IT Resume Thread

Crashsector said:
First off, this thread is a great idea. I have a few IT pro's looking at my resume as well.

Second, I would appreciate your input jmrobers70, and others. Thanks in advance.

Third, my "summary statement" is a bit shaky since this is not something I've been taught to use.

My Resume
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Crash, you put your contact info twice, once at the top, and again at the bottom. Kind of redundant. :)

Also, I prefer Objectives instead of Summary Statements. My objective is usually something like "To obtain challenging and interesting work in networking, security, etc." My logic is that the resume is already a summary of who you are, and managers/HR people know how to scan/read resumes anyway, and don't need extra summaries. In addition, unless you have a cover letter, that Objective is the only way you make sure they know what you are looking for. :) If you are good at organizing the body of your resume so that quick scans can show time frames, job titles, and skills, you don't need to summarize it at the top.

That's me though, there's no right way to do those things, so, some people may swear by Summary Statements. :) No biggie!
 
jmroberts70 said:
It has been my experience that MOST resumes are rather poorly put together -not due to people just being stupid or anything, I'd say it's mainly due to poor instruction from a variety of so-called "employment assistance" places. The sheer amount of bad resumes I see on a nearly weekly basis is staggering. But that doesn't mean that I don't get anyone hired. It simply means that I, along with most HR people, have to work a lot harder to find out the information we're looking for -and answers to the questions we're asking like, "can this guy setup an Exchange2000 server?" or, "does he know how to drive a forklift?" Simple questions that are usually well stated (although not always) in the help wanted listing.

We've hired plenty of people with absolutely HORRIBLE resumes and cover letters! We just had to work hard to find out their skills -and not many HR departments do that.
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Amen to that. I think the single best thing people can do is pass their resume on to friends, family, coworkers (just tell them you're updating the resume, not to find a job, but just to update it to see where you are in life/skills), or places like this. Not everyone has to write their resume according to how one other person does it, but the more it is proofread and discussed by various people with various opinions, the better it should get in being clear, concise, and useful.

Have someone who doesn't know your job(s) very well read your resume, and then quickly echo back what you do, and verbally paint your skillset. If the person can't do it accurately and quickly based on your resume layout/info, then maybe it could use some tweaking. If someone can quickly and accurately illustrate who you are by your resume, that's over half the purpose of the resume!

For layouts and organization, Google "IT resume Education" and you can probably just browse some examples, good and bad.
 
[disclaimer]
As it is with resumes in general, these reviews are all based on my opinion. Although I do review resumes and make recommendations to employers on a regular basis, there is still plenty of room for varied opinions on what is desired or suggested. I don't believe my views are the gospel of resume writing for the world but I do find in my own experience that resumes formatted as I have suggested here in this thread make my life a lot easier when sifting through the vast sea of papers I get!
[/disclaimer]

DaturaX: Perfect! Straight to the point, you tell me your strong points and your experienc level straight off the bat. I wouldn't change a thing. I will suggest looking at your resume over the years though. A detailed work history works for your format now but as your experience grows, this may become way to much information to warrant putting on a single-page resume (and I do like single-page resumes). Just something to think about in the years to come.

Crashsector: Yes, you're summary statement is actually looking a lot like an objective statement. Please read some of my previous posts for ideas on how to write a summary statment if that is what you chose. You should also find from some of my other posts in this thread just how I feel about objective vs. summary statements.

Your "introductory qualifications" are a good idea but only the first bullet point is worthwhile saying. The other two are not relelvant. They sound nice but I need to know your background and experience level. Anyone will say they are hard-working, able to embrace new challenges, or walk on water to get a job. Most of us know that anyways so don't bother with the platitudes.

Lastly, I don't see how you have a 7 year experience level with only a 2 year professional experience list. My guess is that you have experience either from working on technology as a hobby and/or schooling. If you're going to try to sell me that concept, I'd strongly suggest a "combination-format" resume (as I have described earlier here). Ditch the standard format and just list your skills and their experience level. Be detailed there and not in your work history as it may not be your primary selling point -especially if your experience level is much greater.

I'd also say to drop the "contact information" list at the bottom of the resume. Lastly, I'd strongly encourage you to reduce your resume to a single page. Making it a combination resume may help with that but at least think about it!

Mournblade: I'll start with the resume. Forget all that fancy formatting. Also forget the personal information you list. Your age and martial status isn't a relelvant hiring quality (at least from a legal standpoint). Most of this infomation will come out in interviews or the like but I believe it has no place on a resume.

Unless you're hoping for a job programing games or something where the fact that you like surfing and go-karting, your "Interests and Activities" section also has no place on a resume. These are personal things that have no relevance to telling me your skills and experience. Now I'm sure there's someone out there that will like to know what you do for fun but I've never men anyone yet! Now I know plenty of people that ask those sort of questions in an interview but never on a resume.

Ditch the "references available upon request". We all know that they are. It would only be useful to say something about references if they WEREN'T!

I'd also suggest going to a combination resume like I've desicribed before. You're skills are too far developed to depend on an employment history to spell them out completely. It shows too. You put down way too much detail in your job descriptions than is warranted because you're trying to portray all the skills you actually have. I was in the same boat myself in the past. Work on getting your resume down to 1 page.

