Did you know that the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 25% growth for software engineer jobs from 2022 to 2032? With the increasing demand for this profession, you’d want to stand out from the rest of your competition in the market. Read on to learn more about how to improve your software engineer resume.
1. Try to keep it short and simple. Start by working out a good structure where the layout of your resume will allow you to fit all the pertinent information about your work experience on one page. A great layout creates a narrative of who you are and what you can do that’s easy for the hiring managers to read and follow.
Make sure to include your contact information, professional summary, work experience, education, and skills. Certifications, awards, and notable projects are optional.
You don’t want your resume to be difficult to scan by both a computer and a person. So, avoid formatting elements that are too flashy or complicated.
2. Use relevant keywords from the job posting. Many companies now use an applicant tracking system (ATS) to sift through hundreds or even thousands of job applications. The ATS scans each submitted resume for relevant keywords to see which matches the skills for a particular job.
Even if you meet the potential employer’s qualifications, the ATS may still reject your resume if it lacks the relevant keywords. You’d want to pass through the system screening and reach a pair of human eyes. So, it’s highly recommended that you review the job posting and incorporate the same relevant terms and keywords into your resume as much as possible.
3. Paint a detailed picture of your achievements. List all work experiences you’ve had in software engineering and any relevant jobs with transferable skills. Choose about three to five of your most relevant work experiences to add to your work history section.
A good way to structure each work experience is to have the job title in bold letters, the company name and location using standard text, and the inclusive dates of your employment in italics. Using bullet points, showcase metrics of your success in crucial areas. Provide a brief context and be specific by focusing on the skills, as well as when and how they were applied.
Many successful job applicants seem to use a sentence formula where they start by mentioning an action verb, job duties, and then the key details, which should result in a quantifiable outcome.
4. Proofread your resume. Your ability to write and polish your resume is essential to landing the job you want. This doesn’t only apply to applicants for software engineering jobs. You’d want to make a good impression in any job application.
Scanning and skimming won’t be of great help at this point. So, slow down and work through each section of your resume line by line, checking for any misspellings and grammatical errors.
Also, avoid cliches, and don’t forget to scan for any missing information. Finally, try getting a new perspective by asking a friend to go over your resume and give you constructive feedback.
Software engineers may be sought after these days. However, you must still devote time for ample preparation. It’s a highly competitive job market, so you must put your best foot forward by crafting the best resume possible.
