
Ask HN: How does a great resume look like? What are the best tools to make one? - rayalez
Hey everyone! I&#x27;m a self-taught full-stack web developer. I&#x27;ve spent the past few years learning webdev, working on personal projects, and building a portfolio (https:&#x2F;&#x2F;startuplab.io&#x2F;portfolio).<p>Now I want to find good clients, or work remotely for a startup, and to do that I need to make a resume(or CV?).<p>So I wanted to ask a few questions:<p>- What should I put on my resume?<p>- Can you share some examples of how a great resume should look like?<p>- What are some of the best tools for making one?<p>- What do you look for when deciding to hire a developer?<p>- Can you share some advice that would help me increase my chances of finding a good job?
======
jaysonelliot
One bit of friendly advice, and that's to ensure that it's been proofread by a
native English speaker. "How does it look like" is not a phrase that would be
used normally, although the rule is certainly confusing and easy to get wrong.

"What does it look like" and "how does it look" are both correct, yet for
whatever reason, using both the words "how" and "like" in that construction
ends up sounding awkward.

I hope that doesn't sound critical, I'm just trying to be helpful. When it
comes to resumes, every little detail matters, even the ones that shouldn't.
Good luck!

~~~
make3
There are many proof-reading services online and, from my experience, they are
pretty good and deal pretty well with technical language

~~~
walterbell
Recommendations?

~~~
ollerac
I really like these free options:

\- [http://www.polishmywriting.com/](http://www.polishmywriting.com/)

\- [http://www.hemingwayapp.com/](http://www.hemingwayapp.com/)

Use these if the above don't cut it:

\- [https://readable.io/](https://readable.io/)

\- [https://www.kibin.com/](https://www.kibin.com/)

~~~
walterbell
Thanks. The first three are software and the last one has human reviewers?

~~~
ollerac
Yes :)

------
ollerac
Do this:

1\. Write a list of 5-10 places you'd love to work and the role you'd want to
have

2\. Research the people who work there, the company's mission, and the
company's marketing materials

3\. Spend a few hours writing a job description from the employers
perspective, to get you in their mindset and see the importance of certain
attributes and skills over others

\---

After you do the above steps, you'll be able to see the parts of your
resume/cover letter/portfolio that are important and the ones that can be left
out.

All you need to do is learn how to shift your perspective... which is a hard
thing to do. By doing the above steps, you should be able to achieve it,
however.

In my experience, the insights you'll get from doing so are invaluable.

\---

Also, use a professional paid-for resume generating service, subscribe for a
month, and then cancel. I'd recommend:
[https://resume.io/?ref=producthunt](https://resume.io/?ref=producthunt) (I
left the parameter on the url so you'll get the 80% discount)

------
adamb_
If you're targeting a mid-sized company or bigger, your resume will most
likely first be parsed[1], with key skills, education, years of experience
(etc) extracted and stored in some kind of applicant tracking system, and then
loosely searched against. Your resume will likely not be looked at by human
eyes until it passes through this filter, so it's important to consider making
your resume as machine-readable as possible: Minimal formatting, key technical
terms should be abundant, standard date formats, etc. Only after this should
consider how it reads naturally, and make any appropriate adjustments for
subindustry (e.g. academically-focused jobs generally want to see education
first, etc.) and company.

[1]: [https://www.sovren.com/resume-job-
parser/](https://www.sovren.com/resume-job-parser/)

------
rconti
Details are important. For example, my eyes immediately jumped to "how does /
look like" in your very first sentence. I just interviewed a guy who
Capitalized random Words on his resume, used (TM) after every product name
(half of which were spelled wrong), etc. It's a bad first impression, but it
doesn't make me round file the resume.

So definitely, proofread it yourself, have a grammar nazi proofread it, etc.
Your eyes will completely miss mistakes you made -- and not because you don't
KNOW they're mistakes, but because you know the content you wrote, and what
you MEANT to say, so your eyes won't even see the error, even if they'd easily
spot it on someone else's.

Unfortunately, this works against non-native English speakers, but that's all
the more reason to seek out help if you need it, to put a non-native speaker
on the same footing, to begin with, as a native.

Interestingly, the guy was a 180 degree opposite from what I expected based on
the carelessness on his resume and the person who referred him. In the end, he
still wasn't anywhere near up to my expectations, but, again, details.

