Looking to secure a cybersecurity position? You need to have a solid resume. Find out how to do it here!
There is a growing demand from businesses and companies to hire qualified individuals with experience in cybersecurity. If you have the relevant skills and work experience, you are in a strong position to secure a role in cybersecurity.
Does that mean you don’t need to create a resume? No, as a good quality resume will help strengthen your bargaining position if you are successful in being offered an interview and will help open more doors of opportunity.
How do you put together a great resume for a cybersecurity position? We will discuss this in the following guide.
Stick with a Professional Summary and Avoid an Objective Section
You only need to use an objective section in your resume, if you are looking to secure employment in a cybersecurity company and have been working in a different sector. Instead, you just need to have a Professional Summary that outlines where your expertise lies.
Start by describing yourself using a title that draws parallels with the title of the role you are applying for. Rather than listing every bit of expertise, it is best to pick out the skills and expertise mentioned in the job description that you have experience in.
Certifications, Technical Skills, and Accomplishments
The main meat of your cybersecurity resume should consist of the accomplishments you’ve achieved, your core competencies/technical skills and any certifications you’ve achieved. Make sure it’s laid out in that order.
After your Professional Summary, have a bullet point list of all your achievements in your career to date. Then list your technical skills, and include tools, languages, networks, and platforms you have used in previous positions.
Save your certifications until after your achievements and skills. Does the role you are applying to require a security clearance? Make sure you draw attention to these.
Show You Are Willing to Continue Learning
The world of cybercrime and cybersecurity is one that is constantly changing and evolving. Therefore, it is important to have a real thirst for learning. Show you are passionate about learning and enhancing your knowledge by listing the professional exhibitions and conferences you have attended as well as the different achievements you’ve had that show you are willing to be flexible and adaptable.
Always Include a Cover Letter
It is always important to include a cover letter in front of your resume. Even if they have not explicitly expressed an interest in reading a cover letter, it is still important to include it. It is important to write up a different one for each position you send your resume forward for. Don’t use the same one for each.
Things You Don’t Need to Include
Now we’ve covered what you should put in your resume for that cybersecurity position, it’s worth noting some of the things you should leave out.
Don’t list the same responsibilities for each job. If you have had the same responsibilities, it’s better to highlight different aspects of your skills for each role you list. If you don’t, it could like you have not progressed much from one job to another.
Only List the Most Impressive Professional Activities
Displaying your membership and participation in activities related to professional associations in your field will show you are passionate about your work and the industry. If you overload your resume with too much about this side of your career, it will make you look like you concentrate on activities outside your work than the work itself.
Avoid Overloading Your Resume with Acronyms and Jargon
Applicant tracking systems automatedly assess resumes to avoid recruiters and employers needing to read too many. They are not designed to scan Acronyms, so you need to spell any you mention out. Avoid using too much jargon and explain everything in as much detail so anyone reading it will understand what you are talking about.
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