Composing a strong tech resume takes time, effort, and knowledge of resume writing rules. Moreover, you need to understand what skills and qualifications matter to IT recruiters and focus on them exactly. A successful resume should emphasize your knowledge of hard skills and technologies as well as highlight the ability to cooperate with other teams and solve business challenges. Below, we will share tips for writing an impactful resume that will help you land a new job in IT.
Would you like to land a new job faster? Busy IT professionals these days turn to information technology resume writing services, for example, https://resumeperk.com/tech. Professional writers can target your resume for a specific job opening, helping you pass the ATS and thus increasing your chances for an interview. The writer will also focus on your IT-related accomplishments and skills to portray you as a perfect fit for the role.
Also, Read: Tips for Making a Great Cyber Security Resume
How to Build a Powerful Resume: Tips from IT Resume Writing Services
Keep the Resume to 2-3 Pages
Recruiters can receive hundreds of resumes in response to a job posting, so they are pressed for time. Ideally, your IT resume should be up to 2 pages if you’re an entry-level specialist and no longer than 3 pages in case you’re a senior-level professional or CTO. If the descriptions of your jobs and projects take many pages, remove the old or dated jobs, cross out the irrelevant skills and delete the job descriptions that aren’t directly connected with your target position.
Include a Career Summary
Recruiters pay the most attention to the top of the resume. Use a Summary of qualifications section to sell your biggest strengths and accomplishments. Choose 2-3 professional highlights that best illustrate your unique value proposition and mention them. Be succinct: do not write more than 3-4 pages in a summary section. Use this section to introduce yourself and encourage the employer to read the rest of the document, so include the most engaging facts from your career history.
Keep Job Descriptions to 6-7 Bullets
Sometimes IT professionals want to describe their background in detail and write lengthy job descriptions which are hard to read. Keep them brief – 6-7 points per role will be enough. Remove the secondary details or job responsibilities typical for your profession. Focus on experiences where you stand out. Also, remember that your resume might be read by non-technical recruiters, so make sure that your responsibilities are written in plain English and that everyone can understand what your job entails.
Focus on Achievements Over Job Duties
Employers expect to see the results of your work and accomplishments in the first place. Based on achievements, they evaluate your potential and readiness to exceed expectations. So, include at least one professional achievement for each role. Examples of achievements are: improving app performance, debugging software, reducing costs, training interns, or delivering the project under budget. Illustrate your achievements with figures and percentages whenever possible.
Include Relevant Skills
Include a separate Skills section under the Career summary. The skills section is helpful because it lets the hiring manager evaluate your skillset at a glance and helps pass the ATS. If you have many hard skills, consider breaking them into categories (Programming languages, Software, Operating systems, Foreign languages, etc.). Here are some good examples of skills for a tech resume:
Programming languages & frameworks | · JavaScript · HTML/CSS · Python · PHP · Angular · React |
Operating systems | ·Windows 8, 10, Vista ·Ubuntu ·macOS |
Cloud computing | ·AWS cloud practitioner ·Google Cloud ·Amazon Web |
Soft skills | ·Troubleshooting ·Team leadership ·Active listening ·Verbal & written communication ·Code review ·Adaptability |
Tailor the Resume for Each Job
Most mid-sized and large companies use applicant tracking software (ATS) to sort incoming resumes. To pass the ATS, you need to use keywords from the job posting. You can highlight the skills and qualifications required, and then mention these qualifications in your resume (of course, if you have them). In this case, the ATS will see your resume as relevant and you’ll have a higher chance of an interview.
Check Spelling and Grammar
Before you send a resume to a company, proofread it. 59% of recruiters reject resumes because of poor grammar or spelling issues. Moreover, recruiters often see poor writing as a lack of attention to detail or a lack of interest in the position. You can check the resume using online software, but don’t rely on it completely and proofread it manually as well.
Using the tips suggested above, you will definitely create a stronger resume for any IT role. Yet, if you still have questions about what to include or how to structure the document better, do not hesitate to consult a resume expert to get personalized advice.