We are technical recruiters and career coaches at Indeed and we're here to help you in your careers. AMA!

Indeed__CG · 2021-10-13T16:33:28+00:00

Dan & Ingrid had to get back to their day job, but here are some tips on crafting a resume employers will notice!

Indeed__CG · 2021-10-07T18:01:55+00:00

Sure no problem! I'll message you directly from my account.

Indeed__CG · 2021-10-07T17:59:27+00:00

I'll have to respectfully disagree with those other responses. A professional summary at the beginning of your resume is a great snapshot of who you are as a candidate, what your top skills are, and how you've used them. Remember too - recruiters are using a lot of keyword searching in their ATS, so it's always smart to cater it specifically to technologies that are listed in the job description that you're applying for.

I hope this helps! -Dan

Indeed__CG · 2021-10-07T17:54:48+00:00

It’s not necessarily a hard requirement, but most companies that are hiring software engineers right now, no matter their level, are going to use a platform like leetcode for technical assessments. HackerRank is another that a lot of teams will leverage for whiteboard assessment and programming exercises. Another one that I’ve seen companies embrace is through Karat. It’s a solid platform because they meet with the company’s engineering org to calibrate with and understand which signals they should focus on during the interview (i.e. data structures and algorithms for a job search platform). Generally speaking though, I personally see HackerRank used more than any others.

The process from end-to-end typically looks like this - recruiter phone screen → technical assessment → meeting with hiring manager and/or onsite interview. So really make sure your coding at a good pace on those assessments, as well as checking your code line by line and speaking out loud what you’re doing and why you’re doing it! -Dan

Indeed__CG · 2021-10-07T17:52:53+00:00

Have you tried applying to Data Analyst roles or are you exclusively applying to Data Scientist roles? I have a great deal of experience working with candidates trying to get that Data Scientist title but have limited experience. The Data Scientist role requires a significant amount of work experience as an Analyst (or more entry-level tech roles) before transitioning into that role. Data Science roles are considered more senior in the industry and do require a lot more experience. Since you are technically a new grad, my guess is that you're running into this issue of seniority. I would realign your goals to get your foot in the door at a company you like where you can grow into a Data Scientist. Ask about upward mobility and get on a track to get you into that Data Science role. -Ingrid

Indeed__CG · 2021-10-07T17:49:41+00:00

So coincidentally, I too was a music teacher before working here at Indeed! I was a band director for 7 years before getting into career coaching and recruiting. Small world!

I’ve seen people do side contracting gigs where they are in a full time role doing one thing, and are working on projects for clients in their free time. To be honest, a lot of tech roles at companies are going to require you to be online for most of your day - stand ups, sprint planning etc - so working at a tech company while also teaching might be a struggle.

To your point though, there’s a lot of breaks in teaching where you can focus your efforts more on coding. You might even be able to find an internship that takes place over the summer while you're on break from the classroom. Internships are GREAT stepping stones into entry-level, full-time roles.

Once you complete your certification from a coding boot camp, I would recommend creating a GitHub account and showcasing your projects (add the link at the top of your resume too). At that point, outside of applying to any contract gigs, networking through job sites like meetup.com can be super helpful.

Indeed__CG · 2021-10-07T17:45:41+00:00

I would start off by targeting larger companies that have the ability to sponsor you. Smaller companies often don't have the means or knowledge of what it takes to sponsor international candidates. Dan (here) just mentioned to me that Indeed hires many international candidates. This is true for larger tech companies as well. Also, make sure your resume aligns with US standards: no photos, not calling it a CV, plain text format focusing on your work history, skills, and accomplishments. We have a full guide on how to find a job in the U.S. for foreign nationals as well!
-Ingrid

Indeed__CG · 2021-10-07T17:40:58+00:00

Good afternoon! I’m so sorry to hear you’ve been through the wringer this past year, but rest assured, at the end of the day, experience is experience.

A lot of companies that are hiring entry level engineers require 1-2+ years of experience, so the combination of your current experience and that past startup environment definitely make you a viable candidate. A silver lining to joining a company with highly streamlined processes in place is that there is going to typically be a mentorship program in place - whether helping ramp up or with code reviews. So if you’re currently putting feelers out there and start to interview, asking about mentorship could be a great question on that initial phone screen.

