What Tech Recruiters Look For in a CV

With competition for top tech roles fiercer than ever, your CV needs to work harder to get you noticed. It’s your first opportunity to make a strong impression on a potential employer. A well-crafted CV introduces who you are and what you can do in a clear, concise, and relevant way - capturing a recruiter’s attention and encouraging them to invite you for an interview.

Below are our top tips for creating a standout tech CV.

Tailor your CV for every role

It can be tempting to create one strong CV and send it out for every role, but tailoring your CV for each application is far more effective. This doesn’t mean rewriting it from scratch every time, the core details will remain the same, but a tailored CV shows you’ve read the job description carefully and aligned your experience accordingly.

Identify keywords and skills from the job specification and reflect them in your CV, highlighting the most relevant experience. Where technical requirements are listed, make sure your skills and proficiency in those areas are clearly included.

Taking the time to tailor your CV demonstrates genuine interest in the role. With many employers now using AI-driven applicant tracking systems to screen CVs, clearly showing how you meet the job requirements can significantly improve your chances of passing initial filters.

Recruiter tip: Keep a “master CV” containing all your experience and skills, and update it regularly. You can then quickly extract and adapt the most relevant information for each application.

Make your technical skills easy to find

In tech roles, your technical skills are a crucial part of your CV. These should sit in a dedicated section near the top of the document, prioritising skills specifically mentioned in the job description. You can also reinforce these skills within your work experience section.

Include the software, tools, or programming languages you’re proficient in, along with your level of experience and confidence, often shown on a scale of five. Only include skills that are relevant to the role you’re applying for.

Clear bullet points work well, especially if you can briefly explain how you’ve used a skill in practice. For roles requiring a broad technical skillset, a skills matrix can be an effective way to provide a quick visual overview of your capabilities.

Recruiter tip: Be honest about your skills and proficiency. Many tech roles include technical testing, so you’ll need to support any claims you make on your CV.

Keep it clear and concise

Hiring managers review large volumes of CVs and rarely have time to read lengthy documents. Avoid overly complex or flashy layouts and focus instead on clarity, structure, and readability.

Everything from font choice to spacing affects how easy your CV is to scan. Use clear section headings so key information is easy to find, and opt for bullet points rather than dense paragraphs of text.

Consider the order in which you present information - make it clear early on that you meet the role’s requirements. If you’re applying for your first tech role, a single page is often sufficient. For more experienced professionals, two pages is generally acceptable.

Be concise and focus on achievements, ideally using measurable outcomes such as “increased website traffic by 10%” or “consistently delivered projects ahead of schedule”, rather than vague descriptions.

Recruiter tip: Remove outdated or irrelevant information as your career progresses - early qualifications like GCSEs are unlikely to influence hiring decisions once you have proven experience.

Nail the basics

Many applications fall short due to avoidable errors such as spelling mistakes or missing information.

Your CV should include your contact details clearly at the top, along with relevant professional profiles such as LinkedIn or a GitHub portfolio (but not personal social media accounts). If the application asks for additional documents - such as a cover letter or specific evidence - make sure you include them. Ignoring instructions is a quick way to rule yourself out.

At a minimum, run a spell check. Ideally, use a grammar and style tool such as Grammarly to help improve clarity, tone, and accuracy.

Recruiter tip: Ask someone you trust to review your CV. Fresh eyes often catch errors you may overlook, and even the best AI tools aren’t foolproof.

Let your personality shine through

Your CV - and cover letter - are your first chance to make an impression, so don’t be afraid to show some personality. Hiring managers want to understand who you are as well as what you can do.

Highlight your enthusiasm for recent projects, your approach to learning, and how you’ve developed your skills. Choose a few strong examples that demonstrate how you work, such as overcoming technical challenges, problem-solving, or committing to continuous improvement.

Alongside technical skills, include relevant soft skills and back them up with evidence. For example, rather than simply stating you’re a strong communicator, mention a presentation you delivered and the outcome it achieved.

Hobbies and interests can also add value if they’re relevant, such as attending tech meetups, taking part in coding challenges, or volunteering in education or community tech initiatives.

Recruiter tip: Genuine enthusiasm comes across on a CV and helps it stand out. Show your personality, but keep it professional and focused on what makes you a strong hire.

Get your CV interview-ready

A strong CV can be the difference between securing an interview or missing out. Keep these five essentials in mind:

• Tailor your CV for each role, while maintaining a master version
• Showcase your technical skills clearly and honestly
• Keep your CV concise, well-structured, and relevant
• Get the basics right and ask someone to proofread
• Let your personality come through

Bonus tip: If you store your CV online, make sure all versions are kept up to date!

Want more help to stand out? 

Check out our Interview Tips to get fully ready for your next opportunity.

Need tailored advice? 

We offer advice and tips for every step of the recruitment process, including tailoring your CV. Contact our team - we’re here to help you find your ideal tech role.