Electrical Engineer CV Example & Writing Guide

While an impressive electrical engineer CV can help brighten your career prospects, a poorly-formatted electrical engineer CV could short-circuit your chances of being noticed by employers. 

At cvapp.ie, we’re here to empower your job search with our comprehensive guide and electrical engineer CV examples.

Alongside this guide, our innovative CV builder and CV examples can help you spark the interest of employers, amplify your skills, and spotlight your accomplishments. 

How to write an electrical engineer CV

Before you begin, it’s essential to know what sections to include in your CV. Be sure to incorporate the following sections: 

• The CV header
• The CV summary (aka profile or personal statement)
• The employment history section
• The CV skills section
• The education section

Creating an electrical engineer CV is like designing a circuit – you're connecting your professional skills, experience, and achievements to power your career and illuminate your value to potential employers.

We recommend the following tips: 

1. Showcase any standout projects highlighting relevant electrical engineer skills and accomplishments, especially those listed in the job description.
2. Tailor your CV to meet the employers' specific needs and goals. Research the company to help illustrate why you’re a perfect fit for the role.
3. Opt for a clean, professional, well-formatted CV layout appropriate for the electrical engineer job you're applying for.
4. Incorporate relevant keywords and industry-specific terms to help ensure your CV navigates Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) with ease.

Select the correct CV format for electrical engineers 

While there are three main CV formats, the best format for most electrical engineer CVs is the reverse chronological format. 

This format is focused primarily on the employment history section, with positions listed in reverse chronological order. This format showcases your technical experience and project achievements in a logical and easy-to-follow manner, demonstrating your career progression and expertise.

Include important contact details

Your CV header should contain essential contact details so employers can get in touch with you. 

These details include:

• Full Name & Title: Include your full name alongside the title of the role you're applying for.
• Email Address: Provide a professional email address, such as ronan.obrien13@gmail.com.
• Phone Number: List your phone number and ensure your voicemail greeting is professional and appropriate.
• Location: Include your city and county and whether you are willing to relocate. For example: “Tralee, County Kerry (Willing to Relocate).”
• Professional websites: Enhance your application by providing links to your LinkedIn profile or other relevant professional websites.

Steer clear of sharing sensitive information such as your birth date, unique identification numbers like your PPS number or passport number, or other irrelevant details, such as your nationality or political affiliations. 

Craft an engaging CV summary

A strong electrical engineer CV summary highlights your unique skills and accomplishments, helping you stand out to employers quickly and effectively. 

In 2-4 sentences, outline any relevant skills, achievements or professional experiences that make you an excellent fit for the role. For example: "Consistently exceeded project deadlines while maintaining high-quality electrical systems standards."

For additional guidance, check out our related civil engineer CV example and engineer CV example. 

Highlight your electrical engineering experience: A circuit of success

Creating a work history section for your electrical engineer CV involves condensing your most relevant experiences, responsibilities, and achievements into concise bullet points that highlight your contributions to each role you have held.

It’s important to use relevant action verbs and dynamic language, highlighting your ability to achieve results. These include verbs such as "engineered," "optimised," and "implemented."

Rather than just listing responsibilities, be sure to outline tangible accomplishments. 

Consider the following examples: 

• "Managed electrical projects for commercial buildings."
• "Conducted routine inspections of electrical systems."
• "Collaborated with other engineers on design projects."

These examples can be rephrased to be more results-oriented:  

• “Streamlined electrical project workflows for commercial buildings, cutting project completion times by 30%."
• "Identified 125+ electrical system issues, enhancing compliance with industry standards."
• "Played a key role in a design team that reduced energy consumption by 15% for clients."

These rewritten electrical engineer CV examples illustrate how you can change basic tasks into statements that highlight your potential as an electrical engineer.

Outline relevant electrical engineering skills

When creating the skills section, it's essential to clearly and concisely highlight your technical skills, software proficiencies, and any relevant soft skills. 

For electrical engineering roles, skills can include circuit design, proficiency in software such as AutoCAD and MATLAB, and project management skills.  

Outline how your skills have driven success in previous roles. For example: 

• Project Management: Illustrate your ability to successfully manage projects and use numbers and data where possible.
• Software Proficiency: Highlight your experience with electrical engineering tools like AutoCAD and EPLAN and include the number of projects you've completed with them.
• Leadership: Showcase your leadership skills by outlining the sizes of teams you've led and the number of projects you've guided to completion.

Be sure to tailor these skills to the job description where relevant. 

Detail your education & relevant electrical engineering certifications

In your CV's education section, list any qualifications and certifications with the institutions' names and graduation dates, starting with the most recent. 

As an electrical engineer, you should include details about your qualifications, including your Bachelor's degree and any relevant accreditations you may have, such as your Chartered Engineer status, Associate Engineer status or EUR ING title. 

We also recommend including the following: 

• Certifications: List any electrical engineering courses and safety certifications you've completed, such as your NEBOSH Certificate and ECSSA credentials.
• Internships: Detail any engineering internships, work placements, or graduate programmes you've completed.
• Professional Development: Mention your membership in relevant groups like Engineers Ireland to show your commitment to your field.

Choose the right CV layout and design 

When formatting your electrical engineering CV, opt for a well-organised layout with clear sections, a modern, clean font, and a professional colour scheme. 

This will help showcase your hard skills and experience clearly and concisely, making it easy for potential employers to see your professional strengths expertise and qualifications.

We recommend choosing a professional or simple CV design, like our Barcelona template, which features a contemporary design layout, a sophisticated font, and a balanced colour scheme. 

Pursuing a career in electrical engineering can be deeply fulfilling for those with a passion for electrical systems and the drive to solve complex problems.

Try our online CV builder to simplify your application process today!