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How do I write a software developer CV? 1 - Start with your full name and the job title of the position you are applying to. 2 - Add your contact details:&nbsp;●&nbsp;Phone number●&nbsp;E-mail address●&nbsp;Home address●&nbsp;Web portfolio / GitHub / LinkedIn 3 - Write a capabilities statement, or professional background.In no more than two lines, explain how your experience matches the key requirements of the job you are applying to, and highlight the knowledge you have about the industry. You can find this information in the job advertisement or job description that the company shares with candidates. 4 - Work historyThe main goal of the work history section is not to simply name your jobs and responsibilities, but to accurately explain how you work and how you achieved goals.&nbsp;●&nbsp;List only the jobs that are relevant, that is, that are related to the job you are applying to. It isn’t really useful to say, for example, that you worked in data entry if you are applying for a position in software development.﻿●&nbsp;Start the list with your current job, and if you are not working at the moment, with your most recent job. To list your jobs, follow this structure: job title - company - time frame. When writing the job title, make sure to use titles everyone knows, for example, senior developer.After that,&nbsp;describe:●&nbsp;how you work●&nbsp;how you achieved goals●&nbsp;how your team was conformed●&nbsp;the projects and products you are working on●&nbsp;how you have helped the team and the company bring solutions to their challenges&nbsp; 5 - Education and qualificationsMake a list of the degrees, courses and certifications that are most relevant for the position you are applying for.&nbsp; 6 - SkillsMake a list of the skills that are relevant for the job you are applying for. Always make sure they are up to date. What mistakes should I avoid when writing a CV?●&nbsp;Spelling errors●&nbsp;Not personalizing the resume●&nbsp;Lack of objectives●&nbsp;Poor organization●&nbsp;Lack or excess of information How do I optimize my CV?●&nbsp;Use bullet points to organize your ideas.●&nbsp;Use keywords. Some companies use an application tracking system to filter CVs before they reach a recruiter. ﻿These systems look for keywords, so make sure you include them.&nbsp; How do I show my work?Create a portfolio on GitHub to show your work, and include the link in your CV.&nbsp; What tools can I use to write my CV?You can simply use Word, but if you want to be more creative, you can use Canva.&nbsp; Don’t forget the spelling!Make sure your CV does not have spelling mistakes. For this, you can use Grammarly, or you can simply write the text in a Google document and let it underline the mistakes and suggest changes.&nbsp; What questions should I ask myself when writing my CV?When writing the capabilities statement &nbsp;or professional background, ask yourself:●&nbsp;Which of my skills are most relevant to the position I am applying for?●&nbsp;Have I worked in the industry of the job I’m applying for?●&nbsp;Do I have relevant information about the company that may help me get a job there? (For example, you could be one of their customers and have some ideas on how to improve their product.)●&nbsp;Do I have a personal project that evidences my passion for the field of the job I’m applying for?●&nbsp;Can I write a case study for the role I’m applying for? Can I provide the company with a link so they can read it?●&nbsp;Can I make a video on YouTube telling them about myself, and showing them a project I’m working on that is relevant for the job? (For example, if you are applying for a position in an AI/chatbot platform company, and you have done a chatbot in a personal project, you can record your screen and show your chatbox and the architecture of the application.)●&nbsp;Can I create a portfolio that focuses on the company and job I am applying for? When writing the work history section, ask yourself:●&nbsp;Can I list all the different tasks I do at work, everything I’m responsible for and that I contribute to?●&nbsp;Of all the things I do at my current job, can I identify the ones that are relevant to the job I’m applying for? (Those are the ones you should include in your CV.)●&nbsp;How do I add value to your team, to other teams and to the organisation itself?&nbsp;● Do I know how I bring solutions?&nbsp;Have I suggested solutions that have worked?﻿●&nbsp;What have been my achievements? How have I accomplished them? Think about how you approached them, how you used your rational thinking and how you worked.&nbsp;●&nbsp;What are my technical skills? How do I implement my technical skills to bring value to the team and the company?●&nbsp;What is my team like? How many people are there in my team?●&nbsp;Does my team work closely with other teams in the company? How is the interaction between my team and the others? Remember this:What the person reading the CV wants to know is whether it is worth calling you for an interview or not. Your chances of getting an interview increase when the information you include on your CV can be proved in that first conversation. What does this mean? If in your CV you say you are proactive, a fast learner, a good communicator and that you have a lot of experience in certain technologies, in the interview, it is very difficult for you to prove it, and for the interviewer to see how accurate this is.&nbsp; However, if in your CV you mention the projects in which you’ve worked, what your team is like, the features of the system with which you are working, and the tools you are using, it is easier for you to provide proof of what you say, and for the interviewer to see if you have what they are looking for.&nbsp; Remember that the purpose of the CV is to get the hiring person to invite you for a job interview. So, in your CV write concrete information that shows you have what it takes to do the job you are applying for. The more concrete and specific, the better.

