Bolstering Linux on resume

[Kung Fu Hamster]

I've come across a bit of a quandry, and I'd appreciate some help.

I'm planning on leaving the Marine Corps next year and want to continue working in IT. Except for a few isolated occasions, my work experience has been solely with Windows and x86 setups. I've been using Linux on my home computers since I was 17, but don't have any practical, real-world experience to put on a resume. I don't have any real way of getting any of that while I'm still in the military. Based on perusing various job listing sites, getting any real-world experience in the civilian sector really isn't an option.

What can I do? I've considered getting a few certifications while I'm still in, but will that be enough without any Linux experience that extends past my barracks room?

[jaytek13]

I don't really think certifications are necessary. They can be helpful, sometimes, but shouldn't make or break whether you get a job or not. I'd just concentrate on learning a lot of the common thing Linux is used for... set up a personal LAMP server, for instance. Read a lot about shell scripting with BASH and maybe perl/php. Learn how to interpret the log files.

[Lostincyberspace]

Put it under a hobby section it looks great even there.

[eljoeb]

Put it under a hobby section it looks great even there.

I didn't know hobbies went on a resume.

I must be working in the wrong field.

[meg23]

I saw a resume where someone had a section entitled "Operating Environments" and under that section, they included BSD and Sun Solaris. Certification is not necessary to put an item on resume, just the inclusion of Linux shows that your are probably more capable than most regular pc users. I would definately include it, especially if it is a government job.

[jaytek13]

I didn't know hobbies went on a resume.

I must be working in the wrong field.


There's nothing wrong with including a hobbies section that is relevant to the job. For IT, it could include Linux, building computers, programming in your spare time. etc. This is particularly effective for functional resume's where there may be a lack of "career" experience, regardless of the industry you're in.

[dca]

Most sysadmin jobs require a Bachelors Degree plus MCSE, MCSD, A+, RHCT, etc, etc. Some still req the Bachelors but forgive certain certs (depending on position applying) w/ equivalent work experience (time in service)...

[macogw]

There's nothing wrong with including a hobbies section that is relevant to the job. For IT, it could include Linux, building computers, programming in your spare time. etc. This is particularly effective for functional resume's where there may be a lack of "career" experience, regardless of the industry you're in.

Yep, thats why mine includes being the PR person for my school's LGBTQ group, since I do their website, and lists that I'm a member of LinuxChix, DevChix, ACM, and my school's chapter of OSI.

[johnnybirdman]

I didn't know hobbies went on a resume.

I must be working in the wrong field.

The first rule of resumes, there are no rules.

[Het Irv]

What happened to: Don't get caught (lying or otherwise)?

+1 to hobbies, it shows that while you may not have work experence with Linux you do have a hold on the basics, and therefore would be easier to teach than someone who doesn't know it at all.

[Luggy]

Just because you don't have any certs or professional expirence with Linux does not mean that it's pointless to put on your resume.

Saying that you taught yourself Linux shows that you are capable of learning new things on your own.

That in itself will make you look good in a resume. Unless you are applying for a Linux System Admin I wouldn't worry about it much.

[eljoeb]

There's nothing wrong with including a hobbies section that is relevant to the job. For IT, it could include Linux, building computers, programming in your spare time. etc. This is particularly effective for functional resume's where there may be a lack of "career" experience, regardless of the industry you're in.


The first rule of resumes, there are no rules.

Whatever you say. I have a pile sitting right next to me and I won't be looking at their hobbies. I can understand including any clubs you may have been a part of (as long as you held a meaningful position and did something), but at some point it just becomes filler. Your resume needs to get straight to the point about your strengths and experiences. Space is precious as is its readers attention span. If your resume is so short that you have space for your hobbies, you either have a problem recalling things or simply haven't done enough. Either of these is a problem. I would rather see work experience at McDonalds than hobbies, because at least that shows that you can work with people.

