Diesel Mechanic Resume Sample

Are you a diesel mechanic looking for a new opportunity? Your specialized skills in engine maintenance, diagnostics, and repair are in high demand — but how do you land that job interview?

Use these four tips to write a job-winning diesel mechanic resume, and show your target employer you’ll be a great addition to their team.

1. Write a compelling diesel mechanic resume summary

Because companies receive multiple diesel mechanic applications during busy hiring seasons, writing an effective 2–4 sentence resume summary helps increase your chances of making a positive first impression on recruiters.

An attention-grabbing diesel mechanic resume summary needs to quickly communicate key information about your application by  demonstrating your:

• qualifications and relevant certifications
• years of relevant experience in the industry (if applicable)
• achievements
• career goals

When writing your resume summary, think about how your skills and experience will benefit the employer. Are you able to provide your own tools? Can you troubleshoot hydraulic and electrical systems?

When you know which of your qualifications are most relevant to the job, ensure your diesel mechanic resume summary shows them to the recruiter so they can immediately see you’re a good fit.

Here’s an example of a well-written diesel mechanic resume summary:

An example of a diesel technician's resume summary

Bilingual (English/Spanish) Diesel Mechanic with 5+ years of professional experience in equipment calibration and maintenance, engine replacement, and engine repair. Able to independently perform and interpret diagnostic tests on any diesel-powered engine, both in the repair shop and in the field. Possess a diploma in automotive engineering. Aiming to use my experience and skills to keep the fleet of vehicles at Silver Motor Freight working their best.

2. Use hard numbers to highlight your achievements

Quantifying the diesel mechanic work experience on your resume using hard numbers is a good way to let your potential employer know that you’ll be a valuable asset to their company.

To add hard numbers on your diesel mechanic resume, think of how your work has helped your employers gain more profit. Are you skilled at completing roadside repairs in record time? Have you serviced an impressive number of vehicles over the years? Did you take an innovative approach that saved your company money?

Once you know the results you’ve produced, highlight these accomplishments on your resume by including:

• percentages
• money saved
• numbers of items
• amounts of time

Here’s an example showing how a diesel technician uses hard numbers in each of their resume bullet points to let employers know what they can achieve:

3. Put powerful action verbs on your diesel mechanic resume

Diesel mechanics perform numerous maintenance and repair services. So use powerful action verbs at the beginning of your work bullet points to highlight your abilities and prove you have the technical expertise employers are looking for.

Action verbs are words that help your potential employer understand not just what your job was as a diesel mechanic, but how you did it and what you achieved.

For example, if you worked as a diesel technician at a repair shop and used diagnostic tools to figure out engine problems, try using the word “diagnose” as an action verb to specifically describe the nature of your work.

Here are more examples of powerful action verbs to use when writing your diesel mechanic resume:

4. Showcase your diesel mechanic skills

Employers are interested in your hard and soft skills because they determine what you can handle on the job if hired. So remember to include your top diesel mechanic–related abilities in the skills section of your resume.

Hard skills, also called technical skills, relate to your abilities in and knowledge of diesel mechanics. You’ll have developed your hard skills during your training and from practical experience.

Here are some hard skills to include on your diesel mechanic resume:

• Ability to operate different types of vehicles
• Diagnosis and repair of various diesel engine problems
• Steering and brake system diagnostics
• Equipment calibration and maintenance
• Computer skills
• Record keeping
• Safety regulation knowledge

While some people might think diesel mechanic work is more about machines than people, your employer knows how important your soft skills are. Also known as interpersonal skills, your soft skills are qualities that help you relate to your clients or colleagues so you can thrive at work.

Whether you’re working with a team to maintain a company’s vehicles or making repairs for various clients, your ability to interact with people is key to doing a great job.

Below are several diesel technician–related soft skills:

• Listening skills
• Communication skills
• Team player
• Fast learner
• Management skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Attention to detail
• Accuracy
• Safety-oriented

But only listing soft skills on your diesel mechanic resume doesn’t show your target employer how you used these skills in your job.

So include examples of how you used your soft skills in your diesel mechanic work experience bullet points, like this:

Managed a team of 6 successfully by ensuring that all team members worked safely and adhered to company policies and procedures