You get 6 seconds with the tech recruiter
Before the recruiter, your resume goes through the ATS. Then it gets about 6 seconds of human attention. It has to answer fast: what's your stack, what's your seniority, and what impact you've already driven.
Basics first
ATS fundamentals apply to everyone — they're in the complete ATS resume guide. Here we focus on what's specific to tech.
Structure and stack
- One page (through senior), single column, ATS-readable
- Explicit stack with market naming: languages, frameworks, cloud, tools
- List only what you can defend in an interview — don't inflate levels
Experience, projects, and GitHub
Swap tasks for measurable impact (performance, cost, scale, reliability). See how in describing experience with XYZ and STAR.
Your GitHub is reviewed
Tech recruiters check your GitHub. A profile with only stale forks and an old last commit works against you. Highlight projects with clear READMEs and purpose.
By seniority level
- 1
Junior
Personal projects, relevant courses, and contributions — show that you build.
- 2
Mid-level
Ownership: what you delivered end to end and the impact of it.
- 3
Senior / Lead
Multiplying the team: architecture, mentoring, decisions. Details in the tech lead and senior resume.
Applying abroad?
See the developer resume for international and remote jobs. And test your Score free against the job.
Related reading
Discover your ATS Score now
See exactly what's holding you back in each job and optimize your resume with AI. Free to start, no card.