How to create the “perfect” Full Stack developer resume

Ready to start applying to your dream jobs? The resume serves as the “ice breaker” between you and the company you are applying to by simply introducing you to them. Consider it a pitch, This is your chance to allow the recruiter a fair enough idea of who you are and what value you will bring if hired as a Full Stack developer. So let’s begin:

There are a few key things your resume should say loud and clear

• You are well adept at programming languages (server and client side) and the database technologies required for the role
• When writing a module you won’t cost them an arm and a kidney to refactor everything
• You have valuable experience that has allowed you to grow
• You are a team player and work well in a collaborative space

That being said, The first thing that catches the eye is your resume’s layout. There are a few standard ones that are followed such as the functional layout, reverse chronological layout, hybrid layout but the hybrid is the most effective. The hybrid combines both functional and reverse chronological resumes thereby focusing on the applicants skills and abilities and also laying out the work experience from the most recent to the least recent.

Let’s move on to the general structure of your resume and the 6 sections that you must include:

• Resume header with title in it
• A section for your professional summary
• Resume experience
• Resume skills
• Achievements and Awards
• Certifications

Resume Header:

Your header should contain your name, contact, Github, NPM or Stackoverflow links, and link to any blog if you have. Why the links you ask? It’s because otherwise your resume will only be read in 6 seconds or less and kept aside. The links are a prompt for the recruiter to get to know you better.

Objective/Summary:

Companies hiring full-stack developers need to know they won’t fall short and will adapt to changing technologies. The summary is a great way to communicate your adaptability by mentioning any efficient systems you designed, the technologies you have worked on and how they are relevant to your experience and the total work experience you have.

Resume Experience:

When writing or listing down your experience make sure you cover the following point:

• Mention the quality of the front-end project that you built
• Highlight the aspects that you were passionate about
• What did you learn and how did you implement it?

On average, a Full stack developer handles more than 10 responsibilities and handles at least 5+ projects per year; pick the best 5 that make the cut and include them. If however this is your first job, translate the same on the projects you have done so far during your training or degree.

Resume Skills:

Here is a list of some technical skills you should consider adding to your resume. Don’t forget, make sure they are relevant to the role you are applying to

• Javascript
• NodeJS
• Python
• Django
• Flask
• Java
• .NET
• Front end frameworks (Angular, React, Vue)
• Syntax knowledge of XML, JSON, etc.
• HTML, CSS3
• SourceTree
• Git
• HTTP & REST
• SQL
• MySQL
• MongoDB
• PostgreSQL
• AWS
• Azure
• Unit testing

Apart from technical skills, recruiters want to see what soft skills you bring to the table. These could include your communication skills, collaboration abilities, leadership skills etc.

Achievements, Awards and certifications:

This section allows you to expand on your contributions and your recognitions. You can also add details of any side projects you did or any training that you went through such as the Gaper academy’s full-stack bootcamp. Trainings outside of your formal education allow you to experience the practical world of developers first-hand and can give the recruiters a boost of confidence when selecting you for the role.

In summary, your resume is your first impression. It will do the talking before you so make sure it counts!