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Resume Writing Guides

Your resume gets 6 seconds of attention from a recruiter. These guides will help you make every second count — from ATS optimisation to impact-focused bullets that get you shortlisted.

Resume Do's and Don'ts

Quantify every achievement: 'Reduced API latency by 40%' not 'Improved performance'

Use vague adjectives: 'hardworking', 'team player', 'passionate'

Keep it to 1 page for 0–5 years experience; 2 pages max for 10+ years

List every job duty — select the 3–4 highest-impact contributions per role

Use strong action verbs to start each bullet: Built, Led, Optimised, Reduced, Launched, Automated

Start with 'Responsible for...' or 'Helped with...' — these weaken your contribution

Tailor your resume for each job: mirror the exact keywords from the job description

Send the same generic resume to 50 companies — ATS filters will reject it

Put your most recent role at the top with the most bullets (4–6)

Give equal space to old, irrelevant roles — a 2008 call centre job shouldn't get 5 bullets

Include a Skills section with specific tools: 'Python, Pandas, Snowflake, dbt, Airflow, SQL'

List generic skills: 'Microsoft Office', 'Good communication', 'Team work'

Resume Structure by Experience Level

Fresher (0–1 year)

Contact Info + LinkedInEducation (with GPA if >7.5/10)Projects (3–4 with tech stack + impact)Skills (languages, tools, frameworks)Internships (if any)Certifications / Courses
TIP:

Your projects ARE your experience. Describe each with: what it does, what tech you used, and one metric (users, performance, scale).

Junior–Mid (2–6 years)

Contact Info + LinkedIn + GitHubWork Experience (most recent first)Skills (technical + tools)EducationProjects (only if notable or open-source)Certifications (AWS, GCP, etc.)
TIP:

Your work experience should dominate the page. Each role should have 3–5 bullets. Each bullet should start with an action verb and end with a result.

Senior–Lead (7+ years)

Contact Info + LinkedInProfessional Summary (3 lines, your unique value)Work Experience (recent 3 roles in detail, older roles 1–2 bullets)Key Achievements section (optional but powerful)SkillsEducation (at the bottom)
TIP:

At senior level, interviewers expect to see decisions, scale, and people impact. 'Led a team of 8 engineers' or 'Architected a system handling 50M events/day' beats any technical bullet.

How to Beat ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems)

Most companies use software to filter resumes before a human sees them. Here's how to pass the filter:

1.

Use simple formatting — no tables, no text boxes, no headers/footers, no columns. ATS parsers struggle with complex layouts.

2.

Match keywords exactly from the job description. If the JD says 'REST APIs', your resume should say 'REST APIs', not 'RESTful services'.

3.

Save as PDF (not .docx unless specified) to preserve formatting.

4.

Use standard section headings: 'Work Experience', 'Education', 'Skills' — not creative alternatives like 'My Journey'.

5.

Spell out abbreviations at least once: 'Machine Learning (ML)' — some ATS systems can't match acronyms.

Free Resume Resources

Guides, templates and examples from trusted career platforms.

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