How to write a CV that gets shortlisted.
Twelve lessons from screening thousands of engineering CVs for UK hiring managers. Engineer-specific — not generic careers-site fluff.
- 01
Tailor every application
Generic CVs lose to tailored ones every time. For each application, read the job spec, identify the three or four must-have skills, and make sure those terms appear in your CV verbatim — both for the human reader and for applicant tracking systems.
- 02
Lead with specifics, not job titles
A line like "Mechanical Design Engineer — Aerospace OEM, 2020-2024" says almost nothing. Replace with: "Designed landing gear sub-assemblies in CATIA V5, took three parts from concept to first flight, reduced mass by 8% via topology optimisation." Specifics read as competence.
- 03
Version your software explicitly
"SolidWorks" is vague. "SolidWorks 2023, CATIA V5 R30, Creo 9" tells a hiring manager exactly what you'll hit the ground running on. Same for FEA tools (ANSYS Workbench 2024 R2, Abaqus/Explicit 2023), CAM (Mastercam 2024), and PLM systems (Teamcenter, Windchill, 3DEXPERIENCE).
- 04
Put clearance status up top
If you're applying for defence, drone, or government-adjacent roles, BPSS / SC / DV status is a pass/fail filter. Put it in the top third of your CV, not buried at the bottom. Example: "SC cleared (valid until 03/2028), eligible for DV uplift."
- 05
Quantify achievements with numbers
Engineering hiring managers respond to numbers. "Reduced assembly time by 23% through fixture redesign." "Led a 6-person CAE team on a £4m landing-gear programme." "Commissioned a line producing 480 units/hr at 99.3% first-pass yield." If you can't quantify it, think harder — most work can be measured.
- 06
Chartership signals commitment
EngTech, IEng, CEng — list your status clearly, plus your professional institution (IMechE, IET, RAeS, IChemE, IMarEST). If you're actively working towards it, state "Working towards CEng with IMechE — Mentoring Programme in progress." It shows intent.
- 07
Keep it two pages, max
Engineers over-write. Two pages is plenty for 15 years of experience. Drop the hobbies section unless it's directly relevant (karting for motorsport roles, amateur radio for RF/EMC, drone flying for UAV engineering).
- 08
Use strong action verbs
Opening with "responsible for" is a waste of a line. Use: designed, validated, commissioned, led, optimised, integrated, debugged, modelled, certified, specified, delivered. Each verb signals ownership.
- 09
Be honest about gaps
A six-month gap with no explanation reads worse than "Sabbatical — self-funded Formula Student race car build" or "Carer's leave, Q2 2023." UK engineering recruiters see gaps constantly and don't care — provided you're straightforward about them.
- 10
Match the right-to-work reality
State your right-to-work status unambiguously: "UK national," "Indefinite leave to remain," "Skilled Worker visa valid until 10/2026." For defence-adjacent roles, restricted citizenship requirements may apply — don't waste time applying to roles you can't legally take.
- 11
Include a short summary
Four lines at the top, not twelve. Example: "Chartered Mechanical Engineer with 11 years in aerospace primes (Airbus, BAE Systems). Landing-gear and hydraulics specialist. SC cleared. Looking for a Principal-grade design authority role in the UK Midlands or remote."
- 12
Proofread — then proofread again
Spell-check misses "manger" for "manager" and "vale" for "valve." Read your CV out loud. Get a colleague in the same discipline to review it. A typo in a technical term signals you don't know the term properly.
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