Now about the cover letter: Almost all that needs to go!!! A cover letter isn't the time and place for you to tell them your life story or what makes you tick in 400 words or less. It's a very brief introduction of yourself, what job you're applying for, and why you'd be qualified for it. That means that you'll be writing a nearly new cover letter for each job you apply for -but it doesn't have to be a lot of work! Just a short intro like this:

"Hello, my name is XXX and I'm interested in your open position for YYY as listed on monster.com and have attached a copy of my resume to this email. As my resume will show, I have 5 years experience in ZZZ and would love an opportunity to meet with you in person and talk more about how my skills may contribute to your company's goals. Please feel free to contact me anytime at..."

That's all a cover letter needs to be! Make it the body of your email message and just attach your resume to the email and you're done. Nothing more complicated than that.

Hope this all helps guys. Sorry for the late reviewing. Holidays are a bear to get past!
 
Two questions (mainly for jmroberts, though anybody could answer):

1. Who's resume on here is the best so far?
2. How do you address a cover letter when you are using the same one for multiple jobs? I know this is kind of a strange question, but I'm applying for internships at Lockheed Martin for next summer, and their job application system allows you to put in one and only one resume and cover letter for all jobs/internships that you apply for.
EDIT:
3. How do you document education that you haven't finished (eg. degree in progress)?

This thread has been a great help so far. Thanks for your time.
 
Everyone...

I am freaking out because I have activly been searching for a I.T. position for over 2 months now and have not even had one call back. It seems like there has to be something wrong with my resume. Either something looks bad that I am missing or I am just having really bad luck. I need to walk away from my job soon but I need to have something for the future and I am starting to freak out.

What is wrong with my resume?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Carlos Williams
1945 Burnett Street
Oviedo, Florida 32765
(407)256-4562
[email protected]



OBJECTIVE
A challenging IT position where my experience, education, and accomplishments will contribute to the success of your organization.

I.T. CERTIFICATIONS

• A+ Certification
• Network+ Certification
• Linux Binary Distributions
• MCP (Windows 2000)
• MCSA (Windows 2000)

EDUCATION

A.S. Degree in Computer Network Technology, Herzing College, Winter Park, FL, 2003
A.A. Degree, Valencia Community College, Orlando, FL, 2002

EXPERIENCE

AT&T Wireless, Advanced Network Support, Cellular Service Provider, August 1999 –Current.

• Assisted in server and workstation maintenance via inbound call systems or working NWRS (ticket filing system) for end users.
• Full administration of global policies though Microsoft active directory which includes software upgrades, security patches, anti-virus software, hardware replacement, VPN connectivity, email set up and common end user support.
• Configuration of Windows 2000/2003 Microsoft Exchange servers with full understanding & administration of Microsoft Office XP/2003 software for all users.
• 24/7 on call assistance with upgrading workstations or servers with needed software or hardware replacement in the event of failure via cell phone and email.
• Full administration of Cisco routers and switches via IGRP / I-EGRP protocols, Smoothwall firewall, and ISA Microsoft proxy servers for network security.
• Performed nightly and weekly tape back up support for all servers and workstations in the result of hardware failure.
• Managed the full LAN administration upgrade from Windows NT environment to Windows 2000 Advanced Server and Windows XP workstations.
• Full assistance with network printers, GPRS/WIFI access points, local and remote software, drivers, hardware and software firewall, Linux & Microsoft operating systems, and providing a friendly/fun work environment.

References furnished upon request
 
1. Who's resume on here is the best so far?
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Oh man! Don't even go there. Resume's are a matter of opinion to begin with. Let's not start comparing one to another!!

2. How do you address a cover letter when you are using the same one for multiple jobs? I know this is kind of a strange question, but I'm applying for internships at Lockheed Martin for next summer, and their job application system allows you to put in one and only one resume and cover letter for all jobs/internships that you apply for.
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Well it sounds like in your case you'll need to "generalize" the cover letter. Then again, I wouldn't lose sleep over it. Something like "I'm interested in a variety of your open intern positions as follows:" I'm sure they get people all the time that are qualified for multiple positions all the time.

3. How do you document education that you haven't finished (eg. degree in progress)?
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What I have done in the past is something like this:
"47 credit hours completed towards Bs. Degree in Mechanical Engineering, National University, New York, NY"

Enjoy and good luck with the intern program!
 
carloswill said:
Everyone...

I am freaking out because I have activly been searching for a I.T. position for over 2 months now and have not even had one call back. It seems like there has to be something wrong with my resume. Either something looks bad that I am missing or I am just having really bad luck. I need to walk away from my job soon but I need to have something for the future and I am starting to freak out.

What is wrong with my resume?
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Well to start with, the IT field isn't exactally "rolling in the dough" right now -nor do I expect that to change anytime soon. Your survival will most likely depend on finding a very specific little corner of the IT industry that you become very good at (and one that won't become obsolete soon) and pray that someone notices your value. Your garden variety Network Admin. or A+ tech are not nearly as appreciated in the common marketplace as they should.

As far as your resume goes, I'd of course suggest revising it to a combination resume (as described in this thread). Still, your skills and experience look good. There's nothing WRONG with your resume. It's very standard in it's format (which I personally don't like too much) and looks fine. I wouldn't necessarily blame your resume for your lack of employment yet! It's just a sucky marketplace for us IT nerds now (and your locale may not be that hot for IT either but I don't know)
 
jmroberts70 said:
Oh man! Don't even go there. Resume's are a matter of opinion to begin with. Let's not start comparing one to another!!
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The main reason I asked was to see which resume would be the best one to model mine after, though that probably isn't quite the greatest way to do it.

