At Hello Recruitment, we know that getting your foot in the door for an engineering role starts with one key document: your CV. Whether you’re just starting out in the industry or looking to move up the ladder, your CV needs to do more than tick boxes—it needs to showcase your strengths, qualifications, and potential to future employers.

Here’s our guide to writing a CV that gets noticed (and gets interviews).

Start with a Personal Statement That Packs a Punch

This is the first thing hiring managers will read, so it needs to be clear, concise, and tailored to the job you’re applying for. Use this space to briefly summarise who you are, your background in engineering, and what you’re looking for.

Example:
“Results-driven Civil Engineer with five years’ experience in structural design and infrastructure projects. Skilled in AutoCAD, project management, and health and safety compliance. Currently seeking a new opportunity to lead sustainable urban development projects.”

Don’t Just List Skills—Show Them

Your skillset is vital in engineering, but we recommend listing both your technical and soft skills. Employers want someone who not only knows their way around CAD software but can also communicate clearly and work well in a team.

Technical skills might include:

SolidWorks, Revit, or AutoCAD
MATLAB or Python
Finite Element Analysis (FEA)
Health & Safety Regulations
Quality Assurance

Soft skills might include:

Problem-solving
Time management
Team leadership
Communication

Make Your Experience Easy to Scan

List your work history in reverse chronological order, and for each role include:

Job title
Company name
Employment dates
Bullet points outlining your main duties and achievements

Try to include quantifiable results when possible—this helps demonstrate the impact you’ve made in your previous roles.

Example:
Mechanical Engineer | FutureTech Engineering | Jan 2021 – Present

Designed and optimised components for electric vehicles, reducing production costs by 12%
Led a team of three junior engineers on product testing and R&D
Presented findings to senior stakeholders and collaborated with design and marketing teams

Highlight Key Projects

In engineering, your projects often speak louder than your job titles. If you’ve worked on major builds, innovation projects, or anything that required a bit of brilliance—shout about it!

Structure it like this:

Project name or type
Your specific role
The outcome (cost savings, improved performance, etc.)

Example:
Project: Commercial Heating System Redesign

Developed energy-efficient heating layouts for a 20-storey office block
Reduced energy usage by 18% compared to previous systems
Project delivered on time and 6% under budget

Include Qualifications, Certifications & Training

The engineering world is full of professional benchmarks and required training. Don’t leave these out. Employers want to see you’re qualified and continually developing your knowledge.

Some things to include:

Degree(s) and university attended
Chartered status (e.g. CEng, IEng)
Industry certifications (e.g. IOSH, NEBOSH, Six Sigma, PMP)
Software training (AutoCAD, ANSYS, etc.)

Tailor Your CV Every Time

This might sound time-consuming, but tweaking your CV for each application is well worth the effort. Read the job description carefully and make sure your CV reflects the skills and experience they’re asking for. Use similar wording where appropriate—this helps your CV pass through Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) as well.

Final Tips from the Team

Keep your CV to 1–2 pages
Use a clean, professional layout—no need for fancy fonts or colours
Check (and double-check) for spelling and grammar mistakes
Save it as a PDF to keep the formatting consistent
If you’re submitting through us, be sure to also include your availability and ideal location

At Hello Recruitment, we support candidates in engineering recruitment across a wide range of sectors—from electrical and mechanical to civil and environmental roles. If you’re looking for your next opportunity and are based in the North East (we have recruitment offices in Hull and Middlesbrough), or just want a bit of guidance polishing up your CV, our team is here to help.

Get in touch today, or take a look at the latest engineering roles on our website.

About
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Tom Simpson

Managing Director at Novum Personnel

Tom Simpson is a passionate entrepreneur and the driving force behind Novum Personnel. With a background in commercial law and retail, Tom’s journey into business has been guided by his socialist values and a focus on people's development over monetary gain.

Tom’s commitment to keeping things simple and focusing on the needs of both clients and candidates has been key to his success. He’s not afraid to pivot and adapt, moving into construction and engineering recruitment when the market demands it and later seeing an opening in education recruitment.

In his personal life, Tom is known for his directness and resilience, unafraid to challenge the status quo or stand up for his beliefs. With Tom, what you see is definitely what you get. His goal is not to amass wealth but to create a happy and motivated team and to revolutionise the way we approach work and recruitment.

Tom Simpson is a true champion of business success, putting people and their passions at the heart of everything he does. His story is a testament to the power of simplicity, adaptability, and a people-first approach in business.