IT Resume Thread

That's a great question and I think DigitalMP answered it pretty well. There are plenty of "affiliations" that I'd be sure NOT to put on a resume of mine but, then again, it all depends on what sort of job you're applying for. In the case of the resume you just quoted of mine, I was applying for a lot of aerospace positions and intended to show my familiarity and background in aircraft over many years. Currently, now that I work in a civil engineering field, much of what I have listed in the past may no longer be needed nor relevant.

Regarding Toastmasters International, I think it's an awesome club for just about anyone to attend to improve their communication skills -as well as some fantastic networking opportunities. Many people don't realize just how many high-powered members of their community like these sort of meetings. In just about any major metropolitian area there are normally a dozen or so meetings taking place during the week. Even in my little town (about an hour North of LA) there are at least 7 different TM clubs that meet each week depending on the time of day. There are some that meet in the mornings during the work week, some in the evenings, some on the weekends, etc... There are national and internationan competitions every year and it's an awesome way to become a better public speaker -or just learn to think on your feet. Look it up in the yellow pages or online. I'm sure it will make you a sharper person to an employer!
 
How does this one look? I've done a bit of changes, including taking out the Objective. Also, I'm restarting school this summer, after a brief stint in 95. Same school. Can I just put 2006- Present as the attended dates, so as to make it not look like I started and stopped and am going back? Not sure how that'd look.

Also, would it be better for me to list my hardware, software, etc. skill set at the top, and list the employers on the bottom?

Thanks for the critique! I appreciate it!

===============================================

Name

ADDRESS:
Address
Phone
Email


SUMMARY:
• CompTIA A+ PC Technician
• Microsoft MCP
70-270 - Implementing and Administering Windows XP
• Washington DOE Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator 1
• Washington DOH Water Distribution Manager OIT

EDUCATION:
Diploma
Riverside High School, Boardman, OR
Courses included:
Computer Science 1 & 2; Tech Survey; CAD; wood shop 1 & 2; Algebra.

EXPERIENCE:
Network Administrator / PC Technician, June 2005 – Present
Astrocom Networks, Boardman, OR
• Implement, operate and maintain a 20 user community wireless internet service using 802.11b/g equipment, Linux and Windows 2003 Server.
• Build, upgrade, repair customer PC’s on location or in shop;
• Build and maintain SOHO wireless and wired networks.

Utility Operator, May 2004 – June 2005
City of North Bonneville, North Bonneville, WA
• Operate a 125,000 GPD activated sludge wastewater treatment plant; laboratory testing including BOD, TSS, Fecal Coliform, Chlorine; maintenance and cleanup on equipment, lift stations, distribution system, pumps, electric motors; Responsible for daily, monthly, annual reports and quality control testing.
• Operate and maintain a well fed water distribution system with 350+ services; install water meters, read meters; monitor and maintain CL2 doseage.
• Maintain community CATV system fed by satellite; Install and troubleshoot CATV services.
• Operate backhoe, various maintenance duties, minor electrical maintenance, grounds keeping.
• Operate and maintain computer systems, backup’s, design custom Excel spreadsheets and Access databases.

PC Technician, September 2002 – August 2003
Adaptive Computers, Hood River, OR
• Build, repair, upgrade custom computer systems.
• Install SOHO networks using wired and wireless technologies.

Systems Administrator, September 2000 – September 2002
Sawtooth Technologies, Stevenson, WA
• Troubleshoot customer internet connections over the phone; Services included dialup, DSL, frame relay, T1, and 802.11b.
• Configure and maintain web, mail, news, RAS, DNS servers using Unix and Windows NT/2000.
• Maintain company website, build custom intranet website.

Warehouseman, December 1997 – September 1998
Walmart Distribution System, Hermiston, OR
• Order filling of merchandise weighing up to 75 pounds; quality control for mislabeled freight; prevent jamming of conveyor belt system;

Receptionist / Night Irrigator, February 1995 – December 1997
Rivercrest Farms, Boardman, OR
• Answer phones, make copies, fax, filing, data entry, accounts payable/receivable, payroll; maintain office computer systems using Novell Netware 4, DOS, Windows 3.11.
• Operate and maintain a 27 field irrigation system during night shift; operate valves, water pumps, fertilizer pumps.

ACTIVITIES:
• Volunteer Firefighter, Boardman Fire Department; 2005-Present
• Volunteer Firefighter, North Bonneville Fire Department; 2003-2005
 
What would you guys recommend for someone with no prior experience in a professional setting? Is there a certain way to lay out your resume without focusing on past employment?
 
Highlight your skills. Place them first on the resume after your summary statement if you wish to use one. If they are going to read only half of the resume, hook them with a good short summary statement and then what skills you offer which may encourage them to read the rest.

If you put experience first they may just see that you walked dogs at bobs pet shop ( no offense hopefully, just a stupid example ) instead of the CCIE at the end of the resume
 
How do you guys recommend listing work on an open source project (somewhat extensive work too) .... I would hardly consider it a full time job because i was never paid for it and it certainly wasn't 40 hours a week type work... but it has been a pretty big accomplishment so i was wondering how/where some of you guys may have listed similar things on your resumes...

Thanks!
 
KarmaPoliceSTL said:
How do you guys recommend listing work on an open source project (somewhat extensive work too) .... I would hardly consider it a full time job because i was never paid for it and it certainly wasn't 40 hours a week type work... but it has been a pretty big accomplishment so i was wondering how/where some of you guys may have listed similar things on your resumes...

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Paid or unpaid shouldnt be relevant. IMO working extensively on an open source project is impressive. If it was one of the more well known projects it should look great on a resume. Its probably one of the best ways to get experience if you have enough skills to contribute. If that is your best experience to date, assuming you are in school or changing careers, I would definately attempt to make this stand out on the resume.
 
thanks for the input... it's a project (Zabbix) i've been working with for quite some time now... i don't know if it ranks along the lines of Apache or some of the other open software... but it's not a bad application... at any rate, i am just out of college, but have a lot of full time experience too... so i wasn't sure to list it next to positions i've actually held (at 2 seperate Fortune 500 companies) as that may look kind of trivial... or to basically count it as a "job"...

also don't want to appear unavailable by saying i've worked on that from 2005 to present...

