Targeted Job Applications in 2025: SPA Résumés + CodePens
Context: Early-career dev (no paid SWE role yet) documenting my job search. Two target roles: Anduril (Web Infrastructure) and Johnson Health Tech (Software Tester I).
AI assist: ChatGPT helped organize research notes and recruiter feedback; the PDFs/SPAs themselves are hand-built (with AI-disclosure sections).
Status: Applications submitted, interviews held, no offers yet. Sharing the process keeps me accountable.
Reality snapshot
- Every application still starts with a PDF résumé uploaded to the ATS.
- SPA résumés live on CodePen (exported to static builds when needed). They contain honesty blocks, GitHub links, and the same PDF download.
- Recruiters care most about clarity + proof, not animations. The SPAs help when I’m in conversations, not before.
Target roles & requirement mapping
| Company / Role | Key requirements | My evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Anduril – Software Engineer, Web Infrastructure | JS/TS depth, WebGPU familiarity, DevOps toolchain (CircleCI/Bazel), Linux comfort, clear communication | Triangle Shader Lab (WebGPU study), Docker Multilang project, GitHub Actions write-ups, AWS internship runbooks, Army medic story for calm communication |
| Johnson Health Tech – Software Tester I | QA mindset, OOP fundamentals, Android/Unix fluency, documentation | CheeseMath Jest suite, Anime CRUD bug diary, manual test checklists, shell scripts from AWS labs |
Listings: Anduril • Johnson Health Tech
SPA résumé structure
- Hero: Name, role target, PDF download, “Reality” note (“Early-career developer; demos listed below are personal projects”).
- Sections: Skills, project highlights, proof links (GitHub PRs, Render demos), honesty log snapshot.
- Analytics: Console logs + manual tracking (time on page, which sections recruiters mention). If multiple recruiters miss a section, I move it.
- Accessibility: Same rules as my main portfolio—skip links, keyboard nav, alt text.
Example – Anduril SPA résumé
- Built with vanilla JS + Tailwind + PixiJS accents referencing the Triangle Shader Lab study.
- Links to: Triangle Shader Lab (WebGPU study notes), Docker Multilang repo, AWS internship runbooks, medic-to-engineer blog post.
- Includes a “Reality snapshot” card: “Render backend cold-starts ~5 minutes, AWS experience is lab-only, Bazel knowledge TBD.”
- CodePen link: https://codepen.io/student-account-bradley-matera/pen/vEYrOGB
Example – Johnson Health Tech SPA résumé
- Focus on test plans, Jest coverage, defect narratives.
- Screenshots from CheeseMath (live demo) and Anime CRUD bug logs.
- CTA buttons for PDF download + GitHub issues showing actual QA work.
- CodePen link: https://codepen.io/student-account-bradley-matera/pen/RNwJPaw
Traditional materials still lead
- PDF résumé: 1 page, metric-driven, ATS-friendly. Updated monthly; stored in
/static/BradleyMatera-Resume.pdf. - Cover letters: Tailored to each company. I cite specific requirements + evidence, then link to the SPA for the curious.
- Evidence bundle: When possible I include a GitHub issue, PR, or demo link that matches each requirement. Recruiters responded positively to “here’s the proof” sections.
Recruiter feedback & adjustments
- “Love the honesty blocks, but send the PDF first.” → PDF now highlighted at the top of every page.
- “Triangle Shader Lab sounds like a product.” → Updated copy everywhere to call it a WebGPU study site.
- “Hard to find your contact info.” → Added header/footer CTAs +
/contactlink in every hero. - “Can you share cover letter templates?” → I now keep redacted versions and plan to publish snippets once sensitive data is removed.
Results (so far)
- SPA résumés sparked deeper conversations (“Walk me through your Docker project” instead of “Where’s your GitHub?”).
- Requirement-to-evidence mapping made interviews smoother; I always had a repo or log to show.
- Maintenance cost is real: I audit each SPA quarterly for accessibility + copy accuracy. When life gets busy, I freeze them and stick to the PDF.
Next steps
- Publish sanitized cover letter templates.
- Automate accessibility audits for the SPAs (axe via GitHub Actions).
- Package each SPA as a static download for companies that block CodePen.
- Keep pairing every new artifact (blog post, project) with a requirement so I’m ready for the next role.
References
- “Interactive Résumés: Opportunities and Trade-offs,” Journal of Career Development, 2023.
- Lever, “Applicant Tracking Systems: A Recruiter’s Guide,” 2024.
- Anduril Industries + Johnson Health Tech job listings (linked above).