One common challenge you may face in crafting your CV for a help desk position is effectively highlighting your technical skills and customer service experience in a way that stands out to employers. Our guide provides detailed strategies for showcasing your strengths and tailoring your CV to demonstrate the unique value you bring to the help desk role.
Land the job of your dreams with our bespoke guide on how to:
- Design and format your professional help desk CV;
- Curate your key contact information, skills, and achievements throughout your CV sections;
- Ensure your profile stays competitive by studying other industry-leading help desk CVs;
- Create a great CV even if you happen to have less professional experience, or switching fields.
When writing your help desk CV, you may need plenty of insights from hiring managers. We have prepared industry-leading advice in the form of our relevant CV guides.
How to ensure your profile stands out with your help desk CV format
It's sort of a Catch 22. You want your help desk CV to stand out amongst a pile of candidate profiles, yet you don't want it to be too over the top that it's unreadable. Where is the perfect balance between your CV format simple, while using it to shift the focus to what matters most. That is - your expertise. When creating your help desk CV:- list your experience in the reverse chronological order - starting with your latest roles;
- include a header with your professional contact information and - optionally - your photograph;
- organise vital and relevant CV sections - e.g. your experience, skills, summary/ objective, education - closer to the top;
- use no more than two pages to illustrate your professional expertise;
- format your information using plenty of white space and standard (2.54 cm) margins, with colours to accent key information.
Once you've completed your information, export your help desk CV in PDF, as this format is more likely to stay intact when read by the Applicant Tracker System or the ATS. A few words of advice about the ATS - or the software used to assess your profile:
- Generic fonts, e.g. Arial and Times New Roman, are ATS-compliant, yet many candidates stick with these safe choices. Ensure your CV stands out by using a more modern, and simple, fonts like Lato, Exo 2, Volkhov;
- All serif and sans-serif fonts are ATS-friendly. Avoid the likes of fancy decorative or script typography, as this may render your information to be illegible;
- Both single- and double-column formatted CVs could be assessed by the ATS;
- Integrating simple infographics, icons, and charts across your CV won't hurt your chances during the ATS assessment.
PRO TIP
Incorporate a touch of colour in headers or section breaks, but keep it professional and ensure it doesn’t detract from readability, especially in more conservative industries.
The top sections on a help desk CV
- Contact Information ensures recruiters can easily reach out.
- Professional Summary highlights your customer support expertise.
- Technical Skills showcases your familiarity with help desk tools.
- Work Experience demonstrates your hands-on experience in support roles.
- Customer Service Certifications reflect a dedication to the profession.
What recruiters value on your CV:
- Emphasise your technical proficiency by highlighting specific IT skills and certifications that are relevant to help desk roles, such as knowledge of help desk software, troubleshooting techniques, and any relevant hardware or network skills.
- Showcase your communication skills by mentioning experiences where you have effectively resolved customer issues, provided technical support, or communicated complex IT concepts in a user-friendly manner.
- Demonstrate your problem-solving abilities with examples of how you've diagnosed and resolved technical issues, and be sure to quantify these achievements with metrics where possible, such as ticket resolution times or customer satisfaction rates.
- Highlight any experience with IT service management (ITSM) frameworks, like ITIL, to show that you understand the structured approach to IT service delivery which is often crucial for help desk roles.
- Mention your ability to work under pressure and manage time effectively by providing instances where you've successfully handled a high volume of help desk tickets or responded swiftly to critical support situations.
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What information should you include in your help desk CV header?
The CV header is potentially the section that recruiters would refer to the most, as it should include your:
- Contact details - your professional (non-work) email address and phone number;
- Professional photograph - if you're applying hinting at the value you bring as a professional.
Many professionals often struggle with writing their help desk CV headline. That's why in the next section of this guide, we've curated examples of how you can optimise this space to pass any form of assessment.
