If you’re looking to work in computer vision and deep learning, it's time to make that dream a reality. The field is growing rapidly and will continue to do so as businesses across industries seek ways to leverage this technology.
But how do you get your foot in the door?
You could start by looking at resumes of consultants who have already made the leap into this exciting industry. It can be intimidating: there's no shortage of highly qualified candidates vying for spots on these teams—so what makes them stand out?
In this article, we'll dig into some key principles that helped shape those resumes into success stories (and may help yours). We'll also point out some areas where those same candidates fell short, so you can make sure none of these mistakes will hold back your application.
The Growing Landscape of Computer Vision Consulting
The field of computer vision is growing at a rapid pace. With the advent of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, companies are looking for consultants who can help them make sense of data that's generated by their AI systems.
As more businesses hire these experts, it will become increasingly difficult to find qualified candidates, especially because many people lack formal training in this area.
If you're interested in becoming a computer vision consultant yourself, here are some key points to keep in mind:
Key Skills and Competencies for Computer Vision Consultants
You'll need to be familiar with the following skills and competencies:
- Data analysis: You will be working with large amounts of data, so you'll need to know how to organize it effectively, identify trends in the data, and draw conclusions from it.
- Machine learning: You'll use machine learning techniques such as clustering and classification for your projects; this involves building algorithms that can make decisions based on new information (such as identifying objects in an image) or predict outcomes (such as predicting whether someone will click on an ad).
- Software engineering: Computer vision consultants must have a strong foundation in software engineering principles including security, performance optimization, monitoring, testing, and debugging. This skill set includes understanding what constitutes good code versus bad code, creating modular code bases, and writing efficient algorithms.
Tailoring Your Resume to Computer Vision Roles
Crafting an effective resume requires tailoring it to the specific demands of computer vision roles. Computer vision consultants are expected to possess a diverse skill set applicable across various technologies and industries.
Instead of attempting to cover every aspect of your background in a single document, focus on showcasing the skills and accomplishments most relevant to the position you're pursuing. To get an idea of the expectations of different companies and industries, take a look at this resource.
By aligning your resume with the specific needs of the employer, you can make it easier for hiring managers to recognize your suitability for the role without sifting through excessive information.
Showcasing Relevant Projects and Experience
The next section on your resume should be a project summary, where you can highlight your most relevant work, whether it's from an internship or a side project you've been working on in your spare time.
The last section of your resume should be a heading called "Portfolio," or a similar term, which should include links to any websites where people can see examples of what you've created such as GitHub.
A good rule of thumb: if it helps someone understand how good you are at computer vision, include it here.
Highlighting Technical Proficiency and Tools
The next section of your resume should be dedicated to listing your technical skills and tools, which will enable you to showcase any programming languages or frameworks that are relevant to the job as well as any other technical expertise that will make you stand out from other candidates.
One way to do this is by using bullet points (a list of short sentences) under each skill. You can also consider including a table with columns for skills, years of experience in each skill, and projects where you applied those skills.
Both methods work well because they provide an easy-to-read list of all relevant information at once, so you don't need to read through pages and pages of text just trying to figure out what exactly makes up a "computer vision consultant."
Demonstrating Problem-Solving Abilities
Demonstrate your problem-solving abilities by showing how you can solve problems in a way that is valuable to the client.
1) Demonstrate that you have a history of solving problems and finding solutions
This can be done by including projects on your resume where you have used computer vision technology to solve an important business problem, or where you designed and built an end-to-end solution that solved an issue for a client (or even just yourself). For example: "I used computer vision algorithms to automatically detect defects on parts coming off of our production line to minimize scrap material waste." Or: "I created a system that uses machine learning techniques for identifying key features such as size and shape before performing image recognition tasks."
2) Show that you can work with a team to solve complex problems
If possible, include any experience working as part of a team (both large or small) when developing software applications using computer vision technologies such as OpenCV, Keras, a TensorFlow, for example.
You should especially mention these projects if they resulted in positive outcomes such as increased revenue generation opportunities or decreased costs associated with manual labor tasks performed by employees who were no longer needed because they could now be replaced by automated systems powered by AI engines.
Emphasizing Soft Skills and Team Collaboration
As we mentioned earlier, teamwork and collaboration are important aspects of the job.
To demonstrate this skill, you should include details about your experience working on a team in previous jobs or internships. This can be done by highlighting any projects you've worked on that required teamwork and collaboration, such as:
- Working with other engineers to solve problems
- Creating presentations together with other members of the team
- Sharing responsibilities for different parts of a large project
The Power of Certifications and Further Education
Certifications and further education are great ways to showcase your expertise and ensure that you're up to date with the latest trends in the field.
Certifications are a good way to show that you're committed to being an expert in computer vision and demonstrate your knowledge of best practices for applying it at scale.
The right resume can set you up for success in the fast-growing field.
The right resume can set you up for success in the fast-growing field.
1) It makes you stand out from the competition
When there are hundreds of resumes for every job opening, yours must stand out from the crowd. Your resume should be clear and easy to read so that hiring managers can quickly see your qualifications and experience and know why they should hire you over other candidates who have similar backgrounds.
2) It helps get an interview
When recruiters receive dozens of applications per job posting, they often rely on keywords from resumes as filters to find relevant applicants. By selecting key phrases that relate directly back to skills needed by employers (such as "machine learning" or "robotics"), software engineers increase their chances of being picked out by recruiters during automated screening processes using Application Tracking Systems.
Conclusion
Computer vision is a fast-growing field that offers many opportunities for skilled professionals.
The right resume can set you up for success in this exciting career path, but it's important to know what employers are looking for in a resume before you begin writing one yourself.
By highlighting your technical skills and soft skills, as well as including certifications on your resume if possible, you'll ensure that it stands out from those of other candidates.
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About the AuthorMatt Glodz
Matt Glodz is the Founder and Managing Partner of Resume Pilots and a Certified Professional Resume Writer.
After studying business communication at Cornell University, Matt worked within Fortune 500 companies, where he noted that qualified candidates were frequently denied interview opportunities due to poorly written documents.
At Resume Pilots, Matt combines his business and writing background - which includes prior work for a Chicago Tribune publication - to craft resumes that give his clients the best chance of landing interviews. He works with clients ranging from CEOs to recent graduates and has been writing resumes for over 10 years.
He has been quoted on numerous business and career-related topics in outlets including Business Insider, CNBC, Fortune, Glassdoor, The Ladders, and Thrive Global.