Electrical Engineering Resume—Examples and 25+ Writing Tips

Why is it so hard?

You understand and design circuits that would give most people migraines.

But writing an electrical engineering resume makes your teeth click.

The reason?

You don’t know which things employers care about.

Take heart. Plug in the right discrete components and your job search will light up like a Christmas tree.

In this guide:

• An electrical engineering resume sample better than most.
• How to write a resume for electrical engineering jobs that works.
• How to fine-tune the electrical engineering job description in your resume.
• Why you can’t just list electrical engineering skills (and what to do instead).

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In the wrong discipline? See our guides:

• Engineering Resume
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• Engineering Internship Resume 
• Science Research Resume
• Java Developer Resume
• Quality Assurance (QA) Resume
• Computer Engineer Resume

Haven't found what you're looking for? Check all our resume examples for over 200 jobs.

Electrical Engineering Resume Sample You Can Copy and Use

Here’s how to write an electrical engineering resume that gets jobs:

1. Choose Your Electrical Engineering Resume Format

Let’s lay the groundwork.

Resume formatting matters to employers.

Do it wrong, and your electrical engineer resume will wind up in the waste bin.

Use these tips to start off right:

Electrical Engineering Resume Format

• Create a 1-page resume unless you’ve had a long career.
• Add negative space and 1-inch margins to make your resume easy to read.
• List past jobs in reverse-chronological order.
• Use one good resume font like 10–12pt Garamond or Arial.
• Add these common resume sections: Heading, Objective, Experience, Education, and Skills.
• Send a PDF resume. PDFs don’t degrade across different devices.

Expert Hint: There are only 330,300 electrical engineer jobs in the US, and job growth has hit a wall. Target your resume to cut through the hiring static.

2. Write an Electrical Engineering Resume Objective or Summary

Warning:

Most recruiters spend six seconds with a resume.

But—

You can get more time for yours.

Start your electrical engineering resume with a resume objective or resume summary.

It’s a short overview that gets attention.

Include:

1. One adjective (licensed, results-driven)
2. The title “electrical engineer”
3. Years of experience (3+, 4+)
4. Who & how you’ll help (increase efficiency by 25% at Aitchersys)
5. Best electrical engineering moments (slashed costs 15%...)

Psst—write it last to zap the stress.

These engineer resume examples show the diagram:

Electrical Engineering Resume Summary—Example

Major difference.

That first sample crackles with details.

But—

An electrical engineering resume with no experience must show achievements too.

Entry-Level Electrical Engineering Resume Objective

The second of those entry-level electrical engineering resume examples is a dud.

The first shows drive and competence—with proof.

One caveat:

Engineers won’t read your resume. Recruiters will. So—

It’s critical to show you’ve helped the bottom line.

Expert Hint: Writing an entry-level electrical engineer resume? Give serious thought to getting your EIT certification. Princeton has a great guide on how to get it here.

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3. Recharge Your Electrical Engineering Job Description and Skills Section

Good news:

Most electrical engineering resumes are generic.

Dodge that, and you’ll stand out like Albert Macovski.

To write a great electrical engineering job description:

1. Look in the job ad for the right resume skills (pay particular attention to technical skills)
2. Those are your resume keywords. List times you used them.
3. Add numbers to show your work mattered.
4. Look again at step #3. Believe it! Recruiters with no engineering knowledge will hire you (or not). You must show them how you moved the needle.

Do it like the first of these electrical engineer resume samples:

The job ad wants these electrical engineering skills: CAD, developing circuits, gathering requirements, PLC.

Electrical Engineering Job Description for Resume [Sample]

The second of those electrical engineering resume examples lacks:

1. The skills in the job ad.
2. Numbers for scale.

Other than that, it’s the same resume.

This entry-level resume sample does the same thing:

The job ad wants these electrical engineering skills: reverse-engineering, CAD, Linux.

Entry-Level Electrical Engineering Resume Job Description [Sample]

Notice:

Applicant #2 had the right components and didn’t install them.

Remember—use their skills, plus numbers for evidence.

Start with these electrical engineering resume skills:

Electrical Engineering Resume Skills

Expert Hint: What certifications look best on an electrical engineer resume? CAD and safety can help. But make sure your chosen employer cares about them.

4. Turn Boring Education to a Reason to Hire You

Here’s a tip:

If you’ve got lots of experience, your education can get by with school, degree, and dates.

But—

An electrical engineering student resume must stretch its resume education section.

Add:

• Academic projects
• Favorite classes
• Awards or fellowships
• Relevant coursework

Follow this electrical engineering resume sample:

Electrical Engineering Resume Example—Education

Expert Hint: Boeing, Lockheed Martin, IBM, Google, Apple, and GE are hiring electrical engineers. For more, search “electrical engineering jobs” + [your location]. Then click Google’s big blue bar.

5. Add Your License to Your Electrical Engineering Resume

“Is he licensed?”

Don’t make employers ask that.

Instead—

Put your license under your electrical engineering resume summary where they’ll see it.

Add other sections to show you’re no mere robot.

Try a couple of these:

• Association memberships (IEEE, IAENG)
• Conferences (especially if you spoke at them)
• Programming languages (Linux, Java, C)
• Certifications (PLC, CAD, safety)
• Foreign languages
• Groups & clubs
• Volunteering
• Freelance work
• Publications
• Personal projects
• Additional activities
• Fitness

These electrical engineering resume examples show the schematic:

Electrical Engineering Resume—Extra Sections

Night & day.

They’ll fight to hire the first of those electrical engineering resume examples.

Expert Hint: Learn how to write a cover letter that can boost the power of your resume. Resumes for electrical engineers without cover letters have more than a 40% chance of getting skipped.

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Key Points

For an electrical engineering resume that flows:

• Use the electrical engineering resume template up top. It plugs in your best career moments to get you hired.
• Source resume keywords from the electrical engineering job description online.
• Write these resume sections: summary, license, experience, education, and skills. Pack them with proof you’ve already done their job.
• Add other sections to show you’re a living, breathing human being.
• Write a engineering cover letter to increase your odds of getting invited for an interview 

Got questions on how to write great resumes for electrical engineering jobs? Want to know how your electrical engineer resume can stand out from the crowd? Leave a comment. We’ll be happy to reply!