Guide to Writing a CV That Gets You an Interview 

How to Write a CV Step-by-Step 

You know the job-hunting process:<ol><li>You craft your CV and cover letter – an endeavor that takes you hours.</li><li>You update your LinkedIn profile.</li><li>You search for opportunities in job search portals.</li><li>You apply, apply, and apply for some more.</li></ol>And then,&nbsp;nothing.You feel tired, frustrated and your self-esteem begins to drop.You start wondering if suffering is an unavoidable part of getting that first job.It’s not if you know what to do. You are about to discover how you can find a job the stress-free way by networking. If you don’t know how to network effectively, you are closing doors to opportunities when you could be opening them. 1 Find the right peopleWho are&nbsp;the right people? Those who have the jobs you would like to have. How do you find them and start a connection?By following these steps:● Do some research and come up with the companies you would like to work for. It doesn’t matter if they are not hiring right now;what’s truly important is that you are interested in them.● Find people who work in those companies and contact them via LinkedIn.● Send them a message explaining who you are, why you are contacting them and what you need from them.● Prepare relevant questions to ask them. By asking for specific advice, you increase your chances of getting an answer. For example, if you ask a front end developer that uses React how to solve a problem in React, chances are you will get their attention. If you have lots of questions, instead of overwhelming a person with all of them, ask many different people. This is something to take into account though: not everyone is going to reply and be willing to help you. Don’t take it personally: some people simply don’t have time. But many will be delighted to help you. 2 Stay in touchAsk the&nbsp;right people&nbsp;if they would mentor you. Give them options to make the decision easier for them. For example:<ul><li>Having a virtual meeting with you once a month to discuss the skill you are learning.</li><li>Having a call once a month.</li><li>Emailing them once or twice a month.</li></ul> Staying in touch is key to building a relationship, which is what you want to do. Should you keep in touch with the right people after you’ve found a job? Of course! You need to stay in touch even when you’ve found a job, because they are the people who will help you learn, be aware of what’s happening outside your company, and who may introduce you to their companies in the future and endorse you for new opportunities.At the end of the day, your network is the best investment you can make for your career.I will say that again:&nbsp;your network is the best investment you can make for your career.&nbsp;It is that important.In fact, it should be part of your career development plan.Take networking seriously, and start early. Say, for example, that in six months you will finish your studies or will look for a new job.If you already have a network, you will be a step ahead. 3 Be active on social mediaBeing active on social media puts your name out there, which is a benefit because:<ul><li>It helps you become known in the community.</li><li>It helps people not only learn about you and your skills, but also remember you (which is what you want to achieve).</li></ul>Here’s what you can do:<ul><li>Comment on other people’s posts.</li><li>Share other people’s content.</li><li>Share your own content: write articles for LinkedIn or Medium to share your expertise.</li></ul>Start with small things, build a habit and make it grow. Creating content is a job in itself and it takes time, so it’s better to start with baby steps. 4 Keep an eye out for opportunitiesYou’ve done the foundation work: you’ve made a list of the companies you are interested in, contacted people who work there, and built relationships with them. Now what? Even if those companies are not hiring at the moment, when they are, chances are that those people you are in touch with will remember and recommend you.They will know who you are, and that is an advantage. When you want to apply for open jobs in these companies or others, make sure you share your story and your learning process.Instead of saying what you can do, show it. Share your blogs, your open source projects, and your knowledge in your local tech industry. If you have, let’s say, ten mentors in ten different companies, chances are you know what’s going on in the industry and what the challenges and trends are, which will work to your advantage: you can know what is needed and what you have to do to get ready for it. So, to recapCompanies want to hire the best person, and you want to get the best job. You know the process by heart:<ol><li>Craft your CV and cover letter.</li><li>Update your LinkedIn profile.</li><li>Search for opportunities in job search portals.</li><li>Apply nonstop.</li></ol>But what do the parties involved get out of it?<ul><li>The company, by reading your CV and cover letter, can get an idea of your skills, but with that information alone,</li><li>they can’t be sure if you are the best person for the position.</li><li>You have no idea if the company and the job are the best for you.</li></ul>So, it is clear that the&nbsp;typical process&nbsp;is not enough.Here is where networking comes to the rescue. Networking works well because through it, you build a relationship with people working in companies you are interested in, which is a benefit for both parties since:<ul><li>The company already knows who you are; they know what you know, and what you are like as a person. In terms of cultural fit,</li></ul>this is a great time-saver for everyone.<ul><li>You already know the company and people who work there.</li></ul>Is suffering an unavoidable part of getting that first job? Not if you know what to do, and now you know. Follow these steps to network effectively, and the doors of opportunities will open.

