Resume Advice

[WhiteKnight]

I'm finishing my master's in mechanical engineering this spring and I'm looking for jobs now. However, I'm having trouble deciding what to include on my resume. Obviously, I am including all of my relevant engineering experience, but I am uncertain whether to include some other positions I've had, such as RA in college or HS employment leadership positions. Normally I wouldn't include non-relevant experience like the RA stuff, but some of the engineering jobs specify that the candidate must have excellent interpersonal skills and leadership potential. Being and RA and being a project leader in my high school job (which I continued in college during the first few summers) obviously have nothing to do with engineering, but I believe that they might put me above a typical engineer with no such experience, especially the RA position. What do you think?

 

[yoda291]

I'm gonna say just Don't forget your name.

You'd be surprised by how many people use John Doe or XXXXX XXXXX for their names on resumes because they forgot to change them back after showing them to people.

 

[WhiteKnight]

^

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

if you never did a co-op or internship and this is for full time, make for damn sure you put your summmer jobs on it. Employers are more apt to hire "non- lazy" people. Show them you are a hard worker.

Skip the RA stuff. Write about projects and stuff like that. Remember, relevence is what matters the most. You need to talk about relelvant topics at your interview and RA will not cut it unless you want to roll into managment right away.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Also, you should have a 1 page resume at this point. Not multiple pages. That's later on in your career.

 

[WhiteKnight]

You don't think that the RA thing would be helpful to demonstrate my leadership potential or interpersonal skills?

 

[Titan]

Limit to a page: in order of importance:

1) Name, contact info

2) Education (highest level attained minimum) GPA optional (good ideal if above 3.0)

3) Professional experience, all relevant.

4) Skills, relevant

5) Leadership experience

6) frills like "other employment," and "references available upon request."

 

[johnjbruin]

If its your first job - include everything - employers like to see well rounded people and involvement in multiple things in the past shows that you might be well rounded. Small things like RA etc. could show that you get along well with people etc. - so I think you should include everything.

 

[CptObvious]

I would include them. Then again, my own resume looks kind of limp 😱