How to Write a Compelling CV for Your Dream Tech Career

If you're applying for tech jobs in the UK or Ireland right now, your CV has seconds, not minutes, to make an impression.

Hiring managers aren’t reading your CV in detail at first glance. They’re scanning for signals, e.g. your technical strengths, your impact, and your relevance to their role. If those signals aren’t immediately clear, they move on. Here’s how to structure a compelling tech CV that stands out in today’s competitive tech hiring market.

1. Start with a Strong, Focused Professional Summary

Your CV should open with a short professional summary (three to four lines maximum). This should clearly state:

•    Your years of experience

•    Your core technical domain

•    Your primary tech stack

•    The types of environments you’ve worked in (startup, scale-up, enterprise)

Avoid generic statements like “hardworking” or “passionate technologist.” They don’t add value. Instead, be specific:

"Backend Engineer with 6 years’ experience building production-grade cloud-native systems in AWS, specialising in scalable SaaS platforms within high-growth environments".

That’s clear. That’s relevant. That’s what hiring managers want to see.

2. Make Your Tech Stack Instantly Readable

One of the most common mistakes I see is candidates listing every technology they’ve ever touched.

That doesn’t help anyone.

Instead, structure your technical skills clearly and honestly. Break them into categories such as:

•    Backend: Python, .NET, Node.js

•    Frontend: React, Angular

•    Cloud: AWS, Azure

•    Databases: PostgreSQL, MongoDB

•    DevOps: Docker, Kubernetes

•    Data/ML: TensorFlow, PyTorch

Even better, distinguish between:

•    Primary Stack (expert level/production ownership)

•    Secondary Stack (2–3 years’ experience)

•    Exposure (limited experience but understanding)

This level of clarity makes it easier for both recruiters and hiring managers to understand your true strengths. It also improves how your CV performs in Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).

3. Focus on Measurable Achievements (Not Responsibilities)

Around 80% of tech CVs fall short because they read like job descriptions, and this does not communicate impact. Hiring managers don’t need to know what your role involved. They need to know what you delivered. I recommend using the ATOM method:

Action + Technical Detail + Outcome + Metric

For example:

Weak: Responsible for API performance

Strong: Reduced API latency by 40% through query optimisation and caching.

Weak: Worked on AI platform

Strong: Built an LLM-powered internal assistant used by 150 support agents, reducing resolution time by 30%.

Hiring managers want to know:

•    What did you build?

•    Why did it matter?

•    What was the business outcome?

4. Keep It Concise and Easy to Scan

Large paragraphs are rarely read in full. Use bullet points and keep your content structured and clean. As a general rule:

•    Two pages are sufficient for most candidates.

•    Focus most detail on your current role.

•    Tailor previous roles depending on relevance.

If you’re applying for an AI-focused role but your AI experience was in a previous position, expand that section and make it prominent. Every line on your CV should earn its place.

5. Clearly State Work Preferences and Logistics

One often-overlooked detail? Logistics.

At the top of your CV (alongside your name and contact details), clearly state:

•    Location

•    Remote/hybrid/on-site preference

•    Willingness to relocate

•    Visa status (if applicable)

These are typically the first questions a recruiter will ask. Including them upfront speeds up the process and avoids unnecessary back-and-forth.

6. Tailor Your CV to Every Role

This is where strong candidates separate themselves. If you’re applying to:

A Startup:

Emphasise:

•    Ownership

•    Building from scratch

•    Fast-paced environments

•    End-to-end delivery

An Enterprise Organisation:

Highlight:

•    Governance

•    Security

•    Compliance

•    Stakeholder management

•    Scale

Reorder your projects if needed. If an older role is more relevant to the job you’re applying for, give it more detail. Tailoring your CV significantly increases your chances of passing both ATS systems and human screening.

7. Switching Between Tech Disciplines? Show Evidence.

If you're moving from DevOps into Software Engineering — or Cloud into Data — your CV must demonstrate relevant experience. This could include:

•    Personal projects

•    Freelance work

•    Open-source contributions

•    Coding bootcamps

•    Certifications

Without evidence, hiring managers may struggle to see the transition as credible.

8. What’s Changed in Tech Hiring?

The expectations of tech CVs have shifted significantly in recent years. Previously, roles were narrower. For example, a backend engineer focused primarily on one programming language. Today, hiring managers are increasingly looking for engineers who understand:

•    Scalable architecture

•    Distributed systems

•    API-first system design

•    Cloud-native environments

•    End-to-end system delivery

With the rise of AI, cloud computing and rapid technological change, adaptability matters more than ever. Employers want engineers who understand how entire systems connect and function, and not just individual programming languages.

Looking for Your Next Tech Role?

At MCS Group, our specialist tech recruitment team works with startups, scale-ups and enterprise organisations across Ireland and the UK. If you’d like tailored advice on positioning your CV for today’s tech market, get in touch with our team.