Step 1: find the right people Step 2: stay in touch Step 3: be active on social media Step 4: keep an eye out for opportunities

The 4 Networking Steps That Will Get You a Job

So, Is It Possible to Start a Career in Tech in Your 40s?The short answer is everything is possible. What’s important in tech is not your age, but your skills.&nbsp;The questions you should ask yourself are:<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Is a career in tech what you really want?&nbsp;</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Do you know what it takes to start a career in tech?&nbsp;</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Are you ready to put in the work to go after it?&nbsp;</li></ul> Is a career in tech what you really want?&nbsp;If you have already made up your mind, excellent! You are ready to start. But if you are unsure whether to pursue a career change or not, you should have a taste of what working in technology is like.&nbsp;How can you do it? By getting hands-on experience.If you are interested in software development,&nbsp;go to this <a href="https://www.freecodecamp.org/learn/2022/responsive-web-design/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">site </a>and see how keen you are to build a project with HTML and CSS. If you are able to finish the project and you enjoy the process, then you can think of giving it a go. If coding isn’t you, there are other areas in tech that you can consider, like Product Management, Scrum/Agile, UX and UI Design, Cloud Infrastructure and Quality Assurance, to name a few. The same as with coding, for these other roles in technology, you need to be ready for the journey.&nbsp; The glorious benefits of working in techWorking in tech goes with many benefits, no wonder why this profession has gotten so much attention lately. Here are a few:<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Age isn’t a thing in tech. It is an industry that needs people, so your age is not important.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">You will feel the excitement of starting something new.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">You will meet lots of new people from all around the world.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">You will start building a career that will give you the opportunity to work from anywhere in the world.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">You will get into an industry that pays high salaries.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">You will be able to take part in exciting projects that can change how the world works.</li></ul> The challenges of starting a career in tech in your 40sYou need to:<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Be willing to start from scratch.&nbsp;</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Be humble and open to learn and listen.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Be able to keep a good balance between working your current job, studying and spending time with family.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Make time to study. If you have a family, you will need to wake up before them or stay up late once they have gone to sleep.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Be willing to accept a possible step backwards in terms of salary. It might take a while to get a high salary when you start from scratch.&nbsp;</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Be ready for rejections and for overcoming them.</li></ul> Here is my advice<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">If you think you want to give it a go, start today. Take baby steps.&nbsp;</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Pick a project from the website I linked above and get started. That's the beauty of this area, you can learn everything online.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Once you begin, pay attention to see if you really like it and if you want to keep going.&nbsp;</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Look for mentors and ask them as many questions as you can.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Ask your mentors what they don’t like about their jobs. It's easy to get tempted with all the good things, but what about the bad things? Don’t forget to ask about them.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Enjoy the process. Enjoy learning. This is about the journey, so make sure you enjoy every single step.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Don’t think about finding that amazing job you have been dreaming of. That will come if you enjoy the ride.</li></ul>So remember:&nbsp;<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Age isn’t important in tech. Your willingness to learn, your skills and your attitude are.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Software development is not the only path you can take; there are many other professions in the industry.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Even though you can learn by yourself, look for mentors and ask them for help. It will benefit you enormously.</li></ul>Do you really want to pursue a career in tech? If so, forget your age, and put your heart, mind and soul into it. You will see how everything is possible.

Is a career in tech what you really want?  The glorious benefits of working in tech. The challenges of starting a career in tech in your 40s. My advice

Is It Possible to Start a Career in Tech in Your 40s?