Examples of good CV headlines for help desk:
- IT Support Analyst | Microsoft Certified | Problem-Solving Expert | 5+ Years in Technical Assistance
- Help Desk Specialist | CompTIA A+ Certified | Customer Service Excellence | Network Troubleshooting | 3 Years Experience
- Senior Technical Support Engineer | Cybersecurity Enthusiast | ITIL Foundation | 10+ Years' Expertise
- Junior Service Desk Analyst | User Support Aficionado | System Maintenance | Recent IT Graduate
- Lead Help Desk Technician | Hardware & Software Proficient | CCNA Qualified | 8 Years Dedicated Service
- Helpdesk Supervisor | Cloud Solutions Guru | Team Leadership | Prince2 Practitioner | 7 Years in IT Support
What's the difference between a help desk CV summary and objective
Why should it matter to you?
- Your help desk CV summary is a showcasing your career ambitions and your unique value. Use the objective to answer why your potential employers should hire you based on goals and ambitions. The objective is the ideal choice for candidates who happen to have less professional experience, but still meet some of the job requirements.
Before you select which one will be more relevant to your experience, have a look at some industry-leading CV summaries and objectives.
CV summaries for a help desk job:
- With over 3 years of dedicated experience in IT support, I have honed my abilities in customer service, complex problem-solving, and systems troubleshooting. I have excelled in providing end-users with clear, concise support and have been commended for increasing overall client satisfaction by 20% through effective communication and swift resolution of technical issues.
- As a seasoned help desk specialist with seven years in the tech industry, my expertise lies in managing large-scale ticketing systems and leading support teams to success. My tenure includes reducing response times by 30% and improving user experience through the implementation of feedback-driven enhancements.
- Transitioning from a career in hospitality to IT support, I bring exceptional interpersonal skills and a commitment to learning technical proficiencies rapidly. I have completed an accredited IT Support Certificate and am seeking to apply my problem-solving acumen and customer service excellence in a dynamic tech environment.
- Experienced in retail management, I am now eager to apply my strong organizational and customer relationship skills to the field of IT support. With a recent certification in IT Fundamentals and a passion for helping others, I am ready to contribute to a team that values technical aptitude and genuine, proactive customer assistance.
- As a fresh graduate with a keen interest in information technology, I am eager to immerse myself in a help desk environment and to contribute my knowledge of network troubleshooting and software maintenance. My objective is to develop a comprehensive understanding of IT support frameworks while delivering exceptional customer service.
- Aiming to launch a career that blends my enthusiasm for technology with a desire to assist others, my goal is to attain a junior help desk role where I can apply my theoretical knowledge of computer systems and eagerness to learn on-the-job. I bring a positive attitude and a drive to exceed user support expectations.
More detailed look into your work history: best advice on writing your help desk CV experience section
The CV experience is a space not just to merely list your past roles and responsibilities. It is the CV real estate within which you could detail your greatest accomplishments and skills, while matching the job requirements. Here's what to have in your experience section:
- Prove you have what the job wants with your unique skill set and past successes;
- Start each bullet with a strong, action verb, and continue with the outcome of your responsibility;
- Use any awards, nominations, and recognitions you've received as solid proof of your skill set and expertise;
- align your experience with the role responsibilities and duties.
For more help on how to write your CV experience section, check out the next section of our guide:
Best practices for your CV's work experience section
- Provided comprehensive support for Windows and MacOS systems, resolving an average of 30 tickets per day with a customer satisfaction score of 95%.
- Effectively managed the help desk ticketing system using JIRA, ensuring that all issues were logged, prioritised according to severity, and resolved within agreed SLAs.
- Delivered remote technical assistance for software and hardware issues, often guiding users through step-by-step solutions via phone or email.
- Developed a self-service knowledge base for frequently asked questions, reducing ticket volume by 20% within six months of implementation.
- Implemented a new chat support channel which improved response time by 30% and was positively received by users for its convenience.
- Collaborated with IT teams to roll out software updates, including coordinating with users to ensure a smooth transition and minimal work disruption.
- Trained five new help desk analysts on internal systems, troubleshooting techniques, and customer service best practices.
