An electrifying computer engineering resume is the jolt your career needs to get to the next step: an interview for the job you have your eye on. Yes, your experience speaks volumes, but without a resume to match, you may be speaking into the void. Get with the program with a resume that boosts your clock speed toward that interview.
What’s the difference between an OK resume and an amazing one? A great resume creates a clear story of success from the individual achievements of your career.
Computer engineers are big picture thinkers who understand the needs of an employer and create a solution to their IT problems. When developing a resume for a computer engineer, you also must take into account the needs of an employer and design a package that will show them that you are the correct solution to their problems.
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This resume guide and corresponding computer engineer resume example will cover the following:
Before you start buying computer network components, you create a clear plan of action and an outline of the network you want to build. A computer engineering resume also has a structured outline. Before you begin writing, you need to know that a resume should contain the following elements:
Part of a computer engineer’s job is convincing the company that your solution is the best one for them. The main idea behind a resume is to convince the company that you are the best solution for the hole in their IT department. That means you need to know what their problem is and how your talents can help. Research the position, the company and as much about the current IT systems as you can and address their network needs directly within your resume.
To strengthen your case for employment, keep these important tips in mind:
Optimize for the ATS
You’re tech savvy, so you know algorithms make a lot of decisions for us. Those decisions include whether or not to pass your resume on to a recruiter or list your application for a “we’ll let you know if a suitable job comes up” email.
While there’s no magic bullet for landing in the hands of a human, targeting each job listing will definitely give your computer engineer resume a boost. Use direct language from the “must haves” and “nice to haves” in the job listing to pump up your ranking, but avoid cramming in those keywords and phrases. Recruiters know all the tricks, so your best bet is to develop a resume that truly speaks to the job at hand.
Just as a computer network should do its job without a fuss and as efficiently as possible, so too should your resume. Keep it clear, professional and to-the-point.
That includes the format. Don’t be tempted by resumes in the shape of a roadmap or a network schematic in an attempt to stand out. The most common format, reverse chronological order, is also the best format for a computer engineer. It starts with your most recent position and goes back about 10-15 years, telling the story of your career.
If you’re shifting gears or just beginning your career, an alternative format may work to your advantage. The functional format expands the focus on skills and shrinks the space for employment history.
Our resume builder offers a range of designs and formats, so pick the one that brings out the best in your career. If you’re unsure, pursue our bank of resume examples for ideas.
A resume for computer engineering should reflect your organized thinking, such as our professional or simple styles.
The one spot to add a design element is your resume header and while that’s an appealing ability, the real point of this section is to make it easy for a recruiter to get in touch with you. How else can they schedule your interview?
Don’t include:
Ibrahim Bilal
Computer engineer
(847) 404-9938
ibrahim.balil@yahoo.com
Naperville, IL
Ibrahim Bilal
Help desk
(847) 404-9938
ctrlaltdelete@yahoo.com
128 Maplewood Ave. #820
Naperville, IL 60566
When you pitch your network solution to a client or the IT department, you don’t dive into the details. Instead, you explain what you want to do and why it’s the best answer to the problem. A computer engineering resume summary does exactly the same thing.
Employers in the market to hire have a problem and their main concern is how you are going to fix it. Introduce yourself and your career to them and then offer the accomplishment of your computer engineering career that best exemplifies how you are going to make their life easier.
Within these four lines, answer at least one of the following questions:
The summary, or profile, allows you to tell in your own voice what differentiates you from other computer engineers and, in particular, what makes you a great candidate for the job. It serves as a pre-interview introduction to yourself and your career.
Need inspiration for your summary? Check out our related resumes:
You can find adaptable computer engineering resume examples summary below:
Motivated computer engineer with recent college degree in computer science and concentration in network design. Strong foundation in software development and possessing solid analytical and problem-solving skills. Looking for opportunity to enhance my skills in a challenging professional environment.
Results-driven computer engineer with successful implementations of innovative and complex hardware and software systems for law firms and accounting firms. Extensive experience collaborating with cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality networks within established timelines and budgets. Proficient in Python, SQL and Java.
Seasoned computer engineer with more than 15 years executing all aspects of complex IT systems. Team leader in architecting and implementing cutting-edge solutions for varied organizations from retail to healthcare. Developed comprehensive patient health monitoring system that reduced readmissions by 25%. Committed to stay current on emerging technologies and methodologies.
Applying reverse chronological order, list your current or most recent position and work your way back about 10 years. Keep a laser focus on experience that directly relates to the job you want. There’s no space to waste in a computer engineering resume.
Organize your bullet items so that the most impressive and most relevant item goes at the top of each listing. Start with a strong action verb, such as designed, spearheaded, delivered, persuaded and explain what that action netted your employer. (Remember, a resume is all about the employer’s needs.)
The computer engineering summary resume example above lists a specific outcome for a senior position. Each of your work history items should do the same. A listing of responsibilities is far less compelling than descriptions of successes.
