Thinking About Working for a US Company?

During my career, I've had the chance to work with quite a few developers, some Taiwanese, some from the US. I've become friends with many of them over time, which gave me the rare chance to actually look at their resumes and compare them to their real work. That gap is what surprised me. Many Taiwanese developers are far more capable than their resumes suggest, they work fast, deliver accurately, and explain their reasoning clearly. But the resume reads like a different person entirely.

Over time, I've seen a handful of developer resumes from close friends and from a few internal hirings. Comparing these side by side with the quality of their actual work made certain patterns really stand out. Based on these real examples, I found there are 4 key differences between a typical Taiwanese developer's resume and a US developer's resume.

Taiwanese developers tend to list the technologies they use but don't explain how they apply them, while US resumes focus more on process and reasoning.

TW resumes tend to emphasize abilities, what I can do, rather than outcomes, whereas US resumes often highlight concrete results and impact.

Taiwanese developers seldom mention teamwork, even though they collaborate well in real projects. US resumes make cross-functional collaboration very visible.

TW resumes often include long self-introductions, but US resumes typically include 2-3 lines or no introduction at all. However, they make good use of that space with a skillset section, which highlights the tools they know well. It also improves SEO and LinkedIn visibility and makes you easier to find.

These differences come from somewhere real. Culture, education systems, and professional norms all shape how people learn to present themselves. Knowing that context matters if you want to adapt your resume for a US audience without feeling like you're being asked to become someone else.

Some years ago I was looking for a position in the accelerator industry. I was lucky to be introduced by a school alumni who shared my resume with the relevant hiring manager, and I got an interview invitation the next day. But that wasn't pure luck. I did my homework.

After I spotted the position on a job listing website, I went on LinkedIn and searched the company to see if anyone I knew worked there. I connected with the alumni and sent a message saying I wanted to learn more about the industry and asked if he had time for a 30-minute call. After he confirmed, I sent a calendar invitation to his email right away.

I learned a lot during that call and confirmed this was what I wanted to do. When the conversation came to an end, I asked: "Would you be willing to share my resume with the relevant hiring manager?" He said yes, and I got the interview invitation the next day.

People often think that "someone inside the company" means someone you already know well. It doesn't. A school alumni, a colleague's acquaintance, someone from a community you're part of, these are all people worth reaching out to. Most will respond if you ask the right way.