Electrical engineers use the principles of electricity to develop novel solutions to problems. They design, test, and oversee the manufacturing of electrical technology such as computers, cell phones, and navigation systems.
These professionals typically have a wide range of duties such as conducting research, developing products, testing systems, and optimizing manufacturing processes. Electrical engineering is a diverse field that encompasses numerous sub-disciplines -- so specializing in a niche area such as electronics, signal processing, or telecommunications could help you take your career to the next level.
With their arsenal of skills, electrical engineers can find employment in a variety of industries, and the job outlook within the field is quite positive. The US Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) has projected a 5% increase in electrical engineering positions between 2019 and 2029.
Being a great electrical engineer demands excellent problem solving and technical skills. At the same time, you’ll also need to be able to think creatively and collaborate effectively with others. When you’re applying for jobs, your resume needs to show that you have the right skills for the role -- so let’s cover how to write a competitive electrical engineer resume in 2023.
As an electrical engineer, you’ll use your keen understanding of electrical systems to solve various types of problems. Your job could require technical skills such as electrical design, automation, and even programming. Create a skills section on your resume and list your relevant hard skills there so your technical prowess will be readily apparent to any hiring manager.
When you’re seeking a job in engineering, you should make it clear on your resume that you have the specialized training and skills that the role demands. If you have knowledge of MATLAB, AutoCAD, or other engineering-specific softwares or computing languages, it’s wise to list those in a dedicated skills section on your resume.
In technical fields such as engineering, professionals are often measured and evaluated by the results they achieve. Talk about your achievements at past jobs using specific numbers (e.g. “boosted production in design tasks by 18%” or “reduced manufacturing time by 40%”) to show recruiters what you’re capable of achieving for their company.
Electrical engineers are the innovators who design, develop, build and test electrical equipment. Electrical engineers can work on a variety of electrical products, including computers, phones, household appliances, power grids, electric motors, and so much more. An electrical engineer is behind every product that uses electricity. Electrical engineers are responsible for overseeing every stage of a product's development, from design to manufacturing, and beyond.
To become an electrical engineer, you must get your bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering or a related field. You’ll need a specific set of hard skills, including knowledge of using programs like autoCAD and MATLAB. Most electrical engineers will have work or internship experience as a CAD technician, junior engineer, or electronic technician. Apart from having the desired hard skills, ideal candidates will also have specific soft skills, including great problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and organizational skills.
AutoCAD is a computer aided design and drafting software. It allows engineers to build concepts for designs digitally. Most engineers use this software every day. To land this role, it’s important that you demonstrate experience using autoCAD effectively. You can also get certifications in autoCAD to bolster your resume.
Obtaining additional certifications that relate to electrical engineering can help strengthen your resume. Some certifications to consider are the CEM (certified energy manager) credential or the CTP (certified technical professional) certificate.
When you first begin your career in electrical engineering, you’ll likely start out in an entry-level position that requires little to no experience. But because electrical engineering is such a specialized field, your odds of getting hired are much better if you have a degree in engineering. Internships and volunteer projects related to electrical engineering also look great on your resume and can make you extra competitive for jobs.
As an entry level job candidate, you probably won’t have much work experience to list on your resume. Focus instead on the skills and experience you do bring to the job, which could include a degree in electrical engineering or relevant coursework such as digital electronics or power system analysis. Your education is one of your strongest qualifications for a potential job, so make sure to emphasize it on your resume.
Any internships where you’ve helped design or develop electronics should also be featured prominently on your resume. Even community projects and extracurricular activities can be valuable experiences to list if they are relevant (e.g. if you were a committee member of an electrical engineering club or you volunteered to help install solar panels on local homes).
Electrical site engineers specialize in projects taking place at construction sites. They are not only responsible for tasks such as testing electrical systems and fixing problems; they also act as project managers, overseeing all work that’s being done and making sure it’s completed to the necessary standards. Your resume should reflect the unique blend of engineering, project management, and leadership skills that the job requires.
Since there are many niche areas within electrical engineering, you may want to hone your skills within a specific area and focus your resume on those abilities. Make your electrical site engineer resume as relevant as possible by showing how you’ve developed your skills in electrical testing or design (e.g. in previous engineering positions).
Leadership skills are a must for aspiring electrical site engineers. When you choose leadership-specific action verbs to frame your accomplishments (such as “assigned”, “trained”, and “supervised”), recruiters can see evidence of your abilities to lead projects and manage people.
