The perfect engineering CV.

A CV is a vitally important part of the jobseeker’s toolkit. It’s your opportunity to sell yourself, to showcase your skills and to show just what you can bring to the door of a potential employer. It is also often the first time a potential employer will come across you.

Even in the era of LinkedIn, a CV is your own marketing material which will sit as a central part of a package which builds up your professional profile to a recruiter.

Engineering is a reliable sector. It contributes £486 billion to the UK economy, which is more than retail and financial services combined. It is also estimated that the UK will need 1.8 million more engineers by 2025. So, if you have the skills, then you will be in demand within the engineering sector and benefit from solid job security.

Here, we look at how to put together the perfect engineering CV to help your aviation career to take off in the right direction.

Show your technical skills

Make every word on your CV a powerful one. Include statistics about projects or processes where your work had a direct impact. Name the engineering packages which you have used, such as AutoCAD, databases you know your way around and any qualifications you have under your belt which can back this up.

Engineering is a unique sector. Not only does it require technical skills and know-how but it also requires the ‘softer’ skills, such as communication, project management and working under pressure. So, talk about your experience in this area too. Give examples when possible for maximum impact.

Personalisation is important

A CV is not a one-size-fits-all document. Yes, it should be broadly appropriate to a range of

roles across the sector. Your professional skills and experience highlighted in a CV need to be aligned with the type of roles that you want to be considered for. Although you don’t need to rewrite your CV for each role you apply for, consider personalising it a little. This will help to highlight key skills or proficiency in specific areas. Don’t stuff with keywords pulled from the job description though, keep it natural and easy to read.

Let your personality shine through. As well as having the skills and competencies to do a job, a potential employee also needs to be the right fit for the organisation which is recruiting. A short profile to introduce your CV is a great way to do this. A simple few lines which draw together both your professional and personal characteristics will set the tone for both the type of person you are and what skills you can bring to the role.

Know your industry

This should be no challenge for someone who is familiar with their sector. So, there’s no harm in going into a little detail about it. If a company you worked for won an industry award, mention it. If you have played a central role in developing a cutting-edge process within your current organisation, shout about it. In addition, the engineering sector tends to really favour personal progression. So, include details of up-to-date courses you have been on which you apply to your everyday role.

Back to basics

As with any role, do not forget the CV basics. This is especially important in an industry such as engineering which rests so heavily on the importance of an attention to detail. Triple check it for mistakes such as spelling errors or typos. Keep the layout simple, clear and easy to navigate. Try to keep it to no more than two pages long. Include your contact details, as well as your LinkedIn URL (and you should have one).

Here at Oaklands Global, we’re renowned for the dedicated support which we offer to our candidates to help them secure their dream roles. We’re happy to help with anything from CV writing to interview skills so you’re perfectly poised for your career to take off.

by William Finden

About the Author: William Finden is the Founder and MD of Oaklands Global. He is a seasoned executive search and recruitment specialist with over 16 years of experience, dedicated to the international aviation & aerospace markets. William leads Oaklands Global’s C-Suite practice and has had a successful career delivering at the executive level for a diverse portfolio of clientele including Business Jet Operators, OEM’s, MRO’s, FBO’s Airlines and Rotary businesses. To learn more about how William can assist with your next career move or to discuss your next director level hire please contact him by email: william.finden@oaklandsglobal.com