Resume Writing

Developer Resume Rules

1. Resume Structure

Section Order

Formatting Principles

• Keep to 1-2 pages maximum — prioritize relevance over completeness
• Use consistent formatting (fonts, spacing, bullet style) throughout
• Left-align all content — avoid center-aligned body text
• Use clear section headings with visual separation
• Avoid tables, columns, or complex layouts that break ATS parsing
• Save as PDF to preserve formatting across devices
• File name format: {Name}_Resume_{YYYY}.pdf

ATS (Applicant Tracking System) Compatibility

• Use standard section headings (Experience, Skills, Education)
• Avoid headers/footers for critical information
• Do not embed text in images or graphics
• Use standard fonts (sans-serif preferred)
• Include keywords from the job description naturally in context

2. Experience Description

STAR Method for Each Bullet Point

Writing Rules

• Start every bullet with a strong action verb (Designed, Implemented, Optimized, Led, Migrated)
• Quantify results wherever possible (%, time saved, throughput, users, cost reduction)
• Focus on impact and outcomes, not just tasks performed
• Limit to 3-5 bullet points per role — prioritize most impactful contributions
• Use past tense for previous roles, present tense for current role

Action Verb Categories

Quantification Examples

3. Technical Skills Organization

Skill Categorization

Skill Presentation Rules

• Group skills by category, not by proficiency level
• List only skills you can discuss confidently in an interview
• Prioritize skills mentioned in the target job description
• Include version numbers only for major frameworks (e.g., Spring Boot 3.x)
• Omit outdated or irrelevant skills (e.g., jQuery for a backend role)
• Do not rate skills with stars, bars, or percentage — they are subjective and unhelpful

Skill Relevance Filtering

• Always include: Skills directly mentioned in the job posting
• Include if relevant: Skills from the same ecosystem or complementary tools
• Omit: Skills unrelated to the target role or tech stack

4. Project Description

Project Entry Structure

Project Name | Role | Duration
Brief description (1-2 sentences)

- Technical decisions and rationale
- Your specific contributions
- Measurable outcomes or impact
- Tech stack used

Project Description Rules

• Lead with the business problem or goal, not the technology
• Clearly distinguish your individual contribution from team effort
• Highlight technical decision-making (why you chose X over Y)
• Include scale indicators (users, data volume, request throughput)
• Link to live demo, GitHub repo, or documentation when available

What to Highlight in Projects

Project Selection Priority

• Projects that align with the target role's tech stack
• Projects where you made key architectural decisions
• Projects with measurable business impact
• Open-source contributions with community engagement
• Side projects that demonstrate initiative and learning

5. Anti-Patterns

• Listing every technology ever touched — curate for relevance
• Copy-pasting job descriptions as experience bullets
• Using vague phrases ("various tasks", "responsible for", "helped with")
• Including personal information (age, photo, marital status, religion)
• Lying or exaggerating — interviewers will probe claims in detail
• Using the same resume for every application — tailor per role
• Focusing on duties instead of achievements
• Writing paragraphs instead of concise bullet points
• Including references or "References available upon request"
• Using first person pronouns (I, me, my) in bullet points