IT Resume Thread

Kqueno said:
Education Aug 1999 - May 2004
High School Diploma

Jan 2001 - Dec 2002 Traviss Technical Center
Network Support Services
Certificate of Completion...

...sorry its a word doc
Click to expand...

Ok Kqueno, your resume is another perfect example of the shortcomings of using a traditional resume. Your work history and education isn't very impressive -but your skills are! By changing the format to a combination resume (as described above) this resume could shine. Here's something I'd probably throw out there for a first draft of your "Summary Statement":

"A motivated and well-versed computer technician with 4 years working experince ranging from phone-based tech support to server administration."

I get the 4 years experience from your start date of Jan 2001. Being that it's now Jan 2005, that's 4 years experience! Not too shabby for a recent high school graduate!! You see, conveying the same information this way can be very effective in selling yourself -and it's all truthful.

Now what you need to do is start fleshing out your skills section and you're all done!
 
Stang Man said:
alright, here's mine.

not much currently, i'm still 18 and in school, so...

http://marcin.fastlanehw.com/online_resume.doc
Click to expand...

GREAT START!!! Here are a couple things I'd change:

1) Add some sort of measureable element to your experience -and especially your summary statement. Your statement at the end of your "technical skills" paragraph about having worked on computers for the past 5 years would be better listed in your summary statement. Something like this:

"A versatile computer technician with 5 years experience in computer troubleshooting and home/small-business Broadband/DSL installations."

2) Both in your Education and Experience sections, don't list the dates and organizations first. List your title first. The dates and companies are secondary to that information. So, for instance, I'd list your current job like so:

Computer Hardware Reviewer & Author fastlanehw.com (2003-present)

Job title or degree in bold, company or organization in italics, and the dates in a normal font. The job title is the most flattering aspect of your listing so put that first! -and don't bother with the months. The year will do just fine.

3) Spend most of your time working on a better Skills section. sort out your skills into major categories and give better descriptions there. Don't forget to qualify your experience with some measurable aspect to it! Offhand, I'm seeing categories in your resume like "PC hardware", "wireless networking", and "software/OS setup".

Still, this is a great place to start from! You get straight to the point by listing your summary statement and your skills first. Great job!
 
ok, I think I'm all caught up but I'm not sure if I missed anyone's resume so if I have, please PM me or something so I can be reminded of who to look for in this thread! Thank you all for your kind words of appreciation and patience in the past couple of weeks. I don't expect things to lighten up any time soon but I'll probably have a couple spare moments at least to check out some new resumes here!
 
thank you so much, i just submitted my resume to 4 different computer jobs around my area, wish me luck
 
brainchasm said:
Ok, my turn.

http://www.peda.info/brainchasm.pdf

BC
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Well my main problem with this one is that it's more like a "Detailed Employment History" than a resume. By not listing your skills in an orderly way, I am forced to have to read through your entire life history just to know if you can manage an ASP website. And without a summary statement, I don't know what kind of person you are. I don't know if you're a senior engineering or entry-level tech person. So I'd strongly suggest reformatting your resume to better catch my attention and sell yourself by a powerful summary statement and skills list.

But with that said, I think you have an excellet and impressive skillset available from what you've listed there. I think that with a little work and creative writing, you'll have a very impacting and effective piece of paper!

Good luck.
 
Jon -

Thanks again for your help, you truely are a gentleman and a scholar. I've updated my resume, taking into account your suggestions and those of a few friends of mine. I PMed you a URL to it, if that's OK. They disabled PM notification so I wasn't sure if you knew you got it.

Thanks again, it is much appreciated.
 
S|ntax said:
The company I work for isn't doing so hot so I wrote up my resume this weekend. I did skim this thread hopefully I picked up on the major tips. When you get a chance please let me know of any suggestions.

Thanks.

http://almostprofound.org/resume.doc
Click to expand...

Alright S|ntax, here goes: (and, once again, please understand that this is just opinion here)...

1) lose the "professional objective" statement. It serves no purpose beyond what your cover letter should properly describe.

