Network Engineer Resume: Examples & Template (2026)

What Makes a Network Engineer Resume Stand Out

I've reviewed hundreds of network engineering resumes through my career, and I'll tell you what separates the callbacks from the rejections: specificity.

Generic resumes that list "network troubleshooting" and "Cisco experience" land in the same pile as the other 200 applicants. But resumes that mention "reduced mean time to resolution by 35% through implementing automated monitoring with SolarWinds" get interviews.

Network engineering is one of those fields where your technical credentials matter enormously—but only if you know how to present them. Hiring managers scanning your resume need to see three things instantly: your certifications, your hands-on experience, and your impact. For comprehensive strategies on optimizing your resume language, our professional impact dictionary covers the exact verbs and metrics for network engineering roles.

If you're looking for foundational resume guidance that applies across all roles, our ultimate resume and CV guide covers the structural elements you'll build on here.

This guide will show you exactly how to build a network engineer resume that passes ATS screening, impresses technical hiring managers, and lands you interviews at companies ranging from enterprise IT departments to cloud-native startups.

Network Engineer Resume Example

Before we dive into the details, here's what a strong network engineer resume looks like in 2026:

ALEX MARTINEZ
Network Engineer | CCNP | Azure Certified
Seattle, WA | alex.martinez@email.com | LinkedIn: /in/alexmartinez | (555) 123-4567

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PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Network Engineer with 6+ years designing, implementing, and maintaining
enterprise network infrastructure supporting 5,000+ users across 12 locations.
CCNP-certified with expertise in Cisco routing/switching, firewall management,
and cloud networking. Proven track record of achieving 99.99% uptime while
reducing operational costs by 25% through automation and infrastructure optimization.

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CERTIFICATIONS

• Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) Enterprise – Active
• Microsoft Certified: Azure Network Engineer Associate – 2025
• CompTIA Security+ – Active
• Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) – Active

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TECHNICAL SKILLS

Routing & Switching: Cisco IOS, NX-OS, BGP, OSPF, EIGRP, VLANs, STP, VPC
Security: Palo Alto, Cisco Firepower, VPN (IPSec/SSL), 802.1X, ACLs
Cloud: AWS VPC, Azure Virtual Networks, ExpressRoute, Direct Connect
Monitoring: SolarWinds NPM, Splunk, PRTG, Wireshark, NetFlow
Automation: Python, Ansible, Terraform, REST APIs, Git
Wireless: Cisco WLC, Meraki, Aruba, 802.11ax

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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Senior Network Engineer | TechCorp Inc. | Seattle, WA
January 2022 – Present

• Manage enterprise network infrastructure supporting 5,000+ users across
  12 sites with 99.99% uptime SLA achievement
• Led SD-WAN migration project reducing WAN costs by $180K annually
  while improving branch performance by 40%
• Implemented network automation using Python and Ansible, reducing
  configuration deployment time from 4 hours to 20 minutes
• Designed and deployed Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) architecture,
  enhancing security posture for remote workforce of 2,000+ employees
• Mentored team of 3 junior engineers, developing training curriculum
  for network automation best practices

Network Engineer | DataFlow Systems | Portland, OR
June 2019 – December 2021

• Maintained multi-vendor network environment (Cisco, Juniper, Palo Alto)
  supporting 200+ network devices across 5 data centers
• Reduced network incidents by 45% through implementing proactive
  monitoring with SolarWinds and custom alerting thresholds
• Configured and maintained BGP peering with 4 ISPs, optimizing traffic
  routing and ensuring redundancy
• Led firewall migration from legacy ASA to Palo Alto next-gen firewalls,
  improving threat detection capabilities

Junior Network Administrator | CloudBase Inc. | Portland, OR
August 2018 – May 2019

• Provided Tier 2/3 network support for 150+ users, maintaining &lt;15 minute
  average response time for critical incidents
• Documented network topology and procedures, creating knowledge base
  used across IT department
• Assisted with AWS VPC design and implementation for hybrid cloud initiative

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PROJECTS

• Data Center Network Refresh: Led $2M infrastructure upgrade across
  2 facilities, replacing legacy switches with Cisco Nexus spine-leaf
  architecture
• Network Automation Framework: Developed Python-based automation suite
  for config backup, compliance checking, and device provisioning

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EDUCATION

Bachelor of Science in Information Technology
University of Washington | 2018

This resume works because it leads with certifications and technical skills, then backs them up with quantified achievements. Let's break down each section.