~~~
mlevental
... but you still interviewed him...?

~~~
gkya
Sometimes people surprise you, no? Just giving a chance for them to do that is
quite nice.

------
jacob_rezi
I must suggest my own company Rezi, [https://rezi.io](https://rezi.io)

Everything we do is centered around passing applicant tracking systems which
is something no other resume company can say.

We also power South Korea's top university, Seoul National University, with
all English resume needs, so we are doing cool things.

Please let me know if you have any questions, I'm happy to personally help you
with yours.

Here are some examples: [http://blog.rezi.io/5-kick-a-rezi-ats-optimized-
resume-examp...](http://blog.rezi.io/5-kick-a-rezi-ats-optimized-resume-
examples)

Here is what one really awesome resume looks like: [https://rezi.io/ats-
resume-example/](https://rezi.io/ats-resume-example/)

~~~
flanbiscuit
This service looks pretty amazing. I'm currently in the process of writing my
resume and it's a process I'm not very fond of (guessing not many people are).

~~~
jacob_rezi
Thanks a lot! We try to make it as easy and enjoyable as possible.

------
cv230498
(Sorry for throwaway, I don't usually comment)

I've been very happy with limecv, check out
[https://olivierpieters.be/projects/limecv](https://olivierpieters.be/projects/limecv)
and [https://github.com/opieters/limecv](https://github.com/opieters/limecv)

When hiring devs, or anyone really, but this seems particularly problematic in
tech: I always look for people who aren't completely full of themselves. If
you think you're infallible or arrogant, I don't care what you've done. You're
likely awful to work with. Be a person and remember you work with people.

~~~
fenwick67
How can I reflect not being arrogant in a resume, though?

~~~
gkya
Just objectively and briefly describe yourself. Don't try to "market"
yourself, or talk too much about your personality and other abstract stuff. An
example would be: saying "I'm a CS grad, looking to do ..." and then listing
in your education details that you've graduated from MIT vs. saying upfront
"I've completed a CS course in MIT, one of the best universities worldwide in
this area; and I strive to change the world..."

------
itamarst
A good resume won't get you consulting clients. You need marketing - see e.g.
[https://doubleyourfreelancing.com/](https://doubleyourfreelancing.com/) which
has lots of free content.

You are also not likely to get a remote job without some relevant work
experience that demonstrates you can work independently. So your resume should
heavily focus on that - show you can learn on your own, manage yourself, etc..
Lacking any programing job experience, though, it's going to be somewhat
difficult.

If you don't have relevant job experience, can you get a non-remote job to
begin with?

------
johnmcd3
The mistakes I see made most are:

(1) Not concretely listing the candidate's contribution (vs the team or
project description), and

(2) Not focused on the most impressive and relevant items, but instead a
laundry list of things unrelated to the opportunity at hand

Some tips and a resume template:
[https://www.careercup.com/resume](https://www.careercup.com/resume)

~~~
jdmichal
I've had the "opportunity" to read several 4+ page resumes like this. (Current
record is 9 pages!) Candidates are definitely not doing themselves any favors.
I _expect_ that you used source control at your software engineering job.
Listing it as a bullet point on your resume is just wasting your space and my
time.

Another favorite is people who don't trim down previous experience. Every time
I add a position to my resume, I go back over every other position and remove
or compress bullet points based on what I think is important from that job
now. And, of course, I've completely removed things like irrelevant college
summer jobs. This is the main mechanism that allows my resume to still fit on
a single (!) page.

~~~
treis
The problem is that, to use your example, if a job requires Git there might be
an automated filter looking for the keyword Git. A good rule of thumb is that
if it's in the job description it should be in your resume somewhere.

~~~
jdmichal
Individual technologies should just be listed somewhere. There's not enough
space to waste an entire line for a single technology. Your bullet points
should be talking about how you used technology to deliver business value. Not
how you used a technology to do the thing that everyone does with that
technology.

