Petroleum Engineer Resume Example | A Comprehensive Guide

If you're looking for your next entry-level or managerial opportunity, a petroleum engineer resume is essential. Every person is trying to advance in their career, so you need to showcase your experience and skills to the hiring manager by creating a resume that gets their attention.

Crafting a resume can sometimes be a challenging task which is why we'll help you in this article by giving you some valuable tips. You can also check out our resume examples, which have step-by-step guides that you can follow as you write your resume.

Let's look at the topics we'll cover:

• A petroleum engineering resume example that's easy to follow
• The skills that every petroleum engineer should have on their resume.
• The resume format that works best.
• How to add your professional experience.

Salary and Job Prospects for Petroleum Engineers

According to the U.S Bureau of Statistics, the employment of petroleum engineers is projected to grow 8 percent from 2020 to 2030.

The industries with the highest levels of employment in Petroleum Engineers include:

• Oil and Gas Extraction
• Management of Companies and Enterprises
• Support Activities for Mining
• Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services
• Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing

The average salary for a petroleum engineer is $87,000. The typical range is between $80,000 and $95,000 depending on your experience, education level and skills.

How to Make a Petroleum Engineer Resume from Scratch

Every petroleum engineer position is different, so avoid using one resume for multiple applications. Always check the job description to find out what the hiring manager is looking for and tailor your resume to match these requirements.

Your resume should have the skills, education, and experience the recruiter is looking for. These qualifications must be well presented because hiring managers only take a few seconds on each resume. Our resume templates can help you structure your resume and ensure that you don't miss any essential sections.

Resume Format, Layout, and Structure

The resume format must be correct. This means that it should represent your qualifications in the best way to ensure that the recruiter sees them quickly. You can choose any of these three options.

• The reverse-chronological order focuses on experience. This format is perfect for candidates who have petroleum engineering experience.
• The functional resume format is also known as the skills-based resume. This format is perfect for candidates who recently graduated and career changers who don't have much experience.
• Hybrid/combination resume - As the name suggests, this format combines features of the functional and reverse-chronological formats. It's perfect for candidates who have worked for many years and have a good blend of the required skills and experience.

The layout and design of your resume should be professional but also simple to understand. Choose easy-to-read fonts such as Georgia, Calibri, Helvetica, and Cambria. A font size of 10-12pt is perfect.

The structure of your petroleum engineer resume should have the following sections:

• The resume header
• Resume summary/objective
• Work experience section
• Education section
• Skills section
• An additional section (Languages, awards/honors, computer skills and certifications, and interests)

The Header & Contact Information

The resume header contains all your personal details, including:

• Your full name
• Job title
• Phone number
• Professional email address
• Location
• A link to your LinkedIn profile.

The hiring manager needs this information to contact you so ensure that the details are accurate.

A good header

A bad header

Photo or No photo

Most job seekers are conflicted about whether or not they should add a photo to their resume. It's always better to leave it out of your resume to avoid discrimination. However, the recruiter will ask you to send a resume with a photo in some instances, so if they do, ensure that it's professional.

Demonstrate Your Experience in Petroleum Engineering

Your experience as a petroleum engineer is vital when you're looking for your next job. It's even more important to know how to present it on your resume to ensure that the recruiter doesn't miss it.

Most hiring managers go straight to this section when they get your resume because they want to know what you can do. It's always better to prioritize the relevant experience unless you can talk about transferable skills that will be useful in the new job.

When you're listing your work history, you'll start with the name of the company, your job title, and the years you've worked at each place. Under each workplace, you'll add three to five job duties and include facts and figures that show the recruiter the results you can achieve.

It's also important to check the job description and tailor your job duties to match the language used in the description. This increases the chances of your resume getting past the ATS systems.

Example for Junior petroleum engineers

Example for Senior petroleum engineers

Describe Your Educational Qualifications

Your educational background is critical if you want to land a job as a petroleum engineer. Most positions will require a bachelor's degree, and senior positions a Master's degree. This section is especially critical to candidates who don't have experience. List all your educational qualifications, including your high school diploma. However, if you have a Master's, you don't have to add a high school diploma.

When listing your education, you'll add the name of the degree/diploma, the name of the school, and the year of graduation/ expected date of graduation.