Crafting Your Network Engineer Summary

Your summary is where you establish credibility in the first 10 seconds. For network engineers, this means leading with three elements:

Years of experience and scope (size of networks you've managed)
Key certifications (CCNA, CCNP, cloud certs)
Signature achievement (uptime, cost savings, major project)

Strong Summary Examples

Senior Network Engineer: "Network Engineer with 8+ years designing and operating enterprise WAN/LAN infrastructure for Fortune 500 environments. CCNP Enterprise and AWS Advanced Networking certified. Led $3M network modernization initiative achieving 99.99% uptime while reducing operational costs by 30%."

Mid-Level Network Engineer: "CCNA-certified Network Engineer with 4 years of hands-on experience in Cisco routing/switching, firewall administration, and network monitoring. Managed multi-site infrastructure supporting 1,500 users with consistent achievement of uptime SLAs. Experienced in Python automation and cloud networking basics."

Entry-Level/Career Changer: "Recently certified CCNA professional with home lab experience in enterprise networking technologies including Cisco IOS, VLANs, OSPF, and firewall configuration. IT support background with 2 years troubleshooting network connectivity issues. Seeking to apply hands-on technical skills in a network engineering role."

Essential Technical Skills for Network Engineers

Hiring managers and ATS systems scan for specific technical keywords. Your skills section needs to be comprehensive but organized.

Must-Have Skills Categories

Routing & Switching:

✅Cisco IOS, IOS-XE, NX-OS

✅Juniper JunOS

✅BGP, OSPF, EIGRP, RIP

✅VLANs, STP, RSTP, MSTP

✅VPC, vPC, MLAG

✅QoS configuration

Network Security:

✅Firewall management (Palo Alto, Fortinet, Cisco ASA/Firepower)

✅VPN configuration (IPSec, SSL, SD-WAN)

✅802.1X and NAC

✅IDS/IPS implementation

✅Zero Trust architecture

Cloud Networking:

✅AWS VPC, Transit Gateway, Direct Connect

✅Azure Virtual Networks, ExpressRoute

✅GCP VPC, Cloud Interconnect

✅Hybrid cloud connectivity

Monitoring & Troubleshooting:

✅SolarWinds NPM, NCM

✅Nagios, PRTG, Zabbix

✅Wireshark, tcpdump

✅NetFlow, sFlow analysis

✅Splunk for network data

Automation & Scripting:

✅Python (Netmiko, NAPALM, Paramiko)

✅Ansible for network automation

✅Terraform for infrastructure as code

✅REST API integration

✅Git version control

Certifications That Matter in 2026

Certifications carry significant weight in network engineering—often more than formal education. Here's the hierarchy that hiring managers look for:

Tier 1: Industry Standard

Certification	Value	Best For
CCNA	Entry-level validation	All aspiring network engineers
CCNP Enterprise	Senior-level expertise	Mid-career advancement
CCIE	Expert-level mastery	Senior/architect roles

Tier 2: Security Focus

Certification	Value	Best For
CompTIA Security+	Security fundamentals	Career starters
Palo Alto PCNSA/PCNSE	Firewall specialization	Security-focused roles
CISSP	Broad security expertise	Leadership positions

Tier 3: Cloud Networking

Certification	Value	Best For
AWS Advanced Networking	Cloud network expertise	Hybrid/cloud roles
Azure Network Engineer	Microsoft ecosystem	Enterprise environments
GCP Network Engineer	Google Cloud specialty	GCP-focused companies

How to list certifications:

CERTIFICATIONS
• Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) Enterprise – Active, Credential ID: CSCO12345678
• AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty – Valid through March 2027
• CompTIA Security+ – Active

Quantifying Your Network Engineer Achievements

Numbers transform generic job duties into compelling achievements. Here's how to convert common network engineering responsibilities into quantified accomplishments:

