Mechanical Engineer Resume Sample

Mechanical Engineer Resume with Writing Guide

A resume is the first impression that people have of you, so make sure it tells the story of what makes YOU good at what you do. My career has taken me from an intern to a project manager to now a consultant. I’ve tailored my resume for each of these positions and want to help you do the same. So, on this blog post, we will walk through creating a resume tailored just for your potential employer!

Mechanical Engineer Resume Writing Guide:

The very first step to creating an effective resume is to ask the right questions and get the right answers.

As a Mechanical Engineer, you will be responsible for tasks including –— Is this task relevant to your skillset? How do you apply your skillset to this task? What are the potential developmental paths that could lead you closer to success in this field?
Delegate responsibilities such as conducting product testing and verification, ensuring production quality control, and coordinating the production of hardware for system integration.

• Does this description make sense? What does it say about you?
  Understand the technology used in the design and manufacturing of products. Use CAD software to create drawings for parts, assemblies, sub-assemblies, and equipment layouts. Write detailed specifications for manufacturing. Communicate with engineers, designers, and manufacturing personnel to assist in producing products to specifications.

• Does this description make sense? What does it say about you?
  Developed systems and designs for complex equipment including precision machining tools, automated assembly equipment, and other manufacturing equipment. Utilized software applications such as CAM software and 3-D modeling programs to simulate manufacturing processes under design conditions. Performed calculations related to the design of systems under several conditions. Developed computer control and signal processing algorithms used in the simulation of robotic systems.

• Does this description make sense? What does it say about you?
  Developed software that utilized physics-based modeling to simulate and predict part manufacturing processes. Developed computer control and signal processing algorithms used in a simulation of robotic systems. Researched mechanical design theory and computational methods. Worked as an integral part of a team on projects with fast-paced deadlines, providing technical support and assistance to fellow team members.

• Does this description make sense? What does it say about you?
  Tested products to ensure that they were designed and manufactured according to specifications. Conducted testing on samples of products to determine how well they met design parameters. Tested individual parts or components using a variety of methods including computer simulation, laboratory analysis, and/or component level testing.

Mechanical Engineer Responsibilities:

1. Lead the design of mechanical systems from concept to completion.
2. Conduct research and investigations for the development of mechanical components.
3. Communicate with other engineers regarding design details to ensure that all components work together.
4. Interpret new ideas into drawings, blueprints or verbal instructions that can be understood by others in the department.
5. Assist in planning and scheduling parts needed for production, such as screws and bolts, along with any associated tooling required to produce them at the production rate required by the manufacturer.
6. Keep on top of design changes that may affect the production schedule.
7. Select, purchase and manage parts and materials.
8. Create documentation required for the manufacturing process, such as templates for cutting or bending.
9. Ensure that the final product is in agreement with drawings and specifications by conducting tests on prototypes during the design phase or after completion of manufacturing.
10. Design and develop new machines and equipment.
11. Conduct testing of the final product to ensure it meets the original design specifications as well as safety standards.
12. Work in a team environment to develop project time lines, processes and goals while working towards projects on tight deadlines.
13. Design and implement processes that may be used by other departments within the company to improve efficiency or reduce costs for future product design and production.

Top 15 Must-have Mechanical Engineer Skills:

1. Strength of Materials Design
2. Electrical Engineering
3. Materials Engineering
4. Mechanical Ecology
5. Materials Science and Engineering (specifically: Polymer Chemistry, Circuit Design, MEMS Technology)
6. Thermodynamics (specifically: Thermodynamic Processes)
7. Instrumentation and Control
8. Fluid Dynamics
9. Mechanical Design, Analysis, and Optimization
10. Modern Robotics (specifically: Engineering Design)
11. Structural Analysis
12. Process Control
13. Mechanical Design (specifically: Structural Analysis)
14. Management (specifically: Project Management, Business Development, Marketing)
15. Consumer Physics

Best Resume Formats for Mechanical Engineers:

A good resume format for mechanical engineers is the chronological format with professional experience as a career objective and a separate section about education and training highlighted in bold font.

Bold font:
The objective in bold font should be the job or career you want to get. If you are just starting your career, this should be the job you want in 5 years. For additional resume examples, click the link below:

Click here for a sample resume with formatting to make it easier for hiring managers to read.

