Electrical Engineer Resume Example (Guide & Tips for 2023)

Electrical Engineer Resume Example

Here are all the components that make the above electrical engineer resume example one to follow: 

• Chronological format. The electrical engineer resume example above uses the chronological resume format, as it’s the most popular among recruiters worldwide. 
• Right resume length. This candidate knows that the optimal resume length is one page, otherwise recruiters might just skim through it instead of reading it. 
• Accurate contact information. This electrical engineer resume example makes sure that all contact details provided are correct to avoid any miscommunication.
• Attention-grabbing resume summary. By summing up his experience and skills in just two sentences, the candidate from the electrical engineer resume example above grabs recruiters’ attention.
• Plenty of professional achievements. The electrical engineer resume example prioritizes achievements over work responsibilities as the best way to make the candidate stand out from competitors with similar experience. 
• Bullet points. Using bullet points, this electrical engineer resume saves space and makes the resume look clean, with ample white space. 
• Short education section. As a professional with plenty of experience, this electrical engineer keeps their education section short. 
• Industry-related skills. Instead of listing random skills, the electrical engineer resume above only lists industry-relevant soft and hard skills. 
• Extra sections. This electrical engineer resume example takes advantage of extra sections such as memberships and conferences attended (which show they have a high level of professional dedication and curiosity) and trainings attended (which further prove their skills). 

Here’s How to Write Your Electrical Engineer Resume

If the above electrical engineer resume example looks like the end result YOU want but aren’t sure how to get, worry not—we’re here to walk you through the entire process, starting with: 

#1. Format Your Electrical Engineer Resume

Let’s start with the basics.

The chronological resume format is the best choice for your electrical engineer resume, as it’s the most popular format among recruiters. 

On top of that, this format is great for professionals with years of work experience, as it highlights your work experience by placing it before the skills or education sections. 

Once you’ve sorted out your resume format, start working on your resume layout, including:

• Resume length. Keep your resume length one page. Recruiters receive countless resumes daily, so keeping your resume one page long means there’s more chance they’ll read it. That is, unless you’re a professional with experience that you just can’t leave out from your resume—then it might be acceptable to make your resume 2 or 3 pages long. 
• Clear section headers. Use headers (H2 or H3) to separate your sections. 
• Font size and style. You want to pick the right resume font style and size for your resume so it doesn’t look unprofessional. That means a 11-12 pt font size and a typeface along the lines of Ubuntu or Roboto. 
• Set resume margins. It’s advisable to have resume margins on all sides. If you set them too narrow, the text will look cluttered and if you make them wider, your resume will look quite empty.  
• Save your resume as a PDF file. Save your resume as a PDF unless the job description specifically recommends submitting it as an MS Word document. It’s the only format that will keep your resume unchanged no matter the device or Operating System that opens it.  

Or Use Our Tried & Tested Templates 

Formatting your resume can be a major pain.

It can take hours to get right (especially if you want your resume to look good), and then just from a single change, your entire resume layout can spill over into page 2.

Want to avoid all that hassle AND create a good-looking resume in minutes?

Try one of our free resume templates! 

All you have to do is pick a template you like best and fill in your contents - zero formatting work required.

#2. Add Your Contact Details Correctly

With formatting and layout out of the way, it’s time to start dealing with your resume’s contents. 

Start by listing your contact information  - and making sure there are no mistakes in your details. 

See, as basic as this section is, it’s also super important to get it right, otherwise recruiters might not be able to contact you. Not to mention, recruiters will view a typo in this section as a red flag for carelessness, which you definitely want to avoid. 

So, double and triple-check your contact details, including:

• Full name
• Title
• Phone number
• Email
• Location (city and state/country)

Here’s a concrete example of an electrical engineer resume contact details: 

#3. Write an Impactful Electrical Engineer Resume Summary

A resume summary is a 1-3 sentence paragraph that sums up your professional experience. The summary goes on the top of your resume and serves to grab recruiters’ attention and get them to read the rest of your resume.

Here’s what an impactful electrical engineer resume should include achieving just that: 

• Your role and years of experience 
• 1-2 professional achievements (if applicable) 
• Your most significant skills as an electrical engineer

#4. Add Achievements to Your Work Experience Section 

As an electrical engineer, your work experience section is the main selling point of your resume. 

After all, what better way to prove your skills than your previous work experience? 

That’s exactly why you’ve got to make sure this section is on-point, including the right formatting:

• Start with your most recent/current position and go backward from there. 
• Begin each entry with your professional title, the company’s name, the dates you worked there, and 3-5 of your accomplishments and responsibilities in bullet points.  
• List fewer bullet points under earlier work entries and keep each work entry relevant (e.g. your experience as a waiter at a restaurant 15 years back isn’t really relevant to your electrical engineer resume). 

If formatted correctly, your work experience section should look like this:

Now, how you write this section is just as important as how you format it. Basically, your goal should be to bring the focus to your professional achievements over your responsibilities. 

Why? Well, chances are the recruiter that’s reading your resume has a pretty good idea what your responsibilities as an electrical engineer are. 

