The job market is evolving rapidly and despite the global pandemic and the reduced rate of hiring, tech talent continues to be in demand. Writing an effective resume is the key to success in the current environment as most of the time the hiring process will be remote and online.
If you are not entirely sure how to upgrade your resume to ensure you land more job interviews, here are 10 data-driven ways to make your developer resume more effective.
Avoid ready-made templates
The internet is full of ready-made templates you can use for your resume. While this is an easy way to get things done, remember that these templates are available for everyone so the chance that your resume will be unique and will stand out is minimal.
Keep it real and human
Your resume should sound like it was written by a human, not a machine so write as you would talk. Make sure that it is easy to read and engaging and include some interesting facts about yourself – but keep it work-related.
Back up accomplishments with numbers
If it is possible, always include numbers to back up your accomplishments. For example: reduced page load time from 15 seconds to 5 seconds, improved app performance by 37%, achieved 100,000 downloads in a 3 month, etc. When you not only list your achievements, you will highlight your ability to deliver results.
Here is a great formula you can use to list your accomplishments in an impactful and measurable way – Accomplished [X] as measured by [Y] by doing [Z].
Use ‘power words’
Power words can help you make your descriptions sound much more compelling. Here are some of the best options: automated, concurrent, complex, core, distributed, fully responsive, fault-tolerant, highly available, large-scale, multi-threaded, maintainable, reliable, resilient, reusable, resource-intensive, robust, secure, scalable.
Personalize your resume
Include a short cover letter to show that you know the company you are applying to and care to be considered. Show a little personality so that hiring managers can see your personal approach this early in the process.
Do not go into a lot of details
Do not forget that the resume is not your bio, it is a marketing tool. You do not want it to be too short but you also do not want to include your whole working history. Give a glimpse into your most relevant skills, experience, knowledge, and achievements.
Avoid buzzwords in your summary
Writing a summary is important but avoid including buzzwords or soft skills. Recruiters read hundreds of resumes and almost all of them contain cliched resume worlds such as ‘proactive’, ‘passionate’, ‘results-driven’, ‘good team player’, ‘hard worker’, and the like. Better to describe what exactly makes you unique and sets you apart from other candidates.
Use relevant keywords
To get past the initial resume screening, you need to use relevant keywords. Emphasize the ones listed in the vacancy and include them throughout your resume.
Showcase your passion
Mention any open-source projects you have worked on, provide a link to your blog, or profile in Stack Overflow, GitHub, or HackerRank.
Do not describe your responsibilities
Instead of describing your responsibilities, list your achievements and accomplishments. Use strong action verbs – improved, automated, developed, implemented, reduced, achieved, and so on. Use bullet points to make it easier to read.
