DevOps Resume Sample & 2024 Writing Tips
The development and operations of software solutions are completed by a DevOps engineer. What used to be handled by a team of specialists has streamlined to professionally trained computer engineers who utilize advanced technology, processes, methodologies, and tools to create and manage modern solutions. Like any other professional job position, to be considered, a candidate must write an effective DevOps resume.
A DevOps engineer resume will include a few sections that are not traditionally a part of most standard resumes. While any candidate must showcase their work history, education, references, and work skills, it's vital to include their relevant certifications and specific technical skills. Whether you're writing an AWS DevOps resume, AZURE DevOps engineer resume, or entry level DevOps resume, the format we'll introduce below will work exceptionally well.
So, let's get started.
DevOps Resume Sample
DevOps engineers bridge the gap between developing and editing or upgrading software solutions through automation and using technology tools. Developers and IT operations teams may have different specialties and objectives. Developers want to create new features for an application. In contrast, IT operations teams want to maintain their stability after publication.
DevOps is all about streamlining procedures, and DevOps specialists oversee marrying code with application maintenance and administration. All these activities require an understanding of not just development cycles but also DevOps culture, principles, methods, and tools.
Writing a DevOps resume, cover letter, and application can be challenging – even to the most articulate communicator. Several up-and-coming IT professionals struggle, mainly because they overthink it – or are unsure how entry-level DevOps positions are earned in the first place. One glaring statement of fact is that the resume is the first hurdle any candidate must eclipse during their job search.
The DevOps resume sample posted below shows what a finished document should look like when it's finished. Please take some time to review the DevOps engineer resume sample pdf below. This example resume is for our mythical candidate Daniel Jones. After you do, scroll further into the article, where we'll outline each section of his docker resume and provide helpful hints on how to format and structure each.
When you read this sample resume for DevOps, you'll notice that it's easy to read, opens with a powerful professional summary, and is supported with work history and educational evidence that Daniel is the best candidate for this DevOps position. He has written the DevOps resume summary specifically for the manufacturing company he hopes to join in San Diego.
You'll notice that his resume includes two previous examples of relevant work history, where he served as a DevOps engineer or docker and the other as an engineering intern. In each position, he has mentioned his experience collaborating with teams of engineers, marketers, and sales professionals to help understand the agile needs of these individual departments.
His resume includes several vital certifications, including being AWS (Amazon Web Services) and multiple programming languages, including hands-on expertise with Python, Java, Ruby, Jenkins, Linux, MySQL, Apache, Oracle, SQL, and Kubernetes, and maintaining a current Certified Solutions Architect (CSA). As you finish his resume, you'll see he has listed his highest completed education and mentioned a few references and interpersonal skills.
Additionally, his software engineer resume is formatted clean, has a natural flow, and tells a story from start to finish.
Now that you've had a chance to review this sample DevOps resume, let's break down each section in the information below.
How to Write a Good DevOps Engineer Resume in 2024: Full Resume for DevOps Engineers Guide
The most challenging part of becoming a DevOps engineer is finding that initial entry level position. Regardless of the years of experience with software development, how well you've done in technical school, or who you might know, most successful DevOps engineers are those who've mastered writing resumes for DevOps positions.
So how does one structure resumes for jobs for DevOps engineers with no experience? Is there a best practice resume format for DevOps positions? Or does it make sense to have a professional help you with your entry level DevOps resume? The answer to all three questions is 'YES.' That's what we're going to tackle in the content below.
We've found that organization and structure is the most efficient way to begin any resume. For a multitasking computer science graduate, this begins by creating a structured outline – or what we call implementing a master resume.
A master resume is a working document – that permits you the flexibility to document all details – in each section, edit the content, fine-tune the grammar, and organize it following the best practices. It can be an Apple or Windows word document - or any other program that allows you to edit content prior to pasting to a resume template.
Since you'll be applying for your first entry level DevOps or programmer position, a good resume should be clean, organized, and easy to read. It must build a case supporting your application and prove to the intended audience why you are the best person for the job.
Regarding the sections for applying to DevOps positions, we recommend keeping it simple. Here is a list of the primary sections you should create in your master resume.
Contact Information: This section will include your basic contact info, including your mailing and email address, phone number, and professional name.
Professional Summary: This is a few sentences overview of your experience, certifications, and interpersonal skills – or a summary of your resume.
Summary of Qualifications: For a DevOps engineer, this is where you'll list your technical skills, such as programming language, shell scripting, subversion of issues with nodes, framework, and development expertise.
