If you think there’s a lot of content to read here, just think what it must have been like to write it all…
First things first
Not only is there a lot of content to get through here, but I add to it frequently. Let’s not drift apart. If you subscribe to my updates — which are about once a fortnight — then you’re going to miss any of those new pieces of advice. Also, I’ll send you my snazzy and self-contained e-book: How to write a developer resume that’ll get you hired. This is generally where internet marketing types say “$999,999 FREE VALUE”, but I’m a programmer first and foremost, so we’ll skip that part, and go straight to the sign-up box:
Core Concepts
There are a few ideas that I come back to time and time again when I’m writing, and it’d be useful for you to have an overview of those.
First up, the Interview Gatekeepers. Whenever we’re working on what to put on a resume, or what to say in interviews, we’re thinking about the three different audiences who’ll read it, and what each of them want to hear.
Secondly, I think it’s super important to know how to prove, and not just say, what skills and experience you have. That’s especially important when you consider how a recruiter will speed-read your resume.
Finally, there’s a huge amount of value in understanding the processes that are at work in all the various HR rituals. When you’re thinking about salaries, you need to know who’s benefiting and who cares how much developers get paid.
Next Steps
The site divides the important content into three main sections:
You can pick through the section on resumes. I’m particularly proud of how to get an interview with three bullet points, because it ties together a few of the core concepts, and it’s immediately actionable information for your resume. Doubling up job-titles on your resume is also a great sneaky trick that you can use right away.
The section on interviews is probably most important for many people, as it’s amazingly easy for qualified candidates to fall flat at the interview stage. You can get a long way by knowing how to be technically interesting while at the same time not being too much “bad weird”.
Some people just want to be shown the money, and they’ll probably appreciate the salary section. There you’ll get advice on the amazing awesomeness of counter-offers and why finding out why the company’s hiring can show you opportunities to negotiate the best salary.
Final Thoughts
- Annoy your recruiter by asking them all the important questions about the interview you’re going to
- Remember to show your working when you’re tackling three different types of programming test
- Did I mention I wrote a free e-book about this stuff?
Enjoy!