Just a thought

Cheers
Chris
 
This is a great question and one of the many reasons why a chronological resume just doesnt' help most people out. You have legit experience but because it doesn't fall under the classification of "employment history" it wouldn't normally have an appropriate place. But by simply listing your skills and your level of experience or proficiency, you're covered!
 
Hey guys,

What are your thoughts on my resume? I am going to graduate this summer, I have a year of experience doing quality assurance (Although it isn't exactly what I want to do with my life) and have hobbyist experience with pc hardware. I'll be applying for several different jobs. What are your thoughts? I know I need to add a summary statement, but I'm not sure what to remove in order to keep this on one page.



Thanks!
 
CoPilotJim said:
Hey guys,

What are your thoughts on my resume? I am going to graduate this summer, I have a year of experience doing quality assurance (Although it isn't exactly what I want to do with my life) and have hobbyist experience with pc hardware. I'll be applying for several different jobs. What are your thoughts? I know I need to add a summary statement, but I'm not sure what to remove in order to keep this on one page.



Thanks!
Click to expand...

Group the honors stuff that is school related with your education. Also cut down half of those bullets under the campus crusade deal. Pick the most important things of them. That should free up another 4-5 lines to use for the summary.
 
advice/tips on improving mine? i've read through pretty much the whole thread and have already made a ton of changes. i now realize how horrible my original one was after looking through here. i'll be graduating soon and have been trying to get a position set up for the past 6 months with no luck. anyway, here she is:




SUMMARY
An educated and well-rounded networking specialist with 5 years of training and experience in maintenance, management, security, and design. Strong practical, administration, troubleshooting, and communication skills. Currently holding Secret clearance through the Department of Defense.


KEY QUALIFICATIONS
Technical: Experienced and ceritified in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Access, Publisher, Visio, Project, and Outlook). Experience with Java, C++, HTML, and Javascript. Studied and practiced use of all computer hardware (building, troubleshooting, maintaining, and repairing), networking equipment (routers, hubs, switches, firewalls) and all OSI layer protocols (i.e., Ethernet, TCP/IP, SSH, 802.11). Knowledge of and experience with Windows (2000, XP, and Server 2003), Linux Operating Systems (Fedora, SUSE, Ubuntu), and Mac OS X.

Communications: 5 years of customer service experience through personal customer interaction and training new employees. Able to clearly express ideas and communicate them to employees, managers, and customers. Able to handle high-pressure situations with effectiveness and professionalism. Developed leadership and management skills by through various educational and work-related projects. Experience in help desk environment with regard to problem resolution and maintenance.


EDUCATION
Candidate for B.S. in Computer and Information Sciences
Networking and Data Communications Concentration
Shepherd University, Shepherdstown, WV
Expected Graduation Date: Spring 2007
 GPA 3.53 (prior to Fall 2006)
 Honor Roll or Dean’s List distinction every semester
 Notable Courses: Systems Analysis and Design, Advanced Computer Language Concepts, Data and File Structures, Database Management Systems, Data Communications and LAN’s, Inter/Intranetworking, Server Operating Systems, Network Security, Cooperative Work Experience in Programming


EXPERIENCE
Office Automation Clerk, GS-0326-04
Civilian Personnel Advisory Center (CPAC), Fort Detrick, Maryland
February 2002 - Present
 Perform general clerical work: typing of official memorandums, letters, Union notifications, forms, spreadsheets, charts, and graphs
 Responsible for assisting customers with their job searches and employment questions
 Establish monthly CPAC Newsletter – document past, current and future CPAC features, events and news
 Perform technical support for employees in CPAC and their office equipment
 Complete numerous projects for the CPAC Human Resources Officer and subordinates, other Detrick organizations, and various HR departments in the Northeast region

Project Lead/Database Administrator
Summit Point Automotive Research Center (SPARC), Summit Point, WV
February 2006 – May 2006
 Create Microsoft Access database for use with Youth Accident Avoidance Study (administrate all tables, forms, reports, and queries)
 Under direct supervision of *name*, Vice President of Business Development

Freelance Computer Consultant
Martinsburg, WV
September 2001 – Present
 Create, design, maintain websites
 Setup, troubleshoot, repair personal computers
 Tutor in all forms of software packages (i.e., programming languages, office/productivity suites, editing/publication, general use)
 SOHO network design and administration





I think I need more in the skills/qualification section, or maybe it's not specific enough. i wasn't sure which categories to break it down into, so maybe you all can help. thanks in advance.
 
I know that it has been requested to just post text, but I want help with formatting and whatnot as well... if possible. My pdf is only 92kb, so it's 56k friendly if those things even exist anymore :-P. I've read through the entire thread and have tried to stay as true to the teachings of the religion as possible...

http://nonameo.joshanddanielswebsite.com/resume3.pdf
 
t4t3r said:
advice/tips on improving mine?
Click to expand...
You have a very good summary statement. Below are some other comments I made, listed per section.
EDUCATION
Candidate for B.S. …..
Expected Graduation: Spring 2007 (don’t add extra words, you don’t have room. Employers know that spring 2007 is a date! )
GPA 3.53 (prior to Fall 2006) Prior to fall- 2006? No shit?! :p Just put GPA. You have expected graduation a few lines up. Don’t repeat if you can help it.
Honor Roll or Dean’s List distinction blah, blah... Just put, Deans list: all semesters.
Notable Courses: This is filler. I know most colleges say to add it, but employers could care less. You have a degree in CIS I’m sure you took some notable courses along the way!:p
==============
KEY QUALIFICATIONS You may want to change heading to Technical Skills. It’s up to you.
Experienced and ceritified in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel,
You spelled certified wrong. Some employers will get you for that. Also too wordy, just say: experienced in Microsoft Office Suite and Viso. Who cares if you are “certified” in Word - of all things?
Keep this: Experience with Java, C++, HTML, and Javascript.