2) Your "profile" statement is a good start to what I like to term the "summary". But I would change some of the wording and add some sort of measurable value to your "experience" statements. For instance, it looks like you have about 5 years professional experience as a computer techcnician. That should be mentioned here. So here's my first (very rough) idea of what your "profile" should be:

"Computer technician with 5 years professional experience in supporting hardware, software, and networking with a proven background in customer service and support."

3) I'd lose the work experience details and spend more time detailing your skills portion. I'd also sort your skills into three major categories (at first glance. you may find more that you'd like to include): "Desktop hardware/software", "Corporate Networking", and "Customer Service". Here I'd spend time detailing the extent of your experience in each of these areas. I'd also put your skills BEFORE your work experience list.

4) Regarding your work experience, make sure to list your job title first. Your job title is way more important than the name of the company. Be sure to put that first in each entry.

5) Your education section is a little vague and confusing. I understand that you went to HCC for some general studies but were you pursuing a degree? If so, I like to word in like this:

"XX credit hours completed towards Bs. in Computer Science"

Don't even bother mentioning how many credits are left -or even if you aren't planning on completing the degree program. Your resume is designed to show only the flattering information about you. Now if you are near completion of a degree, the by all means state that fact here.

I also don't understand the "Academy of Information Technology" entry. Was that part of your high school education? Did you receive any certificates or anything? Did you complete a special study program in your high school? Might help to clarify this area a little.

So there you go S|ntax! Hope this helps.
 
I reworked mine a little bit, and fleshed out the skill sets and broke them down into multiple categories, but still kept the bulleted list style on them, which may or may not change, I haven't decided yet. I also worked a bit on the formatting, so I included a link to the .doc file.

Thanks for all the help so far.
 
twyztyr said:
I reworked mine a little bit, and fleshed out the skill sets and broke them down into multiple categories, but still kept the bulleted list style on them, which may or may not change, I haven't decided yet. I also worked a bit on the formatting, so I included a link to the .doc file.

Thanks for all the help so far.
Click to expand...

Great work so far twyztyr! Here's my thoughts on some remaining tweaks:

1) Qualify your "experience" statements in your skills list with something measureable. Normally an amount of years is good but also things like previous positions or titles held is good too. Without some sort of qualification to these skills, they hold very little weight. For instance, I don't know if you just know what you've learned from school about Java and .Net programming or of you have several years of experience programing in the real world.

2) I'd lose the work history job descriptions and simply add the important details that you may lose to your skills set. The you'll have room to move your education up and keep it to a single page. For example, the fact that you can build made-to-order servers and manage the network after installed comes from your "Intern" position. Putting that information in your skills set make it look more impressive than the fact that you only held that position for a few months. You see, in your case, your skills are a more impressive sell than your work history to most employers so spend more time there!

3) Your margins are also a bit large at what looks like 1.5" on each side. If you made your margins only 0.75", you'd probably have some more room that way to keep it to one page.

4) I also think that your education and training is more impressive than your work history. That means that I would put that right after your skills set -placing your work history last on your resume. I take it that you didn't get your MCSE from New Horizons but did go through the training? I'd remove the months from the time references and just keep the years here.

Overall, a good, clean resume with some rather impressive stuff. Good luck!
 
If you can get your CV to a single page, so much the better.

Don't have references on your CV - they take up space.

List skills at the top first - that is what the employer wants to know so list those first.

If you have a degree then list that before the University, unless it is from a 1st tier establishment (Oxford/Cambridge, Yale/MIT).

Don't put you favourite pasttimes on there - you can tell them you like to fettle sheep in the interview.

Covering letters should be short and to the point. Not a rambling War and Peace.

Get a book like "Resumes That Knock 'Em Dead" to help phrase things right
(or hire a lawyer:)

Please re-read your document. Also reread it out loud to someone and listen to yourself as you read - helps show mistakes. Then have somebody read it word for word, line by line. Wrong grammar, and misspellings are OK in the forums but looks weird in a resume, specially if the claim is 15 years of experience in with 8 of those as administration, with a Masters Degree to boot.

No more than 3 lines for non-core info. If the job is about C++ & Linux apps then the
employer doesn't need to know that much about your setting up the local lanparty. Mention network skills on your app and elaborate in the interview.

You MUST be specific when you ever mention "experience". If you don't define your experience with a number, we assume it means "no experience".

