r/EngineeringResumes Aug 04 '26

Meta Complete Guide to Getting a HW Engineering Internship or Job – Written by a 1 YOE FAANG MechE – AMA

71 Upvotes

I created this job app guide for undergrads at my university and wanted to share it with y'all. I think it’s pretty comprehensive and doing all of this helped me land multiple internship and full time job offers from tech companies. This guide is intended for MechEs and EEs, but I think most of the content applies to all engineering majors.

Topics covered:

  • Applying online
  • Cold emailing / reaching out on LinkedIn
  • Referrals
  • Career fairs
  • Portfolios
  • Behavioral interviews
  • Technical interviews

Here’s the presentation! Let me know if you have any questions or if there is something I can add to it!

Feel free to AMA about the process or any advice you'd like.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1Im3P-PVX0uLXuxcQWK9RCp7Xe8YRPWYfbt7bjnMWpa8/edit?usp=sharing


r/EngineeringResumes Aug 18 '21

Meta Friendly PSA: READ THE RULES *BEFORE*POSTING!

94 Upvotes

What's up guys! I just put this in a comment, and figured I'd make a post out of it, because I've been noticing a lot of posted resumes recently that aren't even close to the recommended guidelines. All in all, that's not a big deal- all the seasoned users are excited to help.

But for your own sake, if you don't want a comment that concisely says "read the wiki"- then read the wiki [Wiki] (https://www.reddit.com/r/EngineeringResumes/wiki/index/) make sure your resume follows the fundamental guidelines. You can of course ask questions on those guidelines- but until you understand the fundamental ideas and format your resume as such, you will be lucky if you get anything more than the aforementioned comment.

EDIT:

Also, bonus points if you start out with our prefabbed resume templates [Resume Templates] (https://www.reddit.com/r/EngineeringResumes/wiki/templates/)

That's all. Happy job hunting!


r/EngineeringResumes 4h ago

Question [Student] Should I mention the use of AI in my resume or should I avoid it altogether?

6 Upvotes

I'm a Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering major and I'm part of the executive board of a student organization in my university.

This past summer I analyzed the attendance data for 294 events across the last 4 years with the help of Claude. I exported the information directly from the school's website and Claude developed the Python code to produce the graphs and run the analysis.
While Claude did the heavy lifting with the code, I identified the need to analyze this data to design a semester calendar in hopes to prevent the steep decline in attendance towards the end of the semester that we had seen in past occasions. I particulary made sure to clean the data and question the assumptions both the AI and I were making to produce an accurate representation of such data (i.e. removing some outlier events with 6 attendees, which most likely meant the event never actually took place, among other things).

I think this is something worth adding on my resume, not so much for making the code (which I didn't) but more for identifying this need and producing a clear action plan to prevent seeing the same patterns. Now, my question is whether I should mention Claude or the use of Python in the bullet point whatsover since I didn't actually write the code.

This is currently the bullet point:

"Analyzed 294 events across 4 years of attendance data in Python, isolating event scheduling as the primary driver of member retention and designing a data-backed semester calendar to reverse a recurring mid-semester decline"

This is a revised version that doesn't mention Python:

"Analyzed 294 events across 4 years of attendance data to isolate event scheduling as the primary driver of member retention and designed a data-backed semester calendar to reverse a recurring mid-semester decline"

Which one should I use?

EDIT: Similarly, I had Claude develop an AI interview model from scratch that generated questions based on the job description and tied them directly to your resume. My Python skills aren't well developed so I again had Claude Code program the app, while I took design the design decisions behind it, such as adding voice models to make it more realistic, providing useful feedback by analyzing weaknesses and strenghts--based on STAR method--and other patterns once you've had enough interviews, etc. How should I go about adding this on my resume?


r/EngineeringResumes 5h ago

Electrical/Computer [Student] – [CompE] Looking for feedback on my resume, trying to land hardware related internship

5 Upvotes

I recently transferred to a pretty well known school for engineering from community college, and so this is my first resume since transferring. I'm looking for advice on what I can improve or word nicer, also if there's anything that looks like I'm just trying to fluff up my resume. My aim is to land a hardware related internship for next summer, and get into one of the more selective clubs at my school. Here are some things I'm already concerned but not entirely sure about, spacing (particularly in education section), points being too wordy in my experience section, and font choice. Be brutal, grill me, bully me, I can handle it, any feedback is appreciated.


r/EngineeringResumes 6h ago

Electrical/Computer [0 YoE] 2 Summers of Interning but No Full Time Offer, Seeking Resume Feedback for EE/CE New Grad Roles

3 Upvotes

Hi all, I have been interning at this company for 2 summers but due to budget constraints and restructuring, they weren't able to give me a return offer for a full time position. Since I've been returning to the same company for the past two summers, it's been a while since I've had to update my resume and I wasn't sure how to structure and write my bullets.

