If your technology skills are top notch, your ability to troubleshoot is solid and your discretion is unparalleled, you could have a bright career ahead of you in the field of internet technology, or IT.
Unlike some careers, IT job opportunities exist across nearly all industries, making it a field that can allow you to work in nearly every kind of work environment. Whether you want to become a technical project manager, a data scientist or an IT specialist, this is a field with ample opportunities that will allow you to do work that interests you in the environment of your choice.
While IT jobs are plentiful, competition for plum roles can be fierce. What can help you get noticed is a standout information technology resume.
This guide will show you:
- Popular IT resume examples.
- How to write an IT resume.
- IT resumes for different experience levels.
- Why cover letters are still important.
- Key takeaways as you begin your job search.
If you’re ready to make your resume right now, head directly to our Resume Builder. There, you can choose a resume design of your liking and get advice and easy-to-edit, auto-generated text for every section.
Popular IT resumes
IT is a varied field that has many different job titles, each of which requires a different set of IT skills. Whether you’re writing an entry level IT resume or for a CTO, studying a resume example can help you learn how to make a resume that will help you stand out.
Here are three professional IT resumes for you to review.
Systems administrator
Data scientist
Chief technology officer
Are you looking for a specific job title? Check out these related resume examples or browse our full library of resume examples:
How to write an IT resume
Eager to get your first or next job in your IT career? Start by learning how to write a resume that will get recruiters to reach out for an interview.
A good first step is to sketch out a resume outline. This should include:
- Your contact info at the top.
- An engaging, keyword-packed resume profile.
- A section or two spotlighting relevant skills.
- Your work experience, starting with your latest gig.
- Degrees and diplomas for your education section.
- A few optional sections to jazz up your resume.
Now, let’s break down each of these parts.
STEP 1
Fill in your header
The header of your IT resume should contain your contact information, which is critical in the job search. After all, a recruiter can’t invite you to interview if they can’t reach you!
Here’s what belongs in this section:
- Name
- Phone number
- Professional email address
- City and state
- LinkedIn profile (optional)
When selecting an IT resume template, choose one that is industry appropriate and easy to scan. Since IT is a diverse field which spans industries, choose a versatile modern or simple resume template that will be appropriate for many different work environments. Regardless of the style you choose, however, your contact information should be front and center, in a font that is easy to read.
STEP 2
Choose a professional summary or resume objective
Every resume should start with either a professional summary or a resume objective.
Job seekers with relevant work experience should write a professional summary.
To land the IT job you want, write a professional summary that highlights all the critical skills and experience required to perform the role. In a few sentences, showcase your most impressive professional achievements and incorporate data and metrics into your professional summary to show off what you can bring to the table if you land the gig.
Job seekers with little to no work experience should write a resume objective statement.
A resume objective is a short introduction, usually two to three sentences long, that allows you to tell recruiters what transferable skills and training you bring to the table and why you’re excited to work for them. It’s an excellent way to make a great first impression, even if you’re just starting out in the field.
Personalize your summary or objective for each IT role you apply for. No two IT jobs are exactly the same. By adjusting your resume for each role, you can spotlight the skills and experiences they’re specifically seeking in the job ad. This approach enhances your fit to the role and helps you navigate smoothly through the applicant tracking system (ATS).
IT resume objective example:
Enthusiastic recent graduate with a bachelor’s degree in computer science from UC Santa Cruz. Eager to leverage my strong foundation in IT concepts and technologies to contribute effectively as an IT professional. Seeking to apply my proactive problem-solving, teamwork and communication skills developed through coursework and an internship at Intel.
IT professional summary example:
Results-driven IT professional with six years of proven expertise as a Scrum master at Intel, a global technology leader. Led a high-impact software development project that reduced time-to-market by 20%, resulting in increased revenue and market share for the organization. Successfully implemented Agile best practices, streamlined communication channels and promoted a culture of continuous improvement, resulting in a seamless collaboration between development, QA and business teams. Adept at fostering cross-functional collaboration and driving Agile methodologies to deliver high-quality software products. Seeking to leverage my extensive experience and skills in Agile project management and team leadership to contribute to innovative IT initiatives.
STEP 3
Craft a standout skills section
Skills are important for every job, and for IT professionals, a strong mix of hard and soft skills is the special sauce that makes you successful. Smart applicants know to focus on their training and technical skills but also to emphasize their soft skills, which are the personality traits that make a person great at their job.
Whether you’re an experienced IT rep or an entry-level applicant, hiring managers will be looking closely at the IT skills you list. Skills for an IT resume should be added to your resume skills section, your work experience section, and in your resume objective or professional summary.
Don’t overlook the importance of having a well-rounded mix of hard and soft skills on your IT resume. In the world of IT, hard skills such as computer skills are absolutely essential. But, since it’s a customer-facing job that deals with solving customer’s problems, soft skills like communication and conflict resolution are equally important and highly valued. Soft skills are not easily taught, which is why employers actively seek out candidates who naturally possess these qualities. So, it’s all about finding the perfect balance between your hard and soft skills on your information technology resume.
