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About Section
I have mixed feelings on the "about me" section/paragraph at the top of resumes. I think it's worth doing if you do it well, but if you do it poorly, it's just a waste of space.
Do not make the mistake of talking about your hobbies or passion for Indian cuisine in this section. Take advantage of these few sentences to sell your story and all the hard work you've put in to get to this point as a developer.
Bad Examples
I'm a developer who writes Go and Python. I love to hang out with my family and write code in my spare time. I'm looking for a great company to work for.
I have a passion for programming and artisan coffee. I love to learn new things and I'm excited to start my career in software development. I love to play tennis and go hiking on the weekends.
Good Examples
I decided to give software engineering a go 3 years ago when I stumbled onto a book about Python and decided to automate the grading of my students' math homework. I was a middle school teacher at the time, but I got hooked on coding and have been learning everything I can about programming ever since. I can't wait to transition to a full-time career in development.
I got into programming a few years ago when I was helping out at my family's restaurant. We were constantly juggling phone calls, handwritten tickets, and missing orders, so I wrote a little program to track everything using Google sheets and Python scripts. It was so fun (and useful) that I dove deeper into programming and haven't stopped since.
What's the Difference?
- Be specific. Don't just say you love Go, say why, and which parts.
- Tell a story, don't list facts. Let them get to know you through the narrative.
- Convey that you're smart, capable, and hard-working without saying it outright. Show it.
Assignment
Write your "about me" section for your resume.