Electrical engineer CV sample, UK, skills, 2024, objective, best

Getting that highly prized and well-paid Electrical Engineer position requires a well written and attractive CV.

By: Iejaz Uddin – 19 April 2024

No matter what industry you are in, you need to have in your arsenal the best possible CV if you’re to stand any change of bagging the interview you’ve always wanted. All of this means that your job application must be a sales pitch that highlights your proven knowledge of engineering design software and equipment.

On this page, we’ve brought together all the resources required to write a stellar Electrical Engineer CV that will push you to the front of the que. Use our advice and extensive library of expertly written examples as practical starting guides on which to base your own winning one.

Page overview:

Electrical Engineer CV examples
Guide to writing an Electrical Engineer CV
CV layout
Personal summary
Work experience
Skills to include in your CV
Education section
Hobbies and interests

Electrical Engineer CV samples

Maxine Corry
Address 1
T: 0044 123 456 7890
E: info@dayjob.com

PERSONAL SUMMARY

Maxine is a natural innovator and problem solver who can ensure that electrical systems aren’t only fit for purpose, but also meet all required specifications. She is a fully accredited Electrical Engineer who experience of being involved in projects from their concept right through to their testing, implementation, and handover. Can carry out preventative maintenance tasks as well as be reactive with regards to breakdowns and repairs.

A team player who can comfortably work as a group with other engineers, architects, and technical staff. Also, a real professional who is committed to keeping up to date with safety requirements, knowledge, and legislation. Does this by attending educational workshops, reviewing professional publications, and participating in professional societies.

In her current role she ensures that all proposed designs meet commercial, investment requirements and take into account innovation developments. As part of her duties, she manages and maintains building services, such as lighting, heating, ventilation, and lift systems. With colleagues she has a reputation for delivering exceptional solutions to world-class companies.

Through her career she has worked on innovative projects alongside seasoned professionals with years of experience.

On a personal level she is a superb communicator who can confer with engineers, customers, and others to discuss existing or potential engineering projects and products.

Right now, she would like to join a reputable company that provides guidance, coaching, and structured development opportunities for its staff.

CAREER HISTORY

ELECTRICAL ENGINEER – Start Date – Present
Employers name – Location
Responsible for working on the design, development and maintenance of electrical control systems, equipment, and machinery.

Duties;

Coordinating and overseeing the installation and testing of electrical equipment and control systems.
Operating computer-assisted engineering and design software and equipment to perform engineering tasks.
Undertaking all routine tasks in accordance to recognised standards.
Inspecting and testing electrical installations both on site and off site.
Conducting regular inspections to ensure that all electrical systems work according to their relevant safety guidelines and regulations.
Mentoring, training up and supporting junior engineers in order to help develop their skills.
Building electrical equipment to agreed specifications and quality requirements.
Filling out daily shift reports and other necessary administrative paperwork.
Testing out emergency lighting and evacuation alarm systems.
Investigating and assisting customers on power quality issues.
Making sure that projects are completed on time and perform as expected.
Carrying out maintenance and tests to check a device is working properly.
Attending meetings, writing reports, and giving presentations to managers and clients.
Confirming a systems and components’ capabilities by designing bespoke testing methods to put it through.
Evaluating the operational efficiency of electrical systems, machinery, components, and products.
Improving electrical facilities and systems for commercial, industrial, and utility purposes.
Developing budgets by accurately estimating labour, material, and construction costs.
Reviewing contractors’ invoices related to electrical works to ensure accuracy and completeness.
Ensuring compliance with all relevant specifications, codes, and customer requirements.

JOB TITLE – Start Date – End Date
Employers name – Location

KEY SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

Professional

Responding in a timely manner to verbal and written requests for assistance.
In depth knowledge and understanding of all relevant health & safety regulations.
Experience of conducting site visits for inspection and installations.
Able to methodically and accurately record detailed information.
Undertaking research into potential solutions to problems.
Can clearly communicate technical issues to a non-technical person.

Personal

Strong work ethic with solution driven approach towards obstacles.
Have a ‘can do’ attitude towards issues that others may find daunting.
Superb communication skills and able to work equally well with both shop floor and management.

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

Reactive maintenance
Electrical maintenance
Problem solving
Problem detection
Fault finding
Manual dexterity
Circuit theory
Electrical servicing
Process improvement
Innovation
Installation
Servicing equipment
Mechanical breakdowns

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS

University name – Degree details              Study Dates
College name      – Qualifications                Study Dates
School name       – Subjects / Grades         Study Dates

REFERENCES

Available on request.

Guide to writing an Electrical Engineer CV

Writing a compelling curriculum vitae is vital towards getting the engineering job you want. A well written one can vastly increase your chances of getting noticed and picked.

