INDUSTRY STATS
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, IT Security Manager positions are at a 11% growth rate, which is faster than average. With that said, there are currently 482,000 jobs in the market right now. The total number of jobs is expected to increase by 52,700 to 534,700 in the period of 2020-30.
What’s more, the median annual wage for the IT Security Manager jobs was $151,150 in May 2020. The lowest 10% earned less than $90,430, and the highest 10% more than $208,000.
Our conclusion? The IT Security Manager job market is wide open for candidates.
Top IT security manager sections that make the best resume
- Header
- Professional summary
- Experience (with numbers and results)
- Relevant skills
- Education
- Certifications
An IT security manager resume experience section to be proud of
Writing a strong experience section for your IT security manager resume:
- List your previous jobs in chronological or reverse-chronological format;
- Use no more than 4-6 bullets per position;
- Mention only relevant work experience;
- Describe the tasks you were responsible for and how you managed to exceed expectations;
- Show you’re able to take charge by choosing action verbs over buzzwords.
Looking for real-life examples of what a strong experience section looks like? Check out our suggestions below!
- Maintenance and administration of IT Security Infrastructure and operation.
- Monitor security system KPIs.
- Incident handling.
- Providing advice on security related queries when requested by other IT team members.
- Maintaining clear and documented records of system implementation, change and detected security anomalies and possible breaches.
- Computer Forensics
- IT Security
- Vulnerability Assessment
- GDPR Compliance
- IT Security Consultant for Intesa Sanpaolo Group Services – Security Deployment and Governance office – Information Systems Management
- Analysis of ISO 27001 audit reports and redaction of documents based on the best practices in the IT Security
- Compliance solutions for privacy and bank regulation (ABILAB, PCIDSS)
- Securing Customer Database Information with Strong Authentication and Encryption in place
- Having the network security devices to protect and serve the IT Infrastructure so to ease and bring smooth business operations to customers
- Keeping customers and patients to focus on receiving the best service while protecting and securing their information
- Guarding the company against unauthorized access internally or externally by configuring and securing the IT Infrastructure.
- Worked with L1 operational team to handle and maintenance of Trend Micro Antivirus on 3600 server production and 5000 workstation
- Monitored and tracked server and workstation from malware and exploits attack
- Responsible to investigate and take action on any unauthorized potential threats on server and workstations
- Planned and implemented anti-spam and anti-phishing for mail gateway
- Implemented software and OS patching for workstations
- Created regular weekly and monthly security report to customer
- Working as a Tier-2 SOC analyst, having hands-on experience on various tools and technologies.
- Observe security solutions; SIEMs, firewall appliances, data loss prevention systems, analysis tools, log aggregation tools.
- Assists with the development of processes and procedures to improve incident response times, analysis of incidents, and overall SOC functions.
- Saved $25,000 by revising company IT networks documentation, resulting in increased workplace productivity and 23% fewer support tickets over 9 months
- Built a loyal customer base of 20+ customers by learning preferences and tailoring service to each customer
- Led a $120,000 project to upgrade internal hardware and equip staff with skills to help company achieve quarterly goals
- Conducted security assessments and made recommendations for disaster recovery, remote access, networkappliances, servers and directory services security.
- Completed efficient and effective troubleshooting of complex multi-vendor network service provider issues.
- Introduced automation of monitoring system for 24/7 network systems, bolstering continuity of operations. Managed application patches, data backup, security changes and network configuration and replaced boards, changed servers and loaded and tested software applications.
- Coordinated establishment of local area and wide area network to provide robust infrastructure and data capacityfor new applications and communication between sites. Designed company-wide policies to bring operations in line with Center for Internet Security (CIS) standards. Developed and maintained incident response protocols to mitigate damage and liability during security breaches.
- Managed relationships with third-party intrusion detection system providers.
- Collaborated with third-party payment card industry (PCI) compliance partners.
- Participated in creation of device hardening techniques and protocols.
- Conducted security audits to identify vulnerabilities. Researched and developed new computer forensic tools.
- Encrypted data and erected firewalls to protect confidential information. Engineered, maintained and repaired security systems and programmable logic controls.
