Pick a clean, professional template that highlights technical experience and certifications. Use a reverse-chronological layout so recent aircraft maintenance and design work sits at the top. This layout reads well and parses reliably in applicant tracking systems.
Keep length tight. One page works for early and mid-career aircraft engineers. Use two pages only if you have long, directly relevant program history or major certifications.
Choose ATS-friendly fonts like Calibri, Arial, Georgia, or Garamond. Use 10–12pt for body text and 14–16pt for headers. Keep margins around 0.5–1 inch and leave a line space between sections for clear white space.
Structure your file with standard headings. Use clear section titles like Contact, Summary, Experience, Certifications, Skills, and Education. Use bullet lists under each job to show tasks and achievements with action verbs and numbers.
Avoid heavy graphics, complex columns, and unusual fonts. Those elements often break parsing and distract hiring managers. Use bold and italics sparingly to guide the eye to key items like certifications and aircraft types.
Common mistakes to avoid: dense blocks of text, unclear dates, and vague job descriptions. Also avoid listing unrelated tasks or personal hobbies that do not support aircraft engineering. Proofread dates and certifications carefully. Recruiters look for reliability and precision.