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Resume Tips for Engineers

Employers are looking for just the right candidates who have the skills, knowledge, and experience that match the job.

Keep your resume: focused, descriptive, and interesting!

1. CONTACT INFORMATIONInclude your name, either formal or informal (William B. Thornton vs. Billy Bob Thornton). Underneath your name,

using as few lines as possible, put your address, telephone number, and email. You might consider including both

your local and permanent addresses or phone numbers. For example:

Benjamin JonesLocal: 1234 Suburban Road San Luis Obispo, CA 93405 bzjones@calpoly.edu

Permanent: 4321 Madrid Avenue San Francisco, CA 93440 (415) 734-1234

OR

Benjamin Jones1234 Suburban Road San Luis Obispo, CA 93405 805.756.1234 bzjones@calpoly.edu

2. OBJECTIVEWhenever possible, include an objective that matches the position you are applying for. There are two parts to an

objective: Part 1) the type of position you are applying for (Co-op, Internship, Summer, Career) and, Part 2) the field

and/or specific area you are interested in. Make sure your objective is consistent with the job description and goals othe company. For example:

ObjectiveSummer internship position in the field of Electrical Engineering, specifically space systems design

ORProfessional IT consulting position, specializing in e-business solutions

3. EDUCATIONList your education next. Consider including your GPA, minor, specialization, emphasis or area of interest. Are you

a student athlete or member of a club? Are you EIT (Engineer-In-Training) certified? Please, include all your good

stuff! On a pre-career resume, consider listing your relevant engineering coursework too. For example:

EducationCalifornia Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo

Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, March 2012

Concentration: Mechatronics Class Level: JuniorGPA: 3.4 Major GPA: 3.7 Deans List two quarters

Relevant Coursework:

Statics, Intermediate Dynamics, Strength of Materials, Thermodynamics, Fluid Dynamics, Engineering Graphics,

Circuits III, Electronics, Thermal Systems, Materials Science, Design Philosophy, Technical Writing for Engineers

mailto:bzjones@calpoly.edumailto:bzjones@calpoly.edumailto:bzjones@calpoly.edumailto:bzjones@calpoly.edu

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4. EXPERIENCEUse short, descriptive phrases that highlight responsibilities, skills, and accomplishments. Explain how your work

benefited the company and quantify results whenever possible. For example:

ExperienceHewlett-Packard Santa Clara, CA

Web Administrator Summer 2010

Reorganized main HP website to ensure integrity. Designed user interface for transferring paper process to web, enabling customer base to increase by 15%.

OR

Schlumberger ATE Simi Valley, CA

Data Analyst/Industrial Engineering Intern Summer 2009

Participated in inventory auto-replenishment project. Designed improved dock-to-stock layout and process, decreasing time to customer by 10%. Participated in TQC improvement group. Developed electronic quote sheet, resulting in increased efficiency of purchasing.

. PROJECTS / RESEARCHEmployers like projects, so consider including a Projects and/or Research section or placing them under the

Experience section of your resume. Describe one or two that you are most proud of. Be descriptive in terms of

accomplishment and experience. Employers place a high value on team projects. In industry, you will need to

interact effectively with other engineers, vendors, contractors, and support staff. Indicating projects in which you

are a contributing member of a team reflects valued and needed skills. For example:

Technical Projects Cal PolyCircuit Design Project

Designed and built operational amplifier, utilizing oscilloscopes, digital multimeters, integrated circuits. Tested input and output of different stages for desired specifications.

OR

Research and Writing Magnetic Recording Devices

Researched magnetic recording devices, focusing on drive motor firmware. Analyzed drive motor current for several drive types.

OR

Aircraft Design Team Project

Designed and built Common Support Aircraft for the Navy. Responsible for engine selection and integration, fuel system design, and solid modeling.

. SKILLS/KNOWLEDGE/ACCOMPLISHMENTSYou may want to highlight skills, knowledge, accomplishments, research, laboratory experience, publications

licensure, or any other achievement that makes you a valuable applicant. For example:

Skills Knowledge and Accomplishments in Computer Science Developed computer vision system in Visual C++ for visual detection of vehicle trajectories Developed fast algorithm to find connected components in real time Developed dynamic shareholding method to improve the segmentation result Unix, Windows, DOS C/C++, 8051 Assembly Language

ORProfessional Skills

Programming: Java, C/C++, Visual Basic, Mathematica, HTML, MathML, JavaScript, SQL

Applications: Macromedia Dreamweaver, Fireworks, Flash, Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, PageMaker,

Oracle, Microsoft OfficeOperating Systems: Windows, Unix, Solaris, Linux, DOSLanguage: Fluent in Spanish

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Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo

Building 124 756-2501 x4www.careerservices.calpoly.edu

7. Involvement Awards and AffiliationsInclude any involvement in student clubs, organizations, and community activities. Also, list honors and awards. Be

sure to indicate leadership roles or positions of responsibility. For example:

Leadership and InvolvementWeek of Welcome Leader, Cal Poly - New Student Orientation, Fall 2003Society of Women Engineers, Treasurer, 2003-2004American Society of Mechanical EngineersCal Poly Intramural Soccer

Interests: Backpacking, skiing, acoustic guitar, reading

Resume Tips: Well organized, consistent presentation Balanced use of blank space and margins Use concise action phrases; past tense verbs for past accomplishments No personalizations (I, me, my)

Do not include references Reverse chronological format One page (preferably) Brief, easy to read Boldface type used selectively to highlight information Print on resume quality paper Must be PERFECT; get help at Career Services

Top 5 Qualities/Skills Employers Want: Communication Skills (oral, written) Honesty/Integrity

Teamwork skills (works well with others) Interpersonal skills (relates well to others) Strong work ethic

For Further Assistance: Go to the Career Services website for more information and for sample resumes by major:

www.careerservices.calpoly.edu- Click on For Students / Resumes and Tools

Set up an appointment with Tammy Martin or Markel Quarles by calling the front office (756-2501, then press 4).Tammyis the Career Counselor for all CENG majors except CSC, CPE, EE, and SE. Markelis the Career

Counselor for CSC, CPE, EE, and SE majors.

Tammys Drop-In Service: Wednesdays, 9-11 a.m. (Bldg. 124, sign in at front desk)Markels Drop-in Service: Wednesdays, 2-4 p.m. (Bldg. 124, sign in at front desk)

Grad Adviser Drop-In Service: Monday thru Thursday, 1-3pm (Bldg. 124, sign in at front desk) Resume Clinics every quarter at Career Services (see website for dates)

http:///reader/full/www.careerservices.calpoly.eduhttp:///reader/full/www.careerservices.calpoly.eduhttp:///reader/full/www.careerservices.calpoly.eduhttp:///reader/full/www.careerservices.calpoly.edu

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Sample Career Resume Levi Lorenz, EIT4321 Islay San Luis Obispo, CA 93401 (805) 544-1234 ltlorenz@calpoly.edu

ObjectiveA career position in Industrial Engineering in the biomedical industry

Summary of Qualifications

Engineering work experience in a high-tech manufacturing environment Experience with the design, installation, and improvement of industrial systems that integrate people, technology

materials, and information

Extensive hands-on project work involving efficiency, work design and measurement, industrial costs and controlsdata management and system design, ergonomics, statistics and operations research

Experience with customer service, sales techniques, and interpersonal social skills EIT Certified # 654321

EducationCalifornia Polytechnic State University, San Luis ObispoBachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering, June 2011

Major GPA: 3.6 Overall GPA: 3.4 Deans List 4 quartersIndustrial Engineering Experience

Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering Co-op Spring/Summer 2010

Alcon Laboratories, Cataract Operations Division Irvine, CA

Designed and implemented a new mixed-model assembly line to accommodate a new product Reorganized inventory system to prevent material shortages while minimizing on-hand inventory Completed various other industrial and manufacturing projects to support the Cataract assembly line Gave several presentations to upper management, supervisors, and team members

Senior Project Cal Poly

Developing a Decision Support System Software tool using Microsoft Excel and Access to create a small scale, buthighly practical, ERP system

The software will have an MRP engine, which will be integrated and linked with financial analysis of customerorders, supply chain costs, direct labor costs, inventory costs and overhead costs

Technical Group Projects Cal Poly

Developed alternative layouts for C&D Aerospaces Dado Assembly Area while optimizing man hours andmaterial flow

Created Material Requirements Planning Program for three product structures containing parts with independentand dependent demand

Used Operations Research Techniques to determine the best combination of foods to include in a Meal Ready to Ea Redesigned an alarm clock to be more ergonomically correct Developed and recommended improvements to an existing workstation located at DiOptics Medical Products

Technical Skills

Created a working database using Microsoft Access for given production systems

Proficient using: Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Minitab & CAD/CAM computer systemsLeadership / Involvement

Vice-President, Alpha Pi Mu - Industrial Engineering Honor Society Increased membership by 20% through creative marketing

Institute of Industrial Engineers (IIE) Cal Poly Intramural Soccer and Basketball

Other Work ExperienceServer F. McClintocks, San Luis Obispo - Worked 20-25 hours per week while attending school full-time (1/08-12/0

mailto:ltlorenz@calpoly.edumailto:ltlorenz@calpoly.edu