Uptime and Availability

❌ "Maintained network uptime"
✅ "Achieved 99.99% network availability across 15-site infrastructure (4 hours unplanned downtime annually)"

Cost Optimization

❌ "Helped reduce costs"
✅ "Reduced WAN costs by $120K annually through SD-WAN implementation and ISP renegotiation"

Performance Improvements

❌ "Improved network performance"
✅ "Decreased average latency by 35% through optimizing BGP routing policies and implementing QoS"

Scale and Scope

❌ "Managed network devices"
✅ "Administered 500+ network devices (routers, switches, firewalls) across 3 data centers and 20 branch locations"

Incident Response

❌ "Troubleshot network issues"
✅ "Reduced MTTR from 2 hours to 25 minutes through implementing automated alerting and runbook documentation"

Automation Impact

❌ "Automated network tasks"
✅ "Developed Python automation framework reducing config deployment time by 80% (4 hours to 45 minutes)"

Writing Experience Bullets That Get Interviews

Each bullet point should follow this formula: Action Verb + Task + Result/Impact

Senior Network Engineer Bullets

💡Architected spine-leaf data center network supporting 10,000+ VMs with sub-millisecond latency between compute nodes

💡Led migration from legacy MPLS to SD-WAN, reducing monthly circuit costs by $15K while improving application performance by 40%

💡Designed disaster recovery network architecture achieving RPO of 15 minutes and RTO of 1 hour for critical applications

💡Implemented network segmentation strategy reducing attack surface by 60% and achieving compliance with PCI-DSS requirements

💡Mentored 5 junior engineers on network automation best practices, developing internal training curriculum adopted department-wide

Mid-Level Network Engineer Bullets

💡Managed BGP peering with 6 ISPs, optimizing routing policies to reduce latency by 25% for east coast traffic

💡Configured and maintained Palo Alto firewall cluster protecting 3,000+ endpoints, achieving zero successful intrusions over 2-year period

💡Deployed 802.1X network access control across 50 access switches, enhancing endpoint security posture

💡Created network documentation and topology diagrams using Visio and Netbox, reducing onboarding time for new team members by 50%

💡Implemented SolarWinds NPM monitoring, reducing mean time to detection for network issues from 45 minutes to 5 minutes

Entry-Level Bullets

💡Provided Tier 2 network support for 500+ users, maintaining 98% first-call resolution rate for connectivity issues

💡Configured VLANs and access control lists on Cisco switches supporting 100+ network devices

💡Documented troubleshooting procedures creating knowledge base articles used by help desk team

💡Assisted with wireless network deployment across 3 office floors, configuring Cisco WLC and access points

💡Completed home lab projects including BGP multi-homing simulation, firewall rule optimization, and network automation scripts

The Projects Section: Your Differentiator

Major projects deserve their own section—especially for senior roles or when interviewing for positions with similar scope.

Project Description Template

PROJECT NAME | Timeline | Scope
Brief description of the project, your role, and key technical elements.
Key metrics: cost savings, performance improvements, or scale achieved.

Example Projects

Data Center Network Modernization 2023-2024 | 2 Data Centers | $1.5M Budget Led comprehensive network refresh replacing legacy Cisco 6500 series with Nexus 9000 spine-leaf architecture. Implemented VXLAN EVPN fabric reducing network provisioning time from 2 weeks to 2 hours while improving inter-DC replication performance by 300%.

SD-WAN Global Deployment 2022-2023 | 50 Sites | 4 Countries Designed and deployed Cisco Viptela SD-WAN solution across North American and European branches. Integrated with existing security infrastructure and achieved $300K annual savings compared to dedicated MPLS circuits.

Network Automation Initiative 2023 | Cross-Functional Developed Python/Ansible automation framework for network configuration management. Automated compliance checking, config backup, and device provisioning reducing manual effort by 200+ hours annually.

Entry-Level Network Engineer Resume Tips

Breaking into network engineering without experience requires strategic positioning:

Highlight Your Certifications Front and Center

If you have CCNA but limited professional experience, your certification is your main credential. Place it immediately after your summary.

