How to Write Your Best Resume for Software Engineering Jobs // Tips from an ex-FAANG recruiter

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🔖c h a p t e r s 🔖
00:00 - Intro
01:23 - The Purpose of a Resume
02:18 - The Hiring Process
03:25 - How Does a Recruiter Think?
06:00 - How to Craft Your Resume
11:09 - Outro
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[@DeviousShadows]

Conclusion: Always put yourself in the shoes of the recruiter so that you know what your resume should be crafted like Resume: One-page long consisting of these 5: Contact info: name, email, city, linkedin, tagline Skills: languages, technologies, tools (order of most experienced) Experience: Project, role and description starting with power verb Education: university, degree, graduation year Anything else: other awards Readibility: Structured and ordered, easy to read

[@graceoverall]

I disagree somewhat with the one page rule. After about 5+ years in industry, I think it's fine to use two pages if you've worked on enough projects with varying technologies to justify it without going overboard. Personally, I'm at nearly 12 years and there's no possible way I could fit my experience on a single page without severely truncating it to the point that it looks like I only have three years in the industry. However, I would agree that unless you're at a doctorate level with lots of research experience, probably two pages should be plenty for virtually any number of years. That's because going too far back is going to be much less relevant because it's likely that your experience is getting stale past a decade or so. 😉

[@pancakeeatinginarow]

99 likes and 1 comment lemme fix that

[@DeviousShadows]

@@pancakeeatinginarow Thanks Raj! Always knew we could count on you

[@haithamali3228]

@@graceoverall No need to get into so much detail about each role. I have 20 years experience on varied projects and still manage to get it into one page. Just a couple lines about each role, the rest is for them to ask/interview

[@graceoverall]

@@haithamali3228 Well then I guess I struggle to be quite so terse and tend to error on the side of providing additional context and info. 😏

[@hankim394]

Can't wait for this video! Started to apply for new companies recently and want to spruce up my resume :)

[@hellomayuko]

yessssss you got this fam

[@loveableweirdo9335]

I wish I could force all tech graduates to watch this! Great job, Mayuko!

[@hellomayuko]

You can share this with anyone you think would find it helpful 😏

[@Pitchulila]

Re-watching the video after the premiere and letting the adds play 😄👍🏻 Very nice tips there!

[@hellomayuko]

d'aw thank you!

[@WilliamWeekesJr]

Hey Mayuko, I just wanted to say thank you so much for your in-depth look at putting your resume together. I can honestly say I spent a long time just copying and pasting (of course tweaking) other resumes that I thought would get me "a job" and for a while it did until it didn't. Now that my mindset has grown | evolved | and transcended - I am looking at having a position that I want to be in and in order to do that I have to fill in the blanks. I understood looking up your resume with keywords but now I understand what I need to display and how to display it 🙂

[@jeansepulveda2577]

Thanks Mayuko. Much appreciated!

[@thedevcristian]

When Mayuko sharing ideas and goals, it's very comforting that may help us to do something better in Tech Industry.

[@uchiha1460]

Now this something that I needed

[@capy_can_code]

You’re amazeballs! I don’t really need resume tips rn! But watched this one anyway! Mayuko sounds like a Marvel character!

[@dermuschelschluerfer]

The thing that gets me in most of the times is my projects website and my gtihub profile, I think its the best way to show what you can do and how you do it. In the end, there are many people who write backends but not many people who really know their stuff when it comes to writing such backends future proof.

[@aminsoley9191]

So after this , now I see my resume needs more improvement , Thank you mayuko

[@dimitardimitrov7868]

Actually, my experience with the HRs is different than the one here. The most useful is to order your projects and under each one to describe all technologies that you used. Of course, describe only a few projects that will help you to stand out.

[@goldfish6293]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/iKO8qYyiqZqMqqs

[@williamtun1783]

Thanks Mayuko, it's really helpful.

[@anthonychow6732]

One thing I would strongly encourage is professional manuscripts, peer reviewed papers, the like. Insights & intangibles from this category are invaluable, IMO.

[@CrashOverride332]

The thing I've never liked about the focus on resumes is how employers demand them but don't bother to read them. We put all this time and effort into them because employers make such a big deal about them. But then I get countless interviews where people have demonstrably not read them. So why am I giving one to you? If you can't be bothered to respect me enough to read the thing you asked for, what respect should I be giving to you? Food for thought, employers.

[@GiroYT]

Maybe hr managers or employers just receive so many applications and the resume just serves to make you stand out but realistically speaking they can't read each resume and that's the truth.

[@CrashOverride332]

@@GiroYT Then they can just not ask for them then. If they aren't going to take these resumes seriously, they don't need them. "Work is hard" is not an excuse for multi-billion dollar companies that refuse to hire the necessary personnel to do the job.

[@szymon200000]

@@CrashOverride332 I think that's what differentiates a good company from a bad one. I don't have any corporate experience so I could be way off, but I feel like without resumes ANYONE can just apply or come in for an interview. That piece of paper just has a key couple pieces of information that help to you stand out. But now that I think about it, why have recruiters when there's ATS systems that scan your resume and basically do the same job as the recruiters anyway...

[@hellomayuko]

Your resume is definitely getting looked at during the early stages of sorting through applicants - otherwise there's no way recruiters would be able to find candidates. In the later stages however, the resume becomes less important for sure because they're at the stage of actually testing your abilities that you say you have on the resume. I like to think of resumes as your ticket in.

[@CrashOverride332]

@@hellomayuko Looking at it is not enough. They need to READ it. I'm sick of these people calling me and asking me things that are answered on the damn resume. One employer couldn't understand the concept of time and thought most of my experience was in something I hadn't programmed in for 4 years. They also didn't bother to look up the STARTUP I worked at when they said I didn't have enough experience in an agile environment. The best thing everybody who takes a resume can do is to effing read it. I've been interviewed by countless idiots who have no clue what they're doing but I'm the one that needs some documentation they won't read?

[@juanorozco9540]

Thank you. This video is value added to the profession of software development.

[@rhythmkhanna8933]

It was very helpful, thanks a lot for the help !!

[@Koyaanisqatsi2000]

Great value! Thank you!

[@JeremiahPeoples]

I’m pumped for this video! My resume could use some sprucing

[@milanfaizal]

Very helpful. Also, love the way to talk, unique.

[@melissahoo9471]

Thanks for this!

[@yaboimarkodev]

Thank you Mayuko!

[@ts9971]

I met a recruiter who wrote there are companies that keep already filled roles up online, just to funnel in extra resumes. So people will still reach out for one position, but put them in another, or just put the resume on standby

[@Searching4DMT]

I am loving the scheduled premier! Your channel is heaven sent

[@hellomayuko]

Thanks for hanging out!

[@Searching4DMT]

@@hellomayuko 😁

[@kimstuart7989]

So after this amazing video, the difficult part I find is that the resume should stick to a page, but over the years, between education and prior work experience, some of the page fillers are unrelated. However, of you remove these unrelated work experiences or education to keep your resume to a page, that creates gaps in your history. So as a result, you cut out pertinent information from your actual projects and relacant work related tasks.

[@wankicho7061]

Why? Do even a page and a half

[@kayteeflick]

Great tips!

[@sheereenfathima]

Very Useful information Thanks a lottt..

[@diegomatos2796]

*Good video!*

[@fhjunior6183]

Thanks for the vid

[@spacewalker9375]

So I'm not part of the tech world, but I am a more traditional engineer (mechanical) and have been on both side of the conversation when it comes to recruiting. Go out to recruiting events! Face to face gives you a lot better chance.

[@runningpancakes]

Watched till @08:19, it's most sound to the point resume advice I've ever seen ^o^

[@chriswalker9641]

is there any benefit to be had from including relevant side projects? Surely it would show a passion for programming outside of work or school, right?

[@aipadair6755]

Hi Mayuko.. I like the way you talk. 😆❤️❤️❤️

[@indianaajoness]

LOVE your vid!!! Do you have maybe a template we can use?

[@zerosandones7547]

What are the differences of "Technologies" and "Tools"?

[@MrNsaysHi]

You guys serious about adding vscode in the tools section? Is it really a competitive advantage?

[@TwitchRadio]

Thanks... I'm still trying to figure this out. Lol.. But this helped a bit. 😎👍

[@heleenziyad324]

Thanks Mayuko

[@emmaneugene]

Thanks!

[@hellomayuko]

Thank you!!

[@aminnemat577]

Thank you.

[@Sadsoft]

Thank you :)

[@danielduong6605]

This video might get me a better opprotunity.

