Pick a simple, clean template that highlights technical skills and project outcomes. Use a reverse-chronological layout if you have steady engineering experience, or a hybrid layout if you need to emphasize projects and certifications.
Keep length to one page if you have under 10 years of relevant experience. Use two pages only when you have extensive, directly relevant fuel system projects, patents, or leadership roles.
Use ATS-friendly fonts like Calibri, Arial, Georgia, or Garamond. Set body text to 10–12pt and headers to 14–16pt. Keep line spacing at 1.0–1.15 and use clear margins so the page breathes.
Use standard headings such as Contact, Summary, Experience, Projects, Education, Certifications, and Skills. Put the most relevant fuel system work first within each job entry. Use bullet lists for outcomes and numbers for impact, like emission reductions or cost savings.
Avoid fancy columns, images, and text boxes that break ATS parsing. Don’t use rare fonts or heavy color. Keep bold and italics for emphasis only.
Common mistakes include long dense paragraphs about duties instead of measurable results. Another mistake is listing every software tool without showing how you used it. Finally, avoid vague claims like "familiar with fuels standards" without citing standards, tests, or outcomes.
Use consistent date and location formatting. Put certifications and safety trainings near the top if the role requires them. Tailor keywords to the job posting, like "fuel formulation," "combustion analysis," "CFD," and specific standards such as ASTM or ISO.