INDUSTRY STATS
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, IT and Software Engineering positions are at a much faster than average growth rate, which is 22%. With that said, there are currently 1,847,900 jobs in the market right now. The total number of jobs is expected to increase by 409,500 to 2,257,400 in the period of 2020-30.
What’s more, the median annual wage for the IT and Software Engineering jobs was $110,140 in May 2020. The lowest 10% earned less than $65,210, and the highest 10% more than $170,100.
Our conclusion? The IT and Software Engineering job market is facing competition due to decreasing demand.
Top software support engineer sections that make the best resume
- Header
- Professional summary
- Experience (with numbers and results)
- Relevant skills
- Education
- Certifications
How to craft the perfect software support engineer resume experience section
Perfecting the experience section: software support engineer resume checklist:
- Be careful with bullet points: use no more than 4-6 per position;
- Mention only positions that are relevant to the job you’re applying for;
- List your experience in chronological or reverse-chronological order;
- Highlight your results by using numbers – e.g. percentage increase/decrease in an important metric that’s followed by - your hard work;
- Use action words whenever possible… but more on that below.
Need examples? We looked through thousands of Software Support Engineer resumes and gathered some examples of what the ideal experience section looks like. Check them out below!
- Establishing ERP needs via business process analysisand consultation.
- Analyzing existing infrastructure and performing IT systemenhancements.
- Providing technical support and training ERP end-users.
- Adhering to company policies and industry regulations.
- Working as AR/Billing Expert.
- Gathering requirement from client/vendor and analysis of the specifications/requirements from the client/vendor.
- Troubleshooting and fixing the issues in the billing and account receivable.
- Developed code fixes and enhancements for inclusion in future code releases and patches.
- Worked closely with clients to establish problem specifications and system design.
- Solving the customer queries and issues through the Incidents/Tickets raise by them.
- Maintaining/Writing SQL Query.
- Expertise in programming using Oracle/SQL alongwith proficiency in using technology to enhance dataand information management.
- Involved in production support activities, performchange request activities and prepared RCA.
- Installed releases in production and uatenvironments.
- Anchoring Bridge Calls between various sites andcoordinating people to resolve issues in an efficientway.
- -Troubleshoot server side issues, including network and Operating System issues affecting the Notes/Domino process. Includes installation and upgrade of the product.
- -Experience with various operating systems: Windows (7,8,10, server 2008r2 and 2012r2, Linux (RHEL 6-7), IBM iseries v7r1.
- -Document procedures and technical resolutions in a ticketing system and in a technical knowledge base. -Categorizes each issue and handing them to their correct resolution team as well as for development.
- -Perform tests with the server on a virtual environment or sandbox to replicate the issue before providing a concrete resolution. Initiating Debug, server log reading, and other related information that would resolve the issue. -Captures and review significant amount of data to provide problem resolution and recommendations, and to determine if trends are occurring that may indicate a need for action.
- Submitting lab cases and contacting R&D.
- Working closely with Engineering, Product Management R&D teams, evaluating and testing pre-release software versions.
- Dealing with escalated cases and elevations from Level 2
- Handling support ticket elevations from L1 engineers from SA EMEA team.
- Reproducing and troubleshooting software issues in internal test environment.
- Dealing with hot/escalated cases.
- Documenting all steps taken during investigation/troubleshooting process in the ticketing system.
- Proactive support - writing KM documents.
- Scan networks for unmanaged servers and deploy SA agents for management
- Apply the required operating system patches for Windows and Linux servers
- Install and configure software applications using templates called software policies
- Remediate non-compliant servers to bring them into compliance
- Executing pre-installation or post-installation scripts
- Manage servers remotely for routine maintenance or troubleshooting issues from a single tool using SA Global Shell (OGFS) capability
- Providing assistance to the new colleagues in the team.
PRO TIP
Don't make the same mistake everyone else does. What we mean is, don't list your Software Support Engineer job responsibilities instead of your achievements. Recruiters know what you do. They want to know what kind of difference you can bring to their company. Focus on what you've accomplished.
Action verbs for your software support engineer resume
Recommended reads:
Impressing recruiters with a top software support engineer resume skills section
Checklist for an impressive software support engineer resume skills section:
- List both hard and technical skills that are important for the role;
- Check what the job description says and add some keywords based on that;
- Focus only on relevant skills;
- Try not to list things such as “communication”; rather, highlight your soft skills in other sections of your Software Support Engineer resume.
