Writing or updating a resume can be daunting for anyone searching for a new job, from early career professionals to established civil engineers looking to pivot positions. But there are ways to make your resume stand out from the competition.
“I think that no matter which civil engineering discipline one is in, any ‘good resume’ will highlight a few core topics,” said Christopher Seigel, P.E., M.ASCE, a civil engineer at Sci-Tek Consultants Inc. “A few examples would be hard technical skills, leadership and interpersonal experience, and/or management of staff, projects, and budgets.”
Seigel will serve as an instructor for ASCE’s Fall 2025 Resume Workshop. Slated for Sept. 15-19, the event offers civil engineers the chance to workshop their resumes with industry experts and learn more about what makes a strong resume.
According to Seigel, the information in a resume should tell a story. Although there isn’t necessarily a certain style or format that “stands out as ‘the best,’” he recommends using one that complements the story the applicant wants to tell. And what they choose to include should be very intentional.
“Understanding the role you’re applying for will help you expand on the areas that are most relevant to that position or organization,” he said.
One way this can be done is by bringing certain experience further to the top of the page, like putting past roles with more management responsibilities higher up when applying for management positions.
Embracing differences across the industry
Civil engineering responsibilities reach across the public-private divide. The federal government often contracts firms to support different infrastructure projects alongside their own staff. This overlap often results in civil engineers moving between sectors – and having to adapt to the differences between public and private sector cultures.
At the core, though, organizations on both sides value many of the same traits, and this alignment gives civil engineers from opposite ends of the field plenty to highlight in their resumes when switching sectors.
Seigel noted that private firms “value applicants who’ve worked closely with public agencies, especially if they’ve supported clients the firm already serves or wants to work with.”
An understanding of agency contracting processes, permitting systems, internal workflows, regulatory environment, and internal structure is a plus for private organizations hiring civil engineers, he said.
Although the culture and structure of different organizations might vary, there are still plenty of similarities in what is valuable for civil engineers to include in their resumes.
“Whether you’re in the public or private sector, the technical standards you design to – codes, manuals, permitting guidelines – are often the same,” said Seigel. “The same goes for software used. That makes a lot of the day-to-day work feel familiar across sectors. The tools and codes don’t change just because your employer does.”
