Share This Article
I’ve been a software engineer for the past 15 years, and I recently decided to try my hand at senior software engineering jobs. It’s a competitive market right now, and it was hard enough just trying to find the best offer out there. I learned many things about myself during this process that I wish someone would have told me before starting out on this journey. Here are 11 tips for success in finding your next job as a senior software engineer!
This is a list of 11 things I wish someone would have told me before starting out on this journey:
– Start looking for jobs early. The best offers are usually taken by the end of January or February, so start as soon as possible if you’re aiming high!
– It’s worth it to spend money on your resume even if that means delaying when you apply. You’ll get far more interviews and offers with an updated resume than without one, and there’s no price tag for the competition getting better in tech now.
– Make sure to highlight all relevant aspects of what makes you qualified for each position – not just your skills but also any awards or accomplishments at work, languages spoken outside English (even basic ones!), and anything else that will show you aren’t just a “standard” candidate.
– You don’t have to be stiff when interviewing – always tailor responses according to the interviewer, but also try not to come across as someone who’s too eager either way. It doesn’t hurt to smile!
– Always ask questions if it seems like an interview is going well or badly for your chances of getting hired; never feel uncomfortable about doing so! Most people are happy with this kind of feedback because they want their company represented in good light during interviews, especially now that competition has increased more than ever before.
– Don’t get discouraged by rejections – there are plenty of other opportunities out there and something better might come up if you keep trying.
– It’s okay to take a break from looking for jobs – it doesn’t make your skills or experience any worse and will give you time to reflect on what you want in the next company.
– Be open about how much money is important; don’t be shy! Asking for more salary may not work out, but at least employers know that they can’t lowball this kind of candidate every chance they get.
Oftentimes senior software engineers end up doing other tasks like mentoring junior employees (especially now with so many baby boomer retirements) which means their compensation package might not include an “upward” adjustment based solely off of title alone. This is why it’s important to be upfront about expectations.
– Take the time you need to write a resume; don’t put off when your skills are always evolving and changing, so should your resume.
Keep in mind that employers prefer resumes less than two pages long with an emphasis on accomplishments over responsibilities. If there is no way around writing more than one page, consider having a separate section for “Additional Skills” or something similar where you can list anything from C++ programming experience to teaching English as a second language (ESL).
And if all else fails, get some help! There are many services available nowadays like LinkedIn Premium which offer both access to recruiters who may have their own jobs listings or semi-private forums
– Do not use a generic title – it’s the first thing people see when they’re looking at your resume and you want to make sure that it sells yourself! A helpful tip is to put an adjective or noun in front of “Senior Software Engineer” so that employers can quickly identify what kind of engineer you are. For example, if you have experience developing mobile apps as well as desktop software, then Senior Mobile Developer/Engineer would work better than just Senior Software Engineer.
The following list provides some examples: Big Data Analyst/Developer; Web Designer/Webmaster; Systems Administrator; Network Security Manager
– Make sure the items on your cover letter are formatted with bullets. This will allow for easier scanning by recruiters.
– List your accomplishments and what you’ve done at each company. You want to show off why you’re qualified for the position, so list all of your achievements.
– Include specific descriptions about how well you work with others and detail any leadership positions or responsibilities that may not be listed on a traditional resume. If there’s something important from your past that doesn’t fit into these categories, include it in an “additional information” section at the bottom of the cover letter where recruiters can quickly scan through as needed.
– Write professionally! Avoid slang words like “dude” and references to drinking alcohol (unless relevant).
– Spell check everything!! Misspelled words are unprofessional; they will immediately deter someone from reading your resume.
– Keep the openings of each paragraph short and punchy, as you don’t want to overwhelm someone with a long block of text on their screen.
I need help writing my senior software engineer resume! I’m ready to start interviewing for new opportunities but first I have an outdated CV that’s not going to cut it anymore. Can anyone recommend a good editor/CV writer? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Without even realizing it, we’re all guilty of taking shortcuts when applying for jobs: revising our resumes so they fit one page instead two pages; removing any markers from previous internships or volunteering experiences in order to provide more space for recent work experience (or worse yet lying about having
I’m not going to lie, I got a little scared at this point. The thing is that there are some really great tools and platforms for software engineers out there but where do you even start? There’s so much information available on the internet about resume formats and content it can be hard to know what will actually work best for your situation. In my case, I was able to find a lot of helpful advice from online communities like Quora and Reddit which helped me understand how resumes should look in different situations or when jobs might require specific skillsets.
As an example, one forum discussed whether or not someone who had experience with Java would also have knowledge related to C++ programming languages if they were looking for work as a software engineer. The answer was that someone who’s worked with Java would likely have some knowledge of C++ and should mention it on their resume, but they may not be as proficient at the language or able to use it in a job setting without additional training.
My advice is to do your research for specific jobs you’re applying for because requirements will change from company to company and listing skills you don’t need won’t help (and might even hurt) your chances of getting called back!
This post goes over 11 tips I wish I had known before trying senior software engineer resume: tips for success including how to find good tools and make sure my content looks professional enough when taking online tests like HackerRank. #11 Things I Wish I’d Known Before Trying Senior Software Engineer Resume: Tips for Success A lot of the information in this post is geared towards software engineers who are new to the industry and want to get a job as such. If you’re not looking for your first senior engineer role, there’s likely still some helpful advice that might apply to how to find good tools or make sure my content looks professional enough when taking online tests like HackerRank. For example, if we go back two sentences- one thing I wish I knew before trying senior software engineer resume: tips for success was about using C++ on the Java platform because it’s been around since 1982 so many companies use it and, while they may have different implementations of the language depending
