I get constant cybersecurity job offers. It actually get annoying. I wrote a book about how I have been able to do this if you are interested: Cybersecurity Jobs Resume Marketing: Book 1 Find Cybersecurity jobs. This downloadable pdf has free sample resumes and a bonus on how to get a work from home cybersecurity job!
But if you want to quick summary, here it is.
This is due to 3 things that I do effectively:
- ATS style resume
- Cybersecurity job keywords
- Market the resume
This combination would work in any career path, but since I know cybersecurity so well I am able to gather keyword easier.
ATS Style Resume
Application tracking software (ATS) is what many large employers use. ATS systems you may have heard of include the following:
- Taleo by Oracle
- iCIMS
- Greenhouse
An ATS style resume is a very simple format with no special font, no tables, and no images.
Here is an example of an ATS-friendly resume
Here is an example of a cybersecurity resume with the ATS template:
Summary
Cybersecurity specialist with a secret security clearance eligibility and 2 years of experience in IT at a medium-sized company. Well-developed skills implementing security controls and ensuring that servers and end-user devices (Windows and MAC) are configured securely.
506-124-6898 – BriNobes554@outlook.com – Fayetteville, North Carolina, 28303
Education
Associate Degree – Information Technology – Fayetteville Community College – 2019
• Working on BS in CS
• Extensive training using digital spreadsheets and formulas efficiently
• Earned a certificate in Security+ lab
Certifications
CompTIA Security + Certification
Project Management Professional Certification (PMP)
Work Experience
Help Desk Support – TirePlanet – April 2021–April 2022
• Troubleshooting end-users’ laptops with network and software issues; support 150 users with multiple devices
• Managed Android and iPhone ensuring all company-owned mobile devices are tracked and data is encrypted
• Enabled audit logs on 34 mission-essential systems and 100 end-user laptops to conduct continuous monitoring
Skills
• Programming language: C+, HTML, Fortran, COBOL
• Security clearance: Secret, TS/SCI, Public Trust
For free cybersecurity ATS resume templates go to:
Cybersecurity job keywords
I could give you list of keywords that will get you one step closer to a cybersecurity job, but it is better to explain how I find cybersecurity keywords. Here are (3) ways that you can find keywords for a cybersecurity jobs:
- use your knowledge of cybersecurity
- steal cybersecurity job keywords
- use cybersecurity frameworks
Use your knowledge of cybersecurity
I use my experience doing cybersecurity to add to my resume. I think about all the times I have done anything related to cybersecurity and I put the best stuff in my resume. If you have been doing IT but you’re not sure what security you have done, you can look at other people’s resumes and look at job descriptions.
Steal Cybersecurity job keywords
Go to linkedin.com and do a search for “cybersecurity specialists”. You can use “cybersecurity analyst” or just “cybersecurity” but for this example we will use “cybersecurity specialist”.
Check out what other people have put on their resumes. Look at the wording that they use, look at the cybersecurity tools, skills and knowledge that they list. Figure out how you can use the same wording for your own resume. If you have used similar tools, skills, and knowledge, you will want to put this on your resume. You should also go to “cybersecurity specialists” job listings and take a look at the requirements for the job. The requirements are full of cybersecurity keywords that you can use for your resume.
You don’t want to look at just one. You need to check out 10 or 12 job descriptions and resumes to get an idea of the patterns of skills, tools, knowledge and experience that is being asked for. You need to understand what is in demand.
Use Cybersecurity Frameworks
There are some cybersecurity frameworks that will literally give you all the keywords you need for your resume. First of all “what is a cybersecurity framework?”.
A cybersecurity framework is a set of security best practices, industry standards and regulations that organizations are supposed to use to ensure their data remains confidential if it needs to be, has integrity and remains available to employees, customers, and clients.
These security rules include things like auditing, password protection, multifactor authentication, physical security, antivirus, encryption, firewall implementation and other security controls that protect computers and the information that is stored, processes and transmitted. Here are a few frameworks that you can check out:
- NIST 800 – US federal and state government standard that has over 1000 security controls to protect systems.
- CIS v8 – Security controls for public and private sector that covers all the main security best practices.
- ISO 27001 – International standard that has comprehensive coverage of security best practices.
Any of these standards will help. They cover much of the same areas and are deep enough that you have definitely done something within the family of security controls they cover if you have done any IT whatsoever.
If you want a complete walk through of how to put your resume together check out my course here:
Cybersecurity jobs resume course
