IT Resume Thread

Look for help on formatting and names of tech. I want to make sure that it look good from two angles. The HR person that would read the first 15 seconds of it and the IT manager that would read the whole thing. Some of my wording maybe old also.
 
I'd suggest getting rid of the paragraphs that explain your duties at each position and instead format your resume to spell out your skills in detail. The "life history" you lay out over 2 pages is a bit much to read just to see if you are experienced with .NET development or working within a Microsoft domain environment. There are examples on this rather long thread as well as a rather old resume on my website (in my sig below).
 
pikester said:
Look for help on formatting and names of tech.
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You should take a pass through for grammar. "* System administrator for 175 client’s locations in 4 states" should be "for 175 client locations in four states", for example.

Some of the things you list are quantitative, like that one. Most aren't;

It's a matter of style, so you can decide. But I just can't stand numbers less than ten being written out ("4" instead of "four"). And abbreviations ("Jun 08" instead of "June 2008") drive me bonkers. Most style manuals agree with me, but it's your call ...

You have headings with locations and dates. For these, I usually add companies and titles.
 
MrGuvernment suggested that I post my own resume here, and I guess it's a good idea as I was just in the process of updating it. I've done a lot of writing and presentations, so I send out a separate list of speaking engagements and bibliography.

If you find any errors, let me know! I like the format, mostly -- but sometimes wonder if it's too long. The racing stuff at the end is really just a hobby, but it also goes towards my ideal job. Working on the stuff I do is great, but if some automotive manufacturer came along and said they needed firmware for, then I'd be all ears!
 
mikeblas said:
You should take a pass through for grammar. "* System administrator for 175 client’s locations in 4 states" should be "for 175 client locations in four states", for example.

Some of the things you list are quantitative, like that one. Most aren't;

It's a matter of style, so you can decide. But I just can't stand numbers less than ten being written out ("4" instead of "four"). And abbreviations ("Jun 08" instead of "June 2008") drive me bonkers. Most style manuals agree with me, but it's your call ...

You have headings with locations and dates. For these, I usually add companies and titles.
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I was in the Army for 3 of the 5 jobs that I had. I fixed the 4 to four. The abbreviation of month thing is something I will probably stick behind. I guess it is part of me. There is plenty other abbreviations of computer terms inside of the resume. Thank you for your help.
 
jmroberts70 said:
I'd suggest getting rid of the paragraphs that explain your duties at each position and instead format your resume to spell out your skills in detail. The "life history" you lay out over 2 pages is a bit much to read just to see if you are experienced with .NET development or working within a Microsoft domain environment. There are examples on this rather long thread as well as a rather old resume on my website (in my sig below).
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I can see your point for sure. I would be happy with a short 15 bullet point resume that labels out everything that I can do. Looked at your website and found your resume. I see you have 18 places of work. Compared to my 5 places that is really only high school on the job training, 3 locations of Army duty and my present job. This is a revision of my resume and wanted to make it look like I had lots of experience in the previous version. Thank you for your help!
 
mikeblas said:
MrGuvernment suggested that I post my own resume here, and I guess it's a good idea as I was just in the process of updating it. I've done a lot of writing and presentations, so I send out a separate list of speaking engagements and bibliography.

If you find any errors, let me know! I like the format, mostly -- but sometimes wonder if it's too long. The racing stuff at the end is really just a hobby, but it also goes towards my ideal job. Working on the stuff I do is great, but if some automotive manufacturer came along and said they needed firmware for, then I'd be all ears!
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;)

Going to read over and perhaps reply back using my extensive *cough* non-existent *cough* resume writing experience...or just read it and enjoy.
 
The resume, while impressive, CAN be considered too long. However, maybe what you're going for is to overwhelm the reader with impressive company names. IMO, all resumes should be a single page. If it takes longer to convey your skills, you're not writing it correctly!

