Electrical Engineer Resume Example & Writing Guide

Electrical Engineer Resume

“I’m stuck. I don’t know how to make my electrical engineer resume stand out.”

That’s the line I hear the most from engineers — whether it’s a fresh grad with a shiny new degree or a seasoned pro who’s been working in control systems since flip phones were a thing.

And you know what? You’re not alone. I’ve worked with hundreds of electrical engineers over the last decade — from self-taught geniuses to PhDs — and trust me, almost everyone overthinks their resume.

But here’s the truth: a killer electrical engineer resume isn’t about buzzwords or robotic formatting. It’s about telling your story — your real, nerdy, problem-solving, wire-bending journey — in a way that hiring managers (and their lovely ATS bots) can’t ignore.

Let’s break it down together.

Before we dive into the must-have technical and soft skills, make sure to check out our complete Software Engineer Resume Writing Guide — it’s packed with examples, templates, and expert tips.

What Makes a Great Electrical Engineer Resume in 2025?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, electrical engineers are expected to see steady job demand through 2032 — especially in power generation, automation, and smart grid systems.

Okay, picture this: you’re applying for a role at a company designing smart grid solutions. You’ve got experience in power distribution systems, a knack for PLC programming, and a secret obsession with energy efficiency optimization. But your resume? It just says: “Electrical Engineer with 5 years of experience.” Bruh.

In 2025, hiring managers want more than just labels. They want:

• Real impact metrics (“Reduced energy loss by 18% across 12 substations”)
• Project lifecycle experience (show you’ve been there from ideation to commissioning)
• Tools & tech fluency (AutoCAD, MATLAB, Simulink, SCADA systems… drop ’em!)
• Certifications (FE, PE license, PMP — especially if you’re aiming senior)
• A clean, ATS-compliant resume format

Honestly, most engineers forget that their resume is a technical document about them — but still meant to be easily skimmed.

Electrical Engineer Resume Example

Name: Farah N. Title: Senior Electrical Engineer | Power Systems Specialist

Summary: Results-driven electrical engineer with 8+ years of experience in industrial power systems, control systems design, and project lifecycle management. Reduced downtime by 30% through strategic PLC programming and improved site-wide energy efficiency by 22%. FE certified; working towards PE licensure.

Key Skills:

• Electrical CAD (AutoCAD, ETAP, MATLAB)
• PLC & SCADA Programming
• Power Distribution Systems
• Electrical Safety Compliance
• Troubleshooting & Diagnostics
• Project Lifecycle Management

Experience: PowerGrid Solutions, TX Senior Electrical Engineer | 2020–Present

• Led the design and commissioning of 5 substations, each serving over 100k residents.
• Spearheaded energy efficiency initiatives, cutting system losses by 18%.
• Implemented control systems for remote monitoring via SCADA.

Education & Certs:

• B.S. Electrical Engineering, University of Texas, 2015
• Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) – Passed
• PMP Certification – In Progress

Working in a different branch of engineering? We’ve got you covered. Check out our Civil Engineer Resume Guide or dive into the Mechanical Engineer Resume Example for more tailored tips.

How to Write a Resume for Electrical Engineer Roles (Step-by-Step)

Step 1: Nail the Summary (But Keep It Human)

Start with 3–4 lines that sum up who you are, what you’ve done, and what you bring. Make it sound like a confident intro, not a Wikipedia entry.

Bad: “Electrical engineer with experience in circuit design.”

Better: “Passionate about solving real-world energy problems with smart, scalable solutions. Designed high-efficiency circuits for HVAC systems used in 3 major hospitals.”

Step 2: Show the Work (Responsibility + Results)

Use bullet points. Start each one with a strong engineering action verb like:

• Designed
• Implemented
• Optimized
• Automated
• Troubleshot

Then add metrics:

• “Reduced system load by 15% through load balancing algorithm using MATLAB.”
• “Managed electrical safety inspections across 9 industrial sites, achieving 100% compliance.”

Step 3: Add Tools, Tech, and Certifications

Don’t just list software randomly. Tie it to real outcomes.

• “Developed and tested control systems using Simulink to reduce voltage fluctuation in real-time.”

Certs to include:

• FE (Fundamentals of Engineering)
• PE License (Professional Engineer)
• PMP (Project Management Professional) if you manage people/projects

Best Resume Format, Layout & Design Tips for Engineers

Alright, let’s talk visuals. Because even the most technically brilliant resume won’t get read if it looks like a soup of text.

Your format is just as important as your content. Why? Because hiring managers don’t “read” resumes — they scan them. Quickly. Like, 7 seconds quickly.

