If you were to try to explain what your job as a systems engineer entails to someone who’s not in your line of work, the task would prove near impossible. Sure, you could try to first explain what systems engineering is and then list the range of duties you’re responsible for. However, chances are that the average person simply isn’t going to fully grasp what you do. After all, systems engineering and, in turn, the occupation of a systems engineer involve high-level skills, knowledge, and understandings that are unique to the industry.

Boston University’s College of Engineering explains that systems engineering “Enables building, analyzing and managing a system—be it electrical, mechanical, chemical, biological or one involving business processes and logistics.”

The College of Engineering highlights that while engineering disciplines are traditionally defined through physical attributes, systems engineering goes beyond the physical nature of what is designed or managed, “If ‘it’ consists of multiple interacting components performing a function that cannot be achieved by any one component alone, then ‘it’ is a system, and systems engineers can work to understand and improve it.”

While that likely makes perfect sense to you, take our word that the work you do is incredibly complex for the rest of us to understand! Therein lies your strength as a systems engineer – you can attend to typical responsibilities associated with your profession without blinking an eye. Whether you need to manage and monitor installed systems and infrastructure, or maintain security, backup, and redundancy strategies, you’re able to leverage your niche skill set, as well as your experiences, to effectively complete each task.

So how do you show recruiters that you can indeed do all that is required of you, and then some? Craft a pristine systems engineer resume that communicates what a valuable systems engineer you are. If you’re hazy about how to go about this, read our guide below. By reading it, you’ll gain a range of expert insights including:

• How an ideal systems engineer resume looks like
• What the ATS is and how to create an ATS-friendly resume
• Which qualifications you’ll need to feature
• How to write a fantastic resume objective or summary
• A quicker method for making a winning resume

1. Multiple Template Examples

2. How to Write a Systems Engineer Resume That Will Get You Through the Door

How to format your resume

In order to make a splash with recruiters, you’ll need to submit a well-formatted resume. If you’re wondering what exactly a well-formatted resume looks like, some fundamental characteristics include being logically-organized, sharp-looking, and uncluttered.

The resume format that offers all of these characteristics is a reverse-chronological format. It’s highly-regarded by most recruiters because it makes candidates’ resumes easier to read.

To get into the nitty gritty, a reverse-chronological format structures your resume in a way which particularly emphasises your professional experiences, as opposed to your skills. It arranges each of your work experiences from most recent to least recent. This all makes sense to do once you consider that recruiters generally spend the most time looking at your “Employment History” section.

You won’t only need to be mindful of selecting the right format. You’ll also need to ensure your resume reflects generally accepted layout guidelines. For your convenience, we’ve listed the most critical ones below:

• • Number of Pages: One only.
  • Fonts to Use: Conservative fonts that you would feel comfortable using to write a report for your boss. For example, Cambria and Time Times Roman.
  • Fonts to Avoid: Clunky or attention-seeking fonts that are difficult to read. For example, Guinevere Caps and Monotype Corsiva.
  • Margins: 1 inch on all sides.

• Line Spacing: 1 or 1.15.

• Header size: 14-16 point size.
• Text size: 11-12 point size.

What makes a great systems engineer resume?

Modern enterprises need systems powered by backups and safety systems to run smoothly. However, there’s one major challenge: these are not fool-proof. Managing these complex systems is difficult since they could fail at any given moment. It’s the job of a great system engineer to prevent catastrophes before they happen.

For that reason, when business managers are looking to hire a system engineer, they’re looking for the best of the best. The perfect candidate for the role must have a wealth of experience and also need an ideal mixture of skills to do the job effectively.

Recruiters will be searching for a candidate with an in-depth technical understanding of engineering. That’s the foundation. Building on that, the ideal candidate will understand the complexities of the system and gather information to improve it.

Whether you’re an entry-level candidate or a seasoned professional, you’ll need to demonstrate how you tick the above boxes. That means making your resume simple and legible while also including skills and experience to support your claims. 

Pro tip: While a system engineer predominantly works with processes, they need to function well as part of a team. Humanize your resume by including information about your interpersonal skills. We’ll show you how to do this further below.

How do you get your resume past ATS?

There’s a gatekeeper standing between you and that all-important job interview. An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is a form of software that screens your resume before a recruiter looks at it. The software searches for keywords to ensure that your systems engineer resume fits the bill.

Want to play in the big leagues? Believe it or not, 98% of Fortune 500 companies use ATS when vetting candidates. With this in mind, you need to tailor your resume accordingly.

When selecting the right keywords for your resume, they should match the original job advertisement. Essentially, you can pull the words that the recruiter used and edit your existing resume to fit accordingly.The smartest approach is to choose your resume keywords based on the job posting.

It’s important to use exact terminology here as you don’t have much wiggle room. While some ATS software can handle synonyms, others will be looking for specific words. In the latter case, it’s your job to match your resume wording to the advert exactly.

Pro tip: List the programming languages you’ve mastered very clearly, should the job advertisement mention them as necessary.

How do you give recruiters what they’re looking for?

Looking to dazzle recruiters with your system engineer resume? You need to get inside their head and understand what they’re looking for.

It’s no secret that recruiters don’t spend long scanning each application. You’ve got an average of six seconds to impress them. Use that time wisely.

Keep in mind that the recruiter may not fully understand the role of a system engineer. Your job is highly technical, so not everyone is highly-familiar with it. With that in mind, pepper your resume with buzzwords and phrases that the recruiter will know and understand.

Similarly, you should avoid jargon and technical language. The golden rule is: if you can simplify a sentence, do so. The recruiter doesn’t have time to read reams and reams of text. They want to know if you match the criteria and whether you can support that.

Pro tip: Show, don’t tell! It’s one thing to say that you have the right skills and experience, but can you prove it? Provide extra information evidencing your claims.

What are ideal system engineer job qualifications to have? How do you list them correctly?

System engineer roles are entirely dependent on qualifications. Recruiters need to see that you have a strong technical ability. The best way to prove this is with a relevant educational background and certifications.

Education

In terms of ideal system engineer job qualifications, as a baseline, you’ll need a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in Systems Engineering or related subjects, such as Computer Information Systems or Systems Information Management. To feature your educational background correctly, include the following information about each degree in your resume’s “Education” section:

• The name of the degree
• The name of the college you attended
• State the college is located in
• The years you studied

For example:

EDUCATION

• Master of Science in Systems Engineering, New York University, NY, 2017 - 2020
• Bachelor of Science Program in Industrial and Systems Engineering, Binghamton University, NY, 2012 -  2016

Pro tip: Are you an entry level candidate who put your nose to the grindstone to score a GPA of 3.5 or above? Shine a light on this amazing achievement by including it as a bullet point below the standard information we’ve included above. Another option is to make mention of it in your resume objective.

CERTIFICATIONS

Your college degrees represent a key part of your qualifications as a systems engineer. But your education is unlikely to end there. Throughout their career, a great systems engineer continually learns and sharpens their skills by undertaking relevant training and certifications. For example, it may be beneficial to have the following certifications:

• INCOSE Systems Engineer Certification
• JavaScript Expert Level Certification
• C# Expert Level Certification
• PHP Expert Level Certification
• Python Expert Level Certification

So how do you list any relevant training and certifications you have to your name? The simplest answer is to create a “Training and Certifications” section in your resume. You don’t need to write a description about each one;you just need to include the following information:

• The name of the certification
• The institution you received it
• The state the institution is located in
• The year you received the certification

For example:

• Expert Systems Engineering Professional (ESEP) Certification, International Council on Systems Engineering (ICOSE), NY, 2020

Pro tip: Prioritize this bullet-pointed section by putting the most relevant system engineer certifications you hold towards the top.

How to highlight your most important achievements

Want to shout about the milestones that you achieved in your previous roles? Whether you won a specific award or reached a target in your last job, you’ll want to let recruiters know. But before you get started, it’s important to recognize that where and how you highlight these achievements will depend on a few factors.

So where should you include them? Beneath each role you list in “Employment History,” use a few bullet points to describe the role and the duties you performed, making sure to emphasize your key achievements for each.

But don’t make the mistake of being too vague! When writing this section, we recommend that you provide both your achievement and specific facts that back it up. Let’s take a look at an example of how not to highlight one of your system engineer achievements:

• Collected system data for purposes of analyzing it and making improvements.

