IT Director Resume: Sample & Writing Guide [20+ Tips]

Ready to be the IT guy or gal, responsible for everything from cybersecurity to managing IT costs? Well, so are hundreds of other candidates. So whenever you’re applying for an IT director position, you’re probably competing against dozens of similarly qualified people.

Write an IT director resume that showcases your IT expertise, your management skills, and the measurable value you’re going to bring to the company. Here’s how.

This guide will show you: 

• An IT director resume example better than 9 out of 10 other resumes.
• How to write an IT director resume that will land you more interviews.
• Tips and examples of how to put skills and achievements on an IT director resume.
• How to describe your experience on a resume for an IT director to get any job you want.

Want to save time and have your resume ready in 5 minutes? Try our resume builder. It’s fast and easy to use. Plus, you’ll get ready-made content to add with one click. See 20+ resume templates and create your resume here.

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Sample resume made with our builder—See more resume examples here.

Looking for a more general director resume? See our guide for a Director Resume

Seeking for a job combining IT and management? Check these guides out:

• Information Technology Resume
• IT Manager Resume
• IT Project Manager Resume
• IT Helpdesk Resume
• IT Technician Resume
• Chief Technology Officer Resume
• Agile Project Manager Resume

• Senior Software Engineer Resume
• QA Manager Resume
• More Sample Resumes for 500+ Jobs

IT Director Resume Sample

Now, here’s how to write an IT director resume:

1. Choose the Best Format for Your IT Director Resume

Think of any technology stack.

This set of software is specifically made and optimized to perform well together, but only when implemented correctly.

The director of IT resume is similar—

Here, the stack is the resume format, with each application being the various resume parts.

The right format makes it easy for the employer to read and understand, while the wrong format will quickly get discarded.

Follow these formatting rules on IT director resumes:

• Start with your address details at the top in the resume heading section.
• Use legible headings to make each resume section stand out.
• Choose the appropriate resume format, which in most cases is the chronological format.
• Find the best resume font and know that white space is your friend.

Pro Tip: When sending it off, save the resume in PDF format unless they specifically ask otherwise. The PDF is better than Microsoft Word at rendering correctly across devices.

2. Write an IT Director Resume Summary or Objective

The resume summary or objective, also called the resume profile, is a brief intro paragraph of 3 or 4 sentences.

As with any elevator pitch, it breaks down your tech background, IT skills, leadership experience, and career goals in a concise manner.

And, like a thwarted DDoS attack, it’s got to make them positively excited.

Choose the career summary when you have plenty of IT leadership experience. The summary statement gives a quick run-through of your IT and management expertise, and a quantifiable achievement is added to bolster your case.

Choose the career objective when you have less experience with IT management. The objective statement talks up your career goals, while still including a numbered accomplishment.

Pro Tip: Just because the resume profile goes first doesn’t mean you need to write it first. Instead, save it for last, as this will allow you to understand what you’re including in the rest of the resume before wrapping it up.

3. Create the Perfect IT Director Job Description for a Resume

If there’s one area to get right to have an IT director resume MVP, it’s the resume work history section.

So—

Show them you’re as essential to them as BIOS by conjuring up the greatest work experience section they’ve ever laid eyes on.

Here’s how to nail your IT director job description:

• Start with your most recent job first, then go back from there.
• List the job title, dates of employment, the name of the company, and 5 or 6 bullet points which document the relevant duties and responsibilities you had.
• Reduce the amount of bullet points you give in your job description as you go further back in your employment.
• To begin each entry, use an action verb (e.g., compiled, instituted, etc.).
• Use quantifiable work achievements to showcase key wins you had in the past using verifiable numbers.
• Target the resume to one specific job. The CIO or CEO will block a generic resume like a firewall.

Pro Tip: What’s relevant to list as a bullet point in your job history? Talk up the most IT and management related responsibilities. The employer wants to see both—that you have a well-rounded tech grasp, but also that you can lead an entire team, as well.

