Writing a Knockout Technical CV

Writing a technical CV can be especially tricky. After all, there’s a fine line between showing off your technical expertise and drowning a recruiter or hiring manager with too much detail.

Below are our top six pointers to writing an effective technical CV to get yourself an interview.

1. Keep the CV short and to the point

Keep in mind that the first person who looks at your CV will either be an HR professional or recruiter. On average they spend less than two minutes going through your CV deciding if your profile is relevant for the role. Keep your cv to a maximum of 3 pages long.

It is extremely important that you include the projects you have worked on that would be relevant for the position you have applied for. Avoid including the day to day tasks that you perform in your role. Keep in mind; every pointer you write must be something that makes you unique from the rest.

2.  Dedicate a section to technical skills

Highlight your technical prowess by dedicating a section entirely to itself. This can be efficiently done by breaking up your skills into categories to avoid making it a dread to read through.

The hiring team not only wants to know what you know but also how good you are at what you know. A good tip is also to include the number of years of experience you have with each technology or list your level of competency in using the technology. Emphasize on your key strengths by reiterating their application in your professional profile section.

3.  Balance technical experience with additional skills

While technical expertise may be your main focus, it’s also important to include other detail that shows how well rounded you are. Think about how you can show your skills in leadership, collaboration and project management and your wider commercial acumen.

If you’ve led or contributed to a project, explain the impact it had on the business. If you’ve reduced costs or saved money, say how much. Finally, if you’ve improved efficiency, explain how. This kind of information will show how you’ve added value to the business and will impress more than excessive technical detail.

4.  Don’t forget to include courses and qualifications

If you have been upgrading your skillset through internal courses or externally recognized qualification, be sure to include it on your CV. This is much more important than your university degree after 20 years of working experience.

This will let the potential employer know that you value keeping up to date on the latest technologies and soft skills in this fast-paced industry. This will definitely act as a cherry on the cake when you are competing with other candidates for the role.

5.  Show you’re up to date

There is something new cropping up in the Fintech industry every few weeks. It is essential that you keep yourself and your CV up to date all the time. Revise your latest skills and qualifications on your CV every 6 to 12 months. Remove outdated technologies, and include the new and relevant ones. But make sure you are well versed with the technology if you are including them in your CV. You do not want to look like a fool when the interviewer start questioning you on the technology portions and you are not able to answer.

6.  Mention the methodologies you use

There are many recognized methodologies and frameworks used widely in the Fintech space. They’re necessary keywords to include to ensure your CV that instantly attracts attention by the HR, recruiters and Talent Management Systems. Think about Agile, Waterfall and so on, and mention them in your profile if you’re confident using them.

Hope all the above pointers will help position you to write a knock-out technical CV that stands out from the crowd. Good luck with your job search!

Puvin is a Senior Associate at Datasearch Consulting, a leading executive recruitment firm specialising in the Financial Technology & Market Data sectors.

You can download their FREE comprehensive guide on  “The Complete Guide to Hiring Fintech & Data Talent - 5 Proven Steps to Secure the Best Candidates Possible” here Alternatively you can view the Datasearch Consulting website or contact them directly on [email protected] for a confidential discussion.