How to write a DevOps CV. A tip that helped me stand out of the crowd.

Many DevOps CVs represent their owners as “doers” rather than “achievers.” Their job descriptions are task-based rather than results-based.

In this tutorial, I will explain why it’s a weak point and how to deal with it.

Photo by João Ferrão on Unsplash

A Curriculum Vitae, or CV for short, is a professional document that summarizes your work history, education, and skills.

The main goal of a CV is to open the door for an interview for you.

Once the CV goes through the ATS, it ends up on the employer’s desk.

93% of all hiring managers use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)(CV scanning software) to filter candidates from the application pool.

On average, it takes from 15 to 30 seconds for the employer to decide whether to continue with you or not based on what he reads in your CV.

So your CV must be relevant to the desired job and company. It must be “straight and to the point.”

One tip that I received when I was looking for my new role, which helped me to “stand out of the crowd,” is to present myself on my CV as an “achiever” rather than a “doer.”

What does that mean?

Here is my old CV, which represents me as a “doer”:

Planned, implemented, and documented a CI/CD pipeline for Angular, React, NodeJS, and Python services using the following tools:
- Kubernetes, Helm and Helm Charts
- Jenkins
- Scripting (Python, Bash)
- Databases (MySQL, Redis, PostgreSQL)
- AWS services with Terraform

Here is the second version of the CV:

Implemented various DevOps tools and processes, achieving a 40% reduction in deployment time and significantly improving system reliability and scalability.

Reduced the monthly price for AWS ECR and EKS by 50%.

Changed the way the Artifact Registry pulls the images, which led to a 30% decrease in release cycle times and a 30% decrease in server resources.

Planned, implemented, and documented a CI/CD pipeline for Angular, React, NodeJS, and Python services using the following tools:
- Kubernetes, Helm and Helm Charts
- Jenkins
- Scripting (Python, Bash)
- Databases (MySQL, Redis, PostgreSQL)
- AWS services with Terraform

As you see, the second version of my CV shows my achievements, or, in other words, “why I’m useful for the company.”

Potential employers are interested in your prior successes, particularly the ways in which you have contributed to change. What matters most is that they want to know how you plan to significantly impact their organization.

You should use active language that brings your work to life. Try to avoid using passive words and non-action verbs.

Strong action verbs, used with engaging language to outline outstanding achievements, are essential parts of a soundly-built CV.

Using active language in a CV, especially in the DevOps field, can significantly enhance the impact of your achievements. Here are some examples of passive language compared with more action-oriented, achievement-focused language:

1. Passive Language/Doing: “Managed server deployments.”
   Action Language/Achieving: “Optimized server deployment process, achieving a 40% reduction in deployment time and significantly improving system reliability and scalability.”
2. Passive Language/Doing: “Contributed to the development of continuous integration/continuous deployment pipelines."
   Action Language/Achieving: “Spearheaded the transformation of CI/CD pipelines, leading to a 50% increase in deployment frequency and a 30% decrease in release cycle times, while enhancing automation and security protocols.”
3. Passive Language/Doing: “Monitored system performance.”
   Action Language/Achieving: “Revolutionized system monitoring strategies, leading to a 25% improvement in system uptime and a 35% reduction in critical incidents, by implementing advanced monitoring tools and proactive issue resolution techniques.”
4. Passive Language/Doing: “Collaborated on cloud migration projects.” Action Language/Achieving: “Drove a successful cloud migration for key applications, resulting in a 20% cost savings and a 30% improvement in scalability and performance, by strategizing and implementing efficient cloud solutions.”
5. Passive Language/Doing: “Participated in automating infrastructure management.”
   Action Language/Achieving: “Pioneered the automation of infrastructure management, leading to a 70% reduction in manual workload and a significant enhancement in system consistency and compliance, by leveraging cutting-edge automation frameworks.”

These examples demonstrate the power of active language to showcase your contributions and achievements in a more impactful and measurable way.

An adjustment like this makes a big improvement.

However, remember that you need to write the truth in your CV and be ready to explain to a potential employer how exactly you managed a 30% decrease in release cycle times, resulting in a 20% cost savings for AWS.

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