DevOps is a relatively new and complicated field of work. A fusion of Development and Operations, this cultural movement and profession require significant software development background, as well as solid knowledge of infrastructure configuration, orchestration, and automation.
The better news, however, is that DevOps engineers are in high demand. That finds direct reflection in compensation. DevOps engineers take home north of $100K per year, plus receive attractive extra perks such as stock options or annual performance bonuses.
Still, even if you have the technical skillset and good track record, it can still be challenging to communicate your value to a regular hiring manager. You really need to know how to use your resume as a tool to showcase you have the required capabilities. Here we provide some great writing tips for doing that and a DevOps engineer resume example.
Choose The Right Resume Format
If you’re an experienced DevOps engineer, consider using the traditional reverse-chronological format resume. This begins with your most recent experience and allows the hiring manager to see the development of your skills and experience over time.
If you are seeking an entry-level IT position, or don’t have technical experience, start with a skilled resume format. This will allow you to list skills that you’ve picked up from school, internships, and other non-employment opportunities. By choosing this resume format, you draw attention away from your lack of formal work experience.
Finally, if you are new to the field or transitioning perhaps from another information technology area, look into a hybrid resume. In this case, you can emphasize relevant technical skills, as well as Information Systems experience you do have.
Use The Right File Format
Unless the job listing specifies otherwise, convert your resume into PDF format before sending it. This is a universally usable format that virtually anyone should be able to open and read. Additionally, it is machine-readable that can be helpful if the company uses any sort of applicant tracking system.
Engage With A Powerful Summary Statement
It’s common knowledge that the average HR professional spends seven seconds looking at each resume they receive. However, if you can grab their attention with a compelling resume summary, they will dwell on your application for longer.
If you are an experienced DevOps engineer, your professional summary should be 3 or so sentences that perfectly encapsulate what it is that you can bring to the position.
What if you are inexperienced? In that case, consider a career objective statement instead. This statement should showcase a few key skills, along with your interest in developing further as an engineer.
Use Numbers To Contextualize Experience
You can say that you have experience in any number of areas, but you need numbers to really provide the context that proves the depth and breadth of your experience.
For example, you may have led a development team, but that doesn’t say very much. How large was the team? How many projects did you successfully complete in a year? You say you were in charge of server management, but how many servers were there? You developed tools and implemented process changes that increased performance? Great! Now, tell the hiring manager the rate by which that performance was improved.
Consider Adding A Projects Section
What can you do if you are seeking an entry-level position, or transferring from another business area? You can showcase your skills and experience using a projects section. This is where you can highlight DevOps engineering projects you completed through school, personal education projects, and any open source initiatives you were part of. Link to your GitHub or portfolio to truly show what you are capable of doing.
Resume Example for DevOps Engineer (Word version)
Download resume example (.docx)
DevOps Engineer Resume Sample (text version)
Professional Summary
DevOps Engineer with nearly a decade of experience managing and improving IT infrastructure in support of well over 100K users at any given time. Proven ability to build scalability into legacy systems while also boosting performance metrics, often by as much as 33%.
Professional Experience
The Sanford Group
Senior DevOps Engineer
March 2016 – Present
- Built and maintained infrastructure for development operations company-wide.
- Responsible for managing and performance tracking of 12 Unix Servers.
- Ensured the operability of AWS Cloud Computing interfaces.
- Oversaw more than 250 deployments with a serious incident rate of less than 2%.
- Created documentation that involved painstakingly validating the performance and functioning of legacy systems, the creation of multiple user and developer documents, and the implementation of an automated software documentation process.
Bliss Software Inc.
DevOps Engineer
April 2012 – March 2016
- Assisted with the expansion of networks into more than 12 countries.
- Audited and trained the processes and procedures of vendors to ensure compliance with our protocols.
- Conducted regular performance testing across a range of servers.
- Implemented a firewall and network monitoring system.
Education
Indiana Technical College
Indianapolis, IN
Bachelor of Science
Software Engineering
January 2021
GPA: 3.75
VP: Technology Students Honor Society
Final Thoughts: Don’t Forget About Soft Skills
Don’t let your resume be the reason that the hiring manager believes the common stereotype of the engineer without any social graces. Highlight your ability to work with others, communicate effectively, and handle conflict. If you have these soft skills along with powerful tech skills, you will be sure to impress with your resume.