifications and skills summary. If you’ve been actively working for any period of time, then it’s likely that this part of your resume should be updated accordingly. For example, if you’ve spent a number of years in product development, then you should make this known. Also list any other relevant information about your background, such as experience in designing prototypes, dynamic stress analysis, etc. In addition, it’s very helpful to summarize experience with specific computer-aided design platforms, such as AutoCAD®, CADRE, or SolidWorks.

Finally, show off your accomplishments. It’s fine to simply list your employment history in chronological order with a brief synopsis of your duties, but highlighting the specific contributions you’ve made will make your mechanical engineer resume stand out from the others. This is achieved with “power” words. For example, instead of simply writing “worked on injection molding projects,” try prefacing such statements with words like conceptualized, developed, refined, demonstrated, collaborated, and so on.