Professional Header

Your professional identity at first glance

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Why This Matters

This is the first thing recruiters see. A clean, professional header sets the tone for your entire resume.

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Recruiter's Perspective

Recruiters spend 6 seconds scanning. Your header needs to immediately convey professionalism and make it easy to contact you.

Pro Tips
  • Use a professional email (firstname.lastname@gmail.com)
  • Include LinkedIn URL and GitHub for tech roles
  • Add location (city, state) but skip full address for privacy
  • ✔ Great Example

    John Smith | Software Engineer
    john.smith@gmail.com | (555) 123-4567
    linkedin.com/in/johnsmith | github.com/johnsmith

    ❌ Weak Example

    John Smith
    johnnyboy123@hotmail.com | 5551234567

    Why the difference?

    The good example is clean, professional, and provides all necessary contact methods. The bad example uses an unprofessional email and lacks proper formatting.

    Professional Summary

    Your elevator pitch in 2–3 powerful sentences

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    Why This Matters

    This is your hook. It determines whether recruiters continue reading your resume.

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    Recruiter's Perspective

    We decide in the first 10 seconds if you're worth considering. Your summary should immediately show your value proposition.

    Pro Tips
  • Start with years of experience and key expertise
  • Include 1–2 quantified achievements
  • End with what you're seeking or your unique value
  • ✔ Great Example

    Software Engineer with 5+ years building scalable web applications, increased user engagement by 40% at previous startup. Expertise in React, Node.js, and cloud architecture.

    ❌ Weak Example

    Experienced software engineer looking for new opportunities. Good with programming languages.

    Why the difference?

    The good example is specific, quantified, and shows clear value. The bad example is vague and doesn't demonstrate impact.

    Work Experience

    Your professional journey with quantifiable impact

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    Why This Matters

    This section proves you can deliver results. Each role should tell a story of growth and achievement.

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    Recruiter's Perspective

    We look for progression, impact, and relevance to the role you're applying for. Numbers speak louder than words.

    Pro Tips
  • Use action verbs to start each bullet point
  • Quantify achievements with numbers, percentages, or scale
  • Focus on results, not just responsibilities
  • ✔ Great Example

    Senior Software Engineer | Wipro (2022–2025)
    • Led development of microservices architecture, reducing API response time by 60%
    • Mentored 3 junior developers, improving team velocity by 25%

    ❌ Weak Example

    Software Engineer | Company (2022–2024)
    • Worked on various projects
    • Helped the team with coding tasks

    Why the difference?

    The good example shows specific achievements with numbers and demonstrates leadership. The bad example is vague and doesn't show impact.

    Projects & Portfolio

    Showcase your technical skills through real work

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    Why This Matters

    Projects demonstrate your ability to build complete solutions and your passion for technology.

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    Recruiter's Perspective

    We want to see what you can actually build. Include live links and GitHub repos so we can verify your skills.

    Pro Tips
  • Include 2–3 of your best projects
  • Mention the tech stack used
  • Add live demo links and GitHub repositories
  • ✔ Great Example

    E-commerce Platform | React, Node.js, MongoDB
    • Built full-stack web app with payment integration and user authentication
    • Live: demo.com | GitHub: github.com/user/project

    ❌ Weak Example

    Website Project
    • Made a website using HTML and CSS

    Why the difference?

    The good example shows technical depth, includes relevant technologies, and provides verifiable links. The bad example lacks detail and credibility.

    Technical Skills

    Your technical toolkit organized clearly

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    Why This Matters

    This section helps recruiters quickly assess your technical fit for the role.

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    Recruiter's Perspective

    We scan this section to match your skills with our requirements. Make it easy to find what we're looking for.

    Pro Tips
  • Group skills by categories (Languages, Frameworks, Tools)
  • List skills in order of proficiency
  • Only include skills you're comfortable being interviewed on
  • ✔ Great Example

    Languages: JavaScript, Python, Java
    Frameworks: React, Node.js, Express
    Databases: MongoDB, PostgreSQL
    Tools: Git, Docker, AWS

    ❌ Weak Example

    JavaScript, HTML, CSS, React, MongoDB, Photoshop, Microsoft Word, Excel

    Why the difference?

    The good example is well-organized and focuses on relevant technical skills. The bad example mixes technical and basic software skills without structure.

    Achievements

    Highlight your unique accomplishments

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    Why This Matters

    This section sets you apart from other candidates by highlighting your unique accomplishments.

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    Recruiter's Perspective

    Achievements show us you're a high performer who goes above and beyond expectations.

    Pro Tips
  • Include competition wins, scholarships, or recognition
  • Quantify the achievement (e.g., 'Top 1% of 10,000 participants')
  • Focus on recent and relevant achievements
  • ✔ Great Example

    • Winner, Google Code Jam 2023 (Top 100 out of 25,000 participants)
    • Dean's List, Computer Science Department (3 consecutive semesters)
    • Best Innovation Award, University Hackathon 2022

    ❌ Weak Example

    • Won a coding competition
    • Good grades in college
    • Participated in hackathon

    Why the difference?

    The good example provides specific context, numbers, and credible sources. The bad example is vague and doesn't demonstrate the significance of achievements.

    Open Source Contributions

    Showcase your community involvement and coding skills

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    Why This Matters

    Open source contributions demonstrate your coding skills, collaboration ability, and passion for technology.

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    Recruiter's Perspective

    We love seeing developers who contribute to the community. It shows initiative and real-world coding experience.

    Pro Tips
  • Include your most significant contributions
  • Mention the impact of your contributions (stars, downloads, users)
  • Link to your GitHub profile and specific repositories
  • ✔ Great Example

    • React Component Library — 500+ stars, 2000+ weekly downloads
      - Created reusable UI components, reducing development time by 40%
    • Contributor to TensorFlow.js — 15+ merged PRs
      - Fixed critical bugs and improved documentation

    ❌ Weak Example

    • Contributed to some GitHub projects
    • Fixed a few bugs in open source

    Why the difference?

    The good example shows specific impact, metrics, and clear value. The bad example is too vague and doesn't demonstrate the significance of contributions.

    Certificates & Certifications

    Showcase your verified expertise and professional credentials

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    Why This Matters

    This section builds trust and proves your qualifications with industry-recognized credentials.

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    Recruiter's Perspective

    We look for relevant certifications that align with the role. Verified certifications can give you an edge.

    Pro Tips
  • Include only recognized and recent certifications
  • Mention issuing organization and completion date
  • Add links to verifiable certificates if available
  • ✔ Great Example

    • Google Cloud Associate Engineer — Google, Issued June 2024
      - Demonstrated proficiency in deploying and managing cloud-based solutions
    • Meta Front-End Developer Certification — Coursera, Issued March 2024
      - Covered React, JavaScript, UI/UX best practices with capstone project

    ❌ Weak Example

    • Did some course on cloud stuff
    • Watched tutorials on front-end development

    Why the difference?

    The good example includes trusted providers, clear titles, and real outcomes. The weak one is vague and unverified.