Creating a CV for an IT role really involves writing for two audiences. Firstly you are trying to convey your technical experience to IT managers, who understand technical terms. This part will mean including acronyms, jargon and technical language. Secondly, you are trying to write for HR staff, who may be doing the initial CV screen and who may struggle with the same technical terms. The task for you is to appeal to both groups.
Clarify your skill area
Are you a developer, a programmer or a hybrid of both? It is important to clarify your experience for HR staff who may not be 100 percent familiar with the different IT areas. Make it easy for them by specifying this and incorporating into a personal overview that also details your IT qualifications. For example:
‘œMicrosoft certified developer with a background of 4 years in ITIL and Unix development. Having successfully created Sharepoint integration projects for 3 FTSE 250 organisations, I am seeking a role as a Development Team Leader with a national business that requires a problem solving DB2 specialist.’
Certification
Companies are increasingly insisting on industry qualifications as a result of a greater focus on compliance. Therefore it is important to highlight this information. For example:
Certification
- Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP)
- Microsoft Certified Applications Developer (MCAD)
- CISCO Certified Design Professional
- Oracle DBA Certified Administrator (OCA)
Technical Expertise
Including an overview of your specialisms will also make it easier for IT managers, HR staff and recruiters to match you to roles. For example:
Key Technical Expertise
Languages: Java, C++, XML, SQL
Frameworks: J2EE, JSP, RMI
Software: Weblogic, Oracle, MySQL
Systems: Unix, Windows, Linux
Tip: Stick to your principal areas and avoid older technologies. This will avoid producing a cluttered long-list of languages and applications and it also allows you to steer clear of being recruited for technical areas that you wish to avoid.
Keywords
IT roles lend themselves to keyword searching because languages and packages often form the essential criteria of a position. Recruiters and HR staff will usually search CV databases for specific terms, so it is important to make sure you include the acronyms that are relevant to your experience e.g. AIX developer.
Tip: Put all technical language in bold to help recruiters, HR staff and hiring managers to easily identify your areas of expertise.
Career History
The key information is the technical skills and a synopsis of your role. This means formats for IT CVs differ slightly from other roles. For example:
Software Development Manager ABC Inc. Sep 2010 – Present
- UML
- SQL
- Sharepoint
- XML
- J2EE
Leading a team of 3 developers in designing a bespoke SQL based database to function as the operational database for two merging organisations. The key focus of my role was to overcome legacy system issues relating to data integration, while also managing alpha and beta testing.
Finally
When you have completed your CV give it to a friend who has no knowledge of IT and ask them to read it. If they can understand your cv then HR professionals should have no difficulties either.