Include Home Lab Experience

Home labs demonstrate initiative and hands-on learning. Create a Technical Projects section:

HOME LAB ENVIRONMENT

• Built multi-router topology using GNS3 simulating enterprise network with
  BGP, OSPF, and EIGRP routing protocols
• Configured pfSense firewall with VPN termination, IDS/IPS, and traffic
  shaping policies
• Deployed network monitoring stack (Prometheus, Grafana) for infrastructure
  visibility
• Automated device configuration backups using Python and Netmiko library

Leverage Adjacent Experience

If you're transitioning from help desk or IT support, emphasize network-adjacent responsibilities:

Network troubleshooting experience
Switch port configuration
Wireless network support
VPN client configuration
Any exposure to network monitoring tools

For more guidance on building a resume without extensive experience, our guide on resume strategies for career changers offers useful frameworks.

ATS Optimization for Network Engineer Resumes

Applicant Tracking Systems are the first hurdle. Here's how to ensure your resume passes:

Use Standard Section Headers

ATS systems expect conventional formatting:

"Professional Experience" (not "Career Journey")
"Technical Skills" (not "Technology Toolbox")
"Certifications" (not "Professional Credentials")

Include Keywords from Job Descriptions

If a job description mentions "Palo Alto firewall," make sure those exact words appear in your resume—not just "firewall experience."

Common ATS keywords for network engineering:

🔑Cisco IOS, NX-OS, IOS-XE

🔑BGP, OSPF, EIGRP

🔑VPN, IPSec, SSL VPN

🔑Firewall (Palo Alto, Fortinet, Cisco ASA)

🔑CCNA, CCNP, CCIE

🔑Network monitoring (SolarWinds, Nagios)

🔑Python, Ansible, automation

🔑AWS VPC, Azure networking

🔑SD-WAN (Cisco Viptela, VMware VeloCloud)

🔑Layer 2/Layer 3 networking

Avoid Graphics and Tables

Complex formatting breaks ATS parsing. Stick to:

Plain text formatting
Standard fonts (Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman)
Single-column layout
Clear section headers

Frequently Asked Questions

What skills should I put on a network engineer resume?

Include technical skills like Cisco IOS, routing protocols (BGP, OSPF, EIGRP), firewall management, VPN configuration, cloud networking (AWS, Azure), network monitoring tools, and scripting languages like Python. Also include soft skills like troubleshooting, documentation, and cross-functional collaboration.

Should I list my CCNA on my resume?

Absolutely. CCNA and other Cisco certifications are highly valued and should be prominently displayed in a dedicated Certifications section near the top of your resume. Include the certification name, issuing body, and expiration date if applicable.

How do I quantify achievements on a network engineer resume?

Focus on metrics like uptime percentages (99.99% network availability), cost savings from optimization projects, number of devices managed, incident response times, and capacity improvements. Example: "Reduced network downtime by 40% through proactive monitoring implementation."

What is the best resume format for network engineers?

A reverse-chronological format works best for most network engineers, leading with a technical summary, followed by certifications, technical skills, professional experience, and education. This format highlights career progression and recent technical achievements.

How long should a network engineer resume be?

One page for early-career professionals with less than 5 years of experience. Two pages are acceptable for senior network engineers or architects with extensive project experience and certifications.

Should I include my home lab projects on my resume?

Yes, especially for entry-level candidates. Home lab experience demonstrates initiative and hands-on learning. Create a Projects section listing lab setups, certifications pursued, and technologies tested.

Build Your Network Engineer Resume with Our AI-Powered Resume Builder

Final Thoughts

A strong network engineer resume balances technical depth with business impact. Your certifications establish credibility. Your skills section passes the ATS and keyword scan. And your experience bullets prove you can deliver results—not just maintain infrastructure.

The networking field is evolving rapidly toward automation, cloud integration, and security-first architectures. Make sure your resume reflects not just where the industry has been, but where it's going.

If you're ready to build or refresh your network engineer resume, start with your certifications and biggest achievements, then work backward from there. The fundamentals we've covered—quantified achievements, organized skills, and clear formatting—will serve you whether you're applying to a Fortune 500 enterprise or an innovative cloud-native company.

Network Engineer Resume: Examples, Skills & Template (2026)