Correct example

The Most Sought-After Skills in Petroleum Engineering

The skills you have allow you to perform your duties effectively and efficiently. The unique abilities that require training are known as hard skills, while your personal attributes that enable you to relate well with colleagues and clients are known as soft skills.

They should be well-presented on your resume to ensure that the hiring manager sees them. Using bullet points to list them down allows the recruiter to see them quickly and makes it easy to scan on applicant tracking systems.

Consider checking the job description and adding the skills the recruiter is looking for in your resume. Let's look at the skills that will help you stand out as a petroleum engineer.

Hard skills

• Economic analysis
• Technical reports
• Strong technical skills
• Decline curve analysis
• Reservoir engineering
• Oil and gas operations
• Land management
• Project management

Soft skills

• Problem-solving skills
• Interpersonal skills
• Excellent customer service
• Communication skills
• Analytical skills
• Time management
• Multitasking skills
• Critical thinking

Write an Outstanding Professional Summary

The professional summary is a short paragraph after the header section that introduces your resume. It highlights your top accomplishments to get the recruiter's attention and get them to read the rest of your resume. If you have a figure that quantifies your achievements, add it to show the hiring manager the value you could bring to the company.

Correct example

Incorrect example

Professional objective

Use a professional objective to summarize your career goals and show how they align with the company goals. You can also use it to express your interest in the position. The professional objective is perfect for recent graduates and career changers who don't have experience and achievements to add to the resume summary.

Correct example

Additional Sections for Your Resume

If your resume doesn't have an additional section, it's incomplete. This is because it's a crucial section of your resume that has your extra qualifications.

Hiring managers advise job seekers to use this section to highlight the qualifications that they don't want the recruiter to miss. These qualifications or achievements play a significant role in setting you apart and helping you beat the competition.

Here are some sections you should consider for your petroleum engineering resume.

Computer skills and Certifications

Petroleum engineers need specific computer skills to perform their duties. It's always better to highlight these skills under this section to ensure that the hiring manager sees them. Certifications in petroleum engineering show the recruiter that you have additional training. This allows you to stand out, especially if the other candidates don't have this qualification. List all your certifications here instead of the education section. Here are a few that will help your resume get noticed.

• Certified Petroleum Geophysicist
• Petroleum Engineering Certification
• Certified Energy Procurement Professional

Languages

Language skills are some of the most sought-after skills, so you don't want the recruiter to miss them in your resume. Use this section to list your languages using the official language reference as follows:

• IELTS - English (a minimum score of 6.5 is required)
• Germany's Goethe-Zertifikat (70%) or higher is required.
• SIELE for Spanish

Interests

The interests section should give the recruiter an idea of what you love doing outside of work. You can bond with a recruiter during a job interview over your common interests, giving you an edge over the other candidates. Take your time and research the company to learn about their culture before adding your interests.

Tips to Make Your Resume for Petroleum Engineer Better.

• Check the job description for keywords and action verbs to optimize your resume and ensure it gets past the ATS systems.
• Use figures and facts to quantify your results and show the recruiter the results you could achieve.
• Tailor each job title and optimize it with relevant keywords.
• Avoid using one resume for multiple applications.
• Proofread your resume to ensure there are no spelling and grammatical mistakes.
• Choose the right format depending on your qualifications and a simple layout.

Key Takeaways: Writing a Resume for Jobs in Petroleum Engineering

• The header section contains your personal details and contact information that must be accurate.
• There are three formats you can choose from. They include reverse-chronological order, functional resume, and combination/hybrid resume.
• Choose fonts that are easy to read, like Georgia, Calibri, Helvetica, and Cambria.
• The experience section contains your work history, and you should prioritize the relevant experience.
• Petroleum engineers need a solid educational background so list your academic qualifications in the education section.
• The skills section should have the perfect blend of hard and soft skills.

Accompany Your Resume with a Cover Letter

A cover letter describes your qualifications in detail while showing the recruiter your writing skills and great personality. If the recruiter asks you not to send a cover letter, you don't need to send one, but always send it if that's not the case. Check out our cover letter examples if you need help with writing yours.

Frequently Asked Questions