iOS Developer Resume – 15 Tips that will land you on an interview

As a seasoned professional who has worked closely with hiring managers, recruiters, and HR departments to recruit top-notch candidates, I have gained a wealth of knowledge about the best practices for creating a standout resume. In this article, I will share my top 15 tips for crafting an exceptional resume as an iOS app developer.

One key point to keep in mind is that your resume should highlight your iOS specific skills and experience, rather than focusing on general academic projects. I have found that many professionals mistakenly believe that a resume and a CV are the same thing, and they end up sending lengthy CVs in their job search. To be clear, a resume is a one to two-page document that succinctly presents your professional experience, skills, one or two recent projects, one proud achievement, and educational background. On the other hand, a CV (Curriculum Vitae) is a much longer document that provides a comprehensive overview of your entire career. While some employers may request a CV to gain a more in-depth understanding of a candidate, in Europe, a well-structured, tabular-format resume is more commonly used.

In the following tips, I will provide guidance on how to create a resume that will make you stand out as an iOS app developer.

Tip 1

Keep in mind that resume is just a formality – your experience tells the most.

Now a days recruiters or hiring managers or engineering managers are very active in professional media. A good profile can be easily detected. As an iOS developer, the best way to involve them in your job searching is an organised online profile, published app in AppStore even if it is not that good, having open source footprint/StackOverflow score and some GitHub repositories.

Tip 2

Make it short

In today’s job market, hiring managers often receive hundreds of resumes and CVs for a single job opening. For an iOS developer position, it is not uncommon for a hiring manager to receive 300 resumes, each three pages long, which amounts to 900 pages to read. Even if the hiring manager spends only 2.5 minutes reading each page, it would take them 37.5 hours, or at least 4.5 full work days, to read all the applications. Given the sheer volume of applications, it is crucial to make your resume short and concise.

I suggest keeping your resume to a maximum of one or two pages. I have seen experienced developers with over 12 years of experience who have successfully summarised their entire careers in just 1.5 pages. The key is to be precise and succinct in your descriptions. Your resume should only contain information that is relevant to the job you are applying for and will convince the hiring manager to invite you for an interview.

Finally, it’s important to remember that a resume is a selective body of content that is not meant to be comprehensive. If a piece of information does not contribute to convincing the hiring manager to talk to you, it should be omitted. For entry- and mid-level professionals, a one-page resume is the most common length. However, if you have extensive experience or skills that cannot be condensed further, a two-page resume is acceptable.

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Tip 3

Be honest about your experience

Make sure your resume presents valid and true information because you will be asked about your project, skill and companies etc. Interviewers are clever enough to figure out if you dishonest. If you do not have enough experience in RxSwift, don’t write it on your resume. It is totally ok if you don’t know all the frameworks. Your work experience is the heart and soul of your resume. This section needs to be in top shape. The most important thing to remember about this section is that it needs to be accomplishments-oriented.

Tip 4

Provide right keywords and divide the resume in 5-7 sections

If the company wants a developer who knows SwiftUI, your resume should have SwiftUI as skill and don’t forget tip 3. Some common sections are

• Short summary(The summary is often the first place a hiring manager will look, and gives you an opportunity to introduce your skills high up on the page. You can also work in relevant keywords from the job description.)
• Contact information(Include your name, phone number, email address, city and state. It may also be appropriate to include the URL to your LinkedIn profile. You want it to be easy for hiring managers to reach out.)
• Skills
• Experiences
• Projects
• Interests
• Education
• Certifications/Patents/Books/Journals

Tip 5

Don’t use same resume for all job applications

Well tailored resume is always stand out. Adjust your resume according to job description. If the position wants SwiftUI, Combine and MVVM, make sure to add them as your skillset. If you have multiple past projects, make sure to use the project that has some kind of similarity with the position/job description. Many people use a single version of their resume and submit it everywhere. This isn’t ideal, because job roles are often too varied for one resume to work for them all. You can increase your chances of landing an interview by building a customised resume tailored to your target role.

Tip 6

Avoid writing long text

When it comes to creating an effective iOS resume, it is important to avoid writing lengthy blocks of text. This can make it difficult for the hiring manager to quickly scan through your resume and identify your key skills and experiences. Instead, it is recommended to use bullet points to present information in a clear and concise manner. This will make it easier for the hiring manager to quickly grasp your qualifications and achievements, and make a positive impression on them. By organizing your information in bullet points, you can also highlight the most important aspects of your background and experience, and demonstrate your ability to effectively communicate your skills and accomplishments.

