Full stack developers are professionals who know how to juggle many different programming languages and technologies at once. These myriad competencies are valuable commodities to businesses, particularly small companies that don’t always have the means to retain multiple specialists in-house.
Full stack developer positions are quite diverse, given that a company’s platform of choice can vary from one place to another. Frequent tasks include: defining features with clients, offering technological solutions, ensuring the proper functioning and ergonomics of user interfaces, and conducting quality assurance testing.
Given this broad context, developers therefore need to establish their proficiency in programming and analysis, as well as demonstrate their thoroughness and attention to detail. But how can you make sure that your CV will be just what the hiring team is looking for?
read the job description carefully
The needs and demands of any given job will vary from company to company: therefore, web developers need to highlight the specific skills required for the position in question. Each element described in the posting must be addressed in your resume. In order for you to stand out, you will need to adapt your CV to each job’s specifications. This process will certainly take time, but the payoff – landing more interviews – will make it all worth it.
tip: back up your experience with numbers as much as possible to ramp up your credibility. examples:
- programmed 100 web interfaces.
- developed an app with 5,000 downloads.
- improved the speed of a computer process by 37%.
- implemented 5 new development tools for a team of 12 people.
This information won’t fall into your lap; you may have to do a little digging to find it. However, this data is an incredibly valuable addition to your CV. Once you reach the interview stage, you will be able to elaborate upon these accomplishments a little more.
say your piece!
Pardon the generalization, but developers often have a tendency to submit information-heavy resumes that don’t let their personality and ambition shine through. Recruiters are indeed looking for key information on your CV, but they also want to feel the applicant’s genuine interest in the position.
To communicate your enthusiasm, you will need to swap certain common phrases for more expressive ones.
- Turn this: “Full stack developer with 5 years of experience in PHP, CSS, and HTML.”
- Into this: “Multi-talented and curious full stack developer with 5 years of experience. Every day, I push the limits of PHP, CSS, and HTML to create ergonomic, efficient web services!”
See what we mean?
If you need inspiration, think of your biggest on-the-job wins. Which of your skills made a difference? Which talents helped you wrap up a project even faster? How did you solve that one problem that nobody else could crack?
don't limit yourself to technical competencies
While programming knowledge is indispensable for a full stack developer, you will also need to include ”soft skills,” or interpersonal qualities, on your resume. These qualities include leadership, collaboration, communication, creativity, work ethic, etc. They must be congruent with what is outlined in the job description, or with the company’s values. You can use these elements to get your creative juices flowing, but the most important thing is to be authentic and honest with your chosen qualities.
Soft skills are important to include, because if your CV is placed side-by-side with an equally-qualified candidate, the applicant who included personal qualities that line up with the job and the organization will have a much better chance of being called in for an interview.
the cherry on top: your personal successes
Your resume will always be the main point of reference for recruiters. However, if you choose to provide extra material, they will also take a look at the digital projects you have worked on. Don’t hesitate to include clickable links for:
- your GitHub account
- your LinkedIn profile
- websites you have created
A complete, well-organized CV will help you land the web developer job you want. Whether this is the dawn of your career or another stepping stone along your professional journey, it is very important to make sure that your resume communicates your skills and experience!