As a technical recruiter who has interviewed and hired hundreds of software engineers, I've seen firsthand what sets some candidates apart during their job search process.
-
Have an active GitHub repository.
-
Network at Meetup groups.
-
Tie your actions to top or bottom-line impact.
This article provides actionable tips to help you land your next technical role, whether at a startup or a Fortune 500 company. They come straight from my playbook of recommendations for job seekers aiming to gain attention from recruiters and hiring managers alike.
1: Have an Active GitHub Repository
Recruiters and hiring managers will often prioritize applicants with an active repo. An active and robust GitHub profile is a coding portfolio demonstrating your technical competence. An active GitHub repo demonstrates coding proficiency, highlights communication habits, reveals a passion for software engineering, and portrays up-to-date skills. Even if the company doesn't ask for your GitHub info, I recommend including it near the top of your resume.
How to Stand Out on GitHub
Here are my top tips for leveraging GitHub to showcase your best coding self to recruiters and hiring managers:
-
Add README files - Well-written READMEs do more than explain what the code does. They give context about motivations, thought process, and challenges overcome during development. Treat your READMEs like a storytelling opportunity.
As Jess Jacobs, an engineering hiring manager at a PropTech startup, said to me, “A good README would tell me that someone is a good documenter and communicator. They are someone who realizes the importance, especially in remote work, of leaving a paper trail so that others can find their way rather than losing time to the dreaded 24-hour gap between ‘how do I do this?’ from someone in Poland to someone in the Philippines and then the response time.”
-
Include a variety of project types - Among your different repositories, incorporate individual assignments, group projects, tutorials, experiments, open source, and freelance work if applicable. Diversity in your GitHub portfolio highlights versatility.
-
Comment on code extensively - Code that lacks comments and documentation is difficult for others to parse. Comment thoroughly so reviewers can readily grasp your thought process. Show that documenting code comes second nature.
-
Keep projects updated - Upgrade code occasionally rather than leave repositories stagnant. Maintenance displays long-term commitment and allows you to demonstrate new skills acquired over time.
-
Fix bugs/issues - Issue tracking and bug fixes exhibit responsiveness and accountability valued by managers overseeing teams. These actions prove you take code quality seriously.
2: Network at Meetup Groups
Beyond building your technical cred on GitHub, networking with the local tech community can boost your visibility and hiring potential.
Here's why actively participating in the local tech scene makes a big difference in landing roles:
Gain Insider Company Intel
Meetups provide inside information about tech businesses rarely advertised publicly. Chat with employees about upcoming projects or cool perks. Use gatherings to research target companies and stand out during interviews by demonstrating your knowledge.
Build New Relationships
Mingle at tech events to expand your professional network, boosting job prospects now or later. Today's casual conversation is tomorrow's critical referral, so approach each interaction as a relationship-building opportunity, even if no immediate roles come from it.
Enhance Soft Skills
Technical meetups let you interface with peers beyond just coding. Exercise communication, collaboration, and critical thinking as you debate new languages, frameworks, and architectures. These are "soft skill" muscles appreciated by managers at tech companies.
Uncover Hidden Job Openings
Companies frequently leverage networks to source candidates before publicly posting roles. Schmooze at a Meetup where you admire the culture and tech stack for a chance at unadvertised openings. Even if they aren't hiring, they may point you to sister companies that are.
How to Work the Room at Tech Events
Avoid just blending into the crowd at Meetups and tech gatherings. Make genuine connections to unlock opportunities:
-
Sit with strangers - Skip sitting beside familiar faces. Say hello to those you don't know yet. Step out of your comfort zone.
-
Offer help - Most people attend networking events to find people who can help them. Do the opposite. Ask the people you meet what brings them to the event. Then, if you can help, offer to! And if you can’t help but know someone who can, offer to make an introduction.
-
Bring business cards or your Linktree - Collect contact info from fellow attendees you click with. Email those individuals to follow up post-event while the conversations remain fresh.
-
Craft an intro pitch - Prepare a 30-second overview of your background to break the ice fast with strangers. Include tech stack familiarity, passion for coding, and type of position sought—end by asking about them.
3: Tie Your Actions to Top or Bottom Line Impact
As a technical recruiter, I see experienced developers, engineers, architects, and leaders undersell themselves on resumes by only listing job responsibilities and technical skills. To impress me and other tech recruiters, take it a step further by quantifying how your coding contributions impacted business success.
Anyone can claim they "improved system efficiency" or "increased customer retention." Back up statements with numbers demonstrating tangible effects on either top-line revenue growth or bottom-line cost savings.
Including metrics and measuring impact sets a technical resume apart because it focuses on what value you offer a company. While a long list of skills and technologies wows on a superficial level, what counts is how those skills generate results.
Here are examples of incorporating impressive metrics when describing achievements:
- Turbocharged app downloads by 43% in 6 months by creating a new referral algorithm.
- Slashed third-party data expenses by 41% with an API replacement.
- Cut server costs by 35% over 2 years by implementing a new caching model.
Final Thoughts
Landing rewarding technical roles relies on much more than your coding and engineering aptitude. Leverage these insider tips from my recruiting playbook to stand out:
-
GitHub Activity - Showcases skills, habits, and passion through working code. Updates display commitment.
-
Local Events - Build connections and uncover unposted jobs. Boost visibility through grassroots networking.
-
Business Impact - Quantifying programming achievements in dollars earned/saved conveys actual value delivered.
My last advice is to keep a growth mindset rather than become complacent in your job search, even if you land a great job tomorrow. Successful technical candidates refine their expertise, expand their professional circles, measure their impact, and tailor their resumes. Stick with this continuous self-improvement approach throughout your career and track your impact to set yourself up for success in future job searches.
Ivy Blossom is a Talent Acquisition Consultant and Professional Resume Writer known for her expertise in sourcing top-tier candidates, facilitating inclusive hiring processes, and writing resumes that take job seekers from overlooked to unforgettable. Whether you're looking for a top-notch talent acquisition strategy or a new job, Ivy can help you achieve your goals. Visit ivyblossomrecruits.com to get started!