Studied and practiced use of all computer hardware… Ummm…do I want this guy to “study & practice” on my mission-critical network? :eek: I know what you mean, but It makes you sound green. You should rephrase that portion. Say something like: Built and maintained PCs, switches, and other networking equipment.
Working knowledge in Ethernet, TCP/IP, SSH, 802.11b/g/a.: keep
Working knowledge in Linux Operating Systems (Fedora, SUSE, Ubuntu), and Mac OS- X. Of course if they grill you on TCP/IP, you will know the answer right?
Knowledge of Windows (2000, XP, and Server 2003) You say this but have no Certs (msce etc) to back it up. This may cause a few employers to bypass your resume. Not fair, I know.
Communications: First part is a repeat of Summary statement. This 2nd part is good and should be condensed and added to summary: Able to clearly express ideas and communicate them to employees, managers, and customers. Able to handle high-pressure situations with effectiveness and professionalism. Developed leadership and management skills by through various educational and work-related projects.
That’s it for now! :)
 
nonameo said:
I know that it has been requested to just post text, but I want help with formatting and whatnot as well... if possible. My pdf is only 92kb, so it's 56k friendly if those things even exist anymore :-P. I've read through the entire thread and have tried to stay as true to the teachings of the religion as possible...
http://nonameo.joshanddanielswebsite.com/resume3.pdf
Click to expand...
Your formatting looks really good. I guess you know to add name/address/phone on the top. I have added a few comments on the content of your resume.
===
Your summary is very nice but I would remove the “on the side” because it sounds silly. Try something like this: (A CompTia A+ certified technician skilled in doing PC repair and other related services, since 2000. Also, highly proficient performing basic administrative tasks.)


Skills(including, but not limited to) --- No need to put: (including , but not limited to). After you get the interview, you can tell them what a clever rocket scientist you are with loads of skills. :p The resume just gets their juices flowing and makes them want to call you. Also, you rarely have room for extra words on a resume.
Pc technician is not a skill, it’s an occupation. Pc technician should be replaced by Computer. By the way, next to PC technician, remove DOS. It’s good you know it, but employers will think you’re an old geezer unable to learn new things. Dos is old tech!


(Programming - Exposure to Java and C++ programming. ) --- I guess this means you don’t know shit about Java or C++ right? If I asked you to create a simple program to trap some features from a customer’s call-detail record using C++, what would you do? I thought so. It is best to leave these languages off unless you know them well. The reason? It’s because you may wind up doing some boring & tedious work if you say you know them. Believe I know - hehe.


(Provide technical support…) -- Always use third person & past tense on a resume. I would write: ProvidED technical support, blah,blah. Change the rest of your resume that way too.


(General Knowledge – Microsoft office suite (Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook,Word) ) --You should add this line right under the Computer section ( formerly called PC technician). Remove general knowledge. Knowing Microsoft office is another computer skill.

(Black, Custer & Lynch / Custer, Custer & Clark (Feb. 2002 – Aug. 2003) – No Official Job Title--- No official title? WTF? You just walked in off the street and started working and they just started paying you? Put something there! Use you unofficial title if you have to. For example: GOFER, Techy Person, whatever. :)

(Self Employed(part time, “on the side”) (2000-present)) --- Uh Oh! There’s that “ on the side” crap again. You had your own business, that’s really is great. So just put: Self employed -ProvidED in-home technical support and PC, blah, blah…

(Georgia Southern University – (2003-2005 ) in pursuit of Computer Engineering degree through the…) You’re getting a BSc in Comp/ENG and you put it on the bottom? Are you crazy? :eek:
Put your education up top. A functional resume is for someone with years of experience, which everyone knows you DON’T have. It’s nothing to be fearful of. You should be proud to put your degree, in an extremely difficult subject like computer engineering, up top.

However, if you are not doing so well, the employers are going to find out soon anyway. If your GPA is very low, no need to lie, just be a little creative. Put something like: 3.5 GPA (major courses). If they have a question about it, they will ask you and you can explain it.
==========
Other than those few items listed above, your resume is very neat, professional, and very organized. Good job! Good luck!
===
I forgot to add that "CompTIAA+ Certified (Aug. 2000)," shouldn’t be put under education; put it with your technical skills. For example:
Technical skills
Computer: blah,blah…….M$ Office, TCP/IP
Certifications: CompTIA A+
 
Warbird:

thanks for your help... No, I'm not pursuing that degree anymore, and I'm not looking for a high level job either. College was a very depressing experience for me, and I don't really know what to do about it right now... the only thing I can think of is to try to find an entry level job doing something computer related since I do have at least a little background in that area. I did OK(in some cases really well) the first 3 semesters that I was in college, but the last one really tanked it for me. Well, there you go... I'd rather that stay at the bottom, and I was considering leaving it off... but I've had a few people tell me I should leave it on... and therefore I have.

As far as the "no official job title" job... You're pretty much right. I talked to a friend, he said "hey, I need someone to take over... do you want to do it?" I said heck yes, and a week after some hasty training, I was on the job. It's hard to say what my "job title" should have been, because the MAIN reason why I was there was to handle any computer related stuff, but because it was a small office and those kinds of things didn't pop up too much, I ended up doing a lot of filing and delivering of documents and whatnot. I had a friend suggest that I just leave it off, so I have(I have changed a lot of other things as well)

heh... as far as the "business"... I'd hate to mislead someone and have them think I was running a fulltime business doing consulting work... I didn't have a business license, I wasn't bonded or anything... I pretty much made some flyers and stuck them in people's paper boxes all around town. I don't advertise anymore, as I'm trying to transition to a full time job, but I still get people that want me to fix this or that, so I have it extending to "present". I'll find another way to word it though.

Removing the references to programming as well.

EDIT: updated.
 
Ok, here's mine. I'm in the middle of reading the entire thread and I of course plan to finish. However, since I have job leads I hoped to respond to today but held off, I'd like to get a critique of my CURRENT resume as is, before I start making significant modifications.

Thanks in advance. And JMRoberts, you the man!

SUMMARY
Software engineer with 7 years experience in full lifecycle software development and system architecture design. Excellent communicator with 2 years frequent customer interfacing. Insightful problem-solver. Personable, energetic and dedicated.

QUALIFICATIONS
• Experience communicating technical material to audiences of varying technical backgrounds. Frequent customer interaction, emphasizing product sell points providing technical support.
• Full software development lifecycle experience. Highly organized design of large-scale, multiple-component systems. Expertise in object-oriented design and analysis.
• Expertise in real-time embedded systems, multithreaded networked applications, and distributed database applications.
• Strong understanding of theory and application of advanced mathematical models, efficient algorithm design, and engineering process.
• Applied knowledge in communications theory, digital signal processing, and electronics
• Comfortable working in large integrated teams as well as in small groups and autonomously. Accustomed to meeting challenging deadlines.
• Currently holding Secret security clearance through DOD.

TECHNICAL SKILLS
• Languages/Development Tools: C++/C, C#, Java, TCP, XML, SQL, DDS, UML, Rational Tools (Rose, Clearcase, Clearquest), Access, Excel, Code Warrior, MATLAB, Electronic Workbench
• Platforms: Unix, Linux, Windows/.Net Framework, PowerPc, Sun/Solaris, VxWorks, GNU, RTOS, Integrity, Mac OSX

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Northrop Grumman Corporation, Software and Systems Engineer, 2002 - present
• Appointed to lead presentations and demonstrations of a leading edge defense software product to prospective customers, business partners, corporate leaders, and high-ranking military personnel. Received commendations for highly effective communication skills and positive customer impact.
• Design, implementation, and integration of embedded, real-time, and multi-threaded TCP client/server applications in C/C++. Developed GUI displays in C#. Extensive debug and integration.
• Design and development of network applications and a distributed database focused on aligning future military system architectures with today’s open source standards including XML, web services, UDDI, SOAP, publish/subscribe, and SQL.
• Developed software architecture and requirements for the ----------- program, a $500 million dollar contract. Worked directly with clients defining functional requirements. Used Rational Rose to capture OO architecture, data models, and functional interfaces and interactions. Authored and contributed to various software requirement and interface documents.
• Headed reverse engineering efforts focused on re-architecting a legacy software system to use OO methodologies. Conducted prototype development, which was pivotal in winning a multimillion-dollar software contract and over $1 million in continued research and development funding.
• Mentored and supervised the software development tasks for programmers.

Northrop Grumman Corporation, Systems Engineer 1999 - 2002
• Performed extensive software design and development in C/C++, debugging, and integration. Component and system level regression testing, analysis and troubleshooting in a large-team environment.
• Conducted software algorithm prototyping and design feasibility research. Developed and tested proprietary design concepts in MATLAB and C++. Focused on optimizing the processor efficiency of recursive data processing algorithms.
• Assisted in the management of bandwidth constraints and data throughput requirements for a distributed data processing system consisting of over 1000 software tasks running on more than 200 computers.
• Engaged in extensive customer interfacing during system requirements definition efforts, critical design reviews, and onsite product testing.

EDUCATION
Loyola College, Baltimore, MD 1994 - 1999
B.S. Electrical Engineering, Cum Laude
Concentrations in Communication Electronics, Digital Signal Processing
Awards: Engineering Medal for graduating first in class, Presidential scholarship

Professional Training: LINUX Operating System (Redhat), Object Oriented Design using Rational Rose (Rational Software), C++ Programming (Learning Tree), C# .Net (Learning Tree), Object-Oriented Design Using UML (Learning Tree), Integrity OS (Green Hills Software), Software Architecture and Framework (Department of Defense)
 
this information was posted on the [H] homepage. I read though it and it has some good adviselink

KM
 
Killermac said:
this information was posted on the [H] homepage. I read though it and it has some good adviselink

KM
Click to expand...

I'll hopefully have some time this weekend to look over the last few resumes that got posted here but in the mean time, here's my thoughts on this resume tips website...

There's a few good points to be found there:

1. ATS: The most important letters you need to know and...
2. Skills section keywords
Understanding how this works is crucial these days. That means reading the job description in each listing and occasionally tweaking your resume to contain the key words spelled out in the ad. This ensures your resume will actually get read once its submitted.

3. Don't use a template
Well, don't use a "traditional" template at least.

4. A good objectives section counts
Counts for what? What will you be telling the employer that they don't already know?! "I want a job at your company so here's my resume." Better to replace it with a summary statement to really grab their attention.

5. Lose the one-page-only rule
I disagree. I've never worked with someone's resume that truly needed more than 1 page. Now I've reduced the font to 10 points and widened the margins a bit to make it all fit but that's it. A well-worded skills section can easily cover decades of experience. Anything more than that should be covered in an interview and not a resume (IMO).

6. Avoid the personal
This topic has been covered on this thread but I totally agree -unless your personal stuff is work related (like professional associations and the like)

7. Cover letters are not critical
Well, sort of. They certainly aren't as critical as they used to be. Today, as most people submit their resumes online via email and web forms, there is little need for a lot of work spent on a cover letter. Still, just sending in a resume via email without saying anything in the body of the message and just attaching a Word document would be a little silly too. Simply state what job your applying for and do a brief connection between the job ad and your experience so they can quickly see how you may be a match for the job.

