Resume critique request

Hey guys, Please let me know what you guys think of my resume. I just started working on my CCENT and my goal is to get out of the helpdesk!

Any advice on certs to get or particular experience I should strive to obtain that would help me advance passed the help desk would be appreciated.

At this point I've been trying to get my hands on some server stuff at work but am not sure how much experience I can actually pick up. my goal would be either system's administration or move over to networking. one last thing...would it be worth it for me to go to school and get something? thanks

TEreview - Resume1.doc

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nkillgore

The first question that pops into my head is why have you been doing help desk for so long? You are looking at nearly 10 years as a help desk person. Some people (I don't know you, so this may not be you) are lazy and are happy doing help desk and collecting a paycheck.

If I were you, I would try to get a job in a place where you can get your hands dirty with either networking or server experience (whatever you want to do). Maybe look for a senior help desk or help desk manager position. In your current position, if you can, try to make it clear to your supervisor that you want to do more than help desk.

Unfortunately, the only way to get a job that isn't help desk is to have experience doing things that aren't help desk. Usually the best way to do that is to participate in as many non help desk projects as you can. If you are not able to do that in your current position, find another job. Usually smaller IT departments are a little more free with information and responsibilities. Make it clear to the interviewer when you are interviewing that you really want to learn and grow as an IT professional. An interview goes both ways, and if they don't want someone who is motivated to improve him/herself, you probably don't want to work there anyway.

It may be personal preference, but I have never been a fan of the summary section that you have at the top. I don't have any research or evidence that it is a good or bad thing, though, so take my opinion with a grain of salt.

A degree wouldn't hurt. Some places put more value in them than others. You might want to look at WGU. You can get a degree and pick up some certs along the way that might make you a more attractive candidate for a Jr. Sysadmin or Jr. Netadmin job. Having worked for a military contractor, you also may be able to look for a Security Analyst position in a SOC somewhere. If you want to go that route, you may want to look at the CASP.

TheMontu

First Thanks for the reply,

I know I have been in my current position too long...I asked my supervisor for more training a while ago and his answer was to get sec+ since it's required before I can touch any servers..I did that..but now his back peddling and finding excuses for not giving me the training.

would knowing my age help? I'm 23 ..should I remove the pediatrics place since it was extremely basic networking and short time? (and I was very young)
Also, at the big box store I started as a sales person, then did a mix of sales/tech work and then became the lead tech while still selling..should I break up that experience?

I want to leave my job for some where that will give me more experience but I can't afford a pay cut. (mortgage)

Cisco Inferno

thats not systems administration. remove that.

TheMontu

Cisco Inferno wrote: »

thats not systems administration. remove that.

completely or just change the tittle to something else?

ptilsen

It's a small project you did forever ago. It doesn't add anything at this point, and makes it look like you're trying to exaggerate your experience. I would remove it altogether. It could be brought up in a conversation on how you got into IT and when, but it's not a resume item.

Some basic cleanup things:
Your address and "references available" are not needed. Your phone number, name, and email should be the only identifying information. Get it down to one page. Get all the little details right. Problem-solver and team-building should be hyphenated; CDs doesn't get an apostrophe unless a disc possesses something; "utilizing Astea work order ticketing system" is not an independent clause and has no place following a semicolon. You don't have to many glaring errors, but it would be worth having a good proofreader go over it with a fine-toothed comb.

Technical Expertise + Summary + Experience is redundant. I would recommend a 2-3 sentence summary describing your skills, strengths, and the overall picture of you. Listing every piece of technology you've touched is just not the way to go. Focus on big names, general/transferable skills, platforms. Relevant details like that come out in the interview. I generally don't recommend having "skills" or "expertise" sections at all.

On your experience, try to display accomplishments. A laundry list of responsibilities is never going to stand out. The job title alone is enough to give a good enough guess of what the position was. Try to convey what you do that was really valuable to the organization and/or gave you experience above the norm of your current position. "Improved support processes by documenting problem solutions" is better than "Added content to knowledge base articles," just to make up an example. And to reiterate, keep random technologies out of the experience. When you find a job asking for specific technologies, you can edit them back in before applying. If the job is asking for Remedy, for example, it doesn't make sense for it to be on your resume.

Don't get too hung up on your time in support positions. It looked like you'd been go-nowhere for ten years based on the original resume. At 23 with four years in a contractor help desk and a few years at Geek Squad or whatever, you're not doing bad. It's definitely time to move up, but I don't think anyone is going to say "No, this young guy has been at a low level too long. He can't move up."

An MCSA, RHCSA, or CCNA would go a long way at this point. That's not a resume issue, per say, just my career advice. One of those, a college degree, or both would go a long ways towards helping you break out of support.

TheMontu

Thanks ptilsen,

I'll start making changes tonight.

as for the Certs, I'm going to go for the ccna after ccent..and then hopefully MCSA.
About school, thanks for pointing out WGU nkillgore..I'm really considering it.

nkillgore

Wow. At 23, you are doing fine. Keep pushing for more experience. Check and see if you employer will assist with or reimburse the tuition. Also, the SANS certs are very popular with the government types, but I wouldn't bother unless your employer is paying. You may want to actually look for a position in the government rather than for a contractor. A lot of times, they will hire you at a little higher than what you are currently making. The federal courts (Circuit, District, Bankruptcy, Probation, Pretrial) are largely autonomous and manage their own networks/servers for the most part, and they will probably give you a little bit of preference for having worked for the military. Plus, there is currently a lot of pressure to tighten security. Good luck.