Resume and Cover Letter Guide:

Mechanical Engineers have the reputation of writing the best cover letters. You will want to send a resume and cover letter with every job application you make. Writing a cover letter is an art form that requires time to master, but following this step-by-step guide will help you get there.

Step 1: Start With an Introductory Paragraph

It is important to provide a short introduction about yourself, in other words, what you are going to talk about in your cover letter.

Step 2: State Your Objective

This will be your first sentence of the body of your cover letter. This is what you want to achieve from this position.

Step 3: Highlight Your Skills & Experience

Now is the time to highlight the skills and experience that you have that are relevant to the position you are applying for. You will want to use industry jargon in your cover letter, but be careful not to overuse it. “Tone down” your language so as not to seem like you are trying too hard.

Step 4: Be Specific About Your Work History

Include dates, job title, and the company you worked for.

Step 5: Highlight Any Special Skills or Experience You Have

Encourage them to contact you if they have any questions about your skills.

Tips to write a Mechanical Engineer Resume Summary:

A Mechanical Engineer resume summary should highlight the applicant’s specific strengths and what he/she can offer the employer. This section of your resume should focus on tools, including computer programs, used to gain experience in your field of expertise and technical skills. The purpose of a resume summary is to highlight technical skills and experience relevant to mechanical engineering employment opportunities.

Tips:

1. Skillfully summarize your relevant experience in your field of expertise by highlighting the skills you acquired and how they help you advance your career. Emphasize that the experience is relevant to a Mechanical Engineer career, and clearly demonstrate how these skills serve you well.
2. Though this section may seem lengthy, it is important that you provide a detailed overview of your education, training and specific professional interests in this section.
3. Include past mechanical engineering projects and programs in your summary, if applicable so that employers can see your level of experience.
4. Employers use a resume’s summary section to gain insight into the experience and skills they seek and need in an employee; therefore, be sure to focus on your relevant job experiences and how you plan to contribute to their company in this section.

How to write a Mechanical Engineer Resume with No experience:

1. List any positions related to Mechanical Engineering that you held in the last 5 years (get a job, volunteer, internships, etc.). You can also list any non-job related learning opportunities that you took part in.
2. Reflect on your favorite past engineering projects and activities. Give a short overview of what you did and remember to refer back to the previous step as well as your most relevant job(s) or study(s). Here is a list of skills that you may want to include:
3. Use action words (verbs) in the Summary and Skills section, Pinpoint 3 accomplishments and 1 volunteer experience that highlight your strongest skills and provide job-specific evidence of these skill sets.
4. The “Detailed Engineering Experience” section should hold 2-3 bullet points for each job in reverse chronological order (the most recent should be first).
5. List your technical knowledge and skills with the following bullets:
6. Now that you are finished, you may want to proofread and edit some key areas of your resume, such as the summary and skill sections.

How to write a Mechanical Engineer Cover Letter:

The Mechanical Engineer cover letter is likely to be a key part of your resume. The timing is critical. The applicant has 60 seconds to present themselves and their job qualifications and accomplishments in a concise manner, or they lose out on the job offer. This is not an easy task for anyone! In this guide, we will show you how to write the perfect Mechanical Engineer cover letter using our custom template.

Tips:

1. Please write your cover letter based on your resume. This is a vital step as it will highlight any discrepancies between the two.
2. Do not have more than 1-2 paragraphs in your cover letter – this should be a concise, single page document.
3. Consider using bullet points to highlight specific competencies and key skills to help the employer understand your value.
4. Never use all caps or spell out whole words – this is a clear signal that you are unsure of what they are looking for.
5. Show your passion and enthusiasm in your cover letter’s content and style; it will make you stand out from the crowd.
6. Please do not copy and paste your resume into the cover letter. Instead, utilize our custom template to ensure that your resume is tailored to this specific position, company and industry.

Key Takeaways:

• Write a resume customized to you; follow this guide for assistance.
• Don’t forget to include your education level and major in your resume; it is worth more than you may think.
• If you are a new graduate, follow our guide “How to start your first engineering job”.
• Remember that a resume summary can be extremely helpful in getting your foot in the door.
• Always proofread and edit your resume before sending it out; you don’t want to get rejected for something as simple as grammar or spelling mistakes!