We live in a very competitive age where you literally have to be above average to land your dream job. It’s even more competitive when you are an IT specialist. The phrase gets thrown around easily today, but being an IT specialist is no walk in the park – but there is competition anyway. That is where a good IT resume comes in. It can set you apart from the rest of the field and help you secure your finances – by landing your dream IT job. But how can you write a great IT resume that works? Well, this article will show you how to write a resume that will get your interview diary full and, above all, make you stand out.
The format comes first
This is an important part of any resume if you want to stand out from the crowd. A good format will make it easy for the hiring managers to know what you can do for their company. You have probably seen all kinds of resume formats before – an IT resume format isn’t very different from those. There are 3 types that you should know about;
- Reverse chronological: This is probably the one you want to go with – it’s also the most preferred by hiring managers. That is because they can immediately tell how you can benefit the company. If you are an IT specialist, this is the format you should go with.
- Functional resume: This resume format is for IT guys who don’t have much work experience. CS graduates and those who haven’t consistently worked in IT can use this format to showcase what they can offer a company.
- Combination resume: Combination here means merging the Reverse Chronological format and the Functional format. Here your skills and work experience stand out. For IT specialists with work experience, this format is excellent.
Picking a resume format is not always a cup of tea. That is because you can never tell what a hiring manager will be looking for. The best way to know what format to pick is to find out more about the company you are applying to. Or you can hire a resume specialist from an IT resume writing service to do it for you. These services hire professionals who interact with thousands of CVs. Some are even hiring managers who like to help IT specialists find their dream jobs.
Work with a resume template to spice things up
Think of a template as the spicing of your resume. It adds some life to your resume. You’ve probably heard many times how employers don’t like generic CVs. A good template adds to the resume’s flow and ensures there are no breaks. Now, it gets tricky here because you have to be very careful with the template you use. The best way is to pick an IT specialist resume template. This kind of template allows you to tailor your resume for an IT position. Otherwise, you could use a text editor, but then you risk breaking your resume layout with any minor alteration.
What should you include in an IT resume?
Certain things have to appear on a CV, and an IT resume isn’t any different. Some of the things you have to include are;
- Work experience
- Skills
- Education
- Contact information
But you can also include;
- Awards and Certifications
- Personal projects
- Volunteer Experience
- Languages
- Hobbies and Interests
Each of these sections seems pretty well spelled out, but do you know what to write under each section? It’s not as easy as many of us imagine. A specialist IT resume has to look like one; anything else may not suffice.
For contact information
Make sure your focus is as sharp as any good software should be. Here’s what to know;
- Your full name should be clear
- The title should state clearly what you are applying for – e.g., IT SPECIALIST
- Make sure your phone number is correct
- Use a professional email address
- Mention your location
- You can include your social media (if you like).
- Don’t use unnecessary titles like “IT WIZARD!”
Include a resume summary and a resume objective
A resume summary is a snapshot of your professional experiences and achievements, while a resume objective tells the recruiter what you hope to achieve in your profession. These two come immediately after the contact information section. They should catch the hiring manager’s attention when they’re skimming your resume (yes, they may not read everything in your resume). For IT specialists, a summary is the most important bit to include. For IT graduates – without work experience, your resume objective should stand out!
Make your work experience stand out
Your work experience is probably what will get you hired nine times out of ten. That means you have to ensure this section is perfect. Most professionals will include;
- Position
- Company
- Dates
- Responsibilities and Achievements
The most important thing in this section is to convince the recruiter of your value. Don’t use general descriptions to say what you did. Instead, use full sentences that show how well you understand what you do. So, instead of saying, “Maintained the system,” you could say, “Maintenance of the IT system for 0% downtime.”
Use Action words
Use terminology like;
- Conceptualized
- Evaluated
- Started
- Formulated
Skills to include in your resume
When including skills in your IT resume, you want to make sure that most of them align with the job you are applying for. Don’t assume that the hiring manager is enamored with everything you have done. Here are some IT skills to consider;
- Troubleshooting
- Operating systems
- Data Privacy
- Internet Applications
- Networks
- Programming Languages
- Agile Development
- Database Administration
- Attention to Detail
- Management
- Leadership
Make sure you include as many relevant hard skills are well as soft skills in your resume.
Conclusion
Writing an IT resume requires a high level of concentration and attention to detail. You have to tailor your CV based on what you are applying for. However, don’t forget to put your best foot forward and convince the hiring manager that you deserve the job.