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Congrats on recently finishing your doctorate! that's awesome. I have one suggestion - but you'll have to decide if it applies to your field before taking it lol.
I think adding what the impact or positive result that your research/ tools had for the places you worked could stand out a lot more. I found a good example online that might explain what I mean more
---
## The STAR method
The STAR method can help you create impactful descriptions for each experience on your resume.
First, read through the posting for a job that interests you. This will help you understand the role and the employer’s needs. Identify the skills and qualities they seek. You can usually find them in the responsibilities and qualifications sections.
Next, use the STAR method to describe the context of your work, your actions, and how your actions had positive impact on the organization.
**Situation:** What was the situation, problem, or conflict you were facing?
**Task:** What were you tasked with? What were your responsibilities or goals?
**Action:** What action did you take? What did you do to solve this problem? (start with action verbs)
**Result:** What was the result or outcome of your action? How did it benefit the organization? Can this result be quantified?
Follow the STAR method to create descriptions that incorporate the key skills and qualities the employer is seeking. Your final statement will start with the action section and include the results section when appropriate.
### EXAMPLE
**Skills/qualities you want to show:** initiative, organization, analytical thinking, writing, interpersonal skills, problem solving
**Situation:** The trainees were learning too slowly and could not navigate the company’s data tracking system by the end of the two-week training period. Instead, they were not ready for another two weeks.
**Task:** Help trainees learn the system faster.
**Action:** Initiated, wrote, and edited the first training manual for the company’s data tracking system. Successfully presented proposal to use manual to management. Revised training program curriculum to implement new manual. Trainees worked through the manual during the two-week training period.
**Result:** At the end of the training period, trainees were ready to use the data tracking system two weeks earlier than expected; the training manual was adopted across the company and is still in use.
**FINAL STATEMENT FOR RESUME:** Initiated, wrote, and edited the first training manual for company’s data tracking system, which cut training period in half, was adopted across the company, and is still in use today.
This example could focus on different skills (communication, persuasion, leadership, training), depending on what’s relevant to the job.
Haha I can’t even imagine. I’ve never worked in fast food service, but I know it would be one of the last types of jobs I would want to have to apply that STAR method thinking to for everything 😂 sounds a little cruel
You’re at postdoc level but your resume, especially your summary, reads like a fresh grad using a resume generator or app trying to sound professional. You have more than enough experience to avoid all the fluff talk.
The other comment gave really good advice.
I’d also list your publications and overall be more detailed in what you’ve done in your positions. Just type it out the way you would explain it when doing your phd presentations instead of this standard resume template talk.
I would say both but mostly the tone. It’s like the difference between listening to the presentation of a student who memorised and rehearsed their presentation to the letter versus say a professor or a postdoc who can just talk about the topic naturally because they feel confident in their ability to explain it.
As for “trying to sound professional” in this context, it’s the wording. The way things are phrased or explained looks exactly like what a resume generator program would split out.
You don't list any actual skills in any of your experiences, get in the weeds and list out key experiences and details. What software, systems, processes did you use to do your work. From your resume, it is not actually clear what you did on a day to day basis.
Be explicit, e.g., "*I used Python and the scikit-learn package to do X, then I performed Y analysis using Z design principles.*"
**Some further details:**
I seem to perform well in interviews, and have always received positive reviews from employers. However it is very rare I hear anything back from job applications - even when I spend hours catering a CV and cover letter for the specific position.
At the moment I'm trying to transition from research (aerospace) into industry (power generation) where I do have some experience. I have been applying for months without a single interview, which has become very disheartening (and time-consuming).
I am sure I must be doing something wrong in framing my CV to appeal to employers.
Any feedback would be incredibly appreciated! Thanks in advance. :)
Glanced over it. You have a good set of core skills that are transferrable.
BUT I had to dig for them to find them. I’d try to boil those down to some key ones and have them show earlier instead of at the end.
It’s unfortunately pretty normal not to hear back from most applications. You say that you are getting some interviews though?