8. Don't spend 100 hours on it
Very well said. As someone who writes resumes for other people as a paid service (unless you're lucky enough to be on the [H]ardforum), that's about how I work. I first get the client to put down on paper every single skill and positive attribute they can think of -no formatting or anything. I usually have them do this before they come and see me. Considering I charge $50/hr for the work, saving them time is always appreciated! The rest of the work comes from sorting the skills into categories and wording effective paragraph descriptions for each skillset. In many cases, skills that would have never been included have a place on their resume -namely, skills that were never used in an employment situation.

9. Go old school
I suppopse there may be some merit to FAXing a resume but it does make it harder to get the informaion into their databse if they don't have a digital version.

10. Use common sense
Some very well-said stuff here! May be a bit simplistic but I can attest to seeing some of these very things happen while searching for employees in the past.
 
I rewrote my resume using the the advice in this thread (many thanks to all). A few posts up is the original (my old resume).

The SKILLS and SUMMARY sections fit onto one page neatly, with the top 1/3 of a second page being used for the PROFESSIONAL HISTORY, EDUCATION, etc. I used 11 point Times New Roman and expanded the borders a little bit (not too noticeable). Anyway, if anybody think s I should try to get this down to one page, I'd be very appreciated for some examples of which things I can slim down.

But 1 page or 2 not withstanding, any comments are welcome. In the meantime, I'm use this as is for job leads (sending out 3 today).

Thanks!
------------

SUMMARY
Software engineer with 7 years experience in full lifecycle software development and system architecture design. Excellent communicator with technical sales and frequent customer interfacing experience. Creative problem-solver. Personable, energetic and team oriented.

SKILLS
Communications:
• 1.5 years experience in technical sales. Earned position as lead presenter and demonstrator of a cutting-edge military software product to prospective customers, business partners, corporate leaders, and high-ranking military personnel. Received commendations for technical effectiveness and interpersonal skills.
• 5 years experience in building customer relationships, customer collaboration during product development, design reviews, and on-site product installation and testing.

Programming:
• 7 years experience design and programming embedded C/C++. Extensive debug and integration of complex, multithreaded and real-time applications.
• 4 years developing TCP-based networked applications. Proficient in socket level programming.
• 2 years Visual Basic and VBA (Excel). 6 months SQL implementing PostgreSQL database schema and data manipulation / retrieval algorithms for real time applications.
• Fluent Operating Systems: Unix (4 years), Linux (2 years), Windows/.Net Framework (4 years), PowerPc (5 years), Sun/Solaris (4 years), VxWorks (5 years), GNU (4 years), RTOS: Integrity (2 years), Mac OSX.
• Additional experience includes developing C# GUI applications, JAVA, XML, MATLAB, UML, Rational Tools (Rose, ClearCase, ClearQuest), Excel, Access.

Software Process:
• 5 years hands-on experience in full software development lifecycle using Rational Unified Process. Worked directly with clients defining functional requirements and use-cases.
• Authored multiple technical documents and requirement specifications. Used UML (Rational Rose) to model architectures, data abstractions, interfaces, and process interactions.

System Architecture:
• 4 years experience in designing system architectures for large scale (over 50,000 SLOC), real-time embedded software systems. Expertise in object-oriented design and analysis, including ground-up development of new systems and re-architecting legacy systems to use OO methodologies.
• 3 years experience managing bandwidth and processing constraints for a distributed (200 computer) data processing system.
• 1 year designing a web services based architecture for networking military systems. Incorporated open standards (DDS, WSDL, SOAP, SQL, XML, XERCES/XALAN, HTTP).

Signal Processing:
• 3 years experience designing and coding advanced real time digital signal processing (DSP) algorithms for audio applications in C/C++ and validating with digital spectrum analyzers.
• 2 years experience implementing high efficiency algorithm designs for math modeling/data processing applications. Developed software performance tuning techniques.

PROFESSIONAL HISTORY
Software/Systems Engineer - Northrop Grumman, Integrated Systems - Bethpage, NY - 2002 to present
Systems Engineer - Northrop Grumman, Electronic Systems - Melville, NY - 1999 to 2002

EDUCATION
Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Cum Laude -
Concentration in Digital Signal Processing (DSP) and Communication Electronics
Loyola College - Baltimore, MD - 1999
Awards: Engineering Medal for graduating first in class, Presidential scholarship

PROFESSIONAL TRAINING
LINUX Operating System (Redhat), Object Oriented Design using Rational Rose (Rational Software), C++ Programming (Learning Tree), C# .Net (Learning Tree), Object-Oriented Design Using UML (Learning Tree), Integrity OS (Green Hills Software), Software Architecture and Framework (Department of Defense)

* Currently holding Secret security clearance through DOD
 
Anyone would want to help me with my resume? Its been through my school's career services a few times, plus read and corrected by numerous teachers.
Email: [email protected]

OBJECTIVE
Computer-savvy person with experience in basic computer operation, networking, with the ability to build and repair computers


SKILLS
Type 50 words per minute
Hardware - Computer building and maintance and repair; troubleshooting; and basic product knowledge
Software - Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint); Adobe Photoshop and Imageready graphics; Microsoft Windows Operating Systems including 2000, XP and 2003 with limited knowledge in Linux and Mac OS


EDUCATION
Heald College
Associate Degree in Applied Science with an emphasis in Network Systems Administration
Graduated in July 2006
Classes includes: A+ Hardware and Software; Microsoft Office Suite; Advanced Networking; Security; Routing; Linux; Advanced Database; Java and vb.net programming


WORK EXPERIENCE
Help Desk Technician
NetWorks, Incorporated/Hawaiian Telcom
April 2006
Contracted by NetWorks Inc to work for Hawaiian Telcom
Provided friendly Customer Support related to DSL and dial up internet, and email in a timely and professional manner.


VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE
Law Enforcement Explorer
Honolulu Police Department
1999 to 2005
Volunteer my own time to help the community through various activities, including Keiki ID, Parades, Security and Traffic Control

Library Volunteer
Public Library
1997 to 1999
Organized and arranged books in the proper order; Cleaned and restored books properly and presentably

Altar Server
St Joseph Church
1996 to 2003
Assisted the priest in Weekend masses
 
There's a train of thought in this thread that I want to address real quick: the myth of the 1-page resume.

