Examples How to Write a Civil Engineer Resume W/ Template
Your civil engineering resume should emphasize your best engineering skills and experience. Use these civil engineering resume examples and tips for inspiration.
Our customers have been hired by:*Foot Note
Civil engineering resume example
To write a strong civil engineering resume, use the writing tips and civil engineering resume examples on this page.
Resources for Your Next Career Move
- Biology Resume
- Computer Engineering Resume
- Construction Manager Resume
- Construction Superintendent Resume
- Contractor Resume
- Data Entry Resume
- Dispatcher Resume
- Logistics Resume
- Logistics Manager Resume
- Machine Operator Resume
- Marketing Resume
- Marketing Coordinator Resume
- Program Manager Resume
- Project Coordinator Resume
- Surgical Technologist Resume
- QA Resume
- Warehouse Manager Resume
- Warehouse Supervisor Resume
Explore our complete resume examples selection for tips and resources tailored to every career path.
Trusted by professionals
Four keys for a successful civil engineering resume
When writing your civil engineering resume, you can prove why you’re the best engineer for the job by following these four important keys:
Match your qualifications to the job
Rather than send the same resume with every job application, tailor each resume to match the job description, specifically the keywords describing required skills and responsibilities. This is critical to help you pass through applicant tracking systems (ATS) programmed by the hiring manager to select qualified candidates. For example, if a job posting requires you to have “AutoCad certification” then your resume should mention AutoCad if you’re trained in it.
Emphasize results and achievements
Since most applicants will meet the qualifications of a civil engineer, you need to stand out by including your most impressive accomplishments in your resume. Focus on measurable achievements rather than mundane tasks. For example: “Designed 10 drawings per land project to submit with permit applications and expedite survey and inspections.” You can also include career highlights like “Personally selected by the town mayor to assess underdeveloped town-owned land and devise cost-effective project plans for 2024.”
Show you have the right combination of technical and soft skills
Civil engineer resumes will need to demonstrate a candidate’s proficiency with both technical hard skills. personality-related soft skills. Your hard skills will show you can perform the job responsibilities while your soft skills show the way you communicate and interact with engineering team members and clients. Aim to highlight your best skills throughout your resume but prominently as a bullet point list in a separate skills section.
List any related certifications or credentials you have
Your engineering bachelor’s degree will be required and a master’s degree allows you to stand out from the competition. However, on your resume you can also create a separate section to list impressive civil engineering industry certifications (e.g. Engineer In Training Certification (EIT)) or additional training that solidifies your technical expertise as a civil engineer. It will also benefit you to feature a state-issued Professional Engineer (PE) license or Project Management Professional (PMP) certification on your resume.
Action words for your civil engineering resume
Your qualifications as a civil engineer must be demonstrated through action words on your resume. Action verbs can make the accomplishments in your skills and work experience sections sound energized. Here are some action words to feature on your civil engineering resume.
- Analyzed survey reports, maps, drawings and blueprints.
- Managed 15+ simultaneous infrastructure projects.
- Architected retail, commercial and residential development.
- Steered all aspects of construction project management.
- Conducted site checks to monitor progress.
- Reviewed and negotiated county contracts.
- Ensured adherence to safety standards
- Devised budget and financial plans.
- Served as lead engineer on civil engineering projects.
- Conceptualized construction drawings.
- Conducted risk assessments.
- Collaborates with surveyors.
More action words for your resume
- Engineered
- Coded
- Restructured
- Tested
- Standardized
- Diagnosed
- Estimated
- Strengthened
- Conceptualized
- Troubleshot
- Computed
- Segmented
- Installed
- Automated
- Customized
- Calculated
- Validated
- Manufactured
- Debugged
- Visualized
Choose the right format for your resume
Choose one of the three resume formats below that best fits your job search to effectively organize your civil engineering resume:
Chronological format
The chronological resume format, also known as reverse chronological format, is ideal for an experienced civil engineer with two or more years of relevant experience or multiple engineering jobs because it emphasizes the work history section so at a glance, hiring managers can validate engineering experience.
Functional format
The functional resume format is recommended for entry-level civil engineers with less than two years of experience. This format prominently displays skills and education rather than work history as featured in the chronological format.
Combination format
The combination resume format, also known as the hybrid format, combines both chronological and functional layouts, making it ideal for civil engineers with more than three years of experience. By placing the focus on experience and relevant skills, this format explains how your previous work history and relevant skills can make you an ideal candidate for the job.
20 key skills for your civil engineering resume
Civil engineers will be required to demonstrate both hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills are abilities learned through higher education and training, while soft skills are intangible, personality-driven traits and interpersonal skills.
Here are some civil engineering-related skills to include on your resume:
- Mathematics and physics knowledge
- Technical skills
- AutoCAD/AutoCAD Civil 3D
- Project management
- Analytical thinking
- Communication skills
- Design/drafting software
- Problem-solving skills
- Web development
- Computer skills
- Critical thinking
- Attention to detail
- Creativity
- Time management
- Organizational skills
- Construction knowledge
- Site development
- Budgeting/cost estimates
- Leadership skills
- Presentation skills
When you use our Resume Builder tool to create your resume, you’ll get automatic civil engineering skills and wording suggestions.
How to write a civil engineering resume
Now that you’ve seen some outstanding civil engineering resume examples on this page, here are some tips for creating a job-winning resume.
Resume header
The resume header will be the first notable section of your resume design. It includes your full name and contact information, including your phone number location and email address. Include a link to your LinkedIn profile here, especially if your profile contains information on awards, key achievements and experience with engineering projects. Browse the civil engineering resume examples on this page to see different examples of headers, and how they’re filled out.
