ALEXANDRA SMITH
Burnley
Summary
Highly motivated professional transitioning into technology after a successful 20-year career in high-volume customer service. Leverages extensive experience in fast-paced environments to deliver exceptional problem-solving, stakeholder management, and performance under pressure, skills directly transferable to a Service Desk Analyst or similar role. Backed by a solid technical foundation with Cisco CCNA, Microsoft, and CompTIA certifications. Passionate about continuous learning and practical application, actively engaging in networking and cybersecurity challenges on the TryHackMe platform. Currently studying towards ITIL 4 Foundation.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
7
7
years of post-secondary education
5
5
Certification
Work History
AI Writing Analyst (Technology & LLMs)
Outlier AI
11.2024 - Current
- Perform rigorous analysis of prompt responses from Large Language Models (LLMs) to ensure technical accuracy, truthfulness, and logical workflow
- Utilise Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback (RLHF) methodologies to align machine learning models with strict quality, safety, and ethical obligations
Crew Member
KFC
Burnley, UK
09.2019 - Current
- Deliver rapid, high-quality support in a high-pressure environment, effectively resolving customer complaints and managing expectations during peak hours
- Collaborate within a diverse team to maintain operational standards, showcasing strong multitasking and communication skills directly transferable to a high-volume IT Service Desk
IT Technician Traineeship
IT Career Switch Ltd
02.2024 - 01.2025
- Completed an intensive, hands-on training programme applying CompTIA, Microsoft, and Cisco frameworks to real-world scenarios
- Designed and configured small business network topologies using Cisco Packet Tracer, successfully implementing VLANs, routing protocols, and DHCP services
- Administered Active Directory accounts, deployed printers, configured firewalls, and executed hardware and software troubleshooting
Cyber Ready Trainee
Digital Skills Partnership
Preston, UK
01.2024 - 11.2024
- Selected via a competitive process to complete an advanced technical programme, developing practical knowledge in threat detection, system hardening, and enterprise risk management
Cybersecurity Competitor
SANS Women in Cybersecurity Scholarship
08.2023 - 12.2023
- Achieved the Tier 3 semi-final stage (Top 100 out of 1,000+ candidates) in a highly competitive technical environment
- Practised network forensics, Linux administration, and code analysis through Capture-the-Flag (CTF) challenges
Planned Career Break
09.2018 - 09.2019
- Took a planned career break to relocate to the UK, manage family commitments, and successfully integrate into a new country before returning to full-time employment
Hospitality & Customer Support Roles
01.2004 - 01.2018
- Client Management: Provided VIP-level service to international clients onboard MSC Cruises, adapting to diverse cultures and ensuring high customer satisfaction
- SLA & Target Achievement: Handled high volumes of inbound/outbound calls as a Telemarketing Agent, scheduling technical visits and resolving technical queries while meeting strict daily performance targets
- Conflict Resolution: Cultivated strong de-escalation skills, calming frustrated clients and ensuring high First Contact Resolution (FCR) rates
Education
Functional Skills Mathematics (Level 2) & English (Level 2) -
UK
03.2025 - 06.2025
Digital Marketing Level 2 -
Nottingham College
2024
BA - Social Work
State University of Rio de Janeiro
03.2008 - 01.2015
Skills
- IT Support & Systems
- Active Directory
- Windows 10/11
- Remote Troubleshooting
- M365
- Hardware/Software Support
- Networking & Cloud
- Cisco Packet Tracer
- TCP/IP
- DNS
- DHCP
- VLANs
- Routing & Switching
- Microsoft Azure
- Security
- MITRE ATT&CK;
- Firewalls
- Threat Detection
- System Hardening
- Programming
- Python
- Service Management
- First Contact Resolution (FCR)
- SLA Compliance
- Multilingual
- Empathy
- De-escalation
https://linkedin.com/in/alexandrasmith-665818181
ASPIRATION ROLE
IT SERVICE DESK ANALIST | JUNIOR NETWORK ENGINEER | SOC ANALYST
Certification
- Advanced Python Programming, Udemy, In Progress
- ITIL 4 Foundation, Axelos/PeopleCert, In Progress
- Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) 200-301, Cisco
- CompTIA Cybersecurity Analyst (CySA+), CompTIA
- CompTIA Security+, CompTIA
- Microsoft Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900), Microsoft
- Security, Compliance, and Identity Fundamentals (SC-900), Microsoft
- Google Cybersecurity Professional Certificate, Coursera
- Cyber Security Technician Bootcamp, Firebrand Training
- Understanding Data Protection and Data Security Level 2, CT Skills
Projects
- Built small business network labs in Cisco Packet Tracer, configuring VLANs, DHCP, routing, and basic switch settings
- Practised Active Directory tasks in lab environments, including user account creation, group management, password resets, and printer deployment
- Completed TryHackMe labs focused on networking, Windows, Linux, and cybersecurity fundamentals, strengthening practical troubleshooting and security skills
Languages
Portuguese
First Language
English
Advanced
C1
Timeline
Functional Skills Mathematics (Level 2) & English (Level 2) -
UK
03.2025 - 06.2025
AI Writing Analyst (Technology & LLMs)
Outlier AI
11.2024 - Current
IT Technician Traineeship
IT Career Switch Ltd
02.2024 - 01.2025
Cyber Ready Trainee
Digital Skills Partnership
01.2024 - 11.2024
Cybersecurity Competitor
SANS Women in Cybersecurity Scholarship
08.2023 - 12.2023
Crew Member
KFC
09.2019 - Current
Planned Career Break
09.2018 - 09.2019
BA - Social Work
State University of Rio de Janeiro
03.2008 - 01.2015
Hospitality & Customer Support Roles
01.2004 - 01.2018
Digital Marketing Level 2 -
Nottingham College