What recruiters look for in an entry level web developer

7 min readMar 5, 2022

Overall impression

Recruiters want to know you actually want the job, fit their culture, and are ready to contribute more than you would cost the company. If you are not active or well prepared in any of these accounts do not share them in your applications until you are. Sharing relatively empty profiles is just frustrating to recruiters.

You can show you are what they are looking for through looking for jobs you have real interest in, researching the company, and showing a story that builds up to their company in your various resources listed below.

Resume

Your resume should be simple yet unique. This or the online form you fill out will be the first impression you make on the recruiter. You want to grab their attention in as few words as possible.

Beat the application tracking system by implementing these suggestions in your resume.

Here is an example position we will use

Job details can help you determine if the job fits you

What this tells us:

This is a full-time stack position using .NetCore Framework. You would write tests, make responsive designs, write documentation, manage the database, and of course build the application. There is not a lot about the company though so you should look up the company find out what news there is, what the employees like and don't like about it, and what exactly the problem they are trying to solve is.

In general, your resume should meet the following guidelines:

The format needs to be built for the computer to decode so that it does not throw away your resume before you get a chance to get looked at. Guidelines here.
The contents can be built for the general job position you want then edited slightly to fit each specific jobs keywords.
Resume builders can be useful to create a quick resume, but you should still ensure it has accepted format and contents.

Good resume

This resume is good because it does not use tables, uses traditional fonts and headings, includes, keywords, accomplishments, and skills. For an entry level developer don't rack your head too hard if you don't have next level accomplishments but instead of the bullet points here focus on the skills you used. Despite the great formatting, this resume would not match well for a .NetCore position though as the skills mentioned here have nothing to do with the key words in the job description

Poorly done resume

This resume is poorly formatted, has typos, is too long and is very wordy. This seems obvious but it is easy to overlook some of these problems so you should always have someone familiar with the industry look over your resume before you submit it. Do note though that everyone has different opinions about what is important in a resume though, what matters most is that it matches what the company is looking for.

DO’s

Hire an experienced resume writer
List all (15–30) tech languages you have worked in
1" margins
Single page, Utilize the entire page
Consistent spacing with sensible grouping
Prioritize with the most relevant and impressive information at the top

DONT’s

Speed through the resume creation process
List skills you do not have
Expect to use the same exact resume for every position
List irrelevant or wordy information
Use more than one accent color

Is another version of your portfolio that should tell your story of building web development skills.

DO’s

Get recommendations from people you have worked with/for
About me should explain concisely what aspects of your most important technologies you have used, how, and what was the impact.

You want your title to give clear concise detail into the type of development you do i.e., Front-end React.JS Developer. You don’t need to put Aspiring Web Developer at University of Texas. If you write code, you are a developer. You can put the education in the education section of your LinkedIn.

Other information can be helpful such as projects, articles, education, and certifications but are not as important to the recruiter.

Here is a good example for the .NET web developer position that follows these guidelines.

There are also many other good job search sites.

Remote job search: NoDesk, WeWorkRemotely, Remotive, Remoteok.io, VirtualVocations, FlexJobs.com

Portfolio website

Good example portfolio websites: https://miltonchung.com/, https://abenezer.io/, https://daveymason.com/

DO’s

Use your name for your website address
Show only your best work
Use HTTPS

DONT’s

Forget to design your resume first
Expect recruiters to spend more than a few minutes on your portfolio

GitHub

DO’s

Push to your GitHub at least once a day
Make only the most noteworthy projects public
Have thoughtful README’s included in your most noteworthy repositories noting your process and what purpose the project serves
Strive to write clean code, follow a process, and follow style guidelines
Style your GitHub profile page as shown here

Your GitHub repositories are your ace in hand to show the company you know the basics and can work with their technologies well. Thes best way to build experience is to explore and play with your knowledge base in projects consistently. You will want your projects to make a real difference by building projects for nonprofits, hackathons, and freelance work.

Social media

Recruiters may find other social media connected to you so it is important not to have anything that would discredit you or be extremely controversial. Utilizing sites like YouTube and Medium to show your learning can help build trust in your abilities and just as importantly allow you to ensure you really know your technologies well.

Cover Letter

Writing a cover letter for a job when you have no professional experience can be a challenge but it should be included if asked for. Some companies will not even look at your application if you have not included a cover letter. I found a great format which gives you some ideas for what can be included in this situation. In this example cover letter the applicant showed how her skills gained in her internship would enable her to work well in the company she was applying for.

DO’s

Address the recruiter by name
Find a good cover letter format online
Explain how your background/projects carry over to the position
Show enthusiasm for the position

Are You Ready?

You can apply to job applications from the start, but you are more likely to be accepted if your profiles above use the strategies I have mentioned. If you do not feel ready yet apply anyways and start making a little money with these in-between positions: webmaster, web content manager, freelance html/css, or email development.

If you do get invited to interview, here are some tips:

Gather more detailed information about the company.
Make sure you are ready for their questions by preparing answers using the STAR method. Be specific and make each answer positive. Look up interview questions specific to that company.
Prepare 3 to 5 questions. Try to stump them using these questions.
Practice in the mirror or with others to get a feel for what needs work so you can enter your interview confident.
Be able to articulate the details of your project and how to use the technologies included in their stack. Consider creating a PowerPoint or flashcards to go over these technologies.

Summary

Utilize your Resume, Portfolio, GitHub, LinkedIn, and other social media accounts to gain traction in the job development process.

Finally, don’t give up!

Some people get jobs fast, but others it can take years and years for them to finally get into a web development position. Everyone gets ghosted or rejected. The job search process is a long and often painful process causing many to feel discouraged or overwhelmed. If you feel stuck go find people who have those positions, friends, or recruiters for advice. If you have been doing the self-taught route and want help it may be a good idea to gain relevant experience through a bootcamp, university or online courses. Don’t feel bad if you need to take a break every once in a while. Just don't let it take too long!

Good luck!