I've completed a first draft of my resume, and would appreciate feedback from yall.

http://lee.thebakerbunch.com/resume.pdf
In case it looks familiar, the objective was adapted from Carlos Williams' (carwill) resume. Though I know some of yall dont like putting "objective" in there, and prefer a summary, some of the employers I will be submitting a future version of this to require objectives.

foreignkid
 
foreignkid said:
The main reason I asked was to see which resume would be the best one to model mine after, though that probably isn't quite the greatest way to do it
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Well you're right to a degree. Reading a lot of resumes did help me get ideas for writing mine at first so I won't poo poo the idea. If you're going to get serious about it. Check out the "Resumes that Knock 'Em Dead" books. I think more than half of the book is just packed with resume examples! That probably did the most for helping me write some of my first.

Here are my thoughts for your resume:

As much as I dislike the Objective, I will help you with yours. You tell me nothing in your objective other than the fact that you want a job that is based on your experience (what job isn't?) and want to contribute to a company's success ('cause if you don't, you'll be fired). Tell me something in your Objective statement that I don't know. Tell me what sort of position you're looking for. Are you looking for a job as a forklift driver or a network administrator? Either one would fit with what you've said so far!

Qualifications: good start! Now you need some sort of measurable amount of experience in each of these areas. I don't know if you just got out of a class at the community college on Red Hat Linux or if you could teach the class! You need to convey some sort of LEVEL of experience or time frame with these items.

Education: Great! just don't list the credit's remaining on your resume. It's not a "selling point". You're telling them that you're a student, that you've made significant progress in the program, and maintained a decent GPA. The fact that you're not even half-way through isn't necessary nor too flattering on a resume.

Detailed Work History: this is NOT a detailed work history. It is just a work history. there aren't any "details" and I actually don't think you need them. That's what an interview is for. I think your job titles need some help though -and I'd tweak the fonts a little to better divide the information. For instance, list your title in bold, the company in italics, and the date normal. "Summer Help" isn't too descriptive. Work on the title a bit and see what would better describe the work you did -on all of the job listings. "Summer Help" sounds to me a lot like the title "Employee...for the summer" I need to know what you did!

Enjoy and good luck.
 
hi, this is my resume it sucks cuz i don't have much experience and still taking the mcse class but i need a job can anyone help me writing my resume

BACKGROUND SUMMARY

Strong analytical and organizational skills. Customer service oriented, fast learner, motivated and always dedicated to getting the job done right. Experienced in inventory control and in the training of new employees. Successful track record in the increase of sales through exceptional customer service.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

PC Professor, Boca Raton, Florida September 2004 to Present
Computer Technician Intern
Repaired Customers computers, gave technical support over phone, increased sales by 10%.

Publix Supermarkets, Boca Raton, Florida March 2004 to August 2004
Common Area Associate
Assisted more than 300 customers daily; bagged groceries, retrieved shopping carts and ensured customer satisfaction.

Quality Inn @ Skyways, New Castle, Delaware July 2003 to August 2003
Front Desk Assistant
Assisted customers checking in and out, answered phones and faxed and copied memos.

EDUCATION

A+, N+, MCSE Certification Program, June 2004- Present
PC Professor, Boca Raton, Florida

Associates Program in Computer Animation, August 2003 – June 2004
Palm Beach Community College, Boca Raton, Florida
14+ credit hours GPA 3.4

SKILLS
Computers: A+ Certified ,Microsoft Certified Professional, HTML, Microsoft Office, and Adobe Photoshop
 
Updated resume: http://lee.thebakerbunch.com/resume.pdf
For comparison: http://lee.thebakerbunch.com/resume_old.pdf

Personally, I think its a bit too much bold... but maybe not. Would like feedback on the formatting.


jmroberts70 said:
As much as I dislike the Objective, I will help you with yours. You tell me nothing in your objective other than the fact that you want a job that is based on your experience (what job isn't?) and want to contribute to a company's success ('cause if you don't, you'll be fired). Tell me something in your Objective statement that I don't know. Tell me what sort of position you're looking for. Are you looking for a job as a forklift driver or a network administrator? Either one would fit with what you've said so far!
Click to expand...
I'm not very specific about the job that I want because I'll take anything that will come my way! However, I see you're point and I've tried to improve it a bit.


jmroberts70 said:
Qualifications: good start! Now you need some sort of measurable amount of experience in each of these areas. I don't know if you just got out of a class at the community college on Red Hat Linux or if you could teach the class! You need to convey some sort of LEVEL of experience or time frame with these items.
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Do you mean something like:

Qualifications:
*Spoon-licking (4 years)
*Shovel operation (9.3 years)


jmroberts70 said:
Education: Great! just don't list the credit's remaining on your resume. It's not a "selling point". You're telling them that you're a student, that you've made significant progress in the program, and maintained a decent GPA. The fact that you're not even half-way through isn't necessary nor too flattering on a resume.
Click to expand...

Should have thought of that. Any ideas on whether or not I should try and emphasize the fact that I'm in a dual degree program and will complete it in only 4.5 years, and if so, how I should emphasize it?


jmroberts70 said:
Detailed Work History: this is NOT a detailed work history. It is just a work history. there aren't any "details" and I actually don't think you need them. That's what an interview is for.
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Fixed. I'm tempted to provide more detail, even if it's just a bit, especially on the "Summer help" jobs because they were so varied in what I did. I did about everything from troubleshooting Novell Groupwise systems to driving forklifts to installing ice machines to spending weeks digging trenches for gas lines during those summers. It's a bit hard to find a title that accurately reflects this.

