Tech Resume That Gets Interviews

I've been on both sides—desperately applying to jobs and screening hundreds of resumes. Here's what actually gets you past the initial filter.

The 6-Second Rule

Recruiters spend 6 seconds per resume in the first pass. They scan:

1. Current role and company
2. Years of experience
3. Tech stack match
4. Education (briefly)

Everything important must be immediately visible.

Format That Works

One page for < 5 years experience Two pages maximum for senior roles

Structure

HEADER: Name, Email, Phone, LinkedIn, GitHub
SUMMARY: 2-3 lines (optional but helps)
EXPERIENCE: Reverse chronological
SKILLS: Categorized tech stack
PROJECTS: If < 3 years experience
EDUCATION: Brief, at the end

Writing Experience

Bad Example

Software Developer at XYZ Company
- Worked on backend development
- Used React and Node.js
- Fixed bugs and wrote code

Good Example

Software Engineer at XYZ Fintech (₹50Cr ARR)
- Built payment reconciliation system processing ₹10L daily transactions
- Reduced API response time by 60% through Redis caching
- Led team of 3 to deliver new UPI integration 2 weeks before deadline

The Impact Formula

Every bullet should follow: Action + Result + Scale

❌ "Developed APIs"
✅ "Developed REST APIs handling 10K requests/minute, reducing vendor dependency by ₹15L/year"

❌ "Improved performance"
✅ "Improved dashboard load time from 8s to 1.2s through query optimization and lazy loading"

❌ "Mentored juniors"
✅ "Mentored 4 junior developers, 2 promoted within 8 months"

Skills Section

Categorize for easy scanning:

Languages: JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, SQL
Frontend: React, Next.js, Redux, Tailwind CSS
Backend: Node.js, Express, PostgreSQL, Redis
DevOps: Docker, AWS (EC2, S3, Lambda), GitHub Actions
Tools: Git, Jira, Figma

Don't include:

• Soft skills (show, don't tell)
• Outdated tech (jQuery, PHP unless relevant)
• Every framework you've touched once

For Freshers

No experience? Emphasize:

1. Projects - Real deployed applications
2. Open Source - Even small contributions count
3. Competitive Programming - Ratings, achievements
4. Internships - Even 2-month stints

Project Example

E-Commerce Platform (github.com/yourname/ecommerce)
- Full-stack Next.js app with Stripe payments, deployed on Vercel
- 50+ GitHub stars, 500+ monthly visitors
- Features: Cart, checkout, order tracking, admin dashboard

ATS Optimization

Applicant Tracking Systems filter resumes before humans see them.

1. Use standard headings (Experience, Skills, Education)
2. Include keywords from job description
3. No tables, columns, or graphics
4. PDF format (preserves formatting)

Common Mistakes

1. Fancy templates - Break in ATS
2. Objective statements - Outdated
3. Photos - Not expected in India (unlike Europe)
4. Full address - City is enough
5. References available - Obviously, don't waste space

Tailoring Your Resume

Create a master resume, then customize for each application:

• Match keywords in job description
• Reorder skills to match requirements
• Highlight relevant projects

Spending 30 minutes tailoring beats sending 100 generic applications.

One Final Tip

Your resume doesn't get you the job—it gets you the interview. Focus on being interesting enough to talk to, not proving you're the best candidate in 1 page.