Startup Resumes: Best Practices

A little over two months ago, we opened underdog.io to candidates. In that time, we’ve seen A LOT of resumes.

Here are some things, both good and bad, that we’re noticing:

• No need to say you’re “proficient in Microsoft Office.” That’s a given.
• There’s a sweet spot for the “interests” section of a resume - somewhere in between something super specific & weird (cat herding) and something so general that it makes you seem boring (sports, movies, music).
• Make sure your links aren’t broken. Surprisingly common.
• If you need visa sponsorship, say so on your resume. It’s an easy conversation made easier by upfront disclosure.
• Ditch the school resume after you’ve graduated; we know that the career office forces you to use it, but after you graduate it looks like another template.
• If you’re creative, please show it. But don’t go crazy.
• If you’re not creative, take the time to find someone who is. Pay them, bribe them - do whatever it takes to get someone with design chops to spend a little time with your resume.
• When writing job bullets, quantify your value. “I ran a team” can be changed to “I ran a team of X…”
• Create a small web-presence to supplement your resume. Even if you don’t have a blog, a portfolio, a website, or a github, build something. About.me or Striking.ly are a great start. And include your Twitter/LinkedIn profiles if you can.
• If you’re a dev, include links to your side projects. They show who you are and what interests you.

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Once you’re ready to look for a new opportunity in NYC, and your resume is on point, drop your info.

Want to give us a virtual hug? Try us on Twitter. Prefer to lambaste us? There’s always Hacker News or Reddit.

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