What Should be Included on Your IT Resume
A good resume still matters. Even today, when tech skills are so in-demand, the first step toward a new job always starts with a resume. This blog will cover what you need in this document to get the attention of hiring teams in the best possible way.
What Should an IT Resume Include?
Tips for Your Tech Resume
Picking a template or your resume is the first step—and it’s very important. You’re looking for a resume template that isn’t too cluttered and allows for white space. The template should be easy-to-read but also appealing to the eye. The style should also fit the job opportunity; formal resumes work best for more bureaucratic jobs but a more related resume style may be better suited for s start-up environment.
You should have several basic sections on your resume, including:
- Name and your contact details. You can even add your website, GitHub, LinkedIn profile, or other details that will help get you noticed.
- A personal summary. If you have years of experience, you may want to keep this to a sentence. For example, “Java developer with 10 years of experience in Agile software environments.” Or, “Front-end React developer with a decade of experience and strong team leadership skills.” A personal summary should leave a positive impression with the recruiter while also succinctly laying out your skills.
- Lead with your expertise. Since recruiters start at the top of a resume, place your most valuable information there. You want to grab the attention of the resume reviewer
- Work experience. A good chronological resume shows potential employers how long you’ve been in your current position in a clean, easy-to-read format.
- Relevant skills, which are sometimes nice to list on either side of the work chronology on the resume. At a glance, the recruiter can check your stack. However, don’t forget about the soft skills, which are so important in today’s job market.
- Education and credentials, which are usually at the bottom of the resume unless you are straight out of college. If you’ve won awards for your tech skills, by all means, call those out.
While these are the basics of a good tech resume, there are a few other tips that you absolutely must consider. For example:
- We know it’s a hassle, but you absolutely should adjust your resume to fit the job description you’re applying for. You already know that the recruiter’s applicant tracking system will look for keywords on your resume to match the keywords in the job description. You may assume you’ll get the call about the job just because your tech skills are so in-demand. But if you do this, you’re leaving a lot to chance. Instead, take a half-hour for each job description you’re submitting to and tweak your resume accordingly. Over time, you will probably have to do less of this, as you begin to acclimate to the market and what hiring managers and recruiters are looking for.
- Some of the hard skills to highlight include: Coding stack, security knowledge, any analyst work, cloud skills, and more. The soft skills that are in demand include team leadership and communication.
Is Your Resume Ready?
At the Custom Group of Companies, we understand that you have a lot of choices when it comes to picking a recruiting team to represent you to top employers. Find out why more IT candidates partner with our teams to find their next great opportunity. Call on us. We can help.
