How I Tailored the Resume That Landed Me $100K+ Data Science and ML Offers

over 100 information science and machine studying resumes, each as a practitioner within the subject and a profession coach

And being trustworthy, most of them suck.

It’s truly not that onerous to write down resume, but many individuals can’t appear to get the fundamentals proper.

resume is what will get your foot within the door for interviews, so nailing this a part of the interview course of is crucial.

So on this article, I need to stroll you thru my resume that landed me a number of $100k+ affords throughout information science and machine studying, and supply my key recommendation by means of each part.

The Resume (at a look)

If you happen to haven’t received time to learn by means of the entire article, that is the resume in PDF format from LaTeX (utilizing Overleaf) and a Google Doc model.

If you wish to get this template and discover ways to apply it, then verify the hyperlink under.

https://resume.egorhowell.com

The rationale I’ve two variations is that the PDF model generated by LaTeX seems to be extra aesthetically pleasing, but it can be problematic with the Application Tracking System (ATS).

That’s why I’ve a separate model in Google Doc format, which is rather more ATS-friendly.

The ATS is actually an automatic system that helps filter candidates who don’t match properly with the job function or description. Like every system, it has flaws and typically struggles to parse codecs, similar to PDF variations produced by LaTeX.

Almost all Fortune 500 companies (99%) utilise ATS for recruitment, and 75% of resumes fail to pass ATS and are by no means seen by a recruiter.

So, if I’m making use of in a situation the place there is no such thing as a assure an actual human will see it, like LinkedIn fast apply or Certainly job varieties, I exploit the Google Doc format to be secure.

If I do know a recruiter, hiring supervisor or some other bodily human will see my resume, then I present them with the PDF model from LaTeX/Overleaf.

Let’s now break down every part together with my high suggestions!

The LaTeX template relies from this template by Timmy Chan. You’ll be able to verify the source code here on his GitHub. The template and code are underneath a Creative Commons CC BY 4.0 licence.

Basic Ideas

I’ll define essentially the most elementary ideas that your resume ought to adhere to. I reckon you may be lacking not less than one in every of these factors:

• Completely no spelling errors, and the grammar is appropriate. This can be a massive pink flag to anybody reviewing the resume.
• Hold it 1 web page, until you may have 10+ years of expertise.
• Font sizes are constant throughout sections and keep away from extreme use of bolding and italicisation. 
• No fancy formatting, preserve it easy.
• No graphics, photographs or icons.
• Keep away from something that would result in bias, like age, gender, nationality, and so forth.
• Use bullet factors, not block textual content.
• In your Google Doc model, use an easy-to-read font, similar to Instances New Roman, Calibri, or Georgia.
• In your PDF model, I extremely advocate utilizing LaTeX, because it produces a clear and aesthetically pleasing resume.
• Lastly, in case you have time, tailor each part in your resume to the corresponding job description. 

Header

This part needs to be simple to get proper, and I’m nonetheless shocked individuals get this half improper in any respect.

All you want is:

• Your identify.
• Job title or the way you see your self. That is non-compulsory.
• Contact particulars, similar to cellphone quantity and e mail.
• Location, metropolis and nation.
• Related hyperlinks like LinkedIn, GitHub, Medium, Kaggle and so forth. One factor to make sure is that the hyperlinks work! They comprise useful details about you, so that you need to be sure that whoever clicks on them truly goes the place you need them to.

Abstract Assertion

In case your resume clearly states what you may have executed and who you might be, then this part will not be mandatory. You may be repeating your self and probably utilizing up worthwhile house in your resume.

For instance, I personally don’t have a abstract assertion, and it hasn’t affected me (so far as I do know anyway!). Nonetheless, it may be useful whenever you need to tailor it to a particular firm or function, and even play the ATS a bit.

One key factor I’ll say, It’s very easy to go improper right here utilizing phrases like “passionate”, “exhausting working” or “decided.”

Don’t try this.

I can’t let you know the variety of resumes I’ve seen the place the individual claims to be a hardworking, motivated, and passionate particular person. 

That’s the baseline of anybody an organization needs to rent.

abstract assertion explicitly states who you might be and what you may have executed in a few sentences.

For instance, if I had been to do that for myself, I’d write.

Information Scientist / Machine Studying Engineer with 4+ years expertise specialising in time sequence forecasting, operations analysis / optimisation issues and utilized machine studying. Area experience lies in Insurance coverage, provide chain and logistics enterprise areas from the varied corporations I’ve labored in.

No fluff, simply straight to the purpose.

Technical Abilities

This can be a very transient abstract of all of your talents, and may probably not exceed 4–5 traces and that’s pushing it.

That is excessive on the resume as a result of it can instantly assist the recruiter know should you meet the job’s technical necessities.

