Your CV Has 10 Seconds to Impress Or It’s Game Over | Insights from 400+ interviews

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Your CV Has 10 Seconds to Impress Or It’s Game Over | Insights from 400+ interviews

The real goal of a CV isn’t to get you the job – it’s to get you the conversation!

Let that sink in.

You can explain your story, your strengths, and your experience once you’re face-to-face. But until then, your CV has to do all the talking. And it only has less than 10 seconds to make an impression.

You’re not competing with just a job description. You’re competing with 200+ other applicants for the same role. If your CV doesn’t scream say, “I’m worth a conversation,” you’re out!

Recruiters skim hundreds of CVs each week. Sure, you might get past the AI filter with ChatGPT and 143 keywords, but the next gate is tougher.. the eyeball test.

So how do you stand out? At RareTalent, we’ve interviewed and onboarded 400+ senior developers and auditors into our talent pool in the last year. Here are the key insights we’ve gathered on crafting a CV that lands you the interview.

Start With a Clear & Smart Header

Keep it simple. Skip unnecessary details like date of birth, marital status, phone numbers or your full address, and focus on what really counts. A sharp, well-structured header makes it effortless for hiring managers to identify you and get in touch.

What to include:

  • Name + Current Role (or the role you’re targeting if you’re switching tracks).
  • Hyperlinked contact items (avoid pasting full links):
    • Email
    • GitHub
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
    • Portfolio/Blog (only if active and relevant)
    • Telegram (instead of phone number)
  • Location + Timezone: This is basic information that every recruiter wants to find out. Share that early, so that they can focus more on your career highlights.
  • If you’re a security researcher, link your audit portfolio (Cantina, Sherlock, Code4rena, Immunefi). And if you don’t have any findings.. don’t mention them.

Example layout:

Tip: Profile pictures are not relevant in most tech hiring and can introduce bias.

Open with a Powerful Professional Summary

The first few lines of your CV is your elevator pitch. This is where you tell the recruiter who you are, what you are great at, and why you matter in just 3–4 sentences. Think of it as your chance to set the tone before the recruiter even dives into your experience.

Instead of writing broad, generic statements, be specific and technical.

Highlight:

  • Years of experience (you can separate your Web2 and Web3 experience)
  • Core expertise (e.g., smart contracts, backend systems, security research, DeFi protocols)
  • Signature strengths with impact (e.g. I’ve led projects securing over $8M in TVL and reduced smart contract deployment failures by 35% through automated testing)

Weak example:

“Experienced software engineer looking for blockchain opportunities.”

Strong example:

“With 7 years in full-stack development and 3 years in blockchain, I specialize in DeFi protocols and cross-chain infrastructure. I’ve led projects securing over $8M in TVL and reduced smart contract deployment failures by 35% through automated testing. Beyond work, I actively contribute to open-source Ethereum projects and mentor junior developers in Rust and Solidity.”

Key Achievements: The Fastest Way to Get Noticed

Your CV isn’t a list of responsibilities, it’s proof of impact. Recruiters and hiring managers want to see what you actually delivered, not what your job description looked like. That’s why a Key Achievements is a powerful start to your introduction.

This is the space to highlight your biggest wins across work experience, projects, grants, publications or research or note worthy open-source contributions…

  • They show results, not tasks. Anyone can say “built a smart contract,” but not everyone can say “grew TVL from $0 to $300k in 90 days across 400+ depositors.”
  • They build credibility. Numbers, links, and metrics are harder to ignore than vague statements.

How to Write Strong Achievements:

  1. Start with an action verb (engineered, led, optimised, deployed).
  2. Add context (what you worked on – protocol, system, feature).
  3. Show the impact with numbers (saved %, earned $, boosted users, reduced time).
  4. Where possible, include links (GitHub, blog, published code, hackathon projects).

Bad example:

“Worked on DeFi contracts.”

Too vague, no scope, no numbers.

“Developed smart contracts for a DEX.”

Lacks outcome.

