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You’ve delivered successful projects, mastered systems, upskilled, and solved business-critical problems.
Yet, when updating your CV or interviewing, it’s easy to fall into the trap of using too much technical jargon.
Clear communication is one of the most underrated skills in tech. Here’s how to showcase your experience without overwhelming your audience.
Focus on outcomes, not only tools
Recruiters and hiring managers don’t only want to know which platforms or frameworks you have used. They want to understand the value you delivered. Instead of only naming systems or technologies, explain what you achieved and how it made a difference to the business.
For example, instead of only saying, “Deploying AWS-based CI/CD pipelines using Terraform,” try, “Deployed AWS-based CI/CD pipelines using Terraform, automating cloud releases and reducing deployment time by 40%.”
These small changes make your impact clearer, even to non-technical readers such as talent acquisition specialists. They also catch the eye of hiring managers scanning your CV at speed.
Tell clear, relatable stories
Use short, practical examples to bring your tech experience to life. Talk through a project by:
- explaining the problem
- what you did
- what happened as a result.
Avoid long-winded technical descriptions. Focus on the challenge, your approach, and the outcome. Make it easy for someone outside your current organisation or the tech industry to follow.
Highlight collaboration and showcase your work
Today's employers value teamwork as much as technical skills. Mention how you worked with others, particularly across departments. This shows you can translate complex tech into clear communication and effective teamwork.
A polished CV is great, but a GitHub portfolio or a well-crafted LinkedIn profile with regular posts can showcase your passion, technical knowledge, and personality. This can set you apart and show recruiters who you are beyond your skills. It also increases your likelihood of being headhunted for exciting opportunities.
Adapt your language to the audience
Many roles involve speaking to both HR and technical stakeholders. Tailor your communication depending on who you’re speaking to. HR and recruitment professionals want to understand your strengths quickly. Hiring managers may want more technical depth, but they also value clarity and focus.
When in doubt, think about how you’d explain your project to a colleague from another department.
Employers want more than technical specialists; they want communicators, collaborators, and problem-solvers. Translate your experience into real-world impact.
Keep your balance
Getting your CV to the top of the pile is the first step to securing a new role. You need enough detail to show your expertise, but too much can bury your key points. On your CV, use clear bullet points that highlight impact. In interviews, prepare two versions of your project stories, one for non-technical listeners and one for technical leads.
Highlight certifications
Certifications can do much of the talking on CVs. Certifications help you stand out and signal that you’re committed to continuous learning, especially useful in a competitive job market. Employers view certifications as proof of competence and commitment to continuous learning, streamlining the hiring process.
Replace jargon with plain language
Technical terms can be helpful but only if they’re widely understood. Swap jargon for outcomes wherever possible. Yet, remember that technical terms are important, primarily for CVs being read by ATS or technical hiring managers. So yes, include key tools, systems, and platforms (like SAP S/4HANA, IDoc, and AWS).
But don’t stop there. Help readers understand the value you delivered by pairing those terms with outcomes.
For example: “Led SAP S/4HANA FI/CO implementation, improving invoicing accuracy and speeding up month-end reporting.” This way, your CV is rich in keywords and tells a compelling story about what you achieved.
Instead of “I built a machine learning model,” say, “Built a machine learning model that helped reduce customer churn by predicting user behaviour.”
When you explain your experience clearly, it’s easier for employers to see what you bring to the table. Keep it simple, focus on impact, and tell your story your way.
Looking for your next move? Send your CV to NU Concept Solutions and let’s chat.