by Lucy Wyndham, guest author
Whether you’ve worked in the technology sector for years or are changing career paths, a standout resume for the software sector is key to getting the job you want. The software sector is growing and evolving rapidly, and now more than ever, software companies are looking for stellar additions to their development teams. If you want to separate yourself from other contenders in the race for your dream job, you have to write a compelling resume that will get you noticed.
Tips for a Killer Resume for the Software Sector
Writing a resume for a job in the software sector can be very different from writing resumes in other industries. Employers in the technology and software sector aren’t necessarily looking for a particular educational background or employment history. For many software companies, a good hire is someone with the right skills to do the work they’re trying to do. Here are a few tips to help you write a resume that showcases all your most relevant skills.
Choose the Right Resume Format
There’s more than one way to structure a resume. Most people are familiar with the classic reverse chronological career experience format. However, a functional or skills-based resume that highlights the skills relevant to the job you want is often a better fit for a career in software. Today, technology companies care more about what you know how to do than where you learned how to do it, so consider highlighting your skills first on your software resume.
Tailor Your Resume to the Job You Want
While you should always have a general-purpose resume ready to send out quickly, whenever possible, tailor your resume to include keywords from each job posting before you apply. For instance, SaaS development is a rapidly growing industry that requires a different skillset from installed software development. To stand out in the SaaS development applicant pool, you need to highlight the skills that the employer wants in an applicant.
Avoid Fluff and Filler
Recruiters and hiring managers typically have a lot of applications to sift through, so they only have a minute to look at your resume. That means you have to highlight the most relevant points to the job and leave out anything that doesn’t apply. Skip things like graduation dates, vague soft skills, and hobbies. One exception: if your hobbies are tech-related, such as participating in Hackathons, that’s worth sharing.
Conclusion
Writing a resume for a job in the software sector isn’t any harder than writing a resume in any other industry. As in any industry, you need to know the job you want and write the perfect resume for that particular job. Tailoring your resume to highlight the skills that make you stand out will help you get your dream job in the software sector. For a little extra help, Career-Resumes offers a free resume critique to help you perfect your software sector resume. This tool can be helpful if you’re unsure where to start.
Need more job search advice?
Join Our Discussion
For more insights and a community of like-minded professionals join our LinkedIn group Resume Help and Advice for Professionals and Executives
About the Author: Lucy Wyndham is a professional freelance writer, editor, and mother of two, who decided to take a step back and work from home after spending a decade working in the finance and health industries. You can reach out to Lucy at lucywyndham.writer@gmail.com
