Displaying your cert logos on your resume without being tacky.

How do you do it? What are your rules? I’ve attached what I have right now and I think that looks fine, but I’ve got an MCITP and CCENT to add and I think that’s just going to make it look ridiculous.

resume_logos.JPG

Find more posts tagged with

Free for TechExams community: Cybersecurity salary guide

Compare cert salaries and plan your next career move

Button

Comments

Paul Boz

ColbyNA wrote: »

I don't see what one thing has to do with the other?

Obviously you want logos on yours, so go for it. I don't think anyone is demanding that no one does it. I believe we're saying that we, personally, do not do it and wouldn't recommend it. If it works for Boz, great. I think it's a waste of space and it looks bad, especially when things are redundant like his. The CCDA is a requirement for the DP, and the NA is a requirement for three certs he has, there is no need to list those two, IMO. I am all for redundant certs in words, as you get more keyword hits, but redundant certs in pictures seem very silly, to me.

People on these forums discuss whether human resources will value a MCITP as much as an MCSE and you're going to start talking about redundancy in certs? you honestly think that HR departments know you need a CCNA to get a CCNP? I worked hard for the certs, I want them listed. It is very flashy, that's the point. Resumes have one purpose: to sell yourself and sell yourself well. It is usually the first thing potential employers see, long before they actually speak to you.

JDMurray

My resume is already maxed-out at four pages, but maybe I could squeeze the (ISC)2 logo in the margin of the "Certifications and Professional Affiliations" section. Hmmm...

ColbyG

Paul Boz wrote: »

People on these forums discuss whether human resources will value a MCITP as much as an MCSE and you're going to start talking about redundancy in certs? you honestly think that HR departments know you need a CCNA to get a CCNP? I worked hard for the certs, I want them listed. It is very flashy, that's the point. Resumes have one purpose: to sell yourself and sell yourself well. It is usually the first thing potential employers see, long before they actually speak to you.

Like I said, I'm for redundancy in text, but I think having redundant logos is an even bigger waste of space. I doubt HR knows what any of the certs are, but I'm sure they can read.

networker050184

Paul Boz wrote: »

It is very flashy, that's the point. Resumes have one purpose: to sell yourself and sell yourself well. It is usually the first thing potential employers see, long before they actually speak to you.

I totally agree you need to sell yourself on your resume, but flashy isn't always good.

This picture comes to mind. Flashy, yes. Looks good, no! I'm sure there is at least one guy out there that thinks it looks good though

eMeS

networker050184 wrote: »

I totally agree you need to sell yourself on your resume, but flashy isn't always good.

This picture comes to mind. Flashy, yes. Looks good, no! I'm sure there is at least one guy out there that thinks it looks good though

I ask that you respect my father's privacy, and leave his "truck" out of this.

While I do like your resume Paul, I don't think it's necessarily the images that make it stand out. Rather, it's the formatting.

This topic comes up from time to time. Personally I think it really depends on what type of job you're considering. I could see images being more of a fit for jobs that are specific-vendor focused vs. a job that is not, or for use in a resume intended for general trawling...

IMO, it goes back to one of the most important rules of communication. Know your audience. If your these images work for your audience, by all means go for it. If they do not, then take a different approach.

BTW, the next topic that follows this one is the "do you append certifications to your signature?" The answer to that one is "no", unless they are specifically post-nominally accredited.

MS

tpatt100

Paul Boz wrote: »

Because it takes up space and spells out what the certifications actually are. I have nothing else to fill the space and it drives the point home further. I have had at least a dozen recruiters look at my resume and no one has had a complaint about it so far. At a glance the logos do not detail what the certifications are. For some of the lesser-known Cisco certs (CCIP, for example) people usually don't know what it is. I have to explain that one constantly.

I do have anecdotal evidence that it works. The goal of a resume isn't to look vanilla. You have to make your resume jump out of the stack and get attention.

Also, to the haters of putting logos on resumes: Please direct your attention to Scott Morris. He is why I put them on mine:

Resume

But your use of logos coupled with your format looks great (actually it rather inspired me once I get my CISA) . The OP's use of logos looks better for a web page rather than a resume. Your resume's use of logos also shows a "theme" of "hey I work on Cisco stuff" where as others like myself the use of several different vendor certs would make my resume look like a Web 1.0 done in Frontpage. It would not flow together well.

Your Cisco certs go together though and the "badge" look looks better laid out like that. Most of the other certs are more landscape.

Now the Scott Morris resume? I think his resume with the emphasis of "Certs" first is trying to make somebody over look that he has been a trainer for a long time and the last time he actually "worked" with routers in a real environment was the mid 90's?

Not to say that the guy does not know his stuff but he has a gigantic lab in his basement. In a lab/classroom environment things rarely go wrong unless you did it wrong yourself.

I think the resume in Word looks pretty bad with the giant logos. I think recruiters over look it due to the experience level.

