---

If you are a foreigner in Denmark, you must always be available for a career change. Especially with those who are working as software developers like me in Copenhagen, changing jobs happens every 3–4 years.

A resume is the first thing you need to apply for a job, and having a complete resume will differentiate you from the candidate pool.

Here are why your resume is the most important thing when applying for a job.

---

1. Resumes allow employers to learn more about you before they invite you for a job interview

The employers must read your resume to decide if you are a suitable candidate for further consideration.

This process will filter out inappropriate candidates. The top 5 or 10 might be called to the next step.

Be different. Be you. Do not make your resume look similar to others.

2. Your resume is an advertisement for you and the skills you bring to a team

It details your previous work experience, your education, your skill set and your accomplishments.

If what you advertised in your resume does not match what the team expected, you will be canceled out.

Both hard skills and soft skills are considered. You must adjust your resume according to the job description to show relevant information only.

If you are applying for a tech position, remember to list only the tech stack related to the job. Do not try to list everything.

3. With a good resume, you can compete with hundreds of other candidates applying for the same role

The primary purpose of your resume is to land you a job interview where you can show an employer who you are and why you are the best fit for the role.

When applying for tech jobs (like software engineers) in top companies, hundreds of candidates apply for the same position. You need to be a standout both in the first round and in the next rounds of the interviews.

Many employers will use your resume as a guideline during each interview. Having a great resume will help you win a job interview.

4. An updated resume can give you a sense of security if you unexpectedly need to search for a new job

You never know when you have to change jobs.

Thousands of jobs have been changed during the pandemic and after that. Even today. My job was also changed due to that scenario.

An up-to-date resume will help you not be stressed of trying to throw in together at the last minute.

Be prepared. Listen to the job market. Learn new skills. Update your resume. Use it when needed.

5. A standout resume can even land you a job in a foreign country where you can begin a new life

I came from Vietnam. My academic CV helped me land a job as a Ph.D. student in Denmark.

When I switched to work in the industry after the Ph.D., I updated my 3-pages CV into a one-page resume. I have constantly been updating my resume and my brand on LinkedIn. It helped me stand out among the candidates whenever I applied for a new job here.

---

Conclusion

A complete resume will allow you to interview with many companies and ultimately land a great job.

Whether you are changing careers or have just graduated from a coding boot camp, you should build a great resume that earns you several job offers.

---

Thanks for reading. Check out my latest resume for an example of a tech resume.