------
EvRev
Here is what works for me. Took me so many iterations to polish it. I use
Inkscape.

[https://github.com/evinr/Graphic_Design/blob/master/Resumes/...](https://github.com/evinr/Graphic_Design/blob/master/Resumes/OffTheCharts/EvinRevelloResume2016.pdf)

~~~
Humdeee
I am not a fan of this format at all. It is exhausting to read. How many
iterations? You have spelling errors in your bars...

~~~
tuananh
Agree. It's very tiresome to extract information from this.

------
sametmax
The best advise i've been given is : don't use a text processor software to
make it. Use a drawing software.

I myself use inkscape. The result is neat, pixel perfect resume and i can
adjust the size and content aesthetically to make it fit on one page.

Of course it supposes that you got the content already figured out.

~~~
adamb_
This approach only works if you know your resume will be read by a person
exclusively, and not machine parsed.

------
Blackstone4
I'm a big fan of one page resumes and the minimum amount of text needed to put
across your points. This means your strengths will stand out (i.e. not being
diluted by unnecessary text)

Be achievement focused. i.e. don't water down what you write with a job
description.

------
minouye
Start with getting to know your audience.

You're basically selling yourself and your skills. Length, design, content,
formatting, etc. all will depend on who is actually reading your resume.

For a fantastic example of how your writing changes based on audience, check
out [https://getcoleman.com/](https://getcoleman.com/).

~~~
iamdave
Wow. That website is probably the best example I've seen in a long time of
"show don't tell" when it comes to marketing your skills and services.

Going to either extremes are chuckleworthy too.

------
rhonsby
In my opinion, a good resume is one that is easy to read and isn't flamboyant
(unless you're a designer).

As someone who used to interview at least three candidates a week, I tend to
look at their resumes right before going into the interview. I want to be able
to easily understand their backgrounds, what sort of responsibilities they've
had in the past, and maybe what technologies they're proficient in.

Here's a checklist of things that I think should be included (in this order):
\- Name, number, email \- Relevant work experience \- Technologies that
they're proficient in \- Education

You can also choose to include personal projects if you have space for it. For
new grads, I like to see personal projects that weren't class projects. That
definitely makes them stand out from every other new grad.

For my own resume, I used Apple Pages and one of their standard templates. No
need to get crazy and choose something wildly unique.

~~~
monocasa
I had a lot of success starting with a designer resume template and toning it
down.

It ended up looking like a hipster restaurant menu, which I guess is what I
was going for.

------
fyfy18
When I first started my career I used something I spent days building in
LaTeX. After a few years I realised that none of that really mattered, and now
just have a Word document (mainly so I don’t have to fumble around installing
LaTeX every few years when I want to update it).

Yes, you should have something that stands out, but unless you are applying
for a job as a designer, it should be your skills and experience that stand
out, not how (subjectively) pretty you can make your CV. Additionally larger
companies and recruitment agencies will parse your CV and strip all your
formatting, before a human even sees it. Sending it over as a PDF (with the
text embedded) probably helps with that.

~~~
abhishekjha
I have been using LaTeX for past 2 years and updating the resume starts taking
a toll as I am not well versed with. Recently had my hard drive fail and ended
up reinstalling and updating my very first draft which took a lot of time.
Even after all this the point that gets me is the recruiter asking you to fill
all the details one by one on their online job application portal while the
resume has the very same details. I wonder why.

~~~
astkaasa
there are some online latex editor services, maybe u can try
[https://www.sharelatex.com](https://www.sharelatex.com)

------
lessclue
For tools, check out:

[https://cvmkr.com](https://cvmkr.com) and
[https://visualcv.com](https://visualcv.com)

~~~
PenguinCoder
These are pretty bad, to be honest. Hard to parse, cluttered and too much
emphasis on looking 'unique'

------
BreakoutList
Regarding what you should put on a resume, check out this checklist we put
together:

[https://breakoutlist.com/engineer-resume-
checklist](https://breakoutlist.com/engineer-resume-checklist)

Regarding examples of a great resume, see the one in the photo above.

Also see the following template regarding this and your question about the
best tools for making one.

