How to write a compelling information security analyst resume
Companies desperately need you. That’s right. Your role is vital for today’s macroenvironment as we rely on information systems to a greater extent than ever. You protect computer networks and keep potential threats at bay like no one.
You send out your resume to top-notch companies, and wait full of excitement for their calls.
There’s just one problem — you’ve been waiting for too long now, and you haven’t gotten any interviews.
Well, don’t let your hopes fizzle out. What you might need is to do a hard reboot and craft a stunning Cisco-level CV.
Lucky for you, the following tips will equip you with all you need to nail a bullet-proof information security analyst resume.
1. How to best format your information security analyst CV
Take Jane. She is a hiring manager who knows that a dependable information security analyst needs to be meticulous and have outstanding organizational skills.
It is your resume format that Jane assesses in the first place. She’s looking for a neat, easy-to-skim and easy-to-navigate layout that best reflects your competencies.
After all, making it difficult for a recruiter to find what they're looking for may seem sloppy.
Follow these tips and impress Jane with an appealing resume format:
- The key is to resolve your sections’ distribution so that you maintain the page count low. At the same time though, you’ll need to make your resume breathe. You may do so by opting for a two-column layout and using negative space between individual segments.
- Set 0.5-1 inch margins on all sides. Check out for more information on how to get margins right.
- When listing your work experience and education, use a reverse-chronological order and bulleted lists.
- Avoid using stylish fonts deflecting one’s attention from the content, and select a classic typeface such as Cambria, Garamond or Arial.
- Save your resume as a PDF document if the job posting doesn’t say otherwise.
Choose your preferred template and make your resume shine.
2. How to craft an appealing information security analyst professional profile
Imagine a nasty pop-up ad indicating malware. It doesn’t look good, right? Well, this is how Jane will see a cluttered professional profile containing unrelated information.
Be selective. Be relevant. Refer back to the job posting and look for important keywords. Incorporate them in your 3-5 line-long summary, and link them with your best achievements and exceptional skills. Now you can’t go wrong.
Information security analyst professional profile example
Detail-oriented and results-driven IT Security Analyst with a proven track record of success in developing new system security plans, performing security evaluations and penetration tests, and coordinating various IT Security projects. Provided repository service for over 3000 users, 50 000 documents. Certified Cloud Security Specialist offering great analytical skills, excellent multitasking skills, and significant ability to perform in a team.
3. What are the fittest skills to put on your information analyst resume
You analyse, identify, monitor, protect, install, test, create plans and even educate. Your role is indeed full of action, and all these tasks require a person with a combination of exceptional skills to put on your resume.
If you want to bring the recruiter round to continue reading your resume, follow these handy tips on how to compile an effective skill-set:
- Brainstorm your information security analyst competencies and write them down.
- Review the job posting for required hard and soft skills.
- Compare your skill-set to the one from the posting.
- Mention the matching skills first.
- Add any other hard and soft skills related to the job you are applying for.
Effective information security analyst soft skills
- Soft skills
- Outstanding communication
- Problem solving skills
- Leadership
- Analytical thinking
- Logical reasoning
- Attention to detail
- Presentation
- Management
Must-have hard skills for your information security analyst CV
- Security testing and auditing
- Cybersecurity
- Identity management
- Firewall management
- Tableau software
- Programming
- Risk mitigation
- Security architecture
- Encryption
- Incident response
- System & data management
- DNS implementation
4. How to strike a fair balance in your information security analyst work experience
Jane wants to see your relevant achievements, numbers and exceptional competencies without having to wade through large blocks of text.
In order to get her on your side, you will need to defrag your work experience section.
- Use bulleted lists.
- Incorporate keywords from the job posting.
- Mention your most relevant accomplishments and quantify them whenever you can.
- Showcase your brilliant IT security skills.
Information security analyst work experience section example
Bravestorm Studios, Austin, Texas
IT Security Analyst
2017 – 2021
- Successfully developed and implemented new system security plans and performed security evaluations.
- Spearheaded a team of 5 IT professionals, coordinating 20+ IT security projects.
- Provided repository service for over 3000 users, 50 000 documents.
- Led intrusion detection, completed penetration tests on network systems and configured and updated antivirus servers.
- Drafted new information security policies and procedures.
- Pro-actively participated in team meetings with IT managers..
5. How to make your IT security analyst education section shine
Jane may be browsing through your CV to find at least a bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field.
You may perfectly just mention your college, degree and years in school. Would it be enough? Maybe it would, but as an IT professional who likes to prevent any security threats, you may want to add some impressive academic achievements or areas of interest.
IT security analyst education section example
University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
BA in Computer Science & Information Systems
2008-2011
- GPA: 3.98 (Top 5% of the Program)
- Clubs and Societies: Engineering Society
- Winner of International Collegiate Programming Contest, 2010
6. How to enhance your IT security analyst resume with additional sections?
What would happen if you didn’t roll out security updates? You’d probably have to deal with new bugs and vulnerabilities.
Your resume needs to be updated too — you wouldn’t like to get stuck in Windows 95.
Upgrade your resume by adding related additional sections, and make it fresh. Whether your extra segments encompass relevant conferences, publications, computer science projects or simply interests, they can be crucial for Jane’s final decision.
Extra sections for your CV:
- Interests
- Awards
- Accomplishments
- Language Skills
- Computer science projects
- Certifications
- Volunteering activities
- Conferences
Here's an example of how to effectively list extra sections on your IT security analyst resume
Volunteering activities
IT Security Consultant, Non-Profit Organization
- Assisted in conducting security assessments and implementing best practices to protect sensitive data for a local non-profit organization.
- Collaborated with the IT team to develop and deliver training sessions on cybersecurity awareness and safe online practices.
- Contributed to the development and maintenance of the organization's incident response plan, ensuring prompt and effective response to security incidents.
- Provided technical support and guidance to the organization's staff, helping them address security concerns and maintain secure computing environments.
Certifications
- Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) - ISC² (2019)
- Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) - EC-Council (2020)
- CompTIA Security+ - CompTIA (2018)
- Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) - ISACA (2021)
- Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) - (ISC)² (2022)
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