Transient electromagnetic method is widely used in mineral resource exploration, hydrological environment exploration, archaeological excavation and other fields. However, it is difficult to find an absolutely ideal underground space in real life. Therefore, the factors affecting the intensity of the secondary field induced by transient electromagnetic method are studied. This article uses numerical simulation methods based on the forward calculation formula of transient electromagnetic method in layered geological models to study the influence of the transmission current waveform and the axial direction of the receiving antenna on the secondary field emphasis under two conditions: vertical magnetic dipole and horizontal magnetic dipole for the transmitting antenna. The results indicate that the secondary field response excited by a vertical magnetic dipole is more than twice that of a horizontal magnetic dipole. When using a vertical magnetic dipole as the emission method, the vertical component of the secondary field induced magnetic field is 1–2 orders of magnitude larger than the horizontal component. In all configuration modes, the secondary field induced magnetic field with a trapezoidal waveform is one order of magnitude larger than the half sine wave.