#########

I'll add some more when I've gone through a few more pages, or some one can ask Bob to add them to the first post.
 
Mournblade said:
...I'll add some more when I've gone through a few more pages, or some one can ask Bob to add them to the first post...
Click to expand...

TOTALLY AWESOME MOURNBLADE!!!!!

I so appreciate your work summarizing these tips. Great work!
 
And here is mine CV :D
I've revamped my resume several times already,
but there is always space for an improvement. Thanks in advance.

cheers
 
Things that I think mournblade missed:
jmroberts70 said:
Qualify your "experience" statements in your skills list with something measureable. Normally an amount of years is good but also things like previous positions or titles held is good too. Without some sort of qualification to these skills, they hold very little weight.
Click to expand...
BobSutan said:
You only get 10-15 seconds to make an impression with HR when they view your resume, so the layout is just as important as the content, if not more so.
Click to expand...
jmroberts70 said:
Well what it means is that when you have a resume that simply lists your "Skills" at the top, you have the liberty to put any amount of experience you feel is correct. If you mean to include the year you spent learning how to setup a LAN party, feel free. You may need to be prepared to back up your information in an interview but the fact that you weren't paid to setup the network, nor was it something that goes in your "Work Experience" list, does it mean it is not valid networking experience? That's where I'm going with having a resume that starts out with an inventory of your skills -and a fairly brief and to-the-point description of that skill. Just listing that you have networking experience isn't enough. Even listing that you have 3 years neworking experience doesn't cut it. A paragraph like this:

"3 years network administration experience including designing, upgrading, supporting, and troubleshooting networks ranging from small offices to multiple campus wide-area networks."

I'm sure you can elaborate from there but I wouldn't add more than maybe 3 lines of stuff. I believe this kind of a wording goes further than just a bullet list -but your list is still pretty good to have.
Click to expand...
jmroberts70 said:
What format should I use for sending my resume electronically?
I'd suggest just submitting Word documents. I normally convert them to an Office2000 format just to make sure that they have the best version. I also like the RTF format too. Once again, most HR people aren't the most technical people. They're used to one way of doing things and not too much deviation. So to that end, a simple Word document formatted for the most compatability would be my choice. Converting to PDF is a good idea since no one will be able to modify the document -and you can set the print formatting easily. But most of the time editing your resume isn't something that is of great concern.
Click to expand...
- Keep margins small. This helps keep the resume or CV down to one page.
- When listing work experience vs. skills vs education, list the more impressive things first!

Somebody should ask BobSutan to edit these into the first post, or maybe somebody should compile these on a web page and just link to it.
 
foreignkid said:
Somebody should ask BobSutan to edit these into the first post, or maybe somebody should compile these on a web page and just link to it.
Click to expand...

'yea, I've been thinking about doing that for a long time but I just haven't had a spare opportunity to put it all together. maybe this spring...
 
I've got a question for you guys.
I am going to set about rewritting my resume as I read through what is already here. But I have a quick question. . .
I have been employeed at Best Buy for three years and have held these positions in this order: Media Senior, Media Supervisor, In-Store Techincal Services Supervisor, Computer Sales.
The goal of course is to get into an IT related job as the Tech Services was my favorite job.
But, back to the point. How do I put this on a resume. Do I list them together or as seperate entries.
 
Xneff said:
I've got a question for you guys.
I am going to set about rewritting my resume as I read through what is already here. But I have a quick question. . .
I have been employeed at Best Buy for three years and have held these positions in this order: Media Senior, Media Supervisor, In-Store Techincal Services Supervisor, Computer Sales.
The goal of course is to get into an IT related job as the Tech Services was my favorite job.
But, back to the point. How do I put this on a resume. Do I list them together or as seperate entries.
Click to expand...

That's actually a great question. You see, you're still leaning towards conveying your skills through your work history -but your work history is, shall we say, ...complicated. You held several positions at your last job and some titles weren't very flattering towards getting the job you're hoping for. That's why a combination resume works so well here. Your job history becomes almost secondary to your skills list.

So I'd start out with a summary statement and then go straight into your skills. Spend most of your time there detailing out all the areas of your experience and how much of a background you have in each item. Your employment list will then be just a short list of titles, company names, and dates. I'd put the position you last held there (or another option can be for the position you held there the longest).

hope this helps...
 