At a glance, you might think that the above achievement is fine. It outlines the candidate’s duty and explains the reasoning underpinning it. However, there’s one glaring error here. The candidate hasn’t quantified the experience or supported their claim.

A recruiter would take a look at this part of the resume and have a few questions. How often did the candidate collect system data? How was this data shared with the management team? How many times did they complete this task in their role? 

Since the last thing you want to do is baffle a recruiter, you’ll need to be more specific. Let’s take a look at a better example of the same system engineer achievement: 

• Collected and analyzed system data and created 25+ charts and reports, which were shared with management for analytical purposes.

In this above example, the candidate has given the recruiter a more detailed account of their achievement. The fact that the candidate has produced more than 25 charts and reports shows that they’re proficient in this area. If the current role requires this skill, the recruiter can rest assured that the candidate will take to it like a duck to water. 

Which soft and hard skills should you mention? How do you do so correctly?

Arguably, your resume’s “Skills” section is one of the most important parts of your system engineer resume. You should use it to showcase the skills and traits you’ve learned through both your education and professional experiences.

Before you dive in and start listing your countless skills, take a moment to strategize. Choosing the right skills for your system engineer application is the key to your success. Begin by looking at the phrases used in the job ad that indicate the skills a recruiter is after. Next, work out which ones genuinely match up with your own skills set. Then, customize your skills section accordingly. You should select 6 to 8 of the skills from the job ad to add to this section. 

You’ll also need to incorporate these skills in addition to the other skills you identify in a job ad throughout your “Employment History” section. One final section you should add a few to is your “Resume Objective” or “Resume Summary.” 

When you’re adding skills to your resume it’s important to keep in mind that while a system engineer role is a technical position, you shouldn’t neglect your soft skills. The perfect candidate will be able to handle the technical side of the role while demonstrating their soft skills like communicating fluidly with the rest of the team and management. 

Looking for some inspiration? Here are the most crucial soft and hard skills recruiter for system engineer roles may be looking for:

Hard skills 

• Servers
• JavaScript, C#, Python, or PHP
• Software development
• Agile Methodologies 
• Unix
• Database management 
• MS SQL 
• Enterprise architecture

Soft skills 

• Highly disciplined
• Organized 
• Trustworthy
• Excellent communication 
• Team work 
• Troubleshooting 
• Adaptable 
• Continuously learning

How to write a resume objective or summary and examples of both

If you had a couple of seconds to tell the recruiter why you’re the right candidate, what would you say? Essentially, this is what your resume objective or resume summary is. 

If you’ve been working as a system engineer for years, write a summary of your experience and skills. On the other hand, if you’re a recent graduate with no experience in the sector, write an objective instead. 

Resume objective

Before we delve into how to perfect your objective, here’s an example of what not to write:

• Recent graduate holding a Master’s Degree in System Engineering seeks a full-time role in the sector. Willing to learn skills on the job. Current skills include data management, data analytics, and software development.

While the above system engineer objective includes some vital information, it’s still lacking. Terms such as ‘data management’ and ‘software development’ are redundant if you can’t explain what systems you use. Equally, stating that you’re ‘willing to learn new skills’ means nothing to a recruiter. They want to know what skills you currently have. 

Here’s an example of what the same candidate could have written instead: 

• Ambitious graduate holding a Master’s Degree in System Engineering. Current skills include utilizing relational databases including MS SQL for management and analytic purposes. Holds expert level PHP and C# for software development. 

This objective is ten times more effective than the previous example. The candidate doesn’t waste words explaining that they want to learn new skills. Instead, they focus on the skills that they currently have and elaborate on them. Mentioning the languages and software systems they are proficient in is also a sure-fire way to grab a recruiter’s attention.

Resume summary

If you’re a seasoned pro in the system engineer field, you should write a resume summary. This paragraph encapsulates what it is you have to offer and why a recruiter should hire you. You should include information about your past experiences and the skills you’ve honed. You should also include some key achievements if you can squeeze them in.

To give you some idea of what to avoid, let’s first look at a bad example of a summary: 

• Experienced system engineer proficient in PHP, Python, and C# looking for the next challenge. Previous experience working within a large company, managing complex systems, and supplying data analytics.  

This example of a resume summary hits many of the main targets. It highlights the languages that the candidate uses and details the size of the company. However, the candidate wastes space saying they’re “looking for their next challenge”. What’s more, the resume summary lacks some detail when it comes to the type of company and its scope. 

The same candidate would wow a recruiter by writing the following resume summary: 

• System engineer with 5+ years experience working within a 300+ staff governmental department. Proficient in PHP, Python, and C# for software development. Talents include creating analytical charts and reports detailing data. Excellent teamwork and communication skills. 

Can you spot the difference between this example and the previous one? In this example, the candidate is much clearer about their experience. They’ve mentioned both the size and type of company where they previously worked. Moreover, they’ve detailed how they supply data analytics, which means the recruiter has an idea of what they can expect. As the cherry on top, this candidate has alluded to their teamwork and communication skills.

How do you target your resume for each application?

Think you can use one system engineer resume for every application? Think again. If you want to give yourself the best chance of success, you need to tailor your resume well. 

Luckily, doing so is simple. Read the original job posting closely and highlight the keywords you find throughout it. In case you need a bit of a refresher, adding keywords to your resume allows you to match your resume to a recruiter’s requirements for a given role. For example, if you see that a recruiter requires candidates to use a certain programming language or technical system, make sure to feature it at least once in your resume in a meaningful way. 

When you’ve reviewed the posting, you’ll have a list of keywords. Compare this list to your existing resume. How much overlap is there? You can now edit your resume to match the original job posting as closely as possible. Ensure that all of the job requirements are listed within your skills, work experience, and any other sections as appropriate. 

Finally, you need to edit, edit, and edit some more! Without a doubt, there will be skills or words that you can lose. While you may find it hard to keep things concise, doing so is paramount. The quicker and easier you make the recruiter’s job, the better.

How do you make your resume stand out?

Making an impact with your resume doesn’t necessarily require you to do anything dramatic. You just need to have a few simple but powerful insider tips up your sleeve. Here are a few we advise you to put into action if you want your resume to stand out from the competition:

• Be mindful of the “above the fold” rule of thumb: There’s a rule of thumb that will help you to ensure your resume is optimally formatted. It’s called the “above the fold” rule and entails putting the most eye-catching and relevant information first and foremost in your resume.
  
  Remember, recruiters will generally read your resume from top to bottom. Consequently, if some of your most attractive achievements and qualities are hidden deep in your resume, there’s a good chance they won’t get noticed. While it’s not possible in every situation, try your best to position the information you want recruiters to pay attention to as close to the top of your resume.

• Don’t try to ‘wing’ it: We’ve all heard stories of people who manage to score a top job without having worked on their resume. It may even make you tempted to think you’ll be able to do the same. While these stories do exist, they’re incredibly rare. It’s also highly likely that a lot more was involved in the process than the candidate simply winging it.  

The fact of the matter is that if you want to be hired for a top job, you’ll need to put the effort into getting it. That means customizing your resume each and every time and not trying to get away with handing in the same resume. If you’re after an insider tip for making your resume more efficiently, be sure to check out our final section of this guide below.  

• Know what to leave off: Knowing what to omit from your resume is just as important as knowing what to include. The reason being that leaving off information that recruiters view as redundant will not only free up more space for you to focus on more important matters, but also help your resume come together more cohesively.
  
  So what information is worth leaving off? Many recruiters suggest leaving off your references as recruiters will ask you for them anyway if you make it into the final stages of the hiring process. It’s also considered standard to omit any personal details from your resume such as your appearance, marital status, age, and whether or not you have children. Finally, your desired salary definitely has no place on your resume. 

3. How System Engineers Can Save Time Making Their Resume Using Resumebuild.com’s Resume Builder Tool

As we’ve explored extensively in our guide above, making your resume just right is integral to your success as a systems engineer. The resume will be your ticket to your next job, be it one you’re actively looking for or get head hunted to apply for.

By now, you should have a solid idea of the amount of work you’ll need to put into making it. Of course, it’s easy enough to make an OK one, but just don’t expect to get hired any time soon! Making a resume that not only gets the tick of approval from recruiters, but also passes ATS is seriously hard work.

