Resume Trends: What Your Resume Should Look Like

1. What is a resume?
2. What should a resume look like according to current resume trends?
3. Latest resume trends: do’s and don’ts
4. Top 10 best developer resume templates
5. FAQ

Resume trends. In order to get a good programming job, you have to show yourself in the best way. For this purpose, you need to know how to program, but also to present yourself in a professional and effective way. The first step towards your dream job is a high-quality resume. In this post, we will talk about resume trends in 2021!

What is a resume?

According to Wikipedia, a résumé is a document “used and created by a person to present their background, skills, and accomplishments."

In other words, it's your professional story. For example, a programmer must have specialized education or completed programming courses, be able to work with computer programs, write codes, know languages, and so on. How does a potential employer know that you have all the necessary qualities, that you have received the right education and are able to perform the tasks? That is right; they refer to your resume.

A resume is the first thing you should have when looking for work. It may be said that when applying for a job, the mandatory presentation of resumes is one of the elements of modern business etiquette rules, but at the same time, it is one of the most effective ways to advertise on the labor market.

What should a resume look like according to current resume trends?

A resume is a description of a person's abilities that make him/her competitive in the labor market. It should reflect the three main qualities required of an employer: education, productivity, and unlimited abilities. The abbreviation CV can be found, literally meaning "life story." However, a CV is typically focused on educational achievements rather than personal or business qualities.

Nowadays the emphasis is more on your professional qualities, and the ability to present yourself in an interesting way. New resume trends call for simplicity, conciseness, and only truth! There are no strict rules when it comes to writing a resume. The information in your resume should not be submitted randomly; follow a certain structure.

The optimal resume contains the following:

• Surname and first name - you do not need to specify the patronymic, it is in the past.
• A photo
• Contact information (only phone number and email, the home address is not required - no one will come to visit you)
• The goal is the position that you are applying for.
• The main skills - specify your professional knowledge and achievements.
• Education - I think this is clear. If, for example, you have no higher IT education, it is okay. A lot of great developers don't have it. And vice versa, many with IT-education do not know how to program at all. Of course, IT education and/or having certificates is good, but it will not help you much if you can't complete a skill test for the job.
• Work experience
• Additional information - everything else, such as language skills, rights, travel opportunities, etc. You should not give too much information, especially if unnecessary to the scope of the job.

As for the design of a resume, there are also a few subtleties:

• The first fixed rule is that a resume should not exceed one, or a maximum of two, A4 or letter-size pages, and it is desirable to have key information on the first page.
• Use the same font for your entire resume.
• Do not use outdated fonts. Previously, the default font was Times New Roman. But now the trend fonts are Calibri and Arial, use them. The Times New Roman resume looks like a dinosaur comparatively.
• The ideal font size is 10 or 12 points.
• Titles should be highlighted in bold and/or underlined.
• Make the list of responsibilities in the form of numbered lists.
• The optimal resume should be written in simple language, avoiding overly wordy text.
• Make sure you check for spelling.
• A resume with mistakes doesn't stand a chance.
• If you do not have a portfolio, it is desirable to create one to accompany the resume.

Few more tips

Сreating a perfect CV means doing a lot for your future career. Nowadays, when there is fierce competition among the applicants, hiring managers to devote, on average, six sec to review a single CV. As we know, a well-knitted resume immediately grabs attention and gives you a helping hand to outrun the competitors.

One of the essential things is to organize the CV accurately to let the employer see in you a skilled developer. It is vital to keep your CV short, simple, and meaningful. It is also advisable to optimize your CV for SEO. A significant number of the recruiters are scanning CVs for the keywords which correspond to the vacancy they are trying to fill. By including the proper keywords in your CV (preferably at the top), you significantly enhance your chances to be found, mainly if you upload the CV for a public view.

It would help if you did not try to get a job by including the skills or experience you don’t possess, because, at some point, the lie will be revealed anyway. In such a case, you will find yourself in a lousy situation confessing and explaining your intentions.

It is also highly recommended to ensure the CV sketch is formatted appropriately. Don’t share the CV that has an editable format. Instead, you can convert it into a PDF format, etc. Otherwise, someone could use it for their purposes, e.g., edit it, use your CV, and present it as their own, make unacceptable changes, etc.

During the recruitment process, hiring experts receive hundreds or thousands of CVs to check and select the best candidates. CVs, which comprise a cover letter, have better chances to get attention. A cover letter should encompass further details surrounding the information mentioned in your CV. Moreover, cover letters should emphasize your interest in the vacancy you apply for, provide some possibly less consistent, but useful information, and uncover knowledge and skills that would distinguish you among other applicants and persuade the recruiter you are the perfect candidate for a vacancy in question.

Make sure you have carefully checked the vacancy you are sending the CV profile for the obligations and liabilities you will perform. Also, express in your CV the desire to join specifically this team and business, but not send in a characterless document with the record of your abilities.

Latest resume trends: do’s and don’ts

Please take this into account:

• Make a resume in the style of the company you want to work for. This is a new resume trend, by the way. It will be impressive and very, very clear if they can relate immediately to the style of the format.
• Do not be afraid to laugh at yourself. One of the most interesting trends is to present yourself in an interesting way, maybe even in a joking form. For this, you can use the original design of your resume.  For example, it can be a one-page site. You can use themes from TemplateMonster (we will talk about this later).
• Specify only those languages you know well. For the most part, only the language spoken by the company (usually the local language) and a good level of English are important for work. Use common standards for levels: Pre-Intermediate, Intermediate, or Upper-Intermediate.
• The ideal developer's resume is, of course, the site. The site should have as much useful information about you as possible including CV or resume, portfolio, and interests. The structure, design, and even the code of the site should represent you as fully as possible.
• A little color and creativity in the design will not hurt, but do not overdo it.
• To get a specific job in a particular area and at a particular company, you set the goal. State it in one sentence and without watering it down.
• The Summary should contain up to five key messages that will tell about you and your experiences in a profitable way. If you don't find it interesting to present the key points of your career history, you should skip this section.
• If you have recently graduated, it is not superfluous to write the subject of your diploma thesis and the average score. Specify IT-courses you have taken and provide examples of your design work.
• Try to make the picture attractive and friendly, but not "like for passport."

