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Does Your IT Resume Need a Makeover?

Does Your IT Resume Need a Makeover?

Launching onto the job market usually involves one of two steps. Before you start looking for your next position, you’ll need to draft a new resume from the ground up, or find an existing resume file that you have tucked away somewhere, dust that file off, and make some adjustments to meet your current needs. If you’re choosing the second option, these moves can keep the process more efficient and shorten the path to your goals.

Consider the “Before”

Take a close look at your existing resume file (possibly the one you used to land your current or most recent position). Chances are, your document doesn’t need to be torn down totally. After all, it landed you a job once. So look over each line with a critical eye and identify any aspect of your summary or work history that you’d like to maintain.

Review Samples

Before you start making radical changes, go online and review a few (or a few dozen) sample resumes created by IT candidates like yourself in search of positions similar to yours. There are plenty of resources available that can help you with this step. In addition to scanning the internet, you can also make a call and obtain some advice and recommendations from the experts at Techneeds. As you sift through each sample, look for formatting decisions, language, and layout moves that seem to grab your eye. Put yourself in the position of an IT hiring manager and think which of these candidates would you hire and which would you toss aside?

Get to Work

Start the revision process by attacking your resume summary, the short paragraph at the top of the page in which you state what you know how to do, what you’re looking for, and what you have to offer. Your core career plans and core skill sets may have evolved since the last time you set off in search of work. You’ve probably also gained some writing skills since that time, so give the entire paragraph a little polish while you make your updates.

Fill Out Your “Education” Section

If you’ve gained any degrees since your last job search, you’ll obviously add these credentials. But you can also add any certifications or training courses that you’ve taken since that time. Think carefully back through the last few years and review your records.Don’t miss an opportunity here because it’s an area to show you stand out from the competition if you’ve continued to learn new skills.

Update Your Work History

Add your most recent position (or positions) to your work history section and tighten the details in your previous positions. Update the language you use to describe your accomplishments and responsibilities, and remove extra detail from positions that occurred long in the past. While you’re doing this, be sure to add keywords relevant to your target position and your industry, since this step may not have occurred to you when you drafted your original document.

For more on how to update your resume and grab employer attention, reach out to the staffing experts at Techneeds.