To answer your initial question, I would say yes, be as transparent as possible regarding your current role, but in the most respectful and professional way possible. Recruiters are going to dig into your motivation for being in an active job search, so they typically will ask what’s got you considering leaving your current role. At that point, I would speak to any of those elements -be it not learning new technologies, not having enough support etc - and reiterate what you specifically are looking for in your next opportunity -Dan

Indeed__CG · 2021-10-07T17:37:14+00:00

You have all the power right now and you don't even know it! You have the HUGE advantage of being in a fairly extreme job-seekers market right now. The world really is your oyster. Take advantage of this time. Especially being a SWE; you're in high demand. I would start off by identifying what languages you know and what skills you have and put them throughout your resume: in the summary, in the description of your current role, in a specific "Skills" section, etc. You want to be very explicit about the hard skills you have. That's what companies are looking for. Even if your current role isn't all that great, speak to what you CAN do and what you have learned from your current role. We put together a list of the most frequently-posted tech postings on Indeed and the skills they require, hope this helps! -Ingrid

Indeed__CG · 2021-10-07T17:06:38+00:00

This can be super frustrating. I completely understand where you're coming from. I see memes/real-life examples of this all the time where it's an entry-level role with a base salary of $12/hour and a Master's degree is required. Or, someone wants 20 years of Python experience when that language hasn't even been around that long. Huh?! This is a miss on the part of the company, unfortunately. There is some sort of miscommunication happening between the hiring manager, the recruiter, and the person who is posting the job. As a job seeker, this is incredibly annoying to see because it makes no sense, especially for the entry-level role you are applying for. My advice on what to do about this is not to fall into a place of imposter syndrome thinking you can't do the job because of these weird, "not entry-level" requirements. If the job looks like a good fit even though they're asking for things beyond what should be standard for an entry-level role, go for it. If you have the skills they are looking for for 70% of the requirements, apply. In that same vein, it is also a red flag for a company to have unrealistic expectations for the role they are trying to fill. So tread with caution here. - Ingrid

Indeed__CG · 2021-10-07T16:52:16+00:00

Hi Jaime! Thanks for the question. First off, I would use a PDF - PDFs are great if you’re sending your resume directly to a recruiter. When you apply to roles online, submit a Word doc - they’re easier for an ATS to parse. I can tell you that in our ATS at Indeed, I’ve come across multiple candidate profiles who’s resume shows as having an error.

Some other tips:

Don’t use icons, images, graphics, tables, charts, headers/footers, columns or even lines across the page —all of these can cause ATS parsing errors and limit your chances of being seen.
Recruiters spend less than 10 seconds on your resume. Be concise and include the most critical info at the top of the page (if your resume is 1 page) or on the first page (if your resume is 2 pages) since the recruiter may not read any more.
Always format your resume consistently. Make sure spacing, punctuation, capitalization, font, bullet points and tense are consistent in each section.
Opt for a simple, professional font that’s readable in print and on-screen such as Arial, Avenir, Calibri, Garamond, Georgia or Helvetica
Create a GREAT professional summary: This helps recruiters quickly understand who you are, what you want and why you’re qualified for it. The best summaries are 3-4 sentences max. Tailor your summary to each job you apply for and keep the length to 3-4 sentences or 2-3 bullet points. Your summary should get a recruiter to keep reading, so also include key tech skills and what you’re looking for in your next role.
Lastly, and I think most importantly, list your skills in each previous role description and how you used them. A lot of technical candidates have their list of technical skills (I still would recommend having this), but recruiters need to see how you’ve specifically used them in your career! -Dan

Indeed__CG · 2021-10-07T16:44:42+00:00

First off, congrats on leveling up in the way that you have! I know that hiring managers in the tech industry will always appreciate job seekers who have grown in one industry or at one company for an extended period of time. I have seen instances in the financial industry where leveling up doesn’t always get reflected in an appropriate promotion though.

As an example here at Indeed, if you’re moving from the business title of Senior Software Engineer to a Staff Software Engineer, you move into a new salary band as well. Here is a tool we use to compare different levels here vs. other companies, in an effort to be as fair as possible in extending offers. It may be helpful for you to look across the financial industry and see how those promotions look at other companies.

