IT CV that passes the ATS
In IT, an ATS is usually the first reader of your CV, and recruiters search it by stack. A developer, QA or data CV that parses cleanly and names the right tools gets found; a beautiful two-column design with skill bars often does not.
Lead with the role and the stack
- Put the target title at the top: "Python Backend Developer", "QA Automation Engineer", "Data Analyst".
- Follow with a one-line stack that matches the posting: "Python, Django, PostgreSQL, Docker, AWS".
- Name versions and specifics only when they matter: "React 18", "Kubernetes (EKS)".
Show the stack inside the work
A skills list says what you know; experience bullets prove it. Write what you built, with what, and what changed:
- Weak: "Worked on the backend."
- Strong: "Built a REST API in Django for 40k daily users; cut median response time from 900 to 180 ms with query optimisation and Redis caching."
No commercial experience yet? Projects count: a pet project, a course capstone or open-source contributions, written the same way.
Links, English and length
- GitHub, portfolio, LinkedIn as plain text links in the contacts, not as icons only.
- English level stated plainly: "English: B2 (Upper-Intermediate)". Many international postings search for it.
- One page for juniors, up to two for seniors. Drop unrelated jobs to a single line.
One CV per stack
If you apply both as a frontend developer and as a QA engineer, send two different CVs. Recruiters search by role, and a mixed CV ranks lower in both searches. Same experience, different title, different order of skills, different emphasis.
Should I list every technology I have touched?
No. List what you could discuss in an interview, and put the posting's must-haves first. A long list of tools you used once dilutes the important ones.
Do I need a photo on an IT CV?
Usually not for the US, UK or most international companies. Some countries expect one; pick the country in the check and it will tell you.