Producing design drawings, handling technical deviations, creating power systems, and the like. 

Those are definitely something, but those are the same exact responsibilities other electrical engineers include in their resumes too.

To stand out from the rest of the applicants, you want to focus more on achievements instead. 

Here’s what an achievement-oriented electrical engineer work experience section looks like: 

#5. Mention Your Education

As an engineer, your education section comes second to your work experience and even your skills. 

It’s important that you list it nonetheless - as long as you keep it short and to the point. 

Here’s how you’d add an education section on your electrical engineer resume:

• Add your latest (and highest) degree first and then list the university’s name, location, and years attended, in this specific order. 
• If you have a second advanced degree, include it in your resume. 
• Only include your high school education in your electrical engineer resume if you don’t have higher degrees.

Here’s how the end result of your education section should look like: 

#6. Include Relevant Skills 

An accomplished electrical engineer needs to possess soft skills (e.g. communication, creative thinking) and hard skills (e.g. AutoCAD, Programmable Logic Controllers) and recruiters will expect to see a combination of both listed on your electrical engineer resume.

That said, it’s essential that you keep this section relevant too. 

This means that instead of listing every skill you ever acquired, you should just list the skills that are relevant to the industry (and, preferably, tailored to the specific job you’re applying to). Not to be harsh, but your tennis-playing skills probably won’t land you an electrical engineering job.

Here’s exactly how you can identify which skills the job requires: 

• Read the job description and identify the required skills.
• Think of all YOUR industry-related hard and soft skills.
• Include all the required skills that match your skills.

29+ Electrical Engineer Skills to Put On Your Resume

Need some inspiration? 

Here’s a list of the most in-demand electrical engineer skills on the market now:

Electrical Engineer Hard Skills

1. Microcontrollers
2. Linux
3. Programing (C++, Java)
4. Circuit Design
5. Electrical measurements
6. Orcad
7. Eagle
8. PCB Design
9. AutoCAD/Microstation
10. Revit
11. NFPA Standards
12. Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC)
13. Application of linear systems theory
14. Data collection and analysis
15. Building and operating computer systems
16. Preparing operation plans
17. Electrical schematics development
18. Equipment construction and upkeep

Electrical Engineer Soft Skills 

1. Communication skills
2. Presentation skills
3. Active listening
4. Innovative and creative thinking
5. Critical thinking
6. Problem-solving
7. Initiative
8. Decision-making
9. Accuracy
10. Mentoring skills
11. Organization
12. Teamwork
13. Active learning

#7. Make Use of These Additional Sections

Want to take your electrical engineer resume from great to exceptional? 

Include some of the optional resume sections :

• Industry awards & certifications. If you have certifications from completed courses or won any awards, definitely mention them on your resume. 
• Memberships & conferences. Do you like attending engineering conferences every once in a while? Mention it and recruiters will see you’re a dedicated professional outside of the office too. 
• Projects. If you’ve worked or are currently working on any independent projects that are related to electrical engineering and can add value to your resume, don’t forget to include them. 
• Languages. As an electrical engineer, you might work with a multilingual team or travel extensively to worksites at home and abroad, so foreign languages are definitely bonus points (plus, they increase your employability abroad). 
• Hobbies and Interests. Add some of your hobbies and interests to give a glimpse of how you spend your personal time.

These extra sections can: 

1. Help you stand out from other applicants with similar work experience and skills. 
2. Make your resume more diverse and show recruiters your level of dedication. 

Here’s an example of how some of these extra sections look like on a real electrical engineer resume: 

#8. Attach a Cover Letter to Your Resume

When it comes to job applications, submitting a cover letter is just as important as your resume. Actually, 72% of recruiters expect a cover letter even if the job ad states they’re optional. 

So, to submit a truly impeccable application, you should use your cover letter to cover your experience or top achievements more in-depth or to mention anything of value that you couldn’t on your resume.  

Here are some tips on how to write a cover letter that does just that:

• Address your cover letter using the recruiter’s full name, last name, or professional title. Refrain from using the old-fashioned and way-too-popular “Dear Sir/Madam” and “To Whom It May Concern.”
• Write an impactful introduction to start your cover letter. 
• Describe your electrical engineering experience and achievements in detail throughout your cover letter body. 
• End your cover letter with a powerful closing statement and call to action. 
• Give our guides on cover letter tips and cover letter mistakes a look to make sure your cover letter is as good as your resume. 

Key Takeaways 

And that’s a wrap! 

Now you have all the necessary tools to write the perfect electrical engineer resume and impress recruiters. Before you start, let’s go through the main points we covered:

• Use your resume summary to provide recruiters with a summary of your career (e.g. years of experience and field, top skills, and 1 or 2 accomplishments). 
• Prioritize your professional achievements over your responsibilities and, if you can, make them as quantifiable as possible. 
• Fill the skills section with the electrical engineering skills you possess and are relevant for the job, not every skill you ever acquired. 
• Enrich your electrical engineer resume with extra sections such as certifications, memberships, projects, or attended conferences.