Resume Formats for Tech Jobs

Most people think they got rejected because they’re not talented. But sometimes the truth is simpler - your resume didn’t even get past the ATS. An average recruiter spends 7 seconds on your resume. And in companies using ATS (Applicant Tracking System), your resume may not even reach a human if it’s not formatted correctly. First check the ATS Score : https://bit.ly/4lGKu9y Let’s fix this problem. Here’s a quick guide to building a powerful ATS-proof resume that actually lands interviews, especially for freshers, interns, and those switching careers 👇🏼 ✅ DOs for an ATS-Friendly Resume: 1. Stick to Simple Format Use a single-column layout, no tables, fancy graphics, or multiple columns. 2. Standard Section Titles Work Best Use "Education", "Skills", "Projects", "Experience", "Certifications". 3. Use the Right Keywords Scan the job description and mirror their terminology—especially for tools, tech, and role names. 4. Highlight Projects (with Links!) Projects speak louder than grades. Add GitHub / Live links where possible. 5. Use a Professional Font & Tone Stick to Calibri, Arial, Times New Roman. Keep it clear and confident. 6. Tailor Every Resume No one-size-fits-all. Change the summary, skills, and keywords based on each job role. 7. Keep It 1 Page (if Fresher) Be crisp. Only include what adds value. 🚫 DON’Ts That Hurt Your Resume: ❌ Objective statements - replace with a Professional Summary. ❌ Personal info like DOB, religion, marital status - not needed. ❌ Bright colors, decorative fonts - it’s not a poster. ❌ “References available on request” - redundant. ❌ Overloading with technical skills you don’t actually know - backfires during interviews. ❌ Long paragraphs - use bullet points. ❌ Unprofessional emails like cutie_pie@xyz.com - please, no. Bonus Resources : ✅ Free Resume Template to Download: 👉🏻 https://bit.ly/4eDybIQ Whether you’re in college, switching careers, or in between jobs, your resume is your first impression. 💡 Don’t just apply blindly. Prepare smartly. Present smartly. Career success is not about luck. It’s about clarity + consistency. 👉🏼 Tag a friend who’s applying for jobs. 👉🏼 Save this post and come back when you're building your resume. 👉🏼 Follow for more career, internship, and job search strategies. #CareerTips #ResumeTips #Internship #Freshers #JobSearch #ATS #CareerGrowth #LinkedInTips #SaumyaSinghGuides

One tip I have for cybersecurity job seekers (that I don’t see often elsewhere) is: aim for interesting, not perfect. The market is saturated, and entry-level candidates feel the pressure to stand out because of the competition. Unfortunately, what I’ve been seeing lately are “catch-all” resumes that try to be absolutely perfect and cover as much as possible. Some examples which come to mind are: 1. “Proficient” in 15+ programming languages after writing Hello World in each 2. “Skilled” in <<insert every tool that ships with Kali Linux after opening it or running it once>> 3. Top X% on TryHackMe after a few modules 4. “Familiar with” every cyber buzzword after reading one article (Cloud, Zero Trust, AI, IoT, Quantum…) None of these points are inherently bad. If you’ve really mastered a few programming languages, list them. If you’ve competed extensively in CTFs and are super knowledgeable about a tool, write it down. But the problem is that so many of the resumes I look at are nearly identical, stuffed with the same keywords and stats and tools. From a hiring perspective, it’s hard to tell who has depth and who’s just padding their resume. The candidates who stand out take a different approach. Here are a few examples that I recall from this year which really impressed me: 1. One candidate was fascinated with satellite security. They built a small ground-station lab project, wrote about the risks, published research to their blog, and eventually competed in Hack-a-Sat at DEF CON. 2. Another spun up a honeypot at home and logged over 4,500 malicious login attempts from 12 different countries. They analyzed attacker behavior and documented findings on their GitHub. 3. A third dug into password security. They cracked a dataset of leaked hashes, compared algorithms, and wrote a short report on why some defenses failed faster. None of these resumes were “perfect” (at least in the way many people think). All three of these candidates had no prior job experience in cybersecurity. One didn’t list any programming languages they knew. Another one didn’t have a relevant degree. But that didn’t matter, because these resumes were interesting, and told me a story. They gave me a glimpse into what they /actually/ cared about, how they think, and whether they could follow through and complete a project. That matters a hell of a lot more to me than whether you put Ruby on your resume or what % you are on THM (sorry, this one just really gets me 😅). TLDR: Don’t overload your resume. Fluff makes you blend in. A resume that highlights what you actually care about gets remembered. Pick your niche, go deep, and let your curiosity do the talking.