Sample IT resume skills:
STEP 4
Write a compelling work experience section
The work experience section on your IT resume gives you a chance to show employers that you’ve honed the skills it takes to do the job by giving them real examples of how you work. But you won’t create a standout work experience section by simply writing a list of vague work responsibilities.
The best work experience sections give employers a glimpse into your professional life through the use of resume action words, data and metrics.
Each entry should include the company name and location, your job title and the dates you were employed. Then add three to five bullet points that describe your responsibilities and achievements.
Using data and metrics in your work experience section is an excellent way to impress recruiters with both the scope of your responsibilities and the tangible impact you’ve had on your company’s success. This is particularly important in fields like IT, where your Skills section will note your skills — such as HTML, Python, Java or JavaScript — and your work experience section, add examples of how you’ve used those skills in your work, using results with metrics whenever possible. Adding these numbers not only highlights your achievements but also demonstrates your value in quantifiable terms.
Sample IT work experience entry:
Technical Support Representative | H&R Block Company | July 2018 – August 2020
- Provided timely and effective technical support to a diverse range of clients, including end-users, businesses and internal teams, via phone, email and remote assistance tools.
- Collaborated closely with cross-functional teams, including developers and system administrators, to escalate and resolve complex technical issues promptly.
- Diagnosed and resolved hardware and software issues, including troubleshooting operating system problems, software compatibility and network connectivity.
- Conducted in-depth root cause analysis for recurring problems, identifying trends and contributing to process improvements to prevent future incidents.
- Created and maintained detailed documentation of troubleshooting procedures, resolutions and best practices to enhance team efficiency and knowledge sharing.
- Assisted in the configuration and setup of new systems and software for clients, ensuring seamless integration and optimal functionality.
STEP 5
Showcase your education
When completing the education section of your resume, it’s essential to follow certain guidelines.
If you possess a college degree or higher, there’s no need to include your high school education. Begin with your highest level of education and arrange your degrees in reverse-chronological order. Any nontraditional educational experiences like fellowships or apprenticeships can be included here or in a designated section.
Ensure consistency in your entries. Provide the name of your degree, the college or university’s name and its location for each entry. If your degree is still in progress, make sure to mention that clearly (refer to the example below).
Don’t list your dates of graduation unless you are a very recent graduate. Highlighting that you graduated college 20 years ago could introduce age bias into the hiring process. However, if you graduated a year ago and it’s noted in your education section, it will give hiring managers insight into why you may have less work experience than other applicants.
Sample IT education entries:
How to include your completed degree:
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA
2021
Certifications:
- CompTIA A+ – Certified in hardware and software troubleshooting and support (July 2023)
- Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) – Proficient in networking fundamentals and configurations (August 2022)
- ITIL Foundation – Understanding of IT Service Management best practices (March 2020)
How to list a degree that is still in progress:
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA
Expected in 06/2024
STEP 6
Include special sections
You’ve accumulated a wealth of experiences beyond the confines of your IT career. Adding special sections allows you to showcase those outside-of-work experiences on your resume.
Although these sections are not mandatory, listing items like honors and awards can help set you apart from similarly qualified candidates. Here are a few special sections to consider.
Certifications: If you have gone above and beyond to become an expert in your field, show it off with a special section dedicated to certifications. Here are some examples of certifications people in the IT industry might list on their resumes:
- Amazon Web Services (AWS) Certified Solutions Architect:
- Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)
- CompTIA A+
- Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)
- Certified Wireless Network Professional (CWNP):
- Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)
- Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)
Language proficiency: Knowing another language can be a real advantage in the IT field, especially if you work for a company that has a culturally diverse clientele. List all of the languages you speak and include your level of proficiency, which, according to the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages scale (ACTFL), should be listed as novice, intermediate, advanced or superior.
Volunteer work: Volunteering is a great way to improve your skills and help your community. Consider adding relevant activities like volunteering at school bake sales or working with seniors. These people-centric activities showcase your interpersonal skills in a way that can be appealing to employers.
When adding items such as certifications and other credentials to your resume, be sure to add the full name of the certification and its acronym to your document. This ensures that an applicant tracking system (ATS) will understand your level of expertise.
IT resume examples by experience level
You want to put your best foot forward in a competitive field like IT. Choosing the right resume format for your experience level is an important step toward achieving this.
There are three main resume formats:
- A functional resume format is the best choice for applicants who are just out of school, who are making a major career change, or who have little to no work experience. This resume format allows you to focus on your IT skills instead of your lack of experience.
- A combination resume is excellent for applicants who have a few years of relevant IT experience who still want to highlight their pertinent skills and achievements. This format also works well for applicants who are changing careers.
- A chronological resume format is the best choice for IT professionals with many years of experience. The chronological format flaunts an applicant’s work experience, highlighting their impressive career achievements.
Let’s break down each of these formats.
Functional resume format: Entry-level IT resume example
What makes this a great IT resume example?
