Mechanic CV Example & Writing Guide

As Britain’s automotive industry grapples with worrisome labour shortages, employment prospects for mechanics seem ideal. But to ensure ideal skills-vacancy matches, job seekers must still be equipped with a high-octane mechanic CV.

Whether you need CV tune-up tips or rebuild directions, Resume.io is a great place to start. Our job search tools include dozens of occupation-specific CV examples and writing guides.

This guide is geared to mechanics. All the moving parts for CV success are illustrated with an adaptable mechanic CV example.Here’s what we’ll cover:

• What mechanics do and the UK job outlook
• How to write a mechanic CV — framework and format
• Achieving optimal performance of each CV section: header, summary, work history, education and skills
• How to look visually professional — CV layout and design details.

What do mechanics do?

Broadly defined, a mechanic can be any skilled trades worker who uses tools to build, install, maintain, or even repair equipment and general machinery. From aircraft and industrial machinery to HVAC systems and boilers, mechanics typically specialise in one of many diverse areas. 

In a narrower and more familiar sense, auto mechanics have taken on an almost synonymous identity overshadowing other mechanic occupations. All car owners rely on auto mechanics to ensure their vehicles are in sound and safe driving condition. In addition to providing essential maintenance services, they diagnose problems, do repair work and install replacement parts as needed.

Job outlook for UK mechanics

A record number of vacancies across the UK automotive sector is opening up exceptional  employment opportunities for mechanics, particularly younger workers joining the workforce and potential trainees. “Without doubt, more needs to be done to attract young blood into the UK’s automotive sector,” the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI) stated in a recent report forecasting employment and skills requirements for 2021 to 2031. 

How to write a mechanic CV

The only mechanical part of your CV writing task is the framework that virtually all CVs have in common, with these essential components:

• CV Header
• CV Summary
• Employment history
• Education Section
• CV Skills

Otherwise, a custom-built approach is required each time you apply for a different mechanic position. Pay close attention to the advertised job requirements to ensure your CV content and wording are a precise fit, including keywords verbatim. 

This shows you’ve made an effort to target your CV to the job and employer. It’s also the best safeguard for acceptance by the electronic applicant tracking systems (ATS) that many companies use to screen online job applications.

Choosing the best CV format for a mechanic

The most commonly used chronological CV format is recommended for mechanics who have worked in employee positions, including apprenticeships. Hiring managers prefer it as an overview of someone’s progressive career experience, highlighted in reverse order from most recent to earliest dates.

The two alternative CV formats — functional (skills-based) and hybrid (combination) — sometimes work well for job seekers who are self-employed, changing careers or lacking directly relevant experience.

CV header

Off the top, a distinctive CV header sets you apart from job contenders by creating a favourable and memorable first impression. It prominently displays your identifying information for hiring managers to notice straight away and easily retrieve later at the interview invitation stage: name, occupation or job title, email and phone number. 

An eye-pleasing CV header opens up white space to make everything else on the page look inviting to read. The same goes for a matching cover letter with identical design elements.

Mechanic CV profile example

Why should this employer hire you as a mechanic? How would your supervisors, co-workers and customers benefit — along with the business and its reputation? Your CV profile  — sometimes called the summary or personal statement — should offer a future promise of your proven past performance. 

Make every word count in this concise synopsis of your most relevant and relatable qualifications. Let your personality and passion come across, as well as your professionalism. Above all, intrigue the reader enough to delve deeper for more details. 

Below is a mechanic CV sample profile you can adapt for your own use.

Employment history sample

This CV section is meant to tell a story of skills growth and development. The more work experience you have, the more selective you must be deciding which specific accomplishments to describe. Revisit the advertised job requirements to keep your focus on what matters most to this employer. Less experienced mechanics can draw examples from apprenticeships. 

Energetic action verbs should be a driving force in this section, and keywords belong here too. Don’t merely list the same generic job duties that other applicants will have in common. Frame your bullet points as mini-success stories with positive outcomes — quantified with facts and figures if possible. Illustrate your abilities in action — situations where you showed initiative, solved problems, worked well with others and communicated effectively with customers.

Below is a mechanic employment history CV sample you can modify.

Mechanic CV education example

This CV section becomes less important as your employment history becomes more extensive. For less experienced mechanics, it’s crucial to list any college courses or apprenticeships you’ve completed, in reverse chronological order from highest to lowest qualification level.

Certifications, such as CPD, also have an important place here. So do memberships in organisations with a professional development component.

Below is the education section from our mechanic CV example.

CV skills example

The number of mechanic skills in your toolbox will likely exceed the space available for listing on your CV. Here are a few tips to help you pick and choose:

• CV skills that are explicitly required for any given job application must take priority.
• A relatively unusual (but still relevant) skill could give you an edge over other job candidates.
• Avoid listing the same skills that come across in your summary or work experience descriptions.
• Be sure that your key skills list includes a good mix of hard skills and soft skills (notably customer service skills in the latter category).

Check out a mechanic CV sample for the skills section below.

CV layout and design

Showroom-polished to perfection is how your CV document should look to hiring managers at first glance. An impeccably clean, streamlined and orderly layout sends the right message about your work habits and workspace. 

• Ample margins and adequate line and paragraph spacing contribute white space for  reader-friendliness.
• CV fonts should always optimise legibility. Use no more than two font styles — one for body text and another compatible style for header text and section titles.
• Err on the conservative, minimalist side when it comes to graphic touches and colour splashes.

Key takeaways for a mechanic CV

1. Record-high skill shortfalls in the UK in no way diminish the importance of a superior mechanic CV to compete for the best jobs.
2. A CV that’s carefully customised to match specific job requirements is more likely to turn the hiring manager’s head.
3. Using Resume.io CV template with our online builder tool is a time-saving and failsafe way to achieve high-quality, error-free results.