Writing a Good Resume for Auto Mechanic Jobs
Make yourself stand out in the crowd by creating a winning auto mechanic resume. |
That's not going be much help to you if you don't know how to write your resume, though. You can be the best mechanic in the world and you still won't get the job if your auto mechanic resume isn't prepared properly. Here are some things you can do to make sure that your auto mechanic resume gets read by prospective employers, so that you're sure to get that auto mechanic job interview — and then the job itself.
Step One: Make Your Contact Information Easy to See
At the very top of your auto mechanic resume, put your name in all capital letters and bold it; follow with your mailing address, e-mail address, and landline and/or cell phone numbers, each appearing on its own line. For example, your mailing address should have the house or apartment number and street address on one line, with city, state, and zip code on the following line, followed by e-mail address and then phone number(s).
Step Two: Your Skills
Immediately below that, create a section in your car mechanic resume where you're going to briefly list the skills you possess as a mechanic. For that, create a heading in bold or in all capital letters that you justify to the left (instead of center as you did with your contact information). For example, the heading "SKILLS" is a good choice. Immediately below the heading, briefly list in bullet format the skills you possess as a mechanic. This lets your prospective employers see just what you can do a glance for auto mechanic jobs. No description is necessary here; that will come later, in your work history section. You just want to create a very brief listing of your skills so that your prospective employer can see what you can do very easily.
Step Three: Education and Qualifications
Your next section is going to be labeled as described above, with the heading "EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS" or something similar.
Immediately below that, list each relevant degree, certification, etc. related to auto mechanics that you've gotten, listed in chronological order. Include the schools or technical colleges you attended to get these degrees/certifications.
Step Four: Work History
Here, you'll list your work history, starting with your most recent job first and working backward. With each auto mechanic jobs listing, you'll write your job title first. Using a bullet before the job title is a good way to break it out from the rest of the text.
On the next line under each job title, list the dates you worked at that particular job (for example, "October 1999-Present").
List only those jobs relevant to auto mechanic jobs, and limit yourself to two or three separate job listings that only go back about 10 years. If you've had many jobs within a short period of time (for example, if you've been freelancing as part of your auto mechanic jobs) you can title one particular job listing as, "Independent Contractor in Auto Mechanics," followed by a relevant listing of the jobs you performed while you were in that capacity.
References
Instead of listing references at the bottom of the page, to save space simply put, "References available on request" and then provide them to each specific employer as asked. This allows you to tailor your references based upon the job you're applying for.
Additional Tips
• Be brief
Writing in outline format is just fine for your auto mechanic resume, and you don't have to use complete sentences. Be as brief and precise as possible in your wording. Again, it will help if you keep everything to one page, because this will limit how much you can write.
• Use keywords in your resume
Especially if you're posting your resume online, it's helpful if you use relevant keywords so that prospective employers can find you easily. In addition to common keyword combinations like "auto mechanic," you can also include specialized ones such as, "Electrical systems specialist" or something similar. This will help prospective employers find exactly what they're looking for, and it will help you be seen, too.
• Watch the typos
Have someone read over your resume after you've written it and correct any misspellings or other mistakes you've made. Your resume should be free of errors, so that it looks its most professional.
Conclusion
Getting auto mechanics jobs can be tough in today's economy, but this economic downturn might actually be good news for you. Because people are likely to be keeping their cars longer, auto mechanic jobs will likely become more plentiful. Make yourself stand out in the crowd by carefully writing your auto mechanic resume and using keywords so that you'll be easily found online. Be brief and to the point, without extra wordiness. Have someone read your resume over to check for typos, misspellings, and other mistakes. A clean and professional looking auto mechanic resume should help you get that job you want — as long as you have the professional experience necessary.