Crafting a Standout CV for Motorsport Roles: Your Ticket to the Grid

In the fast-paced world of motorsport, your CV is often the first lap in your race to secure that dream job.

Whether you're aiming for a role in Formula 1, endurance racing, or national level/club motorsport, a properly structured CV will be the difference in getting an interview or, getting ghosted.

How hireable are you in Motorsport?

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What are Motorsport Employers Actually Looking For?

My guide should help you create a good Motorsport Industry CV that showcases your skills, experience, hobbies and interests relevant to motorsport. The aim of the game: catch the recruiter's eye. Fast.

What is it exactly that a motorsport recruiter looks out for? Todd Jack Hooker, former head of talent at Williams F1, provides valuable insight in our FluidJobs seminar:

Hooker emphasises that employers are looking for candidates who can demonstrate motivation, curiosity, a willingness to make things happen and get out of their comfort zone.

One of the, if not the most important traits to communicate is: your level of motivation.

"What I mean is what is your motivation for doing this? You know, what people want to work in motorsports, but what is the burning desire?"

Try to keep these areas of focus in mind as you craft each section of your CV.

CV Structure and Format

A well-organised CV makes it easy for recruiters to find the information they need quickly.

They look at thousands of them - don't waste their time by radically altering a CV template that takes forever to extract information from.

Here's the type of structure a recruiter expects and can read quickly:

Keep your CV concise - two pages: maximum. I understand it's really challenging to stick to two pages when your future depends on what it puts across!

Use a clean, professional font and ensure consistent formatting throughout. Remember, in motorsport, attention to detail is crucial, and your CV is a reflection of this quality.

First impressions that aren't perfect won't make the shortlist.

Crafting a Compelling Personal Statement

Your personal statement is your chance to make a strong first impression. In just a few sentences, you need to convey your passion for motorsport, highlight your key skills, and explain why you're suited for the role.

We've emphasised the importance of this in our how to get a job in motorsport, video.

How to Get a Job in Motorsport

"If you're applying for a Formula One or Motorsports job, remember that there should be more dimensions to your personality... Tell me about you, you know. I want to know how your brain works."

A strong personal statement might look like this:

"As a mechanical engineering graduate with a passion for motorsport, I have honed my skills through Formula Student and personal projects in aerodynamics. I am seeking to bring my technical knowledge, problem-solving abilities, and enthusiasm for continuous improvement to a junior aerodynamicist role, contributing to the development of high-performance race cars."

Highlighting Relevant Education and Qualifications

For many technical roles in motorsport, and heavyweight engineering roles, your educational background counts for everything. You're up against candidates with an MSc in aerospace engineering. You've got to do well, and when it's time, list your qualifications in reverse chronological order.

If you're applying for aerodynamics jobs, for instance, highlight modules or projects related to fluid dynamics, CFD, or wind tunnel testing.

Showcasing Your Work Experience

When detailing your work experience, focus on achievements rather than just listing responsibilities. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your bullet points.

Even if you don't have direct motorsport experience, you can highlight transferable skills. As noted in the TameAero blog post on F1 job interviews:

"Formula One is a team sport, both on the grid and off it, and you'll be working as part of a group of people to deliver results. Being able to work well with others and communicate your ideas effectively is crucial to realising performance on the race car."

Here's an example of how to present work experience effectively:

Mechanical Design Intern, XYZ Engineering (June 2022 - August 2022)

A short description (one sentence is helpful). Don't write paragraphs for each, but the most recent role you held).

Your Technical Skills are Your Motorsport Toolkit

In the competitive world of motorsport, your technical skills with assembly, tooling, design, 3D prototyping and hobby work (anything, from Radio Control, AI projects or software you've written on the Raspberry Pi). Create a dedicated section to highlight these skills, particularly those mentioned in the job description.

For non-engineering roles, focus on relevant software and tools for your field, such as Adobe Creative Suite for marketing roles, MatLab for vehicle dynamics, CFD and aero, or financial modelling software for finance positions

Showcasing Motorsport-Related Projects and Achievements

This section is your opportunity to demonstrate your passion for motorsport and your ability to apply your skills in relevant contexts.

Nothing really stands out more than actually being able to go and say hey, look, I volunteer to go and either be on track or I volunteer to either go and do some work experience to really get a taste for this.

Additional Skills and Interests

While your technical skills and experience are crucial, don't underestimate the importance of soft skills and personal interests.

Todd Jack Hooker advises:

"Remember if you're applying for a Formula One or Motorsports job, remember that there should be more dimensions to your personality."

Tailoring Your CV for Different Motorsport Roles

While the basic structure of your CV may remain consistent, it's crucial to tailor the content for each application.

For example, if you're applying for an apprenticeship, emphasise your eagerness to learn and any relevant practical skills you've developed through hobbies or projects.

Proofreading and Perfecting

In the precision-focused world of motorsport, errors on your CV can be particularly detrimental.

Consider asking someone in the industry to review your CV if possible. They can provide valuable feedback on how it's likely to be perceived by potential employers.

Conclusion: Your CV is Your Passport to Motorsport

Crafting a standout CV for motorsport roles is a crucial step in launching your career in this exciting industry. By showcasing your skills, experience, and passion effectively, you increase your chances of getting that all-important interview.

Don' think of investing in your CV as simply, writing a document. Your CV represents one of the most important periods of your life - every little bit of investment is so worth it.

Remember: If you have some skills, if you're a helpful person, and if you're willing to get involved, I promise some of these teams would love to have you there.