IT Specialist Resume Example & Writing Guide

As far as job titles go, “IT specialist” is ironically vague about the special expertise needed in the vast realm of information technology. Learning every possible detail about the employer’s expectations is your first step in creating an IT specialist resume that hits every targeted mark.

Resume.io can help you from there. Our resources include more than 300 occupation-specific writing guides and resume examples, packed with interview-winning advice. This writing guide, along with resume examples geared to IT specialists, will cover the following topics:

• What an IT specialist does
• How to write an IT specialist resume, starting with the best format and general writing rules
• Advice for each specific resume section: header, summary, work history, education and skills
• Resume layout and design hints to create a strong visual impression.

What does an IT specialist do?

As noted earlier, “IT specialist” can mean vastly different things to different employers, making it tricky to either pinpoint any given set of job requirements or to describe their scope in broad enough terms.

In some way, shape or form, IT specialists play a vital role in ensuring that all of today’s automated methods of human communication work properly: from computer hardware and software components to networks and servers. The range of organizations, departments, industries and end users that rely on IT specialist support could not be more eclectic. On the other hand, many IT specialists do focus on certain specific forms of support — perhaps information security or server maintenance.

How to write an IT specialist resume

Stick to this structure for building your IT specialist resume, and you’re sure to get it right:

• Header
• Summary
• Employment history
• Education
• Skills

We’re about to show you how, step by step. But first, one more reminder about the need to customize and optimize every version of this vital job search document to match each specific position you apply for. 

It means every section is geared to what this employer or client requires and expects. Be clear about that by scrutinizing the posted job description and doing extra research to learn more. At the same time, your resume can be better equipped with the right keywords to help ensure it passes through the applicant tracking systems (ATS) that many hiring organizations use to screen online submissions. 

Choosing the best resume format for an IT specialist

The most commonly used chronological format is generally failsafe for organizing your resume information. Recruiters tend to expect and prefer it as the most straightforward way to peruse your employment history, as listed in reverse order from most recent to earliest dates.

However, if you are a self-employed IT specialist and pursuing independent consulting work, you may want to consider a functional resume format. This allows you to highlight your most relevant qualifications according to projects, clients or transferable skills. Hybrid (combination) resume formats are another versatile option, incorporating both chronological and functional elements. Read more about these alternative options in our guide to resume formats.

Resume summary example

Your resume summary is the place to convey that you are an IT specialist who stays focused on end results while getting straight down to business. This tightly written synopsis of why you're an exceptional fit for this job is sometimes called the profile or personal statement. 

Using precisely descriptive language —including strong action verbs and other ATS-beating keywords — it makes a concisely compelling connection between your key qualifications and what the employer or client needs. 

Here is a resume sample that IT specialists can adapt for their own summaries.

Employment history sample

Again, we can’t overstate the importance of gearing everything in your resume to the IT role you are vying for. Nowhere is this more critical than in the employment history section. And the more extensive and diverse your work experience, the more careful you need to be in selecting and describing only the most relevant and desirable highlights. 

Be sure that everything you do choose to highlight here is framed as an outcome-focused achievement, rather than a job duty. Help employers or clients start to picture what their future would look like with you in it. Quantify any measurable results you helped bring about  — savings, profits or productivity gains, for instance — with impressive facts and figures.

Below is an IT employment history resume sample you can customize.

IT specialist resume education example

The education section of your IT specialist resume is the place to list any computer-related degrees you hold, in reverse chronological order, from highest to lowest level. Only include information about your high school if that’s your highest level of graduation.

But do mention on-the-job training or IT skills development programs you’ve pursued on your own. Certifications and professional association memberships have an important place here also — any learning activities that show your serious regard for career growth by staying up to date. 

Below is the education section from an IT specialist resume example you can modify.

CV skills example

This is no place to state the obvious — like hard skills that are too mainstream to impress IT specialist recruiters. Be ruthlessly selective in pinpointing technical abilities that could outshine those of job applicants paying less attention to what’s needed most. 

Be sure to add unique context to tip the scale in your favor. The right adjective or adverb can make all the difference.

And don’t forget to include some soft skills in the mix. What are your work habits like? How well do you get along with others? Take advantage of the possibility that your competitors might overlook the importance of people skills and fail to mention in their resume. 

Check out an IT specialist CV sample for the skills section below.

Resume layout and design

Simple and spotless need not be well-kept secrets for a user-friendly IT specialist resume that does justice to your attributes. Keeping the layout, design and formatting elements streamlined and efficient will ensure effective results in a page that looks as good as it reads. 

It should go without saying that your resume is character-perfect and bug-free in every sense — from font choices and margin widths to saving the final version as a PDF so it looks the same on every digital screen. Subject your CV document to beta test runs and reboots involving third-party proofreaders. 

Key takeaways for an IT specialist resume

1. With employment growth for IT specialists keeping pace with the overall occupational average, an exceptional resume is the key to competing for the best jobs.
2. Because the nature and scope of IT specialist roles vary significantly, each version of your resume must be customized to suit the hiring organization’s needs. Take direction from the posted job description details and conduct your own additional research.
3. Mentioning soft skills in your resume could give you an edge over candidates who over-emphasize their technical expertise.