Any tips or suggestions

Hey All,

First, I want to say I have been lurking around since I started studying for the FE exam 6 months ago. I passed and I must say I owe a lot to this board with the various problems you guys posted.

Second, would anyone mind giving me a few suggestions or comments on my resume? I, like many others on this board, was unable to have an internship during my undergraduate program so I feel like that is holding me back a little. I'm looking for a few fresh ideas to add to my resume.

Once again thank you for taking your time out and looking at it. I have probably changed this about 50 times since I graduated and the career services at UNLV hasn't been much help for me.

It won't let me post a .doc file for some reason so I will just copy and paste. Under course highlights and computer skills they are bullets but the formatting isn't copying over.

Thanks,

William



[SIZE=10pt]Recent graduate of ABET-accredited bachelor’s in civil engineering program and Engineer in Training (EIT), backed by knowledge of engineering theories, principles, specifications, and standards. Highly motivated to secure an entry level position under a professional engineer for preparation of the PE exam. Strong technical skills, with an eagerness to learn, accompanied with a focus on sustainability. [/SIZE]



[SIZE=10pt]National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Engineer in Training (EIT) Certification,[/SIZE][SIZE=10pt] December 2013- Application pending [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]University of Nevada-Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering,[/SIZE][SIZE=10pt] December 2013[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt] [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Activities: [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Member, American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt] [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Course Highlights:[/SIZE]

[SIZE=6pt] [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Civil Engineering Design[/SIZE]

[SIZE=6pt] [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Cost Estimating & Surveying[/SIZE]

[SIZE=6pt] [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Structural Analysis & Dynamics[/SIZE]

[SIZE=6pt] [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Geotechnical Engineering[/SIZE]

[SIZE=6pt] [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Sustainability[/SIZE]

[SIZE=6pt] [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Foundations Engineering[/SIZE]

[SIZE=6pt] [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Environmental Engineering[/SIZE]

[SIZE=6pt] [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Water Resource Engineering[/SIZE]

[SIZE=6pt] [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Fluid Mechanics & Hydraulics[/SIZE]

[SIZE=6pt] [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Wastewater engineering[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt] [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Computer Skills:[/SIZE]

[SIZE=6pt] [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)[/SIZE]

[SIZE=6pt] [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]WaterCAD[/SIZE]

[SIZE=6pt] [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]SewerGEMS[/SIZE]

[SIZE=6pt] [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]AutoCAD[/SIZE]

[SIZE=6pt] [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]HEC-RAS[/SIZE]

[SIZE=6pt] [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]HEC-HMS[/SIZE]

[SIZE=6pt] [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]ArcGIS[/SIZE]

[SIZE=6pt] [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]MicroStation[/SIZE]


[SIZE=10pt]Senior Design; University of Nevada-Las Vegas, Fall 2013[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]· [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Designed water system for rural Navajo Nation[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]o [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Designed pipeline and wastewater components[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]o [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Modeled pipeline using WaterCad to ensure feasibility[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]o [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Developed grey water separation network[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]o [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Calculated and prepared cost estimates for system[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Water Resource Engineering Term project; University of Nevada-Las Vegas, Spring 2013[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]· [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Designed community for 500 residents[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]o [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Designed and modeled pipe network in Waterad[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]o [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Researched local water guidelines to ensure community met all requirements[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]o [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Wrote technical report[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]Cashman Middle School; Las Vegas, NV[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]· [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Judge for playground designs by students, December, 2013[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]GIS Convention; Las Vegas, NV[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]· [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Toastmaster, Summer 2012[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]o [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Introduced speakers and their backgrounds[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10pt]o [/SIZE][SIZE=10pt]Time management [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Avery, I definitely am no pro at resumes. In fact, I've always "who I know'ed" my way into my jobs so I honestly have never created a job resume. So, take my advice with discretion. But, just a few ideas for consideration:[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Stress a little more how you can help the employer. Why should they pick you? Express a desire to help the firm, be a team member, etc. Mention, along with your eagerness to learn, that you are a quick learner (if, in fact, you are). Mention your dedication to the employer and the team. Mention a pride of ownership in the projects you will be assigned. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]As possible, tailor your resume toward the firm you are applying. Make it seem like the resume was written just for them, not that you are sending the same one to 20 firms. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Mention that you hope to gain valuable experience with the firm but be careful not to sound like that’s all you want them for. I would re-word your first paragraph a little so it doesn’t sound like you only want to work under a registered engineer so that you can prepare for the PE exam. Mention that you are aiming for your PE but just make sure it doesn’t sound like you are only thinking of this job as a mechanism to do so. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]What does “Application pending” mean? I’d remove it if not needed.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]If possible, along with listing your activities/membership’s/classes/projects, could you also state what valuable experience you got out of them and how they made you a better engineer? How can these learned skills help the firm you are applying to?[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Under computer skills, put them in ascending order with the most valuable engineering software at top (ex. Move CAD up and Office down). And group like-software. Ex. Put AutoCAD and Microstation together. If you think you are above average in these softwares, state “technically proficient”. If you know any Civil CAD packages well (ex. Civil 3D), add that too. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Maybe not but should you list your past jobs, even if not in the engineering field? Even if it was, say, a grocery store clerk, you can still discuss valuable skills like customer service, organization, teamwork, etc., etc. [/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Near the end, I think there is a typo where you meant WaterCAD (“Waterad”).[/SIZE]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Anyway, just some stuff to think about. Good luck![/SIZE]

Don't mention it.