Building a Technology Resume

Building a Technology Resume One of the biggest trials for many job-seekers is creating the perfect resume. You can find a professional to do it for you, or you can use a template, but if you are a proponent of the DIY attitude (like most of us in IT), then you need to know how to include your IT skills in a clean and readable format. You also need to make sure to utilize important keywords. Whether your resume is already online or still in paper form, it is likely to end up in a database at some point and you need to make sure it comes up in the right searches. The first step to including your technology-related skills is to make a simple list. Write down the things you know enough about to be comfortable discussing in an interview. Keep the items with which you are most proficient near the top of the list.Step two is to categorize your skills. Do any of them fall under a general heading such as Network Security or Database Administration? If you can list several of these category-level skills, they can be used on the resume in a separate section. They can also be used as descriptions in your summary or objective section. For example: Skilled professional with over five years of experience as a Web Developer and Network Administrator. List your certifications. If you have more than two, include them in your technology section. If you have two or less, move them to an Education and Certification section. Your education section can be placed at the bottom of the resume if your experience outweighs your education, or towards the top of the res ume if you are a recent grad, new to IT, hold a graduate degree, or are currently working on furthering your education. Make sure to format the information so that it is readable, and very easy to scan at a glance. Bullets are great for this, but dont get too carried away and bullet ad nauseam. Using tables and strategic shading are also good ways to organize your information.Finally, take a look at some samples. They are relatively easy to find on the internet and I have provided a couple on a separate page.Show me the SamplesShow me a list of words and phrases for resumesShow me some general resume-writing tips Create a Career Outline Think of your resume as the story of your career. As such, it needs to be organized to best highlight your strengths. How would you answer if you were to be asked, what have you accomplished? or where would you start? If you are fresh out of school, use your education as your strong point. GPA, accolades, club participation, etc. will be your focus.If you have 20 years of solid experience, start defining your accomplishments during each job role.If you have five years of experience, divide your strengths between education/certification and experience. Introduce Yourself Always start with your name and contact information. From there, decide if you need an introduction or objective statement. This is a personal decision and should be worded carefully if used. If you use this section, do not get too personal and do not use I or the ever-popular Seeking to . . .. Be simple and straightforward: Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE) with seven years of IT Consulting experience. Skilled at assessing project needs, training end users, and installing, managing, and configuring systems. Beef Up Your Vocabulary Throughout your resume use power words like maximize, dedicated, recognized, proficient, adept, capitalized, accomplished, motivated, decisive, strategic, etc. Show me more power words . . . Use Numbers Make sure to include numbers in the descriptions of your experience. Employers are notorious for wanting quantifiable achievements such as Decreased costs by 20% or Exceeded expectations by completing 4 months prior to deadline and lowering project budget by 10%. Show me more phrases . . . Use the Internet Sites like Monster.com have some great free resources devoted to helping you create a great resume. Resume Example Things to Avoid Do not use I or My. Do not say, references provided upon request. This is assumed and does not need to be stated.Do not list any skills that you are not proficient with. You may include a section titled Exposure To and list items that you have touched but not mastered.Do not let a single typo or misspelling get by you. Have someone else proof your resume before sending it out.Do not, without excellent reasons, include a section on hobbies. This information is not pertinent to your qualifications. Power Words Use the following words to accurately describe your experience and accomplishments. Break out your thesaurus if you are still stuck for the right verb or adjective. AdeptAdministeredAdroitAssessedAuthoredCapableChallengingCohesiveCollaborateCommunicationCompetentConceptualizedConductedConsistentlyConveyedDemonstratedDesignedDeterminedDevelopedDiligenceDrivenDynamicEffectiveEnhancedEstablishExceptionalExceededExpertExtensiveEvaluatedFacilitatedFocusImplementedInspiredInstrumentalIntroducedLaunchedLiaisonManagedMasteryMaximizedMentoredMotivatedNegotiatedOutstandingOversawPerformedPersistentPresentedProficientPromotedRapidRecognizedRecommendRecruitedSkilledSucceededSuccessfulSuperiorSupervisedTenaciousTrainedUniqueUtilized Phrases These are just a few examples of phrases that could be used in your resume. Use the power words above to create descriptive phrases such as . . . Solutions-orientedResults-drivenWell organizedHighly motivatedTop-ranked Use phrases such as these to describe qualitative accomplishments . . . Increased revenue by 200%Exceeded Goals by 20%Decreased costs by $1 MillionImpacted cost of . . . by $400,000Team ranked #1Exceeded quotas by . . .Exceeded expectationsImproved productivitySubstantially improved . . .by 40%Consistently ranked number one