Keeping Your IT Resume Cutting-Edge in 2017

Even in the past 2-3 years, profound changes to the standards and requirements of effective IT resumes have transpired. This means that if you haven’t applied for a job since before 2014, it is entirely possible that your resume is behind the curve.

There are several driving forces behind these changes, including the prominence of Applicant Tracking Systems and the withering attention span of the average adult. Top that off with the congested job boards and intense competition for IT roles, and a picture starts to emerge.

A successful IT resume in 2017 must be visually distinct with a laser-focused positioning that will ground a hiring manager and make a strong first impression. But before even getting into human hands, it must contain the appropriate keywords and phrases in order to proceed through the guardian ATS software that stands at the gate of 97% of large companies (and more than 80% of smaller organizations).

Translating Tech-Speak Into English

For many IT professionals, communicating complex job descriptions and achievements is the most difficult part of resume writing. Those who rely on heavily technical language might not realize that the person hiring them often will not have the same education or IT background. Ensuring that your resume speaks to both the technical details and the big-picture accomplishments is key.

Technical Keyword Optimization and ATS Scans

With a fair amount of research and wordsmithing, it is easy to showcase the important keywords and phrases for a specifically targeted role. You can never know exactly which keywords a given Applicant Tracking System has been set up to seek, but by reviewing job postings you can get a great indication.

For example, a Network Operations and IT Support Manager targeting mid-tier IT Director roles needs to include keywords such as:

-Help Desk Support

-IT Project Management

-Budget Management

-Problem Solving

 As well as an entire table dedicated to technical skills.

In reality, all IT resumes should include technological proficiencies broken down into a digestible list. Cataloging various operating systems, cloud services, and languages while weeding out less-relevant or outdated technology will help to clarify your value proposition.

It might look something like this:

Languages: JavaScript, PowerShell, VBScript, WSH, HTML

Enterprise Platforms: MS Exchange, Office 365 Administration, Windows MDT, MS SharePoint, Project Server, SQL Server

Operating Systems: MS Windows Server, Apple iOS, Mac OS X, MS Windows XP/Win7/Win8x/Win10x, Android, Linux

Storage: DROBO, NetApp, EMC/Clarion CX

Cloud Services: Google Cloud/G Suite, Office 365, Dropbox Business, Azure, AWS

Ticket Systems: Norton Ghost, SolarWinds, Web Help Desk, Spiceworks, Zendesk

Density (Text to White Space Balance) & Formatting

When it comes to formatting an IT resume, keeping the layout clean and “skimmable” is ideal, perhaps more than in any other industry. Resume formats tend to function as mirrors held up to a candidate. Do you want to be seen as colorful, creative, thriving in chaos? A resume busy with charts, shading, italics, and endorsements is perfect! But when it comes to IT, erring on the side of clean, sleek, modern formatting will help reinforce the innovation and efficiency sought after industry-wide.

Writing your IT resume is hard, right? Knowing what employers want in your resume, the right keywords to use, or how to get past applicant tracking software programs is overwhelming.

But it doesn’t have to be this way...

Receive personalized insights, expert guidance, and a sounding board to sharpen your message as you speak one-on-one with your resume writer during your 60-90-minute telephone consultation. My clients value the dedicated attention, personalized advice and boosted confidence they receive from speaking with their resume writer. If you want more from your career…more for your life…check out my website to learn more or call my office at 1800.991.5187.

If you enjoyed this article your networking might too, feel free to share! I enjoy networking feel free to send me an invite to connect.

#IT #resume #resumewriting