As a Cisco network engineer, you may struggle with effectively showcasing your complex technical skills and project experience on a concise resume. Our guide is tailored to help you distill your expertise into clear, impactful statements, ensuring your resume stands out to hiring managers in the competitive tech industry.
- Sample industry-leading examples to learn how to write your best resume yet.
- Improve the experience, education, and achievements section of your resume with insights from resume-writing professionals.
- Curate your technical expertise and personality to stand out amongst the pool of candidates.
- Succinctly focus on your unique skill set all through your Cisco network engineer resume.
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Designing your Cisco network engineer resume format to catch recruiters' eyes
Your Cisco network engineer resume will be assessed on a couple of criteria, one of which is the actual presentation.
Is your resume legible and organized? Does it follow a smooth flow?
Or have you presented recruiters with a chaotic document that includes everything you've ever done in your career?
Unless specified otherwise, there are four best practices to help maintain your resume format consistency.
- The top one third of your Cisco network engineer resume should definitely include a header, so that recruiters can easily contact you and scan your professional portfolio (or LinkedIn profile).
- Within the experience section, list your most recent (and relevant) role first, followed up with the rest of your career history in a reverse-chronological resume format .
- Always submit your resume as a PDF file to sustain its layout. There are some rare exceptions where companies may ask you to forward your resume in Word or another format.
- If you are applying for a more senior role and have over a decade of applicable work experience (that will impress recruiters), then your Cisco network engineer resume can be two pages long. Otherwise, your resume shouldn't be longer than a single page.
Think about the market’s preferences – a Canadian resume, for instance, could have a different layout.
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PRO TIP
List all your relevant higher education degrees within your resume in reverse chronological order (starting with the latest). There are cases when your PhD in a particular field could help you stand apart from other candidates.
Essential sections that should make up your Cisco network engineer resume include:
- The header - with your contact details (e.g. email and telephone number), link to your portfolio, and headline
- The summary (or objective) - to spotlight the peaks of your professional career, so far
- The experience section - with up to six bullets per role to detail specific outcomes
- The skills list - to provide a healthy mix between your personal and professional talents
- The education and certification - showing your most relevant degrees and certificates to the Cisco network engineer role
What recruiters want to see on your resume:
- Proficiency with Cisco networking equipment and software, such as Cisco IOS, NX-OS, ASA, and Cisco Meraki solutions.
- Certifications like Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) or Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP), and ideally Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE).
- Hands-on experience with network design, implementation, and troubleshooting of complex Cisco networks.
- Knowledge of network protocols and services such as BGP, OSPF, MPLS, VxLAN, VPNs, and QoS.
- Experience with network security principles and Cisco security appliances, including firewalls, IDS/IPS, and Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) technologies.
Defining your professional expertise in your Cisco network engineer resume work experience section
The work experience section, often the most detailed part of your resume, is where you discuss your past roles and achievements. To effectively list your experience, consider these four key tips:
- Align your expertise with the job requirements. It's vital to integrate keywords matching the job criteria to pass initial assessments;
- Show, don’t just tell. Quantify your responsibilities by stating your actual achievements in previous roles;
- Include measurable metrics. For instance, how did your performance impact the annual ROI?
- Highlight crucial industry skills. Mention both technological knowledge and interpersonal skills in this section.
These guidelines will help you craft an impressive Cisco network engineer resume work experience section that is bound to catch recruiters' attention.
- Implemented a multi-tiered network security protocol, reducing external threats by 40% over two years.
- Designed a scalable IP addressing scheme using VLANs, VRFs, and NAT for a 500-host network, enhancing network efficiency.
- Led a team to migrate the existing data center to Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure, which increased network provisioning speed by 55%.
- Deployed Cisco Unified Communications infrastructure supporting 2000 users, reducing voice costs by 30%.
- Optimized WAN connectivity across 15 branches using MPLS and IPsec VPNs, resulting in a 25% improvement in bandwidth utilization.
- Automated routine network maintenance tasks using Python scripts and Cisco NSO, which improved operational efficiency by 20%.
- Collaborated in a cross-functional team to design a unified wireless network for a campus of 10,000 users, improving accessibility and user satisfaction.
- Managed complex routing and switching environments using BGP, OSPF, and EIGRP, guaranteeing 99.9% uptime.
- Spearheaded the adoption of Cisco SD-WAN solutions, resulting in a 15% decrease in operational costs.
- Directed the deployment of an enterprise-grade network monitoring system that slashed issue resolution times by 50%.
- Pioneered the implementation of Quality of Service configurations, ensuring voice and video application superiority.
- Secured an entire network infrastructure against prevalent cybersecurity threats, successfully defending against 500+ attempted intrusions.
- Performed a critical role in the planning and deployment of a 20-node data center, which provided a robust foundation for cloud services.
- Innovated a traffic engineering strategy that maximized the use of existing network links, avoiding a $2M upgrade cost.
- Developed a disaster recovery plan that halved data restoration times in the event of an outage.
