Aiming for network engineer contract position - please obliterate my CV

mfieldhouse

Especially you guys who have landed contract network engineer roles before and know what they're looking for.

I'm looking for a CCNP level network design, configuration and installation contract.

I have some good certs and experience now. I want to get it across in the best way possible.

Turgon and JDMurray, I'd like you're feedback too, I've seen you give some good advice before

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I’m a CCNA and CCNP certified network engineer. My next goal is the CCIE, which I’m currently studying for.

My network design experience has been focused on network solutions which directly improve the business network infrastructure by providing increased performance, resilience and manageability. This has included creating a converged voice and data network. I work with a focus on maximum network uptime and security.

I’ve worked in LAN, WAN, global network and datacenter environments. This includes working in a customer facing position for an IT consultancy, financial services experience and 3rd line network design and support.

A quick overview of the network technologies I’ve worked with include routing and security protocols, Cisco routers, switches, firewalls and load balancers. On the server side, I have a good knowledge of Windows Server and Linux as well as network monitoring and management software.



Training and Certifications

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Cisco
CCNP – January 2011
CCNA – September 2008

Call Manager, CUCM7 and Cisco IP Communicator hands on home lab – January 2011

F5
F5 load balancer training and hands on configuration at F5 University – January 2011

May 2008
One week course on HSRP, IPSec, SSL, network debugging and the APACS30 payment protocol

February 2008
Advanced ADSL faults diagnostics at XXX

September 2007
Linux and Network+ training courses



Work History

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XYZ Company - Network Specialist
November 2008 – November 2009

3rd line network design and support role. Along with another network specialist, I was responsible for the whole network infrastructure. Roughly 150 devices over 12 offices in XX and XXX.


Responsibilties:

• 3rd line network support for Cisco and HP switches, WAN links, routers, PIX and ASA firewalls, WAPs, Avaya IP phones and RSA SecurID appliances
• New network design installation, upgrades and documentation.
• Configuration of remote access and site to site VPN connections via the ASA firewalls
• Troubleshooting routing and switching connectivity problems


Achievements:

• Designed, configured and installed a converged data and voice network for a new office consisting of around 120 staff, each with VoIP phones
• Increased network uptime and resilience by identifying and eliminating single points of failure by using dynamic routing protocols and redundant connections
• Identified security problems in the network, implemented a standardised device security policy and installed a Cisco Secure ACS appliance
• Increased network manageability by installing a new monitoring system and configuring all devices to be monitored. Installed a Linux based NTP and configuration backup server.
• Improved network performance by splitting large subnets into smaller VLANs. Implemented QoS on WAN links to prioritise VoIP and business-critical traffic.




LMNOP Company - Network Analyst
September 2007 – October 2008

Network analyst based in a 24x7 NOC for a global financial network. Supporting important clients in the financial services industry such as XXX, XXXX and XXX.

Responsibilities:

• Monitoring the global network infrastructure supporting banks, stock exchanges, ATMs and retail stores
• Troubleshooting network connectivity and routing problems and scheduling network changes
• Implementing planned network changes on Cisco devices, Linux servers, Riverstone and F5 load balancers
• Customer notification and central contact point for network outages
• Troubleshooting faults with leased lines, ISDN, ADSL and GPRS running IP, X.25 or XOT

Achievements:

• Improved our monitoring capabilities by writing custom monitoring scripts in BASH for one of our Linux servers
• Helping team members by providing Linux troubleshooting advice on performing disk checks, editing files and other command line programs
• Resolving network problems quickly by getting involved in 2nd line tasks such as packet capture and debugging transactions




QRS COMPANY - Systems Administrator
May 2006 - August 2007

This role was customer facing at an IT consultancy specialising in dentistry

Responsibilities:

• Providing our customers with a reliable server and network infrastructure
• CAT5 cabling of customer premises
• Building HP Proliant Windows 2003 Servers, configuring Windows domains, Active Directory, DHCP, Group Policy and Exchange
• Desktop PC repair
• Supporting Solaris and Linux based web, email and DNS hosting which provided additional services for customers

Achievements:

• I provided our customers with proactive remote network monitoring by installing Linux based Nagios and Big Brother monitoring systems. This became a big selling point for our services.
• Built a customised high-end PC for one of our customers
• Produced benchmarking documents proving that our systems were faster than those usually installed in dental practices. These were then used as marketing material.
• Attended a trade show to promote the business and answer technical questions
• Redesigned the company website – xxx.co.uk (no longer active) to more accurately reflect the company

mattrgee

This is among the best CVs I've seen in a while and reminds me very much of my own. The seperation between responsibilities and achievements is right on the money and proves you will achieve something for your future employer.

One thing I will suggest is that you place your achievements before your responsibilities. I made this exact change myself this week after reading James Caan's book ( Get The Job You Really Want: Amazon.co.uk: James Caan: Books ). The point of this change was to get some of my achievements onto the first page and attract the attention of the person reading it.

It might also be worth highlighting more of your soft skills. Are you a team player? Do you have good communication skills? Can you handle preasure? Do you have to meet SLAs? That sort of thing. I know you've got a line or two about your customer facing role but a few more soft skills would be nice.

Also, you could add some 'power words' into your achievements. For example:

Competently designed, configured and installed a converged data and voice network for a new office consisting of around 120 staff, each with VoIP phones.

and

I dramatically improved network performance by splitting large subnets into smaller VLANs.

etc.

Essendon

Great resume mate! As mattrgree said, the format reminds me of my resume too.

Only thing I can think of >>

Shorten the Profile/Summary section. That's WAYYY too long, save it for the cover letter. A Profile/Summary is a short one-two sentence of who you are and what you can bring to a company.

Good luck with the hunt!

mfieldhouse

Thanks for the tips essendon, mattrgee.

mattrgee - I've switched around my achievements and responsibilities. That sounds like a great book, I really like dragons den so I'll add it to my reading list.

Come to think of it, we met SLAs all the time in the NOC job, so I added details of that in there.

Xcluziv

Great Resume/CV!!! Kudos!!!!

Looks pretty good to me. Can't give much feedback on alot of Network Engineer type roles, but the main thing would be as long as you can backup everything on your resume, you are good to go. Looks like you have that down pack. Good luck on the job hunting! If you need any places to find some postings let us know....we all have different avenues where job listings come up