[@danielduong6605]

My resume will get polishing

[@lavender8980]

Hi Mayuko, I'm having a career change from hospitality management to cybersecurity, looking for the first security job. I just graduated Master in Cybersecurity and have zero related experience lol. I did worked for 2 years in hospitality businesses before getting my major switched. So the line to describe who I am, should I just say I'm a new grad or 2 years in business? I don't have that "year" element in the tech industry. Thank you for your response!

[@kanuto007]

This is really helpful! Thank you for this video! Where can we put our awards or certifications in the resume, and are these relevant in the tech industry? :)

[@hellomayuko]

It depends on the awards and certifications, and what role you're applying to! (i.e. if you're applying to a scrum master/program manager role, then adding your scrum certification would likely be very helpful here). I would put them at the bottom, after your education!

[@RomyIlano]

man this is great! thanks Mayuko

[@iremkaya9103]

How do recruiters think when it comes the people from outside US but want to migrate to Silicon Valley? Both remote and getting-a-visa-for-the-employee type.

[@gurparv1993]

I will not be able to join the live session😢.. due to timezone difference.

[@kamertonaudiophileplayer847]

It is very interesting, however our colleagues from Japan think differently, "He said the labor shortage was a chance to move away from a "resume-profile culture." Resumes could be replaced with questions and assessments to see how a job seeker would handle specific tasks required by the role, he said. The CEO of Glassdoor and Indeed's parent company says hiring via resumes is outdated for many industries - and that the labor shortage is a great chance to replace them.". I think that his approach is valid. What is a resume? Generally it is marketing materials. But what do you think about them? Garbage. Right, and instead of it you can just test a product for qualities you need.

[@ABC-ip6jq]

For developer positions I don't undertand why the standard is not some sort of coding exercise similar to something you would do on the job

[@kamertonaudiophileplayer847]

@@ABC-ip6jq HR people can hardly understand what you will do as a job duties.

[@ABC-ip6jq]

@@kamertonaudiophileplayer847 Yes, but they could just send out this "test" instead.

[@luchodore]

@@ABC-ip6jq if it's just a test, then your friend could do it maybe?

[@ABC-ip6jq]

@@luchodore In that scenario your friend could do your technical assessment for you as well?

[@equippeddev8836]

Nice video

[@theprimecoder4981]

How can I write a tech resume if I didn't finish college?

[@user-sc1sm3em9w]

cool video)

[@vaibhavvashist238]

Can u tell how about your Netflix interview experience

[@audox4885]

so i have a question, so if the resume is only one page long, how can we include all the keywords that the AI tools that recruiters are using to filter applicants.

[@brzjason]

Great video! I had a question. Do resumes need to look fancy? Does it actually attract more attention doing so?

[@goldfish6293]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/iKO8qYyiqZqMqqs

[@KhanStopMe]

this is a somewhat irrelevant question but how are ur videos so nicely lit!!!

[@hellomayuko]

it's that socal sunshine forreal ☀️

[@steftrando]

How do you get past the years of experience hurdle? So many jobs require multiple years of experience and I feel like the ATS and recruiter just automatically delete your resume if you don’t meet that simple quantitative threshold.

[@bigsluggy]

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE, HOPE YOU GET IT!

[@bigsluggy]

Sad news: I didn't.

[@JyotiDeka1989]

Thanks

[@hellomayuko]

Thank you so much!!!!

[@JyotiDeka1989]

@@hellomayuko Your videos is really helping me a lot in my endeavour to join as a Data Scientist or a Machine Learning Engineer somewhere in India. I am a PhD in Computational Physics and so, the journal from academia to industry needs proper guidance. Thank you so much for uploading these videos. 😊

[@adennis200]

When you say "x years of experience" you're referring to professional experience right?

[@ai_dividend_daily_1]

nice

[@alanmunoz3755]

Should I put my portfolio link in the "contact" section?

[@hellomayuko]

Yes! Allowing them to dive deeper into your work if they want to absolutely cannot hurt.

[@muhendisbagyan4069]

mayuko, i applied many companies, but not take positive answer, maybe i need strong cover letter, help me?

[@zamanEhsani]

i am sure prior to mentioning your skills, you better to put your experience at first as its THE MOST important section.

[@igotdembombs]

You want me to keep the number of bullet points the same between projects. Seems extremely superficial. If one project was a couple years worth of my life and I have a lot to say for it, I think I should put some more bullet points there.