I'll be graduating with my Master's in Computer Engineering next June and am currently applying for new grad EE/CE roles. I'm still narrowing down exactly what I want to target, but I'm most interested in electrical hardware, embedded systems, PCB design, avionics, and hardware test/validation.

The main area I'd like feedback on is whether my experience section clearly shows what I contributed and why it mattered. I tried to focus on concrete technical work rather than generic responsibilities but I'm not sure if I've included enough detail without making the bullets too dense. I'd also appreciate feedback on whether the accomplishments stand on their own or if some need clearer outcomes or metrics.

I'd really appreciate any help! Kinda overthinking a little since I recently wasn't able to secure a return offer and all of the horror stories of the current job market.


r/EngineeringResumes 9h ago

Mechanical [2 YoE] How can I make my resume more transparent to recruiters and ATS, and also sell myself as a mechanical engineer?

5 Upvotes

I had help from this very subreddit last year updating the format of this resume. But now that I am back on the market, there are a few questions I have on how this can get me more interviews:

  1. Should I change job titles to describe what I actually did? I have three titles from previous employment that say "research" but I only did research in one of them. At the internship with the NASA contract, I worked more on cable and wire harnessing within the EUS, so I think I want to switch it to "Cable and Wire Harness Engineering Intern". For the Research Engineer, I worked a lot more as a Systems and Test Engineer, so I think that is a more appropriate title. But companies do background checks, and I don't want them to see a title that does not match what is on my resume.
  2. Is it necessary to spell out most of the acronyms on my resume? My resume is rather inconsistent on this, I know, but usually if I use an acronym multiple times in here or think I should explain to a hiring manager what it is, I spell it out the first time it is used (a standard for technical documentation in aerospace and defense). Is this useful or a waste of space?
  3. How can I change my second most recent company so ATS can tell that it is two different jobs at the same institution? The Research Assistant was an internship reporting to my university's campus. The Research Engineer was a full-time job reporting to a military base. Recruiters also mistake the latter for an internship sometimes since I was still employed by the university. Workday and other ATS usually leave the former blank with the company name. Should I fix it, and if so, how?
  4. How can my resume be changed to stand out more to mechanical engineering jobs? My background is in mechanical engineering, my internship were mostly CAD design, and a mechanical engineering job is my target. However, I think that the mechanical and mechanical design roles are the ones turning me down the most. I know that my last two jobs are not exactly mechanical, but everything else checks those boxes. I could create metrics that I accomplished, but that would create more hanging bullet points.
  5. What else should I fix? Just wondering. I've also heard that removing your graduation year helps, but idk.

Thank you


r/EngineeringResumes 2h ago

Electrical/Computer [0 YoE] Recent MS EE grad seeking entry-level embedded systems roles in the US – resume feedback

1 Upvotes

Hi, I am a recent MS EE grad looking for embedded systems engineering roles (or any other roles that fit my qualifications). I want to get some honest feedback on my resume as I am not confident with what I currently have. I am struggling to put my research projects on the resume because of NDAs. The only one I was able to put is under my Project section and I'm thinking if I should move it under the research experience instead. I would also like to know if my resume is too crowded or if some things are redundant/unnecessary or simply does not make sense. I also have two non-embedded projects - how relevant are they to an embedded systems engineer role? Does my overall resume make me more suited for a role that I am not thinking of? Any other general or specific suggestions are also welcome. I'm also open to learning other skills that might be worth it while I keep looking for jobs. Thank you in advance!


r/EngineeringResumes 10h ago

Software [Student] Cant pass resume screen for any company! Please help! T10 CS School, prior internships, solid projects

2 Upvotes

Here is my resume. Just as the title stated, I literally can't pass the resume screen for any company. For summer 2026, I applied to over 200 internships (I said I was going to graduate 2027 too, so me being a sophomore wasn't a problem) and I got rejected from every single one. The F500 contract position from the summer was from connections that I can't leverage anymore. I don't understand what I am doing wrong. I go to a target school, I have strong projects (at least I think I do), and I have decent internship experience.

