A structured curriculum vitae for a job in IT: How to write it and what should it contain?

Are you looking around for a new job but you do not know how to start? The first step should be to create a CV, which is a professionally structured resume that would interest employers. We can advise you if you do not have it yet, or you need to improve it. 

As an IT professional you probably feel at home with codes and solving technical problems, but the written text is not exactly your cup of tea. And, that is also why we are here, to help you on your journey to your new job. By the way, if you are currently looking for a job in the IT industry, do not hesitate to check out our current offers in Coderama. But, let’s get straight to the point.

What is a structured curriculum vitae? 

It is not a lengthy composition where you talk about your life story. On the contrary, the more structured and concise, the better. A structured curriculum vitae is actually written comprehensively in bullet points and short sentences. This also implies that it should be structured into sections or paragraphs. It is only in this way that HR staff can get a quick overview of each of the dozens of applicants. They often do not have a lot of time to read each resume. That is why you need to get them interested quickly.



How to stand out from the crowd?

Today, there are already a lot of possibilities to get a really high-quality CV that catches the eye. There are companies on the market which will professionally and custom-make it for you and with an attractive design. Of course, you will to have to pay extra for it. It is also possible to use various ready-made templates (e.g., resume-example.com), which are at a charge or free. Or, you can also create it all on your own according to our content, which we will get to in a moment.

However, your experiences make up the majority of every good resume, which, as they say, you cannot mess up. Even beautiful templates will not help you if you do not have the proper education, knowledge and experience, particularly if you want to work in a field where creativity does not have to come first. Nicely-done graphics can certainly captivate and direct the reader’s attention to the right place, but this should not be superior than the content. 

So, if you want to stand out from the crowd of interested ones, impress at first sight with visuals and then immediately after with relevant content that you sell as best as you can. Do not forget to mention all your obtained certificates, whether in language or the IT field. Mention successful projects you worked on or apps and websites your created. Try to be interesting, especially in knowledge and experience that can distinguish you from the crowd and that show you have something more.

Curriculum vitae step by step

How do you correctly section out and write a resume? This is a basic structure that you can turn to. This aid will help you to easily write your resume line by line. We will leave the visuals up to you.

The header

The basis of the CV is a brief header that introduces you. It should contain your name and surname, date of birth, permanent address and contact details, rightly also your email address and telephone number. Information about marital status or citizenship is voluntary and does not have to be provided if you do not want to. A portrait photo should also be a part of the header. This will help you gain some agreeableness. It does not have to be a formal photo from your ID or a selfie that you would post on Instagram. The photo should be representative but not too formal. A smile is definitely not a bad idea. 

Education

The next section should contain information about your education. There is no need to mention all the schools you attended. Proceed with the present and firstly mention your highest education achieved and title received. Give the names of university/school and high school, including any disciplines you have studied. Only state primary school if you do not have any higher education. If you have completed any study programs and trips, do not keep it to yourself, but mention them. However, try to keep the information clear and concise.

Experience

The next piece of information is the most important for many employers, and that is your experience. Once again, proceed from present to past. Include for each job position: name of position, length of employment, company name, place of work and brief description of the job. If possible, mention specific projects you worked on. If there is a person from your previous company, ideally a superior, who can provide your future employer with a reference, state his name and contact details.

Focus especially on experience that is related to your current specialisation. There is no need to mention all casual and part-time jobs if they do not contribute to the employer viewing you as a suitable candidate for the given position. If you are a graduate and do not yet have real work experience, mention, at least, experience you gained during your studies, whether it was through internships or school projects.

Certificates

School and experience are not everything. Even if you do not have a top education or work experience, you can increase your competitiveness with various courses and certificates. We recently wrote an article about acquiring an ISTQB certificate and its benefits. Today, there are many certification systems and course providers in the field of software development or testing, website creation or even management. The IT world is not just about programming and each company needs not just developers but also project managers.

IT skills

As you definitely know, real skills are especially important in the work market. Therefore, pay attention to this section and list your TOP skills in the IT field or other relevant areas. All you have to do is continue briefly and list which areas of web development (HTML, JavaScript, PHP, and others), software development (Java, Python, Android, and others) or other IT areas you feel comfortable with. You may use, for example, graphic scales that show your level of skill from 1 (amateur) to 5 (pro). 

Languages

As we have already mentioned, IT is more than just programming. In addition to mastering programming languages, you should also be able to master international languages. English is mostly in the first place, but you may also be met with other requirements in some companies. Therefore, let your future employer know of your language skills and do not forget to state the level you reached, ideally confirmed by a language certificate.

Extra

The categories mentioned above are the basics that any good CV should contain. In the event that you would like to add something extra, you may mention for example:

• Interests that you like to pursue in your free time.
• Strengths such as perfectionism, ambition, punctuality, creativity, etc.
• Character traits, e.g., that you are cheerful, sociable and you have a sense of humour.
• Awards received during study or employment.
• Driver’s licence information if it is suitable for your future job.
• A positive reference from your previous employer, superior or colleague.
• A quote that represents your life philosophy or that motivates you in your career. 
• Bio, i.e., a short summary of yourself in a few sentences. 

We wish you luck in writing your resume and even more so when getting your new prospective job. :)