I'm looking at my first entry level technician position.

These are the requirements...

Installation and upgrades of hardware, software and operating systems. Configuring and maintaining workstations, servers and networks. Training for Personal, Home and Small Business Computer Users.

What should I list as my special skills? I could just put in anything, but I'd rather have it sound more professional sounding if possible. If anyone could help me out with the special skills area that would be great! I'm a Windows guy and I guess that I could start off with something like this...

Proficient in the Windows DOS/98/NT/2K/XP/Server 2K/2K3 environment, Switches, Routers, Access Points, TCP/IP, DHCP, TCP/UDP, DNS, DHCP, RIP/OSPF/IGRP, HTTP, FTP, Firewall, 802.11x, Active Directory, Users & groups, Shares, Permissions, Backups, Exchange, MYSQL, Experience in Microsoft Office, Adobe and Macromedia Suite, PC Anywhere, VNC, Spyware removal, Virus removal, Network Design & Implementation, Data Recovery, Backup Solutions, Wireless network install & security, Troubleshooting, Training, Technical Research, Problem Solving, Customer Service, Fiber Optic Certification 50Hrs

But I need some help. If anyone could add some eye candy into the description, that would be very helpful!
 
jmroberts70 said:
That's actually a great question. You see, you're still leaning towards conveying your skills through your work history -but your work history is, shall we say, ...complicated. You held several positions at your last job and some titles weren't very flattering towards getting the job you're hoping for. That's why a combination resume works so well here. Your job history becomes almost secondary to your skills list.

So I'd start out with a summary statement and then go straight into your skills. Spend most of your time there detailing out all the areas of your experience and how much of a background you have in each item. Your employment list will then be just a short list of titles, company names, and dates. I'd put the position you last held there (or another option can be for the position you held there the longest).

hope this helps...
Click to expand...
Thanks for that bit of advice I am working on rewritting my resume with what I have found here and will post it when I am finished.
But time for question #2:
I am currently studing to complete the Network+ Certification from CompTia and even thou I have not completed it I plan on taking the test prior to my birthday in March. Should I included that in my skill section? or keep it out until this occurs and then resubmit the updated resume after the fact?

And if it makes a difference if the job I am applying for is asking for Network+ Certified Techs?
 
Are there any resumes that you guys have that are still uploaded? All of the resumes that I have looked at are no longer avalible. I need to send in a resume tomorrow but I dont really have much to go on as far as format and what how.

Thanks
 
BurntToast said:
Are there any resumes that you guys have that are still uploaded? All of the resumes that I have looked at are no longer avalible. I need to send in a resume tomorrow but I dont really have much to go on as far as format and what how.

Thanks
Click to expand...

Actually I've got a sample of my resume on page 3 of that thread. It's about 1/4 down the page and I did up the text in a yellowish color to stand out. I'd use that for a guide on formatting and wording if you like.

Here's a link to my VERY OLD resume online that shows some of the formatting I prefer seeing. I'd suggest not looking at most of the wording on this one though. I'm not too happy with some of it but at least you can see how I format the text 'n stuff...

http://www.unofficial3d.com/atc/docs/jon_michael_roberts_resume.rtf

enjoy...
 
BurntToast said:
Are there any resumes that you guys have that are still uploaded? All of the resumes that I have looked at are no longer avalible. I need to send in a resume tomorrow but I dont really have much to go on as far as format and what how.

Thanks
Click to expand...
Mine's still uploaded and will be for a while, though it may not be the type of example that you're looking for (see posts earlier in the thread). http://lee.thebakerbunch.com/resume.pdf
 
QUALIFICATIONS

COMPUTER:
• 4 Years experience in Operation, Setup, and Maintenance of Wired and Wireless Network
• 4 Years experience using Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook, Access, PowerPoint)
• Operating System fluency: MS DOS, Windows 9x, NT 4, 2k, XP and 2k3
Click to expand...

For example, lets say that this is part of my qualifications. When I mention 4 Years, is that 4 Years on the job or 4 Years as a known skill? A skill that I may have learned on my own but have used while on the job.

