As a technical recruiter here at Udacity, I know first-hand how difficult identifying ideal candidates can be. Building out the very best teams is crucial for every company, especially for small tech startups looking to do innovative things. Companies can get thousands of applicants each month, so as a job seeker, you’ll want to do everything you can to stand out in a stack of resumes.
Consistency of Formatting
From a very basic perspective, formatting is extremely important. This might seem like common knowledge, but you’d be surprised by how often this gets overlooked. A resume that uses different fonts and little formatting coherency, as if something was just copied and pasted, shows an initial lack of organization. That’s a poor first impression.
Whatever overall format you choose, make sure that your style remains consistent throughout. Try to make it apparent that you’ve spent ample time, thought, and effort in putting together the best possible representation of yourself as possible. And because it’s usually the first impression you make to a recruiter, try your best to make your resume appealing and eye-catching—a simple way to stand out amongst a stack of paper. This holds even more true for front-end engineers, whose job relies on an eye for user interface.
Keywords and Skill Set
Don’t list every buzzword on your resume, because a good recruiter will be able to see right through it. And that will potentially come back to bite you during your technical on-site interview. But make sure that you do accurately and honestly represent the skills and keywords that you do have based on your experience and expertise.
For example, front-end web developers will want to make it known to highlight Javascript, AngularJS, ReactJS, HTML5, and CSS3, but remember that keywords are just keywords. They may generate initial interest in your resume, but what’s more important is your content and projects you’ve completed.
Current Employment and Projects
Detailed descriptions of current and past work experience (that ties into your keywords and skill set) are essential. Think about how you utilize the specific technical skills mentioned in your keywords, showcase that you’re up to speed with current trends in your field, and then summarize the goals you have in your career.
Education
Having a four-year degree is important, but believe it or not, a university degree can sometimes be trumped by experience, which is incredibly important as a developer. I’ve worked with engineers that had no formal higher-level educational background that were stronger than a graduate. And if you are a recent graduate, be sure to highlight any project that you’ve accomplished.
Then…
Use LinkedIn and GitHub
GitHub and LinkedIn are the biggest avenues for people in your targeted company to analyze your work and experience. There are a few things to take in mind when fleshing out your profiles. Make sure to keep a solid consistency of projects, experience, and personal/professional interest levels. It’s always great to showcase any current activity with self projects, coding repositories, and/or contributions to the community. These can go a long way in demonstrating your passion for what you do.
While recruiters do still use resumes, getting a sense of someone’s coding skills is much more important and better achieved outside of the paper format. Keep in mind other relevant channels to showcase your work including Stack Overflow, a personal website, or other communities you participate in.
And lastly, always showcase your passion, motivation, and enthusiasm in what you do. This can’t be understated, as it really does go a long way. It’s a small world, so make sure you always strive to make a great impression and leave people feeling inspired by your experience and expertise.
