Entry Level Cyber Security Resume Example

As our world increasingly moves online, the need for qualified cyber security professionals is projected to grow 13% by 2026.

Employers seek cybersecurity specialists who can protect their company and client’s data and computer systems. And even if you don’t have any experience, making an effective resume that lands you a cybersecurity position is still possible.

Use these three resume writing tips to help you if you’re interested in a career in cybersecurity:

1. Highlight your cybersecurity skills

Your new employer wants to know their security systems — or those of their clients — will be in safe hands. To make sure they pick the best candidate, they’ll look at the hard and soft skills you’ve listed on your resume.

Listing your hard skills on your resume concisely explains what you can do for a company. Hard skills (also called technical skills) are abilities and knowledge you’ve gained through training or schooling.

Even if you have little or no experience, you can still list several hard skills you learned on your own or from school. Here are some examples of cybersecurity hard skills you can include:

• Cybersecurity systems: Splunk, Ivanti, NEWT, SCAP
• Technical skills: controls and frameworks, intrusion detection, network security control
• Coding languages: Python, Shell scripting, HTML, JavaScript

You’ll also need to demonstrate your soft skills on your resume, which show how you interact with your teammates and clients. Learning about your soft skills helps employers determine whether you’re detail-oriented and motivated enough to fit a cybersecurity specialist role.

These are examples of soft skills you can put on your cybersecurity resume:

• Problem-solving
• Communication skills
• Collaboration skills
• Attention to detail
• Time management skills 

The best way to showcase your cybersecurity-related soft skills (rather than simply listing them in your skills section) is by highlighting them in your work experience section and explaining how you have these abilities.

Here are some resume bullet point examples where a cybersecurity applicant demonstrates their good communication skills at their previous internship:

2. Create a simple yet compelling cybersecurity resume summary

One of the first things an employer sees on a resume is your resume objective. This short section underneath your contact details quickly explains why you’re a good fit for a company’s IT team in 2–4 sentences and encourages employers to continue reading the rest of your application.

Your resume introduction should:

• give the recruiter a clear picture of who you are
• highlight the top skills relating to your target job
• explain how working for this company aligns with your career goals

Here’s an example of a recent graduate’s resume objective for an entry level cybersecurity specialist role:

Data-driven and detail-oriented cybersecurity specialist. Recently graduated from Arizona State University with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. Highly proficient in vulnerabilities and risks in networks. Seeking an opportunity at Palo Alto Networks to leverage my knowledge and strengthen the high-security services offered to your clients.

3. Use important cybersecurity keywords

When employers first skim through your entry level cybersecurity resume, they’ll be on the lookout for certain words and phrases that tell them you’re an ideal applicant. Using these cybersecurity keywords throughout your resume objective and skills sections shows the recruiter you’re a good candidate and understand the complexities of a cybersecurity specialist role.

Some cybersecurity keywords to include on your resume are:

• Computer science
• Incident responder
• Technical skills
• Vulnerability assessment
• Analysis
• Information security
• Collaboration

Although including a broad range of keywords related to your experience and abilities is important, you’ll get a better response if you tailor your keywords to the job description.

Companies use applicant tracking software (ATS) to select candidates who use matching keywords from their job description, so ensure you write an ATS-friendly resume by adding the right skills for your resume and requirements listed in the job ad. Then, include them on your cybersecurity resume.

4. List your education details prominently on your entry level cyber security resume

When writing your resume for an entry level cyber security role, list your education details prominently to show employers you’ve learned about the skills and knowledge necessary to do the job. Also, your previous education helps employers see that you’re motivated to pursue a career in this field.

So try listing your:

• degree name
• GPA
• university name
• date of graduation (or date you intend to graduate)
• city and state
• relevant coursework

Below is an example of an entry-level cybersecurity resume’s education section: