Head of IT CV example

Have you got what it takes to efficiently run a busy IT department?

Then you need to prove this to the recruiter so you can secure your position as head of the department.

To do this, you need a CV that highlights your technical skills and experience. Using our detailed guide and head of IT CV example below, you can carefully craft your application and boost your chances of getting an interview.

 

 

 

Head of IT CV example

Head of IT CV 1

Head of IT CV 2

 

This example CV demonstrates how to structure and format your own Head of IT CV, so that it can be easily digested by busy hiring managers, and quickly prove why you are suitable for the jobs you are applying to.

It also gives you a good idea of the type of skills, experience and qualifications that you need to be highlighting in your CV.

 

CV builder

 

Head of IT CV layout and format

Recruiters and employers are busy, and if they can’t find the information they’re looking for in a few seconds, it could be game over for your application.

You need to format and structure your CV in a way which allows the reader to pick out your key information with ease, even if they’re strapped for time.

It should be clear, easily legible, well-organised and scannable – check out some simple tips and tricks below:

 

How to write a CV

 

Tips for formatting your Head of IT CV

  • Length: While there’s no ‘official’ CV length rule, the majority of recruiters agree that less is more. Aim for two pages of A4 or less. This is just enough room to showcase your suitability to the role, without overwhelming recruiters with irrelevant or excessive content.
  • Readability: Recruiters appreciate CVs that they can quickly scan through without trouble. Ensure yours makes the cut by formatting your headings for attention (bold or coloured fonts should do the trick) and breaking up long paragraphs into smaller chunks or short, snappy bullet points.
  • Design: While it’s okay to add your own spin to your CV, avoid overdoing the design. If you go for something elaborate, you might end up frustrating recruiters who, above anything, value simplicity and clarity.
  • Photos: Headshot photos aren’t required in a CV by most employers, but some creative and artistic industries like to see them. If you decide to include one, make sure you look smart and professional in the picture.

 

Quick tip: Creating a professional CV style can be difficult and time-consuming when using Microsoft Word or Google Docs. To create a winning CV quickly, try our quick-and-easy CV Builder and use one of their eye-catching professional CV templates.

 

CV formatting tips

 

 

CV structure

For easy reading, write your CV to the following CV structure:

  • Contact details – Make it easy for recruiters to get in touch with you by listing your contact details at the top of your CV.
  • Profile – A short and snappy summary of your experience and skills, showcasing what makes you a good fit for the position.
  • Work experience / career history – Note down all your work history, with your current position first, then working backwards.
  • Education – A short list of your academic background and professional/vocational qualifications.
  • Interest and hobbies – This is an optional section, which you can use to highlight any relevant hobbies or interests.

Now you understand the basic layout of a CV, here’s what you should include in each section of yours.

 

Contact Details

Contact details

 

Make it easy for recruiters to get in touch, by heading your CV with your contact details.

There’s no need for excessive details – just list the basics:

  • Mobile number
  • Email address – Use a professional address with no nicknames.
  • Location – Just write your general location, such as ‘London’ or ‘Cardiff’ – there’s no need to put your full address.
  • LinkedIn profile or portfolio URL

 

Head of IT CV Profile

Recruiters read through countless applications every day.

If they don’t find what they’re looking for quickly, they’ll simply move onto the next one.

That’s what makes your CV profile (or personal statement, if you’re an entry-level/graduate candidate) so important.

This short and snappy summary sits at the top of your CV, and should give a high-level overview of why you’re a good match for the job.

This way, you can ensure that busy recruiters see your suitability from the outset, and so, feel your CV is worth their time.

 

CV profile

 

CV profile writing tips:

  • Make it short and sharp: Recruiters are busy, so to ensure your profile is actually read, it’s best to keep it short and snappy. 3-5 punchy lines makes for the perfect profile.
  • Tailor it: The biggest CV mistake? A generic, mass-produced document which is sent out to tens of employers. If you want to land an interview, you need to tailor your CV profile (and your application as a whole) to the specific roles you’re applying for. So, before you start writing, remember to read over those job descriptions and make a list of the skills, knowledge and experience the employers are looking for.
  • Don’t add an objective: Career goals and objectives are best suited to your cover letter, so don’t waste space with them in your CV profile.
  • Avoid generic phrases: Cheesy clichès and generic phrases won’t impress recruiters, who read the same statements several times per day. Impress them with your skill-set, experience and accomplishments instead!

 

Example CV profile for Head of IT

Dedicated Head of IT with 17 years’ experience in managerial roles within a successful 25+ year career developing and implementing IT systems for large corporations. Experienced negotiator and account manager with an MBA from the University of London. Demonstrated success in executing high-value software and hardware installation and optimising budgets for maximum increase in business productivity.

 

What to include in your Head of IT CV profile?

