Choose a simple, readable template for a Professional Engineer role. Use a reverse-chronological layout when your recent engineering projects and roles show increasing responsibility.
Pick a one-page resume if you have under 10 years of experience. Use two pages only if you have extensive, relevant project leadership and licensure details.
Use ATS-friendly fonts like Calibri, Arial, Georgia, or Garamond. Set body text to 10–12pt and headers to 14–16pt for clear hierarchy.
Keep margins at least 0.5 inches and keep line spacing around 1.0–1.15. Give each section breathing room so reviewers can scan your qualifications quickly.
Favor simple formatting over elaborate design. Complex graphics, columns, and unusual fonts often break parsing by applicant tracking systems and slow human readers.
Use clear section headings such as Contact, Summary, Licensure, Experience, Projects, Education, and Skills. Put your Professional Engineer license and key certifications near the top so reviewers see them first.
Avoid long paragraphs and vague claims. Replace generic statements with short bullets that quantify outcomes, like reduced cost by X% or cut schedule by Y weeks.
Common mistakes include using multi-column layouts that confuse ATS, heavy color or icons, and inconsistent spacing. Another error is burying your PE license in the Education section instead of near your name or summary.
Keep file types simple. Save as PDF unless the employer asks for a different format.