It’s these considerations that got us thinking at Resumebuild.com, “There has to be another way.” Fortunately, we found it – or rather, designed it! So what is it we designed exactly? A world-class resume builder that helps job seekers to piece together an impressive resume in minutes instead of hours.

It does much of the heavy lifting you’d usually need to do all by yourself. From guiding you to write each major section of your resume, to organizing the layout and formatting of your resume with our stunning resume templates, you’ll soon come to consider our resume marker as your secret weapon to scoring your dream job.

So if you’re after an incredibly easy, quick, and affordable way to create a systems engineer resume that showcases why you’re the perfect hire, start crafting your resume with our resume builder.

Your Salesforce administrator resume needs to show a balance between the soft skills needed to train employees and the hard skills needed to handle data analytics. Demonstrating you can work well with people and get deep into data to draw valuable conclusions isn’t easy. But, it’s possible, and when you get it just right you’ll stand out as a top candidate.

This guide will walk you through all the subtle elements you need to perfect to get the Salesforce administrator job you want. From understanding how to make a strong first impression to getting technical to overcome ATS (don’t worry if you’ve never heard of them), we’ve put together all the expert advice you need.

What you’ll learn in this guide:

• How to use resume examples to get started
• The three tricks to getting past ATS
• How to get the attention of recruiters
• What formatting rules you need to follow
• What to include about your education
• How you can make your skills stand out
• How you should be framing your achievements
• Why your resume should begin with an objective or summary
• What to do if you don’t have much experience
• How you can make the whole resume creation process easier

Salesforce administrator resume template examples

If your resume is going to stand out from the competition, you need to begin by getting a sense for what that competition might look like. You can also use the examples below to get some inspiration for your own resume. Gaining some perspective before starting to write is a critical step to creating a better resume.

As you look over the examples we’ve selected, begin taking notes about what stands out. Which elements do you want to incorporate into your Salesforce administrator resume? You can use these notes to help avoid the challenge of beginning with a blank page.

[Examples]

How to write a job-winning salesforce administrator resume

You wouldn’t create the same user profiles, data analysis strategy, or anything else for completely different clients. Tailoring your work to the audience will always make it more effective and creating your resume is no different. So before you start writing, it’s important to begin by understanding the two main audiences you’ll need to appeal to.

3 steps to get your resume past ATS

You’ll need to begin by understanding Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). 99% of the Fortune 500 use them, so as a Salesforce administrator, your resume is almost guaranteed to be evaluated by one. In short, ATS are algorithms which use artificial intelligence to scan huge numbers of resumes and quickly sort them into “review” and “don’t review” piles.

They do this by using natural language processing to translate the information on your resume into criteria which it can compare against the requirements it’s been given. The issue is that these algorithms aren’t perfect and can often misinterpret what you’ve written, leading to resumes like yours getting accidentally rejected. So what can you do to avoid this? We’ve broken it down into 3 simple steps.

1. Stick to .pdf, .doc, and .docx files. While there are dozens of different ATS companies out there and each one works a bit differently, these are the filetypes nearly all are designed to read. Submitting your resume as one of these three will ensure it’s not rejected because the ATS doesn’t work with that file type.
2. Create your resume with an ATS-friendly resume builder. Another consideration is the way the data is structured within the file you submit. Elements like charts or columns can confuse ATS and lead to rejection. The easiest way around this is to simply use a resume builder specifically designed to produce ATS-optimized files.
3. Use keyword techniques to “game the system.” You already know that ATS will scan your resume looking for specific skills and qualifications to determine whether your resume should be rejected or not. By knowing what the ATS are searching for and ensuring they find it on your resume, you’ll increase your chances of getting hired. The best way to do this is by looking at the job description and making a list of likely criteria the ATS will search for based on what’s written there.

What will the recruiters pay closest attention to in your salesforce administrator resume?

Once your resume sails past ATS it still needs to impress a recruiter. The first step in appealing to a recruiter is understanding them. Think back to the last time you were forced to read an overly long and poorly written document to learn some important information. That’s how most recruiters feel. To appeal to them, make sure your resume makes their job easier.

That means combining modern design, concise error-free writing, and well-structured information. If reading your resume isn’t a chore, that recruiter will think of you much more positively.

Fortunately, you’ve already taken one big step in this direction by getting keywords into your resume based on the job description’s requirements. We’ll go through other tips throughout this guide, but as often as possible as you create your resume, look back through it from the recruiter’s perspective. It can also help to ask a fiend (especially one with an HR background) to do this for you, as it will be easier for them to examine from an outside perspective.

How should you format your resume?

While most of us don’t think about it when creating a resume, formatting is critical. It’s what determines the order in which information gets across to the reader. You don’t start reading a book from the conclusion and you don’t want to begin your resume with the wrong information either.

Overall, the rule to follow here is “put the more important information towards the top.” This is about making it easy for the recruiter to find the most critical facts about you as a candidate. Burying the lede here is not going to do you any favors. Following this rule also helps you ensure recruiters quickly form a good first impression of you as a candidate (more on how to do this with an objective or summary below).

How long should a Salesforce administrator resume be?

The internet is full of advice telling you to aim for specific page numbers, but the real rule to follow is simple: as short as possible. Even with ATS eliminating many incoming resumes, recruiters still have to review a lot of them. Ensuring your resume is concise and only contains relevant information will go a long way towards earning their appreciation. 

One way to do this is to look at every section and piece of information and ask yourself whether it adds value to your resume. If it doesn’t then delete it.

Which sections should be included in a resume?

These are the sections which you should consider adding. Just be sure to follow the rule about adding value and not include all of them out of habit.

• Resume objective or summary
• Work experience
• Achievements
• Education and certifications
• Hard skills
• Soft Skills

How to list your education and certifications

Education is perhaps the most common case of someone including a section out of habit when it doesn’t really add anything to the resume. If your education is old or unrelated to your work as a Salesforce Administrator, you probably don’t need to include it (unless, for example, the job specifically requires a bachelor's degree of some kind).

BA in History

Christopher Newport University

2007-2011

-Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society Member

-Captain of the University Rugby Team

-Average GPA of 3.8

This example shows all the mistakes one can easily make in an education section. This degree is not relevant to Salesforce administration, was obtained almost a decade ago, and contains further details which don’t add anything of value. It’s possible the captain experience could be used to emphasize leadership and teamwork, but that would need to be contextualized (more on how to do that in the next section). By itself, it doesn’t mean very much.

BS in Business Administration

The University of Michigan

2013-2017

-Thesis focused on how AI will affect customer relations

This example decides to focus, leaving out a lot of information and instead only conveying what’s needed. Here, the recruiter needs to know you’ve got a relevant degree and whether any specific work you did for that degree relates to your work was a Salesforce Administrator. The chance that the recruiter cares about your GPA or extracurriculars is near 0.

However, considering how hard it is to find a formal university degree directly related to Salesforce administrator work, certifications and trainings become more valuable. They require a smaller time commitment but still demonstrate that you’ve gone out of your way to enhance your skills and make it easy for the recruiter to comprehend your abilities.

Certifications to consider including

• Salesforce’s Administrator Certification
• Certified Analytics Professional (CAP)
• IBCT Associate Trainer Certification

How to make your skills more effective

The reason education and certifications are so important is that it’s easy to simply state that you have a skill (particularly a soft skill). This presents a challenge for recruiters, who need to find a way to test your actual abilities. Obviously this creates a lot of extra work and uncertainty on their end.

You can make this easier for them by providing concrete examples of your skills whenever possible. Beyond making the recruiter's job easier, examples like this make your resume and skills more memorable. It’s easy to skim over a skills list, but telling stories and examples will make a recruiter stop and read. They make your resume more interesting, human, and memorable as a candidate. Now, let’s see that in action.

Excellent team manager

As mentioned, listing skills like this is important if they’re mentioned in the job ad because of ATS, but you can do better. Let’s look at an improved version and see the difference a concrete example makes.

Excellent team manager

- Took over management of the worst performing sales team at OMX Industries and got it into the top 10% within 9 months,

Even though this example isn’t from a Salesforce administrator role specifically, it still makes it clear that this candidate knows how to run an effective team and build a strong dynamic. It’s also potentially the beginning of a question in an interview, focusing the attention on your accomplishments.

