Audio Engineer Resume Examples | The Ultimate Guide

If you have all three components for success on the job together with the perfect audio engineer resume, the opportunities in the music industry are limitless.

Want to write a resounding resume effortlessly?

This comprehensive guide will show you:

• How to write the perfect audio engineer resume even if you’re an experienced candidate, an entry-level candidate, or a freelancer
• How to find the right resume format for your career
• How to pick the best resume template for your personal profile
• Tons of examples for each section to write your next audio engineer resume

If the deadline is close and you need to create your resume right away, check out our ready-to-fill resume templates to create your resume in 10 minutes or less.

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Salary & Employment Rates for Audio Engineers

Average audio engineer earns a salary of $53,000/ year 💰 (Payscale.com).

Becoming an audio engineer is like becoming an actor. With one right music composition, your earnings could pass six figures and the whole future could change.

The top sound engineers in any music production company earn above $90,000. To approach these best-paid jobs in the industry, you need to develop your skills to match the top professionals.

That itself is not enough, cause you should be able to express your expertise through the resume. That’s where we can help you.

How to Write An Outstanding Audio Engineer Resume

Audio engineers have a unique set of skills that needs to be demonstrated in their resumes. However, there are some general guidelines for writing the resume which you should take note of:

• The ideal resume size is one page.
• Keep it short and clear.
• Make a list of the keywords in the job description.
• Identify your strengths and prioritize them.
• Use a standard layout/ structure and a format.

Let’s define the layout and pick the right format for your resume.

Audio Engineer Resume Format & Structure

Your writing task will be easier and more organized with a resume structure. In that, you should define the headings and subheadings you’re going to cover in your resume. For a sound engineer resume, this is the layout we suggest:

• Heading.
• Professional summary/ objective summary.
• Work experience.
• Education and professional qualifications.
• Skills: soft and hard
• Additional sections.

After the structure is defined, the rest is about filling the blanks. However, you can change the order based on your strengths and the job requirements. For example, if you’re applying for an entry-level sound engineer position with no previous experience, you could write your education qualifications before the experience section.

Apart from this, the following are a list of general guidelines to structure your resume:

• Prepare your resume in both PDF and MS Word formats. See what format the recruiter expects from the job description (JD).
• Make sure the margins on your resume are consistent throughout.
• Define the fonts and sizes you are using for headings, sub-headings, and body text. Make sure they are easy to read.

We all know sound engineers aren't big fans of formatting documents. Therefore, we have created a set of ready-to-fill resume templates to create your perfect Sound Engineer resume.

How to Pick the Right Format?

Resume format mainly answers how you organize your experience section–which is the most important section in your resume. There are mainly three standard formats:

• Functional (skill-based): The experience section is listed based on the importance of each skill for the job.
• Reverse Chronological (traditional): Most recent experience is listed first. This format is widely used.
• Hybrid (combination resume): a blend of functional and reverse chronological formats.

For a sound engineer resume, we suggest you use a reverse-chronological format to list down your experience section. The main reason for this is because of the fast-paced nature of the industry and its technology, your recent experience as a sound engineer is highly valued.

Start Your Resume for Audio Engineering with the Header

In the header, you’re introducing yourself to the hiring manager–with your name and contact information.

Though this is a straightforward section in a resume, there’re a couple of mistakes candidates often do which we have highlighted.

That said, let’s check a correct and an incorrect way to write this part:

CORRECT

David Cooper

Sound engineer

dcooper@gmail.com

+1 262 62 82 92

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dcooper

INCORRECT

Sound engineer

David Cooper

davidcooperengineer@gmail.com

+1 262 62 82 92

11, main street, apt 43,

Washington DC

USA

A good header distinguishes from a bad one from these points:

• It starts with your name.
• It has a professional-sounding email.
• It doesn’t have your full address (unless requested).
• It includes a link to your LinkedIn profile or personal website would be a great addition at the end.

Describe Your Experience as an Audio Engineer

This section is the most critical section of any professional resume: it is the same in an audio engineer resume example.

Some hiring managers take shortlisting decisions just by going through the candidate’s work experience section. Therefore, it is essential that you take more time writing and refining this section.

