Creating a compelling cyber security CV requires a strategic blend of technical detail, quantifiable achievements, and clean formatting. Unlike standard resumes, a cyber security CV must immediately signal to hiring managers that you possess both the hard technical skills and the risk-management mindset required to protect digital assets. Below is a structured guide with examples to help you build a CV that stands out.
1. Header and Contact Information
Your header should be clean and professional, making it easy for recruiters to contact you immediately.
Example:
John A. Carter
Cyber Security Analyst | SOC Specialist
Austin, TX | (512) 555-0199 | john.carter@email.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/johncarter | GitHub: github.com/johncarter-sec
2. Professional Summary
Write a tight, 3-4 sentence summary that encapsulates your experience, core skills, and a standout achievement. Avoid fluff; focus on value.
Example:
“Certified Cyber Security Analyst with 6+ years of experience in threat monitoring, incident response, and vulnerability management within the financial services sector. Proven track record of reducing security incidents by 30% through the implementation of advanced SIEM alerting protocols. Adept at bridging the gap between technical teams and compliance requirements (NIST, GDPR).”
3. Core Competencies / Technical Skills
Organize your skills into categories. This improves readability and helps with ATS (Applicant Tracking System) keyword matching.
Example:
- Network Security: Firewalls (Palo Alto, pfSense), IDS/IPS (Snort), VPNs, TCP/IP, Wireshark
- Endpoint & Threat Management: EDR (CrowdStrike), Antivirus, Malware Analysis, Threat Hunting
- Tools & Platforms: Splunk (Power User), Tenable Nessus, Metasploit, Burp Suite, AWS Security Hub
- Compliance & Frameworks: NIST Cybersecurity Framework, ISO 27001, GDPR, PCI-DSS
4. Professional Experience (Reverse Chronological Order)
This is the most critical section. Use bullet points that start with strong action verbs. Focus on the “So What?” by including metrics and specific technologies.
Example:
Senior Cyber Security Analyst | ABC Financial Group, Austin, TX | 2021 – Present
- Lead incident response efforts for a 5,000-employee network, reducing Mean Time to Detect (MTTD) by 25% by fine-tuning correlation rules in Splunk.
- Conducted quarterly vulnerability assessments using Tenable Nessus, successfully patching or mitigating 95% of critical vulnerabilities before external audits.
- Collaborated with the DevOps team to integrate secure coding practices, reducing SQL injection vulnerabilities in new releases by 40%.
Security Operations Center (SOC) Analyst | TechGuard Solutions, Houston, TX | 2018 – 2021
- Monitored and analyzed security alerts from SIEM tools (Splunk, LogRhythm) across 20+ client environments, escalating an average of 50 critical incidents per month.
- Developed a standardized incident runbook that improved team response efficiency by 15%.
- Assisted in forensic investigations of compromised endpoints, resulting in successful containment of ransomware attacks in three separate incidents.
5. Certifications (Highly Visible Section)
In cyber security, certifications validate your knowledge. List them prominently with dates.
Example:
- Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) – (ISC)² | 2023
- CompTIA Security+ | 2019
- Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) – EC-Council | 2020
- AWS Certified Security – Specialty | 2022
6. Education
List your degrees, institutions, and graduation years.
Example:
Bachelor of Science in Cyber Security
University of Texas at San Antonio | Graduated: 2018
Relevant Coursework: Network Security, Digital Forensics, Cryptography, Ethical Hacking
7. Additional Sections (Optional but Valuable)
Consider adding sections for professional affiliations, publications, or speaking engagements to demonstrate community involvement.
Example:
- Publications: “The Rise of Ransomware in SMBs” – Published in Cyber Defense Magazine, March 2023
- Memberships: Member, Information Systems Security Association (ISSA)
- Conferences: Speaker, “Threat Hunting 101” – BSides Austin 2022
SAMPLE CYBER SECURITY ENGINEER CV
MICHAEL CHEN
Cyber Security Engineer | Cloud Security | Incident Response
Seattle, WA | (206) 555-0123 | michael.chen@email.com
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michaelchen-sec | GitHub: github.com/mchen-security
PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Certified Cyber Security Engineer with 7+ years of experience designing and implementing secure network architectures, leading incident response investigations, and automating security operations for enterprise environments. Expertise in cloud security (AWS, Azure), SIEM deployment, and vulnerability management. Proven track record of reducing security incidents by 35% through proactive threat hunting and implementing zero-trust frameworks. Strong background in compliance (NIST, ISO 27001, HIPAA) with a focus on bridging technical security controls with business objectives.
