Network engineers (or network architects) are masters of networks. From setups, maintenance, and support, they’re the people responsible for an establishment or organization’s IT system.
Network engineers are vital in every business. Imagine the chaos inside a workplace if these people aren’t around to oversee network problems.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics says the network engineering field is one of the United States’ fastest-rising industries. In their estimates, employment will jump to 6% from 2016 up to 2026. So, if you’re a budding network engineer who’s itching to start your career, there’s no better time than the present!
But before you send out job applications, you may want to work on your resume first. Lucky for you, this guide is here to help you out.
The Basics of Writing A Resume
Even if you have all the experience and credentials in the world, they won’t be enough to land you a network engineering job. You still need a well-crafted resume to get you hired. Tech jobs go through a rigorous recruiting process; usually, your interviewer isn’t the same person who’s looking at your resume.
Recruiters can easily spot bad candidates just by looking at resumes. They follow various parameters just to find suitable applicants to join their talent pool. So if you want to land that job, you have to ace your resume writing first before everything else.
Don’t type on that blank template just yet. We’ll take you on a step-by-step process in creating a professional resume for your network engineering pursuits. Since resume writing rules change every year, we’ve ensured that these steps suit current times and standards.
Step #1: Get your layout right
This first step doesn’t require you to download an expensive fancy template. Instead, it’s about making your resume as recruiter-friendly as possible. There are three layouts you can choose from before you start the writing process:
Reverse chronological
Imagine writing a chronological resume, but flip it upside down. This layout writes one’s employment history backward and begins with the most recent position. If you want a guaranteed clean-looking resume, this is a layout for you.
Functional
This layout emphasizes one’s skills and experience rather than their job history. Career shifters usually use this layout since they don’t have professional history to bank on.
Hybrid
This combines the best of both reverse chronological and functional layouts. It lists skills and accomplishments first before recounting one’s job history. If you want to catch recruiters’ attention, this layout is your best bet.
Step #2: Create an eye-catching header
Headers may look simple on the surface, but you can’t understate their value. Since they’re the first thing recruiters see on resumes, you have to get this right if you want them to keep reading.
A resume header should accomplish two things. One, it should show that you’re a relevant candidate. Two, it should allow recruiters to contact you. Sounds, easy right? All you have to do is include basic details (name, job title, address) and contact number (phone numbers and email addresses).
You can opt to add your LinkedIn URL here. Why? Here’s something that may convince you: 40% of recruiters won’t give you a call if you don’t include it. Giving them access allows them to look more into your professional background and potentially convince them to hire you. Make sure your profile is clean and ready for browsing.
Step #3: Craft a strong summary
Summaries can hook people in a few sentences. However, they can be challenging to write. How do you even know where to begin?
Resume summaries are short sentences that describe what you offer to the table. Many people usually write them from a third-person point of view. The third-person narration also allows recruiters to focus on your skills and other factors other than your personality.
Many employers use summaries to gauge whether they should give you a second look or not. Get their attention by using compelling action words that are relevant to the job. Don’t go too overboard with your vocabulary, though—simple words make the most sense, and you don’t want a vague summary.
Your resume summary should have these three things that come with their own set of questions:
Relevant technical skills
What skills do you have that relate to and can help the field you plan to enter?
Relevant achievements
What accomplishments do you have that can help convince recruiters to hire you?
Numbers
How many field-related jobs did you hold? How many projects did you lead and complete? How long have you been in the industry?
Step #4: Convincingly state your skills, qualifications, experience, and accomplishments
Have you noticed the words and phrases often repeated in your targeted position’s job description? Those are the keywords that they hope to find in applicants’ resumes—especially in their skill sets, qualifications, professional backgrounds, and achievements.
Use those keywords when following this step. Not only does this get their attention, but this allows your resume to pass their ATS (applicant tracking system) platforms. Much like your summary, use numbers and industry-specific action words that’ll show recruiters that you’re the right fit for the job. Make sure to write these sections separately so you won’t end up with a massive wall of text.
Pro-tip: leave out the skills that you haven’t honed or mastered. Just include the ones you excel at so that you won’t waste anyone’s time and flush your chances down the drain.
Step #5: Don’t forget your education
Network engineering jobs usually require bachelor’s degrees. Writing this section means including the skills you’ve picked up in your studies instead of merely stating your educational attainments in your resume.
If you’re applying for an entry-level position, you should be as descriptive as possible in this section. You don’t have to include every detail, though. Just list the ones that matter to the job. Add the following information to this section to cover your bases:
Institution name
Degree
Graduation date
GPA (optional; include this if it’s above 3.5)
Field-related coursework and extracurricular activities
If you’re out of the entry-level bracket, your education section doesn’t have to be as descriptive as the one above. The first three items will be enough here.
Step #6: Write an impressive cover letter
A Jobvite survey revealed that 26% of recruiters go over applicants’ cover letters and consider them in hiring decisions. This may be an old-school tactic for some, but it’s strongly advised to include a cover letter when submitting job applications.
Cover letters should be professional and personable at the same time. Don’t leave your readers hanging by using vague messaging—how will recruiters understand you if your points aren’t clear?
Lastly, keep your letter short. Not every recruiter has the time to read every letter in their piles, so keep your content brief and direct to save everyone’s time.
Now that we’ve gone through all the steps, now’s the time to build your network engineer resume. If you find yourself getting lost at some point in the process, you can always go back to this guide to refresh your memory.
Moira Perez is a writer, content specialist, reader, and traveler at ResumeGuy.com. She shares her writing on LinkedIn and Twitter.