Why Your Engineering Resume is Getting Rejected (And How to Fix It Fast)

You applied to Lockheed Martin or NASA, feeling great about your 3.8 GPA. Then, a week later, the generic rejection email hits your inbox. Sound familiar? As an aerospace engineer who has reviewed hundreds of applications, FormAWin founder Michael Daleo knows exactly why this happens. The truth is, most engineering students treat their resume like an academic transcript. But recruiters at top companies don’t want a syllabus—they want to see an engineer who solves problems. If your resume isn't getting interviews, it's usually failing for one of these three reasons. Here is how to fix them today: **1. You are listing coursework instead of impact.** Every mechanical or aerospace engineering student takes Thermodynamics and Dynamics. Listing them tells a recruiter nothing. Replace your "Relevant Coursework" section with a "Technical Projects" section. Don't just name the project; explain the outcome. Instead of "Built a UAV wing," write: "Designed and optimized a UAV wing in SolidWorks, reducing weight by 12% while maintaining structural integrity." **2. You aren't using the XYZ resume formula.** Top tech and aerospace companies look for quantifiable results. Translate your experience into "Accomplished [X] as measured by [Y], by doing [Z]." If you led a senior design team, state how many people you managed, what tools you used, and the final test results. Numbers pop off the page. **3. Your keywords don't match the ATS.** Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are literal. If a job description asks for "Design for Manufacturability," writing "DFM" might not pass the automated filter. Mirror the exact phrasing used in the job posting to ensure your resume reaches human eyes. Stop building a resume that proves you went to class. Start building one that proves you can do the job. Treat your resume like an engineering problem: identify the user (the recruiter), understand their constraints, and optimize your output to match. This is exactly what we teach at FormAWin—we help engineering students rebuild their resumes and execute a job search strategy that actually lands offers at companies like SpaceX, NASA, and Google.