TECHNICAL SKILLS
| Category | Technologies |
|---|---|
| Network Security | Firewalls (Palo Alto, Fortinet, pfSense), IDS/IPS (Snort, Suricata), VPNs, VLANs, TCP/IP, Wireshark, Zeek |
| Cloud Security | AWS (Security Hub, GuardDuty, IAM, KMS), Azure Security Center, CloudTrail, CloudFormation |
| Security Tools | Splunk Enterprise Security, QRadar, Tenable Nessus, OpenVAS, Metasploit, Burp Suite, Kali Linux |
| Endpoint Security | CrowdStrike Falcon, Carbon Black, Microsoft Defender ATP, EDR, XDR, Antivirus solutions |
| DevSecOps | Jenkins, GitLab CI/CD, Docker, Kubernetes, Terraform, SAST/DAST tools (Checkmarx, OWASP ZAP) |
| Compliance & Frameworks | NIST Cybersecurity Framework, ISO 27001, HIPAA, GDPR, PCI-DSS, MITRE ATT&CK |
| Programming/Scripting | Python (for automation), Bash, PowerShell, SQL |
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Senior Cyber Security Engineer | BlueVanguard Security Solutions, Seattle, WA | 2021 – Present
- Architect and deploy enterprise-grade security solutions for 15+ Fortune 500 clients, including SIEM implementations (Splunk, QRadar) and cloud security posture management systems.
- Lead incident response efforts for complex security breaches; successfully contained and remediated a ransomware attack affecting 2,000+ endpoints within 4 hours, minimizing downtime and data loss.
- Designed and implemented a zero-trust network architecture for a healthcare client, reducing unauthorized access attempts by 60% and ensuring HIPAA compliance.
- Automate vulnerability scanning and reporting using Python and Tenable Nessus, reducing manual effort by 20 hours per month and ensuring 98% of critical vulnerabilities are patched within SLA.
- Conduct threat hunting exercises using MITRE ATT&CK framework, identifying and neutralizing 12 advanced persistent threat (APT) indicators before they could escalate.
- Collaborate with DevOps teams to integrate security into CI/CD pipelines, implementing SAST/DAST tools (Checkmarx, OWASP ZAP) that reduced security flaws in production code by 40%.
Cyber Security Engineer | Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA | 2018 – 2021
- Managed and monitored security infrastructure for a high-security research environment, including firewalls (Palo Alto), IDS/IPS (Snort), and endpoint protection (CrowdStrike).
- Investigated and resolved an average of 150 security alerts per week, achieving a 99% closure rate within defined SLAs and reducing false positives by 25% through refined correlation rules.
- Performed regular vulnerability assessments and penetration tests on internal and external systems, identifying critical vulnerabilities and providing remediation guidance to system owners.
- Developed and maintained security documentation, including incident response playbooks, network diagrams, and standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the 12-person security team.
- Assisted in achieving and maintaining ISO 27001 certification by implementing required security controls and participating in internal and external audits.
- Delivered security awareness training to 500+ employees, resulting in a 45% reduction in successful phishing simulations.
Junior Security Analyst | Inland Northwest Security Services, Spokane, WA | 2016 – 2018
- Monitored SIEM alerts (LogRhythm) and ticketing systems, triaging potential security incidents and escalating critical threats to senior analysts.
- Conducted log analysis and forensic investigations on compromised workstations and servers, supporting incident response efforts.
- Assisted in the deployment and configuration of new firewalls and intrusion detection systems across five client sites.
- Researched emerging threats and vulnerabilities, providing weekly intelligence briefings to the security team.
CERTIFICATIONS
- Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) – (ISC)² | 2022
- AWS Certified Security – Specialty – Amazon Web Services | 2023
- Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) – EC-Council | 2019
- CompTIA Security+ – CompTIA | 2016
- Splunk Core Certified Power User – Splunk | 2021
EDUCATION
Master of Science in Cyber Security (GPA: 3.8/4.0)
University of Washington, Seattle, WA | Graduated: 2018
Thesis: “Automating Threat Intelligence Collection for Small-to-Medium Enterprises”
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science (Minor: Criminal Justice)
Washington State University, Pullman, WA | Graduated: 2016
Relevant Coursework: Network Security, Digital Forensics, Cryptography, Operating Systems, Database Security
PROJECTS & OPEN SOURCE CONTRIBUTIONS
- Threat-Hunter Toolkit (GitHub): Developed an open-source Python script that automates the collection and correlation of IOCs from multiple threat intelligence feeds; 200+ stars and 50+ forks.
- Home Lab Environment: Designed and maintained a personal security lab using VirtualBox, Kali Linux, Metasploitable, and Splunk to practice penetration testing techniques and threat detection.
- CTF Competitor: Regular participant in Capture The Flag competitions (DEF CON qualifiers, HackTheBox), ranked in top 5% globally.
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS & SPEAKING
- Member – Information Systems Security Association (ISSA), Puget Sound Chapter
- Speaker – “Practical Cloud Security for Startups” at BSides Seattle 2023
- Volunteer – Cyber security mentor for local high school robotics team, teaching secure coding practices
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- Security Clearance: Active Top Secret (TS/SCI) clearance
- Languages: English (Native), Mandarin Chinese (Conversational)
- Availability: Immediate