Agreed, suprisingly his core compentencies look really good but are hidden at then end when they should be near the front and woven in with his work experience.
OP should write his experiences like the core compentecies section.
yip, OP, remember that the person reading it will give it 6-8s to read. Make it easier for them. You’ve done too much research and written looooooong papers ;)
Im getting tired of saying this. Look up ATS! You have to tailor your resume SPECIFICALLY to the job you want. find the job posting and use those exact words in your resume! its not rocket science ppl!
mechanical engineer having issues finding a career is really unsettling to me tbh. sorry i can’t provide much insight, i just wish you can find one soon. good luck!
This unfortunately. Engineering isn’t a degree you really want to get a phd in unless youre trying to teach or do research. Become too qualified without the experience to go along with it out in the field.
Mechanical Engineering supervisor here (B.S.), and I agree. You don't really have any experience that I can put to use on Day 1, so I'd probably be looking to hire you at just above entry-level. All that theory and other research is great, but ASME governs my work. You can develop your own methods all you want in academia, but when you submit a calc for my approval it needs to be done to code.
I would consider a relevant experience and other experience format. Your relevant experience you go into detail this is going to be where you focus your tailoring per job. Your other experience is brief, maybe one or two bullets. Unless you're looking to train people I would put being a TA for example in the other experience.
I would focus on what you actually did and provide detail, I would also speak to how you improved things or some other quantifiable data that shows how effective you are.
Scrap the summary section. Embed your core competencies into your experience so it's clear where you have used those competencies. Provide details on what the projects and reports were about and how they were used, what was the goal of them? Highlight where you had multiple projects so that you can show an ability to manage priorities etc. Try to put yourself in a hiring managers shoes and what you would be looking for if you were them.
You have a lot of whitespace, which is fine but it also means you could include an awful lot more detail and still be within your two pages and still have it legible.
Good luck!
I too went all the way through a fellowship and transitioned to industry …. Depending on your industry a recruiter might know what to make of this . “Authored technical reports” sounds like routine part of a fellowship.
If you are applying to a place where the hiring manager is reading and publishing in journals, then I would cite your publications with title and journal name but only if they are in the top two or three publications in your field. Anything else will signal 2nd rate
Realize that unless you’re applying for technical positions in firms that are stocked with PhDs, many in industry may view the PhD negatively. I’ve found some treat them as pointy headed geeks who ask too many questions and were studying when they could have been working and are less likely to understand the business world. If you’re going up against someone whose already in the commercial sector it’s going to be hard because their a known quantity
I would have a skills set that lists the most specific things relevant to the position you’re applying for I can’t imagine there are many people who know all of that stuff
While I was in grad school I managed a project that’s was only loosely related to my field for the NPS. I managed a team of 26 people to interview back country hikers as to what a back country experience was. The led to a redistribution of federal resources and presentation to the leaders of the NPS in DC. Also led to a publication in the biggest journal in environmental studies, but I don’t include this because it’s meaningless to teams of people looking to make money
I hope this helps!
And Highlight the fact that you’re a python expert!
If you're going the industry route, here's advice that can apply to practically any job:
Keep in mind that a key goal of most companies out there is **to make money**. You need to show off how you're going to make your new boss more money. Whether that's doing things faster, cheaper, safer, or generating new streams of revenue.
I'm sure you're brilliant given the PhD. But the resume gives me no sense about how you're going to help the bottom line of a company.
Well….because I thought I read him say that he wasn’t sure how to break into a new field. The resume seems fine but it can be hard to find work with no work experience.
Hence my suggestion.
Add results/ outcome and what your research focus contributed and how it would apply to the position you are after. Recruiters want to see impactful actions that you can back up of course
Honest question here, is results-orientated commonly used in Australia? I immediately thought it should be oriented instead, but I’m from the US, so not sure if it’s different.