[@luujasonful]

Great job

[@vladtokarev146]

I am not sure about equal number of bullet points among all projects. Recent projects are more relevant

[@astrahcat1212]

If you didnt go to university, certificates from Microsoft, Amazon and Google are relatively cheap.

[@anandailyasa2530]

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@JoshuaKisb]

thanks. very useful. but seems like too much work ill just create my own company. seems easier

[@omarzaifulizan3064]

okay we'll what if we have no experience

[@PrinceofPersia7074]

How about a resume with 6-10 pages? Do they pass the recruiter stage? Wha's your thoughts and opinions about it

[@UncleJemima]

You absolutely should not have a resume that long. Aside from the recruiter definitely not reading all of it, it's also just not necessary to go into that level of detail. A resume isn't a detailed recounting of your life's work in its entirety, it's a SHORT overview that quickly lets the recruiter know whether you are qualified for the position and whether it's worth the time to reach out to you to learn more. Some employers will specifically ask for CVs, which are multi-page documents that do actually cover your entire professional career. This is the exception, not the norm, but you're more likely to need them in certain specific fields (academia, science, medicine, law). So don't worry about this unless you've been asked to provide one.

[@falxie_]

Are you recommending that we make unique resumes for every role that we apply to? Seems like a lot of work so I'd love to have some tips on how to reduce it.

[@nicolasleiva198]

you can have a standard resume for jobs that you aren't particularly excited about, and do unique ones just for the ones that you really want. hope that helps you a little :)

[@codyjackson87]

Hi, I just saw your comment and no one is giving this advice - I don't think you should remake your resume for every job you apply to, just alter it a little to really lean into what the job is focused on, maybe highlight different skills, change the order around a bit or add certain keywords from the job description. Really, just a little bit of alteration can make a big difference. This is how I approach "customizing" my resume for the job.

[@UncleJemima]

What you could do is make a "master" resume that has everything you might want to show to a prospective employer (and it's OK if this is longer than one page!). Then when applying for a specific job, make a copy and trim the contents down to just the elements that are relevant for that company and position. You can tell what's relevant by both the nature and responsibilities of the role you're applying for, and the qualifications they put on the job listing. You can also tweak your phrasing to match the listing so that resume parsing software detects any important keywords they're looking for. That way, you've done most of the work ahead of time, and making per-company resumes just take a few minutes apiece!

[@doughlausprashaal7151]

j wish I could write a great resume but I have a huge disadvantage I don't have a computer science degree I learned everything throught bootcamps and self teaching

[@hellomayuko]

You don't need a CS degree to get a job! I'm actually working on a video about self taught developers now, and everyone I interviewed for that video strongly believed that you can create your own destiny.

[@someheree6362]

What if the person graduated 6 years ago and still haven't gotten the first job and have no job or intern experience. Is there no hope left?

[@hellomayuko]

There's absolutely hope! You can get a job with projects you work on outside of an internship or job that you can add to your resume. You don't need a job in order to build skills!

[@starfalcon2]

I gave up long ago.

[@karthikdeverkonda01]

I read there is absolutely no hope lol

[@dioencantado7642]

Just hit the griddy

[@jackkai6213]

i don't get why u didn't show us your own cv.

[@shaheerziya2631]

Oh so Sarah's an ex-GAF recruiter. Thank god I didn't use any other order for that

[@thiagogazarolicardoso2889]

why dont have legend

[@telephon3208]

subtitles please

[@BrantK147]

how do you actually write your job responsibilities on the resume? "I do this, I do that"? or "Does this, does that"? or "Did this, did that?" or "Doing this, doing that?" omg... XD

[@GregRippetoe]

Is this TechLead's wife?

[@codecrafterstudio]

My ultimate crush

[@MrJhonson89]

Noice

[@ohmegatech666]

I was hoping for more software specific advice. It's a well-made video but unfortunately the content is rather generic resume tips I've heard everywhere. I get that you want to encourage new paying KZbin members, but putting all of the valuable content behind that paywall is making me choose not to subscribe in the first place

[@leonardofelipesilva2809]

jesus christ so much small talk, why don't these youtubers just go straight to the point?

[@jacksmith1352]

Successfully wasted 12 minutes and 50 seconds here. Thanks!