5 Things To Include On Your CV For A Job In Tech

Want to bag that dream tech job? Here's everything you need to include in your CV.

Putting together a technical CV isn't easy. You have to really prove yourself, and show evidence of projects, successes and more.

If you're a recent graduate, it's even tougher too. Your CV is what introduces you to employers and you'll be up against tons of other grads hungry for the position.

So if you want your tech CV to stand out amongst the crowd and land yourself a tech job interview, we've got five tips that'll set you apart for all the right reasons.

1. Include your qualifications, skills, competencies and work experience

This is a fairly obvious one.

For a job in tech, you'll need to show what skills you've acquired that are relevant to the job. For example, if you're applying for a software developer job, do you know the necessary programming languages? Don't forget to include any roles related to your field you might have worked on in the past — even if these were short-term projects.

We also recommend highlighting your skill level for each software or hard skill, like so:

• JavaScript (mid-level)

• HTML/CSS (advanced)

• React (basic)

Want to change careers? If you're trying to break into tech and you don't quite have the right qualifications, what skills are you currently learning? Are you on a course to upskill? What transferable skills can you bring? Highlight these in your CV too, and be sure to explicitly say you wish to transfer in your personal statement.

2. Include a portfolio

Portfolios aren't just for artists and designers. You can provide a portfolio of projects you've worked on no matter your field. A better way to phrase this could be to have a place you show "case studies".

Use free sites like GitHub (especially if you're a programmer), or Canva to lay out problems, solutions and results. It'll really help your employer paint a picture of your past experiences beyond words on a CV.

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3. Be on trend and beyond

Fashion, sure, if that takes you're fancy. But what we're really talking about are trends in the tech world.

By staying abreast of new processes, changes, trends and skills, you'll automatically stand out. This is because it shows you're constantly up to date with what's happening in the industry and show a willingness to adapt.

Examples of these trends include software updates, algorithm changes, new software, new ways of working optimally and much more.

4. Balance technical experience with soft skills

So you've laid out your technical skills, employment history, qualifications and then some. But you're not a robot, are you? Show your human side!

By this, we mean you need to show your soft skills too. Have you worked in teams? Do you use specific project management tools and behaviours? Have you managed people? Include all of that stuff too. They want to see evidence that you can manage your workflow.

If you're really stuck, here are some examples of soft skills. Have a think about each one and try to relate them back to past work experience:

• Teamwork

• Problem-solving

• Communication

• Adaptability

• Time management

• Interpersonal skills.

5. Customise your CV per job application

We know...it's a pain. But if it's what gets you get job interview then it's a necessary evil.

For tech, this is especially important. Some developer jobs, for example, may require more programming skills than others. Some may even use niche platforms that you'll need to read up on.

If job specs you come across are very similar, pick out key phrases and relate them to your experience. This will essentially act like a "tick box" when the hiring manager reads through your CV.

Pro tip: if you save your file names with your name and the company, please please please change the file name before submitting your CV!

We hope you found these CV tips for a job in tech useful Sign up to Student Beans to gain access to our free student discounts, such as fashion student offers, student tech deals and much more.