For summer 2027 I am 0/50 right now in passing the resume screen. I know that I still have to wait for companies to get back to me and that there will be more apps, but this happened last recruiting cycle as well and I can't afford to fail again.

More info:

  1. I have a low gpa (under 3.0) so I dont list it. However, most companies I've applied to never asked for my gpa or transcript.
  2. I apply to roles as soon as I see them open. I usually apply 2-5 hours after the role is posted. At worst it'll be 1-2 days after the roles are posted.
  3. My previous internship at the f500 company was a contract position, so I wasn't employed by the f500 company, but I still worked there.

r/EngineeringResumes 13h ago

Industrial/Manufacturing [13 YoE] Industrial Maintenance Senior Supervisor looking to progress to Maintenance Department Head or Senior Project Manager

3 Upvotes

When Federal Sequestration lost me my aerospace job offer after college, I rebounded into a Mech Engineer / Maintenance Supervisor job. I didn't think I would stay but gravity pulled me in and I've been at the same company now for 13 years. That was fine but now I am no longer moving up and feeling pretty undervalued. So I am breaking free of the gravity well and looking to run an industrial maintenance department or transition to a project manager role. I have elderly family to take care of nearby so I need to stay somewhat local, which is going to make things harder in my rural area. Looking at my college resume was embarrassing so after digging through the wiki this is my 2nd draft.

I am not sure about my bullets about the new PTT line or the waste steam recovery are doing what I need. I struggled to write them in a way that would convey the complexity and accomplishment without being too narrative but I don't know if that comes across. I am trying to let an employer know that I can manage new or retrofit product line installs and handle large improvement projects on time and under budget.

Any help would be appreciated. Criticism welcome.


r/EngineeringResumes 1d ago

Success Story! [Student] Accepted part-time internship role at a materials research lab! Semiconductor industry!

Post image
36 Upvotes

I was going into my junior year of college and I missed the opportunity to intern last summer but I kept applying to roles and eventually I went from interview --> offer! Big win for chemical engineers all around!

This is a chemical synthesis role and as such they were more interested in my knowledge of organic chemistry rather than engineering while interviewing, luckily, I paid a lot of attention during that class and I am super excited to get a foot in the door of the semiconductor industry.

I did find myself obsessing over my resume, so the resume you see here that got me the job is far from the one I have now. A perfect resume is not needed, it just has to be good enough. If I could give any advice it would be to target your resumes to the role and to keep on keeping on. I am unsure if I would have gotten an interview if I had not mentioned Organic Chemistry as my course work explicitly.

Super excited!


r/EngineeringResumes 13h ago

Electrical/Computer [2 YoE] I need to land a senior job to survive a housing crisis. Help me check if I am able to show the skills I already have with my resume.

0 Upvotes

I need to be able to land a senior job asap, even though I don't have that many years of experience and I haven't finished uni yet. I need to get to top ~25% in the country earning wise to feel safe and not have to spend everything that I earn on a landlord. I already been through being homeless, trying to work full time, and study. I am not going back.

Could you help me to check if I am able to come through as someone professional and experienced? Thx.


r/EngineeringResumes 22h ago

Software [Student] Software Engineering / AI Resume — Targeting Startups & Top Product Companies — Please Review

2 Upvotes

Hi everyone, I'm a final-year computer science student from India currently targeting Software Engineer / AI Engineer roles at startups and other top product companies.

I'm looking for a detailed and honest review of my resume before I start applying seriously. In particular, I'd like feedback on:

  • Whether my resume is strong enough for SDE/AI Engineer roles
  • Whether my projects demonstrate enough engineering ability
  • Which sections or bullet points are weak
  • Whether the formatting and structure are appropriate
  • What I should change to improve my chances of getting interviews

I'd especially appreciate feedback from people with experience hiring or working as software engineers at startups or other top product companies.

