🚨 Not getting network engineer interviews? Your resume is missing critical network infrastructure keywords.

In 2025, over 97% of tech companies use ATS to filter network engineer resumes. Missing terms like "Cisco," "BGP," or "SD-WAN" can instantly disqualify you—even with years of network administration experience.

This guide gives you 60+ ATS-approved network engineer keywords, organized by category, with real examples and optimization strategies.

👉 Scan Your Network Engineer Resume for Missing Keywords - Free

Why Network Engineer Resume Keywords Matter in 2025

The brutal truth: Network engineering roles are highly vendor-specific and protocol-dependent, requiring a unique blend of routing, switching, security, and infrastructure keywords.

Recruiters and ATS systems scan your resume for:

✅ Vendor equipment (Cisco, Juniper, Palo Alto, Arista, Fortinet)
✅ Routing protocols (BGP, OSPF, EIGRP, RIP, Static Routing)
✅ Switching technologies (VLAN, STP, Trunking, Port Security, Layer 2/3 Switching)
✅ Network security (Firewalls, VPN, IDS/IPS, Network Security Policies, Zero Trust)
✅ WAN technologies (SD-WAN, MPLS, WAN Optimization, Site-to-Site VPN)
✅ Network monitoring (SNMP, Network Monitoring Tools, Wireshark, Packet Analysis)

If your resume doesn't match the job's network vocabulary, it gets filtered out—often before a human ever sees it.

According to LinkedIn's 2024 Global Talent Trends report, over 90% of tech companies rely on ATS systems to filter network engineer resumes. The Cisco 2024 Networking Report confirms that SD-WAN, network security, and cloud networking are the primary screening criteria for most organizations.

The Network Engineer Keyword Gap Problem

75% of network engineer resumes are rejected by ATS before reaching a recruiter.
The #1 reason? Missing vendor equipment, routing protocols, and network security keywords.

Example: A network engineer resume missing "Cisco" or "BGP" gets filtered out, even if the candidate has 5 years of network administration experience.

The solution: Use this comprehensive keyword guide to ensure your resume includes every term network engineering recruiters search for. Reference official documentation from Cisco, Juniper, and Palo Alto Networks to ensure you're using the correct terminology.

60+ Essential Network Engineer Resume Keywords (2025)

Our research across hundreds of network engineer job listings shows that successful resumes must include a blend of:

🔌 Vendor Equipment & Platforms

Vendor	Related Keywords
Cisco	Cisco, Cisco IOS, Cisco Nexus, Cisco Catalyst, Cisco ASA, Cisco ISR, Cisco ASR, Cisco Meraki, Cisco ACI, Cisco DNA Center
Juniper	Juniper, Junos OS, Juniper MX, Juniper EX, Juniper SRX, Juniper QFX, Juniper Contrail
Palo Alto	Palo Alto Networks, PAN-OS, Palo Alto Firewall, Panorama, Palo Alto GlobalProtect
Other Vendors	Arista, Fortinet, Check Point, F5 Networks, Riverbed, Aruba, Extreme Networks

🛣️ Routing Protocols & Technologies

Category	Keywords
Routing Protocols	BGP (Border Gateway Protocol), OSPF (Open Shortest Path First), EIGRP (Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol), RIP, IS-IS, Static Routing, Dynamic Routing
Routing Concepts	Route Redistribution, Route Filtering, Route Summarization, Route Maps, Access Control Lists (ACLs), Prefix Lists
WAN Technologies	SD-WAN (Software-Defined WAN), MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching), WAN Optimization, Site-to-Site VPN, DMVPN, GRE Tunnels

🔄 Switching & LAN Technologies

Category	Keywords
Switching Technologies	VLAN (Virtual LAN), Trunking, STP (Spanning Tree Protocol), RSTP, MSTP, Port Security, Layer 2 Switching, Layer 3 Switching
LAN Technologies	Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet, 10 Gigabit Ethernet, PoE (Power over Ethernet), Link Aggregation (LACP), EtherChannel
Wireless	Wi-Fi, WLAN, Wireless Controllers, Access Points, 802.11 standards, Wireless Security (WPA2, WPA3)

