How To Put GitHub on Your Resume [Guide + Tips]

How do you prove your technical skills on a resume? For job seekers in software development or software engineering, the answer is a GitHub profile. 

With GitHub, programmers can collaborate with other programmers to design and improve source code. Along those lines, GitHub lets developers manage and store different versions of projects.

In this guide, you will learn how to put GitHub on a resume in a variety of ways, how to improve your GitHub profile so you stand out during the hiring process, and how Teal’s Resume Builder can help put it all together for you.

Struggling to land interviews? Build a resume that gets results with Teal.

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Should you put GitHub on your resume?

If you don’t know the difference between a portfolio and a resume, no worries. GitHub can act as your portfolio.

For job seekers in software development or software engineering, including software engineers, adding GitHub to your resume is not a requirement, but it can be a valuable way to showcase your skills to potential employers.

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Benefits to adding GitHub to your resume

• Commitment: This shows potential employers you’re proactive and committed to your career. It sets you apart from other candidates who either don’t have a profile or have a poor GitHub profile.
• Skill set: Hiring managers will have a chance to explore your projects. A GitHub profile demonstrates you know how to do the work, not just how to talk about it.
• Collaboration: Because GitHub is open source, recruiters and future employers will see projects you've contributed to, showcasing your collaboration skills.

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Checklist before you add a GitHub link to your resume 

Even if you know the importance of a Github profile on your resume, it still may not be the right fit for you. Ensure the following is accurate:

• Professional: Do you have a polished profile with a professional photo and username? You’ll want to make a good impression with this profile, much like you would with your resume, LinkedIn profile, or on an interview.
• Active: Is your GitHub account active? Do you have projects you’re proud of? Consider contributing to popular open-source projects before adding a GitHub link to the resume. 
• Relevant: Do the projects on your GitHub profile show your experience? Are you using programming languages relevant to the job you’re applying to? Consider adding projects that leverage relevant code before moving forward.

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How to add GitHub on your resume

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to add GitHub to your resume. But first, you may wonder which GitHub link to use for your resume.

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How to get your GitHub link for your resume

1. Go to Github.com
2. Log into your profile, then click on your profile picture or avatar (top right corner).
3. On your profile page, look for the URL in the address bar of your browser. This is your GitHub profile URL.

It’ll look something like this: 

github.com/yourname

Note: If your profile name and URL slug are not your full name, consider updating your profile name to make it more professional and easier to find.

Now, you have a few placement options for your GitHub link:

• Skills 
• Projects
• Work experience
• Header

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How to add GitHub to your resume skills

If you're applying for a position that involves coding or programming, list those skills in your Skills section. This should help boost your resume’s relevance in the Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) if the hiring manager is looking for GitHub keywords. It will also help clarify your experience and highlight your technical skills.

Categorize your skills into groups like programming languages, tools, or operating systems. List core competencies under each category. Then, include a link to a specific GitHub project that best demonstrates the specific skill.

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GitHub resume example in Skills section

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Pro Tip: Use Teal’s free Resume Creator to store all of your skills in one place. With Teal you can categorize each skill by type (and toggle them on and off or add new skills whenever you need to!).

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How to add GitHub to your resume projects

A dedicated Projects section in a resume is a great way to show real-world work you’ve completed and don’t have room to share on your resume. It’s similar to a work portfolio but condensed for a resume. 

You may not have an exciting GitHub profile, but rather just one large project completed. Generally speaking, if you have something you can show off from beginning to end, rather than multiple projects you’ve contributed to, this is a great route for you.

Create a separate section of your resume titled “Projects.” Use the following GitHub resume template to guide you through creating your project.

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GitHub resume template for Projects section

Project Name | Your Role | Dates

GitHub link

Description of the project

Bullet point: technologies and languages used

Bullet Point: Achievement #1

Bullet Point: Achievement #2

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GitHub resume example in Projects section

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How to add GitHub to your resume work experience

Your Work Experience section takes the bulk of your resume space. This is where you'll want to list where you were employed and how you contributed to the team. When describing your professional experience, you have many opportunities to showcase your technical skills. When describing your professional experience, you can also highlight how you maintain code on GitHub, showcasing your commitment to keeping your projects up-to-date and well-documented.

Either include your link underneath the role title or within a job duty bullet point. You want to highlight it in a way that emphasizes its relevance to your professional experience.

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GitHub resume example in Work Experience section

Struggling to write about your achievements? Teal’s AI Bullet Point tool helps you write about your coding achievements in seconds, using metric-rich statements.

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How to add GitHub to your resume header

The simplest place to add a link is in your header. This section is displayed across the top of your resume and typically includes your contact information. This makes the link easy to find.

Along with your contact information, write out your profile URL. For example, you might write:

github.io/yourname

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GitHub resume example in header

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GitHub on resume example

In summary, you can plug in your Github profile link in many different areas on your resume. However, that doesn’t mean you should plug your Github profile URL on every single possible option. That would be redundant and make your resume feel cluttered. 

Instead, choose just one or two areas to highlight your Github profile. In this GitHub resume example, you can see GitHub highlighted in two sections: the general profile placed within the Header and a repository link placed within the Projects section. This provides whoever is viewing the resume with options—without overwhelming them or keyword stuffing.

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Struggling to format your resume? Within Teal’s Resume Builder, simply add your information (or import info from your LinkedIn profile) to get started. Then let the Resume Design feature do the hard work for you. Customize the style, format, and presentation with just a few clicks.

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Tips to make your GitHub profile stand out to hiring managers

It’s important to ensure your profile is attractive and ready to be seen by recruiters and hiring managers. If you would like GitHub listed on your resume, keep these tips in mind.

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Keep GitHub updated

Keep your profile and your code updated and appealing. That means ensure it has your correct information. Also, be sure to remove or make private any broken code or old projects. 

Ensure your GitHub profile is professional with a professional-looking headshot and ensure all the public projects are things you would want employers to see. 

If you have a very active profile, you can gain badges, stars, and achievements to show off on your profile. This will show potential employers you are dedicated and collaborative.

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Pay attention to repositories

GitHub provides the option to maintain multiple repositories for different coding projects. You can make each repository public or private. 

Go through your profile and either remove or make private any code you don’t want a potential employer to see. Additionally, you can pin your proudest repositories to the top of your profile, making it easy for visitors to see your best work. 

This link to your GitHub projects will look something like this:

https://yourname.github.io/repo-name

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Add a README of GitHub

Sometimes, showing the code is not enough. By creating a README file, you have a chance to explain the code, the project, and any other important notes. This will help hiring managers understand what they are looking at.

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Common GitHub mistakes to avoid

It’s not enough to simply know how to put GitHub on your resume. To up your chances at impressing your audience, you need to optimize your profile and put your best foot forward.

Here are some common mistakes to avoid before you move ahead with sending out those resumes with your GitHub profile attached. 

• Broken code: A profile with bad or broken code could harm you more than help you. Make sure your public projects are all your best work. 
• Inactivity: While this may not be fair, a profile with long breaks in activity can cause potential employers to doubt your dedication. If you took breaks, explain those gaps much like you would a gap in employment.
• Private projects: It’s a small mistake, but could add a big break in momentum if a hiring manager views your profile only to be met with nothing. Make sure each project you linked to in your resume is publicly available on GitHub.
• Sensitive information: You should also avoid including any projects you are not authorized to reveal.

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How to format GitHub on your resume

Now that you understand the potential, Teal’s Design Mode can assist with formatting your resume so you can easily add links to your resume and put it all together.

As a recap, you might list your GitHub profile in:

• Skills section
• Projects section
• Your work experience section
• Your resume header

Using Teal's Resume Builder, you can add and edit your resume sections as needed. Within the “Design” menu and the “Sections” tab, it’s easy to rename or rearrange the information on your resume by simply clicking and dragging the different section blocks. 

In this section of the Resume Builder, you get to choose from a variety of resume templates, change the styling options and layout, reorder sections, or change detailed settings, like line height and borders.

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Showcase your Github achievements with Teal

If you’re looking for a tech job in today’s competitive developer job market, contributing to open source projects via GitHub can help you stand out from the competition. When you know how to put GitHub on your resume the right way, you set yourself up as a dedicated, capable professional. Hopefully, this guide gave you the GitHub skills you need to showcase projects and stand out to hiring managers.

If you feel stressed about resume writing during your job search, you don’t have to start from scratch. Teal’s Resume Creator is a powerful tool to help you format your resume, write bullet points that show off your skills, and tailor your resume to the job you’re applying to. Sign up for Teal for free to get started.

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