Now, sometimes, candidates introduce many pink flags on this part with out even realising it. They assume they’re including issues that recruiters and hiring managers need to see, but it surely’s truly the precise reverse.

Let’s break down the commonest errors:

• Don’t record too many applied sciences; this seems to be suspicious. I’d be sceptical should you listed one thing like “Python, SQL, C++, Rust, Meeting.” It looks as if a bunch of buzzwords, and I’d discover it extremely unlikely you knew all of them to an inexpensive degree. 
• In terms of coding talents, it’s finest to make use of language like “proficient” or “acquainted with.” Keep away from utilizing arbitrary star rankings like “Python 4/5” or claiming to be “superior.” This fashion, you’re setting reasonable expectations and guaranteeing that your expertise are precisely represented. My criterion is that should you really feel snug answering simple Leetcode issues in that language, then you might be proficient.
• Don’t write out each Python package deal you realize. If you’re making use of for a knowledge science place, I assume you might be acquainted with NumPy, Pandas, and Matplotlib; there is no such thing as a must explicitly state this. As an alternative, record issues like Git, AWS, Argo, Bash and Databricks, that are precise applied sciences that not each candidate can have.

Expertise/Initiatives

An important half right here is to show precisely what you may have executed at every firm and what the end result was, at all times utilizing numbers and figures. Ideally, they’d be monetary influence.

Don’t attempt to be too humble; actually “flex” the work you may have executed and the influence you may have produced. Actually showoff your expertise.

For instance, discover in my resume how I talk about technical steps or fashions like “ARIMAX” or “XGBoost” with the aim of higher forecasting or predicting some enterprise drawback, mentioning the advance of the mannequin utilizing some metric, and eventually tying that to enterprise influence.

This exhibits my technical talents and that I consider enterprise influence with my tasks.

If you concentrate on it, corporations solely care concerning the monetary profit you carry them. Whether or not you employ a neural community or linear regression, it doesn’t matter.

Revenue is revenue.

It might appear reductive, however it’s true, so should you can showcase exactly how you understand how to hyperlink technical matters like machine studying to enterprise outcomes, then you might be doing higher than like 80% of candidates.

That is the framework I like to recommend you observe for each bullet level within the expertise part:

• State what you had been analysing, predicting or modelling.
• State the applied sciences, algorithms and statistical instruments you used.
• State the metrics you improved.
• State the enterprise worth you generated.

One other factor is don’t be scared to be express concerning the actual applied sciences, packages and algorithms you used. It’s higher that means than utilizing imprecise language, and it’ll additionally help you hit the ATS higher.

Some additional, however arguably apparent issues are:

• Solely embody paid work expertise, however analysis expertise is okay too.
• Begin together with your most up-to-date job and work backwards chronologically.
• Differentiate between internships and full-time positions.
• Don’t use sub-bullet factors; they aren’t mandatory.

If you happen to haven’t received any expertise, change this with a tasks part and perform comparable wording concerning the technical and enterprise elements. Attempt to record tasks most related to the function you might be making use of for to show an curiosity in that individual space.

Schooling

If you happen to don’t have any related work expertise, I like to recommend placing the schooling part earlier than work expertise after which a tasks part after.

As I’ve 4+ years of expertise, my schooling part is fairly easy. I preserve it in as many information science and machine studying jobs explicitly state a necessity for a grasp’s diploma in a STEM topic.

If you happen to don’t have expertise, you would flesh this schooling part out and talk about any related work you may have executed in your diploma. Nonetheless, I don’t advocate itemizing out all of your modules as that’s a bit overkill, and being trustworthy, nobody actually reads that or cares. Just a few additional issues to keep in mind

• In case your grade is spectacular, record it; if not, depart it clean.
• Checklist any related specialised factor you may have executed, like hackathons, tasks and so forth.
• Checklist any awards and prizes you achieved while in school.
• Miss course certificates, until it’s one thing just like the “AWS practitioner ones” or you may have a great deal of house left.

Actions / Extracurricular

That is non-compulsory, and many individuals will say don’t add this part.

I controversially assume, nevertheless, that exhibiting just a little little bit of persona in your resume will not be a foul factor, but it surely’s undoubtedly not wanted, and this could be the primary part to chop if you’re missing house.

I exploit this half to showcase my YouTube channel and weblog posts, because it provides to my resume and software, however this can be a uncommon case.

So, in case you have one thing comparable you need to point out, this part is great for that goal.

Earlier, I mentioned how should you don’t have any expertise, it is best to change this with a tasks part.

However what tasks must you do to get employed?

Properly, that is exactly the query I’ve answered in one in every of my earlier articles, which you’ll take a look at under: