Incident Metrics as Contextual Ranking Multipliers

SOC screening models weigh:

• •Mean Time to Detect (MTTD)
• •Mean Time to Respond (MTTR)
• •Number of incidents handled
• •Alert volume processed
• •Escalation rates

Weak impact signal:

• •Improved response processes.

Strong operational signal:

• •Reduced MTTR by 28% by optimizing incident response playbooks.

Quantified SOC metrics increase contextual scoring.

Parsing Risks in SOC-Focused Resumes

SOC analysts frequently include dense tool inventories:

Splunk | QRadar | Sentinel | EDR | IDS/IPS | SIEM

Parsing errors arise when:

• •Acronyms are used without expansion
• •Tools are separated with non-standard characters
• •SOC terminology appears only in summary sections

Including both “Security Information and Event Management (SIEM)” and “SIEM” improves token recognition.

Clean separation improves Boolean accuracy.

Optimized vs ATS-Weak SOC Resume Fragment

ATS-Optimized Fragment

SOC Analyst
2020–2024

• •Monitored security events using Splunk SIEM processing 5,000+ alerts daily
• •Conducted Tier 2 incident investigations reducing MTTR by 28%
• •Configured EDR tools mitigating 150+ endpoint threats annually
• •Escalated critical incidents per SOC runbook procedures improving response efficiency

Skills
Splunk
SIEM
Incident Response
EDR
IDS
IPS
Threat Analysis

Why this passes:

• •Explicit SOC Analyst title
• •SIEM and EDR tool specificity
• •Tier-level terminology
• •Quantified operational metrics

Superficially Strong but ATS-Weak Fragment

Security Operations Specialist

• •Managed security tools
• •Improved system protection
• •Assisted with investigations

Why this fails:

• •No explicit SOC token
• •No SIEM platform mention
• •No MTTR or incident metrics
• •Generic job title

The ATS cannot validate SOC-specific operational experience.

ATS-Optimized Resume Example for SOC Analyst (United States)

Professional Summary
SOC Analyst with 5+ years of experience monitoring security events using Splunk and Microsoft Sentinel in high-volume Security Operations Center environments. Proven expertise in Tier 2 incident response, threat analysis, and EDR management reducing mean time to respond (MTTR) by 28%. Strong background in IDS/IPS monitoring, log analysis, and NIST-aligned security controls. Delivered operational improvements supporting 24/7 SOC operations.

Core Skills
Security Operations Center (SOC)
Splunk
Microsoft Sentinel
IBM QRadar
SIEM
Incident Response
Incident Handling
Threat Analysis
Log Analysis
Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR)
IDS
IPS
Runbooks
Playbooks
NIST Cybersecurity Framework
Firewall Management
Risk Assessment
Network Security
Vulnerability Assessment
Security Monitoring

Professional Experience

SOC Analyst
SecureWave Technologies, Dallas, TX
2020–2024

• •Monitored 5,000+ daily security alerts using Splunk SIEM reducing false positives by 22%
• •Conducted Tier 2 incident investigations lowering MTTR by 28%
• •Configured and managed EDR tools mitigating 200+ endpoint threats annually
• •Updated SOC runbooks improving escalation efficiency by 18%
• •Implemented IDS/IPS tuning reducing unauthorized access attempts by 30%

Junior SOC Analyst
CyberShield Solutions, Phoenix, AZ
2018–2020

• •Performed real-time log analysis using Microsoft Sentinel improving threat detection accuracy by 20%
• •Assisted in vulnerability assessments reducing system exposure by 25%
• •Documented incident response procedures enhancing compliance readiness
• •Escalated high-severity alerts following SOC playbooks
• •Supported 24/7 SOC operations maintaining 99% monitoring uptime

Certifications
CompTIA Security+
Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) – Associate

Education
Bachelor of Science in Information Security, Arizona State University, 2018

This structure ensures:

• •Explicit SOC Analyst title alignment
• •SIEM and EDR tool validation
• •Tier-specific incident response terminology
• •Quantified operational metrics
• •Structured parsing compatibility