Overview
Network engineering is one of the few IT specialisms where certifications and hands-on experience often matter more than the university name on your degree. Employers want to know you can configure a switch, troubleshoot a connectivity issue, and document what you did. A CCNA and a year at an MSP will get you further than a first-class degree with no practical exposure.
Marcus Williams graduated from De Montfort University with a Computer Networks degree and spent a year as a network support apprentice at a managed service provider. He also holds the CCNA and CompTIA Network+ certifications and maintains a home lab. His resume is effective because it is full of real equipment, real client sites, and real problem-solving.
What Makes This Resume Work
The apprenticeship shows breadth. Marcus did not just sit at a desk answering tickets. He configured Cisco and Ubiquiti equipment for over 40 client sites, set up VLANs for 6 onboardings, and helped complete a full network refresh for a 50-person office with zero downtime. MSP experience is especially valuable because it exposes you to many different environments rather than just one corporate network.
The home lab proves initiative. Running a Proxmox cluster with pfSense, VLANs, and GNS3 at home shows a level of curiosity and self-motivation that most graduates do not demonstrate. It also means Marcus has practised configurations outside of work hours, which builds confidence and reduces the training investment for an employer.
Previous roles are not hidden. The warehouse job at Amazon and the university helpdesk role are included because they show work ethic and progression. Processing 120 items per hour at a fulfilment centre and resolving 30 IT tickets per week both demonstrate reliability and the ability to work under pressure.
Key Takeaways
For networking roles, certifications like CCNA and Network+ carry real weight. List them prominently. If you have worked at an MSP or done an apprenticeship, describe the range of equipment and client sites you worked with. A home lab is one of the best things a junior network engineer can put on a resume because it shows you care enough to practise in your own time. Include the details: what hardware you are running, what software you have configured, and what you have learned from it.