This is the biggest problem with finding a job in cybersecurity. 👩🏻💻 I recently had a conversation with someone who told me they’ve been in the job market for a year and still haven’t been able to land a role. The biggest issue they were having was that they weren’t qualified for any of the jobs they were applying for and because of that, they just did NOT apply to them. My advice? You will never be 100% qualified for a job. And if you are, that job will not challenge you enough to help you grow in your career. 🌟 This is what you should do instead: Look at the top 3 job listings you’re interested in and find the common skills and qualifications they’re looking for. Then take the top 3-4 common skills and look for ways to incorporate them into technical projects on your resume. The best thing about cybersecurity is the fact that there are so many open-source tools or community-edition licenses that you can use for free in your personal projects. The ones who get ahead in cyber are the ones who put in the work to get hands-on. You can no longer just rely on a company to get technical experience, but with the resources that are available online, there are so many options to get the experience you need through labs, simulations, building your own SOC, etc. 💻 Even if you don’t hit all the job requirements, you’ll still be 10x more valuable as a candidate with this new experience under your belt. The next time you see a job you really want to apply for but don’t hit the qualifications, look at the skills they’re looking for and challenge yourself to get at least one of them into your toolbox. This is the best way to grow as a cybersecurity professional. 🤖 You got this! 💪 💡 You can also get my FREE Cybersecurity Beginner Roadmap Guide for anyone who’s looking for where to get started in their cybersecurity career: https://lnkd.in/eY79cbZ3 #cybersecurity #cybersecurityjobs #cybersecurityanalyst

I am a Senior Software Engineer working at Google with 7+ years of experience. I've seen resumes of 500+ software engineers while working at Flipkart, Uber & Google. Here are the 6 most important things I’ve learned about building a resume that actually gets interviews in 2025: ► 1. Don't write your resume before studying the market   Most engineers open a blank doc and start typing their achievements.   → Wrong move.  ✅ First, shortlist 10 companies you want to work at.   ✅ Open 20–30 job descriptions for the role you want (SDE1/SDE2/Infra/ML etc.)   ✅ Write down the common patterns in what they’re hiring for.  That’s your roadmap. Your resume should reflect what those companies care about,  not what you feel like writing. ► 2. Your bullet points are weak because they list tasks, not outcomes  Bad: “Worked on microservices for the payments team”  Better: “Built 3 backend services for the payments team handling 1M+ transactions/day”  Best: “Built & scaled 3 backend services to handle 1M+/day txn traffic with <150ms P95 latency” → Always answer:   What did I build?   How many users did it serve?   What changed because of my work? (Also, I am having an exclusive session on Resume Building where I will break down what works for your resume when applying to top companies. Register here: https://lnkd.in/gJrA2wfa) ► 3. Your resume is not a feature list, it’s a proof of value  Don’t just say “Python, Java, Kubernetes” in skills.  Say what you did with them.   → Used Kubernetes to reduce deployment time from 15 minutes to 2.   → Used Python to build an internal tool that saved 30 engineer-hours/week. No one cares what you know. they care what you’ve shipped. ► 4. Format like a professional → Avoid tables, sidebars & skill bars with dots.   → Use Calibri or Arial, 11–12pt font, 1 column.   → 1-page for <6 YOE. Max 2 pages even if you're a Staff+.   → Save as PDF. No Canva or screenshots. It’s your first impression Make it a damn good one! ► 5. Don’t include unnecessary details ❌ “Hardworking, quick learner, good communicator.”   ❌ “Team player with strong interpersonal skills.”  These are baseline expectations, not selling points.   You’re wasting space. Say something only you can say. ► 6. If you’ve been laid off, or switching roles. own the story  Use a 2-line summary to clarify it.   → “Laid off during org-wide restructuring in Jan 2024. Now seeking backend SDE roles focused on scale & infra.”  Clear, honest, and helpful for the recruiter. You get ~8 seconds of attention from a recruiter. If your resume doesn’t show value in the top third, it won’t be read. — P.S: I am having an exclusive session on Resume Building where I will break down what works for your resume when applying to top companies. Register here: https://lnkd.in/gJrA2wfa