If you are just starting out, it is logical that you have no experience. Does that mean it’s impossible to get a job? No, companies do hire people with no experience.&nbsp; Who do they hire?They hire the juniors they think can add value.&nbsp;It doesn't matter if it's a disproportionate value or if it's small. The important thing is that this person can add value in some way.&nbsp; What does add value mean?&nbsp;It means solving problems. So, to add value, you first have to understand what the problem to be solved is.You may not have experience in that particular job you want to apply for, but you do have life experience, in college, playing on a soccer team or leading it, for example.&nbsp;Think about the problems you encountered and solved in different situations, and how you did it. At some point in your life you may have encountered and solved a problem, whatever it was. So, you have experience understanding a problem and solving it. An exampleI'll give you an example of a time when I added value to the company I was working for.I was an intern in a company and they sent me to look for a worker’s file. I had heard that they had to see if that person,an operator, had sanctions for not following safety practices in the plant. They wanted to see if he had to be suspended or warned.&nbsp; They sent me to get the file, nothing more than that.&nbsp;We were on the 8th floor and the file was on the 2nd floor. I went there, looked for it, and while I was in the elevator, I opened the file to see if the person had had previous warnings.&nbsp;I got to the HR manager's office and I told her "here is the file. He had two previous warnings". She looked at me and said "That's good".&nbsp;I added value because she no longer had to open the file to find that information that I had already found. Was that part of my job? No, but I understood what the problem to solve was and I solved it. I added value.&nbsp; What can you do?Find out about the company you want to work for. It doesn't matter if it's Tesla, SpaceX, or the company around the corner. Find out as much as you can, ask someone what they do, what problems they are trying to solve. That way, you'll have a better ﻿idea of how you can add value to them. Are you “lost” if you don't know what the problem is?&nbsp;No. There are other things you can offer.&nbsp;Always remember this:&nbsp;It is not enough to say what you know. What is useful is that you explain how you are going to use what you know to help the company.For example, "I know how to use Power BI" does not mean anything to the company. Explain how you can help the company using Power BI.&nbsp;"I know how to use SQL." Same thing: it has no value for the company. Explain how you can add value with SQL, i.e., what you can do with SQL that helps the business.&nbsp;Explain what you can do concretely, don't leave anything to the interpretation of the person interviewing you or reading your CV. ﻿Show real examples of what you can do.&nbsp; After all, what makes you a good professional is not the software you know how to use, but how you use it to solve problems.&nbsp; How do you show that you can add value before you get hired?By showing what you are capable of doing.&nbsp;If you went to university, you probably did some projects. Think of one you are proud of and explain what it was about,how you interpreted the assignment, how you understood the problem, how you found the solution, and what tools you used.&nbsp;You can also create your own project.A junior or intern who knows how to use Excel from top to bottom adds value to the company, because they can easily start organizing a lot of information.&nbsp; To demonstrate how well you use Excel and that you know how to use it to add value to the company, one idea is to create your own database, just to show your skills. For example, to find out what happened in New Zealand in terms of immigration in the last 10 years, you can go to the New Zealand Statistics website to collect information and build your database. ﻿In fact, you can even make a report.&nbsp;Excel is something you can learn at home and present in a portfolio.Be creative; look for ways to demonstrate how you will use what you know to help the company. The more concrete, the better.&nbsp; So, you have no experience and nobody wants to hire you?&nbsp;Maybe you are focusing on communicating what you know, and not on how you are going to use what you know to add value to the company.&nbsp;Remember: what companies want to know is how you are going to help them.&nbsp;Always ask yourself: what problems do they have to solve? How can I solve them using my knowledge?&nbsp;Talking about your knowledge is not enough. You have to provide solutions, add value.Now you know what to do if you have no experience and nobody wants to hire you.&nbsp; What’s next? <a href="https://pitcheers.com/connectors/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(17, 85, 204);">Talk to one of our connectors</a> about what you are looking for. ﻿They are there to help you!&nbsp;

What does add value mean?  What can you do? Are you “lost” if you don't know what the problem is? How do you show that you can add value before you get hired? So, you have no experience and nobody wants to hire you? 

I have no experience and no one wants to hire me. What do I do?