To begin with, get rid of the flowery words you use to emphasize your skills, like "exceptional", "influential", or "quality motivated". Those are all subjective terms and don't belong on a resume. Never lay down experience without a qualifier. Just saying you have experience in something without qualifying it somehow tells the reader that you either don't really have experience, or such a small amount that it isn't possible to tell you without looking bad. The reader needs to know if your experience in ANYTHING you list is to where you could manage a team of people doing the same thing or you just started taking a class in it. You must convey this.

Listing languages, while impressive in the extent, doesn't tell me your level of fluency (and this goes the same for platforms listed). If you expect the reader to figure this out on their own by reading through your life history in 3 pages, good luck!

I don't know why you take up the top quarter of your first page with your name and address but it isn't necessary. I'd make those margins as small as you can get away with and pack information on that front page as best you can! If you want to list your publications, maybe put them on a second page for reference.

Have someone read your resume that doesn't know you and doesn't know the industry or technology much. I can guarantee that the reaction will be something like, [sigh] "Please don't make me read this!" Just know that many HR people are just this type. Now maybe you're so far ahead of this sort of resume reader that people reading your resume are looking forward to knowing your career in every detail so they can simply skip the interview and just get you a new badge and parking space but I don't want to assume!

Simply put, I'd suggest you create a single page resume that conveys your skills as quickly, measurably, and clearly as possible. Your employment history can be a single line for each position you've held. Any more detail should be left for the interview!
 
mikeblas said:
MrGuvernment suggested that I post my own resume here, and I guess it's a good idea as I was just in the process of updating it.
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Given that it's 2014, is there really any sense to list what you did in 1993 or that you wrote something about Windows 3.1?

I mean a lot has happened since the early 1990's and people can certainly change in 20+ years. It's just hard to imagine that, especially in the IT world, references or info that's over 20 years old has any bearing on anything anymore, no matter how awesome it was at the time?

jmroberts70 said:
Your employment history can be a single line for each position you've held. Any more detail should be left for the interview!
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Eh?
One wants to at least write something about key accomplishments at each job. You won't get an interview just by writing that you worked for Microsoft because the crucial piece of information as to whether you cleaned the floor or wrote code is missing. I can't even believe anyone would suggest to not list at least *some* info about performance for each job. Srsly.
 
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Thuleman said:
Eh?
One wants to at least write something about key accomplishments at each job. You won't get an interview just by writing that you worked for Microsoft because the crucial piece of information as to whether you cleaned the floor or wrote code is missing. I can't even believe anyone would suggest to not list at least *some* info about performance for each job. Srsly.
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Resumes are all opinion. Yours is different from mine. I'm ok with that. I will tell you that when your "life history of employment" gets very long, people lose interest fast. You're selling yourself. If you want to do that in a way that takes the longest to get to the point, be my guest. However, you can easily list key accomplishments or skills in an orderly skills section at the top of your resume (and change the order as different jobs may demand) and tell people what you can do faster. Understand that most resume readers are looking for an answer to a question. Can you drive a forklift? Are you very proficient at C++? Do you need to be supervised? Are you an "entry-level" person for the job that won't cost too much? Etc. Answering those questions quickly will, I believe, get your resume past the reader with the best chance of success.

Trust me, the traditional resume is an awful thing that is a huge waste of time for the most part.
 
If I was interviewing a musician, I'd rather see a list of his songs, their chart positions and awards, tours, and so on -- instead of just "EMI Music, Inc; New York City; Recording Artist".

People who lose interest stop reading; they don't necessarily discard the candidate. If they want to know the details or history, they read the whole thing. Most of the interviews I go to have a question that breaks the ice about either auto racing or "the old days".

I think my resume does both; the first page is at-a-glance skill sets and accomplishments, while the rest gives details about the specifics. The layout lets the reader just turn the page to move around within the resume. I can make the oldest sections shorter, but then I'm left with whitespace. The page is already there -- why not use it?
 
