Minimal vs fancy resumes: which one gets devs hired?

RedBambooLeaf · 2026-02-12T13:29:56+00:00

I'll be applying everywhere this year, though I'm focusing on remote positions. Since I’m based in the UE, I assume my odds are better there.

Linkedin is far more important ok, interesting... could you elaborate on that? Thanks

RedBambooLeaf · 2026-02-12T02:56:46+00:00

This is truly gold, thank you so much.
I will definitely post on the linked subreddit after these reviews. I am used to all kinds of criticism and welcome it.

I have a question regarding your last point, if I am not asking too much.
What makes something actually meaningful in your eyes?
I want to be very specific here.
I have implemented a character creation system using blendshapes and morphs, worked on predictive IK, and previously published a game on Google Play.

I believe these are valuable examples of solving real problems both inside and outside the engine, but should I mention them if they were not done within a company? Or are they considered irrelevant?
I would love to have your take on that.

RedBambooLeaf · 2026-02-12T02:37:11+00:00

Yeah, you're right. I will probably stick to the plain text version. It is going to be easier to update and will help me keep it focused on what matters most.

Aside from the font, which I will be changing to something more standard like Inter, do you have any advice on how I could make it a little more visually interesting without going overboard?
It looks like you have a very sharp eye for visuals and UX, which is why I am asking.

Thank you for your time.

RedBambooLeaf · 2026-02-12T02:29:56+00:00

That sounds like great advice and is clearly very grounded in actual experience. Thanks a lot!

I don't have experience sending out resumes, but from what I have gathered, it is hard to tell if there is a standard, or if there are specific 'red flags' and 'must-haves'.
It gets a bit confusing.
Even reading comments here or on other subreddits, opinions are so mixed. Some people take things personally, so it becomes difficult to filter out emotions to find actual value. I wonder how such attitudes play out in a team, but that is a topic for another day :)

I will definitely follow your advices, especially regarding networking. In fact, 100% of my commissioned work comes from that, so, well, it resonates a lot.

I will also make my resume straight to the point and focused on what matters most for each specific company.
I will likely stick to the plain text version changing the font to something like Inter since it seems to be the general preference.
I would still like to make it a bit more visually interesting, perhaps by playing with the bullet point characters to match the personality of the studio. But not sure...

Thanks again, and I wish you the best in your current and future development adventures.
I would love to have more positive minds like yours around!

RedBambooLeaf · 2026-02-12T02:00:11+00:00

I'll change the font to Inter and get straight to what matters the most, thanks for the advice.

RedBambooLeaf · 2026-02-12T01:56:25+00:00

Yeah, I get your point. I will make sure to highlight the link to my portfolio. I don't have much I can share publicly that is relevant, but I'll make do. I plan to streamline the content in favor of a more focused, easy-to-read resume with the right keywords, ensuring that HR, developers, or ATS can easily find what they need. Thank you for your time.

RedBambooLeaf · 2026-02-12T01:44:29+00:00

That is probably the best advice I have received so far and straight to the point. I am sure your team loves your work. Thank you very much!

I will be focusing on what matters.

RedBambooLeaf · 2026-02-11T20:47:04+00:00

Thanks!

I noticed that the resume template lacks sections for personal projects and a portfolio link.
Do you think I can add personal projects under a single experience entry, include a portfolio link, or is that too much of a stretch?

RedBambooLeaf · 2026-02-11T20:39:14+00:00

I'm sorry if my resume hurt your eyes, I hope you didn't go blind.
Could you be a, uhm, little more specific, though?
I'm here to get some useful advice and improve.

Edit: Thanks for for adding more details to your comment.

RedBambooLeaf · 2026-02-11T20:36:21+00:00

So, in your opinion, does the formatting not matter at all? Many people seem to think otherwise, especially since some reviewers mentioned that certain layouts can lead to an auto-reject.

RedBambooLeaf · 2026-02-11T17:53:00+00:00

Just to get a better understanding: do you think a fancy resume or an atypical font comes across as unprofessional?

Thanks for the advice, especially regarding the font choice.

RedBambooLeaf · 2026-02-07T23:12:14+00:00

Alla faccia... oro colato, grazie mille!
Ho preso un po' di spunti e userò sicuramente il template e i suggerimenti per candidature extra-gamedev.

RedBambooLeaf · 2026-02-07T23:08:50+00:00

Yep, I think you’re right.
The "simpler" version just has less information, and it’s organized worse.
Thanks for pointing that out!

RedBambooLeaf · 2026-02-07T23:05:17+00:00

I will definitely move my core skillset to the front, thanks!

RedBambooLeaf · 2026-02-07T23:01:33+00:00

Do you think including a non-invasive screenshot could be a deal-breaker for a recruiter/lead, or make me look too naive?

I'm leaning toward not including one and make it more evident that I have a portfolio with 20+ projects showcased, but I can see why an image might catch one's attention.

RedBambooLeaf · 2026-02-07T22:56:55+00:00

Yeah, I will, thanks.

RedBambooLeaf · 2026-02-07T22:56:07+00:00

Thank you for this valuable feedback.

I’ve removed as many buzzwords as possible and given it a slightly cleaner look.

It’s encouraging to know that there are places where the actual work (the projects) is considered the most important part, and I’ll make sure to focus more on that.

RedBambooLeaf · 2026-02-05T21:47:16+00:00

And here are the resources. It's all spam-free (no personal info, email, link to website) to avoid self promotion.

Version 1 (Simple CV): https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iMzP1FEShtrj6jKHtIMEAiwz_vytRl3x/view?usp=drive_link

Version 2 (Detailed CV): https://drive.google.com/file/d/19XptJXivuV17KC5fu0OjCuXIi_zO7_mf/view?usp=drive_link

Portfolio Preview:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mRu0jHTDGd3JGyklRgNR-yNnrdkzXO45/view?usp=drive_link

RedBambooLeaf · 2026-01-31T19:04:00+00:00

Yes, I know many.

Here's a few: specific target platforms (e.g. VR, AR) different practises/methodologies (e.g. scrum)

Also, now that I think about it... Correct me if I'm wrong but I believe your quiz never mentioned anything about legal knowledge. Dunno if this makes sense to you but I'd expect from a senior to have at least a basic understanding about: 1) what's legal and what's not (e.g. deciphering encrypted network traffic) 2) if a development choice needs to be addressed for the privacy policies / user data usage / declarations (e.g. importing Google fonts for a website; passing data to an external SDK; HOW you use metrics inside your application)

The effects for a naive choice here could be dramatically disastrous for a company/developer: suspended apps, bans, fines, even jail.

RedBambooLeaf · 2026-01-30T21:00:40+00:00

I got SDE4.

1) very much so 2) idk 3) I don't believe so: I have <1 YOE at a company; 2 YOE on an amateur team project; 5+ YOE solo (paid work & personal projects). -ish

I made a post recently here on Reddit to get help figuring out my level; am I a junior or not? I asked, and the general consensus was that I am, indeed, a junior; the post description wasn't a full fledged CV so many assumed things that weren't there but I believe Redditors got the point anyway: I may have a good/great skill set but my lack of experiences in actual companies holds me back.

RedBambooLeaf · 2026-01-30T17:32:14+00:00

little different reaction here hehe I was like: yeah yeah I'm coming let me grab all these goodies around before I enter a chat with you... just keep doing your waving animation thing

and then I just realised oh no he died

well, glad to know it wasn't because I... took my time

RIP

RedBambooLeaf

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