Resume Tips: 29 Ways To Separate Your Resume from the Rest

Due to the current climate and recent lay offs, preparing your resume is number one priority. Our data suggests that Software Development jobs are now ranking as highly competitive. According to a recent study conducted by Indeed, the candidate market is tighter than ever with 7.2 applicants applying to every software job. There is one key tool you need before entering the interview doors to help you stand apart: your resume. Luckily, we have years of experience providing resume tips to tech candidates.

How do you create the ideal resume that represents you well, while keeping the information direct and concise? Below are three guiding tips to make sure your resume is highlighting you and not hurting you.

1. Make Your Resume Stand Out

One of the first things any hiring manager notices about a resume is the length. Since each hiring process is time sensitive, reading three-page resumes is not a top priority for majority of teams in need of talent. To make you stand out: Keep your resume to one or two pages and ensure all listed experience is relevant. Along with condensing its content, check to see if your resume is aesthetically pleasing and follows proper formatting. The spacing and organization of a resume is important; you should keep each section heading clear, concise and bold. When adding your creative spin to the resume to catch the eye, avoid photos and graphics. Instead, attach your custom website, Github and/or related projects to showcase your skill set.

2. Emphasize Your Value

A resume objective lists what you want, while a summary statement explains what value you can bring to the company you are applying for. Craft your resume so it accurately reflects both your skillset and how your experience and skills are valuable to the employer – essentially, showcase how well you match the requirements this role is asking for. Lastly, in technology, there is a difference between your skill set and your technical skills. Use action verbs when representing your experience with technology. Separate your development, unit testing, etc. experience from your experience with Python, Java, Windows, etc. A technical breakdown of your experience presents a leg up with hiring teams - as will mentioning your soft skills.

3. Quantify Your Experience

When listing your current and previous responsibilities, use bullet points instead of paragraph format. This allows hiring managers to easily scan your experiences and to do so quickly. When creating your bullet points, make sure to include quantifiers and specifics.

• How frequently did you do the task you are listing?
• How many years did you work with a certain tech stack?
• How big was the team you managed?
• How many people used the product you developed?

These give hiring teams not only a clear idea of the work you have done but also the impact you have had while executing these experiences.

Resumes are a main tool that will enable you to lock down your dream interview and job. This same tool can also be a deal breaker for hiring teams if it is not done correctly. The IT industry is notorious for being competitive – so try to craft your resume meticulously to separate yourself from the pack.

Check out additional candidate resources here on how to ace the technical interview, what to ask about a contract role, and other job searching tips.

Other Resume Tips You Don't Want to Forget: 

4. Maintain a detailed master resume for your own records.
5. Adjust your resume to the job description. 
6. Keep your resume simple.
7. Add industry keywords from the description throughout your resume.
8. Let your resume show off some of your personality.
9. Ensure your resume has a clean format.
10. Avoid busy symbols and icons.
11. Do not include a photo on your resume.
12. Make sure your contact info is on the top of your resume. 
13. Include in the resume links to online profiles, portfolios, etc.
14. Incorporate the most impressive info at the top of your resume.
15. Curate your bullet points carefully in each section.
16. List out your technical skills in a separate resume section.
17. Use best practice for listing experience: chronologically.
18. Include only relevant experience on your resume.
19. Highlight any transferable skills from previous roles or work.
20. Add online classes and certifications on your resume.
21. Include your (relevant) accomplishments or wins on your resume.
22. On that note, do not forget to include awards on your resume.
23. In general, keep your resume refreshed and up-to-date.
24. Do not over exaggerate and be ready to speak to your resume.
25. Be prepared to explain any resume gaps.
26. Express your ideal culture environment in your objective or cover letter.
27. Match your cover letter to your resume.
28. Have both your resume and cover letter proofread before submitting.
29. Save your resume in a PDF format.

We hope Motion provided you with the most comprehensive list around resume tips available on the market. On the other hand, if you work in Information Technology and could use some help writing a resume, a professional tech recruiter can give you a hand. Feel free to contact one of our offices below:

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