I review 10-15 CVs every day for PM roles. Here are 7 common mistakes that instantly weaken your chances and how to fix them: As someone regularly screening PM resumes, I've observed talented candidates repeatedly missing opportunities due to easily avoidable errors. Your CV isn't just a document; it's your first and most important product pitch. Make it compelling. 1️⃣ Not Customizing Your Resume Generic resumes rarely make the shortlist. Carefully align your resume with each job description. Match keywords, emphasize relevant experiences, and directly speak to what the company needs. 2️⃣ Focusing on Tasks, Not Impact PM roles are about outcomes, not activities. Use data and specifics to showcase results. Instead of "managed backlog," say, "Optimized backlog prioritization, increasing sprint velocity by 15%." 3️⃣ Overlooking Your Skills Section Don’t undersell your versatility as a PM. Clearly separate technical (SQL, Jira) and soft skills (stakeholder management, agile leadership). Ensure your skills match the requirements of the role. 4️⃣ Weak or Generic Professional Summaries Recruiters spend only seconds scanning this crucial introduction. Write a clear, precise statement highlighting your experience, strengths, and career goals, e.g., “Product Manager with 8+ years delivering growth-focused SaaS products, specializing in user-driven design and analytics.” 5️⃣ Poor Formatting and Visual Clutter If recruiters struggle to read it, they won't read it. Keep formatting simple—clean fonts (Calibri, Arial), structured sections, and bullet points. Always save your resume as a PDF. 6️⃣ Including Irrelevant or Outdated Information Your resume should reflect your strongest PM qualifications. Highlight only relevant experiences from the last 10-15 years, remove outdated skills, and skip personal details (photos, marital status). 7️⃣ Grammar Errors and Typos Attention to detail matters greatly in product management. Rigorously proofread, use tools like Grammarly, and have your resume reviewed by peers. P.S. - Recruiters quickly skim resumes in 6 seconds. Ensure critical details like your headline, key skills, and quantifiable achievements are clear and easy to spot. ✅ Audit your resume against these mistakes this weekend. ✅ Tailor your resume for a PM role at your dream company. ✅ Seek constructive feedback from a trusted mentor. ✅ Refresh your LinkedIn to align with your updated resume. Your next great PM opportunity awaits make sure your resume does you justice. PMs and hiring managers, did I miss anything? I'd love to hear your perspectives. PS: If you are looking to start preparing for product roles, I run a program that help you break into the perfect product role. Use the link in the comments to apply! 🚨

Hill I can die on: Anyone from any background can become a PM in 2025. You just need the right roadmap that's proven. Let me give it to you: — ONE - Degrees Away: How Far Are You, Really? Not all transitions are equal. 1.1: One degree away? You’re already in the PM orbit. → Product marketing, UX research, TPMs, Scrum Masters ↳ Just reframe your experience and fill the few gaps 1.2: Two degrees away? You’ve got adjacent strengths. → Consulting, Ops, Customer Success ↳ Start learning product fundamentals and get comfortable with tech 1.3.: Three degrees away? You’re starting further out but not out of the game. → Teachers, finance, healthcare ↳ You’ll need to upskill and bridge the credibility gap One thing that works super well: - Step into an adjacent role first. - Think Product Analyst, Product Marketing, or even Ops. - Then leap into PM once you're 1 degree closer. — TWO - Compensation Reality Check Career switches usually mean a level reset. Yes, even if you’re a VP today, you might start as a Director PM. But here’s the good news: → PM often still pays better than roles like support or ops → Joining a smaller competitor can skip the level cut → Public company RSUs often close the comp gap → Internal transfers can preserve comp — THREE - Resume Rebuild (Not Refresh) If your resume screams “I did [X job],” it’s time to reframe. Your new formula: [PM Verb] + [What You Did] + [Impact] + [Context] Examples: → “Drove internal ops tool adoption across 3 teams (improving NPS by 21%)" → “Launched onboarding flow that reduced churn (by 8% in 30 days)" Goal: Make 50%+ of your resume look like PM work (even if it wasn’t officially PM work). — FOUR - Show, Don’t Just Certify A certificate alone will not get you hired... Do this: - Finding mock interview partners - Learning real frameworks - Access to mentors and alumni - Staying immersed in the product world — FIVE - Build a Real Portfolio You need to show people how you think. Build a Notion page with: • A teardown of a product you love • A personal project (even if it’s no-code) • A story from your current job reframed like a PM case • 3 clear case studies + your contact info Format it like a story they'd love to listen. Make it skimmable. Make it feel alive. — SIX - Interview Prep = The Final Gauntlet You won’t get 100 interviews. So the 5 you do get? You need to crush them. Types of interviews to prep: a. Behavioral b. Product sense c. Execution d. Strategy e. PM system design f. Technical-lite (yes, still matters) Find a mock interview partner and start ASAP. — In a nutshell... PM isn’t a career you break into overnight. But you absolutely can break in over 6–24 months. No matter how much it takes, it can change your life. As it did mine. Best of luck, Aakash ❤️

