Let’s Get Technical – Resume Tips for IT Consultants
In this day and age, everyone has their own thoughts on what qualifies as a solid resume. Opinions vary when it comes to what information should go where, what aspects are worth highlighting, and what should be left out. For Technical Consultants, there are often so many details relating to a single project that the thought of putting a decent resume together may be overwhelming. Fear not! While these tips and tricks may seem simple – they are crucial parts of a technical resume that are often overlooked.
Include Project Descriptions – Technical work often deals with a very specific aspect of a company or project. Future employers want to see what exactly you did. Working as a “Business Analyst” or a “Technical Support Associate” can mean a variety of things, so it often helps to include a brief (two to three sentences) description of the project you worked on. This is not to be confused with an overall description of the company as a whole. Instead, give a brief synopsis of the specific project’s objective, plan of action, and result. Then watch your resume go from “A” to “A+”!
Include a Technical Summary and Environments – A key aspect of a technical resume is to include the specific technologies you have experience with. This can be done in a variety of ways. Some consultants prefer to include a “Technical Summary” table in their resume that is separated into specific categories (databases, operating systems, testing tools, etc.), while others prefer to list their experience in paragraph form as a “Key Word” section. How you choose to list your technological experience is your personal preference, but it should always be included. To go one step further, consider including an “Environment” section after each specific project you worked on. The “Environment” section should only include the technology used on said project, which will highlight the frequency and level of experience you have with certain tools. This can be crucial when a future employer is looking for very specific experience.
Spell out Acronyms – That five letter acronym you worked for may make perfect sense to you, but similar acronyms or words can be easily confused. Say, for example, you worked for ERCOT, but a potential employer reads that as Epcot. When spelled out, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) is very different from Disney’s Epcot. With that being said, take the extra minute to spell out any acronyms and ensure there isn’t confusion for someone reading your resume.
Highlight Certifications – If you’ve taken the time (and probably made a financial commitment) to sharpen your skills and become certified in a given tool or topic, why not highlight your expertise? Certifications can get lost in a sea of words when they are included in a paragraph-style summary of skills. Instead, give your certifications their own section and bulleted list in the resume so they are sure to stand out.
Stop Limiting Yourself to One Page – The days of one page resumes are long gone. When it comes to technical resumes, less isn’t necessarily more. It is not uncommon for detailed resumes to be five or more pages in length. Having a five page resume does not necessarily mean a future employer will read every word, but it can help guarantee that the specific details a future employer is looking for are there.
So, there you have it. Five basic tips and tricks that can do wonders for a technical resume. If you follow these bits of advice, you will likely feel a greater sense of confidence in your finished resume. That confidence will follow you through the interview process and hopefully help land your next great position.
Happy resume writing!
Contributed by: Diana Droog, Recruiting Support Administrator