4 TIPS FOR SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS TO WRITE SUCCESSFUL RESUMES

• Markus
• September 9th, 2021

Put yourself in the shoes of a Hiring Manager: At times they receive dozens of applications to a single job post and need to decide whom they should shortlist without having ever spoken to any of the candidates. Add in badly structured CVs, a poor description of your background and experience and it is likely you won’t be shortlisted. 

In other words, no matter how well you are suited for that position, your resume will need to show that. 

Here are 4 Tips to consider when writing your resume:

1. Choose a good layout

The format of your resume matters because it gives your content a good structure. It is important that your resume is easy to read and highlights the most important elements on top. In the old days it was necessary to arrange the different sections yourself in a text editor. Today, there are many websites that help you choose from a range of templates. This keeps you focused on the content and having to worry about the format. Some popular options include the downloadable PDF resume from your LinkedIn profile or choose from a host of templates at enhancv

2. Think about the structure and content of your resume

With limited space comes the complexity of reducing your content to the bare minimum. You therefore need to ask yourself what is important for recruiting companies to know about you. 

Start out with writing a sentence or two about yourself and your biggest achievements. Proceed to highlighting your most relevant skills. For Software Developers naturally this will be your coding language experience but if you’ve led Teams before or have taken on wider responsibilities then highlight this too. Next you will want to write about your work experience (we recommend in a chronological order) where again you highlight the tech stack(s) used and accomplishments. You can round off your resume with your educational background, certifications and awards. 

3. Use keywords

A staggering 99% of large companies use technology to scan your resume for suitability to a particular job post. These so-called ATS (Applicant Tracking System) will look for relevant skill-related keywords, years of experience or location. Just as with any website, it means that if your resume is not optimised for keywords, chances are you will get rejected long before a human gets to even view your application. 

Focus on your most relevant tech skills and mention these repeatedly throughout your resume as this will not only show you have experience using certain e.g. programming languages but also the years you have spent using them. 

Also, make sure your resume is free of images, graphs or too many icons as ATS often fail to parse these properly. 

4. Write a Cover Letter

As obvious as it may sound, cover letters are the only way to showcase your personality and make you stand out from the crowd. Yet most Software Developers choose not to submit a cover letter when applying for a job. 

Again, put yourself in the shoes of a Hiring Manager: Assuming you have passed the initial ATS screening then the cover letter is the only way to stand out from the crowd. A cover letter will allow you to tailor the content to the job you are applying to. For example, if this is a remote position then the Hiring Managers will want to know your experience with working remotely. 

Summary 

To wrap up, it pays off to invest some time into writing a good resume as it will increase the chances of landing your dream job. 

At BerryOnMars we help Developers really stand out as we look for more than just keywords in a resume. We help you build amazing online profiles that showcase your skills, experience and personality. When applying through BerryOnMars for an exciting position, your resume won’t be falling through the cracks of an ATS filter. This will ensure that if you get matched to a position, your chances are high of actually landing that job. 

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