• Hiring managers scan for certs like CEH, OSCP, and CISSP
• ATS filters often require exact certification keywords
• Lack of visible certs suggests insufficient credibility

• Create a dedicated "Certifications" section near the top
• List each cert with full name, issuing body, and year
• Include the certification ID or badge URL when possible

Certifications: Certified Ethical Hacker (2022)

Certifications - Offensive Security Certified Professional (OSCP) – Offensive Security, 2022 – Credential ID 123456 - Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) – EC‑Council, 2021 – Credential ID 789012

• Recruiters can’t gauge impact without metrics
• ATS keyword extraction misses specific tools and techniques
• Generic language looks like a generic IT role

• Start each bullet with an action verb (e.g., "Exploited","Identified")
• Include tools (Metasploit, Burp Suite) and outcomes (e.g., "Reduced risk by 40%")
• Quantify findings (number of vulnerabilities, severity)

Performed penetration testing for client networks.

Conducted external penetration tests using Metasploit and Burp Suite on 12 client networks, uncovering 35 critical vulnerabilities and reducing overall risk exposure by 42% through remediation guidance.

• ATS expects a consistent month/year pattern
• Hiring managers may misinterpret employment gaps
• Inconsistent dates look unprofessional

• Use "MMM YYYY" (e.g., "Jan 2021 – Present") for all entries
• Align dates to the right side of the section
• Avoid using only years or ambiguous formats

June 2020 – 2022

Jun 2020 – Dec 2022

• Open‑source work demonstrates real‑world skill and community trust
• Many security teams value GitHub activity as a proxy for expertise
• ATS may miss valuable keywords hidden in project descriptions

• Add an "Open‑Source Projects" section
• List project name, role, key contributions, and link to repo
• Highlight tools/languages used (e.g., Python, Nmap)

Contributed to security tools.

Open‑Source Projects - Nmap Scripting Engine (Contributor) – Developed 5 NSE scripts for SMB enumeration, increasing detection coverage by 30% – https://github.com/nmap/nmap - OWASP ZAP (Bug Reporter) – Identified and documented 12 XSS bugs, leading to patches in version 3.2.0

• Non‑technical recruiters may not understand terms like "pivoting" or "C2"
• ATS may treat unknown acronyms as noise
• Cluttered language reduces readability

• Explain each technical term briefly or pair with outcome
• Balance technical depth with plain‑language summaries
• Use common industry terms that appear in job descriptions

Performed pivoting on compromised hosts to establish C2 channels.

Established command‑and‑control (C2) channels by pivoting through compromised hosts, enabling remote access for post‑exploitation activities and facilitating comprehensive security assessments.