- Designed and deployed a network infrastructure for a new manufacturing facility that supported a 20% increase in production capacity.
- Led a network optimization project that enhanced system reliability and performance for 3,000 end-users.
- Conducted a comprehensive network audit and optimization for a service provider, which raised customer satisfaction by 10%.
- Orchestrated a seamless migration of 200+ network devices to next-generation Cisco platforms with zero downtime.
- Devised and implemented a WAN optimization solution that boosted inter-office connectivity and collaboration.
- Empowered the network operations team with enhanced troubleshooting capabilities using customized network management software.
- Revamped the core network infrastructure to support an expanding mobile workforce, increasing remote access reliability by 35%.
- Achieved a 20% cost reduction by re-negotiating service provider contracts for a multi-site organization.
- Engineered a network segmentation project that bolstered security and controlled traffic flows effectively.
- Engineered a highly available network architecture for a large-scale e-commerce platform, ensuring 99.99% uptime during peak shopping seasons.
- Directly contributed to a project that decreased packet loss by 10% through strategic network reconfiguration.
- Devised a comprehensive network security assessment plan, identifying and mitigating over 150 potential vulnerability points.
- Implemented a city-wide IP surveillance system over Cisco networking gear, greatly enhancing public safety and responsiveness.
- Reduced data center power consumption by 15% by virtualizing network services on Cisco UCS platforms.
- Oversaw the successful rollout of a secure BYOD policy for a workforce of 5,000, improving device management and user compliance.
Quantifying impact on your resume
- Include the number of network devices you have configured and maintained, demonstrating hands-on experience and scalability knowledge.
- Specify the size of the networks you’ve managed by detailing the number of end devices or nodes, showing the extent of your network management capabilities.
- List the percentage reduction in network downtime you achieved through your optimizations, indicating your contribution to operational efficiency.
- Detail the number of network security incidents resolved, highlighting your skills in maintaining network integrity and security.
- Mention the amount of cost savings realized through intelligent network design or vendor negotiations, showcasing your financial impact.
- Quantify the improvements in network performance, such as increased throughput or reduced latency, showing direct benefits to end-users.
- State the number of successful network upgrades or migrations you've completed, underlining your project management and technical execution abilities.
- Note the number of training sessions or team members you’ve mentored, showing leadership and knowledge-sharing attributes.
Action verbs for your Cisco network engineer resume
What to do if you don't have any experience
It's quite often that candidates without relevant work experience apply for a more entry-level role - and they end up getting hired.
Candidate resumes without experience have these four elements in common:
- Instead of listing their experience in reverse-chronological format (starting with the latest), they've selected a functional-skill-based format. In that way, Cisco network engineer resumes become more focused on strengths and skills
- Transferrable skills - or ones obtained thanks to work and life experience - have become the core of the resume
- Within the objective, you'd find career achievements, the reason behind the application, and the unique value the candidate brings about to the specific role
- Candidate skills are selected to cover basic requirements, but also show any niche expertise.
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PRO TIP
Showcase any ongoing or recent educational efforts to stay updated in your field.
Cisco network engineer resume skills: the essential hard skills and soft skills checklist
Ultimately, your Cisco network engineer resume should hint to recruiters that you possess an array of talents that are indispensable to the role.
For example, listing the technologies and software you're apt at using (or your hard skills) and how you apply them in your day-to-day responsibilities would ensure you meet the technical requirements of the role.
But is this enough to ensure that you make a good impression on recruiters?
Go a step further by detailing the soft skills or personality traits you've attained thanks to your work and life experience.
The best way to balance hard skills and soft skills on your Cisco network engineer resume is by:
- Highlighting up to three of your most noteworthy career accomplishments in a separate section.
- Listing at least one hard skill and one soft skill you've used to solve a particular challenge or problem.
- Feature niche skills and technologies that would help you stand out amongst candidates.
- Think back on the social impact your efforts have had towards improving the work environment - were you able to always maintain a professional ethic, while enhancing the team culture? Write about your contribution to the role, department, or organization itself as a metric of success.
The skills section of your resume provides you with plenty of opportunities to detail your technical and personal traits.
All you have to do is select the talents that best fit your application and expertise. Make note of some of the most prominent hard and soft skills across the industry from our list:
Top skills for your Cisco network engineer resume:
Cisco Router Configuration
Switch Configuration
Network Security
Firewalls (Cisco ASA, Palo Alto)
VPN Technologies (IPSec, SSL)
Cisco Wireless LAN (WLAN) Configuration
Network Monitoring Tools (SolarWinds, Wireshark)
BGP and OSPF Protocols
NAT and PAT Configuration
Cisco IOS Command Line
Problem Solving
Communication
Team Collaboration
Time Management
Adaptability
Attention to Detail
Critical Thinking
Project Management
Customer Service
Analytical Skills
PRO TIP
If you happen to have plenty of certificates, select the ones that are most applicable and sought-after across the industry. Organize them by relevance to the role you're applying for.