We have simplified the process of writing your work history section, whether you’re an experienced candidate, an entry-level candidate, or even a freelancer.

For you to compare what 95% of candidates write in their experience sections, we have provided you with the INCORRECT way of writing this section as well.

Follow these general guidelines:

• Use power-words to start each sentence such as Carried out, worked, trained, provided, etc.
• Start with the most important achievements in each job
• Use numbers to add credibility such as 200 live shows, 3rd best team, 12 member team, 40 music compositions in 2021, etc

For an Experienced Audio Engineer’s Resume

INCORRECT

Aug 2016 to Present

Audio engineer

M Entertainment

• Sound quality testing
• Sound equipment testing
• Sound system maintenance
• Studio recordings
• Audio production

CORRECT

Aug 2016 to Present

Audio engineer

M Entertainment

• Carried out all studio sound engineering tasks for music productions
• Worked with sound mixing boards for 200+ live shows in the last two years
• Carried out audio editing for M Entertainments most hit albums in 2020 and 2021 consecutively
• Trained and managed a team of 12 audio engineers for different sound engineering tasks

For an Entry-Level Audio Engineer’s Resume

INCORRECT

Aug 2016 to Present

Assistant audio engineer

M Entertainment

• Sound effects control
• Scheduled maintenance
• Maintain sound libraries
• Audio mixing
• Audiovisual control
• Audio recording equipment knowledge

CORRECT

Aug 2016 to Present

Assistant audio engineer

M Entertainment

• Worked with a team of experienced sound engineers to set up and tear down audio equipment for 100+ live shows in 2021
• Worked as an operator for the soundboard and digital audio workstation for live sound recordings
• Worked as an assistant sound designer for a brand new album in 2021 which became the second-best album for M Entertainment in that year

For a Freelance Audio Engineer’s Resume

INCORRECT

Aug 2014 to Present

Freelance audio engineer

• Get the output files from recording sessions
• Sound editing
• Duplicate sound recordings
• Sound reinforcement
• Recording media

CORRECT

Aug 2014 to Present

Freelance audio engineer

• A Top Rated freelancer on Upwork for sound engineering from 2016
• Identify the desired sound output of the client and provide them with a practical sound recording plan
• Draw the original output from the recordings and edit them
• Use pro tools such as Adobe Audition, Studio One, and Audacity
• Use audio amplifiers as required to come up with the best outcome
• Rent out recording studios as per the client request and carry out studio setup for audio recordings

Make the Most Out of Your Education

In most audio engineer jobs, education requirements are not specified. The reason for this is that most candidates take unconventional paths to become audio engineers.

However, if you have a solid educational background, that would always be an advantage. When writing your education section, use a consistent format to present the information. Most audio engineers who took conventional education paths have completed their studies in electronic music, audio systems, or audio engineering.

Most Resounding Skills for Your Audio Engineer Resume

Audio engineering is very much different from other engineering fields such as mechanical, electrical, or civil engineering.

When listing your skills as a sound engineer, you should consider these specific skills as well as the generic skills required to perform the tasks.

Most candidates fill up the skills section with a set of generic skills.

Your audio engineer resume should start with the most relevant hard skills and end with the soft skills required for the job. In most cases, you can find these skills stated clearly in the job description.

Following are some of the skills required for an audio engineer:

Soft Skills:

• Effective communication
• Interpersonal skills
• Attention to detail
• Presentation skills
• Analytical skills
• Teamwork
• Organizational skills
• Problem-solving
• Customer service skills

Hard Skills/ Technical Skills:

• Expertise with pro tools: Adobe Audition, Audacity, GarageBand, Logic Pro X, Studio One
• Equalize prerecorded dialogue
• Audio mixing
• Live sound reinforcement
• Work experience with control consoles
• Studio recording setup

Professional Summary of Your Audio Engineer Resume

This section is going to stay just below the heading of your resume. Think of it as your sales pitch. Whether the hiring manager reads your resume further or tosses it will depend on this.

Most candidates copy and paste a professional summary from the internet –which is not professional at all.

You don’t have to be an author to write a great summary about yourself. Use the following framework to write your next resume summary.

Sentence 01: Write why you’re interested in joining the new employer and your specialized skills that are valuable for the work you’re going to do. Make sure you write what the recruiter is looking for, in the first sentence.