I can understand the need to be neat and concise with a resume. However, don't be afraid to expand your resume to two or more pages if it needs it. Don't cut out relevant work experience just to keep a resume down to one page. The belief that HR people only look at the first page of a resume is, for the most part, a myth. HR people that only look at one page of a resume, especially if it is a technical resume, probably shouldn't be in HR.

From http://www.blueskyresumes.com/weblog/archives/2005/12/onepage_resume.html:

One-Page Resume Myth

I recently signed up a resume client who then wrote to say that he wanted me to make his resume fit on one page. He has 15 years of experience. The only way to make his resume fit on one page is to omit important information and cram everything else onto the page leaving no room for white space, and making the resume hard to read.

Why would I do this?

This myth that resumes should be no more than one page long was probably started by some enterprising career marketing firm looking to differentiate themselves, or an author needing a new point of view for a book. It's absolute nonsense.

You resume should only be one page long if that's all the space you need to sell yourself properly. Two page- and even three page-resumes are perfectly appropriate for most experienced professionals and executives.

Sp please, let the content dictate the space, not the other way around.​

And from http://www.witorsch.com/:

No more one-page resumes

* The idea of the one-page resume is history.

* You should only have a one-page resume if you are right out of school, or you have a short work history. In fact, if you do not have a degree and you have limited work history, it might be best to limit your resume to one page.

* What has replaced the one-page resume is the skill's list. The more skills/qualifications you possess, the longer it should be, as long as it is not more than one page.

* You might not get to your work history until the second page.

* They used to say that employers look at resumes as if they were passing a billboard on the interstate. This is no longer true, especially since the market for talent is extremely competitive. Therefore, a list of highlights, skills, accomplishments and/or qualifications will give an employer an indication of your skills before he/she goes through the entire resume.

* This is like a table of contents for the resume; it encourages the reader to read on.

* If your resume exceeds three pages, it is imperative that you have a qualification highlights section. Again, because employers must go through so many resumes, it is very easy to skip over unreadable ones.

* Your first page might contain the following

o Contact information
o Brief objective/career goals
o Two-line summary
o List of qualifications/skills

* Also, you should have a separate section for your technical skills. This section should be detailed if you are technical. You might break down this section into programming languages, operating systems, databases, networking, Internet, software applications, hardware, etc.

* If you are not technical and your objective is more management oriented, then there is no need to detail as such. If you are technical, then you it is to your benefit to break down your technical skills.

* Network Professionals tend to sectionalize by networking experience, hardware, software, operating systems and Internet.

* Programmers should sectionalize by programming languages, operating systems or platforms, and databases.

* Systems administrators should sectionalize by operating systems, databases, software and programming languages if applicable.

* Database administrators should focus on databases, database development languages, programming languages, operating systems, and software.​

By the way, for as long as I can remember, my resume has been two pages long. Out of ~7 jobs I have applied for in the last 5 years, I have been called for an interview at 5 of those places, and 4 of them have offered me positions. One of those positions I have been working at for 4.5 years now, and I applied for those other positions while working at my current job. I didn't take those other jobs because they either didn't stack up to what I wanted in a salary and benefits, or my current place of employment matched the offer I was given and I stayed. However, I just recently put in my two-weeks notice, as I will be taking a position that was recently offered to me at a technical consulting firm.

And by the way, I have been asked to help sort resumes for my replacement. And I know for darn sure that if someone is not specific enough with the experience they put on their resume, it's going in the shredder.

I do hope this is useful information.
 
I would like to thank everyone at the [H] for helping me get a great entry level job! Thanks guys!
 
I'm currently looking for an IT Support/Help Desk position now. I been doing sales for a year and it's not working out, so I'm looking to transition into IT. I love computer stuff, and I'm good at what I do. I dont know why I didnt think about it a year ago...I'll post up my resume tomorrow. For the time being, I like to ask something. Since I dont have any recent work experience in IT, I'm thinking about getting certifications. A+ or MCDST? Which do you think is more valuable to employers or are they the weighted the same? I been a lurker for a few years now, but I finally decided to sign up. I appreciate any help and opinions.

Edit: After reading and borrowing some ideas from this thread, here's what I came up with. Please fire away with suggestions and comments. Thanks.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OBJECTIVE

Account Manager with one year sales experience looking for a career change to get a full-time IT Support position.

EDUCATION

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo – San Luis Obispo, CA (2000-2005)
Major: B.S. Industrial Technology
Minor: B.S. Packaging

SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS
An educated and well-rounded computer enthusiast with experience in assembling, configuring, and troubleshooting Microsoft Windows computers. Currently studying to get CompTIA A+ certification; CompTIA Network+ certification is the next goal. Coach-able, loyal, ambitious, and team-oriented person.

TECHNICAL SKILLS

Troubleshooting
• Fixed driver issues, network connections, bad memory, and bad hard drives.

Networking
• Installed and configured wire and wireless network cards and routers
• Set-up file/printer sharing
• Configured and troubleshoot cable/DSL connections.

Microsoft Office Suite
• Excel (basic)
• Word (basic)
• FrontPage (basic)
• PowerPoint (intermediate)

Microsoft Windows XP
• Assembled and configured PCs
• Installed and upgraded software

SKILLS

• Bilingual – Vietnamese/English
• Presentation – one on one or a classroom size.
• Sales
 
Is everyone playing game?? It's been over a month that I been looking for an IT job and not getting any call-back. I know it's my resume. Someone please help me. Thanks.
 
DragoonTD said:
Is everyone playing game?? It's been over a month that I been looking for an IT job and not getting any call-back. I know it's my resume. Someone please help me. Thanks.
Click to expand...

Id scrap the objective statement and stick with the summary. Fix it up to focus on the skills that would be useful in the IT job you are trying to get.
 
