How to Craft the Perfect Web Developer Resume?

These days, there’s a huge demand for professional web developers. But in order to secure an interview and get hired for your desired job, you need to have a powerful resume. The problem is, writing a winning resume isn’t that simple.

According to Glassdoor, a corporate job opening can attract an average of 250 resumes. However, only 4 to 6 applicants get to receive a job interview. This makes crafting the perfect web developer resume all the more crucial. 

If it’s a piece of paper that’s standing between you and the job you’ve been dreaming of, it’s time to show who’s boss. Today, we’ve outlined some proven-and-tested ways to create a resume that’s sure to impress recruiters and get you shortlisted for an interview.


Know Your Objectives

If you’re looking to start your journey in an entry-level job, you must first determine what kind of web developer you want to be. This way, it will be easier to determine your goal. 

For instance, what area of web development do you want to work in? You may want to showcase your time management skills and expertise in HTML/CSS and Python. Once you’ve determined your objectives, you’ll have a much clearer direction for writing your resume (and cover letter). 

Focus On Your Accomplishments

List down the things you’ve accomplished as a web developer – not in your smartphone or laptop, but on a piece of paper. Doing this exercise allows you to look at the bigger picture. 

One thing to remember when crafting a resume, is that it’s not necessarily a brain dump. Rather, it’s a carefully tailored document that embodies your experiences as a professional, in a clear and concise way. This also means you will only have to include the relevant ones. 

If you worked as a bookstore clerk when you were 23, it may not be necessary to include it on your web developer resume. On the other hand, if you were an assistant manager for a bookstore at 23, this accomplishment may showcase your management and organization skills, making you a viable candidate for a variety of job positions.


Decide on the Order and Format

When crafting your resume, consider asking yourself the following critical questions:

  • What should be highlighted in my resume?
  • What aspects in the resume will carry the most weight for the position I’m applying for?
  • What will persuade the recruiter/hiring manager to choose me over other applicants?

Always start with an elevator pitch or objective statement, which contains a brief overview of who you are while at the same time, convincing the reader that you’re the best candidate for the position.

And then, list down your abilities. As a web developer, this typically includes the programming languages you’re well-versed in. You also need to include relevant skills. You don’t have to write down proficiency in MS Word as a skill because it’s something most employers expect from applicants. Instead, focus on your top five technical strengths. The same goes for your list of work experiences. 

Next, you will want to shortlist projects that you’ve worked on and accomplished as a web developer. Of course, you should also highlight your educational background, starting with your latest achievement(s) and working backward.

TIP:

Again, good writing plays a huge part in crafting a stellar resume. Spelling and grammar errors can speak against your supposed ‘detail-oriented’ claims, and paints a bad picture of you as a potential candidate. 

To avoid this, consider using writing tools. If you’re not confident with writing a resume that can impress employers, you’re free to use a variety of online writing services. Check out some of the best paper writing service reviews and see how they can weave your skills and expertise into a winning resume.

Tailor Your Resume According to the Job Description

Over the course of your job search, you’ll likely be applying to dozens of job positions. It pays to carefully read and understand each job description so you can customize your resume according to the position and the requirements of the company you’re applying to. Make use of all your knowledge and don’t sell yourself short. 

Additionally, inject keywords that are crucial to your work. Many of today’s recruiters and hiring managers use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to filter certain keywords through resumes. This makes it easy to determine which candidates are the best match. 

When choosing which keywords to use, make sure to check out the business website and refer to the job description. You may have to change or edit your resume for every job you apply for, depending on the keywords used. 

At the same time, make sure it fits the company culture itself. Once you’ve researched their business website and the job description, you’ll begin to notice terms like “communication” and “collaboration”, among many others. Use these keywords and provide real-life examples of how you’ll fit into the company culture. 

Learning how to craft a resume is just like learning any other skill. It may take time to master it and you must have the right knowledge. Follow the tips above and apply them on your web developer resume. Soon enough, you’ll see favorable results that will get you through the pre-interview gatekeepers and into the interview phase, bringing you a step closer to your dream job.