Here’s how to make your engineering resume easy to scan, read, and fall in love with:

• Stick to reverse-chronological format: Always start with your most recent experience first. It’s the easiest format for both humans and ATS systems to follow.
• Use clear section headers: Label sections like Summary, Skills, Experience, Education, Certifications. Keep it simple.
• One page is ideal (unless you’ve got 10+ years of jaw-dropping experience — then two pages max).
• Choose readable fonts: Stick to Calibri, Arial, or Helvetica — nothing fancy or hard to read.
• Leave white space: Cramming every inch makes your resume look messy. Let your content breathe.
• Avoid graphics, tables, and columns: They confuse ATS software and make your resume harder to update.
• Use bullet points instead of paragraphs: Each bullet should focus on one impact-driven statement.
• Save it as PDF: Unless the job ad asks otherwise, PDF preserves formatting beautifully.

Want a shortcut? Here’s our clean, ATS-friendly resume template for engineers — 100% free.

Common Mistakes to Avoid on Your Electrical Engineer Resume

Before we jump into the list, let me be super honest with you: a lot of brilliant engineers unknowingly sabotage their own resumes. It’s not because they’re not smart — it’s because resume writing is weirdly different from the technical work we do every day. It’s about translating complex work into simple, clear wins that someone in HR can understand without needing a multimeter.

You’ve probably done incredible work — modeled power systems, optimized circuits, built control systems from scratch. But if it doesn’t read like that on paper? The hiring manager might just scroll right past you.

Here are some of the most common resume blunders I see (and I’ve reviewed hundreds):

1. Being vague – Saying “worked on electrical systems” tells me nothing. What kind of systems? What role did you play? Did your work impact safety, reliability, cost?
2. No metrics – Metrics are gold. They show the value of your work. Instead of saying “Installed power lines,” try “Reduced downtime by 22% by installing upgraded power distribution lines across 3 facilities.”
3. Overloading with jargon – I get it, you’re proud of your IEEE-compliant three-phase harmonic analysis algorithm. But recruiters (and even hiring managers) aren’t always engineers. Simplify when you can, and explain what your work did.
4. Skipping soft skills – Don’t underestimate the value of communication, leadership, or teamwork. Your resume shouldn’t read like a robot wrote it — you work with people, remember?
5. Terrible formatting – If your resume looks like a DOS prompt from 1997, it’s time for a glow-up. Use a clean layout, consistent fonts, and whitespace. ATSs hate weird columns and embedded tables — and so do humans.

Fix these five, and you’ll already be ahead of 80% of other applicants. Pinky swear.

Action Verbs to Make Your Resume Stronger

Let’s be real — “responsible for” is the beige paint of resume writing. If you want your achievements to jump off the page (and honestly, you do), switch to powerful verbs that show action, initiative, and results.

Here are my favorite engineering action verbs that pack more punch:

• Engineered
• Programmed
• Commissioned
• Diagnosed
• Integrated
• Streamlined
• Coordinated
• Modeled
• Implemented
• Automated
• Designed
• Analyzed
• Troubleshot
• Constructed
• Optimized

Try this trick: read your resume aloud. If a bullet starts to sound flat or robotic, punch it up with one of these. Your resume isn’t just about what you did — it’s how you moved the needle.

FAQs About Electrical Engineering Resumes

What skills should I highlight as an electrical engineer?

Think of your resume as your greatest hits album. You want to highlight the hard skills that get the job done and the soft skills that make you a great teammate.

Hard Skills:

• Electrical circuit analysis
• Troubleshooting
• PLC programming
• Electrical safety compliance
• Project lifecycle management
• CAD tools (AutoCAD, MATLAB, Simulink)

Soft Skills:

• Communication
• Team collaboration
• Problem-solving
• Time management
• Documentation and reporting

How long should my engineering resume be?

One page is ideal for most people, especially if you have under 10 years of experience. If you’ve got 10+ years and a boatload of accomplishments? Two pages max. Just keep it tight.

Do I need to include GPA or certifications?

Only include your GPA if you’re a recent grad and it’s above 3.5. Otherwise, skip it. Certifications? Heck yes — FE, PE, PMP — those add real weight.

What’s the best format for an ATS resume?

Stick to a clean, reverse-chronological layout. No fancy graphics, charts, or multi-column templates. Keep it simple. Use standard section headers, basic fonts like Calibri or Arial, and save as PDF unless told otherwise.

If you’ve made it this far — first of all, hats off to you. Writing a resume is tough, especially when you’re trying to turn complex, technical work into something that sounds clear, confident, and… well, hire-worthy.

Here’s the deal: you don’t need to be a resume-writing wizard. You just need to be real. Talk about what you’ve built, solved, improved, or fixed. Mention the things that made you proud, even if they seemed small at the time. That substation you designed? The time you stayed up testing a control loop until it finally clicked? That’s the magic. That’s what employers want to see.

And yeah, it might take a few drafts. You might delete, reword, rewrite. All good. That means you care.

If you want a little shortcut, grab this free resume template — no sign-up, no catch. Just clean, simple, engineer-approved.

Now go write your story. You’ve already done the hard work — this is just putting it into words.