How to Write an IT Resume (With Template and Example)

By Indeed Editorial Team

Updated 8 November 2022

Published 22 November 2021

The Indeed Editorial Team comprises a diverse and talented team of writers, researchers and subject matter experts equipped with Indeed's data and insights to deliver useful tips to help guide your career journey.

The information technology (IT) sector is a growing field with a variety of career opportunities. Employers usually look for individuals with specific skills to fill many roles in this sector. If you have these technical skills and are interested in pursuing a position in technology, you could benefit from preparing a professional IT resume. In this article, we define different resume formats, show you how to write an IT resume for a professional role, explore what your IT resume can include and provide a template and example that you can use to help you.

What is a professional IT resume?

Before we cover how to write an IT resume, here's an overview of what is included in a professional IT resume. A resume presents and summarises your skills, education and achievements in a specific field. A well-written and formatted professional IT resume shows a potential employer how suitable you are for a particular role. It also helps you stand out amongst other candidates. The resume format you choose depends on what aspect of your past career you want to highlight. You can choose between four different formats:

Chronological: This resume lists your work history, starting with your most recent role and working backwards. It works well when you want to highlight the strength of your experience.
Functional: A functional resume emphasises your skills and their relevance to the desired role. It is suitable when you do not have a lot of experience, have gaps in your history or have worked in diverse fields without a specific career path.
Combination: This type of resume lists your skills and then the work history most relevant to it. It places the focus on your skills and how they relate to your experience.
Targeted: You can customise a targeted resume to a role you are applying for and highlights the skills and experience specific to it. It tailors its contents to a potential employer with each new application, changing its wording as needed.

How to write an IT resume

Here is a guide showing how to write an IT resume:

1. List your work history, skills and education

Make a list of your work history, complete with your time at each role and your primary duties. Keep a copy of the job description you are applying for in front of you to remind yourself of what is relevant. You can choose a resume format based on what information you want to include.

Related: What to Include in a Resume

2. Write your contact information

Your contact information enables potential employers to reach you. This section includes your name, email and current telephone or mobile number. You can include a link to your online website or portfolio if you have one.

Consider using a professional email address rather than your personal one. A professional email address may include your full first and last name, separated by a period. While many people list their home addresses, it is entirely optional. Leaving it out can help you get a job in an area where you would like to relocate.

3. Detail your technical skills

Your technical skills usually appear at the top of your resume just after a summary of your qualifications. It can include any specialised skills you have developed to accomplish a complex task or function. You can use this section to include what skills you could bring to the organisation, such as those listed in the job description. Listing your abilities in bullet points makes it easier for the person reading it to scan its contents. It also helps potential employers pick out important information quickly and improve the chances that they keep reading your resume.

4. Outline your professional experience

In this section, you list your most relevant work history. List this in reverse chronological order, with your most recent role first and your earliest role last. For each position, start by listing the employer's name and location. You can also mention the period when you worked there. Follow this information with your job title and a few bullet points of your most relevant responsibilities and duties. You can also list any notable achievements that took place at the organisation in this section.

To keep your bullet points in this section relevant, align them with what the potential employer has listed in the job description. For example, highlight your experience with software specified in the advertisement's 'ideal candidate' or requirement' section. If you do not have extensive work experience, list any relevant experience you have under your skills section. Include related places you have worked in the past in bullet points and in reverse chronological order. This information includes any internships you have held in the past.

5. Summarise your resume

Employers typically read the summary section of a resume first. What they read here can inform their expectations for the rest of your resume. For this reason, you can use this section to summarise the information most relevant to your suitability for the job in a few short sentences. Writing this summary last makes it easier for you to recall and condense the most pertinent information in your resume.

6. Edit your work

After you write your professional IT resume, read it from beginning to end and edit it. This process ensures that it is easy to read and understand and is scannable by the person reading it. Look out for any spelling or grammar errors and ensure essential details like your contact information are correct. You can also review it to ensure that it meets the following requirements:

Includes all relevant sections
Employs standardised formatting
Fits on one page
Includes keywords relevant to the job
Uses action verbs
Omits unnecessary details

7. Save a template of your resume

If you plan on applying to other jobs in the same field, saving your resume as a template saves you time and effort. Many IT jobs have the same required qualifications and technical skills. Once you have a template to work with, you can customise it to suit different positions while retaining its core information.

What to include on a professional resume for an IT job

Your resume highlights what elements of your education, experience and skills make you suited to an advertised position. To ensure it is relevant and easy to read, keep its length to one page. Unnecessary content includes personal details, qualifications, skills and experiences irrelevant to the position. Incorrect formatting also makes your resume longer than recommended.

Include these sections on your resume:

education
qualifications
professional experience
technical skills
contact information

IT resume template

Here is an example template of a professional IT resume:

[Full name]
[Contact number]
[Email address]

[Job title]

Summary of Qualifications

[Two to three sentences detailing your previous work experience, any qualifications you hold that stand out and your career trajectory.]

Skills

[A bullet list outlining your strongest soft and hard skills that relate to the position. Consider tailoring this section, in particular, to align with the job's specifications.]

Certifications

[Bullet list with relevant certifications]

Work experience

[Job title | Duration of employment]
[Bullet list explaining your key duties and any specific achievements]

Education

[Highest or most recent qualification]
[Educational institute and the year achieved]

IT resume example

You can use the following example as a guide when writing your own resume for an IT role:

Megan Stan
+61 1 9999 8888
megan.stan@email.com

Technical Support Specialist