The best Salesforce administrator hard skills to include

• Written and verbal communication
• Creative problem solving
• Working well on a team
• Attention to detail

The best Salesforce administrator hard skills to include

• Salesforce
• Developing and running trainings
• Data analytics
• Agile
• Process optimization
• Business processes and administration
• Network configuration

How to highlight your achievements

You can make your achievements stand out by using the same principles you just applied to your skills. By being specific about what you did and what you achieved instead of listing your responsibilities like most of your competition, your resume will stand out. Here’s an example to illustrate this.

Responsible for training sales teams in Salesforce.

The thing to remember here is, even if this candidate did an objectively terrible job with these trainings and was even fired for it, this statement would still be true. That’s why responsibility statements like this don’t mean much to the average recruiter. Worse, they can annoy recruiters because information like this effectively wastes their valuable time. But what would this achievement look like reframed?

Trained 1,200 Salesforce users in 5 years, taking a 2 week course and getting it down to 1 week while maintaining final test performance.

Here, we get a sense of the scale of the work done and how this candidate focused on improving bottom-line performance for their employer. A recruiter can read this story and get a sense of this candidate seeing a problem, developing a solution, and successfully implementing that solution instead of simply being responsible for something. 

As a result, the interview with this candidate is more likely to begin with something like “you were the candidate who cut training time in half, explain how you did that.”

The best way to begin your resume

As we’ve alluded to in this guide, your resume is playing a mental game with the recruiter. You want to be a memorable candidate when you’re competing with dozens or more fellow Salesforce administrators. One of the most effective ways to make yourself memorable is to make a strong first impression. But this is difficult when your resume begins with something like your work experience.

This is where resume objectives and summaries come in. These sections are more flexible and allow you to begin by making a case for yourself as a candidate, emphasizing your strongest qualities so they get more focus from the recruiter.

The difference between a resume objective and summary is mostly about length. A resume objective is a single sentence and more narrowly focused on explaining who you are and what you aim to achieve with your resume. A resume summary on the other hand can be a few sentences and dive into your main strengths as a candidate. 

Alternatively a summary can be used to explain questions which you think will likely arise elsewhere in the resume. For example, why you chose to change careers or why there’s a gap in your work history. By getting ahead of these questions instead of allowing a recruiter’s imagination to take over and consider them, you’ll be in a stronger position. 

How to write a resume objective

Remember, a resume objective should be concise and packed with useful information. It also needs to be well written. The last thing you want is for a recruiter to have to re-read the first sentence of your resume to make sure they understood it. For a role with as much communication as a Salesforce administrator, that’s a very bad first impression.

Highly skilled Salesforce administrator with experience creating training programs, managing the entire sales process, data analytics, creative problem solving, and business administration.

This resume objective is basically a list of skills. That’s why it’s not effective, it’s vague about explaining who this candidate is, mentions nothing about their objective, and instead focuses on a long list. For this reason, it begins a resume by wasting the recruiter’s time. Now let’s compare that to an improved version.

Salesforce administrator with 4 years experience at IGA Engineering building scalable Salesforce training systems looking to use this experience to help Orion Software scale its sales efforts.

This example focuses on explaining what experience the candidate has and how they plan on using it at this new prospective employer. It also indicates that this resume has been customized for that specific role (one of the most important ways to improve your chances of getting hired). 

How to write a resume summary

Just because a resume summary can be longer doesn’t mean it should ramble on. It still needs to be concise to avoid starting your resume off with a short story.

After years of working in sales at Microsoft I decided to obtain a Salesforce Administrator Certification and begin a new career. Now, as I’m coming close to obtaining that certification, I’m looking for a role with room for growth to begin this new phase. I’m looking forward to learning more about your company and the opportunities it can provide.

Aside from the basic mistake of writing in the first person instead of the third person, this resume summary focuses far too much on what the candidate wants from an employer and not what they can provide. This communicates that the candidate is far more focused on taking than giving, not exactly what an employer looks for in a position this important. Now let’s compare that summary to a reworked version.

Sales professional with 5 years experience at Microsoft now transitioning into a Salesforce administrator role. Will use my sales experience to better craft training and administrative processes which work for sales teams. Currently pursuing Salesforce Administration and CAP Certifications to limit training needed to begin work at Amadeus Ventures Inc. 

Instead of wasting space with vague statements, this resume summary simply states the person’s existing experience, how they think that experience will help them as they change careers, and what they’re doing to prepare for the change. It tells a focused story, which makes reading the rest of the resume easier because the reader already has a strong sense of who the candidate is.

How to write a salesforce administrator resume when you have little or no experience

If you’re looking for your first role as a Salesforce administrator, you need to find effective ways to show you can overcome your lack of experience. The thing to bear in mind is that companies understand that you can be trained in the technical skills needed, training someone to have the right attitude is a different matter.

So, focus on concrete examples which show you have all the critical soft skills to be an excellent Salesforce administrator. Then, try obtaining certifications to show that although you don’t have much practical work experience, you’re working to get the skills you need. Even if you haven’t completed a certification by the time you apply, it’s worth mentioning that you’re actively pursuing it.

How to make your resume stand out

Ultimately, your resume should stand out based on its content. We’ve outlined all the subtle ways you can use examples, objectives, achievements, etc. to make your resume unique amongst its competition. But the thing we haven’t mentioned is design. 

Imagine you’re a recruiter who needs to review dozens of resumes a day. If all of them are just blocks of text in Word documents, their eyes will start to glaze over pretty fast. That’s why utilizing clean and modern design is about more than just aesthetics. It communicates that you put in extra effort (a great quality in a Salesforce administrator), and it makes the process of reviewing your resume easier on a recruiter’s tired eyes. But how do you get quality design for your resume?

How using a resume builder saves you time and effort

With so many details to get right, creating the perfect Salesforce administrator resume takes time. You need every time-saving tool you can get. With this in mind, using a powerful resume builder like Resumebuild.com is a no-brainer.

It allows you to feel confident your resume file is ATS-optimized, get easy access to modern resume templates to stand out from the competition, and simplifies the process of creating many custom resumes for each role. There’s no reason to waste more time fiddling with formatting in Word or trying to get a random template you found to fit the information you need it to fit. Resumebuild.com lets you skip that stress and get right to the resume that will get you hired

The proliferation of technology in recent years has led to software engineering becoming one of the most in-demand professions in the workplace. Software engineers are responsible for everything from developing apps, software, and games, to maintaining and optimizing existing technology systems

Considering how much value they provide to a large variety of companies, it comes as no surprise that the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment of software developers will grow 21 percent from 2018 to 2028. This is a significantly faster rate than the average projected growth for all occupations, which sits at only 5 percent. This is great news for software engineers, right?

Well, on one hand, more jobs mean more employment opportunities. On the other hand, competition is already rife, and will only get worse. After all, the number of high-quality jobs still outweighs the number of low-quality ones and there are millions of software engineers already vying for the same jobs. The latest research from Evans Data Corporation estimates that there are 4.4 million developers in North America alone. 

So how do you ensure that your dream company chooses you as their next software engineer? Apply with a world-class software engineer resume. Without a resume that showcases why you’re the right person for the job, you won’t be able to score an interview - even if you tick all the boxes. If you don’t know how to create a resume that will impress recruiters, take a read of our expert guide below. 

Our software engineer resume template and writing guide will:

• Provide you with software engineer resume template samples
• Teach you how to create an ideal resume that impresses recruiters
• Highlight what you should include and avoid
• Show you how to make a professional resume using a resume builder

1. Multiple Template Examples

2. How to Write an Eye-Grabbing Software Engineer Resume

How to format your software engineer resume

A reverse-chronological format is the most logical way to format your software engineer resume. This format directs recruiters to your most recent work experience first, and then the next most one, in reverse-chronological order.

The reason why you should set your resume up in this way is because recruiters usually pay particular attention to where you’re currently working and what you’ve achieved so far (or, if you’re currently unemployed, what your last job was and what you achieved there). This gives them a strong indication of where you are career-wise and whether it’s a good fit for the role at hand.

Another important section to feature in your resume is your “Education” section. This section should be relatively shorter than your experiences section as it should simply state key details about each educational experience e.g. your school, degree, major, and the years attended. That is, unless you lack work history - in which case you can include some details about your educational achievements.

