Security Engineer Resume Example

The aim of this article is to equip you with all the knowledge required to create a resume that positions you to succeed in your security engineer applications. You'll find valuable tips on writing a resume that best showcases your unique skills and achievements. There is also extensive guidance on how to structure your resume to match the job description, and to reflect your experience levels to impress HR specialists and employers. Read on to access expert insights from Jobseeker that will help you create a winning security engineer resume.

What to include in a security engineer resume

A successful security engineer resume will typically include each of the sections listed below, with some optional sections.

While the content and format of your resume may vary depending on your experience levels, it's important to always include the following sections:

Resume Header with Contact Details

A security engineer resume header contains your name and contact information. Add your first and last name, your phone number and your email address. Include your address or location, but avoid adding any other personal information. If you have a LinkedIn profile, you can add the URL to your header so the hiring manager can get a better understanding of your work history and experience. Keep your header clear and concise, with only the most necessary information included. Opt for a stylish, professional design that creates a strong first impression.

Make sure the email address you list in your header is professional-looking and doesn't contain any inappropriate content such as nicknames or unsuitable language. Opt for an email address based on your name or profession, or a combination of both. Finally, check your contact details before sending your resume, to ensure everything's up-to-date.

Resume Profile

Following your resume header, write a resume summary to introduce yourself and showcase some of your key skills and achievements. Alternative names for this section are 'resume objective' and 'personal profile'. While a resume summary focuses on your career experience, a resume objective covers your ambitions and career plans. Furthermore, when writing your profile, focus on two or three key skills and achievements that showcase your suitability for security engineer roles.

Alternatively, use this section to emphasize your career objectives and explain how and why this role is a suitable step for you at this stage of your career.

The best resume summaries reflect the job description and focus on qualities that are relevant to working as a security engineer, while highlighting elements of your personality that make you an ideal candidate. They also quantify the information provided with evidence. You can see some positive examples of a resume summary for security engineer jobs below.

Conversely, an ineffective resume summary would include generic, unspecific information on your skills and experience, while failing to provide any useful information on what makes you a unique and interesting candidate. In the graphic above you can find some negative examples of how to write a resume summary.

Work Experience

In your work experience section, list any previous relevant roles you've worked in, as well as your key achievements as a security engineer. Add each previous employment in reverse-chronological order. This means starting from your current or most recent role and working back in time from there. Include your job title, the company name, the location of the job and your dates of employment.

For each job listed in this section, add some bullet points so the employer can understand the skills you developed, and your achievements. Focus on showcasing the impact you made on the organization, and show evidence of how you made a difference.

A successful resume work experience section will always showcase skills and experience relevant to the job description, and how you put each to good use in your previous roles. Offering quantifiable evidence in a security engineer resume proves you're a strong candidate for the job, such as client feedback, project outcomes, KPIs or financial results. See below for some good examples of what to include in your resume work experience section.

The example above can give you some idea of what not to include in your resume work experience section. Ineffective work experience sections tend to focus too much on everyday responsibilities over skills and achievements. If you use vague descriptions of activities and fail to back up your achievements with evidence, you're likely to fail to make an impact on the reader.

Education and Qualifications

In this section list any educational qualifications or degrees that are relevant to security engineer roles.

Opportunities as a security engineer and similar roles in the sector usually require a specialist degree. If you have a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science degree, be sure to mention this in your resume. You might also want to list any qualifications that highlight your incident response procedures or network security protocols.

List every relevant qualification, including the name and level of the course, the name of the school, college or university, its location and your graduation date. You can also add some bullet points outlining any high grades, awards you won or specialist subjects you studied. Adding this information will show the employer your dedication to learning and your areas of specialist knowledge.

If you organized or participated in any clubs or societies while at university, or you took part in any voluntary work, you could also mention these here.

Hard and Soft Skills

In your skills section, list any skills you've acquired or developed that are relevant to security engineer positions. Consider adding firewall management systems, problem-solving skills or any other necessary skills for the job. Once more, review the job description and pick out any key security engineer skills listed that match yours. Focus on these skills and any other key transferable skills that make you a strong candidate for the job.

How to list hard skills on your security engineer resume

For your hard skills list, include any technical abilities or specific industry knowledge that's essential to working as a security engineer. These could be skills gained through work experience or qualifications. Furthermore, these skills are essential for a security engineer resume as they showcase your expertise in the field. If possible, add four or five hard skills that reflect the requirements of the job description. These will boost your chances of success in your applications.

