Top mistakes candidates make when applying for a technical job

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Alberto Resco, engineering manager and tech recruiter at ShopBack recalls one of the top mistakes candidates make when applying for a job at the company.

“Dear Alberto,” emails read, “I would really love to code for and make great products for the users.”

We recently wrote about what tech recruiters looked for in candidates, and things candidates did that turned recruiters off. In the third of this four-part series, we speak to tech recruiters to find out the top mistakes candidates make when applying for technical jobs.

1. Thinking that job descriptions are flexible

Frederic Bonifassy, talent manager at Pocketmath, continues to encounter candidates who believe job descriptions to be flexible, both in terms of skills and experience.

“In technical hires, it’s important to understand that the job descriptions are drafted specifically to look for candidates with those exact skill sets,” Frederic said, “Unlike non-technical hires, it is difficult to be flexible.”

“For example, we are currently looking for an IT manager who has in-depth knowledge and experience in handling iOS, but I still receive many Windows experts with no experience in iOS, but try their luck,” he said.

It is equally important for the candidates to match the level of experience the company is looking for. Pocketmath is currently looking for a software engineer with at least five years of experience, and an engineer with two years of experience is unlikely to be offered the position.

“Here’s why,” explained Frederic, “You can’t argue that a good engineer with two years of experience would have seen more problems and would have learned how to deal with them, than someone with five years of experience – we know who we are looking for.

Yet,many want the glamor of a fancy title, without proving the quality of their work or accepting something more realistic, trusting the company to reward them at the right time. Yes, you can be the exception to the rule, but don’t expect to be the exception!”

2. Messing up the resume

Finding the right balance of information to add on your resume

Frederic also believes that many candidates find it difficult to include the right amount of detail in their resumes.

“Having not enough detail in your resume, and you miss the chance to be shortlisted,” he said. “I would recommend personalizing your resume based on the technical skills required in the job description. If there are is a requirement for Java, emphasize projects that you lead with Java. Listing the place and your position there doesn’t give me any information about your capabilities.”

At the same time, candidates should not go overboard. “I have seen resumes which devote an entire page to just the technical skills, where these candidates claim they are masters in front end, back end, big data, systems, infra/network, IT services, and open-source languages,” he said, “It is obviously not realistic!”

3. Messing up the interview