Certifications and IT jobs/Salaries - Could you review my resume please?

Author

Could you review my resume please?

SomeTech

2003-08-18, 7:41 am

I'm getting back to the IT field after 3 years of experimenting in the Culinary Arts. Now I'm trying to get back on track and I want to get my resume in order. Could you please give me some feedback?

Also, could you give me an idea of what jobs you think I would be qualified for.

Be honest, please.

SomeTech

----------------------

[My Name]
[My Email address]
[My Phone Number]
[My Mailing Address]

Summary: A+ certified Computer Technician with over 7 years of diverse experience, including management, networking and light server support.

Objective: To improve my skills in Networking, Customer Service, Management and New Technology while furthering my career in the field of Information Systems.

Studying for Network+ Certification - Present Day
Achieved A+ certification - August 2003

Culinary Arts
January 2000 - June 2003 - Temporary departure from IT field to study Culinary Arts, including two kitchen management positions and a chef position. I became a self-taught chef within 3 years with no prior cooking experience.

Four Seasons Sunrooms, Louisville, KY
December 1999 to May 2000 - Project Basis
Technology Support
Provided Computer Consultation, LAN Network Management, Windows 98, ME, 2000 and XP Client Support, Windows 2000 Server Support, Web Design, and Technology Planning Services for a fast-growing, local Sunroom franchise.

Iglou Internet Services, Louisville, KY
August 1999 to November 1999 - Full Time
Internet Service Provider Support Technician.
Supported Windows 95, 98, NT, Macintosh, UNIX shell accounts, Dial-up, ADSL connectivity, Outlook Express and security issues.

Tek Systems, Plano, TX
January 1999 to June 1999 - Full time
Contracted as Help desk Technician for a national banking corporation spanning from Texas to California. Supported Windows 95, 98 and NT clients, Windows NT and Novell Netware Server connection issues, Outlook Express, Exchange server issues, Proxy Server issues, Printer Server issues, WAN connection problems, and MS Access-based proprietary software support.

Tek Systems, Plano, TX
June 1999 to July 1999 - Full time
Contracted as On-site Computer Technician for a National Banking Organization with chains located around the Dallas Metroplex. Worked directly with end users in various office locations. Supported Windows 95 and NT clients, Network connectivity issues, Print Server issues, and Proxy Server issues.

Interspace Computers, Louisville, KY
June 1998 to Oct 1998 - Full time
Retail Store Computer technician, phone support and sales
Head computer technician for one location of a local retail computer chain. Secondary responsibilities included part time store management, retail sales, answering customer questions, phone support, on-site maintenance calls, and purchasing new inventory. Primary support included New computer builds, Hardware and Software upgrades, and general troubleshooting of the customer's computer systems.

Tek Systems, Louisville, KY
March 1998 to May 1998 - Full time
NT Migration Technician
Contracted to UPS in a migration project involving replacement of 1400 Windows 95 systems with new sysetms with Windows NT. We assessed each client workstation, backed up work data to the network, used drive imaging hardware, configured Novell Netware client connections, restored the backed up data, did extensive testing of each system, and followed up with a system review with each end-user.

Paul Semonin Realtors, Louisville, KY
June 1997 to Mar 1998 - Full time
Information Systems Manager
Primary support for 120 computer workstations spanning 13 office locations in Louisville metro area. Scheduled tasks with branch managers and worked directly with end-users. Provided technology consultation for various departments. Responsible for assessement and upgrading of old equipment. Support included 386 class to Pentium-2 class computers, Laser Jet, Inkjet, and Dot Matrix printers, scanners, external storage devices, tape backup, NT server maintenance, light UNIX server maintenance, Windows 3.1, 95 and NT workstations, MS Office, Wordperfect, Lotus, Pagemaker, Photoshop, Internet software and Real Estate-specific software. The servers were primarily used for file storage, printer sharing, data backup, running Exchange server, serving Real Estate software and running the UNIX-based accounting software. Involved in two office relocations and one office migration to incorporate a new NT server and client workstations.

Premium Computer Solutions, Louisville, KY
January 1997 to June 1997 - Full time
Computer Technician
I worked for a local retail store. I assembled and repaired computer systems, provided phone support for customers. repaired printers, installed scanners, storage devices, network adaptors. Supported Operating Systems included MS-DOS, Windows 3.0, 3.1, 3.11 and 95, Windows NT, MS Office, Internet browser and email clients, various accounting and tape backup software. Provided on-site support for several real estate and attorney offices. On-site support included problem assessment, LAN connectivity issues, Printing issues, Installing new computer systems,

Louisville Gas and Electric, Louisville, KY
October 1996 to January 1997 - Full time
Computer Support Technician
Contracted to provide support for 4 locations in the metro area, primarily for the downtown corporate office. Support included direct interaction with end-users to troubleshoot computer issues. Most issues were network connectivity related. Involved with migrating whole departments to new Windows 95 computer systems. Installed new Compaq workstations, HP print servers, supported older PS/2 computer systems, and mainframe workstation emulation software.