🔒 Network Security

Category	Keywords
Firewalls	Firewalls, Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW), Stateful Firewall, Firewall Rules, Security Policies, Network Segmentation
VPN Technologies	VPN (Virtual Private Network), Site-to-Site VPN, Remote Access VPN, SSL VPN, IPsec, DMVPN, GRE Tunnels
Security Tools	IDS (Intrusion Detection System), IPS (Intrusion Prevention System), Network Security Monitoring, SIEM, Zero Trust Architecture, Network Access Control (NAC)

📊 Network Monitoring & Management

Category	Keywords
Monitoring Tools	SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol), Network Monitoring, Wireshark, Packet Analysis, Network Performance Monitoring, NetFlow, sFlow
Management Platforms	Network Management Systems (NMS), Cisco DNA Center, Cisco Prime, SolarWinds, PRTG, Nagios, Zabbix
Troubleshooting	Network Troubleshooting, Packet Capture, Network Diagnostics, Ping, Traceroute, Network Analysis

☁️ Cloud & Modern Networking

Category	Keywords
Cloud Networking	AWS Networking, Azure Networking, GCP Networking, VPC (Virtual Private Cloud), Cloud VPN, Direct Connect, ExpressRoute
Software-Defined Networking	SDN (Software-Defined Networking), SD-WAN, Network Virtualization, Network Automation, Network Programmability
Network Automation	Network Automation, Python Scripting, Ansible, Terraform, API Integration, Network Orchestration

📋 Network Design & Architecture

Category	Keywords
Design Concepts	Network Design, Network Architecture, Network Topology, High Availability, Redundancy, Load Balancing, Network Scalability
Infrastructure	Data Center Networking, Campus Networking, WAN Design, LAN Design, Network Documentation, Network Diagrams

🎓 Certifications (High-Value Keywords)

Vendor	Certifications
Cisco	CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate), CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Professional), CCIE (Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert), CCNA Security, CCNP Security
Juniper	JNCIA (Juniper Networks Certified Associate), JNCIS, JNCIP, JNCIE
General	Network+, Security+, CompTIA Network+, AWS Certified Advanced Networking, Azure Network Engineer Associate

How to Integrate Keywords into Your Network Engineer Resume

✅ Strong Example: Keyword-Optimized Network Engineer Resume

Network Engineer | ABC Corporation
Managed enterprise network infrastructure supporting 5,000+ users across 15 locations

Designed and implemented SD-WAN solution using Cisco Meraki, reducing WAN costs by 40% and improving network reliability
Configured and maintained BGP routing for multi-homed internet connections, achieving 99.9% uptime across all sites
Deployed Palo Alto firewalls with next-generation security policies, blocking 2,000+ security threats monthly
Implemented VLAN segmentation and network access control (NAC), improving network security posture by 60%
Automated network provisioning using Python and Ansible, reducing deployment time from 4 hours to 15 minutes
Troubleshot complex network issues using Wireshark and packet analysis, resolving 95% of incidents within SLA

Why it works:

✅ Includes vendor keywords: Cisco Meraki, Palo Alto
✅ Includes protocol keywords: BGP, SD-WAN, VLAN
✅ Includes security keywords: Network Security, NAC, Firewalls
✅ Includes automation keywords: Python, Ansible, Network Automation
✅ Includes monitoring keywords: Wireshark, Packet Analysis
✅ Quantifiable results (40% cost reduction, 99.9% uptime, 2,000+ threats blocked)

❌ Weak Example: Missing Critical Keywords

Network Engineer | XYZ Company
Worked on company network and helped with connectivity issues

Worked on network equipment
Fixed internet problems
Set up routers and switches
Helped users with network access
Monitored network performance

Why it fails:

❌ No vendor keywords (Cisco, Juniper, Palo Alto)
❌ No protocol keywords (BGP, OSPF, VLAN)
❌ No security keywords (Firewalls, VPN, Network Security)
❌ No specific technologies (SD-WAN, MPLS, Network Automation)
❌ Vague descriptions without quantifiable results
❌ Generic language that doesn't match ATS filters

Keyword Integration Strategy

Step 1: Match Job Description Keywords

Before applying, identify:

Vendor requirements (Cisco, Juniper, Palo Alto?)
Protocol requirements (BGP, OSPF, SD-WAN?)
Security requirements (Firewalls, VPN, Network Security?)
Cloud requirements (AWS Networking, Azure Networking?)
Certification requirements (CCNA, CCNP, Network+?)