Practical Work Experience: List two previous jobs where you've served as a DevOps engineer. If you don't have that type of experience, you'll need to pick two previous internships, developer or operations IT positions that showcase the practical skills you've developed.
Education: Only list your highest completed education.
Certifications: Pick the top three certifications or DevOps skills relevant to the problem-solving position you're hoping to retain.
Skills: These should be five or six interpersonal skills that make you a great employee or leader.
References: Two professional references will be acceptable for this type of technical resume.
Section #1 – List Your Contact Information
It's hard for prospective employers to contact you if they don't have accurate data. The contact information on your resume must be 100 percent accurate. While some DevOps resume examples suggest documenting multiple points of contact – including several phone numbers, we prescribe to keep it a simple concept.
The sample above shows you how we recommend formatting this section. There is no need to include your LinkedIn profile within your resume builder, unless you’ve been instructed to do so in the application package.
How to Format this Section
The contact section should be written clean, organized, and easy to follow. List your full legal name, mailing address, email, and mobile phone number. Make sure you have connected your email to your mobile device and that you have full access to SMS text alerts.
Section #2 – Professional Summary
A professional summary is a four- or five-sentence elevator pitch that permits the candidate to explain why they are ideal for a DevOps experience position. It's often filled with action verbs or critical hard and soft skills that help them develop software solutions, maintain them, and continuous deployment.
The paragraph should be written with a professional yet conversational tone – easy to follow, grammatically perfect, and with a sense of urgency. Writing the professional summary after you've completed each section below is regarded by many experts as the best way to accomplish this task.
One thing to consider is customizing your resume to the company you hope to join. This is relevant to all three types of resume summaries we've posted below. Take some time to review how we recommend writing a resume summary for an entry-level position, a mid-level DevOps engineer, and finally, a Senior DevOps engineer.
Entry Level DevOps Engineer Resume
If you're applying for your first DevOps job – either an internship or entry-level position, it's essential to focus on your technical and interpersonal skills in the resume summary. This example posted above accomplishes this task. You'll notice that Daniel has focused on being a recent college graduate, seeking to utilize his raw skills to work under the direction of a team of experienced DevOps engineers.
Mid-Level DevOps Engineer Resume
Once you've retained at least (1) or (2) DevOps positions, you're ready to focus on your early job experience as the primary strength of your candidacy. In the sample resume objective above, you'll notice that while Daniel has started his resume with a similar opening sentence, he shifts from recent school experience to practical expertise with AWS Cloud service development team management, continuous integration and in managing DevOps projects and teams.
Senior Level DevOps Engineer Resume
The final DevOps engineer resume example is for a senior level DevOps expert. In this opening summary, he further solidifies his expertise with configuration management and years of diverse employment experience. You'll notice several similarities with word choice but pay attention to some subtle differences between these three samples.
How to Format this Section
As stated above, the professional summary should be less than a 200-word paragraph. It should be written firmly yet with a charismatic tone. Always read the paragraph out loud to ensure it sounds natural and is not stuffed with action verbs that simply don't fit. This statement intends to provide the hiring manager with a powerful statement that is engaging – and convinces them to read more.
Section #3 – Summary of Qualifications
A beginning DevOps engineer will likely not have a tremendous amount of relevant work history – especially if they are applying for their first job. Nevertheless, it's crucial to document your journey to becoming a DevOps expert. This would be the section where you list your relevant programming languages, frameworks, and programming expertise.
- Systems Administration
- Cloud Infrastructure
- Server Knowledge Base
- Programming Languages
As you can see in our sample resume section posted above, our candidate has listed these as primary sections, with a few specific technical skills mentioned below. This keeps the resume clean, organized, and provides an easy-to-review roadmap for the hiring manager.
A special tip to consider for outlining this section is to carefully review the job description before writing the details within this section. In most cases, the job posting will explain what technical expertise is required and recommended for the job. In that case, you can list those you possess within that posting.
How to Format this Section
We recommend using an entry-level DevOps expert resume template to help you format these qualifications. The section should be listed with a heading in an easy-to-follow structure. Some people recommend writing an entry sentence or two, but we believe it's better to highlight your technical expertise. Keep your qualifications to less than 8 entries.
Section #4 – Work Experience
This is the section that most new DevOps experts struggle – with simply because they don't have a tremendous amount of work history with significant companies. In fact, most DevOps experts learn more as freelancers or working on private projects. If this applies to you, it's important to still document that experience. However, instead of listing the employer, mention it's a freelance position.