Good example:

“Engineered DeFi strategy core contracts for cross-chain trading using LayerZero and Stargate, driving $5M+ in transaction volume across Optimism, Arbitrum, and BSC.”

“Designed and deployed an NFT exchange protocol inspired by OpenSea and Blur, increasing liquidity by 30% and cutting transaction costs.”

If you don’t have hard numbers, use relative impact (e.g., “reduced transaction costs significantly,” “cut build times by half”) or show recognition (e.g., “ETHGlobal finalist,” “featured on project’s GitHub showcase”).

Skills Section: Quality Over Quantity

Your tech stack section should give recruiters a clear, honest snapshot of your technical strengths. Instead of listing every tool you’ve ever touched, focus only on what you’re proficient in and use regularly.

Avoid generic or beginner-level mentions like “Familiar with Python” or “Basic knowledge of Docker”. These water down your profile. Instead, highlight the tools and frameworks where you can confidently deliver results.

Your skills section should feel like a well-organized toolbox, not a random shopping list.

Break it into categories:

Languages: Solidity (4 years), Rust (3 years), Go (2 years), Typescript (5 years),
Python (2 years), Java (2 years)
Frameworks/Tools: Hardhat, Foundry, ReactJS, Ethers.js
Security/Testing: Slither, Echidna, Fuzzing, Tenderly
DevOps: AWS, Docker/Kubernetes, CircleCI, GitHub Actions

Tip: Adding years of experience for each language will help hiring managers quickly gauge your depth.

Your Work Experience: Turn Job Roles Into Stories of Impact

Your Work Experience is where recruiters spend the most time, so make it count. Instead of copying job descriptions, highlight your specific contributions and measurable results. Show the scale of your work, the teams you led, and the impact you delivered.

You can (and should) mention your Web2 background because it adds credibility and years of experience, but keep it short. The bulk of detail should go into your Web3 roles.

How to do it right:

  • Be specific: What you built, designed, or optimized.
  • Back it with numbers: Total Value Locked (TVL), transaction volume, revenue impact, reduced costs, % improvements.
  • Show leadership: Mention team size, mentoring responsibilities, or cross-functional coordination.
  • Add credibility: Hyperlink company names to their websites/projects.
  • Always include dates: Use Month + Year – Month + Year format for each role.

Weak example:

Pirates Inc. | Blockchain Developer | 2022 – 2025

  • Worked on smart contracts.
  • Helped with Polkadot

Strong example:

Pirates Inc. | Senior Blockchain Developer | Feb 2022 – Feb 2025

  • Designed and developed smart contracts on Ethereum & Polkadot, including a DEX modeled after Balancer, securing $1M+ TVL within 6 months.
  • Built native liquid staking of $DOT on a Polkadot parachain, expanding validator adoption by 15%.
  • Delivered unit and cross-chain test suites with Hardhat and Foundry, ensuring 95%+ coverage.

Tip: Use past-tense action verbs like Led, Designed, Delivered, and Built, and keep bullet points short, sharp, and impact-driven.

Showcase Projects, Open-Source Contributions & Hackathon Wins

Your CV shouldn’t just show what you’ve done at work. It should highlight how you contribute to the broader ecosystem. In blockchain and software, projects, open-source contributions, and hackathon wins can sometimes matter as much as formal job titles. They prove initiative and skill.

Projects

Projects demonstrate that you can take an idea from concept to code to deployment. They don’t need to be massive, but they should be practical and verifiable.

  • Link the GitHub repo or live app.
  • Specify your role (e.g., smart contracts, frontend, architecture).
  • Mention tools/languages used.
  • Highlight any usage, adoption, or recognition.

Example:

Blockchain Application for charity and funding | Solidity, JavaScript | June 2021

  • “Built a donation platform enabling cross-border giving with Solidity, ReactJS, and Web3.js — deployed to Ethereum testnet with 100+ users in pilot phase.”

Open-Source Contributions

Open-source work shows you can collaborate in real-world codebases and contribute to the community.

  • Link directly to the project or PRs.
  • State clearly what you contributed (optimisation, testing, new feature).
  • Quantify the impact where possible.

Example:

Paradigm: RETH | August 2024

  • Contributed by optimising Ethereum execution client performance
  • Enhanced EVM execution logic, reducing sync time by 12%

Hackathons

Hackathon wins prove you can deliver under pressure and often highlight creativity.

  • Mention only notable wins (1st, 2nd, 3rd place, prize pool).
  • Include the hackathon name, project (add links), and what you built.
  • Show recognition from the community or sponsors.

Example:

ETHJapan – Multiple Bounty Winner | March 2024

  • Built Audience Hub – A web3 version of Patreon powered by Request Network & Sablier
    • Request Network – 2nd prize, Sablier Honourable Prize and ENS Prize Pool Winner

Tips:
Don’t list every hackathon you attended but only focus on notable prizes.
Don’t add unfinished or irrelevant projects (keep it professional and deployable).

Education & Certifications

Your education shows your foundation, but in fast-moving fields like blockchain, professional certifications and fellowships often carry more weight than traditional degrees.

  • Professional Qualifications & Certifications: List fellowships, certifications, and specialized training programs.
  • Academic Education: Mention degrees and diplomas, but keep them brief unless they’re directly relevant (e.g., Computer Science, Cryptography).

Professional Qualifications
RareSkills Blockchain Engineering Fellowship — 6-month advanced Solidity training covering proxies, clone factories, gas optimization, and CTFs like Damn Vulnerable DeFi.

Academic Education
BSc in IT Management, SIM Technology Institute, Canada (2015).

Tips:

  • If you’re a self-taught engineer, highlight it proudly in your Professional Summary. Phrasing like “Self-taught smart contract engineer with 4 years of blockchain experience” instantly signals initiative and resourcefulness.

If You have Any Extras That Strengthen Your Profile

Once you’ve covered the essentials (Summary, Achievements, Skills, Experience, Projects, and Education), you can add an “Additional Information” section for anything that sets you apart.

  • Publications & Research: Articles, white papers, or protocol R&D.
  • Speaking Engagements: Conference talks, panels, webinars.
  • Podcasts & Interviews: Guest appearances where you shared expertise.
  • Videos or Content: Tutorials, workshops, or courses you’ve created.
  • Community Roles: DAO governance, meetups, or event organization.

Tips: Add links wherever possible to make it easy for recruiters to verify your work.

Finally The Formatting: The Unsung Hero

Even the best-written CV can fail if it’s poorly formatted. Design isn’t about flashy colors or graphics; it’s about readability and clarity. Hiring managers skim fast, and a clean layout helps your achievements stand out.

  • Length: Stick to 1–2 pages max.
    While a 1-page CV is ideal in a perfect world (especially for early-career professionals), don’t cut out valuable experience just to force it. If you have meaningful achievements, projects, or technical depth to showcase, go for 2 pages.
  • Fonts: Use modern, sans serif fonts (Helvetica, Calibri, Arial) for readability.
  • Consistency: Keep spacing, font sizes, and bullet styles uniform.
  • Colors: Neutral tones with a white background work best.
  • Sections: Use bold, clear headers for each section (Summary, Achievements, Skills, Experience, etc.).
  • Links: Double-check that every link works and use standard blue, underlined hyperlinks or a small icon + label (never raw URLs).

Final Takeaways

A well-crafted CV is often your first impression with recruiters and hiring managers, and it can be the difference between being overlooked and landing an interview.

That said, we also know that engineers aren’t always the best at packaging their experience beautifully and that’s okay. Your strength is building, not formatting CVs. That’s exactly why we put this guide and template together to make it easier for you.

Here’s a video tutorial walking through the same process step by step.

Download the RareTalent CV template to get started right away.

If this guide or template helped you, please give RareTalent a shoutout. We’d love to see the CVs you build with it.