Resume Guidance

xeruan

I've been trying to read through most of the other resume threads to get a better idea of the direction I should go, but I wanted to get thoughts from others. I've received a couple of responses from jobs I've applied for (most are still pending), but I also realize that my resume could be better. I change the 'Professional Summary' slightly for each job posting (this is just a more generic form), but I've never felt like I've truly gotten it right.

I'm a recent graduate (December 2014) with very minimal experience, and since graduating I've been working on all of the certifications I have listed. I've always been interested in Information Security, specifically as a Security Analyst (much like my Student position), so any professionally-related thoughts or comments are also invited and appreciated.

I appreciate any thoughts or opinions as I am just trying to present myself in the best light possible, as well as better myself.

srabiee

The formatting isn't bad at all.

Your professional summary section is actually an objective section in disguise. The Objective section should be replaced with a competent professional summary. Objective sections are redundant and serve little purpose. I will link you to a document regarding how to write a professional summary. Google is also a good resource on this.

Regarding the Skills section, instead of listing a bunch of software, technologies, and protocols, and I would rather you expand upon this information and explain HOW you are proficient in these skills, especially in a business/enterprise environment. Ideally I would recommend that you incorporate this info into your professional experience, and then drop the skills section altogether.

Within the professional experience section, each job description should begin with a high-level overview of your daily duties and responsibilities, and then use bullets to highlight special achievements, projects, promotions, etc. Don't rely solely on bullets like this. I will link you to a resume that's a great example on how to format and write this properly.

The education section should be located below the professional summary section.

The certifications sections should be located below the education section.

Do you have dual bachelors degrees in the sciences? If so, this is quite the unusual achievement. I would list this fact in the professional summary, as it may give you an advantage over your competition.

I usually only see or recommend Coursework, Activities, and Research sections in academia, and not necessarily in IT. However, because of your limited experience, it won't hurt to include this information. As you gain experience and your resume grows, you can reduce and eliminate this information. (these sections likely won't help much once you get your foot in the door and establish yourself as an IT professional)

This is an excellent resume guide with example resumes, a huge list of action verbs, sample summaries, etc:

http://www.filedropper.com/resumeguide

This thread contains a fantastic example of a properly formatted and written resume (ptilsen's resume):

Resume time

Someone recently uploaded this document regarding the "STAR Method" of writing resume content. You may want to take a look at it and see if it helps you.

http://www.filedropper.com/starmethod

xeruan

I greatly appreciate the information, I had started browsing through a few of the files previously, but thought I should get an initial opinion before I strayed too far from my current iteration of resume.

It took me 3 additional semesters, but I did complete dual BS degrees. When I first started, I wanted to do Computer Forensics/Information Security (very broad, I know), but the University only had General, Interactive Multimedia, and Statistical Computing concentrations in Computer Science so I planned to get my BS in Forensic Science in order to get some of the more professional/analytical theory behind Forensics and minor in Computer Science. My junior year the CSC Department created the Computer Forensics and Security, which was directly in line with what I wanted to do, so I started churning out CSC classes in order to graduate with both. I just wish I could apply any of my 232 undergraduate hours for a Masters degree, lol.

I will take some time to look over what you've provided, and hopefully have you (and everyone else) look over it again once it has been revised.

xeruan

I've been working to revise my previous resume, trying to incorporate the information you mentioned as well as from other threads. Hopefully this attempt is more inline with how a professional summary should be done.

I have pared down the Skills section to specific software/skills I wasn't able to expressly demonstrate in the work experience section. Should I still remove it, or do you have any recommendations for including this information in other segments. The skills pertain to coursework, certifications, or projects outside the scope of my work experience.

Both of the attached resumes have the same content, they are simply reorganized by section - I wanted to get opinions which seemed to have a better flow.

Thoughts, comments, and criticisms are always welcome.

Edit*: I also wanted to ask, I will be beginning a Masters Program in the Fall (OMSCS at Georgia Tech or MS:ISA at WGU). Should I go ahead and include it once I'm accepted, once I've begun courses, or after completing the first term?

srabiee

Version 2.1 has a better flow. That's the one I recommend you go with.

Regarding the masters degree, once you begin classes you can include that degree on your resume with your expected graduation date.

Regarding skills & projects, you could created a new section and call it something like "Other Experiences." Then describe in detail how you are competent with these technologies, what you did with them, and what you accomplished with them. Something like "Conducted school project in which I accomplished X with Y technology, resulting in Z." The skills section as it stands still begs the question HOW you know these technologies and WHAT can you do with them. Also, HOW LONG have you been working with said technologies, etc. The interviewer may grill you on this stuff.

If you have professional experience in a particular technology (in the work history section), you don't necessarily have to include it in the relevant coursework section. Ideally you want to expand upon your work history as much as possible and show professional competency and experience in these technologies.

Your resume is definitely coming along.

xeruan

I appreciate the continued comments. I took your advice and modified the 'Independent Research' section to become 'Other Experience' in order to expand and better reflect the unused skills, thereby removing the section in its entirety.

I know this is a quicker turn-around, but I hope I've appropriately responded to all of your comments.

I've included 2 representations of my resume again, v3.1 just includes the placeholder for the amount of space the MS will take up once I've begun classes. I thought I should leave my undergraduate GPAs for now, until I have established a graduate GPA (though I presume the undergraduate GPAs should be removed in their entirety once I've completed the program).

srabiee

Did you happen to graduate with honors? (cumme laude or higher) If so, you should definitely include that specific verbiage in the education section. If not, GPA will suffice.

I wouldn't include the cert ID's. If they want to verify your certs, they will ask for it.

I think this looks really good. This resume should really up your chances of getting your foot in the door and start accruing some valuable professional experience. Once you do that, you are all set.

Good luck!

xeruan

I appreciate all of the help and feedback.

I did not, my overall GPA was 3.48, just short of cum laude. (While I remain somewhat of a terrible student, my first two years were far worse due to my immaturity.) The Honors Scholar is a program that we had, which required all of the GenEd courses being replaced by more stringent Honors courses, and being required to complete an undergraduate thesis.

Now I just have to wait to hear back from Georgia Tech to decide if I'm going to enroll in the OMSCS program, or the MS:ISA program at WGU while I (not so patiently) wait for a job offer.

*Edit: I figured I should attach my final revision in case anyone is interested in the progression, or is able to learn from it in the future.

srabiee

Looks good! Let us know how this resume does for you.