I'm seeing a trend that I'm considering exploring. I'm contemplating uploading a resume of nothing but keywords to monster, careerbuilder, dice, etc., because it sure seems like not one of the recruiters contacting me all day every day bothers to read the resume. They keyword match, shoot an email and ask for your most recent resume. The obnoxious ones call multiple times.
Some companies like Insight Global are a huge time suck and want all your personal details and any reference names you'll cough up (which I never have) so they can solicit them too. But they never seem to have a valid position to steer you towards. Reliance One is also this way. Very annoying.

I wonder if there should be a thread created somewhere of which recruiting companies to stay away from. I'm not starting it but I'd contribute to it.
 
mikeblas said:
If I was interviewing a musician, I'd rather see a list of his songs, their chart positions and awards, tours, and so on -- instead of just "EMI Music, Inc; New York City; Recording Artist".

People who lose interest stop reading; they don't necessarily discard the candidate. If they want to know the details or history, they read the whole thing. Most of the interviews I go to have a question that breaks the ice about either auto racing or "the old days".

I think my resume does both; the first page is at-a-glance skill sets and accomplishments, while the rest gives details about the specifics. The layout lets the reader just turn the page to move around within the resume. I can make the oldest sections shorter, but then I'm left with whitespace. The page is already there -- why not use it?
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Yeah, I can see your point about hitting the highlights on the first page and the details on the following few pages. I'd still work on some of your wordings. You use a lot of subjective phrases like "exceptional" and "quality-motivated" that I'd prefer not to see. The entire line of "Influential Leader with Cross-Functional Experience" doesn't tell me anything other than you believe you can lead people in different fields but I'm guessing here. Maybe I'd word it something like "proven (or well-established) leadership talent (or ability / skill) in a such-and-such environment"?
 
[H] Resume Guru's!

Im going to be separating from the military after a good 10 years in this coming December. I will essentially be writing my first resume and looking for employment during/after finishing my degree.

Edit: Coming very close to something I can actually post and receive feedback on. I am wondering though if I should be working more towards a Hybrid resume format or sticking with my reverse chronological. All of my experience right now comes from my time in the military and my duties were a bit redundant in the two duty stations I worked at. Im thinking a Hybrid format that focuses more on the skills I picked up would be more suitable for me.

Any suggestions?
 
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Hey all, aren't resumes supposed to only be a page long and any longer is detrimental? Just wondering, since I've seen some around 2+ and was wondering what to do with mine as well.
 
Gam3theory said:
Hey all, aren't resumes supposed to only be a page long and any longer is detrimental? Just wondering, since I've seen some around 2+ and was wondering what to do with mine as well.
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It has more to do with attention spans. I think many resume readers (of which I am one) just lose interest after a dense page of your life story. If you can't summarize your background and skills in one page, maybe you're just saying too much.
 
jmroberts70 said:
It has more to do with attention spans. I think many resume readers (of which I am one) just lose interest after a dense page of your life story. If you can't summarize your background and skills in one page, maybe you're just saying too much.
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Thanks! Feedback like this helps a bunch, I'm trying to transition into entry IT and it's pretty rough.

Would putting my hobby as light freelancing/consulting be a bad idea?
I've built and setup desktops, networks, process some antimalware for friends and acquaintances.
 
I don't think there's a rule. I don't mind reading longer resumes, and mine's more than two pages--and has attachments. I also write prose instead of bullets.
 
mikeblas said:
I don't think there's a rule. I don't mind reading longer resumes, and mine's more than two pages--and has attachments. I also write prose instead of bullets.
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I imagine it would still be extremely concise yet engaging?

Also attachments as in CV and References?
 
Attachments like bibliographies and speaking engagements. "References available on request" is there, too; so I guess that's about the same.

Are you on LinkedIn or monster or Ladders or any of those sites? Are you still concerned about a one-page limit there? Why, or why not?
 
I always get a laugh when I see "references available upon request" in a resume. When would they NOT be available?? OF COURSE they're available!! What would be a more useful statement might be if you worked for the CIA and can't divulge any references or maybe you don't have any to offer. Otherwise, that statement is a waste of space and ink.
 
Is ink in limited supply? Are four words a substantial amount of space in a cover letter?
 