Moving to another country in search of a better life or new experiences is no doubt one of the most exciting adventures you’ll ever embark on. However, it can be easy to get caught in that excitement and forget to consider important factors that can make living abroad very different from what you expected. &nbsp;When you do your research, ask yourself these questions:<ul><li>Are there enough job opportunities in your field?</li><li>Are there opportunities for career growth?</li><li>How easy is it to get a work visa, a resident visa and citizenship?</li><li>What is the social life like?&nbsp;</li><li>Is there food you will enjoy?</li><li>Is there a good healthcare system, and is it free?</li><li>Is education good, and is it free?</li><li>How easy is it to go back to your country to visit friends and family?&nbsp;</li><li>How affordable are houses?</li><li>Do the salaries of the jobs you are interested in allow you to have the lifestyle you want?&nbsp;</li></ul>&nbsp;1 Job opportunitiesAre there enough job opportunities in your field? &nbsp;Before you decide to move abroad, make sure there are enough job opportunities in your area of expertise. How can you do this? By finding the most popular job search portals in the country you want to move to, and see, over a period of about a month, how many job opportunities there are for you.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;2 Career path&nbsp;Are there opportunities for career growth? &nbsp;If you are planning to stay in that country long term, you have to think about the future of your career. What would you like to be doing in five or ten years’ time? It may be the case that there are lots of job opportunities that are perfect for the positions you want to occupy now, but not enough for what you’d like to be in the future. How can you find this out? Again, by checking the job portals to see if there are job opportunities for the positions you’d like to have in the future.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;3 Work visas&nbsp;How easy is it to get a work visa, a resident visa and citizenship? &nbsp;If you are moving to another country permanently, it is a good idea to get to know the process in advance, to know what to expect and to be prepared. Usually, the first step is to get a work visa, which can be for 1, 2 or 5 years, for example.&nbsp;After that, you can usually apply for a temporary resident visa, which allows you to stay in the country forever, but with some restrictions. Then, you can apply for a permanent resident visa, and finally, after a few years, for citizenship.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;4 Social life﻿What is the social life like? It’s not all about work: you need to have a lifestyle you enjoy. And if you like to socialize and be active, there are a few things you should consider. One of them is the weather, because it can affect your lifestyle. If you are used to warm weather, but move to a country where it’s cold most of the year, you probably won't want to leave the house. Another one is the nightlife, if that’s your thing. Are there bars and nightclubs? If you are an outdoorsy person, find out if there are interesting things for you to do outdoors.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;5 Food﻿Is there food you will enjoy?&nbsp;At the beginning, food that is different from what you are used to can seem exciting, but after a while, it is common to miss the flavors of your country. If you are going to a cosmopolitan city, this may not be a big issue, because the bigger the city, the more options there tend to be. Anyway, it is always a good idea to do some research on the food you are going to find in the city you are moving to, to avoid disappointments and know what to expect.&nbsp;6 Healthcare﻿Is there a good healthcare system, and is it free? &nbsp;In some countries, healthcare is public, which means you don’t have to pay for it, but in others, it is private, and it can be quite expensive. Find out if the company you are going to work for provides healthcare as a benefit. This is something important especially if you are moving with your family, because again, if you have to pay for it, it can be rather costly.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;7 EducationIs education good, and is it free? In some countries, education is public, but in others, it is private. In the UK, New Zealand and Australia, schools are public, but the quality of the education varies depending on the school.&nbsp;8 ConnectivityHow easy is it to go back to your country to visit friends and family? Things to take into account are ticket prices and flight length. How long would it take you to fly back to your country? How many flights will you have to take? Is there a direct flight, or will you have to make connections? Does the city have an international airport?&nbsp;9 House pricingHow affordable are houses? Will your salary allow you to afford a house if you wanted to buy one? Also, find out if it is possible to get a mortgage when you are on a work visa, or if you have to wait until you are a resident.&nbsp;&nbsp;10 Cost of living﻿Do the salaries of the jobs you are interested in allow you to have the lifestyle you want? One of the main reasons people move abroad is to have a better quality of life, so make sure the salaries you would be able to get will make that possible.&nbsp;&nbsp;By asking yourself these questions before moving abroad, you’ll have clear expectations, you will be better prepared and have more time to focus on the excitement.&nbsp;&nbsp;Check our YOUTUBE channel DEVS around the world to explore testimonials:En Español: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5GwcIbnTIoEnglish: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEuXJYBSVBE

Moving to another country in search of a better life or new experiences is no doubt one of the most exciting adventures you’ll ever embark on

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