Would it be too much to describe some of the jobs with small descriptions as such:
"Summer Technology Staff- install and maintain networked workstations, servers and infrastructure"?

jmroberts70 said:
I think your job titles need some help though -and I'd tweak the fonts a little to better divide the information. For instance, list your title in bold, the company in italics, and the date normal. "Summer Help" isn't too descriptive. Work on the title a bit and see what would better describe the work you did -on all of the job listings. "Summer Help" sounds to me a lot like the title "Employee...for the summer" I need to know what you did!
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"Employee...for the summer" isn't too far from correct. These were summer jobs in high school, and were about the only thing to do in the small oil town I live in in West Texas. $5.15 an hour in 105*F weather isn't so bad... but I never want to do it again.
"Summer programmer/shovel operator/painter"? I'll definitely think about this one.

Thanks for the help.
 
Anoesis said:
BACKGROUND SUMMARY
Click to expand...
Don't use all caps unless you have to.
Anoesis said:
...

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

PC Professor, Boca Raton, Florida September 2004 to Present
Computer Technician Intern
Repaired Customers computers, gave technical support over phone, increased sales by 10%.

...

EDUCATION

A+, N+, MCSE Certification Program, June 2004- Present
PC Professor, Boca Raton, Florida
Click to expand...
So you recieve education from _and_ worked for PC Professor? I had to read that twice to get that.

Anoesis said:
...

SKILLS
Computers: A+ Certified ,Microsoft Certified Professional, HTML, Microsoft Office, and Adobe Photoshop
Click to expand...

You might add "COMPTIA A+ Certified" to the bottom to clarify.

A good start so far.
 
Updated resume: http://lee.thebakerbunch.com/resume.pdf
For comparison: http://lee.thebakerbunch.com/resume_old.pdf

Personally, I think its a bit too much bold... but maybe not. Would like feedback on the formatting.
Click to expand...

I love the formatting! I don't think there's too much bold. It helps me see where the different sections are. Looks great!

I'm not very specific about the job that I want because I'll take anything that will come my way! However, I see you're point and I've tried to improve it a bit.
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great! I'm sure you'll understand now that almost every resume you'll send out from now on will need to be a custom resume for each job. Otherwise, just keep that old objective statement and hope for the best! Resumes these days aren't like the documents of 10 years ago where we'd keep it as general as possible, type it up, and take it for printing on special paper. Today, we're emailing our resumes with the cover letter in the body of the email message so there's an ability to tailor each one to stand out in each different job listing. For instance, I have a background in AutoCAD but I also have a background in Helpdesk / PC support. Depending on the job I am applying for, I determine which skill set is listed first. A re-arranging of my skills now tells a different story about me.

Do you mean something like:

Qualifications:
*Spoon-licking (4 years)
*Shovel operation (9.3 years)
Click to expand...

Sure. In some cases it may not be necessary (like mentioning that you know how to use MS Office) but for the primary skills you're showcasing, without a way to measure their experience level, they lose a lot of value.

Should have thought of that. Any ideas on whether or not I should try and emphasize the fact that I'm in a dual degree program and will complete it in only 4.5 years, and if so, how I should emphasize it?
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I think what you have is probably as good as you can get with it. Looks great.

Fixed. I'm tempted to provide more detail, even if it's just a bit, especially on the "Summer help" jobs because they were so varied in what I did. I did about everything from troubleshooting Novell Groupwise systems to driving forklifts to installing ice machines to spending weeks digging trenches for gas lines during those summers. It's a bit hard to find a title that accurately reflects this.

Would it be too much to describe some of the jobs with small descriptions as such:
"Summer Technology Staff- install and maintain networked workstations, servers and infrastructure"?
Click to expand...

You see, this is why a combination resume such as I've described earlier is so effective. Your work history doesn't effectively convey all the varied skills you have. A resume where you list your skills and give detailed descriptions of them, all sorted into main categories, would do you justice. All I can gather from your resume is that you were doing simple manual labor jobs all summer for some extra spending money. Now that you've better described some of what you did, I see that you probably need a more detailed "qualificatons" section. Check some of the earlier examples of this (or the one that I posted of my current resume a few pages back if you need ideas or want to know how it normally looks) in this thread.

"Employee...for the summer" isn't too far from correct. These were summer jobs in high school, and were about the only thing to do in the small oil town I live in in West Texas. $5.15 an hour in 105*F weather isn't so bad... but I never want to do it again.
"Summer programmer/shovel operator/painter"? I'll definitely think about this one.
Click to expand...

Well, brother, we all pay our dues!
 
foreignkid said:
Don't use all caps unless you have to.

So you recieve education from _and_ worked for PC Professor? I had to read that twice to get that.
Click to expand...

Yes they are a school and a computer repair place
 
Heres another update- I added quite a bit to this one.
Newest resume: http://lee.thebakerbunch.com/resume.pdf

jmroberts- When listing years experience, I listed experience as the number of years I have been using each particular skill. However, I havent been actively using each skill 40hrs a week for the amount of time I listed. Example- I've used php to develop a couple websites and stuff for other websites in my free time, but not professionally, only as a hobby for a year or so. Is it safe to list this as one year experience?
 