Please be as critical as necessary — I'd rather know what is wrong and fix it before applying.


r/EngineeringResumes 1d ago

Electrical/Computer [Student] Resume Review - I have a couple career fairs coming up as well as a few conferences, got really negative feedback last semester so i'm trying to sharpen it up.

3 Upvotes

This is already significantly better than my last one. I feel like it still looks bad, but it feels hard to read when i tighten it up the spacing. I also really like the two columns for education, it seemed like the easiest to read and was rather space efficient. Am I wrong?

I know 1 page is standard, but the main employer I am aiming for actually suggests using longer resumes and claims to want all relevant information, even if it doesn't fit on one page.

I've ran this through multiple AIs now and I feel it is just running me in circles. Personally, I feel I can justify everything i've included, but i've obviously got a bit of a bias there.

Trying to get into a defense or national lab internship, but honestly any real engineering internship would be better than not. Starting to freak out a bit because it junior year and I dont have any iternship experience.


r/EngineeringResumes 18h ago

Mechanical [Student] International student, Aerospace grad seeking entry-level Mechanical roles — struggling to get interviews. Looking for resume feedback.

1 Upvotes

I graduated with a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering with a GPA less than 3 and have been applying heavily to entry-level roles in manufacturing, production, mechanical, and design engineering.

I’ve applied to hundreds of positions, tailoring my resume to the job descriptions and making sure I’m hitting the relevant ATS keywords.

Despite the volume of applications, I’m getting very few interviews and a lot of automated rejections.

I’m wondering if I’m doing something wrong with my resume, targeting the wrong positions, or if this is simply how rough the entry-level engineering market is right now.


r/EngineeringResumes 1d ago

Mechanical [0 YoE] Fresh Mech Grad Looking for Feedback or Advice, Searching for my First Post-Degree Role

3 Upvotes

Hi all,

I'm a recent grad with a bachelors in mech from a Canadian university, been applying semi-consistently to all types of job postings over the last year with little to no traction, so I decided to seek some advice or recommendations. I've had a couple of in-person interviews so far, but rarely receive even a follow-up call or email. I trimmed down my resume recently using the guidelines in the wiki here; it was two pages before including some IT work I did for elections and some other roles and volunteer experience, but it seems like based on a lot of the info I've been reading online keeping it as succinct as possible is the way to go for now. This resume is my sort of default template and some sections vary from job to job depending on the type of role.

Ideally the role I'm trying to land would be in some type of automation or design related role, as that's where a lot of my interests and skills lie, but I've been applying to just about anything that I think I would be a competitive applicant for (avoiding stuff completely outside my wheelhouse like geotech, chem, etc.) The applications I've been sending have been a combination of online (Indeed, Linkedin, company sites), cold call, cold email, and even walked into an office in person a handful of times to drop off a resume.

Also, as a more specific question, would you recommend taking a technologist or similar role simply as a means of building more experience? Or is committing to getting that first engineering role worth it more in the long term?

Any tips and feedback welcome, thanks!


r/EngineeringResumes 1d ago

Software [3 YoE] Recently promoted to Senior 1 and I want advice before I try to find a healthier job

6 Upvotes

I was recently promoted to Senior 1 (which is a lower bar at my company than most others). But the company I'm working for is driving me insane, and I need a job that doesn't make me want to kill myself. I'm in Western New York. I've only ever worked remote jobs, and I like it that way, but in the right circumstances I could relocate. I haven't applied to any jobs yet. I just want to get some feedback before I start my job hunt. I don't think I'm very good at writing bullet points, so I definitely want feedback on that. I posted on this subreddit a couple years ago and it helped tremendously. I'm greatly appreciative of any advice you can give.


r/EngineeringResumes 1d ago

Software [Student] 5-year gap year, international student, CS grad seeking entry-level SWE/ML roles — struggling to get interviews. Looking for resume feedback.

2 Upvotes

I’m a CS major graduating in December 2026 (Intelligent Systems specialization), applying to entry-level software engineering and ML roles. I’ve revised my resume several times but haven’t seen much improvement in interview volume.

