Help finding transition job ideas

Career Advice
1

Don’t know if this is the best place to ask, but anyone mind looking at my resume / skill set and offering some job search advice? I have edited out all the location info. My wife and I just moved to the Seattle area from 2100 miles away.

In the two weeks I have been job hunting, I have had 9 interviews. Problem isn’t finding work, but I would really love to get beyond working Helpdesk positions. I am not expecting to break into Front Development anytime soon, but with my experience and being able to program in javascript, I would like to do something with a bit more challenge and responsibility. If anyone has some direction on what to look for while I continue learning I would appreciate it. Once I get fully unpacked next week I plan on trying to find to FCC meetups in the area.


SKILLS
	
	Tools
-	Brackets, Chrome Developer Tools, AirWatch MDM, BMC TrackIt, RoyalTS, VNC, ShoreTel VOIP, iOS, Microsoft Office 365, Windows 7, Windows 10, and Active Directory.
	Technical
-	HTML / CSS, JavaScript, Helpdesk Support Tier 1 and 2, and Customer Service 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

IT Helpdesk Technician / September 2014 – August 2017
Location
-	Maintained technical support to 150+ machines throughout 4 separate locations, assisted with FFIEC compliance for all devices, and provided customer support for the various software utilized by 90+ employees.
-	Tested, installed, and documented client operating systems, software applications, service packs, updates, patches, and hot fixes in accordance with bank's current Information Security Program.
-	Coordinated mobile application development with Technology Steering committee by administering beta test for multiple platforms, tracking potential issues with design / functionality, and communicating with developers.
-	Provided support, repair and routine maintenance / systems analysis for the following hardware: Personal computers, laptops, tablets / peripherals, telephones, printers / fax, ATMs, and video cameras.
-	Staged and deployed all client computers, tablets, peripherals and telephones.

	IT Technician / August 2013 - August 2014
	Location
-	Monitored and managed end user accounts for computer access and network resources by setting up user profiles, configuring operating software on workstations, and performing software / security updates.
-	Remotely assisted users with technical support issues for multiple campuses and assigned tickets to interns. 
-	Maintained software licenses and hardware inventory.

	Communications Specialist / Sept 2006 - June 2010
	Location
-	Proposed and maintained a yearly departmental budget of $250,000 - $500,000 while coordinating department travel, tracking inventory of items with corporate logo, and supervising department interns.
-	Managed yearly First Time Home Buyer Expo by designing shipping system, coordinating vendors, and directing employee participation.
-	Developed position job description and core competencies
-	Managed emergency and evacuation procedures as Floor Warden.

	Computer Technology Support / Technician                                           
	Location 33 months during education		 
	Location August 1996 - July 2000

EDUCATION
	
Full Stack Web Development Certification / December 2016 - Current
freeCodeCamp, www.freecodecamp.com/
Front End Development Certificate / April 10, 2017
-	Worked through coding challenges and built projects with a focus on HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

	CompTIA A+ CE / March 2016 - March 2019
	
	Bachelor of Science / May 2004	
-	Major: Broadcasting and Film
-	Minor: Speech Communication
2

Add actual programming projects that you’ve done the same way you would add work experience, using the appropriate buzzwords and referencing the languages and technologies used.

I wouldn’t include things like Brackets and Chrome DevTools. It’s a bit like including MS Word and PowerPoint.

Are HTML/CSS and JavaScript the only programming skills you have? Have you done any of the backend stuff with Node and React yet? How about databases? Do you feel confident working with Restful APIs? Have you developed on Linux machines or managed Linux servers? Have you used services like AWS?

Tell employers what you can do.

1 Like
3

My $0.02, your resume is laid out in a way that emphasizes your IT support work, not your development skills.

In your skills block, place your programming languages and things like Git, Webpack, etc., first, and the second line can be some of your IT support tools, but don’t emphasize so many of those.

I’d then put any projects you’ve built that also emphasize your development work, and then education showing FCC, and THEN show your work experience.

For the work experience, right now you’re showing an awful lot of bullet points for your IT work, which is putting too much attention on those jobs. If you don’t want those kinds of jobs any more, minimize those to about two bullet points each.

Hope that gives you a starting point. I’d be happy to do a full resume review with you if you want to contact me privately.

3 Likes
4

My $0.02: that is super nice and generous of you.

What a great community!
:sparkles: :fist_right::boom: :fist_left::sparkles:

1 Like
5

1.- write Achievements, not what you did at your job, add some sauce to your resume, otherwise it sounds very dull, that’s why you are getting offered helpdesk positions.
2.- put Skills at the bottom

6

Thank you all very much for the advice an help!