In this work experience section, you'll want to provide your job title, a brief job description, and some of the best accomplishments during your time. The sample section we've posted above gives a great example of how our candidate Daniel listed his work history. The top inclusion is his current job, followed by his internship position – which served as an entry-level job. Regardless of your experience level, we recommend listing your two most relevant jobs specific to the position you are applying for.
How to Format this Section
With every resume, you should list the name of your employer, dates of employment, and some of the practical skills or accomplishments during your time. Best practices suggest listing each entry in reverse chronological order – or most recent/current to your oldest. For a DevOps position, make sure to list two relevant positions.
Section #5 – Education
To become a DevOps engineer, it's recommended, but not always required, for the candidate to have a bachelor's degree in computer science. Some positions seek candidates with specific infrastructure or programming language certifications.
Nevertheless, your education should be listed in this section only. Certifications will be posted below.
How to Format this Section
In this section, you'll want to list the school's name, location, and dates of attendance. There is no need to add bullet points discussing your area of focus or honors earned. Likewise, you don't need to add your GPA – but feel free to add them if you believe it will support your application.
Section #6 - Certifications
This section is one that you can include with education or as a standalone. We recommend listing your DevOps certifications separately from the degree you’ve earned. The main reason for this is to showcase your dedication to the craft of being a DevOps engineer.
As you can see in the sample from Daniel’s resume, we included his certifications in Microsoft, AWS, and Google - along with his primary CSA certification - which is listed first.
How to Format This Section
Keep it simple. The certifications section should be listed in direct order - or in bullet point format if you choose. If you have certifications that expire, make sure to list the day of expiration for transparency.
Section #7 – References
There are two types of references that you can add to your DevOps resume application. The first would be a professional reference or a peer or manager you've worked under supervision or direction. A professional reference can also be an educator or someone in the industry who speaks with credibility.
Personal references are not very influential when applying for a DevOps position. Most hiring managers or recruiters seek expert testimonials on your job skills and abilities to troubleshoot and resolve problems.
How to Format This Section
The privacy of your references is crucial to protect. As such, make sure to only list your reference, first and last name, and place of employment. Do not document their contact information. The best thing to do here is to write "available upon request."
Section #7 – Skills
Any DevOps engineer possesses specific hard and soft skills which permit them to accelerate in this profession. Soft skill is the ability to use an attribute – such as being an exceptional written and oral communicator, persuasive, or exceptional charisma.
A complex skill is the ability to use a tool – such as BASH, UNIX, Maven, Nagios, CI/CD, Ansible, expertise with Github, Microsoft Office Suite or Apple technologies, that permits you to accomplish your tasks with precision, efficiency, and a functional life cycle.
However, for the skills section, DevOps engineers should focus on their soft skills – or the interpersonal abilities relevant to being a great team member who can effectively communicate with key organizational stakeholders.
How to Format this Section
A skills section should be a list of bullet points, with your level of expertise shown in order. Skills are generally rated as excellent, skilled, competent, and experienced. Organizing and structuring your resume using a tool with these rankings built-in may help you keep everything straight. We propose placing your abilities in the sidebar of your first page. Hence, they're quick to access whenever someone looks at your profile.
Other IT Resume Examples
Sometimes, writing a DevOps resume is easier when you can review one created by a professional resume writer. We have assembled multiple IT industry resume templates, ranging from entry-level programming to advanced IT infrastructure project management. Please click the links below if you'd like to review a few of the most common resume samples for other jobs in this sector.
IT Resume
Network Engineer Resume
Full Stack Developer Resume
Manual Testing Resume
Final Points Successful DevOps Resumes
DevOps experts are exceptional at focusing on details, developing creative solutions, and incorporating technology to develop and maintain the next generation of technology solutions. Writing a resume for DevOps follows a similar structure. You aim to craft an engaging resume, make a strong argument for your application, and convince the hiring manager that you are worthy of an interview.
Following the steps we've documented above will streamline this process – regardless of the specific industry you are applying for. Here is a brief recap of necessary items to remember when you're in the process of writing an engaging DevOps expert resume for a new hire.
- Structure your resume to ensure it has a nice flow from start to finish.
- Always write your resume on a plain white background with black font.
- Use an online platform called Grammarly to edit the content.
- Ensure it's well-spaced, organized, and professional.
- Finally, read it aloud a few times before you're ready to paste the content into a DevOps engineer resume template.
Writing an excellent DevOps resume is not as complicated as you might perceive. By following the tips and advice in the article above, you'll have a better chance of engaging with potential employers. However, you'll also improve your communication abilities, which can pay huge dividends as you embark on your career.