So you’re trying to write an iOS developer résumé, and you have no idea where to start. We have two words for you: Swift, Objective-C. If you’ve learned anything about iOS, you know that Swift and Objective-C are the two languages used to write iOS (and macOS, and watchOS) apps. Objective-C has existed for more than three decades, while Swift is a mere three years old—having been introduced to replace Objective-C as the “main” language for Apple apps. If you want to land any sort of iOS job, recruiters and hiring managers will want you proficient in both languages, even if Swift is rapidly supplanting Objective-C as developers’ language of choice. Why both? Because many companies have legacy apps written in Objective-C, and chances are good that code will need to be maintained as-is or rewritten in Swift—and both those scenarios require Objective-C knowledge. (As Swift doesn't have ABI stability quite yet, it's hard for many iOS developers to go "all in" on the language, but that will surely change as Swift fully matures over the next few years.) But Swift and Objective-C knowledge isn't the only thing that an iOS developer résumé needs.

Other Skills

In addition to Swift and Objective-C, it’s important to highlight work with other languages, platforms and frameworks that feed the iOS ecosystem, including (but certainly not limited to) MySQL and Oracle (in terms of databases), Java and JavaScript (languages plus the frameworks), and GitHub. Proficiency in Xcode, the integrated development environment (IDE) with various development tools, is also key. Many firms rely heavily on Xcode tooling, with the exception of Google and other (generally huge) companies that have the resources and software know-how to create bespoke IDEs.

Go Big on Projects

Want an iOS job? Show how you’ve used iOS in real-world contexts. Fortunately, if you’ve spent a lot of time actually building or maintaining iOS apps, you’ll likely have a healthy reservoir of experiences and finished projects to draw upon. When it comes to an iOS developer résumé, make sure that your experience section clearly delineates the projects you’ve worked on, as well as the results. Include names of finished apps and (if electronically submitting the résumé) links. If those apps had a positive effect on the company you worked for, such as boosted engagement or revenue, it’s important to note that; prospective employers want to see the kind of impact your work had on the company’s overall fortunes. When it comes to iOS, your personal projects can matter just as much as the ones you’ve completed for a particular firm. If you’ve completed an interesting and/or complex iOS-related project on your own time, you should feel free to list it prominently, because companies really like job candidates who show considerable initiative.

But a Good Résumé Isn’t the End of the Process

If you survive the iOS developer résumé gauntlet, the next stage is the job interview. Fortunately, many iOS interview questions are pretty straightforward—for instance, you’ll certainly have to spend time describing your iOS-related apps and projects. Many of these interviews also demand you demonstrate in-depth knowledge of iOS development; make sure you’re up on the latest tools, as well as the most current version of Swift, before stepping into the interview room.