It is no secret that, before designing a structure, a series of calculations, processes, and planning is necessary to guarantee its correct execution. In the same way, before doing a civil engineer resume, you need to know exactly what sections and what type of content you need to be successful with the recruiter.

So let’s do it! In this guide you will learn:

  • How to make a civil engineer CV better than 9 out of 10 résumés of the competition.
  • How to format your CV so that it stands out to the recruiter.
  • How to organize your professional experience to make a better impact.
  • What kind of information will help you have a better chance of moving to the interview round.

Format your Civil Engineer Resume

Nobody would like to see a building with a damaged facade, right? Just as constructions need a certain level of design and aesthetics, civil engineering resumes also need an appropriate format. So before you start typing, be sure to consider these guidelines:

  • Use an A4 size sheet.
  • Use 1.5 line spacing.
  • Set margins of 2.5 centimeters.
  • Choose a font for your CV that is professional and legible.
  • Choose a font size between 10 and 12 points for texts and between 13 and 15 points for titles.
  • Leave enough blank spaces for your eyes to rest.
  • Save your civil engineer CV in PDF format (unless the company asks you for a specific format.

Pro Tip: If you don’t want to spend a lot of time designing your CV Civil engineer, consider using a downloadable CV template.

How Much Do Civil Engineers Make?​

It starts with an Objective or Professional Profile

Bridge of arches or bridges of beams, classic style or modern style … The life of a civil engineer is full of decisions and the CV is not the exception.

Before adding your experience and skills, it is advisable to start with a small paragraph of 4-5 lines called “excerpt” or “personal description”. However, not all excerpts are the same as they depend on the candidate’s level of experience. If you have more than 5 years in between, then it is best to opt for a professional profile for a resume that focuses on highlighting your work achievements and your previous jobs. However, if you have just started your professional career, you should choose a professional objective that refers to your skills and your goals in the world of work.

Pro Tip: Try adding keywords in this section, this will make ATS (resume reading software) consider your CV as one of the most outstanding. According to Lee Hecht Harrison, 75% of resumes fail to pass these filters.

Highlight Your Work Experience

The work experience of your civil engineering resume is like the foundations of a building: it supports the entire document.

99.3% of recruiters consider that this section is indispensable in any CV. So you should pay special attention when narrating your previous experience. These are the elements that you must include:

  • Name of the position.
  • Name of the company.
  • Contract start and end date.
  • Between 4 and 6 points describing your professional responsibilities and achievements.

Using measurable achievements and quantifiable data is extremely important to convince the recruiter. In this way, you will be giving them solid arguments why they should hire you. Also, when ordering your previous jobs, we recommend using the reverse chronological resume format, as it is the most popular in the recruiting world.

If you are a student or just graduated, don’t worry, we also have tips for writing a resume without experience.

Include your Academic Training

Theoretical support is extremely important in a civil engineering curriculum. Although many things are indeed learned in practice, the truth is that having a proper education is essential to stand out from the crowd.

This is what you have to include in the education section of your engineering CV:

  • Name of the degree.
  • Name of the academic institution.
  • Start and end date graduation (or expected date of graduation).

If you are still studying, have just graduated, or do not have much work experience yet, you can also add additional data of your academic life, such as scholarships, specializations, or awards. You can also move this section just below your excerpt for more impact.

Why study civil engineering?

Choose Your Skills Carefully

Obviously, not all civil engineers are the same. While some specialize in structures, others do so in hydraulics or even geotechnics, so the skills of each vary considerably.

However, if you want to build a resume of civil engineering that passes the inspection of any recruiter, you need to choose carefully which skills to include. The best thing for this section is to carefully read the job offer description and identify the company’s requirements. This way you can successfully choose which of your skills match what the company is looking for.

There are hundreds of examples of CV skills and aptitudes, but here are a few:

  • AutoCAD
  • Structural Design
  • Leadership
  • Teamwork
  • Autodesk Revit
  • Troubleshooting
  • Project management
  • STAAD Pro
  • Oral and written communication
  • Time management

Remember that it is advisable to perform a mixture of hard and soft skills to give greater support to your civil engineer curriculum.

Add Some Additional Sections

You have already learned how to do a civil engineer resume. Or, at least, the main sections of this type of CV. However, to truly stand out from the competition, you need to include a few additional sections to help you prove that you have that “something extra” that the recruiter is looking for.

Here are a few ideas of other information of interest that you can include in your CV:

  • Languages ​​
  • Awards and recognitions
  • Hobbies
  • Additional courses
  • Certificates
  • Volunteer programs
  • Availability

Choose carefully which of these sections to add to your Civil Engineer CV and you’ll soon make even John Smeaton proud.

PhD in Civil Engineering: Universities, Scope & More - Leverage Edu

Consider Include a Cover Letter

You are a civil engineer. You deal with math and physics daily, so you don’t need writing skills to succeed on a professional level, right?

False! The truth is that knowing how to use your words is essential to convince the recruiter that you are the perfect candidate and the best proof of this is the cover letter. This document helps to express your passion for the position and to make a case for why you should be hired. Before writing, you must know what a cover letter is and what it is for, but here are some general guidelines that will be of great help:

  • Start with a professional heading.
  • Greet the recruiter by name.
  • Open with an attractive paragraph.
  • Give reasons why you are the best fit for the company.
  • Mention why you would like to be part of the team.
  • Invite the recruiter to meet in person.
  • Close with a farewell and your signature.