Technical aspects of a CV in IT

A professionally prepared CV is a form of first contact with a potential employer. The information it contains, as well as the aesthetic and modern appearance, determines whether the candidate will be invited to a job interview. So it is worth spending some time on its careful preparation. If the applicant remembers to include key information in it, it will become a gateway to getting the dream position. Here are the elements that, according to the IT LeasingTeam expert, should be included in a CV.

Personal data

In the upper part of the CV, the candidate should include basic data such as name and contact details, i.e. phone number, e-mail address, address of residence. A very common mistake is to include an unprofessional e-mail address in your CV, in which a diminutive or nickname appears instead of your name and surname. On the other hand, the e-mail address used in such a document as a CV should be professional and usually start with a name and surname, e.g. imie.nazwisko@gmail.com. Posting information about marital status, having children or age is not required

The top of the document is also the right place to indicate what form of work the candidate prefers, remote or on-site, and when they can start working for a new employer. In recruitment for IT positions, this is very important information, because most often candidates are sought immediately and their work, especially when they are programmers, can be done remotely. Many are eager to take advantage of this opportunity, considering remote work an important benefit – explains Sandra Olchowik, IT Recruitment Specialist at IT LeasingTeam.

Photograph

Including a photo in your CV may not be obligatory, but it is always welcome by employers. It is worth making sure that it is a formal, business photo. Photos from holidays or parties are better left for other occasions.

Information about yourself

This is a place where the candidate can write some relevant information about themselves. It is certainly worth showing why he cares about a given position, emphasize his strengths, e.g. describe specialist knowledge, knowledge of specific programming languages, years of experience in a given field or industry, and outline the direction in which he would like to develop. If the candidate has applied for a position to a company that is located outside their place of residence, it is worth writing that they are open to relocation.

Education

Information about education should include data such as the dates of beginning and ending education in chronological order, starting with the most recent, names of universities and schools, fields of study and degrees obtained. If a person has the right education, but is just starting to gain work experience, it is worth including information about education in the CV first, and then about experience. However, if the candidate already has extensive experience, but does not have the appropriate education, he should change this order.

Professional experience

The course of your professional career is the most important point in your CV, so it is worth devoting the most time and attention to its preparation. The candidate should include information such as the names of employers, start and end dates, arranged chronologically, always from the last place of work, job titles and responsibilities. This is where you can boast about your achievements.

Additional activities in the form of volunteering, internships, participation in charity campaigns, membership in associations or membership in student clubs are also a form of gaining professional experience and are worth mentioning. Especially when the candidate is just starting their professional career – comments Sandra Olchowik from IT LeasingTeam.

Projects

If the candidate works on a project, he or she should collect all the information about the completed projects in one place and describe the scope of work and the technologies that were used to perform them. The list of completed projects will be an excellent testimony to his experience and skills.

Abilities

In the IT industry, the description of skills is closely related to technologies. Depending on the position for which the candidate is applying, it will be necessary to describe the degree of knowledge of, m.in programming, databases, operating systems, analysis and management.

Courses, training, certificates

Having or not having a certificate can have a significant impact on the choice of a given candidate by the employer. People with similar qualifications will distinguish themselves from the competition by the courses they have just completed and the certificates they hold.

The description of the training should include information about the date and place where it took place, its topic and the certificate obtained. If the training was conducted by a person known in the industry, you can also add the name and surname of the trainer.

Knowledge of foreign languages

Knowledge of specific foreign languages is increasingly appearing in the requirements for various positions in the IT industry. The level of language proficiency is determined by a scale from A1 to C2. All you have to do is enter the language you know and add the appropriate designation next to it, which will determine your level. Knowledge of languages is also confirmed by appropriate language certificates, the possession of which is a great advantage for companies, so it is worth boasting about them in your CV.

Interest

Generalities such as a book, a film do not add much to the CV and interests can be an additional place where we show that our work is also our hobby. During the interview, the candidate is often asked to say a few words about himself.

If a candidate writes in their CV that they are interested in new technologies, they can be asked about how they develop their knowledge on the subject, what websites they visit and what magazines they reach – comments Sandra Olchowik.

Length of CV

In the case of CVs of IT specialists, the two-page rule does not apply. The length of application documents depends on the candidate’s experience, scope of responsibilities and the number of projects completed by the candidate. The CV of a person with many years of experience in the implementation of IT projects can take up to a dozen pages. Full information about the experience is the best testimony to the recruiter’s skills and knowledge, increasing their chances of getting a job.

Additional information

Here the candidate can add links to works and projects posted on the Internet, websites, profiles on Goldenline or Linkedin or more specialized portals such as Github.

Clause

Each CV must include a consent to the processing of personal data for recruitment purposes. The standard formula reads: “I consent to the processing of my personal data for the purposes of the recruitment process (in accordance with the Act of 29.08.97 on the protection of personal data, Journal of Laws No. 133, item 883).” Some ads require modified formulas, e.g. containing the name of the company. If the employer requires a modified formula, it should be inserted into the CV.

When the CV is ready, it is worth reading it carefully and correcting any spelling and grammar mistakes or typos. You should also remember to match your application documents to a specific offer. It is worth including phrases, words and phrases similar to those contained in the advertisement in the CV.

When saving the CV, the candidate should choose a file format that does not cause any problems when opening and name it with a first and last name, e.g. imie_nazwisko_stanowisko.pdf

A CV prepared in this way can be sent in response to job offers that interested the candidate.