Part 1 of 3: Job Hunting Resources for College and Bootcamp Graduates - Resumes

Whether you just finished the four-year grind at a university or a sleepless six months at a coding bootcamp, the next step is to land that first tech job. No problem, right? According to the Dice Q2 Tech Job Report, tech job postings increased by 16% in the second quarter across the United States. I could rattle off additional statistics, but you get the idea: the big picture for new developers and engineers looks exceptionally good.

However, a closer look at the entry-level job listings tells us another story. I've combed through thousands of IT, web developer, and software engineering jobs, and all but a handful of "entry-level" and "junior" positions (heck, even internships and apprenticeships!) require three to five years of experience. It's the old chicken-and-egg dilemma, and I don't have an answer for that. What I do have is a bunch of resources for new graduates who want to shave hours off of the hunt and focus on the necessities.

This three-part blog series features some resources fundamental to the job hunt: resumes, job boards/sites, and portfolios. This post features information and resources for resumes. I have used most of these resources myself and would like to share them with others who are just getting started!

Please note that I am not in any way affiliated with any of the companies or sites listed in these posts and am not receiving any compensation by mentioning them in my blog.

Your Resume

You already know you need a resume. Chances are, you've got a dusty old copy taking up space in the Cloud somewhere. Maybe your bootcamp required you to craft a resume and submit it for a peer review. If one of your friends moonlights as a resume writer, even better! For job seekers, resumes are like business cards. Everything needs to be correct, concise, and describe the very best version of yourself as a potential employee. No pressure, right?

• If you'd like to try your hand at drafting a resume, sites like Canva and Resume.io provide templates that allow you to fill in the sections with your contact information, experience, skills, and education, along with interests and other information that may impress prospective employers. The job board, Indeed, even offers a free resume builder.

• If writing isn't one of your strong suits and your friends aren't great with the quill, you can always use an online resume maker like Zety to help you create a well-worded resume in a matter of minutes for less than a cup of coffee and cookie at Starbucks.

• Although many resume builders will provide grammatically correct wording for job descriptions, keep in mind that the descriptions tend to be somewhat generic and not always specific to jobs in tech. This is where having a second or third fresh pair of eyes helps to spot typos and grammar errors. Sites like Grammarly are great for locating punctuation and grammar issues.

• Aside from presenting your work history and skills in the best light, your resume also needs to be "ATS-friendly." ATS is short for Applicant Tracking System, and lots of recruiters and employers (especially at larger companies) use this software to filter candidates for positions. Sites such as Jobscan, provide you with a good idea of how well your resume matches the target job description. This allows you to tailor your resume so that recruiters and hiring managers see that you are a great fit for the position.

• Finally, nothing beats a professional opinion. Every job site seems to offer advice for people trying to enter a new market. That's fantastic, as long as it's your market. Why not reach out to a local tech hiring manager and ask what they are looking for? Even if it's not a company you're targeting in your search, a company recruiter or hiring manager can tell you how they screen candidates and what they're looking for in the resumes they receive. Plus, you never know what the future will bring. Your focus may shift, the company may expand to include your area of expertise, or you may find yourself in a position to refer a friend to a company based on your conversation with the hiring manager.

At the end of the day, you'll want to use as many tools as you can--online and in "real life"--to craft a resume that best represents you, your abilities, and your goals to employers. You'll want to have others review your resume to ensure that it is error-free and reflects the best version of yourself to prospective employers. While you're at it, why not venture into the wild and actually exchange words with the people who may be in a position to hire you? Their opinions are invaluable and you might end up making new friends in the process.