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Versatile resume template
This applicant has chosen an IT resume template that is easy to read. The clean design allows his credentials to tell his professional story without the distraction of fussy design elements.
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Choice of the functional resume format
The functional resume format is a great choice for entry-level IT professionals who don’t have much professional experience to highlight. With two skills sections, this resume format focuses on transferable skills instead of putting a spotlight on limited professional experience.
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Additional skills section
The “Professional Skills” section in this example includes bold headers under which individual skills are organized, making it easy for recruiters to see the applicant’s top selling points at a glance.
Combination resume format: Midcareer IT resume example
What makes this a great IT resume example?
-
A versatile resume template
IT is a diverse field, so choosing a template that you can use for multiple companies and work environments is helpful. This professional IT resume template is simple and free of design elements, which allows the applicant’s credentials to shine and makes it suitable for conservative and creative companies alike.
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Great format choice
By using a combination resume format, this tech support applicant is able to showcase both her strong IT skill set and her impressive career trajectory, all in one document. This resume format is a great choice for midcareer professionals who want to give potential employers a fuller picture of what they will bring to the table.
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Detailed work experience section
This applicant has more than five years of relevant work experience, so the work history section gets the most space on the page. The bullet points in each entry give her ample opportunity to draw attention to both her work experience and professional achievements through the use of data and metrics.
Chronological resume format: Experienced IT resume example
What makes this a great IT resume example?
-
Strong professional summary
This candidate has more than a decade of IT experience and he uses his professional summary to drive home the skills and experience he’s collected along the way. His professional summary strikes a good balance between hard skills and soft skills, too.
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Well-written work experience section
This applicant has an enviable work history and uses compelling language to describe even the more mundane aspects of each role. He shows off an impressive career progression and highlights the impact of his work through the use of data and metrics.
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Use of special sections
This applicant also used a special section for both his certifications and training. Putting these under their own headers helps draw attention to the information, allowing a recruiter to see these qualifications with a simple scan of the document. This could give him an edge over other applicants.
Add a cover letter
In the world of information technology, where technical skills and an attention to detail are key, a well-crafted cover letter can change the course of your job search by highlighting your most impressive professional achievements.
In addition to expanding upon your successes, a great IT cover letter allows you to address important details that don’t belong on a resume, such as addressing the reason for a career gap. Writing a cover letter also gives you the chance to showcase your strong communication skills, which are critical in IT.
So, whether you’re looking for your first job or your next big job, learning how to write a cover letter is an invaluable tool that will serve you throughout your career. When you’re ready to write, explore our library of cover letter examples and our cover letter formatting guide to learn how to make your application stand out in the IT field. Then, choose a cover letter template to make it complete.
To save time and ensure error-free writing, try our Cover Letter Builder, which offers text suggestions to help you write an IT cover letter in a matter of minutes.
Now, let’s dive into what lies ahead as you embark on or progress in your IT career.
Facts about the IT industry
- According to Statista, in 2022, IT professionals who used programming languages such as Clojure and Erlang, earned the highest IT salaries worldwide, with an average salary exceeding $100,000.
- IT professionals are a highly educated group. In 2023, 41.1% of software developers worldwide reported having a bachelor’s degree, while 23% reported having a master’s degree.
- According to Glassdoor, the estimated total pay for an IT professional is $115,139 per year in the United States, with an average salary of $84,163 per year.
Key takeaways for your IT resume
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Study IT resume examples
IT resume samples are a useful tool to utilize during your job search. Studying them shows you how to structure your IT resume and how top candidate’s express their career details.
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Emphasize your most relevant IT skills
Adding the right skills to your IT resume is critical to success. Highlight your IT skills, such as strong communication skills, proficiency with programming languages and your problem-solving acumen. Tailor your skills section to align with the requirements of the IT role you’re targeting.
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Don’t forget your soft skills
Sure, IT professionals spend a lot of time in front of a computer screen, but for most roles, collaboration and communication with colleagues and stakeholders also require you to have excellent soft skills, like the ability to communicate well, problem-solve and resolve conflict. Be sure to list those on your resume.
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Showcase your top achievements
Use bullet points in your work experience section to highlight your accomplishments rather than just listing your duties. Quantify those achievements whenever possible using data and metrics.
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Include relevant IT training and certifications
If you have obtained any relevant certifications, which are sought after in IT, be sure to include them on your resume to demonstrate your expertise. These can help you stand out from the crowd.
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Detail your education
In IT, which is a highly technical field, your educational background could set you apart, especially if it includes degrees or coursework related to the field.
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Create an IT cover letter
To show you are willing to go the extra mile and to make an even more compelling case for your candidacy, include a targeted cover letter with your resume.
Commonly asked question about resume writing
Heather is the Content Strategy Manager for Resume Now and a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with more than ten years of experience writing about job search and career topics. She is based in San Francisco.
![Do You Need an Education to Be Successful? [2023 Data]](/sapp/uploads/2023/08/education-success-infographic-title.png "Do You Need an Education to Be Successful? [2023 Data]")