Example resume on ShareLaTeX:
[https://www.sharelatex.com/project/55db6ac384d1be370a7d4b9a](https://www.sharelatex.com/project/55db6ac384d1be370a7d4b9a)

> Can you share some advice that would help me increase my chances of finding
> a good job?

Treat it like an engineering problem. Analyze your funnel - what
companies/opportunities are you starting with? What's your conversion rate
between funnel steps? How can you increase that?

And, vitally, how can you put yourself in the shoes of the person on the other
side? How can you simulate their perspective? At every point of interaction
with you, if you were them, what would you think? And given that knowledge,
how can you improve what you're doing?

Other things: check out @sehurlburt on Twitter, Stephanie gives great advice
on this topic. Also search around and read threads like the following:
[https://www.reddit.com/r/engineering/comments/23e4df/entry_l...](https://www.reddit.com/r/engineering/comments/23e4df/entry_level_engineers_who_are_now_hired_what_got/)

------
nfriedly
I think your time is probably best spent sprucing up your linkedin first. It
seems like most recruiters just search through linkedin for keywords.

Go through every job you've had and be sure to list your contributions, the
impact to the business (if possible), and _lots of keywords_ for every little
language, library, technology, pattern, field, etc. that you're interested in
working with again.

Then in the Summary section at the top write up some of your interests and
experiences, this way you can include your side projects, and even name things
that you'd like to work on but have no current experience with.

Set your Headline to the role you want.

Next, flip the switch at [https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/career-
interests/](https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/career-interests/)

Now, to answer your actual questions:

\- What should I put on my resume? - Basically the same stuff as above, but
shorter: contributions, impact, keywords, but limit it to the most impressive
/ interesting parts. Please try keep it down to one page.

\- Can you share some examples of how a great resume should look like?

I don't know if I'd call mine great, but it helped me land my last few jobs. I
think I was a lot more impressed with myself when I came up with the design 10
years ago. [http://www.nfriedly.com/Nathan-Friedly-
Resume.pdf](http://www.nfriedly.com/Nathan-Friedly-Resume.pdf)

\- What are some of the best tools for making one?

Microsoft Word. Or maybe Google Docs.

HTML might also be a sensible option for someone targeting a web role, but
make sure it prints well, and that you can provide a .pdf version of it
easily.

\- What do you look for when deciding to hire a developer?

Intelligence, experience, and skill. The resume helps you get the interview,
but it doesn't have much effect after that point.

\- Can you share some advice that would help me increase my chances of finding
a good job?

Besides the linkedin point, network. Talk to everyone you know and let them
know what you're looking for.

Lastly, nice looking website!

------
rohanm93
Hey! Going to share my product which is really relevant here:

1) Resume Worded - it has handpicked resume copy/lines that you can use for
inspiration ([http://resumeworded.com](http://resumeworded.com)).

2) Wherever possible, you should quantify each of your accomplishments by
using numbers/metrics. Here's an example of a good resume line:

Managed a process re-engineering project to improve and consolidate end-to-end
service processes; restructured communication flow among 10 departments, and
cut down paperwork by 75%

Notice how the applicant has quantified the result of his work by using ‘cut
down paperwork by 75%’ and '10 departments'. Other ways to quantify your lines
include “reduced cost by 15%”, “reduced the need for 3 FTEs”, “reduced process
time by 20 hours/week”, “increased revenue by $5,000”….

We've got a list of metrics you can use to quantify your accomplishments here:
[https://resumeworded.com/metrics](https://resumeworded.com/metrics)

3) We also have a checklist:
[https://resumeworded.com/checklist](https://resumeworded.com/checklist)

Get in touch if I can help further! Rohan

------
dilatedmind
After switching to a plain text resume a couple years ago, I have found it to
elicit high response rates from the kind of companies I would like to work
for.

