While some resume tips are applicable to every industry, Information Technology resumes present a few unique challenges. Technical resumes are typically wrought with acronyms and technical terms that can make them difficult to read and even more difficult to skim. Below are some tips to help your Technical Resume stand out and attract the attention of recruiters and hiring managers.
Avoid Company or Industry Specific Terms
Avoid using terms that are specific to your past employers, industry, and projects. These terms can create unnecessary clutter on your resume and can be confusing for your audience. Use universal terms that demonstrate your experience and knowledge in a way that technical and less-technical audiences can understand, even if they are in a different industry.
Keep Your Experience Relevant
Focus your resume on the most relevant terms for the position for which you are applying. While you may have an arsenal of technical skills, recruiters and managers only care about the relevant skills to their needs. For example, if you are applying for a Web Developer position, the bulk of your resume should be focused on your Web Development experience. You don’t need a full page devoted to your Mainframe background from 20 years ago or your Retail Management experience from before your career change into IT. Similarly, if you have worn many hats at your most recent job, focus on the duties and accomplishments of that job that are relevant to the position for which you are applying.
Highlight Your Accomplishments
While many technical resumes need to include context about companies or specific projects to effectively communicate experience, the focus of the resume still needs to be on your achievements. Contextual information provided on your resume should be in brief sentences or paragraph style. Use bullets to highlight the accomplishments and list them below general information. This allows you to communicate necessary information to help the reader understand the scope of your projects or experience while keeping the accomplishments as the focal point!
Keep It Concise and Recent
Technical resumes tend to be longer than resumes in other industries. However, keep in mind that technology is changing every day. Keep your resume concise, 1-3 pages, and recent. The tools you used 15 years ago are not likely to be relevant in today’s IT market. While there are some exceptions, it is typically safe to truncate a technical resume at 10 years of experience. Remember, a resume is a marketing tool and you are not required to list every single job you have ever held. Instead, your resume should market you to a specific position!
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