Because I have 4 years experiece in the tech field, but i have many more years where I have used these programs on my own. So would I say 4 years or 8 years?

Thanks
 
BurntToast said:
For example, lets say that this is part of my qualifications. When I mention 4 Years, is that 4 Years on the job or 4 Years as a known skill? A skill that I may have learned on my own but have used while on the job.

Because I have 4 years experiece in the tech field, but i have many more years where I have used these programs on my own. So would I say 4 years or 8 years?

Thanks
Click to expand...

Now this is yet another excellent question. Personally, I include experience that's only been a hobby. So long as you've still managed to develop a reasonable amount of skill in that area, why not claim the experience? Just because you weren't paid for it doesn't invalidate the skill. In fact, my first paying job as a desktop tech was a result of the fact that I had mentioned working on PC's as a hobby -and they were looking for people like that. So in my opinion, go ahead and list the TOTAL amount of experience. If they're wondering where that amount of experience comes from (if they're keeping track of your employment history for example) just be prepared for that question. Be ready to back up your claimed level of experience with specific projects, areas of study, accomplishments, etc...

Good luck!
 
cv

the thing is...ive had my own company for about 2 years, digitechuae.com was actually the homepage. but i took it down cuz i got into a few legal troubles, it not being registered with the authorities and all. i used to make pretty good money till one of my clients cashed me in because theres a reward for reporting people doing this. i was 18 when i started it, and it was goin pretty good. but i never got around to registering it because that required a lot of money to be put in. i wasnt in a position then. plus i was working already. so it wouldnt be easy. i was thinking, would putting myself as the owner of that company be a mistake?.... anyways comments on my cv would be good. this is the latest. except ive finished my rhce.
 
http://portfolio.iu.edu/jetrusse/JRussell-tech2.doc

There's mine, and as far as I'm concerned, I'm done with it. It's not going to change a whole hell of a lot. It was good enough to land me a couple of interviews, and so I'm going to use it until it fails me ;)

Seriously Jon, thanks for all the help. If I ever met you in person, I'd buy you a beer or a stripper or whatever your fancy. :D
 
Well heres my shot at it... been working at it for a while, just can't seem to get happy with it...

http://boneheadgrafix.net/websample.doc

I just can't seem to get the the feeling that all my experience comes acrossed...
Not to mention leaving out a ton of graphic design experience...

This is what I chopped it down from, I'm not happy with my work exp. as far as references go... http://boneheadgrafix.net/resumesample2.doc

I'm open to suggestions....

TIA
Jon
 
Here's my current resume. I'll be submitting this for some jobs in a week or two. I'd appreciate any feedback. I still need to add to the education section my MCSA classes.

remove link - no responses
 
Along with one of my job applications is this...

Supplemental Questionnaire

1. Describe outstanding customer service.

2. How would you help a customer who has just lost all of their floppy disk data on a computer?

3. Explain the most troublesome technical task that you had to accomplish. How did you solve the task?
Click to expand...

The top two are easy. But what should I put in for the 3rd question? I mean... I have had days where a stupid driver conflict has taken me hours to fix, problems installing windows because of incompatible ram, DOA vide cards and hard drives, having to reinstall windows and apps before a presentation and other crap. But for some reason that doesn't looks like the type of answers they are looking for. They are looking for a more detailed chaotic problem.

Could anyone help me with developing a good response for that question? On the paper I have a few lines to answerer #1 and #2, yet I have half a page to respond to #3.

BTW, after looking at the requirements for this position, I am short in one area. So the better I do in the interview and on this paper, the better my chances.

Thanks
 
BurntToast said:
Along with one of my job applications is this...
Click to expand...

Actually I'd be pretty interested to hear your answer to question #2! That one sounds interesting. Simply put, I don't think I can help you with question #3. I don't know what your work has been -nor do I know which one was the most difficult. The driver conflict sonds good though. I think all they're hunting for in that last question is your technical prowess -that's all...
 
Yeah I would love to hear your answer for #2. I dont think I understand the question.
Edit: by the way this is an absolute great thread. Fantastic work being done here.
 
