Resume assistance please.

Could use a little help with these beast. Not sure if the format is good anymore, also the wording seems a little off. I know the summary portion is weak but I haven't a frickin clue when it comes down to it. lol.

Any insight would be appreciated, I really need to get this thing working for me.

Derek_Resume_B.pdf

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NetAdmin2436

I guess I would just move your work experience to the top of the list. Work experience usually trumps all....Other than that I think it looks pretty solid.

kriscamaro68

phantasm wrote: »

Could use a little help with these beast. Not sure if the format is good anymore, also the wording seems a little off. I know the summary portion is weak but I haven't a frickin clue when it comes down to it. lol.

Any insight would be appreciated, I really need to get this thing working for me.

In the summary just basically sum up why they would want to hire you in 3 sentences. Some say that you don't even need a summary. Also ditch the Sec+ in 3rd quarter. It's been said before that doing that looks like you are either desperate to stand out more or padding the resume. Only list what you have. A potential employer doesn't care what you planning on getting down the road only what you already have. Things change day to day and who knows the sec+ may not be your path come a month from now.

HTH

earweed

Looks good. Ditch the Sec+ as the scanners will pick up that you already have it.
As has been said before the summary could either be not included or should be a quick why they should hire you.
I might also stress the importance of a job/company specific cover letter. That may be what gets your resume looked at.

phantasm

earweed wrote: »

Looks good. Ditch the Sec+ as the scanners will pick up that you already have it.
As has been said before the summary could either be not included or should be a quick why they should hire you.
I might also stress the importance of a job/company specific cover letter. That may be what gets your resume looked at.

I do a CV for each app and tailor it to that company. Sec+ is gone, even though it'll be back in its right soon enough.

Thanks for all the input.

Devilsbane

Here is my $.02, keep in mind that I am in the same boat as you and don't do any hiring or anything.

Your Summary, is usually referred to as an objective. It used to be essential for your resume, but I was recently told to trash can it unless your objective isn't clear. If all of your education and skills are pointing at a networking job, then the objective doesn't need to say that again and take up space. If all your work experience was working as a car salesman, but now you are looking for an IT job, then you might want to make use of the objective.

Layout is pretty good. My advice would be to make it a little less wordy, break it up a little more so that things stand out. I'm not sure on the specifics of when a second page is allowed, but if you are going to go 2 pages use it. 1.5 pages just doesn't seem like a good idea.

With my own resume, I go education, certifications, and then work experience. I still don't have a ton of relevant IT experience, so I am relying on my schooling. I think you are a little beyond me as far as work experience goes, so it shouldn't be the last thing on your list. Either first or second. But you certainly want your experience to be above technical skills.

Good content though, and I didn't catch any spelling errors which is always a plus.

thenjduke

I would remove that Security Plus. That is one thing that made your resume stand out to me and I was like he has not finish it why put it. I feel a resume is things that you have completed in work and training.

Devilsbane

thenjduke wrote: »

I would remove that Security Plus. That is one thing that made your resume stand out to me and I was like he has not finish it why put it. I feel a resume is things that you have completed in work and training.

In the prior version of my exam I referenced that I was working on MCSA in my objective. But that was because I didn't feel that A+ and Net+ had enough pull and want to show that I was working hard to get somewhere.

Now that I have my MCSA down in the certification section, I pulled my whole objective section out. I don't feel the need to advertise what I'm currently working on because I think my resume will now show that I am educated and skilled.

It might be something I reference in a cover letter if I feel that it would help me in that job.

phantasm

Well I started reworking the resume last night... is it Ok to lump certifications and education into one heading or leave them seperate? I'm contemplating moving my work experience up to the top but want to ensure that if I list education at the top that my certs are also seen (not that I have a lot - yet).

Devilsbane

What I have seen before is having 2 sections of work experience. The first section at the top which includes 1-2 jobs. Then you can dig into certifications and education. Then you pick up work experience near the end so that you don't waste the first 3/4 page of your resume with work experience.

Does anyone who does hiring have anything to comment about the split work experience?

earweed

Devilsbane wrote: »

What I have seen before is having 2 sections of work experience. The first section at the top which includes 1-2 jobs. Then you can dig into certifications and education. Then you pick up work experience near the end so that you don't waste the first 3/4 page of your resume with work experience.

Does anyone who does hiring have anything to comment about the split work experience?