For a technical role like this you need to demonstrate experience of developing, installing, and maintaining electrical products and systems used in diverse industries. It’s therefore imperative an applicant immediately showcases their deep knowledge of electrical manufacturing processes. That’s not all, in this modern interconnected world it must also show your ability to work as part of a multidisciplinary team on project made up of specialists from other areas.

Follow the advice in this guide and use the examples on this page to put together a winning CV every time.

Guide overview:

CV layout
Personal summary
Electrical Engineer work experience
Skills to include in your CV
Education
Hobbies and interests

CV Layout

Hiring Managers are busy people with little time to waste. They expect to find information quickly in any CV they’re reading.

One way to speedily give them what they want is by having a CV layout that is organised, easy to scan and clearly laid out. This’ll allow them to swiftly skim it and pick out key points about you.

To get on that interview shortlist, you need a spot-on CV format which gives a precise snapshot of who you are. Your aim is to impress them by having a good-looking outline that suits your needs and emphasizes your strongest points.

On this page we’ll talk you through how to structure each category correctly and competently.

The 7 main sections of a CV

1. Contact details

As people regularly change phone numbers and email addresses always make sure you include your most recent one.

2. Personal Summary

A compelling introductory paragraph that is a great opportunity to make a impression. Aim to write one that engages the reader rather than puts them off. Do this by aligning your personal statement (as it’s also known) with the job description.

3. Work experience

Write a thorough summary of your career history to date. It’s a place to prove that you’ve gone above and beyond the call of duty to make significant achievements in your previous employment. Give details of your past career, such as employers name, job titles and employment dates.

4. Skills

Think about those competencies that you feel with catch the recruiter’s eye and impress them. As a person’s skills are constantly evolving, make sure you include your up-to-date ones.

5. Education

As the title suggests this is where you list your academic qualifications. Be sure to include any relevant training courses as well as industry standard qualifications.

6. Interest and hobbies

If you’re tempted to include these then avoid uninteresting or unnecessary pastimes that could show you as a loner or just weird. Instead mention team sports and hobbies that require social interaction with others and good communication skills.

7. References

It’s acceptable and advisable to simply put ‘Available on request.’ rather than the names and contact details of referees.

Related: Job references

The 3 main CV Layouts

Being unsure of how to structure their CV is a problem many candidates face. That’s because there is no ‘one size fits all’ set CV format and different options out there. The three main options to choose from are:

Functional
Chronological
Combination / Hybrid

A good design can get you past the ATS

An optimised CV framework can also help to get past Applicant Tracking Systems and come up high in search results on the recruiter’s candidate database.

CV Length

For virtually all job applications a two-page CV is considered adequate. The only exceptions being for entry level positions, where a single page one is acceptable and academic or senior roles where three pages plus CV’s are fine.

Keep your CV as short as possible by only including that information which is relevant to the position. Do this by researching the role thoroughly to identify the most in-demand skill sets, and then focus on these.

Tips on how to keep your CV short:

Avoid duplication

A great way to shorten your CV and save space at the same time, is by not repeating yourself. This is a mistake many jobseekers make by trying to highlight a specific skill set through constant repetition.

Focus on recent roles

Another way to cut your CV down to size is by writing more about your current and most recent roles. As opposed to just briefly mentioning jobs older than 5 or 10 years.

Personal Summary

This is an introduction to your CV, where in a few short lines you have an opportunity to sum up who you are and what can do.

To write a good opening statement you’ve got to align what you say with what the employer wants. You can further strengthen your credentials by backing up your claims with examples of achievements and statistical proof. This is especially valuable when you must stand out from other candidates with identical skills and abilities to yours.

Additionally, you shouldn’t waste time. Immediately get to the point by explaining that you have the skills needed to make you a suitable candidate.

Also, steer clear of common mistakes such as overusing buzzwords or writing up generic personal statements that can apply to any job role. Instead tweak and tailor it so that it targets the requirements of the vacancy you are applying for.

Personal summary example:

Dispense with the heading

If space is tight on your CV, you can leave out the sections ‘Personal Summary’ heading, which sits above the main paragraph. Don’t worry, Hiring Managers will know what you’re writing about.

Related link: How to write a personal summary

List your Electrical Engineer work experience

Use this section to add value to your application by giving details of what you did in your previous jobs.

This field should include all of your work experience, starting with the most recent first and working backwards to your last job. Give more space to what you are doing now and not what you did in the past. Employers want to see the new you, not the old one.

Another good tip is to continually refine and reword what you’ve written to make it as relevant as possible to the job you are applying for. Do this by picking out the required competencies from reading the job advert and skilfully inserting them into what you write.

Use action verbs

Avoid using tired words that Hiring Managers see every day. Instead, strategically use strong power words that convey results, such as; increased, created, developed, and achieved.

Describe your Electrical Engineer skills

Below are examples of competencies which show that you can keep electrical systems up and running in any business or organisation.

