10 Tips On Writing An IT Resume
The IT job market is still one of the hottest markets and commands the
highest resume response from job seekers. Given the sheer volume of
resumes that a hiring manager has to sift through for each position, only
the strongest resumes actually get past the initial 30 second screening.
The national average for resumes received for each IT position advertised
is 300 and increasing.
1. Make Your Resume Searchable: Using the right keywords is the key
for making your IT resume web searchable. It is not enough to mention the
skill sets you have, but you must also use them effectively. For example,
if ORACLE and VB.NET is your forte, then you should use phrases such as
"database programming" and "testing". Another thing about keywords is that
resumes these days are simply being scanned electronically for inclusion
into company databases. If you are not using the right IT keywords for the
position advertised, your resume may not even see a human being.
2. Choose The Right Format: Although different formats have pros
and cons, for IT positions, the functional resume format is ideal for its
effectiveness in highlighting your skills and experiences. This saves time
for hiring managers and you stand a better chance of getting shortlisted.
3. Emphasize Your Skills: The key to cracking the IT job market is
really your skills. Emphasize your skills with short sentences such as
"programmer with 8 years experience in COBOL and Oracle, and last three
yeas as team leader". Another example could be "eight projects in 6 years
in C++, SAS, HTML, CAD, and TCP/IP". This also showcases your additional
skills in areas such as leadership, management and interpersonal skills
(which are sometimes lacking in IT candidates).
4. Avoid Mistakes In Terminology: There are job seekers that still
write industry terminology incorrectly, which usually has disastrous
consequences on their job search. Example, "data warehousing" is often
written as "dataware housing" or worse, "data wearhousing". Proofread your
resume thoroughly, then have a friend do the same.
5. Cut Down Lengthy Paragraphs: Summarizing your resume will
definitely score points over writing long paragraphs. You don’t want your
extraordinary skills to get lost in a maze of words. Certifications such
as MCDBA, MCP+1, & MCSE should be listed in a stand-alone fashion.
6. Highlight Accomplishments. Mention your responsibilities and
specific accomplishments in your current position, giving examples of the
platforms used for both back-end and front-end operations.
7. Omit Personal Information. Avoid unnecessary personal details;
they will only be distractions.
8. Summarize Your Resume At The Top: Summarizing key elements at
the top makes more impact and encourages the employer to continue reading.
An executive summary, well written, can do an excellent job at keeping the
reader engaged.
9. Avoid The Temptation To Overdo: Treat your resume as your
calling card. You must be able to substantiate everything that you have
written. For example, if you are applying for an Oracle Financial position
when your specialty is really database management, you will be exposed.
Additionally, you will lose your chance to be considered for any other
position that the employer may have available.
10. Proofread The Resume: Nix grammatical and spelling errors.
There is no excuse for typos or misspellings in a resume. Because IT
resumes have highly technical words, you have to proofread them more
closely.
Getting your resume just right for the initial shortlisting is not hard if
you stick to IT resume writing basics. By following these 10 tips, you
will be able to write and market your IT resume successfully and land that
job.
Written By Heather Eagar |
Writers
Profile
Heather Eagar is a former professional resume writer who is now
dedicated to providing job seekers with resources and products that
promote job search success from beginning to end. To read reviews of
resume writing services of the top companies in the industry, a free job
search ecourse and other resume resources, go to http://www.ResumeLines.com
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