In my previous post, I wrote about what you would need to learn to get a job as a web developer. In this post, let’s look at two items you’ll need to create: a resume and a cover letter.
Many people think writing a resume and/or cover letter is a once-and-done task, but it’s not. Ideally, you should customize both for each job. Here are some of the practical tips I used to land my current position.
Resume
Starter Resume
While each job application should have a customized resume, you should create a starter resume with everything on it. You won’t send this resume to anyone, but it serves as a starting place for the resume you will send. As you write customized items for each job experience on your application resume, you can copy/paste them onto this starter for possible future use.
Action verbs
When listing out what you did in a previous job, use action verbs at the beginning of each bullet point.
Instead of writing “responsible for supporting staff” you would instead write “supported 75 staff members”. Always start with a verb.
Don’t just continually use the same verb either. For developers, it’s easy to have everything start with “built” or “developed”. Use a thesaurus and branch out a little, but don’t get too crazy.
Important: use a spelling and grammar checker. Don’t submit a resume or cover letter with easy-to-catch mistakes.
Measure Results
Notice in the rewrite I posted above, that I used the specific number of staff supported. A better example would display the results of your work. “Reduced stylesheet size by 40%, saving the company $6,000 annually in hosting fees”.
Be specific and show the measurable effects of your work. However, don’t exaggerate. If you don’t know, don’t put it on there. If you lie, they will find out and you obviously won’t get the job.
Job posting keywords
When the employers use specific words to describe the requirements, use those keywords when describing your experience.
If they say they want someone who “partners with internal stakeholders”, then, if u you’d have that experience, you would want a bullet point description of how you partnered with someone within your organization.
Don’t be funny or cute. Keep it simple and professional. It’s only funny to you.
Avoid buzz words like “go-getter” and “self-starter” unless it’s in the job description. Recruiters see hundreds of resumes a day and these do not help you stand out.
Contact Info
Put your contact info at the top. Make sure it’s accurate and up-to-date. Don’t have them call a phone number that doesn’t work.
Use a more professional-sounding email address. [email protected] is not as good as [email protected].
Design
Simple, simple, simple. Don’t get crazy and over-design this thing. Avoid graphics and photos.
Don’t add the skills graphs with 100% HTML, etc. that’s all made up and doesn’t make you stand out in a good way.
At least, have sections for experience, education, and contact info. You can optionally have some kind of statement at the top about what kind of position you’re seeking.
In any case, do what you can to keep this to one page. Two at the absolute most. One way to help with that is to be concise. Don’t write a paragraph or even a long sentence when you can say it in five words.
Keep the font simple and easy to read. Not too big and not too small.
Cover Letter
The cover letter should use many of the same tips:
Keep it easy to read and not too wordy Use the description keywords Customize the letter to the job
When I wrote my last cover letter, I used a brilliant template that was like a helpful, professional mad-libs fill-in-the-blank. Here it is (from themuse.com):
Dear [Name],
With the utmost enthusiasm, I would like to express my interest in the [position title] position at [Company]. My interest in [field, industry, or other theme] has taken me from [experience] to [experience]. I believe that my passion for [aspect of your field or background], strong commitment to [aspect of your field or background], and interest in [aspect of your field or background] make me an ideal candidate to join the [department] staff at [Company].
There are several skills I’d immediately bring to the table, as I am:
An effective [descriptor that reflects transferable skill #1]: In my role as a [previous job] at [Company], I [action or accomplishment]. I was also able to showcase my [skill] abilities as a [role] in [project name] project by [what you did].
A disciplined [descriptor that reflects transferable skill #2]: I have always displayed my careful approach to [job duty] by [action]. At [Previous Company], I frequently [action]. In addition, I had the opportunity to [action or accomplishment], which further shows my dedication to [aspect of your field].
A passionate [descriptor that reflects transferable skill #3]: Everything I have engaged in so far has been driven by my keen interest in [aspect of your field]. Even as a [previous role], I made sure to dedicate some part of my day to [action]. It is this passion that has motivated every one of my career decisions thus far.
I look forward to contributing my skills and experiences to the [position title] position at [Company] and hope to have the opportunity to speak with you further about how I can be an asset to your team.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Using that template, the response I got was (quote):
“…your application cover was super, thanks for taking the time to write that. Your energy and enthusiasm oozed out of it!”
You don’t have to use that exact one, but something like that can make cover letters much easier to write and less intimidating.
Conclusion
You can see customizing your resume and cover letter for each position you apply for doesn’t have to be laborious. In my next post, I’ll cover my experience doing interviews and what you can do to prepare.
