Career
Action
Center
Technical Résumés
(CIS STUDENTS)
Guidelines and Example
Technical résumés may be one or two pages long. Employers want to
see details about what you learned and how you applied the skills. They
also want information about your work history, even if it was in a non-
technical field.
Objective statements are optional. They can help the employer determine
which type of technical position(s) you seek. For the same reason, an
objective statement can limit you. If you use an objective, keep it simple
and straightforward. Example: Objective: Help Desk Position or Objective:
Entry-level Network Technician or Help Desk Position
Technical résumés always contain a section listing IT skills. For current
students and recent graduates, it works well to place this section first.
If you’ve done an internship, include it on the résumé, either in its own
“Technical Internship” section or under your work history. Provide a
detailed explanation of what you did. Your internship, even if unpaid,
constitutes work experience.
Include seven to ten years of your work history, even if it is unrelated. If
you currently work in a technical field, put your work history near the
beginning of the résumé. Otherwise, place it at the end after education
and class projects. Emphasize skills that will transfer into your new
position (i.e. communication skills, customer service, teamwork
experience, writing, leadership).
In the education section, describe your class projects. Use verbs to start
each phrase, and give enough detail so the potential employer can picture
what you accomplished. Since teamwork is an important part of today’s
workplace, show teamwork experience gained through class projects.
Examples of class projects: Member of a Systems Analysis team that
worked with a representative from the Maple Valley Clinic to outline
system requirements for building a custom database. Or you can say, As
part of a three-person team…or Served as team leader for….