[dca]

Experience and Education & Certifications

Geeeeez, I'm hiring you to admin six servers running RHEL, some do sendmail, MTA, some run apps, some MySQL but you listed Linux and FOSS as a hobby????

[jaytek13]

Whatever you say. I have a pile sitting right next to me and I won't be looking at their hobbies. I can understand including any clubs you may have been a part of (as long as you held a meaningful position and did something), but at some point it just becomes filler. Your resume needs to get straight to the point about your strengths and experiences. Space is precious as is its readers attention span. If your resume is so short that you have space for your hobbies, you either have a problem recalling things or simply haven't done enough. Either of these is a problem. I would rather see work experience at McDonalds than hobbies, because at least that shows that you can work with people.

How exactly is listing that you are knowledgeable with Linux or build computers "filler" for a computer position? Most companies have supplemental "job applications" where you can let them know whether you flipped burgers or not.



Geeeeez, I'm hiring you to admin six servers running RHEL, some do sendmail, MTA, some run apps, some MySQL but you listed Linux and FOSS as a hobby????

Where exactly are you getting the idea that the only positions that deal with Linux are sys admins that make $100k/yr? The question was nothing more than how to bolster Linux on a resume.

[Luggy]

How exactly is listing that you are knowledgeable with Linux or build computers "filler" for a computer position? Most companies have supplemental "job applications" where you can let them know whether you flipped burgers or not.

I think it was the idea of a hobbies section was refered to as filler not the computer related skills.

[BDNiner]

I believe that you should include linux in some way. Since you don't have any real world experience in linux then i would mention the fact that you have been using it for a long time once you get an interview. Your resume i feel should only include real world experience, everything else should be saved for the interview.

There are also some ways to work with linux in a windows environment. At my company we have 4 serious linux user including myself and we convinced the company to trial linux desktops with one of our clients. The deal breaker i feel was the fact that i managed to get my personal workstation running ubuntu with no loss in productivity. We also convinced them to change all of our netware servers to linux since netware now runs on linux and that way we can slowly phase out novell (which costs just as much as M$ when it comes to licensing).

[cprofitt]

I've come across a bit of a quandry, and I'd appreciate some help.

I'm planning on leaving the Marine Corps next year and want to continue working in IT. Except for a few isolated occasions, my work experience has been solely with Windows and x86 setups. I've been using Linux on my home computers since I was 17, but don't have any practical, real-world experience to put on a resume. I don't have any real way of getting any of that while I'm still in the military. Based on perusing various job listing sites, getting any real-world experience in the civilian sector really isn't an option.

What can I do? I've considered getting a few certifications while I'm still in, but will that be enough without any Linux experience that extends past my barracks room?

1. Do you have a security clearance? - If you do you should attempt to get a job with an IT security company ASAP. Mine expired before I got in to IT and that probably costs me a minimum of 20K a year.

2. Work for a firm that has both Linux and Windows environments (support) and use your experience with Windows to get 'in the door' and then expand your knowledge of Linux while working there. If you exhibit a good work ethic and solid knowledge on the Windows side they will be more than happy to allow you to grow in to a Linux position.

3. When listing things you do as a hobby I would suggest avoiding the word hobby as it detracts from the overall impact. I would be honest and list what you have done, but perhaps list it as personal learning. If you have setup a personal Linux LAMP server and run web pages you should say that you did so to further your IT knowledge, but admit it was not a 'production' server.

[cprofitt]

We also convinced them to change all of our netware servers to linux since netware now runs on linux and that way we can slowly phase out novell (which costs just as much as M$ when it comes to licensing).

Don't you still have to pay for the SUSE Linux Enterprise Server? Isn't there still a price for NDS or are you replacing it with openLDAP or some FOSS directory service?

[motoperpetuo]

i just have a section called "skills" on my resume where i list, among other things, that i have experience troubleshooting linux workstations and servers. i actually do have a little bit of on-the-job experience with linux, but even if it were strictly at home, i would include it in my list of skills.