My question may be a tad strange but I do not have a lot of resume making background so any help would be appreciated. I have a BS in Secondary Education and History, now you may be asking why in the heck are either of those things important to a tech resume thread and that is a valid question. Micron Technology (the RAM people) has a posting on their job site for a "Leadership and Employee Development Training Specialist" and they are asking for people with Education degrees. For once, my degree is going to be useful! I decided I didn't want to teach shortly after graduating and figured I would probably need to either get another degree or some tech certifications in order to do what I want.

My question to you guys is this, what in the world should I put on my resume? The address to the job posting is below, any help would be greatly appreciated.

http://www.micron.com/jobsearch/Job...C33CFC092B&co_display=Micron+Technology,+Inc.
 
need someone to critique my resume but its also in word, so should i e-mail it or try to copy and paste to forums
 
Kqueno said:
need someone to critique my resume but its also in word, so should i e-mail it or try to copy and paste to forums
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I'd say just paste it here. the formatting isn't actually that important
 
Okay, here's the redone version of mine with minor formatting. Most of the actual document is in Arial Black, Arial (Bold) and Arial (Italic). My name is written vertically up the lefthand margin and is in BankGothic MD BT with the quote below it. Send me a PM if you would like me to send you a copy in Word (or PDF) format.

Graham Reeds
‘The pleasure of finding things out’ - Richard Feynman​

Profile
I am a proven C++ Analyst programmer with full life cycle experience capable of managing large-scale projects looking to move into the .NET environment following a period of self-study. I live by the paradigm ‘try new things’ and to that effect I am constantly broadening my mind to new skills and ideas.​

Qualifications & Training
04-2004 • UML Survival Guide • York
  • A ‘UML Survival Guide’ paid for by Omnicom for the entire development department and given to us by Lamri that covered the basics of UML development.

1997 – 2001 • University of Teesside • Middlesbrough
  • Studied for BSc Visualisation and BSc ICE.
  • Modules covered C++, Assembler (68000), graphics programming/theory, and usability studies.
1996 – 1997 • N.E. Surrey College Of Technology • Epsom
  • Foundation Course in Computer Science.

Work Experience
Work Sabbatical
October 2004 +
While work kept me interested and focused to the tasks at hand I felt that I wasn’t progressing intellectually or career-wise so I took a sabbatical to take stock and plan my future.
  • Primarily I focused my attentions on C#/.NET and then expanded into ASP.NET. I also took time to look at the ‘classic’ versions of VB & ASP developing a simple 3-tier application.
  • Other technologies I have looked at are IIS, MS SQL Server, and MySQL.
  • Strengthened my technical writing skills and studied UML and XP further.

Omnicom Engineering Ltd., York
July 2001 – October 2004
Analyst Programmer
Worked my way up from a junior programming role to a position where I was entrusted with my own projects:
  • Initially I was given small scale tools development while Omnicom’s confidence in me grew until I was entrusted to rewrite the processing system for Omnicom’s flagship product OmniSurveyor 3D to work with Oracle.
  • Other projects include a video driver for a train simulator and an IMU/GPS emulator used for regression testing.
  • Used C++ w/STL (Borland Builder & MSVC), C (RTOS16), Java/JSP, Oracle 8/9i/Spatial, and Oracle PL/SQL during course of development.

Personal Details
  • 110 Costa Street, Middlesbrough, TS1 4PL
  • Tel.: 01642 883201 • Mob.: 07960 160349
  • [email protected]
  • Drivers License (Provisional)
  • Willing to relocate.

Interests
I like to learn new things or change my perspective on currently held ideas. Away from the keyboard I like to watch documentaries and read mainly non-fiction. I also enjoy socialising with friends, cinema, and go-karting.​
 
Just so everyone knows, I've been up to my ears in work as of late (and down to the bear minimum in sleep). I haven't forgotten about you guys or your resumes here! I should be able to get to most of 'em within the next 24-48 hrs.
 
Ok, here's what I have. I started a complete rewrite because of what I've gotten from this thread, I'm amazingly glad it's here. I'm open to any helpful criticism. Also, this is geared toward IT, obviously, but I'm also trying to write another version geared toward web design, since I'm interested in both fields. If anyone can help with that too, I'd be appreciative. Thanks in advance.

EDIT: I was thinking about it at work tonight, and I wondered if I should move things like project/time management and the fact that I've trained loads of people out of individual job descriptions and into the skill set. Is that something I probably should have done before posting the resume here?

[Contact info removed]

Summary: An educated systems technician with 6 years of experience with PC hardware, software and networking as well as proven design experience.

Technical Skill Sets:
Knowledge of Windows 2000, XP, and 98/ME, MySQL and Oracle DBMS systems
SOHO Networking with TCP/IP and some larger scale LAN management
Programming experience with Java and Visual Basic 6 and .Net
Experienced web developer using XHTML, CSS, and PHP/MySQL, with some XML and ASP
Experienced with Macromedia Studio MX and Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and Indesign

Work History:
Computer Technician-Freelance; 1998-Present
-Build and upgrade PC hardware and software
-Tutor in the use of Windows, Office, and Adobe Products
-Set up and configure SOHO networks and multiple Cable/DSL connections
-Design websites for local clients

Maintenance-DAMAC II; January 2003-Present
-Perform variety of maintenance tasks
-Clean and perform preventative maintenance tasks on restaurant equipment
-Responsible for time and project management

Information Systems Intern-Dupont Photomasks, Inc.; August, 2004-December 2004
-Built a server to interface with the automated customer order system
-Developed an addition to the company Intranet on behalf of the Security and Anti-Virus Team.
-Worked with the System Administrator on LAN management functions
-Installed and configured a variety of hardware and software components on multiple systems

