How To Land Your Dream Software Developer Job

Hi! I’m Nick, Director of Delivery here at Punchcard. As part of my role, I spend a lot of time making sure we have the right, amazing people doing the right, amazing things for our clients. We’ve hired quite a few software developers over the years, and we’ve seen a lot of resumes. Here are some of my tips to make your applications stand out.

Application Questions

To weed out some of the unserious or bot-like applications, many job postings require you to answer a few questions. Even though it takes more time, answering these is the first step to getting your application looked at.

• Answer truthfully: Everything on your application should be true. Putting an untrue answer on your application doesn’t help you or the company hiring you.
• Take your time: These questions are just as important as your cover letter or resume.
• Answer everything: Make sure that you’re answering every question and not writing too much. Keep it short and sweet.

Cover Letter

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, some places will ask you for a cover letter. Each cover letter should be relevant to the position you’re applying for. It gives the hiring manager a chance to know you and what you’re looking for before they get to your resume.

• Make it as specific as possible: Use language from the job posting to inform how you write your letter.
• Draw attention to your resume: Cover letters and resumes go hand-in-hand so make sure that you’re referencing your resume in your cover letter. This gives the hiring manager something to look for in your resume.
• Keep it short: Just like the application questions, keep your cover letter to the point and specific.

Resume

The resume is the real meat of the application. Chances are, you’ve written one before. But when it comes to development, here’s what you should know.

• Keep it short: We probably sound like a broken record now but you don’t want to overload your resume. Make it clean and easy to read.
• Make it relevant: If you don’t have a lot of experience in the software field, include some personal projects. But if you’ve been in the field for a while, stick to work experience.
• Proofread: Chances are, your resume isn’t being read by another software developer. Keep things clear and if you’re unsure, get it read over by someone else before you submit.
• Keep it specific: You don’t need to list every programming language or applications that you have worked in before. Tie the ones you’re good at into your application and leave the rest.

But it’s important to remember that your work experience isn’t everything. At Punchcard, we’re looking to see if you align with our values. Obviously we want to know that you can do the job we’re asking you to do, but it’s also important to us that you’re willing to take risks, challenge yourself and your coworkers, do what’s right, make an impact and take steps towards mastering your craft.

The more you can show us you’re committed to our values, the more likely we are to give you a shot.

Good luck out there 🤠.