Writing A Tech Resume That Impresses Hiring Managers

Progressive tech companies have figured out that they need more than productivity bots to sit and plug away behind computer screens. Instead, they need a team whose personal values and skills match their own.

Mission and impact alignment isn’t exclusive to the C-suite. It’s important for all current and future superstars — just like you. You don’t want just a job; you want a place where you can change the world; where you can make an impact. Hiring managers have lots of tools to test your baseline aptitude, like Filtered.ai, Codesignal, Codility, and Devskiller, but you still have to get your foot in the door. How do you stand out on that initial piece of (digital) paper? Fear not! We have some tips and facts to help you craft a rockstar tech resume.

Tech Resume Basics: Avoid These Common Mistakes

You probably already know how to build a tech resume. Once you’ve crafted the initial document, make sure you check it over to avoid these easy to avoid errors and issues.

• Typos: Silly grammar and spelling mistakes can definitely cost you an interview. Check out Grammarly to catch those typos.
• Length: Nothing makes a hiring manager’s eyes glaze over like a lengthy tech resume with too much info (otherwise known as, TLDR). We’ve all seen a multi-page email and essentially just blacked out, right? Instead, keep it clear and concise.
• Format: Make it easy to read with black text on a white background with at least 10-point font and ½ inch margins. (Getting too fancy can be simply annoying). And be sure to export your document to a PDF so there’s no chance of accidental format changes.
• Don’t lie: One way or another, they’ll catch you. It’s not a good look. Besides, you want a job that’s looking for you, not some figment of your imagination.

You’re probably rolling your eyes at us. Of course, your tech resume won’t have a typo. But you’d be surprised how many people misspell “detail-oriented!” It’s always a good idea to check and check again to be sure that your resume is in tip-top shape before sending it out to the universe.

How To Impress:

Tailor Your Tech Resume

In a crowded field, the basics won’t blow anyone’s minds. If you want to get noticed at your dream job, you have to tailor your tech resume to the job you’re after. Generic tech resumes get generic tech jobs, and who wants that?

• Skills: Match your resume skills to the job description. Your dream employer put a lot of work into the job description. Show skills that match what they want.
• Data: Support your skills with data. Use numbers to show how much of a rockstar you are, and they’ll see exactly what you can do for them.
• Mission/Impact: You want more than a job. They want more than a staff member. Use your tech resume to show how and why you’re passionate about their mission.
• Authentic: Employers want more than just disembodied fingers on a keyboard. So, impress them with your authentic self.
• Location: If you’re hunting for a Colorado job from out of state, use your resume to signal that you’re excited about moving there. It’s even better if you can say that you’re already on your way.

Gaming The Bots

Most HR departments use AI (robot overlords? -- not really, just modern applicant tracking systems ATS) to scan every tech resume before a human being sees it, so you need to know how to craft a tech resume that the bots love. There are a ton of tips and tricks out there, but here are a few of our key takeaways.

• Standard formatting: AI isn’t intuitive, so it struggles with unfamiliar terms. Use standard sections on your tech resume so the bots can read it.
• Keywords: It’s true. You need SEO for your tech resume, too. Include keywords from the job description in your resume so the bot will pick them up.
• Acronyms: If your keywords use an acronym, use the acronym and the longer version in case the bot is programmed to look for one or the other.

Leveraging these tips for your tech resume will definitely put you in a better position for landing that dream job. Next step: check out some resources to understand what hiring managers are doing when they write job descriptions or what roles every startup needs. Best of luck in your job hunt, let us know if we can help!

Here at BWBacon Group, we know and live what you are experiencing as an employer or job seeker in Denver, Boulder, Dallas, San Francisco, New York City or any of the other cities we work in. We believe great recruiting starts and ends with understanding people.

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