Sentence 02: Write what you did in your previous work, your achievements, and what made you excellent and unique.

Examples

CORRECT

Passionate audio engineer with over 5 years of experience in media recording, sound production, and editing seeking to join XK Productions to enhance my career providing an outstanding audio experience for my clients. I previously worked as a freelance audio engineer providing a full range of audio engineering services to a portfolio of industrial clients.

INCORRECT

A sound engineer with 5+ years of experience is seeking to join XK Productions to provide a high-quality audio service. I have experience in audiovisual recording, editing, and other sound engineering tasks.

Professional Objective

The professional objective is your summary when you are applying without having much experience for the task. Similarly, you’ll write a professional objective if you’re in a career transition.

In both cases, you are expressing your enthusiasm for the company and the job role by emphasizing how big of a contributor you can be, based on what you’ve learned.

The structure of a professional objective is the same as a professional summary. Instead of writing about your experience, you can highlight your relevant academic qualifications, skills, and career objectives.

Additional sections for your Audio Engineer Resume

Additional sections are a great way to stand out from the crowd.

However, most candidates do not take the advantage of these sections. Many candidates use additional sections as fillers in their resumes.

When used correctly, these sections may provide the hiring manager with a pleasant surprise.

Computing Skills & Certifications

As an audio engineer, computer skills and music should be your two core competencies. If you’ve taken any course relevant to your profession such as audio systems maintenance, sound system development, or audio editing software, you could state that as a separate section for more visibility.

Even if your IT skills aren't directly related to music, you can still use them to demonstrate your familiarity with technology and willingness to learn.

Interests

You could list your interests under an additional section if they are relevant to or add value to your profession.

For example, if you have a considerable social media following or if you’re working on any creative side project, this is where you should mention it.

Do not misuse this section by stating generic interests such as watching music, reading books, or collecting stamps.

Languages

Fluency in another language besides English could be an advantage. Especially if you have studied music in a different language or can sing in a second language, that could give you an edge.

Nowadays, most popular music compositions are a mix of different languages and generations.

Tips to Improve Your Resume for Sound Engineering

Following is a checklist of pro tips for your next audio engineer resume:

• Use Grammarly or equivalent tool to check your final draft.
• Use a modern and relevant resume template. Check out what we have here.
• Based on where you apply for the job, check whether there’s any trade certificate required to perform your job. If so obtain or at least apply for one.

Summarizing:

• Start your resume with your name and contact information
• In your summary, highlight your skills, experience, and expertise in two sentences. It should hook the recruiter into reading more.
• To list your experience, use a reverse chronological resume format
• When listing your education, use a consistent format: state your learning outcomes
• Compose a mix of soft and hard skills and give priority to hard skills
• Give the hiring manager a pleasant surprise by including separate sections for certifications, interests, and languages

Complement Your Resume with Your Cover Letter

A cover letter that complements your resume would be a great addition to an audio engineer job position. These are jobs that need technology, creativity, and passion together to perform well. A cover letter is a great way to communicate that to the potential employer.

Consider your cover letter as an extension of your career summary. Keep the letter short and to the point.

In the cover letter, answer the most troubling problems your employer is currently facing. That’s probably the reason why they have advertised the job and you can find them in the job advertisement.

Provide your solutions and also show them how you’ve helped your current employer overcome those obstacles.

Finish your cover letter with a simple call to action such as asking for a time to meet.

If you need further inspiration on how exactly to write a cover letter, check these examples.

FAQ

Why has the role of an audio engineer become so important?

Audio engineers play a vital role in live music performances and studio recordings. They are responsible for designing music recordings, balancing and adjusting sound sources with equalization, dynamics processing, audio effects, audio editing, mixing, reproduction, and reinforcement of the sound. This is also called sound engineering.

What does it take to become an audio engineer?

Most audio engineers possess a Bachelor’s degree in electronics, electrical, physics, or computer science together with a Master’s level qualification in sound engineering, music production, or audio systems.

However, there are no hard and fast rules as to how someone should become an audio engineer. Some well-paid professionals have taken unconventional academic paths to become audio engineers. All you need is a passion for music, a good set of ears, and a willingness to learn.

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