The importance of your certifications and education on your Cisco network engineer resume
Pay attention to the resume education section . It can offer clues about your skills and experiences that align with the job.
- List only tertiary education details, including the institution and dates.
- Mention your expected graduation date if you're currently studying.
- Exclude degrees unrelated to the job or field.
- Describe your education if it allows you to highlight your achievements further.
Your professional qualifications: certificates and education play a crucial role in your Cisco network engineer application. They showcase your dedication to gaining the best expertise and know-how in the field. Include any diplomas and certificates that are:
- Listed within the job requirements or could make your application stand out
- Niche to your industry and require plenty of effort to obtain
- Helping you prepare for professional growth with forward-facing know-how
- Relevant to the Cisco network engineer job - make sure to include the name of the certificate, institution you've obtained it at, and dates
Both your certificates and education section need to add further value to your application. That's why we've dedicated this next list just for you - check out some of the most popular Cisco network engineer certificates to include on your resume:
The top 5 certifications for your Cisco network engineer resume:
- Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) - Cisco Systems
- Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) - Cisco Systems
- Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) - Cisco Systems
- Cisco Certified Design Expert (CCDE) - Cisco Systems
- Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) - (ISC)²
PRO TIP
Showcase any ongoing or recent educational efforts to stay updated in your field.
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The Cisco network engineer resume summary or objective: integrating keywords, achievements, and more
Deciding whether to include a resume summary or an objective in your Cisco network engineer resume is crucial. Both serve as key introductory elements at the top of your resume, encapsulating your profile in up to five sentences and incorporating relevant keywords from the job advert.
Here are the key differences between the two:
- The resume summary focuses on aligning your achievements and experience with the job requirements. It provides recruiters with a snapshot of your expertise, helping you stand out as an ideal candidate for the role.
- The resume objective, on the other hand, centers on your career goals and aspirations, detailing how the role aligns with your career progression. It's particularly suitable for candidates with less professional experience or those new to the job market.
Below are examples demonstrating best practices in utilizing the resume summary and/or objective to make a strong first impression with your Cisco network engineer resume.
Resume summaries for a Cisco network engineer job
- Seasoned Cisco Certified Network Professional with over 10 years of experience in designing and implementing secure network infrastructures. Expert in deploying Cisco routers, switches, and firewalls, with a track record of reducing network downtime by 30%. Successfully led the migration of a 500-user network to a fully virtualized environment at TechCorp.
- Dynamic Network Engineer with 8 years in the tech industry, now specializing in Cisco systems. Proficient with the latest Cisco IOS, Nexus, and ASA platforms, having managed a large-scale WAN upgrade for GlobalCom Inc that improved network efficiency by 25%. Acknowledged for excellent problem-solving skills and high customer satisfaction rating.
- Former IT Support Specialist with 5 years of experience, making the transition to Cisco network engineering. Acquired Cisco CCNA certification and solid knowledge in LAN/WAN technologies. Instrumental in achieving a 99.9% uptime for internal networks at SecureBank by meticulous monitoring and maintenance.
- Ex-military Communications Officer with 6 years of rigorous technical training now pivoting to civilian Cisco network engineering. Holds a top-secret clearance and possesses a deep understanding of secure communication protocols. Recently completed a comprehensive Cisco networking course, covering advanced network design and troubleshooting techniques.
- A passionate and quick-learning individual seeking to develop a career in Network Engineering, bringing a strong foundation in computer science from a recent bachelor's degree, coupled with a Cisco CCENT certification. Committed to leveraging analytical and problem-solving skills to excel in network configuration and maintenance.
- An enthusiast with a fresh perspective eager to embark on a career as a Cisco network engineer, armed with a solid theoretical background in network systems and practical experience in managing network setups for academic projects. Adept at teamwork, with a proactive approach to learning and adapting to complex technical environments.
Showcasing your personality with these four Cisco network engineer resume sections
Enhance your Cisco network engineer expertise with additional resume sections that spotlight both your professional skills and personal traits. Choose options that not only present you in a professional light but also reveal why colleagues enjoy working with you:
- My time - a pie chart infographic detailing your daily personal and professional priorities, showcasing a blend of hard and soft skills;
- Hobbies and interests - share your engagement in sports, fandoms, or other interests, whether in your local community or during personal time;
- Quotes - what motivates and inspires you as a professional;
- Books - indicating your reading and comprehension skills, a definite plus for employers, particularly when your reading interests align with your professional field.
Key takeaways
Securing your ideal job starts with crafting a compelling Cisco network engineer resume. It should not only highlight your professional strengths but also reflect your personality. Key aspects to remember include:
- Choose a clear, easily editable format, allowing more time to focus on the content of your resume;
- Emphasize experience relevant to the job, focusing on your impact on the team;
- Opt for a resume summary if you have extensive professional experience, and a resume objective if you're just starting out;
- Include technical skills in the skills section and interpersonal skills in the achievements section;
- Recognize the importance of various resume sections (e.g., My Time, Projects) in showcasing both your professional abilities and personal traits.
