Are you going to apply to a new job but you are worried your CV looks quite boring? Don’t worry you have come to the right place. This guide will help you to create an intriguing resume. It will help you to craft an outstanding resume and stand out from the crowd. Let’s get right into it:
Picking up an appropriate format
Creating a tech resume can be slightly different from a standard resume. First, you need to find an appropriate where you can highlight your expertise, technical skills, portfolio, etc. in an informative manner. It is really important to use a format suitable for tech resumes as it makes a huge difference in the hiring process. It is key to choose a template that helps you showcase your skills and expertise in a professional manner to leave a good first impression on your potential employer. Make sure that your resume has all of these aspects:
- Easy-to-read layout
- A professional style for the job
- Excellently portray your experience and skills
Also, make sure to add these important sections in your tech resume:
- Name and contact information
- Personal summary
- Work experience
- Education
- Relevant skills
- Soft skills
- Portfolio links
- Important projects
Maybe also add the awards that you have won over the years, important college projects. Don’t forget to add contact information where employers can reach out to you.
Add personal summary
A good resume should always showcase a personal summary where you can mention your background information and the role you are applying for. Recruiters only have a few seconds to look at your resume so it is important to add a bit of personal touch to stand out in a crowd.
Start off by adding a header about yourself where you include your full name, phone number, location, and email address. Don’t need to add a home address or other specific information, just add your city so the recruiter can get a better idea of where you reside.
If your hobbies or interest align with the position you are applying for, add them to your resume. This can be really helpful to convey to your employers that you are interested in your field outside the job. Adding hobbies and interests can leave a good impression as well. Also add your extracurricular activities like participating in any code advent, summer coding camp, or maybe anything that you volunteer for.
Sharing your extracurriculars shows your genuine interest in tech and it is a great way to show your talents. Make sure to summarise your skills in a professional manner. You don’t need to add nits and bits of your irrelative hobbies that don’t come of good. Only highlight your prominent skills and achievements while adding your extracurricular activities.
Lead with your expertise
Add your expertise, even if you have finished school you can add the projects that you did throughout your academic career. Maybe add other accomplishments as well like volunteering for any tech-related event. It can help you present yourself better. Don’t act modestly about your accomplishments. It will give your potential employers the idea of how you can use your skills to their benefit. Promoting and authenticating your skills can also give you an idea of where you stand.
However, if you have work experience lead with that. Add your career achievements and skills you have developed over the years on the job.
We have listed a few sample skills, that tech employers might be looking for in their candidates.
Technical skills to highlight
Usually, huge companies do not have time to look through every single resume, that is why they use keywords to filter out the ones which don’t include their required skills or those which have basic templates. To make sure that your resume makes the first round, add your technical skills which complement the job position you are applying for. Be sure your technical resume summarizes your skill level with each of the essential skills listed in the posting.
It’s helpful to the hiring manager if you include your skill level on each tool. For example, you might include a list:
• For web developers, expertise in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript are really important.
• For ones who are in cybersecurity, having knowledge of encoding and scripting languages can be useful. Also, a track record of scrutinizing malware and large data sets can also be required.
• Data scientist candidates should have expertise in modus operandi.
• Machine learning engineers should highlight their experience in Python or have a background in GPU computing and data mining.
• Programmers should emphasize their experience of working with software like SAS and languages like SQL.
People skills to highlight
People skills are really important to highlight as these traits make sure that you’re bringing more to the table than just your technical expertise. Here’s why they are essential:
Problem solvers and inventive thinkers
For tech workers, it is really important for them to be great problem solvers and inventive thinkers. They might not think of themselves as creative but there’s a great deal of innovation in their field. They should highlight their ability to push themselves intelligently to solve critical problems.
Independent, but cooperative
Recruiters look for a person who can work independently as well as a team member when required. As the tech work is both independent and team-based, so it is suggested to highlight instances when you worked on your own and with others.
Excellent communication skills
Communication skills are the most important skill required in the workplace, especially in the tech field. The ability to effectively communicate to your peers and superiors your new ideas and projects is highly required. Effectively communicating technical information to a wide range of audiences—including those who have the knowledge of technical verbiage and those who don’t—is highly appreciated by employers.
Quick learner
As a tech person, you should have the ability to acclimatize to new software and new tools. It is desirable to mention this ability to quickly adapt to new skills and software.
Other people skills that can be beneficial are:
- Organisation
- Analytical Abilities
- Project Management
- Perseverance
- Resourcefulness
Back up your accomplishments with evidence
Just listing your professional accomplishments is not enough for employers, even though it’s a critical component. You need to back them up with evidence of your previous education. It will give your employer a better idea of what did you study for your particular skill set.
Education
Most hiring places require some kind of degree in your respective fields so it is really important for you to list your educational experience. If you have attended a school that is known for its computer programming or other related programs, make sure to highlight this information on your resume. You might end up getting in touch with your graduated seniors.
Certifications and Awards
Mentioning your awards, honors, special skills, and certifications can showcase your preparedness for the role and upcoming endeavors. Mentioning them helps you stand out in a crowd of your applications. Don’t mention every tiny certificate or award from your childhood, only add those which complement your field of work.
Previous experience
Add your previous experience in the tech department. This will help you bring your value across and tell recruiters about your skills and potential impact.
Personal projects
It feels great to showcase your previous experience but recruiters are more interested in your past projects. It will give them an idea of how technologically advanced is your work. These showcase your ability to stand out in the tech industry.
External courses
Apart from skills regarding your job, it is important to have skillsets for some external courses. It’s can be a great plus for the recruiters so they’ll lean towards those employees who go above and beyond the job requirement. It depicts the level of dedication that is highly valued in the hiring process.
Social Media Links
Don’t forget to add your social media profile links. As an aspiring tech person, you need to have an online mark that your employers can look at. Social media is a great place to showcase your professional quests. Add links to your LinkedIn profile and digital portfolio.
Keep the recruiter in mind
Resumes are mostly impression-based, they’ll be looked at for a few seconds so try to make it understandable. Add specific text and titles, dedicated sections for education, work experience, and technical skills, and keep the reading flow easy to read. Most tech companies look for candidates who can think outside the box and bring new ideas to the table. This should be presented in your resume as well. A resume with a basic template can be easily neglected, add something unique to stand apart from the crowd.
Edit, and get a second opinion
Make sure to edit out all the unnecessary details and get a second opinion on your resume. You might have made some mistake so it’s important to show it to someone before directly sending it to recruiters. They can help you catch syntax errors or any ignored mistakes. It’s essential to pay attention to every single detail as a minor mistake can break your image in front of the recruiters.