Top skills for your software support engineer resume
Python
Java
Javascript
GIT
SQL
HTML
Teamwork and communication
Creative problem solving
Analystical thinking
Owning up to errors
Self-learning
Time management
PRO TIP
Don’t feel obliged to spend a separate section for your soft skills - you can weave them throughout your job experience or career summary. But, don’t just write empty words - back them with examples.
Recommended reads:
Software support engineer resume header: tips, red flags, and best practices
Checklist for your software support engineer 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 Software Support Engineer 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.
Crafting a strong summary for your software support engineer resume
Checklist: The perfect Software Support Engineer resume summary section
- Add a couple of keywords from the job description;
- Mention some of your most valuable skills and characteristics;
- Highlight your top achievements (and add numbers!);
- Use no more than 3-5 sentences to guarantee readability and keep - the hiring manager interested.
Resume summary formula:
PRO TIP
When writing a resume summary or objective, avoid first-person narrative.
Recommended reads:
An impressive education section: software support engineer resume
Software support engineer resume: Education section checklist
- Highlight your highest education degree;
- Include the degree subject, year of graduation, and institution name;
- Mention some of the awards you’ve received during your studies;
- List your certifications (incl. the body that’s issued them);
- Entry-level positions: Give preference to courses that are relevant to the position.
Top certifications for your software support engineer resume
Software Engineering 101: Plan and Execute Better Software.
Software Engineering 101: Use Software Engineering to Plan and Build Amazing Software + Learn SCRUM Framework!
The Complete 2022 Software Testing Bootcamp
Everything you need to learn about software testing.
Master Software Testing+Jira+Agile on Live App-Be a TeamLead
2022 BEST job oriented Software Manual Testing course on real time Project+Interview ques+Resume Prep+ Lifetime Support
Software Testing Masterclass (2022) - From Novice to Expert
Learn software testing and become QA Engineer/Agile Tester. Mobile/Backend/Web/QA testing. JIRA, TestRail & much more!
SDLC Overview (1 Hour) - Software Development Life Cycle
First step into the Software World of Terms and acronyms.
Recommended reads:
PRO TIP
There are dozens of certifications that you can claim as a Software Support Engineer. 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.
The right format for your software support engineer resume
When it comes to formatting your Software Support Engineer resume, there are certain things you need to keep in mind. These include your level of expertise, your total years of experience, and the position and company you’re applying for, to name a few.
You can choose between three basic resume formats:
- Reverse-chronological resume format;
- Functional skills-based resume format;
- Combination (or Hybrid) resume format.
The reverse-chronological format is just that – all your experience listed in a reverse-chronological way. It’s great for experienced professionals who have been in the industry for many years and have no career gaps.
The functional skills-based resume, on the other hand, focuses on skills, education, and personality traits, rather than experience. This makes it great for graduates, people with less experience, or bigger career gaps. The idea is to show you’re the perfect match without putting too much emphasis on your lack of relevant experience.
If none of these sound suitable, go for a hybrid (or combination) resume. It’s a mix of experience, skills, and personality traits. It’s also considered modern and innovative because of its non-traditional structure and sections. Here, you can add details about what your typical day looks like or what your life philosophy is. In short, the hybrid resume format shows who you are, both as a professional and as an individual.
More tips on perfecting your resume style and layout:
- Choose a traditional 12p font;
- Make sure your resume margins are no bigger than an inch;
- Go for a one-page template. If you have broad experience and can’t fit your resume on one page, choose a two-page resume template
- Save your resume as PDF to avoid formatting issues and unauthorized editing.
Read this: Ways to make your Software Support Engineer resume stand out
Recommended reads:
PRO TIP
Sometimes you’ll want to go after a job which requires more experience than you have. Instead of using a typical Software Support Engineer 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.
More sections worth adding to your software support engineer resume
If the industry, company, and position you’re applying for allow for that, you could include other sections in your Software Support Engineer resume. By doing this, you’ll show the recruiter that you’re a real human and not a robot.
Here are some ideas:
The right kind of creativity for your software support engineer resume
Several years ago, everyone preferred keeping a safe distance from creative resumes. Today, adding creativity to your CV is considered cool, innovative, and one of the best ways to stand out.
You can add a creative section that describes your typical day or even go for a colorful creative template. No matter what you choose, make sure to keep the position, company, and industry in mind. Otherwise, you risk looking silly.
What makes a great software support engineer 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.