American Clearinghouse, Louisville, KY
August 1993 to September 1996 - Full time
Data Processor/Computer Technician
Details - Database processing using MS Foxpro 2.5-3.0 on Windows 3.1 and 95 workstations. Prepared and maintained databases of in-house demographical information. Created reports and mailing lists in various hardcopy formats using line, laser and ink jet printers. Prepared database information in softcopy formats across the internet, on diskette, on 9-track tapes, and on DAT tapes. Secondary responsibilities were to maintain the 15 workstations on the mixed-Token Ring/Ethernet network and provide backup support for the Windows NT server.

Computer Consultant, Louisville, KY
Most of my adult life
Details - Provided services from setting up internet connections, assembling computers, consultation of computer purchases, on-site support, phone support, small network solutions and simple website design.

EDUCATION:

Louisville Technical Institute
June 1997 - Mar 1998
Took three semesters of Computer Graphic Design courses including: Intro to Drawing, Intro to drafting, Intro to Computer Aided Drafting (CAD), Intro to Photoshop, Intermediate Photoshop, Color theory, Intro to 2D-design, and Intermediate 2D-Design. Software covered Photoshop, Pagemaker, Fractal Design Painter, Corel Draw, and Macromedia Freehand. I had a 4.0 GPA.

Intermediate Access Course
January 1998
New Horizons Learning Center, Louisville, KY
One Day Class

RETS Electronic Institute
May 1993- February 1994
Louisville, KY
Took Basic Electronics and Integrated Circuit courses. Had a 3.9 GPA.

REFERENCES:

[My References]

Jeff MIS

2003-08-18, 1:27 pm

Four Seasons Sunrooms, Louisville, KY
December 1999 to May 2000 - Project Basis
Technology Support
Provided Computer Consultation, LAN Network Management, Windows 98, ME, 2000 and XP Client Support, Windows 2000 Server Support, Web Design, and Technology Planning Services for a fast-growing, local Sunroom franchise.

How many XP machines were you using in 1999 or 2000? Other than that it looks like you have quite a lot of experience in different positions.

Boulware5

2003-08-18, 1:45 pm

I wouldn't put References on the resume.
Also I would have a "Certifications" category.
Might also combine your objective and summary into one Objective statement or Summary of Qualifications. This is the most important part of the resume.

SomeTech

2003-08-18, 11:27 pm

Damn, that's supposed to be 2001 :-/

They only had one XP machine while I was there, but it still counts.

Anything else?

Certification section...ok.

Yeah, I wasn't sure about the Objective and Summary. I've seen some resumes with one or the other. I like the sound of the summary better, but maybe I could put them together.

Thanks for your help!

bigdaddychud

2003-08-18, 11:52 pm

As a former manager who did interviews and hiring in a call center, the biggest issue I see is the lack of stability. Were these temp or contract positions? If not it would raise some red flags with me.

Probably the first question I would ask is why did you get out of the IT field, and why do you want back in?

Lots of good experience.

coolraider

2003-08-19, 1:30 pm

ya.. I previously from electronic field for 4 yrs but now I gonna switched to IT field. All the interviewers like to ask why U wanna switch after years in your field and why now choose IT... Economic downsizing.. this and that...
It kinda tough for me to answer back a good reason..

bloodshotx

2003-08-19, 2:52 pm

I like your format.

Somethings to work on IMHO
Degree
Certs (MCSE,CISCO, CNE,ETC)

Technology changes and if you were out of the IT field for 3 years that makes some of your knowledge not widely used today.

I will agree with the others,in that you have way to many positions in the amount of time. From the resume you can't tell if you were contracted/fired/quit at each position. I'm not sure if its legal to ask you about them (the interviewer), but I would be hesitant to hire someone that had 8 different tech positions from 1997-2000.
If its possible to consolidate them then do that.

PS. I think you should do something about your education. Saying that you have 7 years in the IT field then mentioning you have some intro classes in photoshop really doesn't help

Maybe take those off and if they ask just say I took a good asortment of classes at xxx in Web/Graphics Design.

Hope I helped you bro.

ZacDogg

2003-08-20, 5:10 am

I might rephrase the following. A company doesn't want to feel like they are going to have to be a training ground.

Objective: To improve my skills in Networking, Customer Service, Management and New Technology while furthering my career in the field of Information Systems.

Zac

adamkpmm

2003-08-20, 9:21 pm

having a resume over 2 pages is Bad, people might get lazy and skip yours becuase it resembles the bible,

isles1

2003-08-22, 3:20 pm

quote:
Originally posted by adamkpmm
having a resume over 2 pages is Bad, people might get lazy and skip yours becuase it resembles the bible,

Along those lines, I would break the job descriptions into bulleted points, rather than having just one bulky paragraph. Even if you have the same amount of info there, visually it will seem less intimidating and bunched together.

I picked up on the short amount of time you spent at some positions as well. That may raise some questions for certain interviews.

serpico

2003-08-27, 11:04 am

RE: stability

I noticed a lot of his jobs say "tek systems", they are a contracting firm.

Either way, I guess he should make it clearer they were contract positions. Possibly replace "full time" with "contract"

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