Production Leader-Burger King Restaurants; July 2001-January 2003
-Primarily responsible for customer service and problem resolution and crew training

Shift Manager-Kerasotes Kokomo Mall Cinemas; July 1998-January 2001
-Primarily responsible for daily operations, crew training, and problem resolution
-Responsible for time and project management
-Unofficially responsible for technical problem resolution

Secondary Education:
August 2001-December 2004-Indiana University Kokomo, Kokomo, IN
-Received Bachelor of Science in Information Systems, Minor in Business

January 2001-June 2001-New Horizons Computer Learning Center
-Microsoft Windows 2000 Network and Operating Essentials
-Implementing Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional and Server
-Implementing a Microsoft Windows 2000 Network Environment
-Implementing and Administering Microsoft Windows 2000 Directory Services

August 1997-May 1999-Vincennes University, Vincennes, IN
-Received Associate of Science in Art/Design with a Graphic Design emphasis
-Grand Prize for Graphic Design in the Vincennes Juried Student Art show

August 1993-June 1997-Lewis Cass High School, Walton, IN
-Received High School Diploma
-National Honor Society Inductee
 
jmroberts70 said:
Crashsector: Yes, you're summary statement is actually looking a lot like an objective statement. Please read some of my previous posts for ideas on how to write a summary statment if that is what you chose. You should also find from some of my other posts in this thread just how I feel about objective vs. summary statements.

Your "introductory qualifications" are a good idea but only the first bullet point is worthwhile saying. The other two are not relelvant. They sound nice but I need to know your background and experience level. Anyone will say they are hard-working, able to embrace new challenges, or walk on water to get a job. Most of us know that anyways so don't bother with the platitudes.

Lastly, I don't see how you have a 7 year experience level with only a 2 year professional experience list. My guess is that you have experience either from working on technology as a hobby and/or schooling. If you're going to try to sell me that concept, I'd strongly suggest a "combination-format" resume (as I have described earlier here). Ditch the standard format and just list your skills and their experience level. Be detailed there and not in your work history as it may not be your primary selling point -especially if your experience level is much greater.

I'd also say to drop the "contact information" list at the bottom of the resume. Lastly, I'd strongly encourage you to reduce your resume to a single page. Making it a combination resume may help with that but at least think about it!
Click to expand...

Thanks for the input. I'm just wondering how I can phrase a summary statement. I am a student looking for a part time or full time IT job to expand my knowledge while I get some certs through school. The examples on here seem to lean more towards listing the certifications a person has acheived.

Thanks in advance!
 
Education Aug 1999 - May 2004
High School Diploma

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

Jan 2003 - Traviss Technical Center
Computer Electronics Technology
Expected completion March 2005
Professional experience Nov 2002 - Traviss Technical Center
Helpdesk Specialist
Technical Skills - Repair and Maintenance of PC workstations and servers
- Installation and Termination of twisted pair cable
- Installation and Termination of fiber optic cable
- Installation and Operation of Microsoft Office
- Installing and Troubleshooting Windows 98, 2000, and XP Operating Systems
- Installation and Administration of Windows NT server, server 2000 and server 2003
- Installation and Troubleshooting of network printing devices
- Excellent Phone Skills
- Data Entry and Keyboarding Skills, 60 WPM

sorry its a word doc
 
Crashsector said:
Thanks for the input. I'm just wondering how I can phrase a summary statement. I am a student looking for a part time or full time IT job to expand my knowledge while I get some certs through school. The examples on here seem to lean more towards listing the certifications a person has acheived.

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

I'm in the same boat, really. Now that I've graduated with a B.S., I'm going to start working on certifications, but couldn't come up with a way to express that in the summary.
 
I just want to give jmroberts70 some *KUDOS* for doing this ... I think it's great that you are sharing your skills and experience, more power to you ... if you are ever in the Columbus, OH area .... shoot me an e-mail and I'll buy you a drink ... :D
 
primea said:
I just want to give jmroberts70 some *KUDOS* for doing this ... I think it's great that you are sharing your skills and experience, more power to you ... if you are ever in the Columbus, OH area .... shoot me an e-mail and I'll buy you a drink ... :D
Click to expand...
Seconded..... would be VERY happy for primea to buy you a drink.

Thanks for all the time you put into this. I've learned quite a bit, mostly from reading your comments to other people.
 
foreignkid said:
Seconded..... would be VERY happy for primea to buy you a drink.

Thanks for all the time you put into this. I've learned quite a bit, mostly from reading your comments to other people.
Click to expand...

Well thank's guys! I'm reeeeealy trying to get a spare few moments to look over the penging resumes that are still here but my current schedule means that I many not even get a chance until the weekend. I'm sorry but I hope some of the comments I've maned earlier may help. I promise to check them as soon as I humanly can!
 
jmroberts70 said:
Well thank's guys! I'm reeeeealy trying to get a spare few moments to look over the penging resumes that are still here but my current schedule means that I many not even get a chance until the weekend. I'm sorry but I hope some of the comments I've maned earlier may help. I promise to check them as soon as I humanly can!
Click to expand...

Don't worry about it too much. You're doing this out of the...well, I have no idea why you're doing this, but I'm willing to wait a few days for some help. ;)
 
foreignkid said:
Heres another update- I added quite a bit to this one.
Newest resume: http://lee.thebakerbunch.com/resume.pdf

jmroberts- When listing years experience, I listed experience as the number of years I have been using each particular skill. However, I havent been actively using each skill 40hrs a week for the amount of time I listed. Example- I've used php to develop a couple websites and stuff for other websites in my free time, but not professionally, only as a hobby for a year or so. Is it safe to list this as one year experience?
Click to expand...

