Top 31 Engineering Skills Employers Look for in Resumes

People with engineering skills push the world forward and work hard to ensure all the cogs and wheels keep spinning. No matter what type of engineer you are, you likely possess a diverse collection of complex abilities that allow you to properly do your job.

However, to get a job in this field in the first place, you need to demonstrate your skills in your resume. While that might sound like a straightforward task, there’s a bit of nuance if you want to do it right and stand out among the competition.

We’re going to examine some of the most popular engineering skills and how to add them to your resume and improve them in order to boost your employability.

Without further ado, let’s jump right in!

How to Add Engineering Skills to Your Resume

There are two main principles when it comes to adding engineering skills to your resume:

When it comes to relevance, you want to highlight those abilities that recruiters and potential employers want to see. Instead of cluttering your resume with every single engineering skill that comes to mind, you can start by researching the company and the job ad. Look for the keywords and specific skills listed there and then work them into your resume.

As for the “show, don’t tell” bit, the goal is to make your engineering skills substantial in the eyes of recruiters. While your resume should have a dedicated section for your engineering skills list, there’s more you can do to make your abilities truly stand out.

You want to mention some of your key abilities throughout your resume. That helps with the ATS (since your skills act as keywords) and also makes them more prominent in general. Therefore, besides creating a separate section for your skills, you can also add some of them to your resume objective, resume summary, and work experience section.

Moreover, you should try to link those skills with relevant achievements. That way, you’ll show direct, quantifiable results, which will add credibility to your competence. Including exact numbers, percentages, and statistics will also add measurable value to your results and accomplishments, which translates to your skills as well.

21+ Engineering Skills To Include in Your Resume

Engineering is a broad term that encompasses a range of highly specialized fields. That’s why the skills for a resume listed by a chemical engineer will be very different than an electrical engineer’s resume skills.

We’ve compiled a list of some of the most desired hard skills that recruiters are looking for. Some can be used in resumes by several types of engineers, while others are much more specific. Let’s check them out.

#1. Programming

Programming skills allow individuals to develop software, design algorithms, automate all kinds of processes, and more. They are pretty much staple skills for a computer engineering resume or a software engineering one. However, these skills are becoming more and more important in many other fields, such as mechanical and aerospace engineering.

More specifically, programming skills include the ability to write, fix, and maintain code in different programming languages like Java, C++, C#, Python, and others. People who are proficient in these skills write readable code, understand data structures and algorithms, know software development tools, and so on.

Here’s how you could highlight these skills on your resume:

#2. Manufacturing

Manufacturing skills refer to the ability to conceptualize, develop, and optimize manufacturing processes to make high-quality products. They are essential for engineers whose work involves any type of production—mechanical engineers, industrial engineers, and materials engineers.

Some of the key competencies related to manufacturing skills include:

Let’s check out an example:

#3. Quality Control

We touched on quality control (QC) as one of the important aspects of manufacturing. Quality control skills are utilized by engineers who work in fields where ensuring the reliability and quality of products and services is imperative. These include manufacturing engineering, industrial engineering, and mechanical engineering, among others.

Such skills help you plan, construct, and implement various QC systems and processes. The goal is to end up with products and services that meet regulatory requirements as well as customer expectations.

Here’s how you could demonstrate these engineering skills on your resume:

#4. Design

Engineers who work in fields related to creating and developing products often need to have strong design skills. This includes mechanical engineers, software engineers, civil engineers, and even electrical engineers.

Design skills in the field of engineering revolve around the capacity to conceptualize, design, and create products that meet customer needs. This type of design process often involves considering various factors such as cost, functionality, sustainability, and manufacturability simultaneously.

To be proficient at design, an engineer usually needs to have a good understanding of the product development lifecycle. They also need to possess knowledge of design principles, proficiency in relevant software and technology, and the ability to analyze specific requirements and come up with effective solutions.

Let’s take a look at an example of design skills demonstrated in an engineer’s resume:

#5. Project Management

If part of your engineering job is to plan, organize, and manage projects from the beginning to the end, you should highlight your project management skills on your resume. These are usually unavoidable parts of the resume skill sections that belong to mechanical engineers, software engineers, civil engineers, and electrical engineers.

If you have good project management skills, you can keep track of resources, budgets, timelines, risks, and stakeholders to make sure the project is successful. This involves a range of competencies, such as:

Let’s see an example:

#6. Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting is an essential skill for engineers in a wide range of fields. It allows them to identify, diagnose, and resolve problems and issues in a methodical and efficient manner.

To be good at troubleshooting, you need to have a strong technical knowledge of the subject. Moreover, you should be proficient in the various software, tools, and equipment required to diagnose and solve problems.

On top of all that, troubleshooting involves many other hard and soft skills, including:

Here’s an example of showcasing such skills on a resume:

#7. Mathematics

Mathematics represents one of the fundamental skills of engineering. It refers to the engineer’s capacity to apply mathematical principles to solve real-world problems. These skills are used by everyone from mechanical and civil engineers to environmental and aerospace engineers.

Some of the vital mathematical skills that engineers use include:

Let’s see some mathematics skills demonstrated in an engineer’s resume:

#8. Technical Writing

Technical writing skills allow engineers to communicate highly specific and technical information effectively in written form. They are particularly important for engineers who need to convey complex technical details to different audiences. These include civil engineers, software engineers, and electrical engineers.

Technical writing skills are complex and involve a range of competencies, including:

Here’s a resume example:

#9. CAD Software Proficiency

CAD (Computer-Aided Design) software skills refer to proficiency in specialized computer programs used to create and modify 2D and 3D models. Many engineers, including mechanical engineers, civil engineers, and electrical engineers, frequently use this type of software.

Some of the most popular CAD software programs include:

Here’s how you could demonstrate these skills on your resume:

There are many other engineering skills you could add to your resume, including:

9 Soft Skills For Engineers

In addition to all those specialized aerospace, chemical, or mechanical engineering skills for a resume, employers always look for a strong collection of soft skills in candidates. So, here are some examples of soft engineering skills that are highly sought-after:

Engineering Skills in Resume—Example 

Now let’s see how you could find which engineering skills to add to your resume by examining a job ad:

Based on this job advertisement, we can make the following skills section:

Closing Thoughts

And this sums up this comprehensive article on the essential technical and soft skills that engineering candidates should highlight on their resumes!

By incorporating these guidelines and tips into your next resume-writing process, you’ll create a riveting document that will grab the recruiter’s attention and likely get you to the next stage of the hiring process!