TheMontu

nkillgore wrote: »

Wow. At 23, you are doing fine. Keep pushing for more experience. Check and see if you employer will assist with or reimburse the tuition. Also, the SANS certs are very popular with the government types, but I wouldn't bother unless your employer is paying. You may want to actually look for a position in the government rather than for a contractor. A lot of times, they will hire you at a little higher than what you are currently making. The federal courts (Circuit, District, Bankruptcy, Probation, Pretrial) are largely autonomous and manage their own networks/servers for the most part, and they will probably give you a little bit of preference for having worked for the military. Plus, there is currently a lot of pressure to tighten security. Good luck.

Thanks for the advise, my employer does reimburse for tuition and books including any certificates...Its just kind of a head ache getting my supervisor to approve it since his an ass hat (barely approved my sec+ reimbursement even though he told me to get it)

Its about time I create a profile on usa jobs..I'll probably work on that this weekend.

UniqueAgEnT

Post the revised version when you finish.

Definitely needs to be one page. With two jobs there's no reason to have it exceed one page. Remove the laundry list of tasks and replace with meaningful duties/accomplishments. You have some good experience but as of right now, it will only help you find a new help desk role.

TheMontu

so question, I'm looking at a job description now and they want some one with equipment refresh experience ..since its specifically worded like that if I were to apply I was thinking of putting the word refresh in my resume (they call it that here too) but I was thinking if I should add a project to my resume just for this job?

that project was a weekend one that involved refreshing all the equipment at a bank branch office...I just did it for some extra cash but is it resume worthy IF the job posting specially asks for refresh experience?

thanks

ptilsen

I wouldn't add it as an experience item, but I would find a way to include the specific technology in the resume or cover letter, depending on what it is.

TheMontu

Ok, I'm messing around with it and have a few different versions..I'm finding it a little hard to keep all on one page...I'll continue working on it through out the weekend.

N2IT

Didn't read whatever one else wrote so forgive me if this was mentioned.

Your formatting is off from job to job when I open the document.

nosoup4u

Operating Systems: MS Windows 95- 8

Update this!

TheMontu

Again, thanks guys.

I have been doing some heavy editing to my resume but things have been damn crazy at work lately.

In any case I will continue to touch up my resume but it looks like I may not have to switch jobs..I was informed the other day that If I stick around another month or two I will become a Jr Sys admin.

hopefully it actually happens and I don't need to look else where for work.

thanks again.

instant000

If I was waiting for an employer to send me to training, I would have ZERO certs right now. Some get fortunate to get supportive employers that send them to training, but that hasn't been my lot, and I'm not going to sit around and wait for it.

At some point, I decided that I was taking an aggressive stance, to further myself. Maybe you're just not at that point yet.

I'm really kind of in awe at ten years at the same level, and 5 years at the same job, without any apparent growth or development. I could see five years of the same job, if there was something that provided a certain satisfaction/growth, but you're not getting that satisfaction right now, apparently. I can't know your situation, so I'll just say that you're surprisingly patient, and that your patience is being abused, apparently. Seriously, wait just two more months? Are you serious?

If you've been strung along for this long, I'm not sure that you're valued in this organization, to be honest with you.

Since you already have a clearance, I'd advise targeting something specific that you want to work on. Since you're already working on the CCENT, then you've already established an interest, so go full-bore on that, and don't stop anytime soon. Leveraging your clearance and CCNA would be really smart and would position you to upgrade your position. After that, please don't rest on your laurels, and press on further and higher.

You did ask the education question, but it would take longer to get a degree, versus the CCNA, considering where you currently are.

This way, within a few months, if you don't get what you're waiting on, you'll be better able to strike out and go elsewhere.

If you're staying in DoD contracting, and maintaining your clearance, here is an easy recipe:
1 - Get the CCNA
2 - Get a better job
3 - Get the Voice, Wireless, and Security concentrations for the CCNA
4 - Get an even better job
5 - Get the CISSP
6 - Get a MUCH better job
7 - Pursue your core competency up to the professional level
8 - Whether or not you believe it -- get a better job
9 - Pursue your core competency to the expert level
10 - Yeah you guessed it --get an even better job
11 - Live frugally
12 - Retire in about ten years

Note: Sometime between the professional/expert levels, you would probably attain your BS/MS from WGU. (This would help to unlock any positions that require/prefer a degree.)

Hope this helps.

TheMontu

Thanks instant,

the reason I said 1-2 months is because they opened up an enterprise SA job which our current supervisor is moving into soon..his not leaving in 2 weeks time..but he will be leaving for sure.

when that happens the Jr SA will take lead and I will become the Jr..so I'm defiantly not going to let up on my studies but I also want to see this play out.

if things don't pan out I'm out for sure to anywhere that shows promise for growth.