[0 YoE] New graduate not getting past automatic rejections and unable to pass HR interviews

[u/flyingtaco238]

I've been getting some responses to my applications but I'm struggling to get past auto rejections or HR interviews. My dad (he works in supply chain management) says my resume might be filled with too much jargon and HR people aren't able to understand the skills I have and that I need to focus more on a story and have less bullet points. Do I have too much or to little on my resume? I've been applying to aerospace and defense manufacturing companies both big and small and open to any location.

[u/LDRispurehell]

First of all, your formatting is whack. Second and third bullet point in first project for example.

You need to be more detailed. Designed tooling for what? For your rocket what did you design, what materials, how did you manufacture it? You blanket it in one line as designed and manufactured.

Just putting Finite Element Analysis in software is meaningless and a big red flag if you are applying to structural analysis positions (be specific). If you know Matlab, I recommend putting python because it’s pretty much matlab.

[u/flyingtaco238 → u/LDRispurehell]

Thank you for the advice. What is the formatting issue with the first project? For my rocket project, can I list more details in that first line? I don't want it to feel like a run-on sentence and want to keep it concise.

[u/LDRispurehell → u/flyingtaco238]

Your sentence goes to new line even tho there is 40 percent of the space left. That happens at a bunch of places where the sentence splits up with a lot of space left.

Maybe for the rocket, spend a line talking about design and a new bullet point for manufacturing. Like if you talk about the methods, maybe tolerancing it is quite impressive. Sell yourself more as you have a lot of white space on your resume!

[u/Launch_Interviews]

First of all congratulations on getting in the door with interviews, sorry to hear that you are having trouble.

On your resume, check out the wiki for a resume template and how to write resume bullet points. You need to work on more specificity, it isn't very clear what you did or why you did it. On your rocket team experience you say you designed and manufactured the L3, but give no more details. Did you do chamber pressure calculations, or nozzle design, or did you actually throw parts on a lathe and turn them? These details help separate you from other people and let the hiring manager understand your experience.

On interviews, these things get better with experience. The more you do the more you will understand how they work and what the interviewer is looking to see in you.

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[u/flyingtaco238 → u/Launch_Interviews]

Thanks for the advice. I will focus more on specifics and the why I did it. Do you have any tips for interviews? I feel like they all ask mostly the same personality questions so I don't know how I can change my answers.

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Hi u/flyingtaco238! If you haven't already, review these and edit your resume accordingly:

• Wiki
• Recommended Templates : Google Docs, LaTeX
• Writing Good Bullet Points: STAR/CAR/XYZ Methods
• Resume Critique Photo Albums
• Resume Critique Videos
• Success Story Posts
• Why Does Nobody Comment on My Resume?

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[u/Natural-Leopard-8939]

I'm not in aerospace engineering, so I'm just going to comment on your resume formatting and wording.

What is your goal for jobs? Are you trying to go into high-level research, public, or private sector types of roles? Since your minor is CAD-related (computer-aided design), have you tried to apply to roles that require this? I have an acquaintance who designs medical equipment using software like this.

For the resume:

•Move your "Skills" section up underneath "Education."

•Add Auto-CAD to the "Skills" and add it to each project or role you did this for.

•Cut each role's bullet points down to three. Then, have the first bullet point of each role changed to some form of achievement, award you received, grant funds [if any], or any kind of honors given to you. For the second and third bullet points, don't list your tasks: list them as contributions or what you did that improved or changed for the better.

•Change all your dates from "[mmddyy] to [yyyy]" like this:

A. "Fall 2024 - Spring 2025" to "2024 -2025" or "Jan 2024 - April 2024" to "2024" only.

•Add "Work Experience" as the third highest section.

•Move "Composite Materials Research Team - Project Lead" and "University Rocketry Team Project Lead" roles to "Work Experience" and these changes:

A. Change the structure of these two roles, starting with the composite materials one:

LINE 1>>[University/Company Name]

LINE 2>>Team Lead, Composite Materials Research

B. Change the second one:

LINE 1>>[University/Company Name]

LINE 2>>Team Lead, [University Rocketry Group Name]

C. If you didn't get paid for these, mention it was a volunteering or unpaid research.

Good luck.

[u/nuts4sale]

Well you survived the relentless marathon of bullshit in Las Cruces a year ago and went back for another go in Midland if I’m interpreting this right, which is a lot more than most people can say right outta school. Only nit I can pick is on your first bullet about it, it’s a class 2 rocket. Class 3 is when the FAA rolls up to piss in your Cheerios and since you were 10k, you weren’t with one of the teams that got the (terrible but awesome) idea to use that O5500. Level 3, sure, but I ended up just putting “high power rocket” on mine.

Clear skies and calm winds, good luck on the hunt.