After a years of editing and handing out resumes, the truth I've learned about resume writing is the only constant is that you're completely at the mercy of the reviewer's perception of what is the right way.

If you think that's b.s. all you need to do is review all pages of this thread to see the varying opinions. They're just as prevalent here as they are in the wild.

Best thing to do is make the resume that makes you happiest and run with it, but always be willing to change it up.
 
Resume I used to apply to current job:
http://www.hlrse.net/Qwerty/resume.pdf

Resume cover I used to apply to current job:
http://www.hlrse.net/Qwerty/resumeCover.pdf
(Unfortunately, this no longer works because since the time I had gotten the job I stopped taking care of my search results. It would take some effort to get search results cleaned up -- I don't think I will use this anymore. That, or remove the "Google me" text)

Work-in-progress update of resume:
http://www.hlrse.net/resume_20150130-0022_hardforum-only.pdf

I'm contemplating moving to Singapore to work there. Instead of doing the K1 Fiancee visa to get my fiancee into the United States, I could hop over to the Philippines, marry her, have her apply for work in Singapore and come over to Singapore to live with me, and work on getting her into the United States via K3 Spousal visa. We could live and work in Singapore for 2-3 years and once she receives clearance to enter the United States we could finish the remainder of our job contract in Singapore and head to the United States. During our time in Singapore we'd be living simple and stick to needs (no gambling, no drinking, no taxis, no frequent restaurants) to save money. I have a friend in Singapore who is offering me a room in his two room apartment that he bought (he doesn't rent).

For confirmation, I don't have any degrees or certificates. I do have a high school diploma, and I got a good GPA in both high school and the time I had been at a community college before I withdrew (FYI I only have a biology and history course before acquiring an AA degree, but this is something I can hold off and do later / even do online over the internet).
 
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Bump.

:X

Don't be concerned about its length. I keep a revision history of a 'full details' version. When I apply for a job, I optimize it to a maximum of one single-sided page. I will also finish the list off with "Ask for more details" + include the last 2 other jobs I have had in the past without details (or also with an "Ask for more details" bullet).

What do you think ?
 
Quick question about IT jobs: Is there a laid out certificate path? I've seen CompTia's stuff everywhere, and I'm not sure where to start. Doing the Tier 1 thing at the moment, whenever I look for jobs with a greater array of responsibilities, they all demand years of experience. Anyone notice any "junior" sysadmin positions? Seems that everywhere they want someone with 5-10 years of already being a sysadmin, but for entry level pay ._.
 
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Anyone run across entry level Linux jobs in the Northeastern Ohio area?
 
I wouldn't mind moving out of my current career of 12 years (Quality Engineer, Medical Device / Combination Device Development & Manufacturing) and into IT, as it is really my interest above everything else.

Have tons of hobby experience (example) with VMWare, Linux and FreeBSD, but absolutely zero education, certification or work experience in the field.

I wonder if employers would ever be interested in someone like me, or if this career move would even be possible without starting at such a low level that the pay cut would bankrupt me.
 
I think it makes sense that an employer won't pay an employee to do a job they don't know how to do, and that an employer won't pay an employee to learn on the job. That is, it's certain that you'll take a pay cut when changing careers.
 
Hello all,

I need some help with my resume as I know it could be better. I have looked through the last few pages of this thread for ideas and posted my resume once before a few years back.

___________________________________________________________
Stephen Vanderende
Cell
Email:

Objective

To apply strong analytical and problem solving abilities to a challenging yet rewarding position as an IT professional within a progressive company that promotes further education and skill development.

Summary

Information Technology professional with 15 years of experience in troubleshooting hardware and software related issues. Solid 15 year work history in customer service field. Adaptable to fast paced work environments, flexible for changing job assignments and managing multiple tasks concurrently.

