How to write a mechanical engineering CV this year
Mechanical engineers are always in demand, but to outdo the competition, write a compelling CV by adding these hard and soft skills and using these tips.
Mechanical engineers are always in demand, but to outdo the competition, write a compelling CV by adding these hard and soft skills and using these tips.
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Although it seems like mechanical engineering jobs are offered everywhere you look, actually landing one is not that easy. You need to create an eye-catching CV that will make your recruitment process as easy as possible. In this article, you will find out:
Mechanical engineers design, manufacture and test various power-using and power-producing machines, from generators and gas turbines to air-conditioners and escalators. During your job search, you may see mechanical engineer postings for these job titles:
The skills section of a mechanical engineer should feature both soft skills and hard skills. Soft skills may include:
Hard skills for a mechanical engineer CV may include:
The perfect CV will be one that is tailored for the job posting to which you are applying. Different jobs may require different proficiencies and technical skills. Mechanical engineering can have a variety of speciality fields, such as automotive engineering or mechanical design. During your job search, creating a new CV for each job can enhance your chances of being called for an interview. The CVHelp CV Builder can help you create a new CV in just minutes.
Use key words from the job description to describe your technical skills and work experience. Your workflow may have been different at a previous job, but matching keywords to describe your tasks can help the hiring manager see how you would be a good fit for the position.
The hiring manager may use an applicant tracking system (ATS), a software that automatically sorts CVs. Your CV will have a much higher chance of making it through the ATS process if you optimise it for keywords. The following terms may be referring to the same elements that may overlap in some areas. Optimise your CV by using the words as they are in the job posting. Here are some optimisation examples:
Try to keep your work experience related to the field of mechanical engineering. The exception is if you don’t have many years of experience in the field. In this case, use the experience you have but tailor it to the job posting. This may be internships, volunteer experience, or academic work. Draw a comparison between your day-to-day tasks in your previous work and the job for which you are applying.
You can use your cover letter to personalise your job application further for the hiring manager – you can check our engineering cover letter examples for inspiration. Keep your CV to one page so it is easy to read. Use bullet points to describe tasks, responsibilities, and key technical skills. If you find it difficult to fit all of the professional experience or projects you want to display on your CV, you can always include a link to your LinkedIn profile. You can place your LinkedIn information with your other contact information at the top of your CV in the header.
If you don’t have many years of experience, you can still write a great mechanical engineering CV. When applying to an entry-level job, you can highlight mechanical engineer skills you may have acquired in school or internships. When listing your skills and experiences, use key words from the job posting. Items you can add to your CV that will impress recruiters are:
A mechanical engineering CV should include the following seven sections:
You can customise each section according to the job posting of the position for which you are applying.
It can be helpful to look at examples of complete CVs for mechanical engineering jobs when writing your own. You can get inspiration for format and content from mechanical engineering CV examples. Recruiters will be comparing your CV to others in the same field, so it’s helpful to have a basis for comparison. Here are some examples of engineering CVs from CVHelp.
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