- Authored detailed monthly reports on help desk performance metrics to provide insights into areas for improvement and training needs.
- Maintained a high level of technical knowledge through continual professional development, including certification in ITIL and Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP).
Lead Help Desk Analyst
Lead Help Desk Analyst
Microsoft Corporation
09/2019-Ongoing
- Implemented a new ticketing system that streamlined the issue resolution process, reducing response time by 25%.
- Led a team of 8 help desk technicians, providing mentorship and training to improve service quality and efficiency.
- Developed and maintained an internal knowledge base used by team members to resolve common issues, which reduced repeated queries by 30%.
Senior Help Desk Technician
Senior Help Desk Technician
Dell Technologies
06/2018-08/2019
- Conducted regular systems diagnostics which led to a consistent 99.9% uptime for all company IT systems.
- Coordinated with the IT security team to identify and prevent potential breaches, contributing to a 40% decrease in security incidents.
- Managed the successful rollout of updated desktop and software deployments for over 500 workstations.
Help Desk Specialist
Help Desk Specialist
IBM
02/2016-05/2018
- Authored comprehensive training manuals for new employees, slashing the onboarding time by half from 4 weeks to 2 weeks.
- Resolved over 1,500 user issues, consistently achieving a customer satisfaction rate exceeding 95%.
- Oversaw the migration of the company’s CRM system to a cloud-based solution, enhancing system accessibility and reliability.
IT Help Desk Support
IT Help Desk Support
Cisco Systems
11/2013-01/2016
- Delivered daily IT support to more than 300 users, maintaining a first-call resolution rate of over 85%.
- Spearheaded the transition to a VOIP telephony system, resulting in a 20% cost saving on monthly communication expenses.
- Implemented a remote assistance initiative to provide off-site troubleshooting, which received positive feedback from remote staff.
Technical Help Desk Associate
Technical Help Desk Associate
Accenture
07/2011-10/2013
- Played a pivotal role in a software upgrade project, ensuring over 200 workstations were seamlessly transitioned without interrupting workflow.
- Boosted the IT department’s productivity by introducing a triage system for incoming support tickets based on urgency and complexity.
- Conducted weekly training sessions on IT policies and best practices, heightening employees' awareness and reducing user-generated errors by 15%.
Entry Level Help Desk Technician
Entry Level Help Desk Technician
Hewlett Packard Enterprise
03/2009-06/2011
- Assisted in the launch of a company-wide antivirus initiative that improved malware detection rates by over 50%.
- Fielded an average of 30 support calls per day, focusing on swift and accurate solutions to software questions and network issues.
- Collaborated with the network administration team on a data consolidation project that enhanced system performance and user access speeds.
Help Desk Support Analyst
Help Desk Support Analyst
Apple Inc.
01/2014-02/2016
- Monitored and managed IT systems for a client network of over 2,000 users, effectively reducing downtime across the network by 35%.
- Implemented a client feedback system that led to a service improvement plan, directly increasing customer satisfaction scores by 20%.
- Became the go-to specialist for troubleshooting complex technical issues for both Windows and Mac OS environments.
Advanced Help Desk Support Specialist
Advanced Help Desk Support Specialist
Oracle Corporation
05/2017-07/2019
- Designed and executed regular IT systems checks that heightened preventative maintenance measures, reducing system failures by 40%.
- Participated in a 'first day experience' initiative to ensure new employees had a seamless tech setup, lauded by HR as improving new hire retention by 5%.
- Orchestrated a department-wise security protocol training that minimized risk exposure from employee error.
Help Desk Technician Level II
Help Desk Technician Level II
Salesforce
08/2012-12/2013
- Catalyzed a 60% improvement in the IT ticket resolution process by introducing a prioritization matrix.
- Managed the on-site technical support for special company events, including setup and real-time troubleshooting for over 400 attendees.
- Routinely performed root-cause analyses on recurrent technical issues, slashing repeat IT concerns by 25%.
