App development is one of the most popular roles in the tech industry, which means that you will have a lot of competition when applying for jobs. Even though there are a lot of positions available, you will still have to do something special to make yourself stand out. If you can get to the interview stage, you can really sell yourself and hopefully land the job. Unfortunately, many people fall at the first hurdle and never make it to the interview stage because their resume isn’t up to scratch. If you stand a chance of success, you need to craft a resume that is specifically tailored for app development jobs, not just general tech jobs. If you want to land a job as an app developer, here are a few important tips to help you write the perfect resume.
Embrace Your Differences
Obviously, when you are writing a resume for an app development role, it’s important to talk about your skills and experience, which we will come onto later. However, it’s important to remember that most candidates will have similar skills and experience, and that’s not what is going to set you apart. The tech industry isn’t just made up of the best coders, it’s an incredibly diverse industry with people from all walks of life. Writing a boring resume that just lists your achievements as an app developer isn’t going to cut it and your resume will end up in the bin right away. One of the biggest mistakes that people make when applying for tech jobs is failing to embrace their differences.
Think about the interesting hobbies that you have and write about them on your resume as well. Remember that app development isn’t just about coding skills, it’s also about design and creativity. So, if you spend your weekends writing fan fiction or making your own music, put it on your resume. It makes you a more interesting candidate and it shows that you have great skills. If you love doing puzzles, that shows that you have good problem solving skills, which is important in app development as well.
Personal differences can help you to stand out from the crowd as well. People with disabilities often wonder whether they should talk about it on their resume, but if you are applying for a job in the tech industry, you should celebrate those differences instead of hiding them away. Tech is an inclusive industry and they want people from diverse backgrounds. Discussing how you have overcome challenges in your life tells the hiring manager a lot about you.
The bottom line is, you should just be you. Don’t write a resume that presents the person you think they want to see because it will just come across as boring. Write a truthful resume that tells them who you are and you will stand a much better chance of getting an interview.
Build Some Apps
Showing is much better than telling, so if you want to prove how good you are at developing apps, you need to build some and include them as examples. When you are building apps, it is important that you show a range of different skills. Simple games show that you can design a basic app with great design elements, but you should also include an example of a technical app as well. Building apps that manage a lot of data and present it in the right way can be tough, but if you use react components by Ignite, you can create responsive data-heavy apps with a great user experience. Many candidates will build a simple app that shows style and some coding ability, but not as many people will show that they can build a responsive app that handles large amounts of data, so this will set you apart.
If you really want to prove your skills and show the hiring manager that you are a creative thinker, you could consider presenting the resume itself as an app. Instead of emailing them a full resume, send them a link to a web app. You can present your resume as an interactive map or even as a simple game. Hiring managers read through stacks and stacks of resumes that all look the same, so if you do something different, they will remember you and you will have a much better chance of getting an interview.
Developing apps and putting them on the app store is a good way to demonstrate your skills because, if you get a lot of downloads and good reviews, you are essentially getting the general public to vouch for your app development skills. So, remember that an endorsement from the individuals that have used your apps means a lot and can help you on your journey to becoming a professional app developer.
Include A Summary At The Top
Hiring managers have a lot of resumes to read and if they have to read the full resume before they get an idea of what your main attributes are, they will already be bored and your resume is far more likely to end up in the bin. That’s why it’s always a good idea to include a summary at the top before going into more detail. This can be a short paragraph or a bullet pointed list that outlines your main achievements and the key skills that you have. Include any successful apps that you have built in the past and your main qualifications. The hiring manager should be able to read this and decide whether or not you are a good candidate for the job or not. It’s important that you make this short summary engaging so you can catch their attention right away and make them want to read more. Try to let your personality shine through so you stand out from the crowd.
Focus On Key Accomplishments
On any resume, you need to include details about your previous jobs. But many people make the mistake of only listing their duties. It’s important that you give a quick rundown of your duties so the hiring manager knows what experience you have, but if you want to land an interview, you need to focus on your accomplishments in previous jobs. When you are writing about your accomplishments, be specific and quantify them with numbers. For example, write about how many apps you have developed, how many people have downloaded them, and how many positive reviews you have. You may also write about how many bugs you fixed in a specific app. By giving specific examples of your achievements, you can show a hiring manager exactly how you would bring value to their company.
Include A Technical Skills Section
Although it’s important to talk about your achievements and make your resume interesting, you do need to include a technical skills section as well. You can’t be a successful app developer with knowledge of different coding languages and APIs. A simple list of your technical skills will show the employer that you are qualified for the job. This is a very necessary part of your resume, but it’s not a very exciting one, so keep it short and sweet. When you are writing your technical skills section, look at the job description and see what skills they mention. Make sure that you include all technical skills that are listed in the job description because many employers will run resumes through software to cut the pile back. This software will scan for keywords and if you don’t include the right skills, your resume may be discarded before anybody even reads it.
Improve Your Networking Skills
Networking is an important part of the job search and it can be a great way to get your foot in the door. Unfortunately, many people don’t really know how to network and they don’t take advantage of the opportunities that it can create. Networking is a skill that you need to practise, so don’t be disheartened if you don’t make any good connections on your first attempt.
If you want to get into app development, look for any local conferences or networking events in the industry. If you go along, you will meet a lot of app developers that may be looking to hire people, and you can get a lot of advice on how to land a job. If you meet people and make a good impression, they will remember your name when your resume lands on their desk, and you will stand a much better chance of getting an interview.
As well as attending networking events, you should also try to connect with people online. LinkedIn is a great way to find influential industry figures and put yourself on their radar. Many people also post job opportunities on LinkedIn before advertising them elsewhere, so you may be able to get in early before everybody else.
If you follow these important tips when writing your resume, you should be able to land an interview and get a great job in app development.