Tip 7

Improve the first glance of your resume

At first glance, Your resume should be clean and well-organized. The first one/two sections are very important for busy hiring managers as they read only that part, to be honest, so make sure those sections make an overall good impression. The first impression of your resume can have a significant impact on whether or not you get called for an interview. To improve the first glance of your resume, it is important to ensure that it is well-organized, visually appealing, and easy to read. Start with a clear and concise headline that highlights your current job title and years of experience. Use bold text and bullet points to emphasize key skills and achievements, and keep sentences short and to the point. It is also important to choose a clean and professional-looking font that is easy to read, and use appropriate margins to create white space and make the document easier on the eyes. By taking the time to improve the first glance of your resume, you can increase your chances of catching the attention of the hiring manager and securing an interview opportunity.

Tip 8

Don’t use super small font & templated resume builder

This one is my favorite. I have seen many rejected resumes because they are very hard to read. When it comes to creating an effective resume, readability is key. While the temptation to fit as much information as possible into a small space can lead to the use of small fonts, this approach can actually be detrimental to your chances of being selected for an interview. Instead, aim for a clean and easily readable layout that prioritizes readability over the inclusion of large amounts of information.

When it comes to formatting, resist the urge to use overly flashy templates with multiple colors and columns, as these can be hard to read and often have formatting issues when printed. Instead, stick to simple, straightforward tools like Pages or Microsoft Word and limit your use of color to a maximum of three. Make sure that your typography is consistent throughout your resume, with consistent font size, spacing, bolding, and headings. This helps create a clean and professional-looking document that is easy for hiring managers to review and understand.

Tip 9

Use proper format

Use tabular format like Europass or classic US format. Known format is easy to read. You may be eager to send your resume or submit your application, but you should take the time to first check for typos and grammatical errors. You could also have a friend or family member look over it. When you are checking for errors, be sure to double-check the formatting. Sometimes the spacing can get thrown off when you save the file, so check how it looks as a saved document. As an iOS developer, it is crucial to present a professional and well-formatted resume to potential employers. The format of your resume plays a significant role in determining how your skills, experiences, and achievements are perceived by the hiring manager. A poorly formatted resume can negatively impact your chances of landing the job, while a well-formatted resume can help you stand out among hundreds of other applicants. To improve the first glance of your resume, use a simple and clean format with a clear structure. Avoid using multiple colors, compressed fonts, and fancy templates. Instead, opt for a clear and readable font, with a maximum of three colors used throughout the page. Additionally, make sure the typography, including spacing, font size, bolding, and headings, is consistent and styled appropriately. Finally, ensure that your resume is properly formatted to maintain the aspect ratio of an A4 page. By adhering to proper format, you can effectively showcase your skills and experiences and make a positive first impression on potential employers. I believe that adding a picture of yourself is a no-go. It has no relevance to your job qualifications, and a busy recruiter won’t be paying attention to it anyway. Save the images for your personal website instead.

Tip 10

Add precise technical skills – less is more

As an iOS developer, it’s essential to focus on highlighting your precise technical skills in your resume. Rather than listing all the skills you possess, it’s more effective to choose a select few that are directly relevant to the position you’re applying for and that you have substantial experience with. By doing so, you avoid appearing like a “Jack of all trades, master of none” and instead showcase your mastery of key skills.

When it comes to technical skills, less is often more. Highlighting only a few, highly relevant skills can make a stronger impact than a long list of generic ones. For example, listing skills such as Swift, Autolayout (UIKit), MVVM, CI/CD, and Appium will give a hiring manager a clear understanding of your expertise and can set you apart from other candidates.

Additionally, it’s important to consider transferable skills that can be valuable across industries. For instance, if you have experience with reactive programming, it may be relevant to highlight even if the position requires skills in the Combine framework. This shows your willingness to learn and adapt to new technologies, which is highly valued in the industry.

Tip 11

Don’t add all projects/all experiences

It’s important to understand that not every project or experience needs to be included in your resume. Instead, focus on showcasing your most relevant and recent projects and experiences from the past 3 years. This highlights your up-to-date skills and expertise, which are crucial for employers in today’s rapidly evolving technology landscape. Additionally, it helps to demonstrate your career progression and growth as a professional. If you have extensive professional experience, it’s best to place it above your education, but if you’re a recent graduate with limited experience, your education should take priority. By presenting a concise and targeted representation of your skills and experience, you can effectively grab the attention of hiring managers and showcase why you are the ideal candidate for the job.

Tip 12

Add profile/app/personal website and make use of hyperlinks

Adding some hyperlinks will definitely help hiring managers if they want to know more about the project/company/you in general.

Tip 13

Mention your soft skills

I found it very interesting when someone mention his/her soft skills like collaborating with team members, managing conflicts etc. After all, we always want to work with someone who makes our work environment prettier.

Soft Skills for an iOS App Developer Resume

• Collaboration
• Communication
• Organizational skills
• Prioritization
• Problem-solving
• Time management
• Detail orientation
• Analytical skills
• Teamwork
• Critical thinking

Tip 14

Skip educational background details

I believe that mentioning only your highest degree in the resume is enough. If you did extra ordinary performance in well known educational institute then add some details otherwise skip the details part. Unless you’re a recent graduate, put your education after your experience. Chances are, your last couple of jobs are more important and relevant to you getting the job than where you went to college.