- Developed plans to safeguard computer files against modification, destruction or disclosure. Performed risk analyses to identify appropriate security countermeasures. Monitored computer virus reports to determine when to update virus protection systems. Recommend improvements in security systems and procedures. Applied Center for Internet Security (CIS) benchmarks to verify performance of ongoing security measures
- Information Security Architect for Daimler AG (50+ architectural designssince 01/2018)
- Training for Information Security Awareness with technical staff andsoftware developers
- Security consulting for large enterprise customers
- Penetration testing against web services for authentication and data transport, remediation and mitigation consulting
- Planning, execution and evaluation of internal vulnerability scans
- Creation of policy framework for ISO 27001 compliance certification
- Support for GDPR compliance of insurance industry customer
- Support of internal and external PCI DSS audits, upkeep of PCI DSS compliance for European entities
- Responsibilty for security systems (IDS/IPS, Malware Protection, WAF, Physical Access Control)
- Maintenance of Risk Management System
- Incident Response for endpoints and servers (150+ clients/35+ servers)
- Information Security Architect for Daimler AG (50+ architectural designssince 01/2018)
- Development and implementation of Incident Response and DIFR for various customers
- Training for Information Security Awareness with technical staff andsoftware developers
- Security consulting for large enterprise customers
- Penetration testing against web services for authentication and data transport, remediation and mitigation consulting
- Support of internal and external PCI DSS audits, upkeep of PCI DSS compliance for European entities
- Incident response and management for transact Munich
- Responsibilty for security systems (IDS/IPS, Malware Protection, WAF, Physical Access Control)
- Maintenance of Risk Management System
- Incident Response for endpoints and servers (150+ clients/35+ servers)
- IT Security Roadmap - Created the IT Security Roadmap to guide CIO Security Budgeting and Project Planning
- Change Management - Created and Chaired the Change Management Board and implemented ITIL based software to support the process.
- Vulnerability Assessment - Created In-house Vulnerability Management Program, leveraging both Qualys and Rapid7 solutions
- Disaster Recovery - Created IT Disaster Recovery Plan, including Risk Assessments and Business Impact Analysis leveraging Sungard suite of tools.
- SIEM - Implemented all components of ArcSight SIEM to support incident detection and regulatory compliance.
- Created an In-house penetration testing processImplemented various projects for PCI Compliance and HIPAA Compliance
- Collaborated with C-level executives on publishing Security policies and championing IT Security Program
PRO TIP
Make sure to relate your experience to your job description, but never lie. That’s not tolerated and will show up in the face-to-face interview later on.
Action verbs for your IT security manager resume
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Taking Control of Your IT Security Manager Resume’s Skills Section
A skills section that shows what you're capable of includes:
- Keywords from the job advert to help you pass ATS;
- Both hard and soft skills, incl. technical skills and people skills;
- Skills that are relevant to the position you’re applying for;
- No more than 15 skills – to keep your resume readable.
Top skills for your IT security manager resume
Python
Java
Javascript
SQL
GIT
HTML
MySQL
CSS
Jira
C++
Communication
Organisation
Analytical thinking
Creativity and innovation
Accountability
Flexibility
Eager to learn
Perseverance
Problem solving
resourcefulness
PRO TIP
When picking skills to feature in your resume, make sure they'll be relevant to the position you’re applying to. The point of listing skills is for you to stand out from the competition. Stay away from repetitive, meaningless skills that everyone uses in their resumes. Or else, they’ll backfire and make you look like an average candidate.
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It security manager resume header: tips, red flags, and best practices
Checklist for your IT security manager resume header
- Your name and surname in a legible and larger resume font
- The job title you’re applying for or your current job title as a subheading to your name
- Link to your portfolio or online profile, such as LinkedIn
- Address (City and State for the US; just your city for rest of the world)
- Email address
- Headshot (required or welcomed in the EU; not required and sometimes frowned upon in the US)
Stick to popular email providers such as Gmail or Outlook. And use these professional formats to create your username:
- first.last@gmail.com
- last.first@gmail.com
- firstlast@gmail.com
- f.last@gmail.com
- first.l@gmail.com
Recommended reads:
PRO TIP
Some companies, states, and countries have policies about identifying information like photos on your IT Security Manager resume. Be sure to check all the relevant rules before submitting yours. If you’re in doubt, you can always try contacting the company’s HR department to ask for their policy.
An IT security manager resume summary that spotlights your achievements
Checklist: A strong IT Security Manager resume summary:
- Use adjectives that highlight the character traits you’re most proud of;
- Mention 1-2 of your biggest achievements;
- Add keywords from the job advert to increase your chances of passing ATS;
- Keep the recruiter’s attention by going for short sentences.
Resume summary formula:
PRO TIP
Highlight specific past projects that you’re most proud of in your summary. It sets an excellent tone for the rest of your resume. You can talk about all of your former jobs in your work experience section later on.