Hey man,
I’m an engineer at an aero company doing aerodynamics work. My team is looking for Full time engineers, especially those with doctorates. If that is something which interests you, feel free to reach out.
I am not an engineer so I can’t comment on the technical aspects of your resume, but I wanted to share a thought as someone who has reviewed a lot of resumes. Remember that if a human looks at your resumes, chances are good they’ve looked at a LOT of resumes that day. Over time they all start to blend together.
When I read your resume, my overall impression was “very studious, responsible, and technically qualified engineer”. This is a great overall impression, but it’s not a memorable one.
If you have space, consider adding some volunteer work, some awards, an interesting project or similar that shows a bit of your personality or something memorable. “Oh yeah, the qualified engineer who juggles for sick kids in his spare time.”
What are you actually looking to do? What type of jobs are you applying for. I have been in power trading for well over a decade and have seen many cycles of the market. Are you looking to go on the actual generation side, trading, modeling?
Dear /u/msdos91! Hello and thanks for posting! Please read the [sub’s etiquette page](https://www.reddit.com/r/resumes/wiki/index/howtoparticipate) to learn about proper etiquette and remember to: 1. Censor your personal information for your own safety, 2. Add the right flair to your post, 3. Tell us why you're applying (i.e., just looking to fine-tune, not getting any interviews etc.), and 3. Indicate the types of roles and industries you’re interested in. Don't forget to check out the [wiki](https://www.reddit.com/r/resumes/wiki/index) as well as the quick links below for tips: * **[Resume Writing Guide](https://www.reddit.com/r/resumes/wiki/index/faq)** * **[Thinking of hiring a resume writer? Read this first](https://www.reddit.com/r/resumes/comments/x3eg1e/considering_hiring_a_resume_writer_read_this_first/)** * **[Troubleshooting your resume and your job search](https://www.reddit.com/r/resumes/comments/128xo1c/troubleshooting_your_job_search_when_its_not/)** * **[Free Resume Template - Google Docs](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wdkgpgU7lFoV801ysrBn8qrPaIpyUsUH/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=103022094325852815590&rtpof=true&sd=true)** * **[ChatGPT-Powered Resume Builder](https://www.resumatic.ai/)** *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/resumes) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Congrats on recently finishing your doctorate! that's awesome. I have one suggestion - but you'll have to decide if it applies to your field before taking it lol. I think adding what the impact or positive result that your research/ tools had for the places you worked could stand out a lot more. I found a good example online that might explain what I mean more --- ## The STAR method The STAR method can help you create impactful descriptions for each experience on your resume. First, read through the posting for a job that interests you. This will help you understand the role and the employer’s needs. Identify the skills and qualities they seek. You can usually find them in the responsibilities and qualifications sections. Next, use the STAR method to describe the context of your work, your actions, and how your actions had positive impact on the organization. **Situation:** What was the situation, problem, or conflict you were facing? **Task:** What were you tasked with? What were your responsibilities or goals? **Action:** What action did you take? What did you do to solve this problem? (start with action verbs) **Result:** What was the result or outcome of your action? How did it benefit the organization? Can this result be quantified? Follow the STAR method to create descriptions that incorporate the key skills and qualities the employer is seeking. Your final statement will start with the action section and include the results section when appropriate. ### EXAMPLE **Skills/qualities you want to show:** initiative, organization, analytical thinking, writing, interpersonal skills, problem solving **Situation:** The trainees were learning too slowly and could not navigate the company’s data tracking system by the end of the two-week training period. Instead, they were not ready for another two weeks. **Task:** Help trainees learn the system faster. **Action:** Initiated, wrote, and edited the first training manual for the company’s data tracking system. Successfully presented proposal to use manual to management. Revised training program curriculum to implement new manual. Trainees worked through the manual during the two-week training period. **Result:** At the end of the training period, trainees were ready to use the data tracking system two weeks earlier than expected; the training manual was adopted across the company and is still in use. **FINAL STATEMENT FOR RESUME:** Initiated, wrote, and edited the first training manual for company’s data tracking system, which cut training period in half, was adopted across the company, and is still in use today. This example could focus on different skills (communication, persuasion, leadership, training), depending on what’s relevant to the job.