I'm currently looking for something in the IT support area. I know I need to get more experience racked up but I suspect a good part of my general lack of success is probably my resume. What would you do differently? I have quite a few skills I developed on my own (and by doing a lot of freelance repair work during college to the point of almost turning it into a business) but I don't know if I feel comfortable just throwing them on there without some experience to back them up. Is there a specific accepted way to put it on there without looking like I'm just throwing vaporware skills on?

On a sidenote I have the opportunity to get a Dell Certified Systems Admin certification for free as I result of some consulting work I did. Is it worthwhile? Do IT managers even count that sort of thing as remotely useful? I know that once completed I will be able to direct order dell parts for warranty replacement without having to call and wrangle with tech support or send in a whole machine which is maybe useful to IT shops running dell hardware. I've been completing the sections in my spare time but could devote more time to completing it more rapidly if it proved useful.

Thanks for any advice you have ahead of time.

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

Summary of Qualifications

-CompTIAA A+ certified
-Diverse experience in computer hardware and software
-Excellent verbal and written communication skills
-Proven skills in customer service
-Excellent ability to learn quickly and self educate
-Able to work as a team and collaborate on projects


Technical Skills

Software – Setup, support, installation, and troubleshooting of the following products:
-Microsoft Office 97, XP, 2003 (Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook, Word).
-Windows Platform (95, 98, NT, 2000, XP, and 2003 Server)
-Command Line Based OS (Linux, BSD, and DOS)
-Apple (System 7 and 9, OSX 10 through 10.4)
-Server applications (Apache, IIS, MySQL, and PHP)
-Deployment (Norton Ghost and Acronis Trueimage)
-Security/AV (Norton, Mcafee, AVG, Snort, and ClamAV)

Hardware – Extensive hardware repair/build/upgrade experience with all platforms and form factors used within the past 13 years:
-ATX, BATX, and AT form factors
-Server platforms including multi-processor systems
-Setup of SCSI storage systems and fibre channel
-Implementation of multi-drive arrays using IDE/SATA & SCSI
-Implementation of tape backup and offline backup systems.

Networks –
-Able to deploy and wire ethernet CAT5/6 networks.
-Experience with wireless network setup including antenna setup.
-Setup and implementation of switched 10/100/1000Mbit networks.

Internet –
-Setup of PHPBB and Wiki for online collaborative user applications.
-Sendmail, IMAP, and Exchange mail server deployment.
-Use and setup of Spamassasin mail filter with Sendmail
-Apache webserver with PHP and MySQL integration.
-Web site design and layout with some graphics design ability.

Related Job History
Support/Repair Technician,XXX Computer Repair
March 2006 – Present
Nowheresville
-Use of ticket/job management system
-Managing workload to maintain 2-3 day turn around on repairs
-Installation and setup of Windows 98, 2000, XP, and 2003 Server
-Build and deployment of custom sysprep install images on XP machines
-End user support of desktop application issues
-Diagnostic and repair of desktop and laptop computers
-Cleaning and removal of virus and malware infection at registry level
-Data recovery and data extraction from failing drives
-Board level repair and replacement of faulty components
-Custom build and upgrade AMD & Intel desktop computers



Webadmin and Managing Partner, Small Private Business w/4 Partners
June 2005 - Present
Nowheresville
-Setup of online user forums in Apache using Turbo Linux and BSD
-Setup and use of MySQL database for forums and site backend
-Setup of domains and domain routing for hosting
-Upkeep of current website and redesign



Web editor
Dec 2000 to May 2002
XXX College Newspaper
-Bi-monthly updates of content for publication
-Responsible for design, layout, and organization of hardcopy for web publication
-Use of both Dreamweaver and Frontpage for web design
-Use of Photoshop 7.0 suite for graphics design



Helpdesk Internship
Jan 1999 to May 2000
Very Large Bandwidth Provider - Saint Paul, MN
-Assistance of users via phone and in person with technical problems
-Software and hardware troubleshooting on x86 PC platform with Windows 2000
-User support with Microsoft Office 97
-Training in network operations support
-Trained in use of ticketing support system




Recent Contract and Consulting Work

XXX Insurance
Nowheresville
-Setup and troubleshooting of Pathways Adjuster Software Package
-Systems upgrades and setup for remote desktop system for branch offices
-Setup and troubleshooting of CC Connect Insurance Software Package

XXX Bank
Nowheresville
-Migration of desktop user systems to newer hardware
-Backup and restoration of user data to new hardware
-Work on Windows 98 and 2000 Systems

XXX Gymnastic Training Center
Nowheresville
-Installation of custom Gymnastics management software
-Support and repair of hardware and software on Windows 98 and XP systems
-Setup of computer systems for desktop use
-Regular virus, patch, and anti-virus maintenance


Additional Previous Employment
Senior Sales Rep, Radioshack
May 2003 to Jan 2006
Nowheresville
-Commission based sales of computers and consumer electronics.
-Answer customer questions about technology and provide solutions.
-Received company provided training in electronics and customer support.
-Opening and closing of store and handling of nightly deposit
-Received awards for highest sales in district on multiple occasions


Education
XXX College - Nowheresville
Major: MIS – Partial Completion 96 credits out of 125

Related Coursework Completed:
Unix/Linux Management
Management Information Systems
2 Semesters of C+ Programming and Data Structures and Algorithms
1 Semester of Visual Basic Programming
2 Semesters of Accounting
Microsoft Office Packages (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Access)
Web page design and graphics
 
debaser_ said:
Id scrap the objective statement and stick with the summary. Fix it up to focus on the skills that would be useful in the IT job you are trying to get.
Click to expand...

Well how would I be able to do that? Can you elaborate it a little bit more? Like I mention, I dont have any recent experience since I high school...I'm trying to get a desktop support position. For people with desktop support experience, can you tell me what skills would be applicable? I still need a little bit more tips to make it interviewable if that's a word. I appreciate your suggestion debaser_.
 
hey irrision there's no such thing as CompTIAA... and that could be especially embarassing since it's one of the first lines on your resume
 
Gotcha, typo from txt conversion, checked my original doc format and its not there, go figure...
 
