how to write a resume for software developer

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13 Software Developer Resume Examples - Here's What Works In 2024

Software developers are the magicians behind the applications we use daily on our mobiles or computers. they design, develop, and maintain programs by using programming languages. most software developers are problem-solvers, logical thinkers, and lifelong learners, as this industry is always evolving. according to the bureau of labor statistics, software developers are highly in-demand. their job outlook is expected to increase by up to 25 percent, which is significantly high compared to other occupations. yet, a good resume can elevate even more those expectations. this guide will help you create the best software developer resume..

Software development is the process of creating computer applications, including mobile apps, desktop programs, video games, IoT software, etc. Developers build the skeleton of the software by using backend techniques and design the visual aspect through front-end development. 

Computers are programmable, meaning that you can give them instructions to perform certain tasks. However, they don’t speak the same language we do. We must learn how to interact with them in their own vocabulary. This is what programming languages are for. 

There are numerous of them and each one has a different purpose and syntax. Programming languages like Python, Ruby, or Java are focused on the backend process, allowing us to interact with servers and databases. HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, on the other hand, are used for the client side of the development process. 

There are two types of roles in the development community that often overlap and interact with each other: programmers, and software engineers/developers. Although both terms are often used interchangeably, programmers have a more specific role. They are responsible for tasks like writing code, displaying graphics, and merging databases.

Software developers have a wider spectrum of responsibilities. Developers design software by considering the perspective of end-users or business needs. Yet, they are also programmers themselves. Hence we’ve mentioned that these roles generally overlap. However, programmers are limited to writing functional code and app maintenance.

Today, we’ll show you how to create your own software developer resume. Take a look below to see some resume templates for each software developer role.

Software Developer Resume Templates

Jump to a template:

• Software Developer
• Senior Software Developer
• Junior Software Developer
• Entry Level Software Developer
• React Developer
• Backend Developer
• Node JS Developer
• AngularJS Developer

Jump to a resource:

• Keywords for Software Developer Resumes

Software Developer Resume Tips

• Action Verbs to Use
• Related Engineering Resumes

Get advice on each section of your resume:

Template 1 of 13: Software Developer Resume Example

A developer designs software solutions with an end-user perspective. They develop the software infrastructure with engineering principles and design the visual aspect of the platform. Software developers are part of the entire lifecycle process, meaning that they also debug, troubleshoot, and maintain the infrastructure. The traditional path to becoming a software developer is by earning a bachelor’s degree in computer science. However, today we have many other alternatives such as online courses, community college, and even self-training. Let's take a look at a strong resume example you can use when applying for a software development role.

We're just getting the template ready for you, just a second left.

Tips to help you write your Software Developer resume in 2024

   indicate your familiarity with the agile and scrum development approach in your resume..

The agile and scrum methodologies are project management systems that consist of an increase in efficiency and productivity. In this system, deliverables are broken down into shorter sprints to facilitate the project life cycle. Most tech companies these days use this methodology to improve their productivity. Therefore, it is crucial to mention your familiarity with this method in your resume.

   Mention the programming languages you are proficient at.

Companies can have a wide variety of needs in terms of software development and each computer solution has its own requirements, such as a particular programming language or framework. Therefore, you should try to include all those coding languages and tools you are familiar with in your resume to expand your possibilities.

Skills you can include on your Software Developer resume

Template 2 of 13: software developer resume example.

Software developers are assigned to do tasks similar to a software engineer. The difference is that a developer will be more focused on a specific project versus the broad work done by an engineer. For this, your resume needs to have achievements and results from a particular project.

   Strong action verbs related to software developers

When working on a particular project, stating the results is key. Examples listed in the sample include “resolved”, “documented”, and “customized”. All of these are action verbs that will help recruiters see that you played a major role in the improvements of a project.

   Focused on software development

Recruiters like to see tasks that solely pertain to software development. This sample has experience fully relevant to the position without much mention of skills for other fields.

Template 3 of 13: Software Engineer/Developer Resume Example

Software developers should always stress their technical programming and software development skills. They should do that throughout their work experience and skills section, and if you don't have enough work experience, use a projects section like this resume does.

Tips to help you write your Software Engineer/Developer resume in 2024

   add a projects section if you need to showcase more technical experience.

