How to build the perfect Tech Resume

Welcome to the second part of our #CVseries, let’s dive into completing your perfect tech CV!

Study the job posting and adjust your resume accordingly

Closely read the job posting to see what the company is looking for, and then tailor your tech resume. Pick out important keywords and incorporate them into the resume. Many larger companies use computer programs to sift through resumes before a human sees them, so using the right keywords can increase your chances of getting through this initial screening.

When listing your skills, look at the job description for the role you’re interested in. Tailor the skills section to reflect how your experience qualifies you for this specific role. You may not have worked in the exact role in question, but some of the skills you’ve learned during your career—such as learning a coding language, implementing training software, and using database frameworks—are likely applicable to the position you’re applying for.

This takes a little extra effort, but the return on investment is potentially huge.

Pay attention to what tech employers are looking for

To better understand what tech sector employers are looking for in a candidate, we perused tech job listings and employer websites searching for in-demand character traits and skills. Of course, the hard and soft skills outlined below will depend on the specific role, but the following list should give you a better handle on the desired expertise that job candidates should include on a tech resume:

Hard skills to highlight

This is the technical expertise you should spotlight. As you’re applying for the position, scrutinize the job posting and take note of any software or coding knowledge the employer expects the candidate to possess. If you have those skills, make sure to shine a light on them in your resume. Here are a few examples of hard skills an employer expects a job candidate in tech to have:

• For web developers, proficiency in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript is a must.
• For those in cybersecurity, knowledge of programming and scripting languages is desired by employers, along with a track record of analyzing malware and large data sets.
• Data scientist candidates should prop up their expertise in modeling techniques.
• Machine learning engineers will want to highlight their proficiency in Python or past experience with GPU computing and data mining.
• Programmers should accentuate their experience with software like SAS and languages like SQL.

Soft skills to highlight

Also known as “people skills,” these traits demonstrate that you bring more to the table than just your technical expertise. Here’s why they are important:

• Problem solver and creative thinker: Some tech workers may not think of themselves as creative, but there’s a great deal of originality in their line of work. Tech workers should highlight their ability to push themselves intellectually to solve tough problems.
• Independent, but collaborative: Employers are looking for self-led workers who can also easily work with team members when needed. In tech, work is both independent and team-based, so it would be wise to underscore instances when you’ve thrived working on your own and with others.
• Excellent communicator: Communication skills are always desired in the workplace, but especially so in tech. The ability to effectively communicate technical information to different audiences—including those who understand technical jargon and those who don’t—is a skill highly sought-after by employers.
• Quick learner: Working in tech, you’ll need to adapt to new software and new tools all the time. On your resume, it would be advisable to demonstrate your ability to adapt quickly and seamlessly.

Back up your accomplishments with evidence

Including your professional accomplishments is a critical component of a successful resume, but it’s not enough to just list them: you also need to back them up with evidence.

If you’ve improved the load speed of a client’s site, give them the numbers. If you’ve brought a significant number of new visitors to a site in a month, explain how you did it and provide relevant figures. In general, accomplishments are far more informative (and a better representation of your skills) than simply listing out job roles and responsibilities.

For example, if you’ve been working in a security position, your responsibilities may include monitoring and updating servers and files, securing information, and protecting external hardware, such as printers and scanners. However, an accomplishment in this role could be that you managed to lower security threats affecting your business by 40 percent during your tenure. Or you could have streamlined the methods your team used to carry out their work or the procedures that took place.

Add links to professional profiles

As a current or aspiring tech worker, you’re more than likely to have a presence online that you’ll want potential employers to see. (If you don’t, you should seriously consider it.) So it’s a good idea to add links to LinkedIn, your online portfolio, or other sites in your resume. Most recruiters will be reading them on a computer, so they should be able to click through for more information. And even if they don’t click through, the additional corroboration lends credibility and clout to your final product.

Always edit, and get a second set of eyes

Finally, make sure you edit ruthlessly, and if you can, get a few sets of eyes on your tech resume. Of all the tech resume tips, this may seem the most obvious. Resumes are full of errors and the brain has a tendency to scan over errors, so a fresh pair of eyes can help catch grammar errors and overlooked mistakes. Tech jobs, especially, need someone who will pay attention to the details—a missing or extra character in a line of code can bring down a website. And with competition fierce for the best jobs, errors on your resume may lead a prospective employer to pass right over you in favor of another candidate with a cleaner CV.

Now you're all set to build your perfect tech CV!