There are also certain rules of thumb you should follow for the layout of your resume. We’ve listed the most important ones below:

• • Number of Pages: 1 page only.
  • Fonts to Use: Standard professional and easy-to read fonts such as Gill Sans and Cambria.
  • Fonts to Avoid: Any experimental, boxy, or “robotic-looking” fonts such as Roboto Mono.
  • Margins: 1 inch on all sides.

• Line Spacing: 1 or 1.15.

• Header size: 14-16 point size.
• Text size: 11-12 point size.

What recruiters will look for

Recruiters aren’t just looking for software developers who offer standard attributes such as a solid educational background, an impressive skill set, and relevant work experiences. They are after someone who genuinely brings something unique to the table. 

As we mentioned above, software engineering is a very competitive industry. By implication, every open role will attract hundreds, if not thousands, of applications, particularly if it’s at a well-known company such as Google, Facebook, or IBM. 

Recruiters therefore have no shortage of software engineer resumes to select from. This makes it imperative that your resume convinces them that you’re a one-of-a-kind candidate who can’t be passed up. Recruiters are looking for someone who’s clearly put effort into their application, while offering the right combination of skills and experiences needed to excel in the job.

You can convince a recruiter you’re who they’re looking for by ensuring your resume is logically formatted with a clean and simple layout. This will show you’re a consummate professional who values the recruiter’s time. You will also need to be strategic about which information you choose to present on your resume, as well as how you present it. To put it simply, your resume needs to present your skills and experiences in the best possible light. You can achieve this by paying careful attention to best practices for writing it, as our guide here highlights.

What skills to mention and how to do it correctly

Many software engineer resumes focus exclusively on candidates’ technical skills. While showcasing your technical skills is undeniably crucial, it’s vital that your resume demonstrates that you’re a well-rounded employee. Think about it: no one wants to work with someone who’s technically adept but lacks interpersonal and organizational skills.

Unlike your technical skills (which we discuss further directly below), you shouldn’t include your soft skills in a separate skills section. Instead, incorporate them naturally into your job experience section. For example:

• Compiled and presented key findings of a comprehensive technical report which identified major vulnerabilities in the company’s software, resulting in the implementation of greater security measures.  

The job description above not only effectively shows off the candidate’s technical abilities (i.e. identifying vulnerabilities and compiling a technical report), but also their soft skills (i.e. presenting their findings and their strong communication abilities).

If you’re having trouble figuring out which soft skills you can offer an employer, consider the following:

• Creativity
• Dependability
• Team work skills
• Time management skills
• Presentation skills
• Decision-making skills
• Critical thinking skills
• Integrity

How to list your technical skills and which ones should be mentioned

Recruiters won’t bother trying to figure out if you have the right technical skills to succeed in a job. Instead, they’ll select a candidate who has made their technical skills known from the get-go in their resume.

This is why it’s absolutely imperative that you feature your technical skills prominently. However, don’t just list an assortment of technical skills you have. They need to be relevant to the job you’re applying for. For example, if a job ad states that a company is after an iOS app developer, they want someone who has the specific skills necessary to effectively develop and maintain iOS apps. 

Once you have determined which skills to focus on, list them out in a dedicated section titled “Skills.” Only feature your technical skills in this section - no other types of skills should be included. 

You should also make sure to intertwine your technical skills in your job experience section. Doing so will help add substance to your achievements and give you yet another excuse to highlight what a highly-skilled professional you are.   

If you need some ideas of what technical skills to include, check out our list of popular ones below:

• Computer programming languages (e.g. Ruby, Java, JavaScript, HTML, C Language, C++, C#, HTML, Python, etc)
• Network protocols
• Tutorials and Demos
• Developing mobile and PC apps
• Data structures and algorithms
• Software debugging
• DevOps
• Documentation
• Databases and indices
• Object-oriented design
• Agile processes
• Status tracking tools 
• Security testing

Pro tip: If you have space, you can also mention one or two of your most eye-catching skills in your resume objective or resume summary.

How to show what you’ve achieved with each of your skills

The best way to show what you’ve achieved with each of your skills is to let your job experiences do the talking for you. Your job experiences should not just state what you have done in each role, they should also communicate how you drew on your skills to achieve impressive results. 

For example, if you want to show off your strong Java skills, highlight a concrete example of when you used them to advance the interests of your company. Likewise, if you are proud of your ability to work well in a team, be sure to include an eye-catching example which illustrates your strong collaboration skills.

What achievements to mention and how to do it correctly

When it comes to putting together an eye-grabbing software engineer resume, the achievements you choose to feature is one of the most important decisions you will make. 

Any achievements that are either a) irrelevant or b) written in a way that doesn’t immediately wow should be replaced or rewritten. You should primarily mention achievements that the recruiter is seeking from an ideal candidate. The best way to work out what these are, take a close look at the job ad. It will likely explicitly state which skills and experiences a company is seeking under the heading “Our ideal candidate will possess...”

You can also mention any other achievements that would pique a recruiter’s interest, such as those that had a significant and measurable impact on your company.

When writing out your achievements, your primary aim should be to engage the recruiter, and make them curious to find out more in person. This is why you should not only describe what your achievements are, but also why they are noteworthy. Where possible, it’s a good idea to quantify your results to drive home why they are valuable.

For example, the following achievement is written in such a bland and uninspiring way that it would make a recruiter’s eyes glaze over:

• Made changes to the company’s e-commerce software to make it faster and more popular than before.

Compare it to this version of the same achievement, which uses far more engaging and results-focused language that would instantly grip a recruiter:

• Upgraded and optimized the company’s e-commerce software to improve efficiency and usability, leading to a 200% increase in speed and 320% more visitors.

As the above example shows, on a resume, an achievement is only as good as you can describe it. You can turn a humble achievement into an eye-catching one, and an incredible achievement into a lacklustre one, simply by the language you use.

What to avoid mentioning

Your software engineering resume needs to clearly communicate why you’re the right software engineer for the specific job you’re applying for. Consequently, unless you have no experience in the field, you should only mention skills and achievements that are related to software engineering.

Leaving such information in will detract from your software engineering achievements and confuse the recruiter as to which type of work you actually want to undertake. In short, it’s preferable for your resume to be tight and have white space than be clogged up with irrelevant information. 

Pro tip: Are you wondering how you can prevent your resume from looking patchy if you lack professional experience in software engineering? Read the section below, “How to write a resume when you have no experience” for our expert tips.

How to write a resume objective (with examples)

If you’re just getting your start in the world of software engineering, it’s strongly recommended that your resume features a well-written resume objective. A resume objective is useful for novice software engineers as it gives you the chance to win over a recruiter even if you’re lacking professional experience. 

Your resume objective should tell the recruiter why you are worthwhile considering for the position. You therefore need to put your best foot forward by highlighting your most notable attributes and achievements. It’s even better if you can communicate how these attributes will benefit the company. 

Recruiters are always interested to discover why you even want a job in their company in the first place. So don’t forget to include your overall work goals in your resume objective.

Here are some examples of resume objectives to inspire your own:

• Final year BS Computer Systems Engineering student at UGA with a 3.5 GPA looking for a fast-paced software engineering position in the non-profit sector. Active member of the Society of Women Engineers University of Georgia Student Branch.

• Driven software engineer specializing in React and iOS app development aspires to work as a junior software engineer in an innovative company like Creative Minds Co. Has 1 year of experience as a junior app developer at a Forbes 500 company. Recently awarded Employee of the Month.    

How to write a resume summary (with examples)

Once you have more than a couple of years of experience, you will need to replace your resume objective with a resume summary. A resume summary is a brief statement about the most valuable professional experiences and skills you offer. 

Aim to make your resume summary as relevant to the job you’re applying to as possible. Keep the recruiter’s objectives in mind, and shape your resume summary accordingly. For example, if you are applying for a job primarily involving JavaScript development, highlight an achievement which involves you using it.

You should also emphasize any professional experiences that show your determination to grow professionally, such as any conferences and seminars you are/were involved in, and certifications you hold.

To get you started on writing your own resume summary, consider the following examples:

• Detail-oriented software engineer with over 6 years of app development experience at Stellar App, including 2 years of managerial experience. Holds Oracle Certified Master (OCM) certification and attends DeveloperWeek every year.