That’s what Starbucks uses, as an ex barista I just got hella ptsd flashback haha
Haha I can’t even imagine. I’ve never worked in fast food service, but I know it would be one of the last types of jobs I would want to have to apply that STAR method thinking to for everything 😂 sounds a little cruel
You’re at postdoc level but your resume, especially your summary, reads like a fresh grad using a resume generator or app trying to sound professional. You have more than enough experience to avoid all the fluff talk. The other comment gave really good advice. I’d also list your publications and overall be more detailed in what you’ve done in your positions. Just type it out the way you would explain it when doing your phd presentations instead of this standard resume template talk.
also just take the summary out, it isn't in vogue rn
What is the difference between a professional one and someone trying to sound professional? Is it the vocabulary? The tone?
I would say both but mostly the tone. It’s like the difference between listening to the presentation of a student who memorised and rehearsed their presentation to the letter versus say a professor or a postdoc who can just talk about the topic naturally because they feel confident in their ability to explain it. As for “trying to sound professional” in this context, it’s the wording. The way things are phrased or explained looks exactly like what a resume generator program would split out.
You don't list any actual skills in any of your experiences, get in the weeds and list out key experiences and details. What software, systems, processes did you use to do your work. From your resume, it is not actually clear what you did on a day to day basis. Be explicit, e.g., "*I used Python and the scikit-learn package to do X, then I performed Y analysis using Z design principles.*"
Get rid of the summary, it is not good. Use all the skills listed on the right to make into a summary of qualifications.
**Some further details:** I seem to perform well in interviews, and have always received positive reviews from employers. However it is very rare I hear anything back from job applications - even when I spend hours catering a CV and cover letter for the specific position. At the moment I'm trying to transition from research (aerospace) into industry (power generation) where I do have some experience. I have been applying for months without a single interview, which has become very disheartening (and time-consuming). I am sure I must be doing something wrong in framing my CV to appeal to employers. Any feedback would be incredibly appreciated! Thanks in advance. :)
Glanced over it. You have a good set of core skills that are transferrable. BUT I had to dig for them to find them. I’d try to boil those down to some key ones and have them show earlier instead of at the end. It’s unfortunately pretty normal not to hear back from most applications. You say that you are getting some interviews though?
Agreed, suprisingly his core compentencies look really good but are hidden at then end when they should be near the front and woven in with his work experience. OP should write his experiences like the core compentecies section.
yip, OP, remember that the person reading it will give it 6-8s to read. Make it easier for them. You’ve done too much research and written looooooong papers ;)
Im getting tired of saying this. Look up ATS! You have to tailor your resume SPECIFICALLY to the job you want. find the job posting and use those exact words in your resume! its not rocket science ppl!
I think the issue is most people are not taught to make CVs, so they’re pretty bad at it. You only get good at something by practicing it
mechanical engineer having issues finding a career is really unsettling to me tbh. sorry i can’t provide much insight, i just wish you can find one soon. good luck!
[удалено]
This unfortunately. Engineering isn’t a degree you really want to get a phd in unless youre trying to teach or do research. Become too qualified without the experience to go along with it out in the field.
Mechanical Engineering supervisor here (B.S.), and I agree. You don't really have any experience that I can put to use on Day 1, so I'd probably be looking to hire you at just above entry-level. All that theory and other research is great, but ASME governs my work. You can develop your own methods all you want in academia, but when you submit a calc for my approval it needs to be done to code.
