How do I write a civil engineering resume?

There are some steps you can take before you get started to help improve your chances of landing your dream civil engineering job. First, when deciding on what skills and accomplishments to focus on, use the job description as your guide.

The goal of your resume is to demonstrate to a potential employer that you would excel in an engineering position if given a chance.

The first place to highlight who you are as a candidate is in the profile or professional summary section. The profile summary should be no more than two to four sentence "summary" of what qualifies you to be a civil engineer.

This is a great opportunity to describe yourself as a civil engineer using core skills and touching on some of your career goals. For example, "Detail-oriented Civil Engineer and PE with five years of experience and a zest for solving complex problems. Seeking to use proven project management and design skills to improve quality, cost, and time metrics for NEP Engineering."

In the work experience section, begin each entry with your job title, then add the company name underneath that, the dates worked, and three to six of your top achievements or responsibilities in bullet points.

When possible, focus on achievements over responsibility and quantify those achievements. For example, "Used AutoCAD and creative materials sourcing to cut project costs by 10%".

If you're just starting out in your career as a civil engineer, then be sure to include your internship experience in the work experience. Also, the education section is a great place to showcase some of your skills and accomplishments. Include any group projects or core courses that you have taken.

Top skills to list on your resume for a civil engineer:

• Problem Solving

• Project Management

• Organization

• Critical Thinking Skills

• Math

• Creative Thinking Skills

• AutoCAD

• Detail Oriented

• STAAD Pro

• Collaboration

• Autodesk Revit

• Interpersonal Skills

• ETABS

• Communication

• Structural Design