5 Resume Tips for Web Developers
Resume Tips for Web Developers
- Include Concentrations with the Education Section
- Enhance a GitHub Profile
- Consider a Reverse Chronological Resume
- Gain an In-Demand Tech Skill
- Lengthen Short Resumes with Activities & Awards
After entering the job hunt, many web developers realize that networking is an incredibly important part of finding employment, but even the most seasoned workers with huge professional networks can benefit from using resume tips for web developers. Resume advice commonly asks job applicants to avoid lengthy and bloated resumes and to focus on strengths rather than including absolutely every facet of the person’s educational and professional experience. Web developers may want to take that advice a bit further and consider the following resume recommendations.
Include Concentrations with the Education Section
Many web developers focus on their professional and project experience when presenting a resume, but it may benefit a job applicant to provide some information on specializations or concentrations sought while in school. Even if a web developer didn’t officially specialize in an area, he or she might still enhance a resume with a list of electives taken while in school, as well as any minor earned while in college.
Enhance a GitHub Profile
A job applicant for a web developer job should examine his or her resume to make sure it’s complete, and the same wisdom may be applied to a web developer’s GitHub. Most companies will request a link to an applicant’s GitHub profile and will quickly weed out any applicants who don’t contribute to open-source. Each application sent to a prospective employer should include a link to a project landing page rather than the root of the applicant’s GitHub profile. It may also benefit a web developer to send a link to a LinkedIn profile and any YouTube videos created by the developer.
Consider a Reverse Chronological Resume
A reverse chronological resume lists a web developer’s most recent work at the top of the page and works backward in time. A reverse-chronological order resume can help the web developer emphasize current and up-to-date experience and knowledge in an industry where change happens quickly. A reverse chronological resume can also help an applicant avoid being eliminated by an Applicant Tracking System (ATS), which is a computer program that automatically removes resumes based on algorithms and keywords.
Gain an In-Demand Tech Skill
According to Forbes, technology employment opportunities will increase by 12 percent by 2024, and many of the opportunities will reside in leading-edge technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, data analytics, mobile application development, cloud computing, and cybersecurity. Web developers should also gain fluency in all languages commonly used in programming like JavaScript, PHP, Ruby, Python, and Golang, as well as HTML and CSS. Web developers may also benefit from including collaboration skills used in working with departments like marketing and design.
Lengthen Short Resumes with Activities & Awards
Everyone has a short resume at the start of their career, and it may prove challenging to get the attention of a recruiter or hiring manager with a resume that has more white space on it than text. It may benefit a fledgling web developer to include a section that features activities and awards related to web development. Awards and recognition can help prove to a recruiter that an applicant of limited experience has already been positively recognized by school or related organizations.
Concluding Thoughts
Developing a balanced resume is difficult in a world where it seems like every job has tons of applicants with comprehensive YouTube channels and GitHub accounts. The resume itself isn’t as important as it once was before the digital age arrived, but it remains an essential part and the jumping-off point for virtually any job application. Experienced and inexperienced job applicants alike should pay close attention to the quality of their resume with these important resume tips for web developers.
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