Here are some of the things I read online multiple times whilst building my resume but didn't know of the impact they can really make.

Note:

• I am a final year CS student [as of april 2021] and all of the following things are mere observations.
• Observations sustaining the fact that I applied to 50 different companies and started to hear back only after modifying my resume according to these techniques.
• and that these techniques got me through without referrals!

Implied Things

• All of the points mentioned below are something to be taken care of after the implied points like,
  • Clean and concise resume structure.
  • Consistent and readable font-style.
  • Highlight where necessary to emphasize.
  • Proper date formats.
  • Link everything. Everything!
  • Add links to your profiles on other platforms. (Github, Linkedin, Leetcode etc)
  • and any more...

ATS Friendly

• Whether we like it or not, our resume will be scanned by a bot first. So we have to make sure our resume is readable - by a bot!.

• There are tons of websites available online that will scan and analyze your resume. Use them.

• However, sometimes these websites tend to make suggestions you'd absolutely hate to use in your resume. At that point, go with your instinct. You have to make the resume ATS friendly, not anti-self.

• Look for the ease with which the ATS will be able to segregate your skills, projects, job titles, internships and then aggregate them under appropriate labels.

Metrics DO Matter.

• I read articles online that asserted on the fact that one should build a data driven resume. All of the activities you mention must have a number attached to them.

• Data driven resume can directly point to the impact your effort/role created without relying on the recruiter/interviewer to imagine the circumstances.

• In order to explain this useful technique, most of the articles online give you the following example:

  • "...for example, write something like - 'By using X algorithms with Y technique, reduced Z by 50%' "

• However if you are somebody like me, this example will baffle you. BAFFLE!

• So my suggestion here is to focus on small things. As a student I focused on:

  • Number of active users on my website.
  • Size of the team I managed during a university event.
  • Number of students who attended my lecture series.
  • Number of participants in the virtual event I was invited to as a speaker. etc.

• These are the things that matter to us at the current stage (student) and I suppose we should feel free to mention them.

Format Of The Resume File

• Apparently, it's easier for the ATS if your file format is .doc, .docx instead of a pdf. So try and test this one online!

I didn't pay much attention to these but after I failed at hearing back from some of my dream companies I decided to try something different and used them.

And modifying my resume wasn't a problem for me because I felt the urge to optimize it at least twice every month (😅)

I hope this helps!

All the best.