Well guys, I am currently a freshman in college. Attending Johnson and Wales university in Providence, RI. I participated in a career management last semester which helped me hone my resume skills, along with the knowledge I have learned in high school. I have put together my first serious resume and will soon post it up on Monster.com.

Before I do this, I wanted a few pointers. Please feel free to be as harsh as you'd like..im sure I'll need it. Thanks a lot:


Matthew J. Garza

** ****** **** Rd.
Groton, Connecticut 06340
(***) ***-****
******@students.jwu.edu

Professional Objective

To obtain Information Science position within a leading computer technology organization.

Highlights of Qualifications
• Innovative; willing to take on new challenges
• Dedicated to work environment and success
• Hard working with tasks at hand
• Well adaptive, quick learner

Work Experience

From/to Consultant
1/05 Netview Inc. Providence, RI
• Assembled and configured 40-50 computer systems for various Bank of America branches in the local area
• Installed all systems in one night, while working with 2 other consultants
• Paid close attention to system layout and integration with bank authentication systems

From/to Apprentice Painter
6/04-11/04 Berk’s Fine Painting and Papering New London, CT
• Painted and Prepped 1-3 houses per week
• Finished jobs under strict timelimits while working with a team of up to 5 other contractors
• Trained up to 2 new apprentice painters per month
From/to Landscaper
6/03-10/03 Shennecossett Golf Course Groton, CT
• Monitored and maintained 18 different holes on a professional golf course with 100-500 patrons per day
• Performed up to 5 different jobs per day while working with 7 fellow employees
• Served and assisted golfer’s needs as they were requested

Education

Johnson and Wales University Providence, RI
Bachelor of Science, Network Engineering Candidate, 04-08

Ella T. Grasso High School Groton, CT
High School Diploma, Microcomputer Technology Graduate, 00-6/04


References and Career Portfolio Available Upon Request

___________________________________________________

As of now, Im simply looking for a computer repair position, or something else related. Im thinking I should add in a section explaining my computer qualifications, instead of the "Highlights of Qualifications" I have listed. Any ideas?

Thanks everyone.
 
Hi,

I need some help with my Cover letter. Seems that it lacks substance or should I include more job experience details in it? And as for my resume, my friends have commented that the formatting sucks and it is too wordy.

Give me your input guys!

My resume http://www.thatsdave.com

And here's my Cover Letter

As a Systems Engineer, I have the technical skill set combined
with the personality to deliver solutions and solve problems quickly
with an upbeat attitude.

My experience at various companies includes supporting 500+ users in
desktop applications, proprietary software support and system
migration.

My communications and customer service skill will benefit your company
as you introduce new employees to your network. Having an outgoing and
detail-oriented personality, I will be effective in attending to
customer service calls.

More details of my employment history and education can be found in
the resume attached.
I look forward to hearing from you soon to continue our discussion.

Yours Sincerely
Dave Lim Kah Kiat
 
This is a really great thread. I've been reading over everything and it's good seeing how helpful everyone is. I don't think people really know the importance of a resume when it comes to getting an interview. When I first began attending school, I had no experience, and only my A+. I would send out resume after resume, and fill out application after application, and I'd get nothing. After a while, I took at a class at school, that supposedly helped w/ writing resumes. They gave us all a template, and told us to basically copy our info in. After about 2+ years of not getting a single call back, I started getting discouraged. I was talkin to a buddy of mine and he told me don't use templates cause they all suck, make ur own, I spend about a week or so (i put it prolly 8-10 hours) on reading how a resume should be setup. It was a lot of hard work, and dificult to really do considering I didn't have any exp.

Since I redid my resume properly, I get at least an offer a month, sometimes once a week (for the last 8 mos anyways). Most I couldnt take because of school, scheduling problems. All Im saying basically is to take the resume very seriously. Even if you don't have little to no exp, u can still get a decent job. I've heard my brother talk his way into jobs b4, w/ no relavant exp. He calls is being a good "bullshit artist." and thats what u should do on ur resume. bullshit!!! i got the chance to look at other resumes for where i work now (the resumes of the ppl i was competing against) and tho i didnt have as much technical prowess or exp as them i got the job because my resume was just "better." think of ur resume as a way of sweet talking the HR people. Tell them what they want to hear.

anyways, good luck to everyone.
 
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