Every month, hundreds of IT beginners send HRs and recruiters their resumes but only a few of them are properly made. We have compiled a memo on what to do to prevent the resume from ending up in the trash bin.
Many novices make mistakes in their resumes because they don’t clearly understand their goals. Moreover, they usually don’t know what companies want to see in their candidates and how to correctly present their skills. We’ll help you to avoid common mistakes and achieve the best results while looking for a job.
Resume Structure
The good news is that there are no strict rules when writing a resume. You set the accents based on what points you want to draw the employer’s attention to.
When writing a resume, you should adhere to the following logic:
- Name and last name
- Contacts
- Objective
- Summary
- Skills
- Experience
- Education
- Additional information.
Contacts
In addition to the city of residence, email address, phone number, and Skype contact, it is considered good practice to add links to profiles on social networks: Linkedin, Github, and Facebook. Even if you don’t, recruiters will still find them through search engines.
Objective & Summary
Why are you writing a resume? To get a specific job in a specific area and in a specific company. This is the goal. Make it up in one sentence and without senseless statements.
Skills
So much has been written on this topic. But let’s once again look at the options that juniors should indicate in the Skills section.
- Junior PM
- clear measurable achievements that you already have;
- knowledge of Agile project management methodologies;
- an understanding of the software development process;
- experience in organizing people and projects.
- Junior developer
- programming languages that you know and have used in practice; share links to personal developments;
- API/Frameworks;
- Database;
- OS: Windows is great for .NET developers, but your knowledge of Linux and mobile operating systems is an advantage.
- Junior QA
- bug tracking system – better, if not one, and not only in theory;
- knowledge of databases;
- experience with HTML/CSS;
- understanding of the basics of testing, the software development process.
Experience
It is customary to write work experience in reverse order. However, in 5 out of 10 resumes, candidates forget about this rule. Therefore, we remind you once again.
For this part of your resume, also stick to this structure:
- Years.
- Company.
- Position.
- Role description.
- Project description.
- Tools and technologies.
Education
Name of educational institution, faculty, specialty, degree received, years of study.
Additional information
In this section you should provide:
- the level of possessing foreign languages;
- marital status;
- interesting hobbies;
- what is important for an employer to find out in the context of a specific vacancy.
You won’t get a second chance to make a first impression, so it is important not only what you write, but also how you present it.
The Photo
Of course, the recruiter will only smile at your photo in shorts and without a T-shirt against the background of the sea. Try to keep the photograph inviting and friendly, but not like in an ID. If there is no suitable photograph, then it is better to take an appropriate one.
Literacy
Check your resume several times for errors and punctuation, or better – give it to a competent friend for proofreading.
Volume
1-2 pages are enough. Did you get carried away and it turned out more? See what you can remove:
- Structure and add lists.
- Was the word “Resume” written in the form of a heading in 18 font? Delete it!
- Name and surname are written in 22 font? You flatter yourself. Use a font with a size of +2 from the main one for the title.
- The font size for the main text should be easy to read, so as not to screw up your eyes, and not to zoom out. 11 point size will be just right.
- Never write personal qualities in a resume, especially that you are sociable, responsible, decent – HRs will find this out at the interview.
What Is Next?
Planning and control in your job search are essential. Monitor the labor market and make a list of companies with suitable vacancies. Write a cover letter template. 3-5 sentences with answers to 2 questions “Why do I want to work in this particular company?” and “Why exactly am I suitable for this position?” Remember, it is important to correct the text for each job/company. Every employer is unique. Give them a pleasure to feel it.
Remind HRs about yourself if you do not receive a response within 3-5 days. This is a great incentive for recruiters to adhere to the rule of responding to all emails without exception. And you will show your interest in the vacancy.