Junior IT Help Desk Agent
Junior IT Help Desk Agent
Amazon Web Services
01/2010-06/2012
- Mitigated IT-related user downtime by effectively communicating troubleshooting steps and preventive measures to non-technical users.
- Managed daily data backups and routine maintenance tasks, ensuring the integrity and availability of critical business data.
- Acted as a bridge between end users and higher-level support teams, improving problem resolution times by closely tracking escalation procedures.
Swapping your professional experience (when you have none) with skills and more
Never underestimate the importance of relevancе when it comes to your help desk CV. Even if you don't happen to have much or any standard (full-time contract) professional experience, this doesn't mean you shouldn't apply for the role. Instead of a bespoke CV experience section:
- Showcase more prominently any internships, part-time roles, and volunteer experience that are applicable to the role and have taught you job-crucial skills;
- Feature a strengths or achievements section with your transferrable skills or talents you've obtained thanks to your work or life experience;
- Write an objective statement that clearly outlines your values as a candidate and defines your career ambitions;
- List your education or certificates that match the job profile closer to the top of your CV.
Recommended reads:
PRO TIP
Describe how each job helped you grow or learn something new, showing a continuous development path in your career.
The CV skills' divide: between hard and soft skills
Of course, you may have read the job requirements plenty of times now, but it's key to note that there is a difference between technical and personal skills. Both are equally relevant to your job application. When writing about your skill set, ensure you've copy-pasted the precise skill from the job requirement. This would not only help you ensure you have the correct spelling, but also pass any Applicant Tracker System (ATS) assessments.
- Hard skills show your technological capabilities. Or whether you'll be a good technical fit to the organisation. Ensure you've spotlighted your hard skills in various sections of your CV (e.g. skills section, projects, experience) by including the technology and what you've attained;
- Soft skills pinpoint your personality and people or communication skills, hinting at if you'll easily accomodate into the team or organisation. Quantify your soft skills in your CV achievements, strengths, summary/objective, and experience sections. Always support your soft skills with how they've helped you grow as a professional.
Top skills for your help desk CV:
HARD SKILLS
Technical Support
Troubleshooting
Ticketing Systems
Hardware Configuration
Software Installation
Network Support
System Diagnostics
Remote Desktop Support
Security Protocols
Data Entry
SOFT SKILLS
Communication
Problem-Solving
Customer Service
Patience
Time Management
Adaptability
Active Listening
Teamwork
Stress Management
Empathy
PRO TIP
If you have received professional endorsements or recommendations for certain skills, especially on platforms like LinkedIn, mention these to add credibility.
Education and more professional qualifications to include in your help desk CV
If you want to showcase to recruiters that you're further qualified for the role, ensure you've included your relevant university diplomas. Within your education section:
- Describe your degree with your university name(-s) and start-graduation dates;
- List any awards you've received, if you deem they would be impressive or are relevant to the industry;
- Include your projects and publications, if you need to further showcase how you've used your technical know-how;
- Avoid listing your A-level marks, as your potential employers care to learn more about your university background.
Apart from your higher education, ensure that you've curated your relevant certificates or courses by listing the:
- name of the certificate or course;
- name of the institution within which you received your training;
- the date(-s) when you obtained your accreditation.
In the next section, discover some of the most relevant certificates for your help desk CV:
PRO TIP
Focus on describing skills in the context of the outcomes they’ve helped you achieve, linking them directly to tangible results or successes in your career.
Recommended reads:
Key takeaways
Write your professional help desk CV by studying and understanding what the role expectations are. You should next:
- Focus on tailoring your content to answer specific requirements by integrating advert keywords through various CV sections;
- Balance your technical know-how with your personal skills to showcase what the unique value would be of working with you;
- Ensure your CV grammar and spelling (especially of your key information and contact details) is correct;
- Write a CV summary, if your experience is relevant, and an objective, if your career ambitions are more impressive;
- Use active language by including strong, action verbs across your experience, summary/objective, achievements sections.