It's becoming increasingly standard for software developers to include one or two projects which stress their software development experience, outside their professional experience. This is what's been done in this template. Only do this, however, if you don't have enough work experience or your work experience doesn't emphasize enough technical skills (or doesn't emphasize technical skills relevant to the actual job you're applying to).

   Shows growth with promotions

Recruiters look for evidence of professional growth, and promotions are a great way to show recruiters that.

Skills you can include on your Software Engineer/Developer resume

Template 4 of 13: senior software developer resume example.

Senior software developers are experienced engineers that often lead the development team. They usually have four to ten years of experience in the field and are familiar with up-to-date trends in the industry. A senior software developer is responsible for designing the product standards, delegating, tasks, and monitoring colleagues to make sure they are following the specifications and delivering their job on time.

Tips to help you write your Senior Software Developer resume in 2024

   quantify your achievements with metrics..

Your role as a senior software developer can have a big influence on the development team's operations. Therefore, your achievements can be easily quantified. By doing this, you will provide more reliability to your resume by illustrating your influence on the organization’s bottom line.

   Demonstrate your project management skills.

Senior software developers have a managerial role. They are responsible for overseeing the development team’s performance and providing guidance. You must make sure everyone is on track with deadlines and following technical standards. That’s why it is important to include your project management skills in your resume.

Skills you can include on your Senior Software Developer resume

Template 5 of 13: junior software developer resume example.

Junior software developers assist their colleagues in the development team with all types of production activities such as software design, debugging, and coding. They will also be part of the design meetings. In this role, they will obtain industry experience to aspire to higher positions.

Tips to help you write your Junior Software Developer resume in 2024

   highlight your problem-solving skills..

Junior software developers are expected to fix bugs and perform testing to identify potential errors in the application. Therefore, having problem-solving skills is key for this role. If you want to make your resume stand out, highlight your problem-solving skills and your critical thinking.

   Use programming-specific keywords.

When writing your resume, you should always try to customize it to the software development industry. Most resumes go through an ATS filter that analyzes keywords to identify ideal candidates. Therefore, you must ensure your resume is optimized and will get past the ATSs. Try to include programming or software development-specific keywords throughout your resume.

Skills you can include on your Junior Software Developer resume

Template 6 of 13: entry level software developer resume example.

An entry-level software developer is a great role for gaining experience in the industry. You will be part of the development team by doing junior-level tasks such as coding or designing. This experience will help you enrich your toolkit and learn more about software development in the field.

Tips to help you write your Entry Level Software Developer resume in 2024

   include software development projects that you’ve done on your own..

As an entry-level software developer, you may not have a lot of industry experience, but that doesn’t mean you can’t apply for this role. You can use non-work-related experiences such as volunteering or your software engineering projects. These facets have more value than you may think.

   Highlight your transferable skills.

Another great way to enrich your entry-level software developer resume is by leveraging your transferrable skills. These are competencies you may have earned in previous jobs that are also relevant for a particular occupation. In this case, you can mention your organizational skills, graphic design, or logical thinking.

Skills you can include on your Entry Level Software Developer resume

Template 7 of 13: react developer resume example.

React is a front-end tool developed by Facebook. It works with JavaScript and it’s used for building desktop or mobile applications. React is actually a library and not a framework, meaning that it contains prewritten code and templates to ease the developer’s work. A React developer is a programmer who uses React/React.Js to create JavaScript-based applications.

Tips to help you write your React Developer resume in 2024

   mention your proficiency with responsive web principles..

Responsive web design is a popular approach these days that consists of developing software that adapts to users’ behavior based on their device (mobile, tablet, desktop). This means that the application should respond to the screen size, orientation, and users’ preferences based on their device. React developers must have high proficiency in developing web-responsive applications, so you should indicate this in your resume.

   Demonstrate your testing and debugging skills.

Just like any other programmer, React developers must perform testing techniques to ensure there are no bugs in the platform and that everything is up and running. We could say that this is a crucial skill in terms of functionality and security, so many employers expect you to have it.

Skills you can include on your React Developer resume

Template 8 of 13: backend developer resume example.

