Technical Resume Writing Tips

The best of the technical resume writing tips that can be given to a job seeker is to understand what function a technical resume performs, and how this function differs from the role typically assigned to a regular resume.

A technical resume is designed to highlight the skills of a person in a technical field. These technical fields include computer experts, analysts, and programmers, as well as a variety of other fields that require a technical expertise.
photo credit: Wonderlane
photo credit: Wonderlane

Since a technical resume’s focus should be on highlighting the skills of a technical expert, the look and feel of the resume is going to be different from the standard format. Second on the list of technical resume writing tips is to make sure the resume includes each of the following: a goal, skill section, professional experience section, and education section.

The goal section of the resume should come immediately after the name and address portion of the resume. For each job position you apply to, the goal should be to directed specifically towards that job. Eliminate any vague statements such as “to be gainfully employed in a position that allows me to effectively utilize my skills.” Instead, aim for a more direct statement, such as “to obtain the position of chief computer analyst for (insert name of company here.)” Vague statements make the job applicant look lazy and unprofessional. While you may be applying to multiple jobs, take the time to personalize each resume.

The skills section should highlight each one of your skills. These may include C++, Perl, HTML, and PHP proficiency. Any certifications should also go into this area. One of the technical resume writing tips for this section is to make sure that any keywords related to your area of expertise are highlighted. This makes your resume look more professional and it will help if your employer utilizes an automated system that checks for keywords.

The next section should be labeled “professional experience,” and should relate only to the job positions you have had which are related directly to the job you are applying for. A technical resume should never list that college job you had flipping burgers at the local fast food joint. It may have given you valuable experience, but it did not increase your technical worth in the eyes of that employer looking to hire you to monitor their computer systems.

The final section should be the education section. Be sure to include the relevant state and year of graduation. For those that are new at the job market, the education section can go before the professional experience section. Either way, the best of the technical resume writing tips for the education section is to highlight and include any relevant course work for the position you are applying for.

You may include a reference section, but make certain that all of your references have agreed to be a reference ahead of time. Stating that “references are available upon request” looks unprofessional and should be avoided.

Writing A Resume

Certainly the hardest part of writing a résumé is getting started.

The easiest way to begin writing a résumé is to look first at your list of skills, rather than prior employment duties and responsibilities
Create a list that looks something similar to this:

• excellent communicator
• arrives on time
• ability to manage many different projects
• proficient in Microsoft Word

Your skills are going to vary from job to job and from position to position but generally you want to focus on your biggest strengths and articulate these in a way that not only makes you seem intelligent but also highlights the fact that you are confident about your abilities to perform the tasks at hand. The most important part of the résumé is the tone that we use and the confidence that we can project to show the hiring manager that we are proud of our accomplishments.

There are advantages to writing a résumé that many people don’t at first consider.  Many times we pass through life and don’t stop to look around at what we have accomplished.  A résumé provides a great amount of time for us to sit down and simply reflect on what it is we have actually accomplished professional.

Resume layout and content will vary depending on the field you are in.  For example, if  looking for work as a social worker it will certainly be different than if you’re looking for work as a businessperson, however many hiring managers have similar expectations.   For example, most employers want to see results quantified by numbers and symbols.  For example, don’t say “I improved our sales a lot”, you should say something more along the lines of “improved sales 150%, or “sold 69 more widgets above the quota”.  Use specific and professional-sounding languaging; instead of “I’m pretty good in Microsoft Word” you can say “well-versed in all office applications especially Microsoft Word.”

If you take nothing else from this article remembered to stay positive and really think about what you have accomplished and give yourself credit while writing.

Top-5 Lists

There is a huge trend in online resume sites to have Top-5, Best-46, Killer-10 and other such lists, they’re often freshly-graduated HR students trying to sound as if they know what they’re talking about.

Because it is ultimately a human that reads your resume it is hard to say whether “references available upon request” should stay on the resume, or there should be absolutely no mention of references and a combination of all flavors in between.  Sometimes, they will only want to see references AFTER they have accepted you as a potential candidate.

Objectives can kind of fall in the same category, situation depending.   For a lot of people objectives are outdated, obvious and redundant; rarely is it advisable to state your objective.

What Should I Include While Writing A Résumé?

compiling a résumé may seem like a difficult task at first because so much information must go into it. however at the most important part is organizing information that you will need in advance so you don’t spend a lot of time shuffling around and looking for this information when it comes time to actually compile the document.  Think of it as you need to take notes or write an outline before completing a paper.  A résumé requires a level of organization and preplanning in order to be successful.

at the very minimum your résumé must contain the following:

1. your name – this is perhaps a bit obvious but in order for your employer to identify you the document he put in front of them they’re going to need your name. choose a name that you would like to be called by in the office but certainly don’t choose in a name like “chubby” or “Gabbo”.
2. your address – he should include your address on your résumé so that if they have to nail any correspondence you they have it on the document.  Also if you live close to work it can become a good conversation piece if someone knows someone from your locale.
3. your contact information – there are several ways to be contacted nowadays but is generally acceptable to put one phone number that you answer all the time even if it is a cell phone number and also an e-mail address is acceptable. for certain tech jobs or jobs that require a portfolio including your web site address is also an accepted practice.
4. your objective – your objective is going to be basically a summary of what it is that you can offer to an employer.  You want to summarize all of your work experience all of your skills and put it into a few simple sentences that you can be remembered by.
5. prior employment information – employers want to know that you are reputable person and that you haven’t had gaps in your employment but they also want to know that your skill set applies to the skill sets that they require for the position.  The best indicator of this is prior and past experience from a similar company in a similar role or a competitor.  It’s important to list the dates of your employment in a form that illustrates best your periods of unemployment.
6. your education – education plays a major role in many jobs and not on as many as others. although if you receive the GED from your high school and you are ashamed to put it on your résumé is much better to include it and it is to exclude it.  Remember to be proud of your accomplishments even though they may seem small to you what a person your interviewing with. always defend with pride what you have done.
7. you can include several other types of information including professional licenses, endorsements, affiliations with professional organizations, any publications you have contributed to, languages you speak both fluently and functionally, military experienceor professional training that you may have had.

these are the items that you should include while writing a résumé.  Consider that items such as salary requirements your availability, your reason for leaving your prior employer, your age, race, sex, or ethnicity should never be included.  These items if they are concerned to a hiring manager will be addressed verbally in the interview.