Or because he has been a trainer for so long his audience like mentioned earlier will be impressed by that stuff.

pwjohnston

Paul Boz wrote: »

I have been told by several recruiters that my resume is the best styled that they have seen.

I do like that.

tim100

Paul Boz wrote: »

I have been told by several recruiters that my resume is the best styled that they have seen.

The recruiter may tell you it is the best styled resume that they have seen but some of them don't even know what all the acronyms mean. The person who is interviewing you for the job will look at what certifications you hold and most importantly your experience but not your logos.

ColbyNA wrote: »

Like I said, I'm for redundancy in text, but I think having redundant logos is an even bigger waste of space. I doubt HR knows what any of the certs are, but I'm sure they can read.

My point exactly.

dynamik

Paul Boz wrote: »

I have been told by several recruiters that my resume is the best styled that they have seen.

It's time to nut-up or shutup. What does this thing look like?

ColbyG

dynamik wrote: »

It's time to nut-up or shutup. What does this thing look like?

He posted it:

tpatt100

His resume makes me want to do Cisco certs, they look like Olympic medals

WillTech105

I think its OK to have one or two logos on your resume but be careful how you place it. Wasting a huge space on logos won't do a thing but making the logos fit nicely into the resume I think looks nice.

For example, my resume has my name at the top with large font and next to is my logos (2). Then I skip a line, put in my contact info and start my normal resume. Even if I did take it out they'd be a giant "gap" missing from my resume where SOMETHING can be placed. If there's room for it why not, but don't just shove it in just to have it there.

Plantwiz

elover_jm wrote: »

Put it in the header, make em small and neat

You'll want to be careful as some of the logos require they are used at a specific size...so 'shrinking' them would be a violation of your right to use them...which...they'd have to find out, but if the employer notices...they could take it as sign you do things your own way and not follow the rules
(which may be good...or not so good).

elover_jm

it has pretty much been my way or the highway

mikedisd2

Paul Boz wrote: »

Also, to the haters of putting logos on resumes[/url]

Haters? We're discussing logos on resumes, not neo-**** fascism.

It's a cool resume format though, very effective.

mikedisd2

mikedisd2 wrote: »

neo-**** fascism.

I can't say n@21 ?

Tough crowd.
(Excuse the l33t translation; I think that may be more offensive.)

veritas_libertas

mikedisd2 wrote: »

I can't say n@21 ?

Tough crowd.
(Excuse the l33t translation; I think that may be more offensive.)

It's automatically done. It got me once for that as well

dynamik

ColbyNA wrote: »

He posted it:

That image hosting site must be filtered here; it displays fine at home.

Paul Boz

dynamik wrote: »

That image hosting site must be filtered here; it displays fine at home.

Fool you know my domain is blocked at work

dynamik

If I can't see the image, I can't see where it's hosted.

Do you expect me to search the source of your posts for your domain?

Pash

A recruiter told me to take off my logo's on my resume a few years ago, that said I've never had any pro certs!

I do really like Paul's resume layout, I think it looks very dapper. If I saw that on a stack of usual cv's I would pick that one up and read it first. I don't think there is wasted space, it's on one sheet and it looks professional.

I think eMes provides sound advice again, it really is about knowing your audience. For example, when I was at college I sent out my cv to work at several local web design studios, my resume was online with a portfolio and very styalized.

Typically when the HR guys speak to IT management, IT management will know these ancronyms and aslong as they are relevant to the job role you are going for, it will only help.

ULWiz

Pash wrote: »

A recruiter told me to take off my logo's on my resume a few years ago, that said I've never had any pro certs!

I do really like Paul's resume layout, I think it looks very dapper. If I saw that on a stack of usual cv's I would pick that one up and read it first. I don't think there is wasted space, it's on one sheet and it looks professional.

I think eMes provides sound advice again, it really is about knowing your audience. For example, when I was at college I sent out my cv to work at several local web design studios, my resume was online with a portfolio and very styalized.

Typically when the HR guys speak to IT management, IT management will know these ancronyms and aslong as they are relevant to the job role you are going for, it will only help.

All i can think of when I See Pash Logo is:

Cobras Lets Bounce.

Turgon

tpatt100 wrote: »

But your use of logos coupled with your format looks great (actually it rather inspired me once I get my CISA) . The OP's use of logos looks better for a web page rather than a resume. Your resume's use of logos also shows a "theme" of "hey I work on Cisco stuff" where as others like myself the use of several different vendor certs would make my resume look like a Web 1.0 done in Frontpage. It would not flow together well.

Your Cisco certs go together though and the "badge" look looks better laid out like that. Most of the other certs are more landscape.

Now the Scott Morris resume? I think his resume with the emphasis of "Certs" first is trying to make somebody over look that he has been a trainer for a long time and the last time he actually "worked" with routers in a real environment was the mid 90's?

Not to say that the guy does not know his stuff but he has a gigantic lab in his basement. In a lab/classroom environment things rarely go wrong unless you did it wrong yourself.

I think the resume in Word looks pretty bad with the giant logos. I think recruiters over look it due to the experience level.

