Why Your Resume Is Ignored (and How to Fix It)
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Applying for a tech job from abroad feels like competing in the Olympics—many people from different countries are vying for the same gold medal.
Small details can make a big difference in your success, and I’ll cover them all here.
As the founder of Relocate.me, I often hear from our users who are willing to move to Europe or North America: “I’ve sent out dozens of applications but haven’t heard back.”
Let’s be honest—some recruiters may reject you based on your location. But if you’re applying to relocation-friendly companies and still not landing interviews, your resume might be the issue.
In this article, I will focus on common mistakes in tech resumes. To keep things practical, I’ll share quick and simple tips you can apply right away.
Last week, I reviewed around 100 resumes from Relocate.me users applying for tech jobs in different parts of the world.
Here are my observations and suggestions:
1. Your local resume format might not work.
When reviewing resumes from different countries, I saw a wide range of local styles. It felt like a carnival where everyone was dressed in their country’s traditional attire.
Make your resume simple and universal.
What works in one country might not work in another.
Look for resume templates from other countries. Start with tech resumes aimed at the U.S. market, as they follow a widely accepted format and structure.
Keep your resume short (1-2 pages max.) and avoid government or university resume templates like Europass.
Choose a clean, classic design that highlights key information, making it easier for recruiters to match you with the right job.
Here are some free resume templates I made earlier.
Important note: You can design your own resume or use a resume builder—there’s no silver bullet for the perfect layout. Just keep the tips above in mind.
2. Don’t use your LinkedIn profile as a resume.
LinkedIn is LinkedIn. A resume is a resume. Recruiters easily spot LinkedIn profiles that have been exported and used as resumes—and I’ve never seen one treated the same way as a well-written resume. My advice: Don’t use your exported LinkedIn profile to apply for jobs.
3. Your resume isn’t easy to read.
Before addressing common mistakes, it’s essential to understand how recruiters read resumes. They usually spend just a few seconds scanning for key details like location, technologies, job titles, and other relevant information. If they find what they need quickly, they may take more time to review your resume in detail.
That’s why it’s crucial to present this information clearly from the start.
Common mistakes:
Using small fonts to fit in more details.
Using overly large fonts that hinder readability.
Writing long paragraphs in the “Summary” or other sections.
Not adding enough spacing between paragraphs.
Creating lengthy bullet points—condense anything longer than three lines.
My advice: Use a single-column layout for easy reading. Make sure your location, contact details, and technical skills are easy for recruiters to find!
4. Shine bright—show your impact and successes.
Recruiters don’t care about what you were responsible for—they care about what you actually did and the impact you had.
Show how you made a difference, not just that you were there.
List metrics and examples concisely.
Start every bullet point with a strong action verb (Built, Designed, Developed, Increased, Reduced, Solved, Upgraded, etc.).
Use numbers in your role descriptions (improved X by 40%, reduced Y time by 50%, etc.).
5. Share some details about your local employers.
Many people recognize big names like Google, Meta, or Uber, but they may not be aware of the potential of local companies in your market. If you work for the largest fintech firm in your country or a major Uber competitor, make sure to highlight that.
Provide a brief description of your company and its role in the market. Include details like the user base, number of customers, and key competitors. You can also compare your company to a well-known industry leader to give recruiters context (e.g., “the Amazon of Southeast Asia”). This helps recruiters understand its significance and see that you are part of a major company or product, but one that is specific to your area.
6. Add structure to your tech skills.
Listing every technology you’ve ever worked with won’t impress anyone—it just makes it seem like you lack focus. Plus, I often see resumes that use bullet points in the skills section, listing each technology separately, like this:
Java
Spring
AWS
…
However, this is NOT the most effective way to use resume space.
My advice: List 20-40 technologies most used and relevant to the position you’re applying for and group them into categories for better readability. For example:
Programming languages:
Frameworks/libraries:
Best practices:
Databases:
Automation tools:
This structured format makes it easier for recruiters to scan your resume and quickly understand your expertise.
7. Avoid typos.
Typos in your resume can make a poor impression. It’s not just about grammar—recruiters also use them to gauge your English proficiency, especially if you’re not a native speaker.
Also, be consistent with technology names: "HTML" not "Html", "nginx" not "NGINX," etc.
Small details matter.
8. Skip useless sections and empty GitHub.
If you want a 1-2 page resume, be selective about the sections you include. An “Objective” section is unnecessary if your Summary already covers key details like languages and education. Similarly, a “Hobbies” section is optional—while it adds personality, it usually carries little weight with recruiters.
As for GitHub, only include it if it adds value. A profile with just a few repositories and little activity over the past three years won’t impress recruiters. However, if you have projects you’re proud of, showcase them to your future hiring manager.
9. The key focus: work experience and tech skills.
Recruiters scan resumes top to bottom, focusing first on what’s immediately visible. If key career details are on the second page, they might go unnoticed.
The two most important sections:
Work experience: Your current company and title, plus one or two previous roles.
Languages and technologies you are proficient in.
Of course, contributions to open-source projects and significant academic achievements matter, but the primary focus should be on work experience and tech skills.
10. Add some “niche” technologies.
When I review a developer’s resume, rare technologies catch my attention. I notice those I don’t see often—especially since most recruiters aren’t tech-savvy. This makes your resume stand out, particularly if Big Tech companies use those technologies.
Some examples of so-called “niche” technologies are gRPC, Apache Flink, Polymer, Toad, Druid, Bazel, Istio, CockroachDB, NixOS, etc.
Important:
Next week, on March 12th, I’ll be giving a webinar with live resume reviews. If you haven’t yet, secure your spot by becoming a paid subscriber to The Global Move.
A paid subscription to The Global Move also gives you access to hundreds of handpicked, relocation-friendly tech jobs!
This is really useful!