Mechanic Resume Examples + Writing Guide

Mechanic Resume (Text Version)

Contact Info:

Peter Sturgis
[email protected]
(414) 662-0011
Milwaukee, WI 53324

Summary Statement:

Mechanic: Certified automotive mechanic and technician adept at troubleshooting and identifying problems in a fast-paced environment. Skilled at replacing various engine components on both cars and heavy-duty vehicles. Provided full service to vehicles including air conditioning, brake, fluid, and exhaust systems. Engaged in customer service and interaction. .

Key Accomplishments/Areas of Expertise

• Computer Diagnosis
• Troubleshooting
• Tire Evaluation
• Vehicle Inspection
• Brake Systems
• Part Replacement
• Detail-oriented
• Observant

Professional Experience:

Davis Ford Motors | Milwaukee, WI
Automotive Technician | May 2017–June 2019

• Analyzed computer data
• Checked safety systems
• Ordered parts and components
• Implemented minor and major repairs
• Provided assistance to customers

Walmart Auto Care Center | Milwaukee, WI
Automotive Mechanic | September 2015–April 2017

• Performed preventative maintenance
• Completed safety inspections
• Determined root mechanical causes
• Replaced engine components
• Changed brake parts and fluids

Earl’s Garage | Milwaukee, WI
Automotive Assistant | August 2011–March 2015

• Organized tools and workspace
• Assisted in vehicle repairs
• Cleaned shop floor daily
• Patched and installed tires

Education/Certifications

Automotive Express Lube Technician
Milwaukee Area Technical College, Milwaukee, WI
2015

An engine is made up of vital components that all work together in their proper places to ensure the functionality of the whole.

Just like your resume.

Formatting and language are important elements of resume writing. You’ll want to know the proper approaches for both.

Correct formatting, language, and keywords will help your mechanic resume satisfy scanning bots should your potential employer use them.

It is the digital age after all, and many resumes are processed with software to ensure relevance and candidate viability.

So we want to make sure your resume is scannable.

Chances are, your mechanic resume will also be looked over by human eyes, though hiring managers only spend an average of six seconds reading your credentials.

So you want to impress and impress quickly!

This is why we suggest using reverse chronological order when structuring your resume.

Your most recent employment will be listed first, followed by the rest of your work history going backward in time.

Be sure and use a simple font that will ensure easy readability.

Nothing fancy or “creative.”

You want your mechanic resume to appear clean and ordered at a glance from the reader. So mind your use of spacing. Proper usage of white spaces will help give your resume the polished look you want.

Onto the nuts and bolts of your resume!

Your mechanic resume summary comes first at the top of the page.

It will be a tightly written and succinct pitch, broadcasting your best skills and accomplishments.

In 2–3 sentences, try and sum up what makes you a great mechanic.

Be specific and avoid generalities.

You want to demonstrate that your experience is relevant for the positioning you’re seeking. Doing this right off the bat in your summary will ensure that a hiring manager keeps reading.

PRO TIP: Your summary should not be a work history, rather a snapshot of your most relevant skills and experience. Your goal is to demonstrate competency and what you’re capable of in the field you’re pursuing. .

Take a look at these summary examples to get an idea of what you should and should not do when writing your own:

What makes the first example preferable to the second?

The first is a compact and thorough summation of relevant skills and experience points. The reader gains an impression of the candidate as serious, dedicated, and professional.

Just what you want to convey.

The first example also utilizes good power words, which convey action and initiative.

The second example fails as a summary because it is too general in its language and unprofessional overall.

The reader gains no sense of the candidate’s experience level or strengths.

The example also contains first person language, which is definitely a “no.”

Remember that your summary is your first impression.

So really try and make a good first impression!

The second part of your resumes should list your Areas of Expertise.

Your skill set is what differentiates you from other applicants. So this is an opportunity to set down your skills in an easy-to-read bulleted list.

Your potential employer will appreciate being able to get a grasp of your skills with a quick glance.

Example:

• Computer Diagnosis
• Troubleshooting
• Tire Evaluation
• Vehicle Inspection
• Brake Systems
• Part Replacement
• Detail-oriented
• Observant
• Communication

You probably noticed that the list is a combination of different types of skills — not just those directly related to your profession.

Your Areas of Expertise section should present a balanced mix of both your hard skills and your soft skills.

Hard skills are relevant to the technical ins and outs of a mechanic’s job.

Soft skills are personal attributes that you bring to your work.

In other words, what about you influences the tasks you perform day to day as a mechanic?

Are you observant, communicative, and efficient?

Assemble your list of hard and soft skills and let them work their magic on your potential employer.

PRO TIP: When assembling your Areas of Expertise section, remember to focus on your most relevant skills. Employers have specific things they’re looking for in a candidate, so pay attention to those points and build your list around them. No need to list skills that take focus off your suitability as a candidate.

(See below for a helpful table of some suggested hard and soft skill ideas to inspire you in writing your skills section.)

So just where have you been as an automotive mechanic and technician?

Your work history will show how you’ve been putting your skills to use over time.

If you have sufficient experience, this will be the largest section of your mechanic resume. Two or three jobs in the relevant field should do the trick.

Let’s learn about layout.

List your work experience in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent position.

Focus on your most relevant positions. You don’t need to list every job you’ve held. An exception would be if you are just entering the working world or are changing careers.

As you layout your work history, be sure to include:

Details to include:

• The company name
• Where the company is located
• What job you performed there

It is common to add dates of employment for each position. However, if you’ve had short periods of employment or gaps in employment, you may choose to leave dates off.

No dates on your mechanic resume will most likely prompt questions during an interview process. So be ready with answers. Employers will want to know about periods of unemployment and why they occurred.

When you’ve listed the basics of your prior job, move on to listing your day-to-day roles in that position.

Do this in a series of 3–5 bullet points.

This should be sufficient to convey the fundamentals of the former positions and to highlight what needs to be emphasized.

Use power words to give an impression of action and competence.

Examples:

It is easy to see why the first example is superior as a work history listing.

Power words are used to preface tasks completed on the job. Each entry has a sense of motivation and initiative.

Clearly this is a mechanic accustomed to a solid and varied workload.

The second example list is far too vague and lacks power words. There is no sense of the candidate’s actual functions in the position — only a general list of areas of the trade.

Your work experience entries should provide an accurate picture of your day-to-day actions for every position held.

PRO TIP: If you’ve worked in a shop or garage, a list of your day-to-day activities would probably reach 20 bullet points in length. You want to focus on those tasks most relevant to the job you’re seeking. Refer to the position description to keep your mechanic resume on the right track.

A Tip About Bots

Bots function through an Applicant Tracking System (ATS). If your potential employer is using an ATS, you should think about making some layout changes to your work history section.

Some candidates might opt for a paragraph format instead of a bulleted list for each position entry.

So instead of this:

Walmart Auto Care Center | Milwaukee, WI | Automotive Mechanic | September 2015–April 2017

• Performed preventative maintenance
• Completed safety inspections
• Determined root mechanical causes
• Replaced engine components
• Changed brake parts and fluids

Something like this:

Performed preventative maintenance and completed safety inspections according to timetable. Determined root mechanical causes and replaced engine components. Changed brake parts and filled fluid reservoirs.

You could even settle on a combination of paragraph and bullet point, with the bullet points emphasizing special skills or accomplishments.

Performed preventative maintenance and completed safety inspections according to timetable. Determined root mechanical causes and replaced engine components. Changed brake parts and filled fluid reservoirs.

• Interacted with customers and addressed complaints
• Ordered vehicle parts and kept inventory

A paragraph allows you to include more keywords that are relevant to the position, which bots always like.

BUT it is also the case that paragraphs are harder to read than bullet points.

This is not good when it comes to a human reader.

There is a chance that a hiring manager will appreciate your earlier resume sections enough to deal with a more text-dense work experience section, but that’s a gamble.

So unless you’re particularly worried about bots and an ATS, we advise sticking with bullet points alone.

Now it’s time to talk about your education.

Do you have a college degree or a certificate from a technical school?

List it here.

Your potential employer will want to know what education you’ve received and at what level.

As always, begin with listing your most recent and highest level of education.

Example: Highschool Diploma, Associate Degree, Bachelor’s Degree, etc.

Name the area of study and where you received your degree or certification.

Example:

Certification

Automotive Express Lube Technician
Milwaukee Area Technical College, Milwaukee, WI J
2015

If you’re a recent graduate, consider adding your GPA to your degree entry.

You’re looking to impress!

Additional Sections

Have a special skill or achievement you want to include?

Example:

• Awards and honors
• Publications
• Noteworthy Projects
• Social Media Influence
• Speaking Engagements
• Hobbies/Interests
• Volunteer Work

No Experience

Perhaps you don’t have a lot of experience as a mechanic. Maybe you’ve never worked at a garage or shop.

Don’t panic!

You can still create a good mechanic resume that will help land you a job in your new field. It just requires a change or two.

For instance, think about placing your education section directly following your summary at the top of the page. This will let the reader know that you’re just starting out, but that you’re also fully qualified.

Your education will be your central asset.

Next, tailor your work history to show only your most relevant past jobs.

Have you held a job that required knowledge of mechanical components and working with your hands?

How about a customer service job?

These types of positions could count as valuable experience.

Let’s go over a few important points to remember as you’re finishing up your resume.

It’s vitally important to include a way to be contacted. Of course you will, but don’t forget!

List your email address, LinkedIn profile, and any other relevant contact info.

Use spacing best practices

You only have a single page to work with, so use spacing wisely. Structure your resume in an orderly fashion, starting with your summary and ending with your education details. Watch your white spaces.

Include power words

Power words imply action and strength, so use them. Remember that strong language will help your resume get past the bots and also impress a hiring manager.

Have a trusted proofreader

Typos and grammar mistakes are an unfortunate byproduct of any type of writing. That is why it is highly useful to employ the eyes of a proofreader. You want your resume to be as polished as possible.

Keep in mind these things to avoid when writing your resume:

Don’t use first person

Watch out for first-person expressions like “I” or “me,” especially in your summary and bullet points. It’s unprofessional and can be distracting for the reader.

Don’t go over one page

A single page should do the trick. It is easy to handle and takes a short time to read. Your accomplishments and experience should fit nicely if you’ve followed the formatting guidelines.

Don’t say it twice

Repetition is an easy trap to fall into when writing your resume, especially in the bullet points. It’s important that you avoid it. You don’t want to make it seem like you’re struggling to come up with relevant experience points.

(We’ve put together a handy table of power words below to use for inspiration.)

Don’t use wild fonts

Above all else, you want your resume to be readable. So don’t use a font that will work against you. Keep it simple and plain.

Mechanic Resume Power Words

• Analyzed
• Performed
• Ordered
• Implemented
• Completed
• Determined
• Replaced
• Changed
• Communicated
• Organized
• Checked
• Patched
• Critiqued
• Fulfilled
• Checked
• Formulated

Mechanic Resume Skills List