Engineering Resume Questions

[wdallis]

Hello everyone, I have a couple quick questions regarding engineering resumes. First of all I am a non-traditional student, 27 years old, pursuing a graduate degree in mechanical engineering and am curious if I should be structuring my resume differently from individuals younger than me. I’ll give you all a little information about my past. I grew up on a cattle ranch and the vast majority of my work experience up until I was 19 was agricultural based. After high school I obtained an associate’s degree and began working as a sound technician. I then worked in the sound industry full time for a couple years until I began engineering school. The first couple years of engineering school I worked part time, mainly in the summers and on weekends, both in the agricultural and sound industries until I got a job working for an engineering research arm of the university that I attend. I then interned at this research center up until I graduated with a BSME last August and transitioned to working as a graduate student at the same place. I will be graduating in December with a MSME so I am in the process of updating my resume to begin the search for full time engineering employment.

I suppose my biggest question is if engineering hiring managers are even interested in my previous work experience and degree? I know during interviews this work experience is very pertinent and functions as the basis for conversations about my work ethic and abilities, but I’m curious if hiring managers are going to see the extra degree and time spent outside of engineering on a resume as a negative? Some of my friends, who are younger and have not had the work experience I have, are putting certain classes they have taken on their resumes but if I attempt to do that while leaving my previous degree and non-engineering work my resume extends over 1 page. Should I be cutting my non-engineering work experience and education section short to add specific information with regards to classes? Additionally, most of my agricultural work was completed on my parents cattle ranch. Even though I personally know that this was a huge part of my professional and social development are hiring managers going to look down on having worked for family?

I’m brand new to engineering tips so I apologize in advance if this same type of question has been asked previously, but I would really appreciate any information that is out there, thanks!

 

[JAE]

I review resumes and hire folks in my own field - (structural) and from my perspective as a hiring manager/engineer and firm owner, I would suggest that you include it all - but the level of detail could be adjusted to offer the basic overview of the past non-engineering experience and then focus more detail on the engineering items.

It is nice to see a resume reflect the whole person's background and it also sometimes allows a better conversation during the interview process if there are a variety of topics/experiences to show.



Check out Eng-Tips Forum's Policies here:
faq731-376

 

[oldestguy]

What I like to see in a new engineer is anything in his/her background that shows they have experience working on things even somewhat related. Anything that shows they are familiar with tinkering or fixing things. Have they had to solve some practical problem? Even if it a car. An example that really hit me way back was a beginning civil engineer hired by our boss that had a master's degree. His father owned a construction company, yet this new engineer was darn near useless as someone you could send to a construction job site for inspection. I don't know what he did for summer jobs, etc. but was as impractical as they come. I once discussed a problem out there and said it seems like a job for a back-hoe. He said "What's a back-hoe"? So, your experience had better show all the "stuff" that you might know about to have good basic knowledge of, such as different tools as well as production machines, etc.

 

[IRstuff]

You are equivalent to a normally graduating engineer from an academic perspective, so emphasis on classes that are specifically related to the company you are applying to is relevant. I would cut down stuff that you seem to think is important, but if it is essentially irrelevant to engineering, then it's as if you spent half a page describing your hobbies. Since you have an MSME, then the research and intern experience is more interesting than what you did in agriculture, unless there's a specific tie-in to the company you apply to.

TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKorP55Aqvg

faq731-376 forum1529 Entire Forum list

http://www.eng-tips.com/forumlist.cfm

 

[TheTick]

If your writing style is any indication, your resume will need a lot of tightening up to get on point to turn into a good presentation of your work self.

Employers and candidates come in all forms. All you can do is look for the right gig and let the wrong ones sail by. No need to apologize or ask permission to go for what you want.

I had one employer that absolutely LOVED Farm kids. They work hard and don’t waste time solving problems. I’ve never forgotten that.

As far as your resume going forward, don’t waste too much space on the past. Make it apparent where you came from and leave it open for them to inquire.

If your resume doesn’t have something of interest above the first fold then it doesn’t matter much what’s below. Start with a section outlining the key skills you have to offer. Don’t make them sift for it.

Two pages is OK if your resume tells a compelling story. Leave out anything that does not.

 

[MacGyverS2000]

After nearly 30 years in industry, my resume is a solid 3 pages in length... but more and more I'm seeing new grads with similar-length resumes comes across my desk (saw one earlier this week, in fact). It included a full list of classes he took (pare that down to the important ones... I don't care if you took pre-algebra if you also took Calculus II), the formatting was becoming graphics heavy (would have been fine for a graphic arts or marketing student, not en engineer), and he rambled a bit about his experience (clear and concise should have been his goal).

As to the rest, I like to see all experience. As JAE pointed out, point it out but keep it minimized to the proper level of relevancy. Working the cow yards is a single bullet point in and of itself, but repairing the milking machine while in use to reduce downtime and increase production should be highlighted. Point out in your overview section that you worked full-time while going to school part-time... that shows drive and responsibility. If you were able to use your engineering studies to improve your work in the sound field, say so. And so on...

Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

 

[MintJulep]

A farm is a business.

That is the angle to play.

 

[MacGyverS2000]

My first paragraph should have ended with... I don't mind a multi-page resume from a relative newcomer IF the information given is relevant. Forcing all newbies to one page is something said by people who need to prove the usefulness of their job (like career advisors).

Dan - Owner

http://www.Hi-TecDesigns.com

 

[Terratek]

Just list one job from pre-college that shows significant work experience simply to demonstrate you are more of an adult than your counterparts. All the other stuff about growing up on a ranch is minutia. This can be discussed during the interview.

A three month internship in a related industry will have more weight than five years of any of the stuff you mentioned. My perspective comes from someone who also did not start college till his middle 20's and is also a hiring manager.

 

[CWB1]

I would limit your resume to one page and unless you are going into either ag or sound equipment design, I would limit mention to a single line, possibly two about your past experience in those areas. I'd also avoid unnecessary fluff but don't hesitate to be thorough about what you've actually done. Most have at least 2-3 years experience as an intern plus a senior project/thesis by the time they finish undergrad, plenty to fill a page.

 

[spraytechnology]

There is no right or wrong answer how to write a resume. There is an industry out there built around resumes. Even the few comments above give various angles.

My advice is to prepare a document that reflects who you are and what you can offer the prospecting employer and you are satisfied with it. Proof read it by someone else.