• Searching for an opportunity to apply my strong C++ and security testing skills developed over 8 years working at Crystalize Co. Regularly conducts in-house seminars for fellow software engineers and is a 2x speaker at Startup Grind Global.

Pro tip: To catch the recruiter’s eye, highlight your soft skills in addition to your technical skills. 

How to list any additional details, like certifications, awards, hobbies, and interests

Certifications

Listing additional details that are relevant to software engineering can be just the thing that adds some extra flair to your resume. 

We strongly recommend that you clearly list any relevant certifications in a separate section called “Certifications.” Doing so will show that you have proactively sought to improve your soft engineering knowledge and skills. Some examples of certifications you may hold include: 

• Microsoft Technology Associate (MTA) certification
• CCA Spark and Hadoop Developer certification
• CIW Web Foundations Associate certification
• Oracle Certified Associate (OCA), Oracle Certified Professional (OCP), Oracle Certified Specialist (OCS), and Oracle Certified Master (OCM) certifications

Hobbies and interests

There are only a few circumstances in which we recommend including your hobbies and interests on your resume. The reason we generally advise excluding them is because they take up precious real estate on your resume which could otherwise be used to emphasize more relevant information. 

One circumstance you should make sure to include them is if the job description requires it. Some companies ask applicants to include this information on their resume, by writing something along the lines of, “We want to find out more about who you are, so be sure to mention your hobbies and interests on your resume!”

In such a case, you can list out your hobbies in a section called “Hobbies.” You should only list 2 to 3, unless otherwise advised. Your hobbies don’t need to be software engineering related - so feel free to be truthful. Ultimately, they should give the recruiter an insight into what makes your mind tick outside of work.

The only other circumstance where hobbies could aid, rather than hinder, your chances of scoring a job is if you have no work experience. We’ll explain more details about this directly below. 

How to write a resume when you have no experience

If you have no professional software engineering experience to your name, the good news is that you will still be able to put together an eye-catching resume. However, you’ll need to be strategic about putting it together.

Instead of focusing on what you don’t have (that is, professional experience), focus on what experiences and skills you do have. Here are a few ideas that are sure to impress:

• • Your education: Are you a new grad or currently enrolled in a college degree, community college course, or an online course relevant to software engineering? Be sure to include this information in your resume’s “Education” section. Note your major, minor (if any), and any programming coursework you have completed to date. You can even flesh this section out with bulleted points about your most noteworthy achievements.

  • Internship experiences: Internships should definitely be listed in the “Experience” section of your resume. If you don’t have any directly relevant to software engineering, feel free to include details about how you used relevant skills such as computer skills.

• Personal Projects: Personal projects which require you to draw on your software engineering skills can quickly capture the attention of a recruiter. Is there an app you’re working on that you’ve coded all by yourself? A personal website that already has 1000 visitors? Or how about an open source project you’re actively contributing to? Projects like these show your initiative and enthusiasm to recruiters. Include them under the heading “Software Projects”.

• Your skills: Even if you’ve haven’t yet worked as a software engineer, doesn’t mean you don’t have plenty of attractive skills to offer employers. In the “Skills” section of your resume, list any software engineering skills you have - even those you don’t have formal training in. Just be sure to note your level of proficiency for each skill. For example, JavaScript (proficient), HTML (advanced), CTT (familiar), etc.

If your resume is still looking too sparse, you may wish to add a “Hobbies” section. Ideally, you should list at least a few hobbies that have relevance to software engineering. For example, contributing to an open source project.

One piece of advice that every resume expert can agree to is the importance of targeting your resume for each application. The reason it is so vital to customize your resume each and every time you apply for a job is because applying with the same resume will drastically diminish your chances of a recruiter contacting you.

After all, recruiters can instantly recognize the difference between a generic resume an applicant sends out to a number of companies and one they have spent the time to specially put together just for their company. Needless to say, a recruiter will be far more interested in a candidate whose resume conveys their suitability to a position at their specific company.

The most straightforward way to ensure your resume is unique each time is to specifically address the criteria found in each job ad. Your resume should basically serve as a platform to show how you meet most or all of the criteria the recruiter is looking for. 

Incorporate any relevant language and “keywords” that feature in the job ad into your own resume. This is vital for two reasons. Firstly, doing so will demonstrate to the recruiter that you effectively address the criteria they’re looking for and that you’re taking the effort to apply with an original resume.

Secondly, it will prevent your resume from being passed over by applicant tracking software (ATS). ATS is a software program that HR professionals use to streamline the hiring process. It works by automatically filtering applications based on given criteria such as keywords. That means your application could be dismissed by a piece of software even before being seen by a human!

Pro tip: Don’t dismiss the prevalence of ATS! Research from Jobscan found that at least 98.2% of Fortune 500 use an ATS. 

4. How to Use a ResumeBuild Template to Make a Software Engineer Resume

If you follow all of the expert tips we’ve shared in this guide, you’ll significantly increase your chances of scoring an interview. However, we know there are a lot to follow, and that you’d rather spend your time advancing your skills than tweaking your resume. 

That’s why we suggest using a resume template instead. It’s the best hack you’ll come across for making an eye-grabbing software engineer resume recruiters can’t get enough of.

At ResumeBuild, we have dozens of resume templates you can choose from. For example, our Gravity resume template gives your resume a modern but professional feel. The blue icon accents besides each heading help to catch the recruiter’s attention, while the layout is optimized to present your skills and experiences in a highly-organized manner. 

To help you put together your resume with one of templates, we’ve created an intuitive and easy to use resume maker. It is designed to give you step-by-step guidance so you can complete each section of your resume to perfection. 

Not only will it tell you exactly what information you need to include, it will also provide you with plenty of pre-made examples of job descriptions just for software engineer resumes. To use them, head to the “Experience” section in our builder. Under the “Career field” subsection, select “Computers and Technology.” Then, under “Career subfield” select “Software Engineering.” You can now select any pre-written examples you’d like to use either as-is or with some editing.

Give our resume maker a go for yourself, and you’ll see why thousands of people now rely on ResumeBuild to help perfect their resumes.

IT support is an often undervalued profession. Despite playing a fundamental role in ensuring customers' IT queries are resolved efficiently and effectively, many individuals fail to understand just how crucial IT support professionals are.

They may not appreciate that without the technical expertise and guidance IT support specialists and technicians provide to customers, these customers would become increasingly frustrated with the product or service they’re experiencing difficulty with.

If this frustration is not quickly dealt with by skilled IT support professionals, it can quickly boil over and negatively impact their perceptions about the company itself. As if that weren’t bad enough, if too many negative customer experiences stack up, it can lead to loss of revenue and reputation for the company.

So what does this all have to do with making an IT support resume? Well, a recruiter may be one of those very people who don’t quite understand what makes IT support professionals so vital. Your resume will therefore need to clearly convey the ways in which you’ll be an integral part of the company if they choose to hire you. Even if a recruiter appreciates the value IT support professionals bring, your resume will still need to make it crystal clear why they should hire you out of all of the other candidates who also applied.

If you’re wondering how you can make such a remarkable resume, you’ve come to the right place. This guide not only includes eye-grabbing IT support resume examples, but also a plethora of insider resume tips and tricks. After reading it, you’ll be 10x clearer about:

• How to optimally format your IT support resume
• Which sections are essential to include
• How to shine a light on your training and certifications
• The best approach to writing your achievements
• How to stand out from the pack

1. Multiple Template Examples

2. How to Write an IT Support Resume That Will Get You Noticed

How to format an IT Support Resume

For better or worse, correct formatting is absolutely crucial in an IT support resume. Even if you manage to write precisely what a recruiter wants to read, your resume will leave some serious questions in their mind if it’s poorly formatted.

It’s good news for you, then, that correctly formatting your resume correctly couldn’t be easier. While a handful of resume formats exist, your best bet is to make use of a reverse-chronological format.

A reverse-chronological format is the most ideal choice for experienced professionals because it focuses the hiring manager’s attention on your extensive professional experience. The reason it carries its name is because in this format, your work history is arranged in reverse-chronological order (that is, from most to least recent).

