Continuing on, let's dive into the most crucial elements of a resume, keeping in mind the rules we've discussed:

  • Name, Surname, Position you're applying for
  • Contact Information
  • Photo
  • Summary/About
  • Skills
  • Education
  • Languages
  • Work Experience

Let's delve into each of these points in more detail.

Name and Surname, Position

This element should be prominent as HR needs to quickly identify whose resume is being reviewed. Since a company may have multiple positions open, it's best to specify the position you're applying for.

Essential details include your phone number and email address. Let's talk about your email address: avoid using nicknames or humorous combinations like hellokitty, harrypotter6, marsik15. Steer clear of questionable domains like @spam.co, @fishing.go. Instead, create an email on a reputable server, such as gmail.com.

Ideally, your email should start with your name.surname. However, if your name is already taken, you might need to think of combinations, such as including your birth year.

Also, it's advisable to include links to your GitHub and LinkedIn profiles in this section, if available (we'll discuss how to create and fill out profiles on these platforms later).

You may also want to mention your current location and your preferred work arrangement – remote, in-office, or hybrid.

Photo

In some countries, it's customary to attach a photo to your resume, while in others, it's not. If you're unsure about the norms in the country where you're seeking employment, try to research this aspect using Google.

In most European countries and the USA, resumes with a photo are preferred. If you choose to include one, opt for a neutral portrait photo. Avoid full-body, vacation, or gym photos, and group pictures. Also, overly formal "passport-style" photos are not suitable. Ensure the photo is of good quality, not too compressed, but also not too large.

Java university

Summary

This brief section is about who you are and why your resume is worth reading further. It's a hook for the recruiter to notice you, so make sure to include it.

In just 2-3 sentences, describe who you are, what you do, and why it's beneficial to work with you. Recruiters receive hundreds of resumes and need to quickly understand if you fit the position.

Here, you can mention the position you're aiming for. If you have little experience or achievements to mention, write about your passion for programming and your desire to pursue it professionally. Focus on what you can offer to the company/project, rather than what you want to receive.

Skills

This is a crucial section, important for both human recruiters and automated search programs. Many large companies use specialized software to search for resumes by keywords. Hence, it's vital to clearly list all skills that fully reflect your experience. At the same time, this helps recruiters quickly understand your technology stack.

When listing skills, maintain a balance: don’t downplay your achievements, but also don’t list technologies you're not proficient in (or mark them as "basic knowledge" if necessary).

If you can talk about a skill, where, why, and how you've used it for two minutes, definitely include it.

Skills are divided into two categories: hard and soft. Hard skills are the technologies and tools you know, while soft skills are your communication, negotiation, and conflict resolution abilities. Focus on listing hard skills in your resume, as these are key for HR.

Include all technologies you learned during the course, especially those used in projects.

How to do this: Start by taking a piece of paper and writing down everything you remember. For example, not just Core Java, but:

Core Java

  • Collections Framework
  • OOP
  • Multithreading
  • Lambdas

Don’t go into excessive detail, but mention the main points. Also, include related technologies like JUnit, Maven, Git, Docker.

Education

If your education is related to programming or technology, definitely add it to your CV. Technical and mathematical degrees are also relevant as they often involve programming studies. If your education is in a different field, mention it but be sure to add any programming courses you’ve taken. If your educational background is your only experience, detail it more in the "Work Experience" section (which we'll cover shortly).

Languages

Definitely include your proficiency level in English. You can also add other foreign languages if you think it might interest the employer.

If you are not a native English speaker but have completed any certification (like IELTS or TOEFL), be sure to add it to your resume. You can also take a 50-minute test through this link to determine your current level of English proficiency. You can attach the certificate from this test to your resume.

Work Experience

This is the most crucial section. First, let's discuss this for those with development experience. In this case, the general structure of the experience section could be as follows.

One sentence about the company (its nature, field of operation), your role, and duration of employment. For example:

2022-present, HelpMeDoc, a medical insurance company, Trainee Database Developer.

List your job responsibilities, ideally through achievements. Sometimes, you can separate responsibilities and achievements. For example:

  • Developed a database module and fixed bugs. Closed 30 bugs in a sprint.
  • Implemented a feature that automates user tasks: creating a device now takes 10 minutes instead of 8 hours. The feature has been running bug-free in production for 2 years.

This helps the recruiter understand the tasks you've handled and your experience in solving them. Don't list irrelevant experience, even if extensive—your achievements in, say, the restaurant business or sales, might not be compelling to the recruiter.

But what if you have no experience at all? What if your only experience is CodeGym University and its projects? The answer lies in the question itself. If you've completed a course, you already have experience, and it's quite significant. You can talk about each of your modular projects (which can be attached to your GitHub). They are substantial and demonstrate your ability to work with various technological aspects. Ultimately, recruiters understand that entry-level positions are often filled by people without experience, so they assess candidates based on the skills demonstrated in educational projects.

How to Present Educational Experience?

When listing your educational experience, you should mention the service or institution where you took courses. At the end of the position title, add the word "training" to clearly indicate that it was a learning experience, not employment. This is crucial to prevent any misunderstanding and avoid the perception of deceit, which could lead to rejection.

Describing Educational Experience

Start by discussing the technologies and tools you've mastered and use, to immediately showcase your capabilities. Focus on the most important aspects and avoid going into excessive detail.

Detail up to 5-6 projects from the course you completed. For each project, specify:

  • The project's purpose and your role in it, especially if it was a group project.
  • The tools and technologies you used during the project.
  • A link to the project.
  • If you undertook any additional activities during your studies, such as organizing an extra pet-project, be sure to mention it.

Avoid using educational terminology like "learned" or "studied as part of a course". Words like "developed" or "created" sound more impactful. Educational terms make it harder to align your profile with the desired job profile. In a company, you'll be expected to "develop", not "learn to develop".

Additional Experience

If you've completed any technical or language certifications, mention them. This will be an added advantage.

Mentorship or Volunteering

European companies value community-active individuals. This could include volunteer work, whether related to development or not.

Personal Qualities

Remember, you should always praise yourself. In your resume and during interviews, avoid being modest or self-critical. List several positive traits that you consider your strengths.

If you mention hobbies, an additional bonus would be to mention your study of Agile, Scrum, Kanban, TDD, BDD.