Tip 15

Last tip – Consider an online appearance

If you can’t figure out how to tell your whole story on one/two pages, or want to be able to include some visual examples of your work? Instead of trying to have your resume cover everything, cover the most important details on that document, and then include a link in resume, where you can dive more into what makes you the ideal candidate.

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Bonus Section

iOS Developer Resume common mistakes

1. Lack of focus: A common mistake in iOS developer resumes is a lack of focus on relevant skills and experience. It’s important to tailor your resume to the specific job you’re applying for and highlight the skills and experience that are most relevant to that position.
2. Not including specific technologies or languages: Many iOS developer resumes fail to mention specific technologies or programming languages that the candidate has experience with. Make sure to include any relevant tools and technologies you are familiar with in your resume. For example: For the iOS developer role your HTML and CSS knowledge will not be helpful. Objective-C knowledge is less relevant when the position is offered for SwiftUI.
3. Not including any iOS specific development experience: Even if you have a lot of general programming experience, it’s important to include examples of iOS development work you’ve done. Such as showcasing the apps you’ve built, or the features you’ve worked on in iOS apps.
4. Not including any examples of your work: Many iOS developer resumes don’t include any examples of the candidate’s work, such as links to apps they’ve developed or code samples. Including examples of your work can help to demonstrate your skills and experience.
5. Not including enough details about your experience: Some iOS developer resumes don’t provide enough detail about the candidate’s experience. Be specific about the technologies and framework you’ve used, and provide examples of the types of projects you’ve worked on.
6. Not including any portfolio links or GitHub profile: If you have a portfolio or GitHub profile, make sure to include the links in your resume. It will give the hiring manager a chance to see your work and get a better sense of your skills and experience.
7. Not proofreading: A final and common mistake is not proofreading your resume before submitting it. Make sure to double-check for grammar and spelling errors, as well as formatting inconsistencies.

By avoiding these common mistakes, you can help to ensure that your iOS developer resume stands out from the competition and effectively showcases your skills and experience.

Skills to highlight

When highlighting skills on an iOS developer resume, it’s important to focus on the skills that are most relevant to the position you’re applying for. Here are some skills that are commonly sought after in iOS developers:

1. Swift or Objective-C programming languages: These are the primary languages used for iOS development, so it’s essential to have experience with at least one of them.
2. iOS Frameworks and APIs: Knowledge of iOS frameworks such as UIKit, Core Data, and Core Location, and APIs such as Grand Central Dispatch, Core Animation, and Core Audio, are important for developing and designing iOS apps.
3. Xcode: Xcode is the integrated development environment (IDE) used for iOS development, so it’s important for iOS developers to be proficient in using it.
4. iOS Design Guidelines: Understanding Apple’s Human Interface Guidelines and the principles of good design is important for developing visually appealing and user-friendly iOS apps.
5. Agile development: Experience with Agile development methodologies such as Scrum, can be beneficial for working in a fast-paced development environment.
6. Third-party libraries and APIs: Experience with third-party libraries and APIs, such as CocoaPods, can be useful for quickly adding functionality to an app.
7. Version control: Familiarity with version control systems such as Git is important for managing code and collaborating with other developers.
8. App Store submission and deployment: Knowledge of how to submit an app to the App Store and deploy it to users is important for getting an app ready for release.
9. iOS Design + Architectural Patterns: Familiarity with common iOS design + architectural patterns such as Model-View-ViewModel (MVVM), VIP, VIPER, Clean Swift, and Delegation can help you build scalable and maintainable applications.
10. Networking and RESTful APIs: The ability to make network requests, parse data, and integrate with RESTful APIs is important for building iOS applications that consume data from external sources.
11. Debugging and performance optimization: Knowing how to debug and optimize code for performance is essential for ensuring that apps run smoothly.
12. Continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD): Knowledge of CI/CD practices and tools like Jenkins, Bitrise, CircleCI, etc. can be useful for automating the process of building, testing, and deploying the apps.

By highlighting these skills on your resume, you can demonstrate to potential employers that you have the experience and abilities necessary to be a successful iOS developer. Read more: Acing iOS Interview with Confidence

Thank you. Let me know if you need any help.

If you are interested in 5 parts Swift Series –

Swift iOS interview questions and answers

Swift iOS interview questions and answers – Part 1

Swift iOS interview questions and answers – Part 2

Swift iOS interview questions and answers – Part 3

Swift iOS interview questions and answers – Part 4

Swift iOS interview questions and answers – Part 5

and A bonus…

iOS Developer – Bonus Interview Questions

✍️ Written by Ishtiak Ahmed

👉 Follow me on X ● LinkedIn

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