In your CV show you can:

Plan and initiate both large and small electrical projects.
Use specialist engineering and design software to produce plans and designs.
Participate in the entire development process from the start right through to the final installation.
Make modifications to electrical equipment based on the test results.
Install and maintain equipment on site in conditions that may be hot, dusty or cramped.
Design and analyse electrical circuits and components such as resistors, capacitors, inductors, and semiconductor devices.
Work on time-sensitive projects, where they must be completed by a specific date.

Areas to focus on when writing an electrical engineer CV:

Your experience of designing, developing and maintaining electrical systems.
Highlight your ability to read design specifications and technical drawings.
Show your ability to conduct tests and draw conclusions.
Your report writing and presentation skills.
Explain your ability to develop budgets, estimating labor and material costs.
Your knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment etc.
Ability to use the latest specialist design software.
How you can identify complex electrical problems and then evaluate options and implement solutions.
The ability to work individually or as part of a team.
Explain your extensive understanding of electrical and electronic engineering, digital signal processing and telecommunications.

Hard and soft skills

Recruiters are constantly on the lookout for the in demand hard and soft skills their vacancies require. To meet this need, make sure all your relevant technical abilities, accreditations, certifications, and training are included in your CV.

Some of your skills should precisely match the ones on the job description, but others can be loosely related.

The best place to put them is where they are most visible and will be quickly seen. This is usually at the top of your CV as a standalone list, or you can sprinkle them throughout the page as keywords in descriptive sentences.

Below is a list of some critical attributes, ranked by importance, to help get you started.

List of hard and soft skills:

Technical skills

Using computer-aided design (CAD) to create schematics for electrical components.
Can quickly read design specifications and accurately interpret technical drawings.
Assuring product quality by conducting thorough and reliable tests.
Have a good understanding of electrical health and safety issues.

Manual dexterity

Can grasp and manipulate objects through small, delicate, and precise movements.
Have the good eye to hand coordination needed to carry out tasks that require accuracy.
Physically fit and able to move, bend, crouch and kneel for long periods of time.

Electrical Installations

Designing, planning, and producing drawings and estimates for complex metering installations.
Reading, understanding, and interpreting technical information relative to the role.

Professional

Ability to perform accurate engineering mathematical calculations.
Drawing engineering plans manually or with the use of CAD.
Supervising, mentoring, and training up project team members as necessary.
Experience of working with a variety of professional and technicians.
Conversant in all relevant electrical theories and applications.

Personal skills

Ability to self-manage multiple workloads.
Can work with people from different countries, social backgrounds, and cultures.
Punctual, always on time and never letting colleagues down by being late.

Problem solving

Overcoming issues by breaking down problems into smaller chunks and dealing with them that way.
Ability to analyse complex problems and assess possible solutions.
Identifying the root cause of a problem.
Not being overawed by the scale of a problem.

Education

The Education section of your CV tells the recruiter what you’ve achieved in the academic arena.

It’s a much underappreciated, underutilised, and underestimated part of a CV, that many jobseekers see as a bolt on at the bottom of the page. However, used properly it can be an impressive addition to any job application, particularly from less experienced candidates.

Why include it

If in the recruitment process, you’re up against equally experienced candidates, then a better academic record can be the deciding factor in beating them. Furthermore, if you education section includes keywords and phrases that match those the job description, then it can help you to pass any Applicant Tracking Software.

Where to place the Education section

This really depends on the qualifications you possess and the job you’re applying for.

For most candidates it’s advisable to place them near the bottom of your CV, below the skills section and above the references. However, if they are very relevant to the role, then you should place them in a more prominent position at the top. Other groups who may want to put them above everything else are those with little or no work experience, such as school leavers and recent graduates.

Don’t exaggerate!

Certain jobs require applicants to have specific qualifications such as a university degree or industry certifications and accreditations. Never be tempted to lie about or amplify your credentials to meet these requirements. This is one area where you can very easily be found out as lying.

Hobbies and interests

Your interests help to tell a recruiter what you do outside of work. It shines a light on your personal life. So, you’ve got to be careful what you tell them, as you don’t want to give the impression of being arrogant, an anti-social loner or a thrill seeker.

You want to create an image that helps you secure an interview. Do this by going beyond just listing them, and instead add depth to them so as to create the image of an all-round candidate who not only has the necessary skills but also the personality as well.

Reading and studying

These can demonstrate that you are an intelligent individual who is disciplined enough to sit down for long periods to read manuals and learn. When mentioning this be specific and say exactly what you read, whether its factual books or fiction.

Avoid dangerous or time-consuming hobbies and controversial social causes

Employers are not keen on employing staff who could be injured or need lots of time off for unusual activities like parachuting or artic expeditions. It’s also advisable not to mention anything political or religious as you do not know what the affiliations of the reader are. The last thing you want is to create a negative impression of yourself.