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Creating an impressive education section for your IT security manager resume
The education section: checklist
- List your degrees in reverse-chronological order;
- Include your degree subject, place of study, name of institution, and year of graduation;
- Add a line or two about your relevant certifications;
- Mention some classes and projects that have helped you gain additional skills.
Top certifications for your IT security manager resume
The Complete Cyber Security Course : Hackers Exposed!
Volume 1 : Become a Cyber Security Specialist, Learn How to Stop Hackers, Prevent Hacking, Learn IT Security & INFOSEC
The Complete Cyber Security Course : Network Security!
Volume 2 : Network Security, WiFi Security, WiFi Hackers, Firewalls, Wireshark, Secure Networking. + Password Managers
Cyber Security Masterclass - All about IT Security
Based on CompTIA Security+, this course is an IT Security Masterclass that will help you to dominate Cyber Security
IT Security 101 - Cyber Security for Beginners
Learn cyber security best practice tips on securing computer networks from internal & external IT cyber security threats
The Beginners 2022 Cyber Security Awareness Training Course
Learn to Spot Targeted Email Phishing, Social Engineering Attacks, Hacker Tactics, Browser & Mobile Threats & Much More
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PRO TIP
There are dozens of certifications that you can claim as a IT Security Manager. But, some are more effective than others. That’s why you mustn’t include every certificate other applicants might have. Try instead to earn and list a few of the difficult ones.
A professional format for your IT security manager resume
There are some aspects worth taking into consideration when choosing the format of your IT Security Manager resume. These include the position and company you’re applying for, your total years of experience, whether you’ve been through some employment gaps, and so on.
Generally speaking, there are three basic resume formats for you to choose from:
- Reverse-chronological resume format;
- Functional skills-based resume format;
- Combination (or Hybrid) resume format.
The reverse-chronological resume format is just that: all your jobs listed in a reverse-chronological way, starting from the most recent and moving backward. It’s great for highly experienced professionals with over 10 years in the industry behind their backs. The reason for this: it’s almost entirely focused on experience and achievements.
The functional skills-based resume format, on the other hand, is just the opposite. It’s based on your skills, personality, and expertise. It highlights what you’re capable of even when you don’t have sufficient work experience. This makes it great for students, recent graduates, or people with larger career gaps.
If neither of these sounds like you, go for the combination resume format. It’s a combination of the best characteristics of other formats, which makes it great for showcasing different aspects of your career and education. It also gives you plenty of options to choose from – in terms of colors, structure, and sections.
Check out our additional tips on perfecting your IT Security Manager resume’s style and layout:
- Choose traditional 1-inch resume margins;
- Go for a serif or sans serif resume font that’s easy to read yet looks professional (e.g. Arial, Verdana, or Calibri);
- Keep your IT Security Manager resume short: one-page template are preferable, but if you have over 10 years of experience, you can also go for a two-page format;
- Save your resume as PDF and choose a suitable name, e.g. NameSurnameResume;
Tired of looking for ways to make your resume stand out? Read this article!
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PRO TIP
Sometimes you’ll want to go after a job which requires more experience than you have. Instead of using a typical IT Security Manager resume layout, you can use a creative layout. Getting noticed is the most important challenge and a creative resume layout might help you get invited for an interview as most of other accountants have boring resume designs.
Additional sections for your IT security manager resume
After drafting the required sections of your IT Security Manager resume, it’s now time to move to something a bit more fun. There are a number of sections you can add to your resume depending on the company, the position, and how you’re feeling in general:
Adding the right kind of creativity to your IT security manager resume
It is through creativity that we express ourselves. And trust us, it’s important to show at least a bit of your personality if you want to leave a strong first impression.
But what are the ways to add creativity to your IT Security Manager resume? Well, you can either go for a colorful and engaging template, or you could add some out-of-the-box sections, such as ‘life philosophy’ or ‘what my typical day looks like’.
It’s up to you! Just make sure that the level of creativity matches the position, the company, and the industry you’re applying for.
What makes a great IT security manager resume: key takeaways
- Choose a resume layout that sends the right message across and fits your current career situation;
- Create a resume header that shows your desired job title, and easy to find contact numbers;
- Be specific about your experience, accomplishments and future goals in your summary;
- Feature detailed metrics and specific examples that show the impact you made in your previous roles when describing your experience;
- List soft skills backed by examples;
- Add all of your technical skills and certifications that you have and match the job description;
- Show off a dash of personality in your resume that will demonstrate your culture fit and the right mix of hard and soft skills.