An electrical design engineer conducts research and creates designs for new electrical systems. They also develop and test these systems, making any necessary changes as they go. You’ll need a strong knowledge of electrical theory and design software for this role, so your resume should highlight your technical skills as well as your educational background.
To become an electrical design engineer, you’ll need to be fluent in computing languages such as MATLAB, and you should also be familiar with design tools like CAD software. Having the right technical skills for the job is essential, so make sure to list your computing and software proficiencies in a skills section on your resume.
While this candidate has an impressive work history within electrical design, it’s worth noting that he or she holds a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering along with a Master’s degree in Electrical Design. Your educational background becomes less important than work experience as you advance in your career, but if you have advanced degrees within a relevant field, don’t skip mentioning them on your resume.
Electrical design engineers are responsible for designing the systems that conduct and carry energy. They may work in a variety of industries on a plethora of products. The electrical design engineer uses software programs and technical skills to design and test systems that will be later implemented in the manufacturing process.
To become an electrical design engineer, start in the classroom. Hiring managers will be looking for a candidate with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering. You’ll need specific skills, such as experience using autoCAD and MATLAB. You will also need to demonstrate experience designing and implementing electrical systems. Good candidates for this role will have prior work experience in related roles such as prior roles as an electrical engineer, mechanical technician, or mechanical supervisor. Most importantly, ideal candidates for this role will be innovative thinkers, creative designers, and effective problem solvers.
Since electrical design engineers are responsible for creating effective and innovative designs, it’s important to demonstrate your experience in crafting electrical designs, such as building circuit boards. You can use projects from previous roles or projects you completed during your university studies to demonstrate this on a resume.
Sometimes electrical design engineers will be asked to take a pre-existing design and improve it. This can be harder to do because the engineer needs to work within constraints. It’s important to demonstrate your ability to work with and improve existing designs on your resume.
In a senior electrical engineering position, you’ll oversee other engineers and support them in their roles. You’ll be tasked with reviewing, changing, and approving electrical designs, and you’ll also perform some project management. To land this job, use your resume to showcase your exemplary performance at past jobs as well as your outstanding leadership skills.
The best leaders lead by their own example. Show how you have been a leader at past jobs by listing promotions you’ve received. This resume shows the candidate beginning as an assistant electrical engineer, advancing to become a full electrical engineer, and then rising to the rank of manager all at the same company. Promotions on your resume like these ones demonstrate proactivity and professional growth.
Being a leader isn’t always simple, and it takes a special kind of person to do it well. Using action verbs such as “directed”, “managed”, and “oversaw” to discuss your past accomplishments shows evidence of your initiative and tells hiring managers that you can handle the responsibilities of a leadership position.
As an electrical engineer, you will be working with numbers and data, and you’ll also be using the principles of electricity to design equipment and systems. But there’s much more to engineering than just math and science: You also need the ability to think logically about problems and devise creative solutions.
Great communication skills are also essential. Electrical engineers often work with team members, clients, and other professionals to help bring projects to fruition. So if you’re applying for jobs within the field, be sure to highlight not only your technical expertise, but also your people skills and your creative problem solving abilities.
This word cloud highlights the important keywords that appear on Electrical Engineer job descriptions and resumes. The bigger the word, the more frequently it appears on job postings, and the more 'important' it is.
When you’re detailing your work history on your resume, you should always include clear and specific bullet points with examples of what you accomplished at past jobs. For maximum effect, those bullet points should always begin with clear and specific action verbs. You’d be surprised what a difference a handful of carefully-chosen words on your resume can make!
The best action verbs for electrical engineers reflect the mix of communication, problem-solving, technical, and creative skills needed for their jobs. Some of these verbs could include the ones on the left.
For more related action verbs, visit Engineering Action Verbs.
For a full list of effective resume action verbs, visit Resume Action Verbs.
If you're a senior-level employee, or you're changing careers to become an Electrical Engineer, it's useful to add a paragraph at the top of your resume highlighting your most impressive accomplishments. This is called a resume summary.
Here's an example of a summary that can be used on an Electrical Engineer resume.
A resume summary is a totally optional section, and in most cases, it's better to leave it out of your resume than include it. For example, if you're a student or mid-level hire, you should not include a summary, and instead use the space to add to your work experience.
To learn how to write an effective resume summary for your Electrical Engineer resume, or figure out if you need one, please read Resume Summary Examples for Job Seekers: When To Include One.
Designed and implemented company-wide CAD standards that were used by 300 engineers and saved circuitry design time by 20%.
Diagnosed equipment malfunction for university electrical facility, reducing system error rate by 95%.
