Two weeks ago I got a call from Zack, a full stack developer who just graduated a coding boot camp.
He sent his CV to more than 90 potential employers and got ZERO responses.
None.
Zack was confused, exhausted and angry with all the companies that didn’t reply to his applications.
He contacted me for some career advice.
I asked him if I can look at his resume.
“sure”, he answered, “I put a lot into them”
So I had a look. 😲
Image from Giphy
At a glance, I could imagine why he didn’t get any calls.
There wasn’t one big mistake there but were many little mistakes that made his resume unappealing.
I decided to share them with you, for all the Zacks out there.
🐸 5 Little things that can make a difference in your resume 🐸
1. Typos and grammar mistakes
Full-stuck instead of full-stack, Java Script instead of JavaScript, Some sentences end with dots, some don’t.
Grammar and spelling mistakes send the wrong message to the employer.
Pro TIp: Do you have a CV draft you feel good with? Send it to a friend and ask for a review.
Pro Tip #2: Use software like Grammarly if (like me) English is not your native language.
2. Too much information
Zack wrote every one of the technologies he touched into his resume.
To name some: React, Redux, Node, Express, Mobx, MongoDB, MySQL, Angular 2, Angular 6, Webstorm, Sublime, Visual Studio Code, sVSCODE, and more.
He mentioned all the projects he completed during school, his TODO application assignment included.
This is way too much information, and it lacks focus.
Pro Tip: Focus on the main technologies you master and the job application asks for.
3. Github account with course projects only
When the potential employers see you have a Github account, and enters, they want to get to know you.
It’s your interest to have great projects there, to show how great, and amazing ninja you are.
School projects, todo lists, and projects from ready-made tutorials (unless you’re the only student :)) won’t impress them.
Pro TIp: If you don’t have any interesting project on your Github account, don’t put the link on the resume.
4. Mentioning you have a valid driver’s license
There nothing wrong with a driver’s license (I have one).
However, most tech jobs don’t have this as a requirement, so mentioning it is a waste of good real estate in your resume.
Also, it just looks weird, like the resume was not made for the right industry.
Pro Tip: No need to mention your driver’s license. BTW, the same goes for mentioning “Full control of Microsoft Office”.
5. Missing out an opportunity to mention relevant experience
Zack mentioned his license but wrote only one sentence about his previous job in tech support for a large telecommunications company.
He told me he planned to write more about that role, but it was 4 years ago, and he felt it was too long ago.
That’s true, but still, it can help the employer know Zack has previous experience in technology and working with customers.
Perhaps there are also relevant tools or technologies he used and worth mentioning?
Pro Tip: Don’t be shy about your past, help the employer understand you’re great.
Conclusion:
Zack and I rewrote his resume together, fixed these issues, and more that I didn’t mention here.
Armed with better a more concise, focused and technical CV, he’s going for another round.
This time I’m positive he will have a better experience, with at least some employers contacting him.
Good luck Zack!