RESUME MISTAKES
Avoid Costly Resume Mistakes as an Electric Power Engineer
Turn your technical expertise into a compelling story that passes ATS and impresses hiring managers.
How This Page Helps
This page helps electric power engineers identify frequent resume pitfalls, understand their impact, and apply actionable fixes to create an ATS‑friendly, results‑driven resume.
Identify industry‑specific red flags
Learn why each mistake hurts your candidacy
Apply step‑by‑step fixes with real examples
Align your resume with top power‑sector ATS
Boost your interview rate
Common Mistakes That Kill Your Chances
Each mistake includes why it hurts, how to fix it, and before/after examples
Generic Objective StatementHIGH
Why it hurts
- Doesn't showcase your specialized power engineering focus
- Gets filtered out by ATS keyword scans
- Wastes recruiter time
How to fix
- Replace with a concise professional summary highlighting key power systems experience
- Include quantifiable achievements and relevant certifications
❌ Before
Objective: Seeking a challenging engineering position where I can grow.
✓ After
Professional Summary: Electric Power Engineer with 7+ years designing high‑voltage transmission systems, delivering projects 15% under budget, and holding PE and NERC certifications.
ATS Tip
Lead with industry keywords like 'high‑voltage', 'transmission', 'grid modernization'.
Detection Rules
Contains the word 'objective'
Less than 30 words
Lacks power‑engineering keywords
Resumly Tip
Swap the objective for a summary that packs your power‑sector impact in 3‑4 lines.
Missing Quantifiable ResultsMEDIUM
Why it hurts
- Hard to gauge impact
- ATS often looks for numbers
- Recruiters skim for achievements
How to fix
- Add metrics such as MW capacity, cost savings, project timelines
- Use action‑verb + result format
❌ Before
Designed substations for regional grid.
✓ After
Designed 3 115‑kV substations, increasing regional capacity by 45 MW and reducing outage frequency by 20%.
ATS Tip
Include numbers (%, MW, $) to trigger ATS scoring.
Detection Rules
Bullet points lack digits
No % or $ symbols
Verb phrases only
Resumly Tip
Insert a metric after each key responsibility to make it measurable.
Unclear Employment DatesLOW
Why it hurts
- ATS may treat gaps as red flags
- Hiring managers can't track career progression
How to fix
- Use consistent month/year format
- Include full dates for each role
❌ Before
Power Engineer, XYZ Corp – 2018‑2021
✓ After
Power Engineer, XYZ Corp – Jan 2018 to Mar 2021
ATS Tip
Standardize to 'MMM YYYY' format for ATS parsing.
Detection Rules
Date range without months
Inconsistent dash characters
Resumly Tip
Replace year‑only ranges with month and year for clarity.
Omitting Relevant CertificationsHIGH
Why it hurts
- Power industry values PE, NERC, PMP
- ATS keyword gaps reduce ranking
How to fix
- Create a dedicated Certifications section
- List license numbers and expiration dates
❌ Before
Skills: Power systems, AutoCAD
✓ After
Certifications: Professional Engineer (PE) – Electrical, License #12345 (expires 2026); NERC Certified System Operator (CSO)
ATS Tip
Place certifications near the top to capture keyword matches.
Detection Rules
No 'certification' keyword
Skills section only
Resumly Tip
Add a Certifications block with official titles and dates.
Poor File Naming & FormatMEDIUM
Why it hurts
- Recruiters may not open incorrectly named files
- ATS may reject non‑PDF or unusual names
How to fix
- Save as PDF
- Name file as FirstLast_ElectricPowerEngineer.pdf
❌ Before
resume.docx
✓ After
JohnDoe_ElectricPowerEngineer.pdf
ATS Tip
PDF preserves formatting and is universally accepted.
Detection Rules
File extension not .pdf
File name contains spaces or generic terms
Resumly Tip
Rename your file to include your name and role, then export as PDF.
Formatting Guidelines
File Types: PDF, DOCX
Sections: Header, Professional Summary, Core Competencies, Professional Experience, Education, Certifications, Technical Skills, Projects
Naming: FirstName LastName – Role – City.pdf
Consistency
Length: 1‑2 pages (max 2)
Date Format: MMM YYYY
Location Format: City, State
Resume Quality Checklist
- Use a professional summary with power‑sector keywords
- Quantify every major achievement
- List PE and NERC certifications with dates
- Format dates as MMM YYYY
- Save as PDF with proper file name
- Include a Core Competencies bullet list with terms like 'grid modernization', 'HVDC', 'load flow analysis'
ATS Alignment Guide
Common ATS Systems: Taleo, iCIMS, Workday, Greenhouse, SmartRecruiters
Keyword Strategy: high‑voltage, transmission, grid modernization, load flow, SCADA, NERC, PE, renewable integration
Heading Format: Use standard headings like 'Professional Experience' and 'Education' to ensure ATS parsing.
Quick Fix Workshop
Paste your current resume text below
- Replace generic objective with summary
- Add missing metrics
- Standardize date format
- Insert certifications section
- Rename file to proper convention
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