The points I share in this post are based on MY personal experiences as an applicant, interviewee, and also being part of the shortlisting process. If you don’t agree with what I have pointed out, that does not make them any less true.

Okay, I am just going to go straight to the point here:

Your CV/Resume is KEY

No matter how good you are as a developer, your CV/resume should be as good as your skill set. A resume speaks for you as applicants are being shortlisted.

The CV/resume is the first thing that they will see before they see your projects (GitHub).

One of my secondary school teachers told me that it is your time to shine and sell yourself. It tells the interviewers what they deserve to know about you.

Spend time on your CV. Hours if you must. It will help you in the long run. And with many tools to help you format (and style) your CV, there’s no excuse to be sloppy here. Seriously.

Here are the things to consider before submitting your CV:

• Must be well formatted, readable, and short (2 Pages maximum). Choose a clean font face/family. Don’t mix and match serif and sans-serif fonts.

• Must only contain relevant experience(s) to the job role you are applying for.

• If you don’t have experience, this is where your personal projects come in. If you don’t have personal projects, include the ones you actively did during your time at college/university. Mini-projects, final year project, etc.

• Most important information at the top. They know you went to school; they want to know what you can do. Put your relevant work at the top!

• Avoid unnecessary bias traps, for example, details about your ethnicity, or a picture of yourself.

• No stories, please. I love how my lecturers at the University of Malawi always emphasized that “they don’t want stories”. I can still hear Mr. Msiska’s voice on the last day we had presentations 😂. They want to see what you can do or build.

Have Proof

What do I mean by “having proof”? When you finally have impressed the shortlister(s) with your CV/Resume, they will likely look for proof of what you claim you are able to do and the easiest way to find this proof is by looking at what you have actually done. In simple terms, they will look for your GitHub profile.

Now this is where many fresh graduates screw up. Poorly to non-existent GitHub pages have cost “potential” candidates their chances at getting a job.

If I claim to be a mobile developer, there should be some form of evidence—in the form of a mobile app—to prove that statement. It doesn’t have to be an app that was published to the App Store or Play Store, no. Sure, that will give you an added advantage over your fellow candidates.

Unless the company is shady, when it comes to entry-level positions, especially internships, they will lean more towards potential. And the potential to grow beyond what you are already capable of doing.

If your GitHub is not that impressive but you have actual projects you worked on, make these stand out in your CV/Resume, making it easier for them to see as well visit where that project is hosted/available.

Whatever method you choose, please have and offer proof of what you claim to do.

Building Your GitHub

Not going to lie, Rome wasn’t built in a day. Building your GitHub profile takes time, BUT it is not difficult.

I actively started using GitHub after my Web Development course in second year. And apparently I also made the mistake of using my school account (I eventually started using my personal account), which I highly discourage any student to do. Feel free to use your personal GitHub account; that way, anyone—including your potential employer—will be able to see your growth as a developer.

Disclaimer: Just make sure your Lecturer is aware of this. Also, have the same name you registered in your school be present on GitHub.

Practice For The Interview

…the best way to know what you are going to be asked is to carefully read the job requirements.

This is tricky but doable.

You have to carefully look at the requirements in the job post.

But since we are in Malawi, that would be too easy since some companies will not bother with putting the details of the job.

But if they do, you are in luck.

Ensure that you are familiar with what they have outlined. Doesn’t need to be all the listed information. 40-50% at best should be alright.

Just make sure that in that 50% of what you know, you should know it well. Remember, there is another person who is applying, and your job is it be better than them. Be irresistible.

Anyway, the main take away from this point is that be aware of what you are likely to be asked in the Practical/Technical interview. And the best way to know what you are going to be asked is to carefully read the job requirements.

Things to note as you practice for the technical aspects of the interview:

• Know 40-50% of the job requirements and be good at them.