Tips on resume - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: tiofilo75
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2014, 12:24:43 am
content: Hello everyone. I will be graduating from college in the summer with my E.E degree and I am working on my resume. Would it be a good idea to put down that I have my own equipment such as an oscilloscope, function generator, etc? If so, how would you word it? I'm really excited and anxious to start working, I am worried about not getting a job since I never got around doing an internship. I want to demonstrate that I actually tinker with electronics outside of school. Any tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2014, 12:44:10 am
content: Just say that you know how to use them. And until you get more experience, list some noteworthy personal projects.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2014, 04:09:23 pm
content: Just write you work on electronics projects (describe what kind of projects) at home and you have equipment like a scope, func. gen etc. I don't know where you are from but over here such people are scarse and very much wanted.

author: KJDS
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2014, 04:44:46 pm
content: Concentrate on what you have achieved with your test gear, the projects you have built and what use you've put them to.

author: dr.diesel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2014, 04:48:25 pm
content: EE is a HUGE field, any particular part of the industry you'd like to start in?

author: T3sl4co1l
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2014, 05:39:32 pm
content: You might phrase it as having your own test/design/electronic workbench, or emphasize your capability through projects you've created.For a long time, I've had personal as well as professional projects on mine. Seems to be fine.Tim

author: JoeO
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2014, 06:11:15 pm
content: Quote from: tiofilo75 on February 14, 2014, 12:24:43 amGo to your profile and include what country you are from. Cultural differences around the globe create unique challenges.

author: Sigmoid
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2014, 09:14:34 pm
content: From what I've learnt about resumes, your best choice is to keep it terse and factual.Prosaic resumes are for celebrities and politicians. An engineer's CV needs to show off structural thinking and a down-to-earth attitude.The structure I use for my resumes (in this order):Personal data (name, address, etc.)Field proficiencies, split into "have in-depth knowledge about" and "have some experience in". ONLY proficiencies that relate to your field. A pilot's licence, stock trading experience or bass fishing do not come here (unless you're interviewing for a job as a pilot or a stock trader).List of industry certificates. I'm a software engineer, so all my project management, Microsoft MCPD and similar stuff come here with date and code.Previous employers by date (list containing: tenure, name of employer, job title, single sentence description of duties)Major projects I've worked on by date (list containing: date, one-sentence project description, list of technologies involved)Language proficienciesOther proficiencies. This is where you list your pilot's licence, but NOT bass fishing. Listing purely recreational stuff is unprofessional.Education. High school and up. If you have upper education, the only reason for including high school is that maybe your interviewer grew up in the same city, or something. It can be a point of personal connection.Proficiencies gained in hobby projects go in the field proficiencies part. You don't need to explain in the CV. When you're at the interview, and they ask you what kind of experience you have in, say, stabilizing op-amps, you can tell them that you've been building high end power amps since you were fourteen. Or something.There's good reason for why this is the best format for a resume. One, it looks professional. Two,people will actually read it.

author: KJDS
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 14, 2014, 09:33:41 pm
content: Quote from: Sigmoid on February 14, 2014, 09:14:34 pmI like that, it's a good structure.The only extra thing I like to see is what people have achieved, so I don't want - "involved in the cost reduction project of the next space shuttle," I want - "contributed a 17% reduction in cost of the new wing for the next space shuttle by utilizing pressure forming as a manufacturing technique."and you're right about keeping everything else clear and concise.When it's done, leave it overnight and read through it again, then get someone else to read it. I've been faced with ploughing through a pile a foot high and I'll bin potential candidates for almost trivial reasons, there just isn't time to interview everyone.

author: CaptnYellowShirt
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 15, 2014, 07:31:33 am
content: Quote from: KJDS on February 14, 2014, 04:44:46 pmDitto.