Wherever there are infrastructure and building projects, there is a need for your skills. Civil engineers are very important in building and maintaining infrastructure projects. They plan, design, and oversee the construction of things like roads, bridges, buildings, airports, and water supply systems. They also think about important aspects like safety, how well things work, how sustainable they are, and how cost-effective they can be. If you’re a civil engineer, you’re a pretty clever cookie, alright!
Skills example section: List your top talents
As a civil engineer, you have a heap of important technical knowledge, but don’t neglect your interpersonal skills. Before you begin to craft your CV, you should take stock of your skills. One way to do this is to create a master list that includes any ability you have, no matter the level of your knowledge. Later, you can refer to the list and pick only the most relevant skills for your CV.
Organise a master list into categories such as technical skills, achievements, people skills, etc., to make it easier to manage later. You can add to this list as your career grows.
Your abilities can be divided into categories. Hard skills are the technical, mathematical and engineering talents you need to do your job. Soft skills are those that you need to interact with others and to function well in the workplace. Both sets are key to employers and, therefore, crucial to include on your civil engineer CV. Your completed master list will be a reference tool in building your CV. You can cherry-pick to create a skills section that fits each job.
Your skills section is a simple list of five to 10 skills most important to the civil engineer position you’re applying for. Match this list to the job description. Additionally, civil engineers should know software with different functions. Make sure you name the programmes you know. Details are important for a civil engineer CV. The ATS is more likely to be scanning CVs for specific programs and not a general skill.
Some sample software categories important for civil engineering CVs:
- Analytical and scientific
- Computer-aided design (AutoCAD)
- Development and environment
- Graphics or photo imaging
- Map creation
Even after your CV makes it past the ATS, you will have less than 10 seconds to inspire a recruiter to grant you an interview (6-8 seconds is what eye-tracking tests have shown recruiters spend on average when deciding whether to skip a CV or delve deeper into it). Every section of a civil engineer CV must be high-impact – and at cvapp.nz, we’re here to help you put your best foot forward!
- Creative Problem Solving
- Analytical Thinking Skills
- Principles and Practices of Engineering
- Field Investigation Skills
- Project Management
Civil engineer CV summary example: A touch of personality
The CV summary gives recruiters a sense of who you are professionally and personally. Your civil engineer CV should be an impressive recount of your achievements and successes, and your profile allows you to get a little creative. While recruiters are looking for specific skill sets, they are also looking for personalities they believe will fit into the workplace. That’s where your CV profile comes in. Also known as a personal statement, this short paragraph allows you to add some description that explains your work style and professional personality.
After you complete a first draft, go back and delete any words that are unnecessary padding and waste valuable space.
Highly-experienced civil engineer with extensive experience managing projects, engineering computation, mathematical modeling and structural engineering. As project lead for Kotahi Condominiums, led and organised teams responsible for the design and construction of various large-scale projects for government agencies and private clients. Significant experience constructing safe, high-quality infrastructure. Focused on managing sustainable projects that add value to natural and urban environments.
CV employment history example: Your career story
Much more than a chronological listing of jobs, this CV section tells recruiters that you are constantly learning and growing as a civil engineer. One of the first items a recruiter will scan for on your CV is your current employment info. Once they get to that, they want to see a pattern of achievements and successes. Employers wanna know what you will bring to the company and whether you are willing and able to learn and take on new challenges as their next civil engineer.
For your work experience CV section, don’t just write a list of your job responsibilities. As a civil engineer, you have worked on infrastructure projects that presented different problems and required unique creative solutions. Consider the job you are applying for and highlight a challenge related to that job on your CV. Be as detailed as possible when you write your CV bullet points.
Use the CAR format: explain the challenge, describe your action and detail your result. Use data and measurable facts whenever possible. List which skills you used to achieve the results. Also consider including how your results helped your employer or satisfied clients.
Junior Civil Engineer at Morgan & Sons, Auckland
2019 - 2020
- Managed projects for private clients, ensuring each project was completed significantly within budget
- Drafted and created quality assurance reports for clients
- Ensured all projects were completed in accordance with all applicable New Zealand laws
- Facilitated and attended meetings for shareholders, Morgan & Sons Board and private clients
Civil Design Engineer at Russell Wilson's, Auckland
2014 - 2019
- Monitored construction and organisation of materials
- Completed on-site inspections and educated junior staff on standard safety procedures
- Assisted senior engineers across multiple large-scale infrastructure projects, including Kotahi Condominiums
- Drafted safety and progress reports, escalated to senior management and Russell Wilson's Board
- Ensured all projects were in accordance with the Resource Management Act 1991 and New Zealand law
- Advised all project managers on status of infrastructure projects
Civil Engineer at Platypus Surveying Ltd, Auckland
2012 - 2014
- Ensured all materials and processes used in private projects met seismic safety standards
- Monitored construction and created reports for senior management
- Organised materials for construction
- Created urban planning blueprints for the Auckland Motorway Restoration Plan
- Drafted disaster management plans for senior supervisors on the Auckland Motorway Restoration Plan
Civil engineer CV education example: Your learned skills
Your schooling got you your head start, so be proud of it! Civil engineers need at least a bachelor’s degree, but you can ditch your high school qualifications and focus on your tertiary qualifications, if you have them.
If you are entering the job market for the first time, consider including any outstanding academic titles, grades, scholarships or achievements in this section. You may also want to create an "Experience" section instead of an "Employment History" section and break out some of the projects you completed as coursework.
NCEA Level 3 at Waitakere College, Auckland
Bachelor of Engineering at the University of Auckland, Auckland
2016 - 2020
