How to Create The Perfect Engineering Graduate CV – VHR Technical Recruitment

Youth-friendly employer VHR Technical Recruitment have seen a million engineering graduate CVs. Read their expert CV tips to make yours shine!

Once you have achieved your engineering degree, the next step is to start looking for jobs that match your skills and experience. This can be a pretty daunting experience but it is important to make yourself stand out from the crowd. Before you begin applying for these jobs, you need to have a solid and compelling CV that showcases your skills and talent.

While engineering is undoubtedly one of the best fields in today’s digital age, the competition in this area is pretty fierce. The only way to set yourself apart from other candidates is by preparing a killing CV.

VHR’s recruitment specialists have compiled a list of a few things you must consider when preparing your graduate engineering CV.

The only information you may have to showcase is your expertise in the core subjects and relevant skills in other industry jobs.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

•  Keep it easy-to-read
•  Use readable fonts (no need for anything fancy)
•  Keep it short and straightforward (one-page long is most effective)
•  Bullet points are a great way to organise your writing and make your points stand out
• Use proper grammar and structure

How to start your engineering graduate CV

You should start with Your Contact Information, if the employer likes your CV and wants to contact you for the interview round, it must be easy for them to get in touch with you. Write your name and mention your phone number, email address, and LinkedIn URL. This makes your CV look more credible.

Write a Summary

Next you should write a summary under your contact details. A summary or the objective states who you are, what you have studied, your main skills, where you have worked before, and why you are a perfect candidate for the vacancy in question. If you have any achievements or awards that make you a better candidate for the job, mention them in summary itself.

One of the common mistakes people are likely to make with their engineering CV is the informal and ambiguous summary. Don’t use too many pronouns and fluff just to increase the length of this section. Keep it simple and short, 3-4 sentences is enough.

Academic Details

For students applying for the first engineering job, the academic experience is most likely the only speciality you have to showcase. So, make this section as detailed as possible, but avoid ‘fluff’. Start with your college/university, its location, and the universities it is affiliated with. Next, mention the courses you have completed from the college, extracurricular activities, and achievements.

Your academic background shows a lot about your skills, personality, and dedication. Do not list your primary and secondary schools, as that will be irrelevant to your job. Only mention your bachelor’s and master’s programs. Good grades, participation in extracurricular activities, any other certificates & qualifications or involvement in voluntary programs are a few bonus points that can make your CV look better. Don’t forget to mention the year you graduated and your GPA or grade.

List Your Experiences

If you have worked as an intern for a company, voluntary job or a part-time employee, add that to your CV. Your past work experiences make a big difference to make you stand out from competition. Mention the organisation’s name, the date of your joining, your title, and your responsibilities.

Achievements, Rewards and Skills

Next, you should make a list of what you have achieved and any rewards you have been given. It doesn’t have to be relevant to the job, but anything that can make your CV look better will be a good addition. For example, if you have worked as a leader or got nominated for the best speaker award, mention it. Similarly, if you took any voluntary job during graduation, you can mention it under this section.

For your skills, both soft and hard skills are essential elements of your CV, especially for engineering students.

For hard skills, you need to list the software or machines you have used:

• Data analytics
• Prototyping, IT skills
• Testing
• Structural analysis
• City planning
• Digital software you can use such as Adobe suite

For the soft skill section:

• Communication skills
• Speaking skills
• Writing skills
• Listening skills
• Leadership skills

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