Network Engineer Resume Example That Passes ATS Screening
Network engineering resumes need to balance deep technical knowledge with practical, real-world impact. This skills-first example demonstrates how to lead with your technical toolkit before diving into project accomplishments, which works well when applying to roles where specific vendor certifications and protocol expertise are hard requirements.
ATS Keywords for Network Engineer Resumes
ATS systems scanning Network Engineer applications look for these terms. The resume above weaves them in naturally rather than listing them outright.
Section-by-Section Writing Tips
Professional Summary
Name the scale of environments you have worked in (number of sites, devices, users) and call out your most relevant certification. Avoid generic phrases like 'team player with strong communication skills' - that is expected and does not differentiate you.
Experience Section
For each role, make it clear what you owned versus what you assisted with. Network engineering hiring managers want to know if you were the one making design decisions or following someone else's blueprint.
Skills Section
Group by functional area rather than listing everything alphabetically. Put routing and switching protocols first since they are foundational, then platforms, then monitoring and automation tools. This ordering signals that you understand what matters most.
Education Section
A CS or IT degree is helpful but not the star of a network engineering resume. Keep it brief and let your certifications and hands-on experience do the heavy lifting.
Full Resume Sample
Isaiah Odum
Network Engineer
Professional Summary
Network engineer with 5 years of experience designing, implementing, and maintaining enterprise LAN/WAN infrastructure across multi-site environments. Holds CCNP Enterprise certification and has hands-on experience with Cisco, Juniper, and Palo Alto platforms. Track record of reducing network downtime through proactive monitoring, capacity planning, and well-documented change management processes.
Experience
Network Engineer II
Rackspace Technology · San Antonio, TX · Aug 2022 - Present
- Manage network infrastructure supporting 1,200+ devices across 3 data centers and 14 remote office locations, maintaining 99.97% uptime over the past 18 months
- Led a campus network refresh project migrating from Cisco Catalyst 3850 to Catalyst 9300 switches, completing the rollout across all sites 2 weeks ahead of schedule with zero unplanned outages
- Implemented Cisco SD-WAN (Viptela) across 14 branch offices, reducing WAN circuit costs by $8,500 per month while improving application performance for remote teams
- Developed automated network configuration backup scripts using Python and Netmiko, eliminating 6 hours of manual work per week and ensuring daily config snapshots for all critical devices
Junior Network Engineer
H-E-B · San Antonio, TX · May 2020 - Jul 2022
- Supported network operations for 400+ retail store locations, handling escalated trouble tickets for WAN connectivity, wireless access point failures, and VLAN misconfigurations
- Assisted in the design and deployment of a new wireless network standard for store remodels, improving wireless coverage by 40% in pilot locations
- Configured and maintained Palo Alto PA-3200 series firewalls, implementing security policies and NAT rules for PCI-DSS compliant retail environments
- Created runbook documentation for 25+ common network troubleshooting scenarios, reducing average ticket resolution time by 35%
IT Support Specialist
Frost Bank · San Antonio, TX · Jun 2019 - Apr 2020
- Provided Tier 2 support for network-related issues including VPN connectivity, DNS resolution, and DHCP scope management
- Assisted the network team with switch port configurations and cable plant documentation during a headquarters office expansion
- Monitored network health using SolarWinds Orion and escalated anomalies to senior engineers, developing foundational network troubleshooting skills
Education
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science — University of Texas at San Antonio, 2019 (Concentration in Network Security)
Skills
Routing & Switching: OSPF, BGP, EIGRP, Spanning Tree Protocol (STP), VLAN configuration, HSRP/VRRP, Multicast routing
Platforms & Vendors: Cisco IOS/IOS-XE, Cisco SD-WAN (Viptela), Juniper Junos, Palo Alto PAN-OS, Aruba wireless, Meraki
Monitoring & Automation: SolarWinds Orion, PRTG, Wireshark, Python (Netmiko, NAPALM), Ansible for network automation, Git version control
Security & Compliance: Firewall policy management, VPN (IPSec, SSL), 802.1X/NAC, PCI-DSS network segmentation, ACL management
Certifications
Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) Enterprise · Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) · CompTIA Network+ · Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Engineer (PCNSE) - In Progress
See how your resume scores against ATS systems
Check Your ATS Score Free →Why This Resume Works
Skills section leads and is highly specific. Network engineering roles often have hard requirements around specific protocols, vendors, and tools. Placing a detailed, categorized skills section near the top makes it easy for recruiters and ATS systems to match your profile against the job requirements within seconds.
Infrastructure scale is clearly stated. Numbers like 1,200+ devices, 3 data centers, and 400+ retail stores immediately communicate the scope of your experience. This matters because managing a 10-device lab is fundamentally different from running a multi-site enterprise network.
Cost savings and efficiency gains are tied to specific projects. The $8,500/month WAN cost reduction and 6 hours/week of automation savings show business value, not just technical competence. This is what separates mid-level engineers from those ready for senior roles.
Common Network Engineer Resume Mistakes
Hiring managers reviewing Network Engineer resumes flag these problems repeatedly. Each one can knock your ATS score or land your application in the rejection pile.
- Listing certifications you studied for but never passed. Only include certs you hold or explicitly mark as 'in progress' if you are actively pursuing them.
- Failing to mention the scale of the networks you managed, which leaves hiring managers guessing whether your experience is relevant to their environment.
- Using only vendor-neutral terminology when the job posting calls for specific vendor experience - if you know Cisco IOS-XE, say so rather than writing 'enterprise switch configuration.'
- Ignoring automation and scripting skills, which are increasingly expected at the mid-level. Even basic Python or Ansible experience is worth including.
- Writing bullets that describe steady-state operations ('monitored the network') without any indication of improvements, projects, or problems you solved.
- Burying or omitting security-related experience, even though network security is a core part of most network engineering roles today.