Try to avoid the following:

• Forget about CRAZY infographics. You need a template in which all your achievements, well-known programming languages, projects, and interests will fit.
• Do not use the template from a standard site. There is no individuality, nothing new and interesting. It is doubtful that anyone will be interested in such a resume.
• The use of tables is cool, clear, and structural. However, it is also very boring.
• Do not specify your skills with office programs and browsers (MS Office, OpenOffice, Mozilla Firefox, etc.). This is useful in a secretary's resume, but not in IT.
• It would be superfluous to specify a school in the education section, especially if you graduated long ago.
• Do not list a huge number of different training courses. It would be better to simply indicate that you take a certain number of courses per year to keep up with the trends in your field.
• It is pointless to indicate the years of use for each technology and framework. It does not say anything about the level of professionalism you have.
• Never call yourself an expert. Remember that experience and projects speak for themselves. Everyone would claim “expert” status based on what they think of themselves. Let your work show your level of expertise.
• Also, do not mention that you are a beginner. If you have just started studying something, you shouldn't include it in your programmer's resume until you feel more proficient.
• Avoid filling out the progress bar. Employers may think that you all know about this subject, which is very improbable.
• Also do not include address, marital status, sexual orientation, nationality, or date of birth. These bits of information should have no bearing on your qualifications.
• Special attention should be paid to hobby indication. Some people like to include this in a programmer's resume but it is not necessary.
• The top block cannot be overloaded. Do not give too much contact information, it is distracting. One phone number and email are more than enough today.
• When thinking about key competencies do not include those skills that you have applied only once or twice. This section is meant to be a demonstration of your best experience and qualities.
• Experience without achievements reduces the appeal of your resume by about half.
• Do not list qualities that you cannot confirm with experience stories.

Top 10 best developer resume templates

Alexa Resume Template

Simple but stylish and trendy, the Alexa premium template has a traditional look, but its chronicle-like structure gives it a modern look that will certainly make a really good impression. In addition, at the top of the template you can specify your phone number, email, website (if available), and address (if you want). Among the key features is also the fact that this version of the template is suitable for Photoshop and Microsoft Word. It includes free fonts, so you do not have to pay extra. This template is fully customizable and editable.

Colorful Modern Geometric Construction Resume

This is a very bright, impressive, and extraordinary resume template. With Colorful Modern Geometric Construction Resume, you may quickly create a cool resume without much effort. All elements of the resume are easy to customize. At the same time, there are four bright color schemes available. You can show all your design skills, and at the same time take a great job.

Peach and Yellow

This is another eye-catching Canva resume template. Five different color schemes will definitely help you stand out from the competition. The template includes unusual typography. Peach and Yellow resume template contain a large image in the header, which can be personalized according to your area of specialization. This is an excellent basis for an online resume, which will be your first point of contact with your employer.

Word Bundle Resume Template

The Word Bundle Resume Template is a great example of how resume templates can help you determine what to include in your resume. This set is much more than just a standard resume template! Despite the number of templates included, it is quite easy to use. All you need to do is enter your data instead of fillers in the fields of education, work experience, and recommendations. It is also easy to read, and it will only increase your chances. Paragraph styles make it easy to insert and edit important text.

Shemar Resume Template

Shemar is a simple, elegant, and discreet template. The idea of the template is a sophisticated design using simple elements and fonts for a new generation. These simple and distinct features will definitely help you stand out. Shemar template has a clear and clean structure, so it is very easy to read. The Shemar template is ideal for job seekers who need a neat basic resume to demonstrate their skills and experience. It will definitely attract the attention of potential employers.

Amity Peter - CV Resume Template

Amity Peter is the perfect resume for the job seeker. It shows skills and experience in a simple and professional style, while its unusual design gives it a modern look. This template also allows you to use a photo in your resume. By the way, discreet design is a new resume trend. Also, Amity Peter includes cool free fonts. Be sure that the unusual typography will never be superfluous.

Colorful Abstract Theatre Resume

The name of this template speaks for itself. This is an excellent resume format for experienced professionals and new job seekers. This stunningly simple resume template makes great use of blank space, so it is easy for the reader to focus on your work experience. Colorful Abstract Theatre resume combines the best features to help you impress employers.

Minimal White Brenner Resume Template

A gorgeous, minimalist, black and white template is the perfect solution for you. It is a great example of how a resume can look good, even with simple lines and typography. Although the design is discreet, it will show your professionalism and the seriousness of your intentions. In Minimal White Brenner everything is customizable: text, colors, fonts, and all other elements. In addition, you can add photos to your resume.

Professional with Cover Letter Resume Template

The template is definitely a little stand out from the others, and maybe this is what will help you get a new job. This two-page resume template includes fully customizable colors, fonts, and resume layouts. And it is also compatible with Mac & PC with MS Word. The cool, stylish design and clear presentation of information in this template provide excellent readability.

Arena Resume Template

This professional and fashionable template is a great variant for job seekers who need a great and attractive resume. The pretty design of the Arena template and the trendy format convey the information in a simple and direct way, while the discreet color scheme gives your resume a distinctive look. In addition, the template includes a very stylish headline. Arena also provides a progress bar that you can fill in if you wish. There is also a space to add a photo to the resume template.

FAQ