Three things women in tech want to see on your CV
And three things they don't, writes Holly Brockwell
Applying for a job is nerve-wracking, even for the most experienced of us (hi Imposter Syndrome, how've you been?).
It always helps to have an idea of what the hiring manager is looking for, so we thought we'd ask some illustrious women in tech what they do and don't want to see when your CV hits their inbox.
As ever, they provided some excellent guidelines:
DO: prove you meet the job spec
This has to be done per-job, which is of course more time-consuming than spamming your CV and covering letter to lots of vacancies, but you should be creating separate applications anyway. It's better to send tailored apps to fewer jobs than generic ones to lots, so if you've got limited time, choose the jobs you like best and send amazing applications they can't ignore.
Jessica Rose - founder of Open Code and co-founder of Trans*Code - says she likes to see "clear points that relate directly to points in the job spec." Those requirements are there for a reason, so go through them and work out how you meet each one, then weave it into your covering letter. Don't be too obvious about it - you don't need to say "the job spec says this, and I do this" - just make sure you've covered off the main points.
A lead developer adds, "I like to see that the applicant has read all the essential & desired skills in the person spec and has done their best to demonstrate each. Makes it really easy to show they need to be interviewed."
And you do, right?
DON'T: include a photo
This one came up several times. In some parts of the world, it's customary to add a photo of yourself to your CV or application. Besides the fact that this is an obvious avenue for discrimination (conscious or not), it comes across really weirdly.
As one hiring manager put it, "I don't need to know your face features for the job - skills and experience are what I look for in a CV."
DO: explain why you want this job specifically
OK, in the real world, you've just been laid off and need to find somewhere else ASAP. While you're obviously not going to tell the hiring manager that, you might inadvertently imply it by the way you write your application. And that might lead to someone else getting the job.
VP of People at NEXT, Lyndal Larkin, advises "taking an extra moment to customise your mission statement or objective to the role you're applying to," because "this demonstrates a sincere interest in the company, rather than blindly sending resumes for every available position." Which you might well be doing, but you don't want them to know that.
Jessica Rose adds that she wants to see "specific mention of why they think they're a good fit for this role," because while you might think it's obvious why you'd want to work at Amazon, they don't. So make sure you explain.
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Three things women in tech want to see on your CV
And three things they don't, writes Holly Brockwell
DON'T: apply until you've updated your LinkedIn
Yes, LinkedIn, the social network no one likes but everyone uses. It really is useful for finding work, and if you're actively applying to jobs, your LinkedIn should be up-to-the-minute relevant.
Admittedly, this might tip off your current boss that you're looking, but sometimes that's a good thing - they might work harder to keep you, chat to you about what's going wrong, or even offer you that payrise you've been chasing for the last two years.
And if not, it'll help you land a job you do want. Lyndal Larkin says that when people apply to NEXT, she wants to see a LinkedIn profile that matches the CV they've submitted:
"While your resume may - and should - provide more thorough details, including metrics, successes and responsibilities, your LinkedIn profile should be an abbreviated summary of your resume with dates, companies and basic details fully matching."
So request that password reminder and start cleaning out the cobwebs on your profile.
DO: be prepared to talk about everything on your CV at interview
Your CV and covering letter have exactly one objective: to get you an interview. But there shouldn't be anything in there that you aren't 100% prepped and ready to talk about if the subject comes up.
As one developer puts it, "DO NOT put something on your resume that you are not prepared to talk about for a few minutes. I'm surprised how many people put TDD [test-driven development] but can't actually talk about it." Then, when the topic comes up at interview, the candidate responds with a "verbal shuffle of feet" and "weird ramblings" - not the impression you want to give.
While the hiring manager likely understands that you won't get to try everything at your current job, you should still "be able to explain basic concepts even if you admit you haven't done it at work."
Going through your CV and rehearsing what you might say about each point if asked is a great way to prepare for the interview (and you should prepare - don't just turn up and assume your brilliance will sell itself). A data scientist adds that by interview day, you should "know what the role requires" and "be prepared to demonstrate how you will solve their need."
Finally, don't go down the self-deprecation route at the interview. Front-end dev Rhiana Heath says she doesn't want to hear "anything downplaying your achievements or abilities. Like 'I think I'm good at this but I might not be I don't know'. You are good at it! Sell yourself!"
Amen.
DON'T: take general advice too seriously
As with anything that involves human beings, applying for a job is a very subjective task and different hiring managers will have different preferences.
For instance, when we asked women in tech for their recommendations for this article, one wanted to see "bullet points or some kind of formatting, not paragraphs and paragraphs," while another said she's "not very fussed about formatting or style."
Similarly, while one wanted to see a hobbies section because "I like people's CVs to show they are human, and more than just their job and education," another said "across the board, I dislike seeing hobbies or personal floof on resumes unless it's really remarkable."
There was one thing everyone was united on, though: typos. So proofread like your career depends on it, because it kind of does.
Computing will be holding the Women in Tech Festival on 17th September. It will include a workshop 'Presenting a Professional You', with guidance on contructing your CV, honing your LinkedIn page, and submitting high quality job applications.