I'll start with your resume:

Objective and Summary: I think I remember talking about weather you really needed an objective statement or not but if you truly need one, fine. If not, such as if your cover letter adaquately states that you are seeking a summer intern position, lose it like a bad disease. Your summary doesn't tell me anything of value. In essence, all you are telling me is that you are a "worker". Now I understand that most summer intern jobs are for the most part nothing more than general labor positions but a resume has to identify you as someone that does something specific. Call yourself a "networking technician" or "server adminstrator" or something but be specific. This will also help you better perform during an interview because the summary statement is more like a written version of the answer to the infamous question, "So...Tell me about yourself!"

Qualificiations: Off to a good start. Good to go straight into your skills but I'd suggest breaking your skill list into major categories. For instance, you have forklift operation in the same likst as Linux operation. Better to divide your skills into items like "Computer", "Programming", and "Mechanical", etc...

The rest of the resume looks fine in it's present format. I'd only mention that as your experience grows (as will your "Work History" list), I'd lose the job description text and concentrate more on a more detailed description of your skills and levels of experience. If an employer wants to know more about a particular job you've worked at, they can find out in an iterview!

Now regarding your years of experience in hobbies compared to full-time experience, I personally mind considering a part-time hobby you've done for a year being considered a year's experience. That's part of the beauty of a resume. You can present information in a fashion that is very flattering -but isn't a lie. Hell, I've been hired for jobs in the past that were primarily based on experience that was nothing more than a hobby. Some times, that can be the best experience you can get! It means that you CHOSE to do it -not because someone is paying you for it. I think that counts for even more!
 
Mogwai said:
My question may be a tad strange but I do not have a lot of resume making background so any help would be appreciated. I have a BS in Secondary Education and History, now you may be asking why in the heck are either of those things important to a tech resume thread and that is a valid question. Micron Technology (the RAM people) has a posting on their job site for a "Leadership and Employee Development Training Specialist" and they are asking for people with Education degrees. For once, my degree is going to be useful! I decided I didn't want to teach shortly after graduating and figured I would probably need to either get another degree or some tech certifications in order to do what I want.

My question to you guys is this, what in the world should I put on my resume? The address to the job posting is below, any help would be greatly appreciated.

http://www.micron.com/jobsearch/Job...C33CFC092B&co_display=Micron+Technology,+Inc.
Click to expand...

Well this isn't a strange question at all! In fact I think it's a great one. To begin with, I'm glad you're realizing what you truly want to do with your career now and not later. Too many people just keep on drudging through life not deciding to go after what they really love so congrats! Now regarding this job posting (and I hope it isn't too late to help with it), I like to customize my cover letter and resume to each and every job I apply for. I will re-arrange the order of my skills to show the ones most important to the positions first. I will change my "Summary" statement to identify me more correctly towards the position I'm applying for, and I will definitely make a cover letter that points out the matches in my skills and what they're looking for.

In your case, I don't think it's that far off to think that there are a LOT of areas in your background that are a match with this job posting. Simply revise your resume to highlight those skills and use your cover letter to help the employer make the connection immediately when reading it. I like to write my cover letter and update my resume with a copy of the job listing right next to me so I can be sure to include matching keywords and phrases so the employer's attention will be there.

Hope this helps...
 
[H]exx said:
Here is mine...not 100% complete...so any input would be great ^_^


------start of partial resume-------
Employment

Technology Support Assistant, 2002–present
Bates College, Lewiston, Maine

Help Desk Services
Resolve computer related issues via e-mail, phone, chat, and remote desktop
Support software on Mac and Window based machines owned by the college
Develop survey and student employment application web sites using PHP4
Create, print, and place advertisements to help promote Help Desk Services
Add more****
Add more****

Computer Sales and Service
Troubleshoot and resolve network, hardware and software issues
Detect and remove viruses, spyware and security vulnerabilities
Respond to client questions or problems reword****
Add more****
Add more****
Add more****


Education

Central Maine Community College, Auburn, Maine
Associates in Computer Science – Degree pending.

Oak Hill High School, Wales, Maine
Received degree in general studies – 2003.

Lewiston Regional Technical Center (vocational), Lewiston, Maine
Completed Cisco Certified Networking Associate (CCNA) course – 2003.

Computer Skills

*Software*
> Operating Systems: Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000/Adv. Server, XP, Mac 8.x - 10.x, FreeBSD 5.1
> Software: Microsoft Office 2000/XP/03, Remedy/Magic, Banner, WebCT, LANDesk, PHP Live!
> Internet Browsers: Internet Explorer, Netscape, Firefox, Safari, Opera, Lynx, Links, Konqueror
> E-mail Clients: Netscape Mail, Thunderbird, Mac Mail, Outlook/Express, Pine, Elm, web based
> Anti-Virus: Norton 2000-2005/Corporate, Sophos, McAfee, AVG, Panda, Trend Micro, Virex
> Adobe Applications: Acrobat/Reader, Illustrator, PageMaker 6.5, Photoshop 6.x/7.x
> Macromedia Applications: Dreamweaver 3.x/4.x/MX, Fireworks 4.x/MX, Flash 4.x/MX

*Hardware*
> Machines: Desktops, laptops, handheld devices, scanners, printers, copy machines
> Removable Devices: Thumb drives, internal and external floppy, CDRW, ZIP drives
> Peripheral Devices: Pointing devices, keyboards, microphones, speakers, USB hubs
------endof partial resume-------

[edit] It looks different in MS Word.....if anyone wants to see the .doc file, just PM ;)
Click to expand...

