Lara is tasked with planning the budget for the entire IT Support Department for 2022. After all, she is the Head of IT for the local branch of a famous accounting company.

But, up until recently, she only had to deal with her family and friends’ “computer problems”.

She has never spent more than $50 on an IT solution. Let alone plan a department’s budget for a whole year.

How did she get here?

It all started with a well-crafted IT support resume. And good faith on part of the employer for what was in it.

Many believe this is just a job with too many qualifications. And in a sense, it’s true.

But you know it involves so much more. You have to be a whizz at everything technical and have good people skills at the same time.

And now you need to find a way to include all of it in your resume.

Let’s dive into how Lara troubleshooted her way to a Head of IT position.

Our Complete IT Support Resume Guide Will Teach You

• How to frame your resume so that it give all the right signals to recruiters
• How to describe transferable skills from unrelated jobs you’ve held in the past
• Which skills to highlight if you want to land a mid-to-high level it support position
• How to leverage your soft skills in a tech-first industry
• The top certificates which will make you stand out among the crowd
• What other sections you can add to your resume, even if you lack the experience

Building up an IT Support Resume from Scratch

Generally, most people bother you when something breaks down. Or when management has plans to change the company’s IT infrastructure.

As such, IT support specialists are the unsung heroes of the modern corporate times.

But then the pandemic restrictions forced companies to adapt to a new way of doing business.

In an instant, your job consisted mainly of setting up VPNs and work from home stations at a large scale.

As a result, the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic stressed the importance of empathy.

The best way to show versatility is to use the reverse-chronological resume layout.

Why?

Because it can reveal a lot about your career progress and character traits. After all, you have to work with both machines and people.

Don't focus on the tasks you performed, display different aspects of your work.

Each entry in the work history section has to build upon the last. Don’t worry if you don’t have relevant experience. Search for transferable skills.

You’ve worked at a call center? You probably have good communication skills.

You’ve worked as a shop assistant? Then you certainly have excellent customer service skills.

Here is what you need to have:

Your it support resume needs to have a nice balance between:

• Expertise
• Work history
• Talents
• Relevant side-projects
• Related personal interests

If you still find it hard to frame some of the sections, consider the following questions:

Debugging the Header of Your IT Support Resume

The header section may seem simple enough - it’s the “Hello, world” of your resume. But for recruiters it’s more than that.

The headers needs to be:

• Presentable
• Foolproof
• Relevant

Depending on your level of expertise, the basic information you include will differ.

3 IT Support Resume Header Examples

Let’s use Lara’s resume as an example. Notice anything wrong about her first draft?

No wonder hiring managers won’t take a second look at her resume. There is too much missing information. It’s not memorable enough.

Although Lara has added her email, no phone number is included. Usually the first stage of the onboarding process is a phone interview.

Finally, Lara hasn’t specified where she is located. If the position is remote, some recruiters may overlook the lack of these details.

Still, you should include it as hiring managers tend to keep outstanding resumes on file.

If they find you a different on-site position, recruiters may want to know where you’re located.

A better header for Lara’s it support resume would be:

Great!

Now, you may be thinking this is the header of someone who’s already been in the IT support industry for a few years.

Actually, no. Lara is a college grad who is just starting her career. This version of the header looks very professional because of a few edits here and there.

Yet, suppose she was a senior-level specialist. Would there be any differences?

Yes!

As you can see, Lara’s titles explain the particular type of IT support she provides.

More crucially, she has added a link to her GitHub. Some managers may not be able to understand Lara’s side projects.

But they can pass the information to the employer for further review. If Lara’s work style matches the employer’s, chances are, she’s getting a call back.

Leave a Lasting Impression With a Powerful IT Support Resume Summary

To really set yourself apart from the rest, you must have a strong resume objective or summary.

This is your chance to charm recruiters with expertise, accomplishments and awards. Show them that you are the right person for the job by listing verifiable results.

If you’ve recently graduated and can’t boast vast work experience, no need to panic. There are ways to get noticed.

Use the resume objective to draw attention to relevant past achievements. For example, you may have:

• been responsible for successful contract negotiation with vendors
• in-depth knowledge of the niche the potential is operating in
• experience in customer service and finding solutions to common issues

Another detail to include is industry-related certificates and courses. If you have them, flaunt them. Still in training? Mention it. It shows proactivity, enthusiasm and willingness to learn.

Need to see this in action?

2 IT Support Resume Summary Examples

Ah, so many things to avoid here!

Despite the use of buzzwords, the summary sounds boring. The applicant claims 5 years of experience, yet has no results or accomplishments to show for it?

Also, there isn’t much information about the type of support the candidate provides. Despite the listed certificate.

A better version of the summary would be:

The candidate specifies:

• The exact years of experience as an IT support technician
• The niche in which the applicant operated
• The type of support provided
• Particular tasks in which the candidate excels
• Personal and team work achievements

A huge difference! Make sure you elaborate on your accomplishments in the experience part of the resume.

How do you do this, you ask?

Framing the Experience Section of Your IT Support Resume

It’s easy!

