Documenting hackathon experience on a college student resume can be a great way to showcase your skills, problem-solving abilities, and teamwork. Here are some tips on how to do it effectively:

First, include a Separate Section for Projects or Hackathons.   Create a dedicated section called “Projects,” “Hackathons,” or “Technical Competitions” to highlight your experience.

Once you create this section, make sure your content….

• Uses a clear and consistent format for each entry, including the hackathon’s name, date, and  your role on the team, such as developer, designer, project manager, etc.

• Includes a Problem Statement and Goal: Briefly describe the problem you were solving or the goal of the hackathon. Don’t forget to explain your project or prototype in simple terms, focusing on its purpose and functionality. 

• Describes the Project Briefly Emphasize the technical and soft skills you used, like coding languages, frameworks, leadership, or teamwork. Your bullet points should also be concise, descriptive, and demonstrate the skills and experiences you gained from the hackathon to the job or internship you’re applying for. This shows employers how your hackathon experience is relevant to the position.

• Uses Impact statements and action-oriented language: Include any tangible outcomes, like how your project improved a process or addressed a specific need. As an example, you may start each bullet point with an action verb, such as “developed,” “designed,” “collaborated,” “led,” or “presented.”

• Highlights Awards and Recognition: If your team won a prize or received special recognition, make sure to include that detail.

• Acknowledges Teamwork and Problem-Solving. Mention how you collaborated with teammates, managed challenges, and adapted to any last-minute changes. If you took on a leadership role, make sure to highlight that as well.

• Include Links to Your Project.  For example, if your hackathon project is hosted on GitHub or another platform, include a link to the repository or a demo.  Adding a portfolio link is also a great way to showcase your project in action.

Example of a Hackathon Entry on a Resume: This format ensures that your hackathon experience is both concise and impactful on your resume.

Project Based Experience

HackHarvard, Full-Stack Developer                                                                                                  July 2024

Developed a web-based application that predicts local weather patterns using machine learning algorithms.

• Used Python, TensorFlow, JavaScript, React, AWS
• Won 2nd place out of 50 teams for innovative approach to data analysis and visualization.

Please also visit our information on “Online Portfolios: Who, What, How & Why”