Who doesn’t want a job in tech these days? This is why having what it takes isn’t the only requirement to secure a role in the tech world. Crafting the perfect tech resume is essential to showcase technical prowess, but also ensuring your resume will stand out with recruiters.
Let’s Hit It From the Top
The first area a recruiter will focus on for your tech resume starts with your header and contact information. Your resume needs to begin with a clean, concise header that includes your full name, location, phone number, email address, and a professional LinkedIn profile URL. In tech roles, it’s also beneficial to include links to your GitHub profile, personal website, or portfolio if you’re in design or development.
Lastly and most importantly, a tech resume needn’t be overly creative with graphics or imagary… leave your creativity for the interviews. This means over-the-top designs, fonts, and formatting are not warranted. What will make you stand out it is the content in your tech resume. LinkedIn says your reader is looking for quantifiable evidence. Instead of dedicating time to how your tech resume looks, you should be backing up your bullet points with hard data instead.
Formatting Tips for the Perfect Tech Resume
A tech resume should be visually clean, scannable, and ATS (Applicant Tracking System) friendly. This is why many designs, crazy fonts, or effects are discouraged. Resume Genius highlights that If your resume doesn’t follow these guidelines then the ATS system won’t be able to read your resume, risking it to be filtered out. To avoid this common mistake, here are some formatting guidelines:
- Limit your resume to one page if you have fewer than 10 years of experience. For more experienced professionals, two pages are acceptable.
- Use a readable font like Arial, Calibri, or Helvetica, sized between 10-12 points.
- Stick to consistent formatting throughout, with bullet points for lists and consistent line spacing.
- Avoid graphics, charts, or fancy designs, as these can interfere with ATS parsing.
What Tech Recruiters Want to Know About You
The professional summary or objective in your tech resume is the chance to make a strong first impression. Indeed states that for tech roles, this should be 2-3 sentences highlighting your technical skills and qualifications. Avoid generic and personal statements and lean into details such as how much experience you have, achievements, soft skills, and anything that makes you special in the tech industry. We all have something to bring to the table, you just have to show it to them concisely.
The Skills Section – Your Make-it or Break-it
The skills section is crucial on a tech resume, as it gives recruiters a snapshot of your technical qualifications. Structure this section in bullet points or columns to maximize readability and focus on core areas relevant to the job. Organize your skills by categories, such as:
- Programming Languages: Python, JavaScript, Java
- Frameworks: React, Node.js, Django
- Tools and Platforms: AWS, Docker, Git, Jenkins
Tailor this list to match the job description you’re applying for by emphasizing the skills most relevant to the position. Don’t list every skill you’ve ever used; focus on proficiency and experience.
The Golden Ticket: A Detailed Work Experience Section
The work experience section is where you’ll showcase your hands-on expertise in tech. Include only relevant job titles, the companies you worked for, and your tenure with each. More importantly, describe your achievements in each role rather than simply listing responsibilities. Harvard Business Review emphasizes that the details you provide in this section of your tech resume should also match the job descriptions you are applying for.
If a job description states they need someone with automation script experience or the ability to reduce costs, then you would use quantifiable results to emphasize your contributions. For instance,
- “Led the migration of legacy systems to AWS, reducing operational costs by 25% and increasing data processing speed by 40%.”
- “Developed an automation script that cut testing time by 30%, allowing faster deployment cycles.”
Using metrics, like percentages, time saved, or improved efficiency, makes your accomplishments more tangible and impressive. This approach highlights not only your technical skills but also your business impact.
Don’t Forget to Proofread Your Perfect Tech Resume
Finally, review your tech resume carefully for typos, grammatical errors, and consistency. Tech hiring managers appreciate precision, so a flawless resume is essential. Double-check technical terms, and software names, and avoid any inconsistencies in dates, titles, and spacing.
While all these tips will lead you to success, coupling the most perfect tech resume with some guidance may improve your chances of landing the job. At Matlen Silver, we champion that Experience Matters and aim to ensure your experience gets matched with the right company for YOU.