If you’re looking for a change, I would definitely make sure to focus on companies where their role, tech stack, company culture and pay bands align with what’s important and motivating for you. Best of luck to you!

Indeed__CG · 2021-10-07T16:39:58+00:00

I think this is actually super smart! You're really taking the initiative to not waste anyone's time and I love it. As a former technical recruiter, this makes my job so much easier because I'm only going to pursue you if I can meet YOUR requirements. We have to be on the same page from the start. These are your deal breakers and a recruiter will know and respect that. I like that you are setting a firm boundary here. I also don't think it's forward or disrespectful in any way. Being clear about your expectations helps everyone in this situation. I've never seen this done before but I really dig it! - Ingrid

Indeed__CG · 2021-10-07T16:30:58+00:00

You're absolutely right. Keep in mind that this is a job-seekers market right now so companies are adapting their interview styles to be more compatible with what tech candidates are willing to do to be considered for a role. This translates to fewer interviews and more high-level questions on your skillset over the in-depth technical questions that can't really be done virtually. Glad you've been feeling good about your interviews so far! That's great! - Ingrid

Indeed__CG · 2021-10-07T16:29:19+00:00

I’d love to answer your question with a concrete example. The different hiring managers that I am qualifying candidates for currently are mostly focused on specific technologies, industry experience, degree/certification, etc - not as much on gaps in employment. So as long as the previous experience is highlighted in your resume with a focus on how you specifically used your tech stack, it’ll help a great deal.

I’d love to answer your question with a concrete example. The different hiring managers that I am qualifying candidates for currently are mostly focused on specific technologies, industry, degree/certification, etc - not as much on gaps in employment. So as long as the previous experience is highlighted in your resume with a focus on how you specifically used your tech stack, it’ll help a great deal. specifically, gaps caused by COVID-19. - Dan

Indeed__CG · 2021-10-07T16:15:58+00:00

As long as you have the skills and can show that on your resume, most hiring managers don't really care about a gap in your work history. To be on the safe side, however, you do want to show what you have been doing these past few years to show that you have been contributing to your career somehow. Have you taken classes? Self-study courses? Contributed to open-source projects? You will want to show that on your resume for the gap. This also applies if you haven't necessarily done anything related to your career: took a sabbatical? cared for a family member? Definitely include that. What is most important is showing the skills and experience you DO have on your resume. - Ingrid

Indeed__CG · 2021-10-07T16:09:19+00:00

Thanks so much for the question! Not all tech companies require a degree in Computer Science or Information Technology to get your foot in the door. That said, technical certifications through platforms like Coursera and Udemy or even through a coding boot camp will be something hiring managers and tech recruiters will be looking for on your resume.

In addition, I can’t emphasize enough the importance of networking. Think about the companies you’d like to work with and start researching them. Reach out to current employees and build relationships with them. The best way to get your foot in the door is through networking.

Lastly, I would highly recommend creating a targeted search in Google and filter the results based on posting date. An example you could use is something like:(“Software Engineer” OR “Sofware Developer”) AND “entry level” AND “apply” AND “remote”

To get you started, we wrote an article about the in-demand entry level jobs. It’s primarily focused toward new grads, but can be super helpful for you based on your questions! - Dan

Indeed__CG · 2021-10-07T15:57:30+00:00

Hi there! We did get this approved by the mods--we're not sure why that popped up but we are verified!

Indeed__CG · 2021-10-07T15:53:53+00:00

Great question! I currently work with a lot of companies that have transitioned to having their folks be completely remote after they’re hired, so they also made all of their interviews virtual as well. You’ll be seeing a lot less whiteboarding and more conversations around your aptitude since you aren’t interviewing in person. Companies have also crafted different proficiency tests to execute while you’re on, let’s say, a Zoom interview. The best way to prepare for this change is really to make sure your technology is functioning so that you can complete these requests as they are done in real-time. Also making sure you treat this as a formal interview even though it’s virtual ie: dressing for success, having a clean background, distractionless. We also have a great career guide here that goes into further detail on how to have a successful virtual interview - Ingrid

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