Don’t write:
Great resumes for computer engineers replace the vague with the specific. Words like “responsible for” or “tasked with” are passive and hand the action off to someone else. If you helped someone, you collaborated or operated as part of a team. In addition to creating items in which you are the actor, include data and details that show your efforts paid off.
Instead try:
Take a look at the computer engineering employment history resume sample below:
Junior Computer Engineer at Apple Inc., Cupertino
June 2020 - Present
Undergraduate Teaching Assistant at UC Berkeley Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Dept, Berkeley
January 2019 - May 2020
Did you know that HR personnel value soft skills highly—especially when they are hiring for entry-level positions? Undoubtedly you have these interpersonal and work skills, so highlight your communication abilities and reliability in your resume for an entry-level computer engineer job.
A “projects” section will allow you to include any work you completed during your college career or as a hobby. Consider developing a portfolio. With our resume builder, it’s easy to link directly to your greatest work.
Finally, include any transferable skills you may have from after school or summer jobs. For example, if you were a camp counselor (especially if you ran a computer class), you collaborated, and exhibited time management, problem-solving and diplomacy (when talking to parents about an issue with a camper).
Computer engineering is an umbrella term for a vast array of skills from hardware to software to networking. A resume for a computer engineer should hone in on your area of expertise and the skills section is the most direct place to do so.
The best skills lists combine hard and soft skills to offer an at-a-glance picture of your professional expertise. The job listing is your first stop for determining which hard skills are most likely to aid in your job search. Match your prospective employer’s wish list as closely as you can, naming specific hardware and software when appropriate.
Even if your career spans a decade, soft skills such as active listening to better understand client needs or the ability to negotiate among stakeholders with opposing needs will enhance your desirability.
The resume builder offers several pre-written key skills to choose from with proficiency ranges you can set. You can also write in your skills.
Here’s what the skills box looks like in our car sales resume template.
The skills section of your computer engineering resume may be the first place recruiters look just to make sure you have the key abilities they’re looking for, but your entire resume should back up the items you choose to list here.
Within your summary, highlight what you consider your greatest areas of expertise, but within your employment history you should also mention and illustrate talents such as:
Most computer engineers have at least a bachelor’s degree in the field or a related field. A resume education section lists this and any other degrees you have earned in reverse chronological order. Make room for any advanced degrees by removing your high school diploma.
Certifications abound in the IT world, so if you have earned any, add them to this section.
Certainly list these certifications
According to CIO magazine, here are the top 5 computer engineering certifications for 2024:
Other ideas for this section (or if you have space, a breakout section of their own) are any professional development seminars or classes you have completed or activities as part of professional organizations to which you belong.
New entry into the job market? Consider moving the education section above your work history and/or choosing a hybrid format that will call attention to your skills instead of your experience.
Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering, University of California, Berkeley
September 2017 - May 2020
The best computer networks are the most elegant. They streamline processes and get the job done without fuss or muss. Debugging and testing occurs before systems go live and the whole package is as user-friendly as possible while getting the job done in an innovative manner.
Apply this standard to your computer engineering resume as well. You want the message to get across clearly and professionally without the recruiter having to strain to find your key job-related information. To that end, use standard section titles to avoid confusion. A frustrated recruiter is unlikely to call.
Make sure you “debug” or proofread carefully to avoid any typos or grammatical mistakes that can negate the assertion that you are detail-oriented.
There’s a wide swath between boring and flashy. One subtle color works wonders, but multiple, bright colors may merely be distracting and render your resume difficult to read. If you’re unsure, err on the side of simple, but eye-catching. The decision is much easier if you scan through our professional designs and choose the one that speaks to you. If you’re looking for a bit more flare, try a modern layout. Our resume templates also take the tedium out of formatting, so you can focus your attention on your content.
Profile
Experienced and accomplished Health and Safety Engineer with a proven track record of promoting optimal health and safety in industrial spaces.
Employment history
Junior Computer Engineer at Apple Inc., Cupertino
June 2020 - Present
Undergraduate Teaching Assistant at UC Berkeley Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Dept, Berkeley
January 2019 - May 2020
Skills
Education
Bachelor of Science in Computer Engineering, University of California, Berkeley
September 2017 - May 2020
The computer engineering field is not as hot as other IT areas, but growth will be healthy. The market comprises software, hardware and network engineers, and the need for those experts is expected to rise 4-5% during the next decade.
Job titles
A degree in computer engineering may lead to a job with any of the following titles (and more), so when you hunt for a job, try these keywords:
Salaries in computer engineering depend highly on the type of engineering, level of experience and area of the country in which you work. A typical income range for a computer engineer is $98,588-$185,064, according to Talent.com, however, Glassdoor calculates the median salary as $90,128 with a range of $74,000-$124,000.
Note: There was no salary information for computer engineering in the spreadsheet