Having a good CV is crucial to getting the job you want. I commonly review and interview many people for positions in data science, ML, and related areas; and unfortunately most of the CVs that are shared with me have the wrong formats or are poorly organized to understand the profile. In this publication I will give several recommendations with two main objectives: - Pass the ATS (Automated screening for resumes) - Show your skills, knowledge and experience correctly. You may not be aware but most of the companies you apply to on LinkedIn, Indeed and other platforms use a tool called ATS to do an automatic evaluation before passing your CV to a human for review. You can validate if your CV passes the ATS by entering Jobscan or here on LinkedIn in your profile and building your CV, you can see if your PDF or Word is recognized. Here are my recommendations to build a CV correctly: - Use formats such as PDF or Word for your CV, if it is Word the ATS can read it even more easily, but PDF works in most cases. - Limit your format to text, do not use graphics, boxes, tables, images, etc. since ATS systems do not capture them well and they don’t look professionals. - Use soft colors, and even better black and white, if you will use any color it can be blue, green or orange maximum. Not in the background, perhaps in the name of the sections. - Use "keywords" and do it in context. The best way to determine potential resume keywords for a particular position is to carefully review the job posting. Integrate your keywords into the content of your CV. CVs that incorporate keywords in the rest of the text are more likely to be approved by the ATS software than in one section all together. - Customize your CV for each job you apply for. You can use the same basic template for each of your CVs, but try customizing different versions of your CV for each job application. - Avoid any type of grammatical error and incorrect information, it can look very bad and cancel your application. - Use action verbs to explain what you have done in each previous position and the measurable results of your participation. I add a listing as a document. - Use the formats that I will add to this post as examples, if you are looking for others make sure that the format is similar, with bullet-points explaining your previous work with verbs and results. - Do not put a photo of yourself in the CV. In several countries it is not used and it is even prohibited to "discriminate" for this type of information. - If possible, do not use acronyms. If you do, put what an acronym or abbreviation means the first time you use it on your CV. You will find attached a document with two sample formats and a guide from Harvard University to build your CV and Cover letters. Please comment and recommend your best practices to help others :) #datascience #jobsearchtips Cassie Andriy Matt Kristen Kate Michael Andreas Eric Beau

5 common Cybersecurity CV Mistakes I See all the Time Your Cybersecurity CV is not a biography. It’s a strategic tool to get you interviews. But most people treat it like a list of things they’ve done instead of a document that sells their value. Here are 5 common CV mistakes I see all the time (and how to fix them): ❌ Listing tools with no context "Wireshark, Nmap, Kali Linux…” Great, but what did you do with them? ✅ Better: “Used Wireshark to analyze suspicious traffic during a phishing incident, helping isolate the source IP.” ❌ Copy-pasting job descriptions "Responsible for threat monitoring and reporting…” You and 5,000 others. ✅ Better: Tailor each bullet to the role you're applying for, using your actual results and impact. ❌ Vague bullet points like “Monitored threats” Cool… but what did that mean? ✅ Better: Use the STAR method: Situation, Task, Action, Result. (Even if the result is small, impact matters.) ❌ Too long, too dense, too confusing No recruiter is reading a 5-page CV with a wall of text. ✅ Better: Keep it 1–2 pages, use white space, clear headings, and show role-relevant skills right away. Want help fixing yours? That’s what we will tackle on Day 1 of the Cyber Career Sprint: CV + LinkedIn Optimization that attracts the right roles. I’ll show you how to turn a good-enough CV into a job-attracting asset. Link in comments if you want details, register here 👉 https://lnkd.in/dkvjK34u Let’s get you interviews, not just views. #CybersecurityCareerGrowth

