All You Should Know about GitHub to Improve Your Resume

We are all living in the digital era. The increased presence of technology in our lives and the influence of the internet have changed the labor market. There has been an increased demand for coding jobs. 

For example, companies are looking for computer programmers, web developers, front and back-end developers, computer system engineers, and many more. Anyone looking for a similar job would benefit from showing their coding skills on their resume. 

However, it is not easy to show such skills on a resume. Simply listing your skills using bullet points is not good enough to demonstrate your proficiency with different technologies. Recruiters will not be able to understand your skill level. That is why including your GitHub in your resume can benefit you.

GitHub is the most used development platform in the world. It has millions of users that build and maintain software on it. 

Coders can keep track of changes they have made to their codes on GitHub. So they can go back and restore their code in case of any problem. Github is also a great platform for developers to collaborate with others. Most importantly, with GitHub, developers, can showcase their codes. 

As a result, it can help you strengthen your application if you put GitHub on your resume. Recruiters can easily understand your code writing and reading abilities by accessing your work through a GitHub profile link. 

Furthermore, a resume that uses GitHub also showcases your passion for coding, your cooperating skills, and, most certainly, your ability to use Git. However, including GitHub in your resume is not enough. You also need to know when and how to include GitHub in your resume.

The simple answer is yes. As a rule of thumb, your resume benefits from having a Github profile link. 

💡 How using GitHub in your resume can benefit you: 

• Shows skill levels

Showing your programming skills in your CV is quite hard, especially when you have never professionally worked in the area. By adding a GitHub profile link to your CV, your prospective employer can have some evidence of your talent. 

• Shows your enthusiasm for programming

Your projects on GitHub reflect your passion for codding. It takes time and effort to work on projects and only people who are truly passionate about programming can do it. 

From your GitHub profile on the resume, potential employers will see how committed you are to the task. This is a trait that many employers look for.

• Helps you stand out

Including GitHub in your resume sets you apart from other applicants. It is not only proof of your passion and skills, but it also is tangible evidence that you can use Git. 

More often than not, adding GitHub to your resume proves that you will require less training than other candidates. It is a skill that positively affects job searchers. Even if the company is not using Git just yet, the experience GitHub reflects on your reume can be beneficial and turn into the plus value you offer over your competitors. 

However, simply adding a GitHub link to your resume is not enough. You also need to make sure your GitHub profile is a strong one. You should include it in your resume in the following conditions:

💡 When to include your GitHub in the resume:

• When your GitHub profile is active

Keep in mind that only an active profile will be beneficial if you add GitHub in your resume. If you haven’t updated your GitHub profile and codes in it in a while, it’s difficult for the recruiter to determine whether you still possess those coding skills. 

An inactive GitHub might also suggest a lack of persistence and commitment. 

• When your GitHub projects validate skills on your resume

Your GitHub portfolio serves to add value to your resume. This cannot be achieved if the skills demonstrated in your GitHub profile don’t match those on your resume. 

It is time to learn how to put GitHub on your resume now that you know the benefits of including GitHub in your resume and when to include it.

• Find the GitHub profile link
• Choose the best place to add it

🎯 Find the GitHub profile link

Before you add your GitHub resume, you need to find your GitHub profile link.

🎯 Choose the best place to add it

There are many sections of your resume, such as the header and the skill section, where a GitHub link can be added. Read the following and understand the pros and cons of each to decide where to include GitHub in your resume.

We’ve also gathered some samples of including GitHub in different resume sections to help you better understand how to put GitHub on your resume. 

• Resume header: 

The most common way to link your GitHub to your resume is to include your profile in your resume header as it guarantees that the recruiter will see it. It works best when your profile is very active and you want to emphasize your skills in general rather than a specific project. 

Example: 

• Profile Summary: 

Another great way to shed the light on your experience is to add your GitHub profile to the resume profile summary and explain it in a more detailed fashion. Most specifically when GitHub experience is a requirement for the position. Make sure to add your most relevant experience and career highlights.

However, it takes up some space in your resume summary, which should be as concise as possible.

Example:

• Skills: 

Adding your GitHub profile link in the skills section can help you if you don’t have a dedicated “projects” section. List your programming skills and provide links to projects where you used them.

Including your GitHub in the skills section, however, might lead to negligence of other aspects of your projects.

Example:

Creating a dedicated section for your GitHub profile on your resume highlights specific projects you worked on as a whole and allows you to elaborate on them. Make sure to type the name of the project, your role/contribution, and the date of completion. 

• Projects: 

Remember to add a working link to each project you list on your resume that you work on GitHub.

However, this option is only useful when the project you worked on is public and non-confidential. 

Example:

Now you have a better idea of how to include GitHub in your resume. Read the following tips to make a stellar impression on the recruiter: 

✅ Include proud projects.

While there are no real rules on what projects from GitHub can be added to your resume, you should still focus on those that showcase your development and coding skills. Highlight a project where you used skills or languages related to the position you want to apply for.

Link directly to the project you want to highlight rather than using your GitHub profile link. That way, you won’t waste the recruiter’s time and take them to your star project instead. 

✅ Make sure your GitHub profile is active.

You want to make a good impression by adding your GitHub profile to your CV. Therefore, you need to ponder whether your profile is active enough before presenting a CV with your GitHub profile.

It will be harmful to your application if you are not active on the platform. Therefore, only include GitHub in your resume when you can clearly show your activity.

✅ Create a README page and pin the most important projects.

Create a README that summarizes all your experience so you can use it on your GitHub profile. Add relevant information about yourself and the most important projects you have worked on lately. 

Therefore, when recruiters click on your GitHub profile link, they can see your core skill sets, programming languages, and projects. 

If you are unsure how to create one, you should create a repo using your username. Then, start with a README. You can even add pictures and videos to this page. It will improve how recruiters interact with the GitHub profile in your resume.

✅ Make sure your projects showcase relevant skills.

You should filter the content that recruiters could access by using your GitHub profile link, Similar to editing your CV so that it caters to a specific job position. 

On GitHub, you can practice several skills. Most likely, you will not have a mastery of all of them. Therefore, pluck the weeds in your profile before showing your GitHub on your resume.

✅ Provide links to your WIP projects.

Do not restrain yourself by only including GitHub projects that are completed in your resume. Projects that are still work in progress reflect your coding skills too.

--- Originally written by Roger Rene Ortega Figueroa ---