Resume Writing

When applying for a particular position in the NDT Inspection and QA Consulting industry, keep in mind that the job description on the ad may not be the only functions that you will be perform. Often a NDT Level II professional is asked to conduct a Positive Material Identification or a Ferrite Measurement Test. At times, a Sr. ASNT Level III may be asked to give a presentation of the project progress.

Keeping in mind of the dynamic nature of the industry, it is generally a good idea to polish your resumes, make your titles strong and put your accomplishments in their best light.

There are six things you will want to think about when writing your resume.

1. Sell yourself: One of the hardest things to do is to put yourself in the best light. People are often over-critical of themselves. Try to think of all the positive things you’ve done. What have you done in your previous positions? What things did people appreciate you for? Did you make a process easier by making procedures?

2. Use active language: Use action words such as achieved, demonstrated, obtained, etc. These power words help to grab the eye of the reader.

3. Present Information: There are several different ways to present your experience. The most commonly used is reverse chronological order (most recent experience first). Another portion of presentation is with education. If you’ve been in the work force for more than five years, have general school/university, location, degree and year graduated information. If less than five ears, you may want to put more information such as your marks obtained including any scholarships you received, etc.

4. Be Consistent: Choose a pattern of spacing, an order of information presentation or a format of highlighting and be consistent throughout.

5. Check For Grammar: Always double check your grammar. Never send out a resume with spelling errors on it.

6. Neatness and Visual Appeal: When printing your resume, do so on professional looking paper, white or off-white. Any other color may look unprofessional and hard to read. If you’re emailing it, make sure the layout will look right electronically. Always prepare the resume in two formats - MS Word as well as Ascii Text format. Do not send a PDF resume and under no circumstances should you send a scanned resume.