How to Write a VP for Engineering Resume in 7 Steps

Learn how to write a VP for Engineering resume in just 7 easy steps. At the VP Engineering Resume level, you’re allowed to have multiple pages. This is a position in which you’ll be making a small number of high quality decisions. These decisions that you will be making will have huge downstream impacts.

As a result, hiring for a VP in Engineering will not be taken lightly, and you’ll need a solid resume.

March 2, 2024 by Kazu Fujimoto

The format you need to use for a VP Engineering Resume

We recommend the simple resume format that we’ve always been recommending. This is the best format to use because it is clear and concise, ATS optimized, and the standard format that recruiters and hiring managers have been reviewing for decades.

Do not use one of those colorful Canva like templates, the ones with pictures and infographics. Those are absolutely ridiculous, especially at the executive level.

We don’t see a better resume format to use otherwise. When we find out that this isn’t the best resume format to use anymore, we’ll let you know.

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Outline Experience

The experience section of the resume follows the standard resume format.

List the following for your experience in your VP of Engineering resume:

• Employer
• Position
• Date
• Location

Use the image above as a reference on how to format the experience section of your resume.

Notice how we include quantitative results and accomplishments, keywords, and macroeconomic info (target markets and industries).

Gather results and accomplishments

Each and every single bullet of your resume needs to detail quantitative results and accomplishments. There’s absolutely no exceptions to this. You need to be highlighting the business impact of your results.

Are you making the company money or are you just a simple line item in a spreadsheet?

Identify target markets and industries

As a VP in Engineering, you’ll likely be making decisions that determine a company’s product portfolio from an engineering standpoint. You need to have a good understanding of the markets regarding your engineering products. Regarding your resume as a VP in engineering, you must include the target markets and industries your work has impacted from a macroeconomic perspective.

We believe, given in account the current Biden administration in 2023 and onwards, we see the world targeting more renewable sources of energy and sustainable manufacturing practices. Aim to direct and strategize work that has this impact.

Outline Education

List the following for your experience in your VP of Engineering resume:

• College Name
• Degree
• Date
• Location

Use the image above as a reference on how to format the education section of your resume.

At the VP for Engineering level, you should have a Master’s in Engineering or Business Administration, combined with a strong history of quantifiable accomplishments. Preferably, your education should be from a target university. It’s not the end of the world if you’re not, however.

It’s often very common for those to climb up to the VP of Engineering level simply by having the prior VP of Engineering leave the position. This can be due to the prior VP taking on another opportunity, getting a promotion, or retiring.

The ideal career path for a VP Engineering will look something such as:

Engineer -> Manager -> Director -> VP

This is a very long career path and can take between 15-20 years to accomplish.

In the case that you do take this path, education will not matter as much as you’re already hired into the company and simply just need to climb up the ladder.

Prepare your references

This is a just in case item. At the executive level, you may be asked to bring upon references from other executives or leadership members. Have a solid list of people in mind, just in case you’re asked to present some.

Throughout your career, as you’re making accomplishments, you should be building relationships with your colleagues.

Building relationships is half the battle getting to the VP of engineering level.

Use the following for references just in case you’re asked:

• Executives – C Suite
• Directors
• Middle Management
• Senior Engineers
• Engineering Team Leads

This will be a solid group of colleagues that will have a strong back and influence, in the case that you need to present references.

Prepare an Additional section in your resume for Skills, Awards, Certifications

You’ll want an additional section in your resume that details skills, awards, certifications, and any other credentials that will aid in creating your VP of Engineering resume.

Don’t take this section lightly and make sure everything aligns with you as an incoming Engineering VP.

List your skills

Only include technical skills and hard skills such as software you’ve used.

Don’t include “core competency” type skills such as problem solving, ability to communicate effectively, able to work in a fast paced environment, etc. This is just corporate fluff and does not provide any value whatsoever without anything

List awards

You’re likely going to be very accomplished if you’re aiming to apply for a VP of Engineering position. As a result, you’ll likely have many awards racked up. Make sure to add the awards in the Additional section of your resume.

As a director, manager, or engineer, you should be taking ownership of projects that align with company goals that executives place on you.

Include any awards that have resulted in improving operational efficiency, reducing waste, saving cost, generating revenue.

List additional credentials

Include certifications that you may have racked up in your career such as a Professional Engineering license, Project Management Professional, Lean 6S Black Belt and so on. It’s also recommended to include how these certifications have contributed to some of the results and accomplishments you’ve made in the engineering industry through your experience.

A list of credentials to put in your VP Engineering resume include:

• Professional Engineer License
• Project Management Professional
• Lean 6S Black Belt
• Scrum / Agile Certifications

Need a mechanical engineering resume review? Check out: Mechanical Engineering Resume Review