A Guide to Writing as an Engineer, 4th Edition

10

WRITING TO GET AN ENGINEERING JOB

The résumé is your main vehicle for presenting yourself to a potential employer. The central question to ask in preparing your résumé is, “If you were an employer, would you want to read this résumé?” … Visual impact and appearance are extremely important.

Raymond Landis, Studying Engineering: A Road Map to aRewarding Career, 2^nd ed. (Los Angeles, CA: Discovery Press,2000), p. 223.

The key to résumé writing excellence is in presenting it the right way. Most people make the error of just listing their experience and qualifications; this ends up being a rather boring document. A good résumé should not only demonstrate your skills and experience, but should also give the reader a good indication of the type of person you are. It needs to have personality.

Engineers International, “Preparing the CV,”www.engineers-international.com/careerscv.html.Accessed July 16, 2003.

Two tools commonly used to seek employment are the résumé and the application letter.¹ You send one or both of these to prospective employers when you are in a job search. The combination depends on the potential employer—some request only the résumé, some request only the letter, and some don't indicate. When you're not sure, send both.

Note   Additional examples are available at the companion website for this book. See the Preface for the web address.

HOW TO WRITE AN ENGINEERING RÉSUMÉ

Antimatter power

High school student Roman Keane has developed a new magnetic exhaust nozzle ...