CV examples for Civil engineering graduates

 

To create an impressive CV as a civil engineering graduate, focus on academic achievements, internships, and relevant coursework. Highlight any project work from university, such as team-based assignments or design challenges, where you contributed to solutions that improved efficiency or reduced costs. Emphasise technical skills like CAD, surveying, or environmental impact assessments. If you’ve gained experience through internships, mention key responsibilities, and quantify achievements where possible, such as “completed tasks ahead of deadlines” or “assisted in projects worth £X.” This demonstrates your potential and readiness to grow in the field.

The basics of writing a CV

  1. Keep it 1 or 2 pages in length.
  2. Use bullet points to make it easy to read.
  3. No need to add your age, race, gender or full address (city and country will do).

How to structure a CV

  1. Contact Information: Place your name, email, phone number, and LinkedIn profile at the top.
  2. Personal Statement: A brief summary of your skills, career goals, and suitability for the role.
  3. Education: List your qualifications, starting with the most recent, including grades and relevant coursework.
  4. Experience: Include internships, part-time jobs, or voluntary roles that demonstrate relevant skills.
  5. Skills: Highlight technical and soft skills, such as teamwork, problem-solving, and software proficiency.
  6. Tailor for Each Job: Customise your CV for the position you’re applying to.
  7. Professional Presentation: Keep the format clear and concise, using bullet points and consistent styling.

Ensure this information is easy to spot within a quick 10-second scan, allowing recruiters to quickly assess your suitability. Keep the format clean and straightforward.

Download an example civil engineering CV template here.

A CV does not exist in a vacuum. It goes hand in hand with the job description. Furthermore, a lot of large companies now use something called application tracking software (this basically reads the CV looking for keywords that were defined in the job description).

Here are some tips:

Header

Resume-header
In the header, include your name, any relevant credentials and basic contact details.
Your profile should include the job title (remember a computer will read this), and a short snappy sentence.

Work Experience

List relevant education in reverse chronological order, with your most recent at the start of the section.

Resume-work-experience

Again remember to include keywords and relate to the job description.

Education

List your highest degree first and A-levels/GCSE.

Resume-education

Skills, references and other relevant information

Add anything that the job may need. For example, a lot of site work requires a valid drivers license. This is where you would add it. Add hobbies, or professional memberships in this section if you have them.

resume-skills