Is a resume relevant for a job application as a developer? You invest hours, or even days, to create an impressive resume for their next job application. However, companies usually invest very little time in reading through a resume; according to a survey, the average time spent is only 31 seconds.
Even more frequently, however, the initial manual review of developer resumes is no longer used and instead the use of so-called ATS – Applicant Tracking Systems – is on the rise. Here, the resumes of developers are fed into a system and compared with various filters until, in the end, only those resumes whose content matches the filters remain thanks to keyword matching. In Germany, about 60% of all companies use such software, according to a study by the Staufenbiel Institute together with Kienbaum.
We asked our clients what they think should not be missing from a developer’s resume. What do they look for most and what immediately stands out positively? Based on this, we at matched.io asked ourselves one question: How can we best help developers* find their dream job?
The result is 5 tips for the perfect resume for developers, because not only your professional career is interesting, but aspects such as experience and mindset are as well.
1. Your Tech Stack
Whether it’s Python, Java and C# in the backend or JavaScript, PHP and CSS in the frontend. It is important to show your tech stack and skills in your CV. Preferably with information such as experience level and time in which you were able to expand your knowledge.
Do you want to continue with your current stack or are you ready to challenge yourself and learn web development as well as mobile? And more importantly – in which direction do you want to develop further? Because maybe a job as a C# programmer would be interesting for you even if you only know Java. Or you’ve only worked with Bootstrap so far and are now ready to design your own CSS sheets.
2. A clear overview of the most important jobs
A good structure is the key to succeed. Keep it short and create a timeline with your previous education and work stations. Where have you worked so far and for how long? Maybe you are a career changer and have completed a bootcamp.
A direct overview with insight into your skills is important to recruiters. Especially for applicants in the senior area or other management areas.
Which employers have you already worked with, and on which projects ? How long did you stay with one company? Which of your skills were you able to use particularly well there?
3. What projects have you worked on so far?
Hiring managers want to get a feel for the projects you’ve already worked on. Show which projects you’ve been involved in at your previous jobs, or even which ones you’ve been able to tackle all by yourself, and what your role has been. This is especially relevant when applying for management positions.
Of course, projects that you have developed in your spare time are also interesting here. By providing the URLs, or even linking your GitHub repositories, companies get a very good impression of the range of your skills.
4. Your mindset
State what drives you and how you would like to work as a developer. In order to see with a glance at your resume if you fit to a company, your mindset is interesting.
Is sustainability in programming important to you, or would you rather focus on your work-life balance and therefore work at home from time to time or even be completely remote? Maybe the environment you work in is most important to you as well.
The Stackoverflow Developer Report of 2019 shows that the working atmosphere and culture in the office is the most important factor in a new job, right after the languages and technologies used, closely followed by flexible working hours, opportunities for professional development and remote working.
5. Tech profiles – The resumes of the future
The classic resume often looks at the past. The focus is on past places of work, apprenticeship programs and projects. Future aspirations are often disregarded. But these are almost more important! Where do you see yourself in the future and how do you want to work? These aspects are neglected in conventional resumes. That’s why tech profiles are the better choice when applying for developer jobs.
At the beginning of the article, we talked about Applicant Tracking Systems. It is not uncommon for developers to customize their resume to a job they are applying for in order not to get lost in such systems. Tech profiles, on the other hand, allow you to show who you are. This includes, of course, past work locations, educational institutions, and projects. But, more importantly than that, also where you see yourself in the future, how you want to develop and what path you want to take.
Our algorithm works with all the content of a tech profile, ensuring a holistic application process.
We feel that traditional resumes are no longer appropriate in today’s world, because developers are more than just a few keywords on a resume.