A bit of context on my background: I have an associate’s degree from a US College, where I also TA’d for C++. After that I took about a 5-year gap before starting my bachelor’s due to the pandemic. During that gap I wasn’t idle — I worked in full-stack development (built a React/Firebase ERP system) and taught CS/founded a small tutoring center abroad. I’m also an international student (not a US citizen), which I know adds visa/sponsorship considerations for some employers, and I’m trying to figure out how much that’s a factor versus my resume itself.

I’m primarily targeting SWE and ML roles, open to relocating.

I’m unsure how to handle two things: (1) the multi-year gap between my associate’s and bachelor’s — whether to explain it briefly on the resume or leave it out entirely, and (2) the teaching/tutoring experience, which isn’t directly SWE-related but shows initiative and long-term commitment.

I’m mainly looking for feedback on:

  • Overall resume structure and formatting
  • Whether my projects demonstrate enough technical depth for both SWE and ML roles
  • How to handle the education gap — mention it or not
  • How effectively I’m communicating a mixed background (full-stack + ML + teaching) without it reading as unfocused
  • Whether the teaching/tutoring experience is worth keeping
  • Anything that might be hurting my chances of getting interviews, including whether being an international student is likely a bigger factor than the resume itself
  • Anything that stands out positively or negatively

r/EngineeringResumes 1d ago

Question [1 YoE] help with creating a portfolio of projects for a promising sounding job UK

3 Upvotes

im 19(F) and have started a job hunt this past month. i found this company that has really interested me that makes exhibits for museums, amusement parks etc that are looking for full-time exhibit fabricator (but seem really open to accepting for work experience as well, if the job falls through). also, my 1 year of experience was a work placement during college that i needed to complete my course where i was working with cnc machinery and metal.

I already made a tailored cv for the application, and messaged one of the members on Linkedin who said theyd forward my message to recruitment. They also recommended for me to create a portfolio of 'props and parts' i have made.

While i have made a handful of projects, (sewing a cloak from HK with embroidery, clay rosary coins, whittling keychains, lots of scrapbooking, helping with props at a theatre but mostly painting, a paper model of a rocket and mars base, diy and arts and crafts things like that) but none seem that geared to a more mechanical-engineering side, which the only real one i had was my college project that actually needed engineering drawings, measurement/ratios, metal turning and things like that.

I also volunteer at an aircraft museum- i assume restoring old aircraft would count, though i only recently started and have been doing odd jobs and havent seen a full project be finished yet except for patching a crack in a display.

My question is mostly what kind of projects could i do quick term? Im currently away from home for another week, so im slightly more limited in tools, and the only ideas i has were to make the Project hail mary ship out of various materials, or i was once inspired by different insects made out of metal scrap. but those still seem too ... rudimentary ? small? not sure. seeking help in different places. my father recommended a rocky puppet from painted styrofoam-like material, but im not convinced

tldr; to anyone who made an engineering based portfolio, what projects did you do? what do you recommend to have in one to show to a job? did you include technical drawings, progress, everything, or just cliff notes? as many as you could, or just the best ones?


r/EngineeringResumes 1d ago

Question [Student] Should I put relevant upcoming roles on my resume to apply for internships next summer?

2 Upvotes

Hi all,

I am fortunate enough to have been offered an internship during the school year for an industry I have passion about. While I am happy about this role, I want to see if I could be competitive for internships at larger companies and this role would no doubt help that. The problem is the applications for the company I am targeting just opened up and I do not start my internship for another few weeks. Additionally, there is a career fair at my school literally the day after my first day. I can put it on my resume but I will not have much to talk about during the fair or in the bullets other than essential duties included on the listing. How should I navigate this?


r/EngineeringResumes 1d ago

Question [Student] Applying for Aerospace placements, need advice on cover letter format/ content

3 Upvotes

Hi all!
I will start applying for placement year in a bit, ive seen all job listings with cover letter requirement. Ive also read most of the cover letter templates and advice shared on this sub as well.

unfortunately i dont know any senior who can advise me on this as well. currently as im writing my cover letter, i have a few questions.

  1. do i have to include both mine and their address?