------
mosster
If anyone's interested, I'm launching a resume side project called
[https://htmlresume.com/](https://htmlresume.com/) soon, and if anyone would
like one for free, shoot me a message at hello[at]htmlresume.com with HN in
the subject line or tweet me at @mosstache.

you can have one for free as long as you promise to upload it on your website
and make it live :)

------
nathan_f77
The "moderncv" LaTeX package is pretty good. I use this template on Overleaf,
with the "banking" theme: [https://www.overleaf.com/latex/templates/modern-cv-
and-cover...](https://www.overleaf.com/latex/templates/modern-cv-and-cover-
letter-2015-version/sttkgjcysttn)

------
gkya
My first (and only) programming job I got it with a plain text resume appended
to my application e-mail. All I had to list was a couple links to my github
and my blog. Was a uni drop-out (from a history course...).

I wouldn't advice you do that, I myself am maintaining a resume that I write
with Org-mode and some TeX, not because that's how it should be done but
because I make most of my documents that way, but still, a resume is about
content, above all. A nice and short bio, and then some lists. Due care to
details like nice typography and accurate ortography. And no needless
ornaments or details that make it too complicated or long to read.

I wouldn't think too much about what recruiters specifically look at really.
They probably behave like everybody anyways: skim a document to see if worth
reading, check the abstract if available, then read if looks like worth
reading.

------
otalp
This template is very good, you can edit it in a good pdf reader:
[https://github.com/mnjul/html-
resume/blob/master/firefox_res...](https://github.com/mnjul/html-
resume/blob/master/firefox_result.pdf)

------
peterwwillis
"Looks" aren't a consideration for a resume; most people don't mind if it's
ugly or not. What people care about is content. Does this resume tell me what
you learned and accomplished at your position? Does it show responsibility and
experience? Can I see a career path? Can I see any patterns I might not like,
like very little time spent at each job, or re-using the same technology?

In terms of _getting a job_ , that's a completely different story. That
involves the steps necessary to get a resume on top of a desk, and to inspire
the person reading it that _this person has more value than the others_. Those
are not easy things to do, but they often do more to determine whether you
will get hired than the content of your resume.

~~~
DoreenMichele
Of course _looks_ matter.

But not necessarily in a "you should try to make it _pretty_ " sort of way.
Looks should be more about readability and making it easy to scan and easy to
find the pertinent information. It should look good in an engineering sort of
way, not an art sort of way, if that makes sense.

------
realPubkey
Here check out my projekt to build awesome resumes with vuejs
[https://github.com/salomonelli/best-resume-
ever](https://github.com/salomonelli/best-resume-ever)

------
megadeth
I really like Gayle's suggested format:
[https://www.careercup.com/resume](https://www.careercup.com/resume)

It condenses information to one page.

------
michaelbuckbee
I think you're already ahead of the curve with the portfolio. Though I'd
recommend some changes to it.

\- Drop the tech stacks from the top portion

\- Reorder it so for each project you state what it was you did, what
technology you used and what impact it had

Then when applying to jobs put the portfolio link in your cover letter. From
personal experience, almost everyone you send it to will click that link.

Another thought: you could pretty easily setup custom project/portfolio
landing pages per company you were applying to.

------
Johnny555
The only notable format I can remember was the guy that applied for a Unix Ops
role, and along with his PDF resume he included the troff source for the
resume.

He got the job (though not only because of the troff).

Unix Ops resumes submitted as MS Word files are less impressive.

------
wyattk
A related question to the community, if you have ~5 years of experience, is it
okay to have a resume that is more than one page? This includes other sections
besides experience (i.e. skills).

What are the communities' thoughts on length of resume?

Edit: clarified question.

~~~
monocasa
Two pages is OK if that extra information is telling the person reading it
something important they wouldn't otherwise know. Ie. different skill sets.

------
rapfaria
One thing a great resume has is information that is relevant to the job you
are applying, not all of your experience.

Keep a master resume with everything you have accomplished so you don't forget
something in the future, and edit it accordingly.

