Here's How the Pros Prepare Their CVs for Tech Jobs

Last month, we hosted an “Ask Us Anything” space for JRs and newcomers in the Software Engineering Community on X. The idea was to address some of the recurring questions entry-level people have, especially about the interview process, CV preparation, and standing out in the current market.

I was lucky to have the support of Robin Hallabro-Kokko, who has been involved in backend development with PHP and Golang for fifteen years, and Tim Majerus, a lifelong software developer who recently started his own consulting firm.

Here are some key highlights from our discussion:

Preparing for Interviews

Research

Understanding what you’re getting into can save you a lot of trouble and help you decide if it’s truly what you want to do.

Research the Field

Start by exploring your field of interest. Check what kind of work is done, the leading companies, and the standard skills and tech stacks needed. Familiarize yourself with their pros and cons, as well as the latest events and trends. This will help you avoid surprises and show your readiness in an interview.

Research the Roles

If you have a specific role in mind, reverse-engineer it. Look at job descriptions and roadmaps to understand the expected skills and technologies. Work backward to plan what you need to learn and how to do it.

Research the Company

Before an interview, understand the company’s products, services, and technologies. This will help you anticipate questions and show your genuine interest. Also, reach out to current or former employees to learn about the work environment and practices. Be sincere, it’s clear you want something, so make it a meaningful connection.

Resume Preparation

Your CV is your main way to stand out, so it needs to be attractive and relevant. Preparing one takes time because you need to fill it with interesting and relevant projects, like hackathons, internships, or advanced side projects. A couple of non-basic projects can make a big difference.

Other general advice:

• Don’t lie. If you get caught, you’re done with that company or recruiter.
• Limit buzzwords. Use them sparingly and only where they make sense.
• Keep skills current. Remove outdated ones to avoid questions you can’t answer anymore.
• Address employment gaps and job-hopping. Fill gaps with related activities or be ready to explain them.
• Freelancers and contractors should highlight the variety of projects and clients they’ve worked with.
• Provide context for your work. Use metrics, show how much money or time was saved, number of users, growth, etc. Emphasize accomplishments that benefited the organization.
• Avoid fancy templates. Use ATS-friendly formats to ensure your CV is properly parsed, and you are not discarded during step 0.
• Get feedback. Have someone review your CV for clarity and effectiveness.
• For those with little experience, projects will make up most of your CV. Build relevant, non-basic ones using standard industry tools. Document key decisions on a blog, GitHub, or X, explain your choices, implications, and thought process.

Getting Interview Practice

Interview practice is often overlooked but is actually a game-changer. Even experiences people can mess up due to being nervous or not having interviewed in a long time. Getting comfortable with the process improves performance and negotiation skills, so apply, even just for practice.

Some will say that taking interviews you won’t accept wastes the other side’s time, but companies waste candidates’ time all the time. So I say, be selfish, focus on yourself. You can always decline an offer later while keeping the door open, or even accept it. Who knows?

Referrals

Referrals can help you skip the initial screenings. The challenge is getting them when your network is small. Build relationships in the sector, then ask for referrals. Go to meetups, hackathons, and collaborate with people who could later vouch for you, show them you are a good candidate. Be authentic, focus on real connections, not just referrals.

Other General Advice

• Be ready to explain your past work. If asked about decisions or how something worked, at least remember the context.
• When starting a job, look out for yourself. For more companies you are expendable so avoid burnouts. If you give 120% each day, the moment you dial it down, you will be seen as a slacker.
• Stay marketable. Every now and then check your standing in the market. Look around to see what skills the market is looking for and stay current.
• Apply even if you don’t meet all requirements. If you cover 50% of the job description, apply. Many descriptions are more of a wish-list than must-haves.
• Work on open-source projects. This gives you access to peer reviews with a very high technical level, which can improve your skill. Also, looks very good in your CV.
• Use the Feynman technique. Simplify complex concepts to deepen understanding and improve your capacity to explain them clearly.
• Acquire relevant skills. When transitioning to a new field, focus on acquiring necessary skills and following a road map for your desired role.

If you liked this post you can find more like it in my blog or in my hackernoon profile.

Image by Alex Kotliarskyi in Unsplash