Step 2: Prioritize Keywords by Frequency

High-priority keywords (appear in 80%+ of job descriptions):

Cisco, Routing, Switching, Firewalls, Network Security, BGP, OSPF, VLAN, VPN

Medium-priority keywords (appear in 50-80% of job descriptions):

SD-WAN, Network Monitoring, Wireshark, Network Design, Network Troubleshooting

Specialized keywords (appear in 20-50% of job descriptions):

Palo Alto, Juniper, MPLS, Network Automation, Python, Ansible

Step 3: Add Keywords Naturally

✅ DO:

Use keywords in context: "Configured BGP routing for multi-homed connections"
Include vendor + technology: "Deployed Cisco Meraki SD-WAN solution"
Show expertise: "Implemented Palo Alto firewalls with next-generation security policies"

❌ DON'T:

Keyword stuff: "Network Engineer with Cisco BGP OSPF VLAN VPN experience"
List without context: "Skills: Cisco, BGP, OSPF, VLAN, VPN"
Use outdated terms: "Router configuration" (use "Routing protocol configuration")

Step 4: Include Certifications

If you have certifications, add them:

Certifications: CCNA, CCNP, Network+, Security+
Or in education section: "Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) - 2024"

Step 5: Validate Your Resume

Use our free ATS scanner to check if your resume includes the right keywords:

👉 Scan Your Network Engineer Resume for Missing Keywords - Free

Internal Guides

Complete Resume Keywords List Hub - Browse all role-specific keyword guides
Cloud Engineer Resume Keywords - Cloud infrastructure and architecture keywords
DevOps Engineer Resume Keywords - Infrastructure automation and CI/CD keywords
Cybersecurity Engineer Resume Keywords - Network security and security tools keywords
System Administrator Resume Keywords - IT infrastructure and server management keywords

Network Engineering Resources

LinkedIn Network Engineer Jobs - Search network engineer positions
Indeed Network Engineer Career Guide - Network engineer salary and career insights
Glassdoor Network Engineer Insights - Network engineer salary data and company reviews
Cisco Learning Network - Official Cisco certification and training resources
Juniper Learning Portal - Official Juniper training and certification resources
Palo Alto Networks Training - Official Palo Alto Networks training resources
CompTIA Network+ Certification - Industry-standard network certification
ResumeWorded Network Engineer Resume Examples - Network engineer resume examples and templates
Jobscan Network Engineer Resume Optimization - ATS optimization tool for network engineer resumes

FAQ

What are the most important network engineer resume keywords?

The most critical keywords include Cisco, Routing, Switching, Firewalls, Network Security, SD-WAN, BGP, OSPF, VLAN, VPN, Network Monitoring, and Infrastructure Design. These appear in over 90% of network engineer job descriptions.

How many network engineer keywords should I include?

Include 25-35 highly relevant keywords that match the job description. Focus on network protocols, vendor equipment (Cisco, Juniper, Palo Alto), security tools, and infrastructure technologies you've actually configured.

Should I include both vendor equipment and protocols?

Yes. Network engineers should list both vendor equipment (Cisco, Juniper, Palo Alto) and protocols (BGP, OSPF, EIGRP, TCP/IP) to show comprehensive network expertise.

Do I need to mention network security keywords?

Absolutely. Keywords like Firewalls, Network Security, VPN, IDS/IPS, and Security Policies are essential and appear in most network engineer job descriptions, especially for enterprise roles.

Can I include network certifications like CCNA or CCNP?

Yes. Certifications like CCNA, CCNP, CCIE, JNCIA, and Network+ are valuable keywords that demonstrate expertise and are often required by employers.

Ready to optimize your network engineer resume? Use our free ATS scanner to identify missing keywords and get an instant ATS compatibility score.