Now that you’re clear about how to format your resume, there’s another important matter you’ll need to attend to: your resume’s layout. A number of considerations are encompassed by this including: your resume’s length, the font you use, margin width, line spacing, and the size of headings and text . Likewise to your resume’s format, recruiters are notoriously selective about which layout guidelines candidates should follow. We’ve included the most universally-accepted ones below:

• • Number of Pages: 1 page total.
  • Fonts to Use: Standard, easy-to-read fonts such as Calibri and Arial. 
  • Fonts to Avoid: Any unique fonts that require downloading in order to use or view, such as Countryside and Alcubierre Regular.
  • Margins: 1 inch on all sides.

• Line Spacing: 1 or 1.15.

• Header size: 14-16 point size.
• Text size: 11-12 point size.

Pro tip: If you’re an entry-level candidate, swap a reverse-chronological format for a functional one. A functional resume format conveniently shifts attention away from your lack of experience by emphasizing your relevant skill set first and foremost.

Which sections should you include in the resume?

In order to ensure a hiring manager seriously considers your application, your resume needs to include a handful of fundamental sections. Below, we’ve listed the key sections that every IT support resume should feature. Be sure to double-check that your resume includes them before clicking “Submit” on your application.

• Contact Information: You must provide the recruiter with your basic contact information such as your name, email address, home address, best contact number, and LinkedIn profile URL (if you have one). This information will allow them to reach out to you if they have any questions about your application, update you about the status of your application, or – fingers crossed – invite you to an interview.

• Resume Objective or Resume Summary: While arguably an optional section, we strongly recommend for entry-level professionals to include a resume objective and for more experienced professionals to include a resume summary. These sections provide you with the opportunity to not only state emphatically why you’re the ideal candidate for the job, but also to summarize the reasons why you hold this to be true.

• Employment History: This section provides an insightful overview of all the relevant roles you’ve worked in. In addition to stating the name of each company, your position there, and the dates you worked, be sure to also highlight your most relevant and noteworthy achievements. Where possible, always strive to quantify your achievements.

• Education: In this section, you should offer basic details about your high school education and/or college degree. Even if the job you’re applying for doesn’t require you to have achieved a certain level of education, this section is considered to be a standard part of any resume.

• Training and Certifications: If you’ve undertaken any training or certifications that have enabled you to further develop your knowledge of and skills in IT support, provide key details about them in this section.

• Skills: One of the most important sections in your entire resume, the “Skills” section puts a spotlight on your most relevant and impressive skills. Aim to list 6 to 8 of them that match those stated in the job ad. Remember to include a balance of both hard and soft skills.

Pro tip: Surprised to see that a “References” section isn’t included in our list above? This isn’t an oversight – including references is considered by recruiters to be completely redundant. The long and the short of it is that if a recruiter, hiring manager, or your potential future boss wants to contact your references, they’ll directly ask you for their details.  

How do you list your education, as well as your additional training and certifications?

Education

Let’s start by talking about the elephant in the room. Most IT support applicants have a similar level of education. When a hiring manager is flicking through resumes, they’re confronted with carbon copies of the standard spiel. It’s your job to break up the monotony.

Ensure that you list your education clearly and effectively. Start with the basics, which are as follows: 

• Name of the degree or diploma
• Name of the school or university 
• The State the school or university is located in
• Dates attended

For example:

EDUCATION

• High School Diploma, Whitney High School, CA, 2016 - 2020

So far, so generic. The hiring manager will see a plethora of resumes stating the above and nothing more. To give you a leg-up, sprinkle in some extra details. Adding interesting nuggets of information will stop them in their tracks. 

What did you do during your diploma or degree that gives you the edge? If you’re looking for some inspiration, consider the following examples. Did you take optional extra classes? Were you involved in a peer tutoring program? Perhaps you took the lead on a class project? 

Rack your brains for these gems and include them beneath the basic education information in bullet points. Use no more than five-to-six lines to get your message across but be detailed. If you state that you “tutored fellow students,” quantify that by adding how many students and for how long. Evidencing the claims that you make will help the hiring manager see your potential as a candidate.

Training and certifications

Next up, let’s talk about any additional training and certifications you may have. If you’ve been in the IT support game for a matter of years, you may have used these extras to level up. Include a “Training and Certifications” section directly below your “Education” section. 

This list doesn’t need to be as detailed as your main education section. However, you’ll still need to get the basic details down. That means including: 

• The name of the training or certification 
• The name of the school or institute that issued it
• The state you completed it in
• The start and end date or the year you completed it in

For example:

TRAINING AND CERTIFICATIONS

• HDI Customer Service Representative (HDI-CSR), HDI, CA, 2020

Pro tip: Most of the time, you can leave your “Training and Certifications” section in the format we provided above. However, if your resume is looking a bit bare, you may wish to include a few bullet points underneath that highlight a few insights about anything that was specifically impressive about the training or certification. Remember to make them as relevant to the job ad as possible!

Which hard and soft skills should be mentioned on a resume?

Over your time in-industry, you’ll have gathered an array of dazzling skills. You need to show them off. The “Skills” section of your IT support resume is your time to shine. You should be sure to include 6 to 8 relevant skills in list form here. You’ll also need to smoothly incorporate a range of skills into your “Employment History” section as well as a few in your “Resume Objective” or “Resume Summary” section.

It’s vital to note that you should use a variety of hard and soft skills under the same header. There’s no benefit to separating your skills into two sections. While you may be under the impression that IT support roles are fundamentally technical, you’re mistaken. 

What makes these positions so challenging is that not only do you need to have the tech know-how, but you also need to be able to articulate it well. You’ll be dealing with a variety of people, from professionals to customers, so soft skills matter too. 

Hard skills

First up, let’s deal with the hard skills that you should mention. To get an idea of the exact skills you’ll need to excel in the role, refer back to the original job posting. Try to match your skill set to the advert as closely as possible so you can align them with the hiring manager’s requirements. If you do so, they’ll no doubt bookmark you as a prime candidate for the job! 

If you’re looking for some inspiration, here are some of the hard skills a recruiter could be looking for:

• Oracle
• Splunk 
• CSS 
• C+
• Remote access
• Remedy ticketing system
• Heat ticketing system 
• Troubleshooting system and network problems 
• Diagnosing and solving hardware or software faults
• Supporting the roll-out of new applications

Soft skills

When you’ve ticked all the hard skills boxes, you’ll need to pepper this section with some soft skills. As an IT support professional, you’ll be the link between technology and the end-user. Put simply, you’ll have the task of communicating highly technical functions to people who likely have zero experience or understanding of them. 

To prove to the hiring manager that you’re the person for the job, use your skills section to highlight your intrapersonal capabilities. Needless to say, just like you did for your hard skills, you should match your soft skills closely to the job posting. If you’re after a glimpse at which ones a recruiter may be after, here are some of the most requested soft skills for IT support jobs:

• Customer service
• Desktop support 
• Problem solving 
• Leadership 
• Service desk 
• Analytical skills 
• Approachable
• Responsible
• Time management skills
• Detail-orientated

How do you highlight your most important achievements

You might be a technical whiz kid, but can you prove it? Within your experience section, you should show off your achievements. Bullet-point specific achievements under the job roles in which they occured. For example, you may want to include details of your performance reviews or average customer ratings within a certain role. 

As a golden rule, apply the ‘show don’t tell’ technique here. Rather than simply stating the facts, help bring them to life by quantifying them and adding some color where possible. Let’s start with what not to do with the following achievement example: 

• Continually received high professional ratings on annual performance reviews.

There’s nothing wrong with the sentiment here. Obtaining high ratings is definitely something you want to shout about. However, the above example lacks depth or detail. Put simply, it’s a vague statement which, when you break it down, doesn’t say much. Rather than making this mistake, you’d do better to adopt the following approach when writing your achievements: 

• Consistently received 9.5+ professional rating on annual performance reviews with a 98% peer satisfaction review. 

Can you spot the difference? In the second example, the candidate takes the time to quantify their achievements. Not only does this approach sound more genuine, but it also paints a vivid picture of the candidate as a consummate professional. With one glance, the hiring manager knows that this candidate will offer a high level of work and ensure that the team is satisfied. 

Pro tip: Remember to include achievements that showcase your intrapersonal skills (aka your soft skills. All IT support professionals are tech-savvy by their very nature, so having ‘people skills’ is a huge deal to recruiters.