Resume summary or objective
Now that the hiring manager knows your name and contact information, you will feature a two-to-three-sentence resume summary or resume objective to describe your goals, relevant skills and best achievements. Job candidates with solid years of engineering work experience can write a resume summary. Entry-level job candidates or career changers should write a resume objective to explain career goals, industry passion and impressive skills you can bring to the new job civil engineering role.
Resume skills
Many of the skills that you’ll list for a civil engineering resume will be hard skills, such as knowledge of specific software or processes. The most common high-priority civil engineering skills are technical skills that you only learn through education and hands-on experience. Soft skills, especially problem solving and critical thinking, are equally as important as they show how you can think for yourself and solve complex problems.
Example of a bulleted skills list:
- Project management
- Construction supervision
- Structural analysis
- Construction supervision
- AutoCAD/Civil 3D
- Autodesk
- Blueprints
- Organizational skills
- Problem-solving skills
- Critical thinking
- Mathematics
- Physics
Work experience
Since the engineering field values recent work, list the last 10 years of relevant work history. Any jobs, internships or volunteer work that is older than 10 years can be incorporated in an online profile like LinkedIn page, that you conveniently link to in your resume header.
Education on resume
In your education section, list any academic experience you have after high school. Most civil engineering experts need at least a bachelor’s degree in a related field, and showcasing this information helps a hiring manager find you. Don’t list your GPA on your resume. Although you should display academic honors and awards, your GPA isn’t something that most hiring managers are looking for.
Achievements and awards
If you have any awards or special recognitions related to civil engineering, you can showcase them in a separate section.
Certifications
There are many software programs that will likely be required for a civil engineering job, including AutoCAD, Civil 3D and Autodesk Revit. Look into getting certified for these programs, and listing these certifications.
Build my resumeDo’s and don’ts for a civil engineering resume
- Use a resume template to create a professional resume that follows a well-structured format.
- Consider using a resume builder to simplify the resume writing process and build a resume in minutes.
- Customize each resume to the specific job description. Select relevant keywords and use them in your resume summary, skills section and work experience section.
- Make your resume professional summary longer than three sentences. This provides just enough of your career background and what you can offer the employer. A cover letter can expand your experience.
- List your GPA. Hiring managers are more interested that you have an engineering degree and certifications like AutoCAD.
- Forget to proofread your work. Nothing will get an engineer’s resume deemed unprofessional faster than typos and spelling mistakes.
FAQ: Civil engineering resume
Have questions? We’re here to help.
How do I write a civil engineer resume?
To write a civil engineer resume, feature your best, most relevant skills and experience that match the job description. Include your college degree(s), engineering certifications, any specialized areas such as structural, geotechnical, transportation or water engineering. Rather than simply list daily tasks, include specific, measurable examples of your accomplishments like process improvement, cost savings, energy efficiency or other numbers that will impress hiring managers. If you lack direct work experience, include online engineering courses taken, internships, team projects or volunteer work. Use a civil engineer resume template as your foundation to writing a strong resume.
What is the professional summary of a civil engineer?
A professional summary of a civil engineer will be a two-to-three-sentence paragraph that summarizes the key points of your career including years of experience and an impressive highlight. An example would be:
Proven successful civil engineer with more than four years of hands-on experience in designing Seminole County land development projects looking for a senior civil engineer position. Process optimization expertise was recently demonstrated by shaving one month off the Main Street land project schedule resulting in a cost savings of $21,000.
What is the headline of a civil engineer resume?
A resume headline for a civil engineer resume can be a single line at the top of the resume that captures the prospective employer’s attention. An example would be: “Licensed civil engineer with seven years of specialized geotechnical experience simultaneously managing 12 infrastructure design and development projects.” The example clearly shows that the job candidate is a multitasking project manager who can offer years worth of expertise in the geotechnical area.
What are the strengths of a civil engineer on a resume?
A civil engineering company will expect a candidate’s strengths to include technical expertise through an engineering academic background, technical certifications and hands-on experience. A civil engineer will also be expected to manage design while nurturing relationships with team members, review agencies and clients. Keeping a project on time demands good time management skills in addition to strong communication, proper scheduling, organization and attention to detail.
Do I need to submit a cover letter with civil engineering resumes?
Yes! We highly suggest that you submit a cover letter with your resume. Even if the job application doesn’t indicate that you need a cover letter, writing one gives you the opportunity to directly introduce yourself to the hiring manager and expand on the information listed in your resume. You can use the ResumeHelp Cover Letter Builder to make it easier for you to write your cover letter for every application.
Can I get a civil engineering job with no experience?
As long as you hold a bachelor’s degree, you can likely get a junior civil engineer position without any traditional work experience. This is where other activities such as specialized coursework, civil engineering internship experience or even extracurricular activities play a role to show off your qualifications. If these activities feature technical skills that connect with civil engineering, include them in your resume so that a hiring manager knows that you’ve learned on the job, even if it’s in a less traditional way. Browse the great civil engineer resume examples on this page for inspiration to write your own.
Is it a good idea to change my civil engineering resume for every job posting?
Yes! You must adapt your civil engineering resume to every individual job posting. This way, you hit all the resume keywords that a hiring manager put in individual job postings, such as specific skills and requirements. This will also help you pass applicant tracking systems (ATS) that many employers use to scan incoming resumes and cover letters to make sure they meet certain criteria before a hiring manager looks at it. When you change the resume for every job posting, update your skills and experiences to match these keywords.
Couldn't find the answer you're looking for?