Having a well-written resume is essential anytime you apply for a job. It is a way for you to introduce yourself to potential employers, letting them know how your skills and qualifications could benefit their business.
If you are like most people, however, you probably balk at the idea of constantly having to update your resume. The thought of continually changing it so that it is relevant for each job that you are applying for can seem a little bit overwhelming. The section below provides helpful tips and information that you can use to make the process of putting together a resume for a career in the rail industry easier.
- Choose the right format for your resume.
Your resume should be clear and concise, making it easy for potential employers to quickly digest all of the information that it contains. Avoid fancy fonts, opting instead for standard fonts like Arial or Helvetica. Most experts recommend going with a font size of 12. Using headings at the beginning of each section makes it easier for people to find the information they needed a glance.
The first section of your resume should provide a personal profile that highlights your reasons for applying for the job. This should be followed by information on any relevant experience that you have and details about your educational background.
When listing jobs that you have had in the past, start with your most recent position first, working backward from there. If you have any skills that are specific to the job that you are applying for, you can also create a separate section where you can highlight them. For instance, if you have a Prince2 or Agile qualification, you can list it in this section.
- Make your personal information stand out.
Your personal information appears at the top of your resume. This is an area where you can not only summarize your work experience but you can also let employers know why you want to pursue a career in the rail industry. This section should be custom tailored to the job that you are trying to get. Make sure that it is tightly focused on the specific position that you are pursuing.
Ideally, this section should be made up of two distinct parts. The first section should provide an introduction, letting employers know who you are and what you are hoping to accomplish. In the next section, you should let the hiring manager know exactly what you bring to the table in terms of your skills and qualifications. Make sure that these skills are not only relevant to the rail industry but that they are also extremely specific to the job that you are applying for.
- Provide real-world examples of your skills in action.
Jobs working as a rail engineer require you to have a lot of technical knowledge. Help employers understand how your skills can benefit them by providing examples of how your technical skills have been put to use in the past. For instance, if you are highly skilled at CAD, include an example of how you applied those skills to a project in the past.
The easiest way to understand how to do this is by looking at an example. If you want to highlight your communication skills, for instance, you should highlight a specific project where you worked with others to accomplish a task. Provide solid proof of how your ability to communicate contributed to the success of the project. Using action words is a great way to bring these examples to life.
- Highlight industry-specific qualifications.
Getting hired as an engineer requires you to have the right qualifications. Be sure to list your specific qualifications in your resume. For instance, if you have a Railway Engineering (NVQ Level 3) qualification, be sure to list it in your resume. Don’t forget to include any work that you have done as an apprentice, even if that work is ongoing. Provide completion dates or other detailed information about each qualification.
If you don’t have a lot of previous experience working as a rail engineer, this section allows you to provide employers with a glimpse of how the skills that you learned through your education could be put to use. You can also use this part of your resume to highlight any additional courses that you have completed that may benefit you in your career. For instance, if you took a Personal Track Safety course, this is a great place to add it.
If you want to know more about the future of the rail industry – read this post from TRS Staffing.