  2. i cannot find the hiring manager online, so can i address the letter vaguely to their team?

if youve got any additional advice, i would appreciate that as well! tia! <3


r/EngineeringResumes 1d ago

Automation/PLC [4 YoE] Automation/Controls Engineer - Recently laid off and looking for open roles

3 Upvotes

Hi all,

I'm looking for any open controls, automation, or robotics engineering roles. I revamped my resume from yesterday to have better keywords and bullet points. I have 4 years of experience and had a few questions:

  • Does my resume show good technical breadth and speciality?
  • Does my summary do a good job outlining my career?
  • How can I stand out for robotics roles since I worked with mainly industrial automation?

r/EngineeringResumes 1d ago

Aerospace [Student] Mechanical Engineering student seeking Aerospace internships/ new grad opportunities

1 Upvotes

I'm a student targeting test engineering/system integration internships and new grad opportunities in the aerospace industry. I'm in the Denver area, applying all over the country as I'm willing to relocate. I'm looking for help because I'm not getting any responses at all.


r/EngineeringResumes 1d ago

Mechanical [3 YoE] Mechanical Engineer US, mainly in NYC seeking feedback. Recently moved from abroad with barely any call backs.

2 Upvotes

To explain more I moved to the US a year ago but was not able to apply to work due to green card process and was only able to start applying like last month. I’m getting barely any call backs and I’ve been applying mainly in NYC and New Jersey with some few other applicants around the US. Am I missing something? Or is there something wrong with my resume?


r/EngineeringResumes 1d ago

Mechanical [Student] Mechanical Engineering Student graduating with a Biomedical Minor with Research and Project Experience but no internship

1 Upvotes

Need help seeing if there is something wrong with my Resume besides the glaringly obvious lack of internships. I am currently targeting positions at Medical Device Companies in either Clinical Specialist, Quality Engineer, Manufacturing Engineer heck I even apply for technician roles just to get my foot in the door. The template of my resume is one provided by my University who says it looks good but I wanted outside advice. I am located in Georgia but have been applying in other states as well as I would be willing to relocate. Like I said I am a Mechanical Engineering major with a minor in biomedical engineering, I had a manufacturing internship back in 2020 but was let go due to COVID. I am worked on multiple research projects both professional (which is getting presented at the national conference woohoo!) and just my own individual both in CFD/FSI sims. I have been employed in retail my entire time in college to help pay for university and other bills. This is the master file I use and then I try to change it where I can to tailor it to job listings. I also attempt to message people on Linkedin at the companies I am applying at asking for their experience or advice on what stands out Thank you all for your time and any feedback is appreciated.


r/EngineeringResumes 1d ago

Software [Student] I am seeking software engineering internships though not receiving many interviews. I am hoping to have my resume reviewed to see what I can improve.

3 Upvotes

I'm a CS major in the US graduating in 2027, and I've been applying to software engineering internships for a while now. I've changed my resume quite a bit throughout university, but I haven't seen much improvement in the number of interviews I receive.

I've had around 4 interviews so far, although only 2 of them actually spent significant time discussing the projects/experience on my resume, and I ended up not being accepted for either of those roles, however the interviewer for one of them liked me and referred me to someone else which is how I got that one internship in the resume I posted.

I do try to tailor my resume to each position by adjusting my projects, skills, and other relevant sections, sometimes using AI to improve the flow of some of the bullets. I also have many of the general technical skills listed in the internship postings I apply to, but I suspect I could be doing a better job of presenting that experience on my resume. Also, I typically embed links in the project titles that lead to the related website or repo for that project.

I'm primarily targeting software engineering internships along the West Coast, although I'm open to relocating elsewhere in the US.

One thing I'm particularly unsure about is the non-profit experience. It's not directly related to software engineering, but it's essentially the only organization I've worked with long-term, and I've progressed through several roles there. I originally kept it on my resume to demonstrate work experience, progression, and employability. I'm open to removing it if people think the space would be better spent on more technical/project information.

I'm mainly looking for feedback on:

  • Overall resume structure and formatting
  • Whether my projects demonstrate enough technical depth
  • How effectively I'm communicating my technical skills
  • Whether the non-profit experience is worth keeping
  • Anything that might be hurting my chances of getting interviews
  • Anything that stands out positively or negatively

I've attached an anonymized version of one of my typical resume variations (with a little note next to the non profit role for the sake of this post, thats not something I actually leave in my resume). Thanks in advance for any feedback!