Having a background in software engineering is very impressive, and it is a career path that will lead to a plethora of opportunities. It is considered a very in-demand job field, as software engineering involves having a general engineering background in addition to a computer science skillset. These skills are very technical, and companies are always seeking employees with that background. However, even for those with a background in this challenging and impressive field of work, resume writing can seem like a formidable task.
You may know that your skill set would greatly impress the prospective employee and feel confident you would nail an in-person interview, but in order to get there you need to wow a potential hiring manager with your resume. To ensure your software engineering resume is the best it can be, you will want to spend some time optimizing it before applying to jobs. To help with this, the staff of resume writers at ResumeGo conducted several studies to showcase how different variables involved with resume writing can impact your chances of landing an interview.
1. Tell a Compelling Story
In some ways, a resume is just a one-page story of your personal background and career. Hiring managers will be impressed when they can see a cohesive journey and progression of your past experiences on your resume. Make sure to build your resume with that in mind. You want to tell a reverse chronological story about your educational background, how you got into software engineering, and detail all of the positions you have had in the field since.
2. Emphasize Your Results
You are trying to sell yourself to someone and explain why you are the best at what you do in the software engineering world. There is a very easy way to prove yourself- show your results! Whether it’s an optimization you made or a software program you wrote that is saving a company time and money, add in those metrics. Showcasing your past metrics is an easy way to prove you would be a talented hire.
3. Show the Hiring Managers and Recruiters You Are Well-Rounded
Candidates with computer science backgrounds are often stereotyped for being more left brain oriented, or more analytical and methodical in their thinking. While these skills are necessary for the job, your resume is an opportunity to show you are a well-rounded candidate.
While recruiters want to read your resume and see that you are very familiar with software development processes, they also want to see that you can work effectively in both team and individual settings. Highlight examples of past projects where your work contributed to the good of the wider team and organization.
4. Prioritize Technical Skills
Unlike a job in sales, your soft skills are going to take a backseat to your technical knowledge in the software engineering world. In order to succeed in a position, the hiring manager will want to ensure you are familiar with certain programs and software. It is crucial to ensure you add all of these skills to your resume to avoid being overlooked in the initial interviewing process. Some of the most common skills to list are: Java, C++, Python, JavaScript, PHP, and .NET. Without technical skills on your resume, a hiring team is left to guess what you know and will probably move on to other candidates.
5. Keyword Optimize to Outsmart Technology
Software engineering comes with a very technical vocabulary, and it’s a career path where it is fairly easy to weed out candidates who know what they are doing from those who are bluffing.
For the sake of efficiency, a lot of companies are turning to technology to filter through applicants and pick out the most relevant resumes.
This means a human may never see your resume if the content of your resume does not get passed the initial filter. To combat this, you want to add in relevant industry terms where applicable throughout your resume. This will help to ensure that if your resume is run through a digital screening filter you will advance to the next stage of the process!
6. Technology Industry Shows Less Discrimination
If you find yourself worried about outside factors such as race affecting your chances of getting hired for a software engineering position, the good news is that the research shows you do not have to worry. The survey that ResumeGo conducted actually indicated technology was one of the only fields where racial discrimination between candidates was either completely absent or very minor.
With this knowledge, you do not have to be concerned that you need to edit yourself on your resume to sound a particular way. It is encouraging to see the technology industry be the front runner in equality for hiring. There is some logic behind this. In technology-based jobs, there is a strong focus on problem solving skills and technical knowledge. The requirements for these kind of jobs are very clearly outlined, so you have a high probability of succeeding if you are a candidate who meets the requirements.
7. Showcase Your Attention to Detail
Proof-read your resume twice, and then have someone else who you trust read it too. This is really a tip for anyone writing their resume, but it is especially important for those in the software engineering field. You will be working on projects that are highly technical where a high level of accuracy is expected in order to succeed. A hiring manager can make a judgment on this skill just from reading your resume!
First, make sure you don’t have any typos. Next, make sure all the information you have provided is correct. Not only would it be harder for a hiring manager to get in contact with you if your phone number is mistyped, but they may use it as a strike against your application. It sounds like a very minor detail, but attention to detail really makes a big difference! Above everything else, it highlights your professionalism.
You might be the best in the software engineering business, but without a strong resume you may still find yourself struggling in the competitive job market. Take the time to really optimize your resume to ensure you do not get passed over by any hiring managers.
