Landing your dream job in software engineering requires your CV to be scanned by multiple people in the hiring process. It’s also likely to be scanned by an Applicant Tracking System, or ATS. This software application is used by employers and recruiters to carry out an initial screen of CVs and give a high ranking to those CVs that closely match the requirements of the job description.
To ensure your CV passes the ATS test and reaches the hiring team, here’s 5 CV essentials that all software engineers must be aware of.
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- Include Keywords From Job Description
- Use Common Section Headings
- Use Bullet Points
- Quantify your Achievements
- Avoid Tables, Columns and Images
1. Include Keywords From Job Description
The ATS will use keywords from the job description to rank your CV. Make sure you read the job description carefully and highlight the technical and soft skills the company is looking for. In particular, highlight programming languages (e.g., Python, Java, C#, JavaScript), frameworks (e.g., Django, React, Spring), databases (e.g., SQL, NoSQL) and other tools.
These keywords can be included on your CV under a section titled ‘Technical Skills’.
When you are describing your software projects or work experience, focus on these keywords and describe what you built using these tools and frameworks.
Soft skills such as communication, teamwork and problem solving should also be highlighted in the job description. These keywords can be included as bullet points under the ‘Work Experience’ and ‘Projects’ sections.
Highlight the job title on the job description. You can include this job title in the ‘Personal Profile’ section as you introduce yourself and the role you are seeking.
2. Use Common Section Headings
The ATS will scan your CV and extract the information it needs before giving your CV a ranking. It’s important your CV has a structure that the ATS will understand.
Use common section headings on your CV to allow the ATS to find the information it needs. Section headings such as “Education”, “Work Experience”, “Skills” and “Projects” should be used.
Use consistent margins and spacing throughout your CV. Avoid using headers and footers as the ATS may not be able to parse them.
3. Use Bullet Points
The ATS will scan your CV for keywords before assigning your CV a ranking. Use bullet points to ensure keywords stand out and are easily found when your CV is scanned. Bullet points are a standard way to present information on a CV and the ATS will understand this format.
Avoid long paragraphs of text in your CV as the ATS may have trouble finding keywords and your CV will be assigned a lower ranking.
4. Quantify your Achievements
When describing your achievements using bullet points, add a measurable outcome to enhance what you have achieved in the past. Include numbers, percentages and other measurable outcomes to gain a higher ranking from the ATS for your CV. For example, you can describe how you implemented unit testing using JUnit, and you achieved 95% test coverage in your code.
The ATS will assign a higher ranking to CVs with measurable outcomes.
5. Avoid Tables, Columns and Images
The ATS may have trouble parsing a CV that contains table, columns and images. This can lead to key information being lost and your CV given a low ranking.
It’s best to avoid tables and columns and use common section headings and bullet points that are easy to read.
Avoid images and photos and keep the structure of your CV as simple as possible, with an easy to read font.