  • Experience overview: To give employers an idea of your capabilities, show them your track record by giving an overview of the types of companies you have worked for in the past and the roles you have carried out for previous employers – but keep it high level and save the details for your experience section.
  • Targeted skills: Employers need to know what skills you can bring to their organisation, and ideally they want to see skills that match their job vacancy. So, research your target roles thoroughly and add the most important Head of IT skills to your profile.
  • Key qualifications: Be sure to outline your relevant Head of IT qualifications, so that anyone reading the CV can instantly see you are qualified for the jobs you are applying to.

 

Quick tip: If you are finding it difficult to write an attention-grabbing CV profile, choose from hundreds of pre-written profiles across all industries, and add one to your CV with one click in our quick-and-easy CV Builder. All profiles are written by recruitment experts and easily tailored to suit your unique skillset.

 

Core skills section

Next, you should create a bullet pointed list of your core skills, formatted into 2-3 columns.

Here, you should focus on including the most important skills or knowledge listed in the job advertisement.

This will instantly prove that you’re an ideal candidate, even if a recruiter only has time to briefly scan your CV.

 

Core skills section CV

 

Important skills for your Head of IT CV

Strategic planning – Developing a vision and strategy for the IT department to align with the organisation’s objectives.

Budget management – Managing budgets, including forecasting and budget planning.

IT security – Implementing policies, procedures, and controls to ensure the security of IT systems and data.

Project management – Leading IT projects from conception to completion, ensuring they are delivered on time, on budget and to a high standard.

Risk management – Identifying potential risks and implementing mitigation plans to minimise the impact of potential incidents.

IT service management – Applying ITIL principles to ensure the smooth operation of IT services.

Vendor management – Managing relationships with third-party suppliers, ensuring that services and products are delivered to a high standard.

Team management – Managing and developing IT teams, setting objectives, and ensuring performance is monitored and targets are met.

Change management – Implementing and managing changes to IT systems, ensuring that all changes are planned, tested, and implemented with minimal disruption.

Technical expertise – Possessing a deep understanding of current and emerging technologies, ensuring that the IT department can make informed decisions about the adoption of new technologies.

 

Quick tip: Our quick-and-easy CV Builder has thousands of in-demand skills for all industries and professions, that can be added to your CV in seconds – This will save you time and ensure you get noticed by recruiters.

 

CV builder

 

Work experience section

By this point, employers will be keen to know more detail about you career history.

Starting with your most recent role and working backwards, create a snappy list of any relevant roles you’ve held.

This could be freelance, voluntary, part-time or temporary jobs too. Anything that’s relevant to your target role is well-worth listing!

 
Work experience
 

Structuring each job

If you don’t pay attention to the structure of your career history section, it could quickly become bulky and overwhelming.

Get in recruiters’ good books by creating a pleasant reading experience, using the 3-step structure below:

 
Role descriptions
 

Outline

Start with a solid introduction to your role as a whole, in order to build some context.

Explain the nature of the organisation you worked for, the size of the team you were part of, who you reported to and what the overarching purpose of your job was.

 

Key responsibilities

Follow with a snappy list of bullet points, detailing your daily duties and responsibilities.

Tailor it to the role you’re applying for by mentioning how you put the target employer’s desired hard skills and knowledge to use in this role.

 

Key achievements

Round up each role by listing 1-3 key achievements, accomplishments or results.

Wherever possible, quantify them using hard facts and figures, as this really helps to prove your value.

 

Sample job description for Head of IT CV

Outline

Responsible for the overall management and strategy of the IT department at a leading UK retailer of consumer electronics, overseeing the IT services for 400 internal staff accounts and shop floor systems.

Key Responsibilities

  • Articulate and compose business cases for presentation to stakeholders and executives
  • Develop and implement IT strategy to maximise value from investment, working with Data and IT teams to identify, define and deliver solutions to drive growth
  • Design appropriate systems architecture, supplier partnerships, and deliver a suite of BI tools
  • Assign data collection and analysis tasks to members of the IT and Data team to compile comprehensive quality, project implementation, and ROI metrics

 

Quick tip: Create impressive job descriptions easily in our quick-and-easy CV Builder by adding pre-written job phrases for every industry and career stage.

 

 

Education and qualifications

After your work experience, your education section should provide a detailed view of your academic background.

Begin with those most relevant to Head of IT jobs, such as vocational training or degrees.
If you have space, you can also mention your academic qualifications, such as A-Levels and GCSEs.

Focus on the qualifications that are most relevant to the jobs you are applying for.

 

Hobbies and interests

The hobbies and interests CV section isn’t mandatory, so don’t worry if you’re out of room by this point.

However, if you have an interesting hobby, or an interest that could make you seem more suitable for the role, then certainly think about adding.

Be careful what you include though… Only consider hobbies that exhibit skills that are required for roles as a Head of IT, or transferable workplace skills.

There is never any need to tell employers that you like to watch TV and eat out.

 

CV builder

Once you’ve written your Head of IT CV, you should proofread it several times to ensure that there are no typos or grammatical errors.

With a tailored punchy profile that showcases your relevant experience and skills, paired with well-structured role descriptions, you’ll be able to impress employers and land interviews.

Good luck with your next job application!