This resume got me offers from Google, Microsoft, and Amazon!
Creating an effective resume takes skill and strategy. Here are my ten tips on how to craft an impressive resume. Remember, people love modesty, but they do not hire it.
“People love modesty, but they do not hire it.”
The Dark Resume
Hey Pirates, PK here. Today, I’m revealing the resume I used to apply and get offers from companies like Google, Microsoft, Amazon, etc. I’ve redesigned it a bit to fit into the context of this video, but it’s almost identical to the one I used to apply to Google and later receive that $360k offer. Creating a resume is not difficult, but you do need to incorporate the right strategy to craft an effective one. For that reason, I’ll share my ten tips on how to write an effective software engineering resume by using mine as an example. Just an FYI, I also used to work as a software engineering mentor at a few educational startups, including Springboard, for over a year. And because I’ve reviewed and edited countless resumes throughout the mentorship, I know precisely the common mistakes candidates often make. Trust me on this. Implementing my techniques into your resume will significantly increase traction from the recruiters. That’s how I helped dozens of people get offers from companies like FAANG!
I also have a special announcement regarding Springboard, including a $1,000 discount if you use the promo code PIRATEKING, but more on that later. 🙂 So here is my resume.
I created a dark resume because I wanted mine to kind of stand out (?) and because I just love dark themes. I don’t recommend a dark-themed resume if you’re an entry-level engineer, but for me, it worked. 🤷 I got offers from Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and a few others with this resume.
Alright. Here are my ten tips on crafting an effective software engineering resume.
Tip Number One. People love modesty, but they do not hire it.
I want you to remember this before we dissect my resume. When applying for a job, it’s not the time to be humble. I’m not asking you to be cocky and arrogant, but there’s a difference between being confident and modest. Show these guys what you’re made of. If this isn’t the time to present everything you’ve got, then when is? Give them a reason to choose you over others. Remember, you’re in a competition. Be aggressive, and do not hold yourself back. Try your best to make your resume appear as impressive and impactful as possible. Adopt the winning mindset.
Tip Number Two. Make a strong impression with a single page.
Let me ask you a question. Do you know, on average, how much time recruiters spend reviewing a resume? 7 seconds. That’s right. You only have 7 seconds to convince them. If they spend 7 seconds on your resume, will they ever take a look at your second page? 🥴 Do you now see the importance of including only the essential components on your resume? Your resume should be well-organized on a single page. Let me repeat what I found from Google: “With such limited time, the first impression you make is critical.”
Tip Number Three. Make it easy to learn about you
Let’s begin with the header. Make sure to include your LinkedIn. The goal is to force the recruiters to navigate your profile longer. Make them curious. Give them ways to find out more about who you are. The same goes for GitHub. If you’ve worked on personal projects, point them to where your source code is. Let them know that you are indeed a software engineer. Lastly, don’t forget to embed the links. Again, learning more about you shouldn’t be difficult.
Tip Number Four. Describe yourself with skills, not words
I like having Skills in the first section because it’s de facto a quick overview of my technical background. I’m virtually replacing the professional summary with my skills because my techniques translate who I am much better than a simple goal. Oh, one word of advice about skills. Don’t put in obvious stuff like Microsoft Word, Excel, Windows or macOS, and Visual Studio Code; you’re wasting precious space. That’s like an Uber driver confessing he knows how to use Google Maps. 😦
Tip Number Five. Make a preemptive strike.
One common mistake candidates make in their resumes is putting education first; don’t do that, especially if you’re already active in the field. Even if you’re a student, put experience at the top if you have any internships or similar. Remember. You’re not applying to a school; you’re applying to a company. What do you think is the number one thing that companies look for? Your education? Your GPA? No, it’s always the work experience. Of the 7 seconds, guess how many you’ve wasted by putting your experience at the bottom? 🤷
Tip Number Six. Exaggerate.
Let’s dig deeper into Experience. For example, the first bullet point under Microsoft: “Led the design and development of multiple enterprise-level microservice applications, driving $35.3 billion of revenue every year.” First of all, if I were honestly the one responsible for driving billions of dollars every year, I wouldn’t be here. 🙄 The point is that exaggerating your impact is acceptable as long as it’s not a lie. For instance, I did work in the commerce department at Microsoft, which is responsible for selling Microsoft proprietary licenses. Whether direct or indirect, I was involved in designing and developing several revenue-generating systems. Embellishing is how you add impact to your work and make it appear more interesting. Making up a baseless story is a deception, but adding spices to your presentation is a tactic.
Tip Number Seven. Quantify.
One of the things companies love is metrics; they love to measure stuff. For example, driving $35.3 billion of revenue at Microsoft, monthly revenue of $1 billion at ebay, and increasing global revenue by 23% in the first quarter. Compare these two sentences: “Generated a lot of revenue with the new product” vs. “Generated $100 million of revenue with the new product.” How about these two? “Reduced the API latency significantly” vs. “Reduced the API latency by 80% from 10 to 2 seconds.” Do you see how the latter examples are much more convincing and conceivable? Quantify your bullet points wherever you can. Another great thing about this is that it adds credibility. I mean, you do have supporting claims when you make such assertions, right? 😒
Tip Number Eight. Provide business context.
The first person to screen your resume is always a recruiter. But guess what? They don’t know anything about coding! Another critical mistake candidates make on their resume is bombarding it with technical details. Instead of just enumerating the programming languages and frameworks, provide the business context of your accomplishments. For example, what real-world problem did you solve? What does your system do, and what impact did it have? How did your work help the business flourish? Remember, the recruiters are humans, not machines like us. 🙄 You need to speak the language that we all can comprehend.
Tip Number Nine. Stay relevant.
All employers put more emphasis on recent work history and not the past. Do you see how my non-full-time jobs and education are just one-liners? They’re worth noting, but I won’t elaborate beyond that because they’re less relevant. The same goes for jobs that are not software engineering related. If you’ve worked at a restaurant part-time, taught English, or something similar, make it a one-liner or delete it completely. Instead, use the opening to incorporate more bullet points that can further add value to your resume. Lastly, I hate to disappoint you, but companies, recruiters, and hiring managers don’t really care about your non-technical skills or hobbies like playing piano, games, hiking, and speaking multiple languages. I’m guilty myself having included being trilingual under skills, but hey, it’s just a flex. ✌️
Tip Number Ten. Value yourself.
You’re worth much more than you think. Stop putting adjectives like entry-level and proficiency levels like Medium Java or Beginner Python. Guess what? It’s never too late to explain your expertise level when they ask. Don’t close the door upfront by framing yourself as a novice; at this point, you’re not. If you’re crafting a professional resume, you should THINK like a pro, ACT like a pro, and BE a pro. Remember, people love modesty, but they do not hire it.
Summary
Today, I shared my ten tips on how to craft an effective software engineering resume with the one I used to get offers from FAANG. Download it for free from my website in both white and dark themes. I created one in Google docs instead of a word file so that anyone can easily edit it. 🙂 That’s it, pirates. I hope my ten tips help you craft a superb resume. Don’t forget to hit like and subscribe. It helps me tremendously. I’ll see you at the next one. Peace.
Springboard Coding Bootcamp
Did you guys know I worked as a Software Engineering mentor at Springboard for over a year? You can get $1,000 off the bootcamp when you use the discount code PIRATEKING. Now, I warn you. Coding is hard, and it’s not for everyone. Also, not every software engineer makes a six-figure salary; it takes time and effort. I sincerely believe Springboard’s program is solid, but it’s ultimately up to you to digest everything it offers. My goal is to help you succeed and not sell false hopes. Sign up only if you’ve put some serious thoughts into it.
If you are willing to put in your best efforts, I can attest to how incredible Springboard is because, well, I’ve worked there and seen the curriculum myself! Here are a few reasons I recommend Springboard for making your career transition.
The curriculum’s full-stack covering both the front and backend; this is a significant plus in job searching.
The program teaches multiple PRACTICAL coding languages and frameworks used in the industry - another huge advantage in the job market.
It’s completely online and self-paced, meaning you determine your own pace.
You work with a dedicated mentor (like me!)
Again, do your homework before signing up. If you enroll, don’t forget to use my code (PIRATEKING) to get the $1,000 discount.
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