There are two things you need to take into account:

• Emphasize achievements which are relevant to the position you’re applying to
• Start each entry with a measurable result and provide context

You may be good at fixing all kinds of IT issues. What hiring managers want to see is that you have tailored your resume for the specific job ad.

Even if you aren’t proficient in the technology the employer works with, acknowledge it.

Entry-level applicants often think they need to have a perfect answer for everything. This is not true. Especially when it comes to IT support positions.

Be honest.

Recruiters are searching for candidates who are mature enough to admit they don’t know how to fix an issue.

Mix that with motivation and inquisitiveness and you have a strong job candidate.

2 IT Support Resume Experience Examples

Here is what you need to avoid:

In short, don’t be dull!

Somehow the person’s title and the to-do list of duties following it do not match. Either this person didn’t spend enough time on resume writing.

Or the applicant wasn’t interested in the job at all.

What can be changed?

Customer satisfaction rates look great. The number of complaints has significantly dropped. And it seems that the productivity rate of various departments has skyrocketed.

What’s not to love here?

Notice how no specific technology has been mentioned? This is because people outside your department rarely understand your work. And you can do this, too.

Why?

Ultimately, employers need someone who can help them reach their goals. So, try to speak their language.

With this in mind…

What Essential Skills are Recruiters Searching for in an IT Support Candidate?

You must show versatility!

Not only in terms of technical abilities, but you also need to display an array of soft skills. For many, dealing with computer problems is frustrating enough.

But what happens if the IT Support technician is arrogant and obstinate?

You end up with a frustrated end user.

And puts a wrench in the works.

No employer wants that and recruiters will avoid such applicants like the plague.

So, how do you go about describing your talents on your resume?

Do You Need to Detail All Your Technical Abilities on Your IT Support Resume?

While you may think this is a good idea, recruiters won’t find it an easy read.

Instead, carefully scan the job ads. Keep track of any equipment or software requirements. Build your resume around these.

Why?

This is the technology you will potentially be working with. And it will also grab the attention of recruiters by addressing the specifics of the job ad.

Bear in mind that you don’t have to excel at every hard skill there is. Senior IT support technicians know a Google search can fix most computer issues.

And if you have more skills to flaunt - save them for the cover letter.

Bragging About Your Soft Side on Your IT Support Resume

Have you tried turning it off and on again?

Being able to stay zen while asking the same questions time after time is a skill.

So, the only thing you need to keep in mind here is that the end user is always a person or a group of people.

Hiring managers want candidates who can be good with people and solve problems at the same time.

And as such, you need to display your ability to effectively interact with the end user. And keep with the company culture.

Here is how to do it:

Pay attention to how each skill is described in a measurable way. This way you can display an empathetic, but result-oriented mind.

Here are some of the soft skills you can brag about on your resume:

There are so many soft skills to choose from.

Take a look at this list and tick those who apply to you. Think about how you can link them with a verifiable result.

Add them to your resume.

How to Set Yourself Apart: The Education Section on Your IT Support Resume

This part of your resume is important because it can tell recruiters a lot about your abilities. If they want to check for extra skills, it’s easy to check your college curriculum.

That said, which degrees are preferred by hiring managers? Some of them include:

• BS in Computer Science
• BS in Computer Information Systems
• BS in Engineering
• BS in Software Engineering
• BS in Business Systems Engineering
• Business II degree
• Custom Application Software Development degree
• MS in Computer Science

The good news? You can refer to extra skills without taking away too much from the main focus of your resume.

Want more tips on leveraging your college degree? Learn more about Perfecting the Education Section on Your Resume.

How Important Are IT Support

Isn’t the education section enough? No!

Why?

Being licensed by professional associations in your industry signals you follow current trends. This is another opportunity to hint at other technical talents you have.

Just make sure all the certificates you list are up-to-date.

What Else Can Boost Your Chances to Get a Job Interview?

Technology is practically everywhere around us. Which means you have so many options to choose from:

• Cover letter
• Association memberships
• Conference attendance
• Key Achievements and Awards
• Volunteering
• Programming languages (outside of what is required by the employer)
• Foreign languages
• University social groups and competitions
• Home projects
• Hobbies and interests

Organizing hackathons and being an active IT volunteer in your community speaks volumes!

It shows enthusiasm, team spirit and genuine enjoyment in what you do.

Key Takeaways: Building a Flawless IT Support Resume

So many tips, how can you keep up with everything? Just consider these points when writing your resume:

• If you have lots of experience, include only essential pieces of information. Leave the rest for the cover letter
• For entry-level specialists, relate your previous employment history to the job posting
• List only the transferable skills and relevant accomplishments from past positions
• Research different job ads for qualities industry recruiters are searching for. Highlight them on your resume
• Skim the job postings for technology employers are heavily invested in. Tailor your resume to address the different tech skills required
• Balance out the skills section by listing both hard and soft skills
• Support your resume with a cover letter to give more details. Or explain gaps in your employment history
• Don’t underestimate the power of volunteer work and side projects
• Mentions of association membership and conference attendance can earn you bonus points