------
jedberg
I build mine in LaTeX. Here is the source for it:
[https://jedberg.net/Jeremy_Edberg_Resume.tex](https://jedberg.net/Jeremy_Edberg_Resume.tex)

------
kreeWall
This chain might be helpful too:
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16479922](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=16479922)

------
greenleafjacob
As an employee that sometimes screens resumes, LaTeX is a plus.

~~~
jcadam
My resume has been in LaTeX for years. In fact, it's the only thing I use
LaTeX for these days.

Sometimes I get a recruiter who demands I send them my resume as an editable
Word document rather than a PDF, so not having one at the ready makes it
easier to just say no :)

------
soneca
Not sure about what can help, but I just started using your Helix (habit
tracking web app), so please don't kill it in the next months! :)

Good luck!

------
ketan_anjaria
oooh! I can respond to this one! What should you put on your resume? A resume
is ultimately a marketing doc (selling you). What you should put is things
that sell you well for the specific job you are looking for.

1 - Really clear name, email and phone at the top. Also get a professional
email instead of joedude234@hotmail.com. Something like name@yoursite.com

2 - A clear bio/subtitle. It can be simple as Back End Developer. But so many
people leave out and as resume reader I have to parse your entire resume to
"get" what you do.

3\. Experience in the following format Job Title (sell you, not the company
first) Company Dates Location (highly optional)

3-5 Well written bullets of your impact for each job. In Metric + Time format.

* Increased sales by 40% in 6 months by redesigning sign up flow.

Don't use a lot of buzz words. Keep it short, scannable and positive.

I would list at least 3 jobs if possible.

Education Your Degree (Bachelor of Arts) School Dates Any specific wins at
school.

Skills A list of skills in order of your strongest. This is an easy one
because the job you are interested probably has some if not all of these
listed. Avoid putting too many skills (10 is good) and don't put obvious ones
like Microsoft Office.

I run HireClub where we do resume reviews (I've done 1000+ reviews in my time)
and have made a simple resume builder with a beautiful design. You can see my
resume at
[https://hireclub.com/resumes/Kz2Nsrhp](https://hireclub.com/resumes/Kz2Nsrhp)

In hiring a developer, the best thing I would want to see is launched projects
I can actually use. Don't have one? Make one. I don't care if it's simple as
todo list but I want to see and use something you actually coded. The other
thing is sample code in your preferred language. This should be a single class
that is clear enough in its purpose but complex enough to see your coding
style.

The best way to find a job is through referrals. 75% of hires happen through
referrals. Only 15% happen through job sites. Your goal is to network and
connect to folks that can vouch for you.

[https://hireclub.com](https://hireclub.com)

(shameless plug and we are applying to YC tomorrow)

------
Walkman
The best tool is Microsoft Word or equivalent.

~~~
Humdeee
I agree. Make it simple, attractive, and keep it's format familiar. Export to
PDF. Nothing else.

It's a resume... it doesn't have to be paired with the paper equivalent of a
LSD trip...

------
tranchms
I approach the job search as a lengthy process of apply, reflect, refine,
repeat.

I won’t get into the resume writing aspect, since there are countless
resources out there, so I’ll just say this: identify jobs you’d like to have,
aggregate the required skills and qualifications, then write your resume that
highlights and frames everything that fits those requirements.

I usually apply to hundreds of jobs. Some I may want. Some I may not want.
When I get an interview, I try to learn everything I can about the position
and the company, and I sell myself to the best of my ability. I always ask a
lot of questions: what are the challenges of the job? What is the ideal
candidate? What do you like about my skills and experiences? What don’t you
like? Etc. I then fill in the gaps in my resume and cover letter.

In the beginning of a new job search, i usually don’t get many interview
requests. My resume may need work, and I’m usually not great at selling
myself.

But due to the sheer volume of applications, I do get interviews which in turn
allow me to collect data on companies and positions so I can refine my resume
and my approach to the interview process,and become acquainted with the
questions and how to pitch myself, etc.

I always try to get a final interview, even if I’m not sold on the job.
Recruiters and hiring managers probably dislike people like me who go the
distance only to decline the offer. But it’s invaluable experience, and you’re
interviewing companies as much as they are interviewing you. Remember that.

After a few weeks of getting warmed up, I apply to my choice companies/
positions.

By this time I am polished, confident, and know the interview process inside
and out, and am familiar with the positions and responsibilities that I’m
aiming for.

This method is highly effective, but lengthy, and time consuming.

The exposure to all the recruiters, going through the interview process,
asking tons of questions and collecting information about how the business
works, how the departments work, the responsibilities of the role, the
processes, the culture, advancement, etc is invaluable experience that you can
leverage when interviewing for the companies/ positions you’d really like.

