This post is part of Accidental Recruiter series.

Close has an awesome team I’m currently a part of, and I’ve been helping the team to grow recently. Specifically, looking at the very first stages of recruiting pipeline — basically screening developer resumes and checking out test assignments. There’s a lot to learn from all kinds of applications and answers candidates send us, and I’d like to share some of my learnings with you :-)

We end up rejecting quite a number of applications at early stages. Very likely, among these candidates there are some brilliant people who might have been a great addition to our team. They just couldn’t communicate their strengths and bright sides clearly enough.

The one most common mistake is not paying enough attention to the company and position you’re applying to.

Carefully read position description, understand what kind of person with what skills the company is looking for, and then make effort to customize your application to match their expectations. This will significantly raise your chances to get to the next stage of a real interview.

Keep in mind though…

Never ever tell a lie on your resume!

No good ever comes from a relationship based on lies.

In next posts, we will look at some common questions you can encounter when applying for a developer position, and how to (as well as how not to) answer them, sort out typical mistakes in resumes and cover letters, and walk through test assignments. Stay tuned!

Want to learn more about how to increase your chances of getting through resume filters? Read more on my post series Accidental Recruiter.

Interested in becoming my teammate in a small but super awesome company? Apply for a job at Close!