What makes a good engineer great? The answers might surprise you. Of course, every engineer needs to list out their technical qualifications on their resume, but if you fail to include some of these skills, you may be missing the opportunity to stand out from the crowd. Here is some outside-the-box thinking when it comes to the skills you’re listing on your engineering resume.
Communication
As is the case in almost every profession where one works with other people, communication skills are critical to getting the job done. Don’t let the general nature of this common soft skill lull you into thinking that it is not important. Communication skills include speaking, writing, listening, and you can’t have good communication skills without others. Above all, good communication skills are about the ability to share information with coworkers, clients, and supervisors in such a way that results in understanding and collaboration. This leads to our next skill…
Collaboration
Just as most professionals work closely with other professionals, it is rare to see each member of a staff work exclusively within their own niche. Team dynamics depend on employees’ abilities to work with each other and build on each other’s ideas. Collaboration, or teamwork as it is often referred to in job descriptions, is the ability to work well with other people from a variety of different backgrounds and mindsets. Keeping that in mind, it’s good to recall positive examples of your teamwork skills in action to show rather than tell an interviewer what a great collaborator you are.
Creativity and Adaptability
Creativity and adaptability are two soft skills that might not always be called on within the engineering profession. But the ability to solve problems certainly should be. In order to really have the opportunity to progress within your career, you need to show your employers that you can think outside the box. You need to be able to respond well to unexpected scenarios. You also need to provide solutions to the types of problems that regularly occur within your field. Innovation and a nimble-mindedness can help to put you in advantageous situations where your engineering abilities and your creativity are both valuable assets.
Leadership
Lastly, but certainly not least important, are leadership skills. Like communication, many applicants may present themselves as having high-quality leadership skills. But they don’t actually know what is required to exemplify this soft skill. Leadership is made up of a variety of important abilities. This includes risk assessment, taking initiative, and the ability to engage and motivate other team members. It also includes decision-making skills, resourcefulness, trust and loyalty, to have and deliver on long-term goals, and the ability to deliver products on time and despite obstacles. This is a skill necessary for engineers looking to make a difference.
For more advice on how to get your resume the attention you deserve, connect with the recruiting team at ESGI.