Highlights of Qualifications

• CompTIA A+ and Network+ certified
• Strong interpersonal communication skills with co-workers
• Effective conflict resolution skills with customers and co-workers
• Proficient in organizational, time management, and problem solving skills
• Results-oriented with a high level of motivation, integrity, commitment and perseverance on individual or team projects

Technical Skills

Hardware - Extensive 15 years experience of building, repairing, and troubleshooting a wide variety of desktop, laptop and mobile devices

Software - Experienced with installing, configuring, and troubleshooting the following:
• Windows XP/Vista/7/8/8.1
• Red Hat Linux 9, CentOS 5.4 - 5.5
• Mac OS X
• MS Office XP/2003/2007/2010/2013

Networking - Proficient in the setup, configuring, and troubleshooting of:
• TCP/IP, DNS, DHCP, HTTP, FTP
• SOHO Wired and Wireless Routers with WEP, WPA, WPA2 encryption
• File and Printer Sharing
• Ethernet Cable cat 5/5e/6
• Cable/xDSL connections




Programming Languages: Proficient in the use of:
• Java
• C#
• C++
• C
• HTML4, HTML5
• CSS
• Javascript, PHP
• Node.js

Database: Experience in the use of OnTrack for creating and updating repair tickets
Proficient in the use of SQL Server queries


Employment History

Computer Technician / Specialist/ TLD Technical Specialist September 1999 – Present
London Drugs

Computer Technician 2001 - Present

• Helped in the creation of the computer repair department of the London Drugs Delta location
• Awarded the ACE award from London Drugs Delta for restoring a critical photo lab system within an hour of failure
• Diagnose and correct computer hardware and software problems
• Maintain up-to-date documentation of repair history in OnTrack database
• Instruct customers on computer hardware and software usage
• Install hardware and software in customer’s computers
• Remove malicious software from customer's desktop and notebook computers
• Escalated warranty repairs through appropriate vendor channels
• Manage time between sales floor and tech room repairs

TLD Technical Specialist 2004 - 2007

• Assembled computer systems for London Drugs Certified Data brand
• Employed as a service coordinator providing parts ordering and technical phone support for London Drugs stores and Service Level Agreement clients

Computer Specialist September 1999 - Present

• Assist customer's in finding proper solutions for their needs
• Applied interpersonal conflict skills in various workplace situations
• Solve co-worker’s and customer’s problems and concerns
• Maintain a general knowledge of the department’s common products and services
• Process customer transactions efficiently and accurately
• Open, close, and maintain a clean and efficient department

Education

Diploma in Computer Systems Technology with Distinction (Pending) 2015
British Columbia Institute of Technology

Computer Systems Certificate with Distinction 2013
British Columbia Institute of Technology

Applied Software Development Associate Certificate with Distinction 2012
British Columbia Institute of Technology

Applied Computer Information Systems Associate Certificate with Distinction 2011
British Columbia Institute of Technology

Linux Network Administrator Technician Certificate with Distinction 2010
British Columbia Institute of Technology

Computer Systems Technician Certificate 1999
Electronics Technician Common Core
Kwantlen University College
 
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Quick question:
I've been looking at the CompTia Server+ cert, is it actually worth getting?
I still need to get my Network+, but they just redid the test and I haven't gotten the new studybook yet >_>
 
As with most "value" questions, I think only you can answer it for yourself, iamwhoiamtoday.

As a hiring manager, I think certifications in our industry are pretty much useless. I personally don't give them any weight: I think the system are too easily gamed, and the certifications just show that the holder can take a test and pass it. They don't tell a hiring manager anything about experience or problem solving; they don't know if you passed the test having never touched the technology or if it took fifteen tries to pass the test and get a barely acceptable grade.

There are exceptions: some of the advanced certifications (and some certification programs as a whole) are run better than others. But I'm not about to research the program myself just to see if the cert is valuable (or what I expect, or ...)

As a consumer, I think the programs are not at all valuable. The tests are expensive, and I've never seen one that didn't have factual errors. I've never seen one that didn't have such poor grammar in the questions or answers as to leave them ambiguous. The training materials and programs are also expensive. As far as I can tell, they're just a racket for an ecosystem of vendors to make money off a secondary market related to a technology.