About the writer: Carol Duke is very keen on teaching students new, effective ways of learning. When not freelancing and blogging on marketing-related matters, Carol enjoys traveling, taking immense pleasure from visiting new countries.

How to Prepare for Your First Web Development Job Interview

As a web developer, you’re more prone to spending time with your computer, rather than giving presentations about yourself to complete strangers. Still, job interviews are an inevitable part of anyone’s professional life, and you’re bound to experience them. The best way to ensure your job interview goes well is to thoroughly prepare for it. But, how can you prepare for your first web development job interview?

If you need help with the preparation process, we’ve got you covered. Together, we’ll break it down and see what step you need to take to make sure you nail your first job.

Let’s get started.

Learn About the Company

When you’re preparing for the interview, you first need to learn a thing or two about the company you’re about to interview for. It’s important that you know things such as:

  • company mission
  • company’s most successful projects
  • their social media activity
  • the CEO of the company and other important members

There are two reasons why you should be well-informed about the company before you start the interview:

  • to show true interest in becoming their employee 
  • to learn about your potential workplace and be sure you want to be a part of it

So, ask around and see what you can learn about the company. Read about them online or ask someone who works there for information.

Improve Your Online Presence

Nowadays, whenever we want to learn about a person, we simply type their name in Google and we’re presented with a ton of information. This is exactly what company representatives will do to learn about you.

Since most of the time this information isn’t as flattering as we’d like it to be, you should check what Google has to say about you.

Then, remove anything inappropriate:

  • check your social media for embarrassing images and videos
  • improve your LinkedIn profile 
  • update your professional information
  • change your profile pictures to something more formal

Do the necessary adjustments and create a professional online persona out of yourself.

Prepare Your CV & Portfolio

Next, you need to think about your own reputation and professional achievements. Even though this is your first official job as a web developer, you’ve certainly done some similar work before.

Maybe you’ve worked as a freelancer or you’ve done an internship somewhere.

Whatever experience you have, you need to show it in your:

  • resume
  • portfolio

Make sure you proofread and double-check the accuracy of everything you’ve written in these documents. You can check what are the best paper writing services if you need a hand with writing.

Since you’ve been invited to a job interview already, that means you’ve sent the above documentation to the company. Still, take a moment to revise it and see if you’ve written everything you feel you should have.

Also, be prepared to answer questions about the projects you mentioned, or even do a demonstration. 

Polish Your Coding Knowledge


Most companies will want to know about your coding knowledge and how comfortable you are with handling these kinds of tasks.

To make sure you’re up for this challenge, you need to count on the following:

  • they might give you a trial coding task to complete
  • they’ll ask questions about your thinking process along the way
  • they’ll want you to show impeccable coding skills

Make sure you practice at home and refresh your memory on coding to ensure maximum performance in the interview. This will score you some serious points with eh company representatives.

Learn About Your Interviewer

Next, to make the interview more pleasant for you, you can learn some interesting facts about the person interviewing you. 

Once you find out who’ll be running the interview, you should:

  • ask around about the person from people within the company that you know
  • Google them and read their LinkedIn profile
  • memorize things you have in common or things that might be a conversation starter
  • use them during your interview to find common grounds

This will make you feel more relaxed and better prepared for the interview. You’ll be able to answer the questions with more confidence and impress the person you’re talking to.

Be Ready for Live Presentations of Your Technical Skills

Finally, you have to be super well-prepared for showing your technical knowledge and your confidence while working on projects.

The interviewers will ask you about:

  • website’s you’ve developed
  • what you find to be the best practices in solving certain tasks
  • dealing with routine tasks
  • your opinion on solving individual problems

They’ll want to hear you thinking and follow your thought process to learn more about your hard skills and technical knowledge.

Prepare by working at home and speaking out loud as you do it.

Final Thoughts

Preparing for an interview is important. You can’t just show up and hope for the best. You need to think about the questions they might ask, learn about them, and find a way to shine.

The tips above will help you prepare for your first web development job interview. Once you complete all the steps, all you have left is to show up at the interview with enthusiasm and confidence That’s the winning combination.