Mansell Recruitment Group Ltd Mansell House Priestley Way, Crawley West Sussex, RH10 9RU United Kingdom
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Mansell Recruitment Group Ltd Mansell House Priestley Way, Crawley West Sussex, RH10 9RU United Kingdom
Making Your CV Stand Out for Electrical Engineering Jobs
Job hunting can be a long process, and it’s common to feel like breaking through the first round of interviews is difficult. Many companies use software to scan CVs, filtering out those not meeting specific criteria. Because of this, a poorly written or formatted CV can easily be overlooked, stopping you from getting interviews for electrical engineering jobs or other positions like manufacturing jobs or production jobs.
This guide helps you write a CV tailored for electrical engineers, covering structure, formatting and key skills that will make you stand out as a top candidate.
All electrical engineers need a CV that highlights their education, experience and strengths, demonstrating their expertise. It’s a good idea to keep your CV updated with new certificates and experiences, whether applying for electrical engineering jobs, graduate engineering jobs or maintaining a record of your achievements for future opportunities.
Recent graduates looking to begin their careers in electrical engineering usually seek internships, entry-level positions, or graduate engineering jobs. These positions help graduates transition from an academic environment into professional roles where they can apply their skills and knowledge.
Professionals with a few years of experience often update their CVs as they look to advance to more senior positions or switch industries. Reflecting new skills, certifications, or major accomplishments is essential when applying for higher roles in fields like electrical engineering.
Executives or professionals with significant achievements and responsibilities often aim for senior leadership roles, consultancy positions or board memberships. Their CVs should focus on their strategic influence, leadership skills and track record of delivering results in their industries.
A well-organised CV makes a strong impression and helps retain a recruiter’s attention. Following a clear structure also improves readability and ensures that key information is easily accessible. Let's dive into the recommended structure.
Start your CV with your name as the header, followed by essential contact details like phone number, email address and any relevant professional links, such as your LinkedIn profile or a portfolio site. This ensures you are easily identifiable and accessible at a glance.
The professional summary or personal statement offers a brief snapshot of your qualifications, career goals and what sets you apart. In 2-3 concise lines, you should summarise your key qualities and how you can contribute to the company. For example, highlight your technical expertise, leadership experience or fluency in another language—anything that gives you a competitive edge.
List your experience in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent position. For each entry, include the dates of employment, job title and the company’s name (e.g. August 2021 - February 2024, Junior Electrical Engineer, Company). Make use of typography to differentiate details such as dates, job titles and companies, but ensure the formatting is consistent throughout the CV.
Below these details, use bullet points to describe your responsibilities and achievements in each role. Where possible, focus on accomplishments that demonstrate how you excelled, such as leading projects, managing teams, or improving processes. For example: “Coordinated a team of 10 engineers to complete a complex power distribution project ahead of schedule and within budget.”
List your education in reverse chronological order, including start and end dates, the institution’s name, your degree, and the grade achieved (e.g. 2021-2024, BSc Electrical Engineering, University Name, 2:1). This section is particularly important for recent graduates applying for electrical engineering jobs or graduate engineering jobs, who may have limited work experience.
When crafting your CV for electrical engineering jobs, it's essential to highlight both hard and soft skills, as hiring managers look for a combination of technical expertise and transferable skills. Tailoring these skills to the job description helps demonstrate your qualifications and alignment with the role, making you a standout candidate in the hiring process.
Key soft skills include leadership, problem-solving, and time management, which are vital across engineering roles. Hard skills should focus on industry-specific abilities like project management, electrical testing, troubleshooting, and computer programming.
If you have any certifications from workshops, courses or conferences, include them here. For each certification, list the date, title, and any roles you may have had (e.g. Certification of participation in the 2023 Annual Electrical Engineering Conference).
Depending on your experience, you might also include sections for publications, languages spoken or professional memberships. For example, if you’re fluent in multiple languages or have published technical papers, these could make you stand out from other candidates.
Tailoring your CV is crucial for every job you apply for, whether it's electrical engineering jobs, manufacturing jobs or production jobs. Recruiters can easily spot generic CVs, and this may signal a lack of interest or attention to detail. Take the time to read each job description thoroughly and identify the skills and experiences the employer is seeking. Then, adjust your CV to match those criteria.
For example, if you’re applying for a production engineering job, emphasise experience in managing production processes or overseeing equipment installations. For electrical engineering jobs, focus on relevant technical skills, such as electrical testing, troubleshooting and compliance with industry standards.
To increase your chances of landing an interview, you must incorporate relevant keywords into your CV. Many companies use applicant tracking systems (ATS) that scan CVs for specific terms. Look at the job description and find keywords that describe the role’s key skills and responsibilities, such as “electrical design,” “troubleshooting,” or “project management.
In addition, use action verbs to make your experience stand out. For example, instead of just listing your duties, say: “Led a team of 5 engineers in developing a new electrical wiring system, resulting in a 20% increase in efficiency.”
Giving examples in your CV helps to support the skills you’re claiming. For instance, if you state that you have strong time-management skills, provide a specific example: “Manage multiple projects with tight deadlines, prioritising tasks and tracking progress to ensure on-time completion without compromising quality.” Such examples provide evidence of your capabilities and reinforce the skills you’ve highlighted.
While writing your CV, be mindful of these common mistakes:
Below is a sample template for an electrical engineering CV:
Contact Information
[Your full name and titles]
[Your address]
[Your phone number]
[Your email address]
Professional Summary
[Briefly describe why you are the best candidate for the job in 2-3 concise lines]
[Include your key skills, experience, and goals]
Previous Work Experience
[Most recent job title]
[Company name]
[Start date - end date]
[Describe your job roles and achievements in bullet points]
Education
[Degree type]
[Institution name]
[Dates of attendance]
[Grade]
Skills and Certifications
[List key skills relevant to electrical engineering jobs]
[Include certifications and issuing organisations]
Awards and Memberships
[Include relevant awards and any professional memberships you hold]
By following these guidelines and tailoring your CV to each application, you can create a compelling and professional document that stands out to recruiters and hiring managers. Whether applying for electrical engineering jobs, manufacturing jobs or production jobs, a well-structured CV can significantly increase your chances of landing an interview.
At Mansell Recruitment Group, we specialise in helping electrical engineers find work, offering a wide range of electrical engineering jobs, manufacturing jobs, production jobs and assembly jobs.
Our expert consultants work closely with candidates, including those seeking graduate engineering jobs, to match their skills with leading employers across multiple sectors. By understanding the needs of companies hiring engineers, Mansell ensures engineers at all career levels can find roles tailored to their expertise, whether in entry-level or more senior positions.
Our wide network of industry leaders enables us access to top job opportunities in engineering. To hear more about current electrical engineering job vacancies or let us help you find your dream role, call us at 01293 404050 or get in touch online!