4. Make Your IT Director Resume Education Section Shine

Got a resume education section as outdated as the floppy disk?

Let’s get that fixed.

Here’s how to liven up the education resume section:

• List your highest degree first, just like in the job history section.
• Include the degree major, graduation date, school name and location, and relevant coursework.
• To boost your chances, add extras, such as extracurriculars, Latin honors, publications, and your GPA if it is close to perfect.
• If you have a second, lower degree, add that next.

Pro Tip: IT director jobs mostly need bachelor’s degrees, if not master’s, so there is no need to add high school on your resume.

5. Highlight Your IT Director Skills

IT systems manager and IT director jobs are projected to rise by 12% between 2016 and 2026 in the US alone.

That’s over 44,000 other candidates to compete against.

So—

To have the job secure as 2FA, show them you have what it takes with the best IT skills and manager abilities:

IT Director Resume Skills for Resume

• Software Development Operations (DevOps)
• Machine Learning
• Business Analytics
• Network Administration
• Cyber Security & Defense
• Quantum Computing
• Applications Architecture
• Data Center Management
• Agile & SCRUM Methodology
• Research & Analysis
• Database Administration
• Web Development Operations
• Application Development Operations
• Mobile Application Development Operations
• Cloud Architecture
• Business Intelligence
• Artificial Intelligence
• Data Architecture
• Adaptability & Accountability
• Professional Development
• Attention to Detail
• Technical and IT Skills
• Management Skills
• Leadership Skills
• Decision-Making Skills
• Project Management Skills
• Effective Communication Skills
• Presentation Skills
• Computer Skills
• Problem-Solving Skills
• Teamwork & Collaboration
• Time Management Skills
• Analytical Skills
• Organizational Skills

Here’s the thing, though—

You can’t just take this list and add it right into your IT director resume.

That would be a fatal error.

This is what to do instead:

• Identify all your management abilities and IT professional skills.
• Don’t miss any—include soft skills and hard skills alike.
• Open up the job ad you’re applying to and keep it out in front of you.
• To find the best resume keywords to use, highlight skills they’re searching for in the job requirements.
• If an entry on your list matches something you highlighted on the job description, put it on your resume for IT directors!

Pro Tip: When applying for IT director jobs, get familiar with the company you’re applying to, including their current tech infrastructure, IT environment, and upcoming projects and goals. This will not only help you tweak your skills list, but let you ace the interview, as well.

When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building a professional resume template here for free.

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6. Add Other Sections to Your IT Director Resume

Every IT director candidate will have those previous resume sections.

How to stand out among them?

Add extra sections to be as unique as a MAC address.

Here are some great additions for an IT director resume template:

IT Director Resume Samples—Extra Sections

• Resume certifications
• Language proficiency skills
• Technology projects
• Achievements and awards
• Tech industry memberships
• Hobbies and interests
• Volunteer job experience

7. Attach a Cover Letter to Your IT Director Resume

A team of all front-end developers but no back-end devs is only half a team.

Similarly—

Most employers say that a resume without a cover letter is just as lacking.

So, cover letters are necessary.

Here’s how to write an IT cover letter for top information technology jobs:

• Prepare the perfect cover letter format before you start writing.
• Begin the cover letter with an intriguing introduction paragraph.
• Showcase your IT skills and management experience to win them over.
• Add numbered achievements to emphasize your tech abilities.
• Finish the cover letter with a powerful closing paragraph.

Also, we have the best cover letter tips, along with articles on how many pages should a cover letter be and what to put in a cover letter.

Check those out!

Pro Tip: Remember to follow up after sending your resume. After that, get started on preparing for an interview!

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:

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See more cover letter templates and start writing.

Got questions on how to write a resume, or need more IT director resume examples? Not sure how to talk about IT skills, management experience, tech certifications, or leadership achievements? Get at us in the comments below, and thanks for reading!

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