Or because he has been a trainer for so long his audience like mentioned earlier will be impressed by that stuff.

I don't have any strong opinions on the logo thing really. If you want to use them go for it, I haven't personally gone to the trouble. Scott and I have swapped emails fairly regularly since early 2001. He is a fulltime instructor but I can assure you he is still engaged in the field as a designer and consultant. I think it helps his work as well as pay the bills.

Uber-Geek

tpatt100 wrote: »

Now the Scott Morris resume? I think his resume with the emphasis of "Certs" first is trying to make somebody over look that he has been a trainer for a long time and the last time he actually "worked" with routers in a real environment was the mid 90's?

Not to say that the guy does not know his stuff but he has a gigantic lab in his basement. In a lab/classroom environment things rarely go wrong unless you did it wrong yourself.

I think the resume in Word looks pretty bad with the giant logos. I think recruiters over look it due to the experience level.

Or because he has been a trainer for so long his audience like mentioned earlier will be impressed by that stuff.

Or that my resume is really for display mostly for students to care about.... And that I haven't needed to worry about SENDING it to anyone to search for a job in over 10 years now?

Or that my plethora of consulting gigs (try not to tell all of them I only train or they'll be very confused) get me by word of mouth.

Don't mock what you don't understand.

A resume is a marketing piece. Some like pretty and colorful, some do not. It should tell a story. I occasionally have folks I do consulting with want to see the resume, I have others that want to track down references (always say available on request). But it's never been a problem before, so I do what I like!

About the training part, I know the resume may be hard to read with the 'overlapping' current jobs, but I think there's a simple separation there between training (Internetwork Expert) and consulting (Emanon.com --> whoever).

Always live life to your own standards and desires. But if you'd really care to compare actual work at some point, I'd be happy to sit down with you. I just don't think it's relevant to a discussion about logos or not.

Scott
smorris@uber-geek.net

rwwest7

It can't be done. A logo anywhere near a resume is tacky. Just list your certs.

mikej412

Paul's resume is "eye catching." And I have seen a couple other resumes with logos that were good looking.

But the majority I've seen were TACKY -- but's that's usually when the person loads up their resume with every logo they have, rather than just the most impressive one(s).

tpatt100

Uber-Geek wrote: »

Or that my resume is really for display mostly for students to care about.... And that I haven't needed to worry about SENDING it to anyone to search for a job in over 10 years now?

Or that my plethora of consulting gigs (try not to tell all of them I only train or they'll be very confused) get me by word of mouth.

Don't mock what you don't understand.

A resume is a marketing piece. Some like pretty and colorful, some do not. It should tell a story. I occasionally have folks I do consulting with want to see the resume, I have others that want to track down references (always say available on request). But it's never been a problem before, so I do what I like!

About the training part, I know the resume may be hard to read with the 'overlapping' current jobs, but I think there's a simple separation there between training (Internetwork Expert) and consulting (Emanon.com --> whoever).

Always live life to your own standards and desires. But if you'd really care to compare actual work at some point, I'd be happy to sit down with you. I just don't think it's relevant to a discussion about logos or not.

Scott
smorris@uber-geek.net

Well I was not mocking your resume so no need to feel that I am making threats to your ego. A poster was referencing it as an example he was using for his own. Your resume works as an advertisement online and all I could see was "trainer", so your logos which is what we were discussing would help since your selling teaching services but to anybody else probably not.

And no I really don't need to sit down and compare peni size err I mean work history.:)

tpatt100

I would like to emphasize that I do not mean to offend anybody here, I am a new poster and I would not like to cause waves. I saw a resume that I found hard to read and gave an honest assessment based on "my experience with trainers" and it was meant for the poster earlier. I do enjoy reading the posts here so I do offer my apologies to everyone if I came across as snarky earlier especially to Uber-Geek.

Uber-Geek

tpatt100 wrote: »

I would like to emphasize that I do not mean to offend anybody here, I am a new poster and I would not like to cause waves. I saw a resume that I found hard to read and gave an honest assessment based on "my experience with trainers" and it was meant for the poster earlier. I do enjoy reading the posts here so I do offer my apologies to everyone if I came across as snarky earlier especially to Uber-Geek.

No worries. It's not an ego thing, or size thing. Just a expansion on the "not touching a router since the mid-90's" comment.

Just remember not everyone is the same, so experience you may have had with trainers in the past doesn't mean any future one would be equivalent! I keep myself balanced specifically to NOT end up in that fashion.

Like everything (resume style/graphics, etc.) 'tis a personal opinion.

Cheers,

Scott

AlexMR

networker050184 wrote: »

I don't have any anecdotal evidence, but IMO it looks pretty cheesy and "oh look how cool I am" but not in a good way. I'd probably pass it up if I were going through the resumes. Just my opinion though.

Dooood...I dont know you but now i think paul is way cooler than i thought he was. I liked it.It worked! And I also had the problem of not knowing where to put my ONE logo