How to write a resume objective and where to use it

New to the world of IT support? You’ll need to write a resume objective. In simple terms, this is a short statement of your experience so far and what your future goals are. Keep it short, show some enthusiasm, and shine! 

While you may be tempted to reel-off a generic statement, this part of your resume gives you the chance to stand out from the crowd. Here’s an example of how you can let this golden opportunity slip through your fingers: 

• IT professional with strong technical abilities. Proficient in using Oracle, Splunk, and Microsoft Office. Willing to learn on the job in the hope of progressing fast. 

The above resume objective example missteps a few times. While it’s fine to highlight your most impressive skills within this section, the candidate fails to elaborate on each of them. Simply stating that they can use both Oracle and Splunk is too broad. Instead, the candidate should expand by detailing how and why they use these systems. Equally, they miss the opportunity to explain what they plan to do should they land the role at hand. 

So, how can you avoid this mistake and get your resume objective just right? Let’s take a look at an example of what the same candidate should have written instead: 

• Entry-level IT professional looking to streamline the tech department at JL Cooper Limited. Works well under pressure, can quickly solve user difficulties with 99% accuracy, and has strong communication skills. Previously took the lead on university projects, demonstrating excellent leadership abilities. 

This second example of an IT support resume objective is significantly stronger than the first. The candidate has customized it to the company, even going as far as to name the business. This level of detail serves as proof that you’re not using the same resume objective for every application. 

What’s more, the candidate quantifies their claims, stating that they boast a 99% accuracy rate of solving user difficulties. That’s a huge draw for any hiring manager. After all, who could say no to an IT support professional who can deal with any and all tech-centric obstacles quickly and efficiently?

How to write a resume summary and where to use it

So, you’re a seasoned pro in the realms of IT support? In that case, you’ll need to write a resume summary. This 2 to 3 sentence statement is your elevator pitch. Swiftly tell the hiring manager about your skills, experience, and why they should hire you. 

Avoid blanket statements and vagueness. Instead, be specific and show the hiring manager some evidence. With that in mind, here’s what not to do: 

• Dedicated IT professional with strong work ethic and leadership skills. Proficient in dealing with customer problems, working in a fast-paced environment, and taking a lead on in-house projects. Expert in Oracle and Splunk. 

To the naked eye, the above resume summary hits some of the main points a hiring manager would be looking for. The candidate has laid-out their abilities and even included programs in which they are an expert. However, look a little closer and you’ll see that some vital information is missing. Compare it to this next example of what the candidate should have written:

• IT professional boasting 10+ years’ industry experience leading in-house projects using Oracle for data warehousing. Proficient in solving customer problems at 98% accuracy while excelling in a fast-paced environment. I wish to bring these skills as well as my positive approach to customer service to the part-time IT support role at Clive & Co.

It hardly takes Sherlock Holmes to detect the difference here! The candidate has used evidence and detail to bring life to their summary. For instance, they mentioned their years of experience, accuracy level, and the capacity in which they use Oracle. 

They also directly referred to the company as well as the position they are applying for in order to reassure the hiring manager that they created their resume summary exclusively for Clive and Co. Any hiring manager would appreciate the extra care this shows as many candidates simply copy and paste their resume summary from one application to another. 

As you can see, adding in these seemingly minor details could be the difference between the ‘no pile’ and the ‘yes pile’. Be sure to do the same when writing your own.

How to write a technical support resume when you have little or no experience

Lacking experience? There’s no need to panic. Remember that every candidate has to get their start somewhere. When you’re taking your first step on the career ladder, you may wonder how to write your resume. Before you get typing, here are some ground rules to get you started:

• Be upfront about your experience level 
• Avoid embellishing experience (you’ll get found out!)
• Emphasize your education and skills
• Show your enthusiasm

Since you don’t have a lot to work with, the bulk of your IT support resume will rely on your education and skills, as well as your training and certifications. Ensure that these areas of your resume are crisp and clear for the hiring manager. As we’ve already mentioned, the more evidence you can give that you’re the right choice for the job, the better your chances of catching their attention will be.

Once you’ve got that down, go back over your resume, and include details of any relevant voluntary work or related experiences. While you may not have specifically worked in an IT department, you may have experience that relates to this field. For instance, have you worked in customer service dealing with technical products? If so, mention it! 

You may wish to also briefly mention your future goals in your resume objective. Where do you see yourself in five years? How will your progression benefit the company you’re applying for? Including some projections will show the hiring manager that you’re serious about this role and the company at hand.

Do these things, and you’ll soon be on your way to racking up years of experience in the industry.

How to make your resume stand out

Want to all but guarantee you’ll be hired for the job you want? You can’t settle with submitting a good or even a very good resume. You need to submit a resume which is by all accounts superb. Here are a few tips that are easy to implement but will massively improve your chances of getting hired:

• Keep your resume tight: Many candidates assume that recruiters prefer to see resumes that are packed to the brim with information. However, in actual fact, most recruiters don’t consider resumes that are overly wordy or have large blocks of text without much space in between to be enticing to read. Try your best to strike a balance between including all of the necessary details a recruiter is after and maintaining some white space.

• Exclude any personal/private information: Does your resume include any identifying details about yourself? We’re not talking about your contact details – those are definitely necessary to include! We’re talking about any personal or private details about yourself such as your marital status, political affiliation, age, if you have a disability, whether you have children or not, race, sexual orientation, and gender.
  
  These should all be excluded from your resume. Not only are they big space wasters, but including them also causes more trouble than they’re worth. After all, it’s illegal for a company to discriminate against a candidate based on these factors, so it’s best practice not to mention them in your resume. And in case you were wondering, yes, that means you can and should remove your headshot as well!

• Reassure the recruiter of your suitability for the role: When a recruiter picks up a resume, they’ll run through a number of questions in their head. They do so to figure out if a given candidate will be a good hire. Key questions they will likely ask themselves include: “Does this candidate have the right skill set to excel in the job?” “Does their experience match up with the job’s duties and responsibilities?” “Does this candidate have what it takes to smoothly transition into the new role?” 

Therein lies the key to reassuring the recruiter of your suitability for the role: ensuring that your resume answers these questions in the affirmative. In order to give yourself the best shot of doing so, always customize your resume so it addresses the specific criteria a recruiter is after. To work out what this criteria is, you’ll need to spend some time analyzing the job ad of the role you’re interested in. Look for any mention of which hard and soft skills, experiences, job roles, and qualifications are particularly valued. Then, incorporate any that apply to you into your resume. 

• Demonstrate your attention to detail: IT support professionals need to be detail-oriented in order to succeed. So it’s a no brainer that your resume should reflect this skill in droves. This is why it is critical that your resume boasts absolutely flawless grammar, spelling, and formatting.
  
  It may not seem like a big deal to you if you accidentally write “their” instead of “there” or you carelessly use a mixture of fonts throughout your resume, but it definitely is to a recruiter. Always proofread your resume multiple times and double-check that all stylistic elements are 100% consistent and in line with recruiters’ expectations.

3. How Do You Create a Magnificent IT Support Resume in Just Minutes?

If you’re wondering if the question above is a trick one, we can understand why you’d think that. After all, it’s reasonable to expect that it takes several hours to days to make even a mediocre IT support resume. You only need to read our guide above to see how much work goes into making an eye-grabbing one!

It may come as a surprise, then, that we have a genuine answer to the question above. You can create a magnificent IT support resume in just minutes by using our state-of-the-art resume builder at Resumebuild.com.

Our resume builder dramatically reduces the time it takes to make a strong IT support resume, while simultaneously elevating your chances of making one that will get you hired. How exactly does it achieve this? By cutting the resume process down to only a handful of easy-to-follow steps. Each step focuses on a different section of your resume that recruiters are expecting to see. Once you work your way through all of them, you’ll be rewarded with a well-formatted and well-written resume that recruiters will fight over to read.  

If you’re after some additional guidance, our resume builder has you covered. Just look out for our helpful industry-specific pre-written examples. It’s completely up to you how you use them. You can add them to your resume as is, modify them to better suit your unique skill and experiences, or just use them as inspiration. Another feature our resume maker offers that job seekers have flocked to use are our stunning resume templates. They’re not only visually-appealing, but also 100% HR-friendly. 

Ready to fix up your resume and get hired for that IT support job you’ve been longing for? There’s no need to delay any longer: Get started today!