All that said, there are still opportunities for value in the certification systems. (And some of them apply to me, in fact; I have a couple of certs, and buy the training books sometimes, too.)

The training materials can provide a great framework for learning a technology. Certainly, you can go buy books or read websites, but the training manual for a particular cert usually offers a structured and methodical way to study some new subject, skip what's already familiar, and evaluate knowledge with self-administered quizzes or practice exams.

Some employers offer (or at least promise) bonuses or salary increases for attaining certifications. I'm not sure I'd work at a place that offered such a program, since they're rewarding value that might not be there. (And, maybe, if I did, I'd focus on passing tests and collecting dollars instead of doing real work with, you know, customers.)

Some professions require (and/or reward) "continuing education". If you're in such a profession, certifications are almost necessary.

At the entry level, a certification or two might be valuable for both things learned and something that differentiates your resume from others. This is situational and personal, and is therefore not something anyone can really measure. But it's probably true in some situations, so worth mentioning.

Value is something that's perceived and not really measured. You have to decide for yourself if the study time and financial costs are going to be a good investment against the benefit you expect to reap. Since time and money have different values to different people, and different people have different situations, it's hard to tell anyone that there's value (or not) in certification programs.
 
iamwhoiamtoday said:
I still need to get my Network+, but they just redid the test and I haven't gotten the new studybook yet >_>
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I just took the Net+ last month, zero studying....oh boy what a joke that cert was. If you can do subnetting (just on the final octet) then you already have 10-15% of the questions in the bag (and probably 30% of your overall score due to weighting).

I took the Sec+ on the same day(also a joke). I would say there is about a 25% overlap in the questions between the two.

If you are comfortable with networks, basic network troubleshooting, subnetting, and know most of the common ports (FTP, SSH, Telnet, FTP, TACACS, Kerberos, NetBUI, HTTP/S, POP/SMTP/IMAP+SSL, TFTP, SNMP, etc) you will pass Net+ with ease.
 
Curious about the IT industry.

Do you guys whom are IT related think based on your fields, it's more about what you know than you who know? Or visa versa?

Obviously you wouldn't hire someone straight from high school with zero knowledge. But at what point does a referall become more necessary than the expertice to actually fulfill the position? Or is there none?

Also, what's more important? Street credits or book credits?

Example.

(IT Manager for 4 years vs Bachelor's Degree)
 
Almost every job opening I've looked at in the last few months says something like Bachelors degree, or equivalent experience (one even said "Or a good reason why you didn't get a degree", hahaha).

Honestly, I have an entry level job doing tech support for dedicated servers, and by the time I graduate I'll have a bachelor's, and 3-4 years of support/sysadmin experience. Plus whatever certs I get in the meantime (working on RHCSA/RHCE). I feel like that's a winning combo. If you can get some good experience while also going through college, then it puts you in a fantastic spot.
 
I can't figure out what you mean by "actually fulfill the position".

Maybe you mean fulfilling the duties of the position. What's necessary to fulfill the duties of a position? Competent work, and that's completely up to the employee after being hired, not something that comes from a referral. Competency comes from experience, so it should be obvious that simply being referred for a job doesn't mean that you'll fulfill the duties of a job.

Maybe you mean "filling the position", as in hiring someone. Referrals certainly help, and the more people you know (and have a positive relationship and reputation) the more likely you'll get a referral. Many jobs are filled without advertising. If your buddy knows about the job and knows you're a good fit, he'll recommend you. Hiring managers love that because referral candidates come pre-screened, don't require advertising or headhunter fees, and arrive pretty quickly.

I think it's obvious that work experience is more important than education experience, particularly when considering under-graduate work. Work experience for a meaningful duration implies competency, especially in a candidate who can articulate their accomplishments well. Someone who's graduated from college has zero experience, and therefore can't demonstrate competency in any meaningful way.

I hope that helps -- maybe you'll want to refine your question a bit if you need a better answer.
 
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