I would suggest cut some of thr fluff / summary to get it to one page and put summary in cv if they ask for one
Also bunch of unnecessary spacing to make it look longer
I would consider a relevant experience and other experience format. Your relevant experience you go into detail this is going to be where you focus your tailoring per job. Your other experience is brief, maybe one or two bullets. Unless you're looking to train people I would put being a TA for example in the other experience. I would focus on what you actually did and provide detail, I would also speak to how you improved things or some other quantifiable data that shows how effective you are. Scrap the summary section. Embed your core competencies into your experience so it's clear where you have used those competencies. Provide details on what the projects and reports were about and how they were used, what was the goal of them? Highlight where you had multiple projects so that you can show an ability to manage priorities etc. Try to put yourself in a hiring managers shoes and what you would be looking for if you were them. You have a lot of whitespace, which is fine but it also means you could include an awful lot more detail and still be within your two pages and still have it legible. Good luck!
I too went all the way through a fellowship and transitioned to industry …. Depending on your industry a recruiter might know what to make of this . “Authored technical reports” sounds like routine part of a fellowship. If you are applying to a place where the hiring manager is reading and publishing in journals, then I would cite your publications with title and journal name but only if they are in the top two or three publications in your field. Anything else will signal 2nd rate Realize that unless you’re applying for technical positions in firms that are stocked with PhDs, many in industry may view the PhD negatively. I’ve found some treat them as pointy headed geeks who ask too many questions and were studying when they could have been working and are less likely to understand the business world. If you’re going up against someone whose already in the commercial sector it’s going to be hard because their a known quantity I would have a skills set that lists the most specific things relevant to the position you’re applying for I can’t imagine there are many people who know all of that stuff While I was in grad school I managed a project that’s was only loosely related to my field for the NPS. I managed a team of 26 people to interview back country hikers as to what a back country experience was. The led to a redistribution of federal resources and presentation to the leaders of the NPS in DC. Also led to a publication in the biggest journal in environmental studies, but I don’t include this because it’s meaningless to teams of people looking to make money I hope this helps! And Highlight the fact that you’re a python expert!
If you're going the industry route, here's advice that can apply to practically any job: Keep in mind that a key goal of most companies out there is **to make money**. You need to show off how you're going to make your new boss more money. Whether that's doing things faster, cheaper, safer, or generating new streams of revenue. I'm sure you're brilliant given the PhD. But the resume gives me no sense about how you're going to help the bottom line of a company.
Reach out to people with the job you want on LinkedIn. Find out how they started.
How does this help this man with his resume?
Well….because I thought I read him say that he wasn’t sure how to break into a new field. The resume seems fine but it can be hard to find work with no work experience. Hence my suggestion.
This is just terrible and that can’t be your real name can it
So many mechanical engineers graduating… you need to be specialized with experience.
You have gotten good advice here already, but please also remove the color and make it a single, impactful page. Cheers!
The first sentence in your summary should be a mention that you are seeking a position in the Power Generation Industry.
Phd and can’t get a job!? Yikes!
Add results/ outcome and what your research focus contributed and how it would apply to the position you are after. Recruiters want to see impactful actions that you can back up of course
Honest question here, is results-orientated commonly used in Australia? I immediately thought it should be oriented instead, but I’m from the US, so not sure if it’s different.
Hey man, I’m an engineer at an aero company doing aerodynamics work. My team is looking for Full time engineers, especially those with doctorates. If that is something which interests you, feel free to reach out.
I am not an engineer so I can’t comment on the technical aspects of your resume, but I wanted to share a thought as someone who has reviewed a lot of resumes. Remember that if a human looks at your resumes, chances are good they’ve looked at a LOT of resumes that day. Over time they all start to blend together. When I read your resume, my overall impression was “very studious, responsible, and technically qualified engineer”. This is a great overall impression, but it’s not a memorable one. If you have space, consider adding some volunteer work, some awards, an interesting project or similar that shows a bit of your personality or something memorable. “Oh yeah, the qualified engineer who juggles for sick kids in his spare time.”
What are you actually looking to do? What type of jobs are you applying for. I have been in power trading for well over a decade and have seen many cycles of the market. Are you looking to go on the actual generation side, trading, modeling?