DragoonTD said:
Well how would I be able to do that? Can you elaborate it a little bit more? Like I mention, I dont have any recent experience since I high school...I'm trying to get a desktop support position. For people with desktop support experience, can you tell me what skills would be applicable? I still need a little bit more tips to make it interviewable if that's a word. I appreciate your suggestion debaser_.
Click to expand...

You have both a summary and a objective on the resume currently. An objective is kinda stupid because the purpose of a resume is to get a job - duh. This is something i used to have before reading other posts in the thread. I now have a 2-3 sentance blurb what describes me and my job experience. This is similar to your summary of qualifications.

As far as what skills you would need in a desktop support role, it could be anything. Know windows xp inside and out. Have a ton of free tools to make your life easier. I use hijack this and memtest86 almost daily. Know consumer level wireless technologies. People love email so know about outlook and importing and exporting mail for backups. If your usual fix is formatting you will have to shake that impulse as well except in certain cases. I used to be a format allstar, but you will learn a lot if you actually have to fix the problems.

Also, You have a bachelor of science degree. I would leave off the major if you feel it mayhurt your chances. I would also put down any awards or honors such as deans list or honor societies you were in.
 
nonameo said:
I would like to thank everyone at the [H] for helping me get a great entry level job! Thanks guys!
Click to expand...
Hey, congratulations!


DragoonTD said:
Well how would I be able to do that? Can you elaborate it a little bit more? Like I mention, I dont have any recent experience since I high school...I'm trying to get a desktop support position. For people with desktop support experience, can you tell me what skills would be applicable? I still need a little bit more tips to make it interviewable if that's a word. I appreciate your suggestion debaser_.
Click to expand...
Like debaser said, your ”summary of qualifications” would make a very good summary statement. Use it to replace the objective statement you have at the top of your resume.

This would change the focus of your resume. With the objective you now have, it looks like an Account Manager who wants to become a desk-top support person (even if that's true). This may confuse the readers of your resume because those jobs are not really related. :)
 
Congrats nonameo


Yikes. I need to get BUSY if I'm going to want anything ov value on my resume! Zero IT experience (Career change), but I am in the middle of a Masters in IT so hopefully that'll open a few doors for me.

Any IT jobs that consist of drinking Miller Lite all day, watching tv, and reading [H] ? :p

........probably not, because if it did exist, it'd be taken already!!!!

(don't mind me. I'm stressing about my corporate finance final tonight!)
 
Hey all, I am looking for some help with updating my resume.

I have spent the last 2 years working as a Support Specialist for a large corporation. This was a job that I viewed as a "foot in the door". Now I feel like making the transition from a 2nd level support environment to a more technical and developer based position. I would like to eventually hone my Oracle skills in hopes of going down the DBA route.

I am just not sure how to work the Summary section of my resume. Right now I have:

Highly motivated Support Specialist with 2 years of experience looking to broaden career path with advanced technical position

Does this sound like something an HR rep would be interested in?
 
Well first of all, you never know just what an HR person is looking for! But I'd give you these suggestions:

1. Don't use descriptions like "highly motivated". It's a completely subjective term that really means little to the reader other than the fact that you think of yourself that way. Stick to things that you can back up with facts.

2. Keep your summary from sounding like an "objective" statement. The fact that you're looking to broaden your career path is probably why you're passing out your resume in the first place.

3. Add some meat to your summary statement with some very basic aspects of your experience. Something like:

"Desktop Support Specialist with 2 years experience supporting enterprise level organizations with both phone and deskside assistance. 1 years Oracle programming experience"

Hope this helps...
 
I was wondering if you guys can take a look at my resume for me. I just graduated from college, and i'm currently looking for a job in the IT world. I kno that my resume need a lot of tweak, but i dont' kno where to start. I'm currently reading through this thread.

So can you guys please give me a few pointer to make my resume stand out. Thank you so much..


Summary:
A versatile computer professional with 3 years of experience drawing upon a wide range of strong practical, problem-solving, and administration skills.

SKILLS:
- 4 years experience in PC environments through hardware/software buildup, integration, and troubleshooting
- 1 years experience in Network environments through hardware/software.
- Construction and installation of category 5 & 6 cabling.
- Knowledge of troubleshooting network
- Excellent Research skill

Certification & Training:
- A+ Certification Training Class
- MCSE Certification Training Class

Technical Skills:
- Operating System: MS DOS, Windows 9x, 2000, 2003 Server, XP,
- Software: Office 97/Xp/2003, Photoshop, Video Editing
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY:

Data Entry (March 2006 – Present)
Fairfax County Public Schools Department of High School Intuition
Responsible for data entry into Microsoft Word, Excel, and Access. Responsible creating PowerPoint for meeting.

Data Entry (May 2005 – August 2005)
Fairfax County Public Schools Department of Decision Support
Responsible for data entry into Oracle base for the 2005 Census. Researched and entered student information, including home addresses, birthdates, and grade school levels.

Record Management (June 2003 - September 2003)
Fairfax County Public Schools Department of Record
Responsibilities included traveling throughout Fairfax County visiting the schools to pick up records, filing records, and shredding material.



EDUCATION:

Strayer University
Major: B.S. Internetworking Technology
Graduated June 2006

Diploma: Network Security
Graduated June 2006

Minor: Security Administration
Graduated June 2006

H.S (June 2002)
Thomas Edison High School, Alexandria, VA
 
I just got a new job working for Lenovo doing less work than I currently am, making $10 more an hour with time and a half, just wanted to thank the tips in this thread for helping me to put together an awesome resume. :)
 
My resume

Company 1, 2, 3, etc are the names of the companies and and Product 1, 2, 3 are the names of the products.

Any input is appreciated.
 
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