How To Use Keywords And Phrases To Optimise Your Data Engineering Resume

As a data engineer you have been building extensive data pimples that can engulf multiple data sources. You have created tools which can be used by anyone from your organisation. You have the ability to Extract, Transform and Load volumes of data. However, your data engineer resume does not reflect the same. Why and how? 

While creating a  data engineering resume that lands you in your dream job might not be rocket science but it requires some essential elements. To really make your resume stand out from the rest, you must know what the recruiters seek. 

Most of these recruiters deploy ATS ( Applicant Tracking System) which is a software program that enables and facilitates the recruitment procedures including posting of jobs, hiring, sorting through millions of resumes and processing applications. This system also works on two important aspects which you must know as a data engineer – Keywords and Phrases. 

There are certain mandatory keywords which you must include if you really want to crack your dream job. Replacing loosely framed sentences with smart and crisp phrases will add to it. This article will help you in understanding how you can use these keywords and phrases to optimise your resume.

What does the  recruiter seek in your data engineer resume?

Before proceeding with understanding the vibrant role keywords and phrases in your data engineer resume, it is cardinal to understand what your employer really looks for.  It is extremely important that your resume should catch the eye of your hiring manager, thereby improving your chances of getting hired. 

1. Technical Skills 

Some of the topmost technical skills to include are-

• Programming skills: Many recruiters look for programming language skills such as Python, SQL, Java, Scala etc. Learning and mentioning these in your resume will improve your hiring percentage. 

• Another key aspect which really makes a resume stand out is data warehousing platforms such as Google BigQuery.Employers usually select candidates with these skills. 

• Analytics Software: If you have the ability to work efficiently with analytics software, the hiring managers would be impressed.

• Having a keen knowledge of operating systems (OS) such  as Linux, Windows etc is highly important as a data engineer. 

• You must have database management capabilities if you are looking to strike a deal. Structured Query LLanguage (SQL)  is a fundamental language which you must learn as a data engineer.

• Usually the employers are impressed by data visualisation capabilities- to be able convert complex unstructured data into easily understandable language or visually guided aids.  

2. Non Technical Skills  

 

• Being a data engineer you need to work in a team. Therefore, communication is one of the most essential skills that you must have. Having great communication skills is really upvoted by the recruiters. 

• You must possess and hone your ability to solve complex problems. Problem solving abilities  make your resume stand out from the crowd. 

• Ability to work alone and under pressure. Although most data engineers are a part of a team, you must know to work in solace as well. 

Which keywords are important for your data engineer resume ?

Highlighting certain keywords in your resume is important to showcase  your field expertise and knowledge. These keywords make your resume peerless and easily detectable by the ATS. Here is a list of must include keywords in your resume-

• Python, Java, SQL, NoSQL, Kafka, Apache, Spark, Hadoop
• Data warehousing platforms like GoogleBigQuery,Snowflake, Redshift etc. 
• Operating systems such as Linux, Microsoft Windows, iOs etc. 
• Data architecture and designing 
• Dashboarding and data visualisation 
• Networking and system administration 
•  Cybersecurity skills 
• Data mining 
• Amazon web services, Microsoft Azure etc.
• Non technical skills such as communication, leadership, time management, client relationships etc. 
• Problem solving skills, multi-tasking ability, flexibility, analytical thinking 
• Attention to detail and self motivation 

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How to optimise your data engineering resume?

Now that you know which keywords and phrases to use in your resume, let us proceed with how you can use them.  As a data engineer, your task is to curate, build and maintain trustworthy data frameworks to support decision making by the organisation. When it comes to showcasing these skills on your resume, our main goal should be to present an integrated and comprehensive set of skills. These should include both hard and soft skills keywords. Making bullet points of these keywords will improve your hiring chances and detection by the Applicant Tracking System. One thing to keep in mind is that these keywords should not be used anywhere or without context. For example- simply mentioning a hard skill keywords like SQL will be futile unless supported by other facts of your expertise in it. These keywords cannot be placed anywhere in your resume as this will disrupt the formatting of your resume and give a haphazard look. 

Businesses usually look for resumes which are bolstered, loud and comprehensive as they cannot spend hours analysing every single one.  Your goal should be simple- neither your resume should be too detailed, full of keywords nor it should be a collection of only keywords and nothing else. Try to have a humble  balance between the two. 

Here are some cardinal tips for optimising your resume-

• Make use of action verbs like managed, optimised, developed, implemented and automated along with the keywords. These verbs help in drafting a neater look of your resume. 
• When using keywords related to data modelling, NoSQL data models, words like curated, designed,architectured and created should be used. 
• Remember to keep an eye on keyword density. Keyword density means the number of times you use a single keyword in a paragraph or generally in a document. Having a voluminous keyword density won’t be of any use. Similarly, a scantier keyword density wouldn’t stand in front of ATS. Try limiting it to 3-4 times per paragraph. 
• Usage of the keyword should be meaningful and should not give the impression of a forceful insertion. 
• While it might be tempting to use keywords in every sentence of your resume, try avoiding it. 

• Phrasing of your data engineer resume is as important as using keywords. While keywords play an important role in terms of improving your chances, phrases catch the eye of the recruiters and showcase your skills in an outstanding manner. 

• Limited page and paragraph spaces calls for crisp and concise keywording without selling yourself short. Peppering your resume with dynamic and descriptive verbs makes it better. 

How can you make impactful use of phrases? 

One of the biggest mistakes which data engineers make in their resume is inappropriate and unstructured usage of phrases. Some of these phrases are often obsolete. Some essential points for optimising your resuming using phrases have been mentioned here-

 

• Phrases to use in Resume Header- Resume Header is one of the most important and unavoidable parts of your resume. The most common mistake is providing insufficient information in the resume header and making use of unnecessary phrases.

Example: <Your Name>                                                                            

                      Big Data Engineer                          

   

 

                     <Your name>                                                                              

                     Big Data Engineer                           

                  @                      LinkedIn            +91——

The above example shows how a minor difference can create a big impact. Phrasing is not just about using phrases, you can also use figures, facts and even symbols to enhance your resume.

When using phrases in your resume summary, keep in mind to make it concise yet detailed. A simple example of a beautifully phrased summary is as follows-

Senior Data Analyst with 6+ years of experience in creating intensive data frameworks, managing scalability problems and handling architectural challenges. Currently helping Google with data pipelines. 

You must note how action verbs such as ‘creating’, ‘managing’, ‘handling’ have been used to optimise the sentence. 

There are certain valuable phrases which you use in your resume, especially in the skills and experience section. These have been mentioned below for your convenience-

• Structured, maintained and deployed data 
• Worked closely with 
• Designed best practices for 
• Increased the efficiency of 
• Prepared and presented 
• Effortlessly handled data for 

If you follow these tips you will be able to optimise your data engineer resume by making appropriate use of phrases and keywords. This will not only make your resume look better but drastically improve your chances of being hired.