As an example, I applied to about 10 companies a day for about 8 weeks before
I landed my ideal job. Starting out I received maybe 1-3 interview requests
the first week or two, and rarely getting past the first and second interview.

After refining the resume and polishing my interview skills, I was receiving
5-6 interviews a week, had to turn down many offers and final interviews
requiring travel that I knew I wouldn’t take.

This really gave me confidence. It allowed me to negotiate salary. And I knew
if I walked away there were other offers waiting.

Starting out, the job search can be daunting. But just dive in. Apply,
reflect, refine, repeat. You’ll know your worth, and learn to sell yourself.

Best of luck!

------
neduma
Other day, i was reading resume of Michał Zalewski. It is just 1 page and
awesome.

~~~
TremendousJudge
do you have a link?

~~~
guessmyname
[http://lcamtuf.coredump.cx/cv-web-en.pdf](http://lcamtuf.coredump.cx/cv-web-
en.pdf)

------
lee101
Sometimes its real hard going talking to recruiters, you routinely get
eliminated because of job description to C.V. skills match, e.g. i would get
told either i didn't get a job or wouldn't get put forward to a job because
i'm not "an Agile" or "an Node.js" despite doing JavaScript for around 8 years
or so now. Sometimes the non technical recruiters are infront of some really
lucrative clients who don't have a good grasp on hiring either.

A technical recruiter i like is aline lerner she has a blog
[http://blog.alinelerner.com/posts/](http://blog.alinelerner.com/posts/) and
founded interviewing.io some really good data driven insights there e.g.
spelling on a C.V. matters more than what school you went too believe it or
not.

I also have my C.V. online and found its worked well for me using that as a
portfolio [http://leepenkman.appspot.com](http://leepenkman.appspot.com) its
open source can be forked on Github/self hosted.

When deciding to hire a developer, what i personally look for is passion
(something that stands out e.g. personal projects, good grades, good sounding
application/well researched) and a depth/breadth of experience rather than a
specific industry/exact match skill set which id say you demonstrate, you
didnt go to a CS uni so its good you have some things about algorithms on your
blog.

For depth id ask more specific questions around some of that e.g. i noticed
the recursion post fairly light so id perhaps check for depth and ask more
about caching, stack overflow, removing recursion with stacks/memoizing,
traversals

many interviewers also ask compsci questions like how to write factorial
recursively/non recursively which makes the interviews skew toward formal
education.

for breadth id check for experiences: where/what/how/when/why (five whys) into
experiences building things at a high level and what your experiences are of
things relevant to this position.

breadth can be very high level and you may be asked abstract things like how
do you think one of googles products works or how would you trouble shoot if
say a large system like that went down.

Id say some advice would be to leverage your personal network, tell everyone
your looking (already done here i suppose).

How have you been finding clients currently? you seem to be doing well, i run
a SaaS cryptocurrrency prediction system
[https://BitBank.nz](https://BitBank.nz) and basically everyone is from
reddit/HN. Most jobs i've had either through knowing someone or applying,
remote jobs have proved difficult even when i have done lots of open source
work in and around the company without knowing anyone it seems a bit super
hard, i settled on doing my own thing with BitBank.nz and contracting in
person

------
andrewmcwatters
Speak briefly and concisely.

I would not claim to have a great resume, but I have been employed. Here is an
example of mine.
[http://www.andrewmcwatters.com/resume.pdf](http://www.andrewmcwatters.com/resume.pdf)

Use Microsoft Word, export to .docx and .pdf.

If I were hiring a developer, I would look for the technical skills I'm
looking for, relevant and extended experience, and a proven track record with
references. Formal education is nice, but not necessary. Open source projects
or a design portfolio they can show is a plus.

A personal and technical interview helps me determine intent and company fit.

------
greatamerican
I have a resume styled with simple CSS and HTML, and it prints to a single
page pdf.

------
lugg
If it is not a fact you can back up with a story that might show a benefit it
is fluff.

If it is not a benefit your future employer might like, it is fluff.

Minimise fluff.

Tailor your cv for each role.

