How to create an eye-catching automotive technician resume

Automotive technicians dedicate themselves to maintaining and repairing the electrical work in cars. With the rise of electric and hybrid cars, more and more automotive technicians are finding more jobs on the market.

These jobs pay well and can be extremely competitive, with hiring managers receiving hundreds of applications for one position. To ensure you get the job of your dreams, it’s important to create a resume that stands out.

Keep reading to learn the five sections you need in your automotive technician resume to make hiring managers look at your resume.

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Automotive Technician Resume Sample

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1. Optimize your resume summary to display your expertise

While resume objectives are usually a singular sentence, resume summaries provide your personal pitch in up to three sentences, creating a handy quick sheet to your resume that a hiring manager can quickly read over to decide if you’re right for the job. Hiring managers will normally have a large stack of resumes to go through, and most won’t get read beyond the summary. This is why you need to make sure yours stands out. 

To make your document something hiring managers will read, be sure to include the wording you see in the job listing. This doesn’t mean it should read exactly the same; however, you’ll want to include your skill sets that match. For example, if the emphasis of the application is on experience, open your summary with how long you’ve worked as an automotive technician.

Are they looking for someone with plenty of dexterity and a strong work ethic? Include these aspects in your summary as well. By showing how you’re the right person for that shop, hiring managers are much more likely to call you in for an interview.

On a side note, those fresh out of a program with limited experience are still more than capable of being considered for hire. The main issue we see with fresh graduates’ applications is leading with lines like, “limited experience, passionate about automobiles.” Don’t explicitly point out what could make hiring managers hesitant about considering you. Instead, use metrical data that reflects the experience you do have, like how many appointments you’ve handled and how many hours you work per week.

2. Showcase your accomplishments in your work experience section

Your work experience is what tells shop managers that you’re capable of completing your job, and you’ll want to let it speak for itself. Start with your recent job and include measurable data (in up to six bullet points) to show shop managers what makes you qualified.

Measurable data that shop managers are interested in includes things like how many techs you’ve trained, how quickly you complete jobs and how you helped your last shop improve in aspects like customer service. By highlighting your work experience, shop managers are better able to see how you can benefit their business.

For those with limited work experience, now is the to think about what you’ve completed in the field. Don’t be afraid to include more informal experiences like the number of cars you worked on in school, regularly helping friends and family and working extensively on your own car. While this experience may not seem “official” enough to include in a resume, it actually shows hiring managers that you’re qualified for the job.

3. Include the proper automotive technician education

Your education will speak for itself, and while experience is one of the most important aspects of landing an automotive technician position, a proper education shows another layer of qualification for the position. However, while an esteemed program can definitely push you over the edge, the main thing hiring managers are going to look for are your achievements in school.

To make your education stand out, think of experiences that can relate to the position. For example, if the job listing is looking for someone with the ability to work quickly, talk about how you replaced an electrical system in a few hours or how you averaged completing jobs in 15% less time than your classmates.

By relating these school experiences to a shop’s job listing, you’ll make your educational section stand out.

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4. Highlight both technical and interpersonal skills

We’re going to start out by acknowledging that we know you have a fair amount of skills as an auto tech, and the main thing you’ll need to do is figure out which skills are most relevant to share. Just like in the previous section, you’ll want to take time to think (this time about your abilities). You need to lay down and organize your skills into two categories: soft skills and hard skills.

Soft skills include things like customer service and communication while hard skills are the ability to repair electrical systems and diagnose a car’s issues. After creating your list, look at which qualities match with a job listing’s requirements. So, if a shop is looking for someone who can be a team leader, include things like communication and leadership.

5. Include relevant certifications

As electric cars become more and more popular with consumers, many programs are offering maintenance and repair certification. Any programs you’ve completed to continue your education should be included next to your name, in your summary and finally listed here.

You don’t need to expand a lot on what exactly you learned in this program (save that for the in-person interview) but you should include the name of the program and title as well as when you received your certification. 

In conclusion...

Crafting a resume for an automotive technician position may seem tedious, but once you know exactly what hiring managers are looking for, you can create the perfect resume for any position you apply for.

Hiring managers will want to know exactly what you will bring to their shop, and by writing a strong resume summary and focusing on your work experience, educational background, skills and certifications, you can expect the interview requests to start rolling in.