I am going to stand on my words - *Resume is more important than any of your social media platforms* To make your resume ATS (Applicant Tracking System) friendly, follow these tips: 1. Use Standard Headings: Use common headings like "Work Experience," "Education," "Skills," and "Certifications." This ensures the ATS can easily identify and parse your information. 2. Use Keywords: Incorporate relevant keywords from the job description into your resume. ATS often scans for specific terms, so matching these can increase your chances of being shortlisted. According to Jobscan, resumes with relevant keywords have a 30% higher chance of being seen by a human recruiter. 3. Keep Formatting Simple: Avoid using complex formatting like tables, graphics, or unusual fonts. Stick to standard fonts like Arial or Times New Roman and use bullet points for lists. Simple formatting ensures the ATS can read your resume without errors. 4. Save as a Word Document or PDF: ATS systems can struggle with other file types. Save your resume as a .docx or .pdf to ensure it can be easily processed. 5. Include Contact Information at the Top: Make sure your name, phone number, and email address are at the top of your resume. This makes it easy for the ATS and recruiters to find your contact details. 6. Use Full Job Titles: Write out job titles in full, rather than using abbreviations. For example, write "Software Engineer" instead of "SW Engineer." This helps the ATS match your experience to the job description. 7. Avoid Headers and Footers: Some ATS cannot read text in headers and footers, so keep important information out of these areas. 8. Spell Out Acronyms: If you use acronyms, spell them out the first time they appear, followed by the acronym in parentheses. For example, "Customer Relationship Management (CRM)." This ensures the ATS understands industry-specific terms. 9. Use Chronological Format: A reverse-chronological format (listing your most recent job first) is the most ATS-friendly. It clearly outlines your career progression and makes it easier for the ATS to scan. 10. Check for Spelling and Grammar Errors: Use a spell-check tool to avoid any errors. Even minor mistakes can affect how the ATS processes your resume. According to CareerBuilder, 77% of hiring managers immediately disqualify resumes with typos or bad grammar. Implementing these tips increases the likelihood that your resume will be successfully processed by ATS and reach a human recruiter.

Why do some people get interview calls from the same companies that ignore others? It’s not luck. It’s not just experience. It’s because their resume is built strategically — to speak the recruiter’s language and beat the ATS filters. Want to know how? These are the 5 changes I make to help my clients land interviews at their dream companies: [1] Optimise the keywords with care: Don't just list your skills. Follow the guidelines of the job description. ATS gets your resume through based on relevant keywords.  ‘Made team work better by using modern approaches’ → ‘Increased department efficiency by implementing Agile methodology’ ‘Managed developers and got work done faster’ → ‘Led cross-functional team of 12 software engineers using Scrum’ ‘Improved how we built software’ → ‘Reduced development cycle time by 37% through CI/CD pipeline optimisation’ [2] Structure for both - ATS and Humans: Here’s a sample Template: NAME Phone | Email | LinkedIn | Location PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY Concise 3-4 line summary with industry-specific keywords and core value proposition CORE SKILLS (based on the JD) * Skill Category 1: Keyword, Keyword, Keyword * Skill Category 2: Keyword, Keyword, Keyword * Skill Category 3: Keyword, Keyword, Keyword PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE Company Name, Location | Start Date - End Date Job Title * Achievement with result (quantified) * Achievement with result (quantified) * Achievement with result (quantified) [3] Quantify your achievements:   Use the formula: Action Verb + Project + Result with Metrics ‘Responsible for customer loyalty initiatives’ → ‘Launched customer loyalty program resulting in 27% increase in repeat purchases’ ‘Worked on improving approval processes’ → ‘Redesigned approval process, reducing cycle time from 5 days to 6 hours’ ‘Handled vendor relationship management’ → ‘Negotiated vendor contracts delivering $1.2M in annual savings’ [4] Keep it technically compatible:   → Use standard file formats (.docx or .pdf) → Use simple, readable fonts (Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman) → Avoid text boxes, tables, headers/footers, and images → Include standard section headings (Experience, Education, Skills) → Format it well [5] Tailor your strategy for different applications: A one-size-all approach fits none. Create a master resume, then customise strategically for each application. → Update professional summary to reflect specific role → Reorder skills to prioritise those mentioned in the job description → Adjust achievement bullets to emphasise relevant results → Modify industry terminology to match the company language → Add specific keywords from the job posting throughout   We know the system isn't perfect. But following a simple yet profound strategy for tailoring your applications helps you become the top 1% applying. Communicate your value within the constraints of modern hiring systems to prove it. Is your resume even getting to the human eyes?