That would be a good question to post in the Resume do's and don'ts thread. Keenon is kind of the resume expert here.
http://www.techexams.net/forums/jobs-degrees/13582-resumes-dos-donts-guide-line-getting-contacted.html

it_consultant

I would contact you based on this resume. I appreciate the fact that you put most of the relevant information about what you can and cannot do right up front. Summaries are good, if you can get out a logical thought in three sentences about what you are able to do, I encourage it.

I don't love the format, primarily because its structure is a little busy. I use a center format on my resume and I prefer to use italics as opposed to boldface. Like this:

/Italics/ Summary
/Plaintext/ say your peace

/Italics/ Education
/plain/ Bachelor's Degree Technical Management; DeVry University (I dont use abreviations in formal writing, write it out: Bachelors of Science)

/Italics/ Certifications
/Plain/ Cisco Certified Network Associate (remove CCNA)

Etc etc. Don't change your format on my accord, try a couple of different things and see what you like. Grab advice from friends.

Devilsbane

it_consultant wrote: »

Don't change your format on my accord, try a couple of different things and see what you like. Grab advice from friends.

Why not? Save a backup of the old one, and then just go to town. If you decide you don't like what came out, toss it in the trash.

Then rather than asking your friends should I do this or this, you can hand them both documents and ask what they think. Then they will pull pro's and con's out of each of them.

it_consultant

Devilsbane wrote: »

Why not? Save a backup of the old one, and then just go to town. If you decide you don't like what came out, toss it in the trash.

Then rather than asking your friends should I do this or this, you can hand them both documents and ask what they think. Then they will pull pro's and con's out of each of them.

You are saying what I meant - hand someone 2 or more and get feedback. Keep the original too - in case thats the formatting you ultimately go with.

eten

For your B.S in Technical Management, did you graduate yet? If not, July is ending in a week or so and they'll be questioning you why you didn't graduate when you said 'Expected July 2010'.

phantasm

eten wrote: »

For your B.S in Technical Management, did you graduate yet? If not, July is ending in a week or so and they'll be questioning you why you didn't graduate when you said 'Expected July 2010'.

I have graduated, that expected has been removed.

billscott92787

For what it is worth here is my 2 cents of what you should have. I attached it. Kinda made it look more clean and "fresh"

. Let me know what you think. You can send the check in the mail! LOL Just kidding

John Doe.doc

Devilsbane

billscott92787 wrote: »

For what it is worth here is my 2 cents of what you should have. I attached it. Kinda made it look more clean and "fresh" . Let me know what you think. You can send the check in the mail! LOL Just kidding

I'm actually not too fond of this. The references available upon further request needs to be removed. I also think the text is a lot more cluttered, and I don't know how I feel about the table with grid lines.

Again my complaint is that using 1/5 of the second page just looks bad. Either polish it up onto 1, or extend it down at least through most of the second page.

billscott92787

How about that? It all depends on your preference. I personally think it looks more organized/professional this way. As far as the references available upon further request. That's pretty much a must for a resume. Key resume 101 factors.At least that's what I've always heard.

The previous resume just basically includes technical skills, it doesn't show where most of those skills were put to use. Which is what most employers look at. I was told one time that the employer is going to read the first few lines of the resume. If you don't catch their attention there, it goes in the trash. If you do get their attention they will continue to read the resume.

John Doe.doc

Devilsbane

billscott92787 wrote: »

That's pretty much a must for a resume. Key resume 101 factors. But, whatever floats your boat.

In more recent times I have heard it actually makes you look worse to put it on there. Of course you are going to provide references if they ask for them. Even if you hadn't given it any thought (which I think is extremely doubtful), you would run home and start calling people to use.

I still think there is too much writing. Resumes don't need to be in complete sentences, you should make use of bullets so that things stand out.

But like you said, everyone has their own preference.

billscott92787

Yeah it all depends. Personally the best thing to do to find out what the best way is would be to contact some type of manager and recruiter and get their view. I'm sure each of them do the same thing we are doing now, they all probably have different aspects. That's why I like to switch my format up every once in awhile and change it. When I used bullet points, I didn't get one interview. When I moved to a format like this, my phone was ringing non-stop, and I got about 5-6 interviews in the last 9 months. So it depends on the person I guess that's looking at your doc.

Deesiel

Overall, I think it looks pretty good. Definately one of the better looking resumes I've seen posted here. (although I haven't been here for very long...)

it_consultant

I think its important to keep education and certs above your work history. Especially since you have a bachelor's degree, you want to advertise that.