The best resume hard skills sections focus on specific technical skills necessary for the job, showcasing skills that you have particular expertise in. There are some examples of valuable hard skills for a security engineer resume below.

Adding soft skills to your security engineer resume

In your soft skills list, include any personal characteristics that make you a good fit for a security engineer job. Soft skills tend to be more universal than hard skills, but they're no less important. Indeed, without soft skills, you may struggle to adapt to security engineer roles or meet the standards expected of you. So make sure you include several key soft skills on your resume. Think of your best soft skills and add up to five that match the requirements of the job description.

The strongest resume soft skills sections include a mix of skills that match your best personal strengths, and that reflect the skills listed in the job description. See below for some examples of effective soft skills for a security engineer resume.

Certifications and Training

In this section, include any security engineer certifications, training or licenses you hold that are relevant to the job. These might be licenses that show you're qualified to operate certain equipment, or certifications that give you the edge over candidates with otherwise similar career history. Therefore, add any professional licenses or certifications, along with valid dates that show they're still valid.

Below you can find several examples of certifications for a security engineer resume:

Optional Information

As well as the main sections of a security engineer resume, optional sections can help you prove your credentials to employers. Choose any optional sections that showcase essential or desirable skills or experience for security engineer jobs.

Personal Interests

Add any hobbies and interests that reinforce your credentials for the position. Hobbies can help you show different sides of your personality and make your resume more memorable to hiring managers. They're ideal to include if you're a junior candidate who might lack real world security engineer experience. If you're thinking about adding hobbies and interests, just make sure they add something unique to your application, and showcase your personality and interests in unique and interesting ways.

Voluntary Work

Listing volunteer work is another useful way to prove your relevant experience for security engineer roles. Add your volunteer job title or role, the name of the organization, its location and the dates you were involved.

References

References aren't a standard security engineer resume section, but employers do sometimes ask for them. Check the job advert and only include them if requested. Add two or three professional references, and be sure to approach each referee before you include them.

Best words to use in a security engineer resume

Using strong action verbs in your work experience bullet points can make a stronger impression on employers and show the value you added to your previous roles. Choose from the list of words below to make the best possible impression.

Jobseeker's clean, attractive resume formats can help your applications make a strong impression on employers. Check them out for help designing a winning resume, and see our cover letter templates to help win over recruiters and hiring managers.

Sample security engineer resume

Now that you know everything that needs to go into your security engineer resume, let's review an example resume that you can use as a guide when creating your own:

How to make your resume ATS compliant

Applicant tracking systems (ATS) are increasingly taking responsibility for the management and processing of job applications, helping hiring practices to become more efficient. This can include screening resumes by scanning and ranking each application according to how closely it matches the job description. When drafting your security engineer resume, there are a few guidelines to follow to give you the best chance of passing the ATS screening stage and progressing with your application.

Create an ATS-optimized resume by following these quick tips:

• Adopt a traditional structure for your resume, such as a reverse-chronological format or a functional format. These are likely to be the easiest layouts for ATS software to scan.
• Use of job description keywords throughout your resume will help it rank higher in the ATS scanning stage, as it will more closely match the requirements laid out in the job description.
• Include clear headings that make it easy to identify each section of your resume. This will help any ATS software navigate your resume during the scanning process.
• Adopt a resume design that uses clear, professional design principles and leaves white space for your content to breathe. Use the most readable fonts and incorporate subtle design elements to enhance the readability of your document.
• Keep your resume as concise as possible, to make it easier to read, and for ATS software to scan.

Key takeaways for your security engineer resume

The best resumes focus on your skills and the value you've added to previous roles, rather than focusing on your duties and responsibilities. Select a resume format that suits your experience levels and the job you're applying for, and make sure you tailor your resume for each application.

Use Jobseeker's resume templates, other tools and resources to create an application that impresses employers. Sign up today to access a wealth of valuable resume and cover letter resources. A stylish, professional cover letter can make all the difference to your job prospects. See Jobseeker's cover letter examples, written by careers experts, to help you craft an eye-catching application.

Sources:

(1) Tips for Writing a Federal Resume, U.S. Department of Labor: https://www.dol.gov/general/jobs/tips-for-writing-a-federal-resume

(2) Resume Tips, Duke University: https://careerhub.students.duke.edu/resources/resume-tips/