A good start! I like the fact that you have started to list your skills and have them sorted out into major categories. Now it's time to move that list to the top. Your employment history should come secondary to your skills. As a potential employer, I want to know your skills -not your life history. If I want details and such, I can read them later but knowing your skills and experience lever is key.

Next, you need a "Summary Statement". Look through some of my previous posts for ideas and direction on how to write one. I think that will make this resume really stand out. And, lastly, don't worry too much about formatting -and don't spend too much time on it. Most resumes these days are sent via email anyways so any of that nice formatting will get lost or screened out in the end. I'd worry more about how this information is arranged than how it looks on printed paper.
 
ok, here's my thoughts on Mournblade's resume:

-Firstly, what's with that quote below your name? Personally, I don't think it belongs on a resume -unless it's a resume for a creative writer or some artistic position (in which case it definitely wouldn't be on this forum).

-Your profile is good and to the point but there should be a time element added to it -like some general amount of professional experience or something like that.

-Your qualifications and training portion is formatted a little oddly. Instead of a chronoligical arrangement of your schooling, better to list the actual skills you have training in first. Then add information about the level of experience and training once you've successfully listed your skills.

-Work experience: I'm not sure listing a work sabbatical on a resume is a smart thing to do. I understand that it may sound impressive that you have taken it on yourself to learn new things and better refine your trade but to an employer it only makes me question if you'll do that while under my employment. Better to just list the skills you've aquired under your qualifications and training areas and call it good.

-Lastly, and I think I've mentioned this before, I don't think that your personal interests and hobbies are that relevant to your resume and, therefore, don't belong there. As an employer, I don't care what you do away from the keyboard!
 
My thoughts on twyztyr's resume:

AWESOME SUMMARY STATEMENT!!

I'd suggest a complete re-write again I'm afraid from that point on! Here's why: You have a lot of additional skills I can easily see from your work history that could be incorporated into another skill set. For example, you have a history of management and training skills, and customer service. I think that can translate into a few other areas of what I would consider a skill or two. So I'd actually drop the job descriptions and spend more time fleshing out your skill sets. Break them into several main categories and then add impacting descriptions about each skill. I think I've listed my own resume (although a bit out-dated) on this thread as an example of how to do it. Getting the book "Resumes that Knock'em Dead" is just packed full of more examples of how to do this too.

Lastly, I'd change your Education list to start with the degree first, then the school, then the dates -list what's important first! Here's an example of how I would change just your first entry in your Educaion list:

Bachelor of Science in Information Systems, Minor in Business
Indiana University Kokomo, Kokomo, IN (2001-2004)

I think you get the picture!
 
Crashsector said:
Thanks for the input. I'm just wondering how I can phrase a summary statement. I am a student looking for a part time or full time IT job to expand my knowledge while I get some certs through school. The examples on here seem to lean more towards listing the certifications a person has acheived.

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

Try to think of it as if you are answering the question, "Tell me about yourself." How would you answer that question in an interview? Beyond that, there are several awesome books out with great examples of summary statements that should help. I wouldn't say that a summary statement is just about certifications as much as "identifying" who you are in the work place. Are you a "technican"? "engineer"? "programmer"? "mechanic"? etc... Are you entry-level? 5 years experience? That sort of stuff is what should be there...
 
ok. that's all the catching-up I can do today! I'll try and get to more of your resumes' tommow. Please do me a favor though: If I haven't gotten to your resume yet and you see comments on other resumes that may apply to yours as well, please try and save me the time of repeating myself by implementing some of the ideas on your resume too!

--thx
 
pug said:
I took out my address and to really get the format I wanted I have to post it in a word document form.

Here is the web address.

http://www.darkenedtour.com/resume_noaddress.doc
Click to expand...

Pug, first of all, I strongly encourage you to read through this entire thread and get some tips for re-writing your resume into a more effective format. I would say that your resume currently has a "traditional" format to it but only for a couple of reasons: 1) You make use of "Objective" and "References Available upon Request" statements at the starting and end. 2) There is somewhat of a timelike of your employment and educational history.

Beyond that, the information seems to me to be scattered all over the place and I have a hard time trying to get a clear picture of what exactally your skills are and how much experience you have with them. I see that you have a LOT of skills and you have tried hard to portray that through a few methods -like detailing some of the corsework you experienced in your collage education, and listing very detailed descriptions of your various past jobs. I was in this same situation myself many years ago: a lot of skills and no way to effectively convey them in one page.

Well switching to a combination resume like some of the ones I've shown as examples here (including my own outdated one) on this thread. Start with a "Summary Statement" to replace your "Objective". We all know what your objective is so don't bother. Then go straight into a detailed list of your skills sorted out by a few main categories like "software", "customer service", "networking", etc. Under each category, detail out how your skills are and add a measueable leve of experience to each skill. Then list your education and employment only briefly. Check some of the other examples here for more ideas and, as always, check out "Resume's that Knock'Em Dead" for a ton of awesome resume examples.

BTW, you work for Aplus? I've been a customer of theirs here in California since 1997! They've been awesome to me this whole time. I hope the work on the other side has been just as pleasant!
 
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