As a Backend Developer, you're responsible for crafting the backbone of applications and ensuring seamless data flow between server and user interface. Nowadays, many companies are transitioning to microservices architecture and cloud-based systems, so it's essential to demonstrate your expertise in these areas when tailoring your resume. Additionally, highlight any experience with containerization technologies (e.g., Docker) and working with agile methodologies, as those are often highly valued by employers in this field. When drafting your resume, emphasize your proficiency in various programming languages, frameworks, and databases, as well as your ability to design, develop, and maintain efficient solutions. Showcasing your adaptability and eagerness to learn new technologies will catch the eye of any hiring manager eager to build a strong and innovative backend team.

Tips to help you write your Backend Developer resume in 2024

   showcase language and framework mastery.

On your resume, specify your level of expertise with programming languages (e.g., Node.js, Java, Python) and frameworks (e.g., Express, Django, Spring). Backend Developers should emphasize their technical skills to prove their competency and ability to create server-side solutions.

   Demonstrate experience with databases

As a Backend Developer, working with databases is crucial. Mention your experience with various database management systems, like SQL, NoSQL, or GraphQL, as well as skills in data modeling, migrations, and optimization, to showcase your ability to manage and manipulate data efficiently.

Skills you can include on your Backend Developer resume

Template 9 of 13: backend developer resume example.

Backend developers work on the hidden side of the development process. While front end developers create the face of the website/app, backend developers manage servers, databases, and security. Basically, they work on the structure of the application. Backend developers use programming languages like Ruby, PHP, and Java.

   Indicate your knowledge of popular frameworks.

This may sound odd because most frameworks are mostly seen as front end developers’ specialties. They are not often associated with backend. However, the software development industry is pretty broad and fast-paced, so you need to be flexible. You might be quickly dragged into a JavaScript project where you might be limited to working with a framework to build the backend structure. Therefore, knowing at least one JS framework can set you apart.

   Mention your knowledge of Version Control Systems.

Version Control Systems are tools that developers use to monitor changes in code. It creates different versions of the code that can be restored when needed. They help the development team work smarter and more efficiently. Knowing Version Control Systems is definitely a plus in your backend development career.

Template 10 of 13: Node.js Developer Resume Example

A Node.js developer is a software engineer that integrates server-side logic with front-end elements in the application. Node.js is a programming environment that helps developers control the interchange of data between servers and users. As a Node.js developer, you would be constantly working with front-end developers, so it’s important to demonstrate some basic understanding of client-side programming principles in your resume.

Tips to help you write your Node.js Developer resume in 2024

   mention your proficiency in javascript on your resume..

As a Node.js developer, you should be highly proficient in JavaScript, which is the only native programming language supported by this programming environment. However, you can also use compile-to-JS languages, such as CoffeeScript or TypeScript.

   Mention your knowledge of frameworks available for Node.js on your resume.

There are numerous frameworks available for Express or StrongLoop. Your potential employer might have a required framework for their project. Hence, it’s a good idea to check their skills requirements first to identify the frameworks that are relevant for them.

Skills you can include on your Node.js Developer resume

Template 11 of 13: node js developer resume example.

Node.JS is an open-source runtime environment that allows developers to execute JavaScript commands on the backend side. A Node.JS developer codes server-side architecture using JavaScript of any of its variants. They handle the interchange of data between users and servers.

Tips to help you write your Node JS Developer resume in 2024

   demonstrate your ability to write clean code..

As a Node.JS developer, you will work with other team members to develop applications. Therefore, it is crucial to write clean code, as it enhances communication with all team members. They must be able to understand what you did in order to continue the development process. Writing clean code is a skill that isn’t often mentioned, but can definitely improve recruiters’ perception of your work.

   Indicate your time management skills.

Node.JS developers often work under tight deadlines and in a fast-paced environment, so it’s vital to have excellent time management skills. Your employer would like to know that you are capable of delivering work on time without sacrificing the quality of your work.

Skills you can include on your Node JS Developer resume

Template 12 of 13: node.js developer resume example.

To land a Node.js developer position, you need to show hiring managers that you have the right blend of technical knowledge (i.e. experience with JavaScript and JavaScript frameworks) and people skills to succeed on the job. Your resume skills section should showcase your proficiency with industry-specific softwares and programming languages. In your work experience section, underscore key accomplishments where you’ve used soft skills such as communication and teamwork.

   Emphasizes hard skills in separate skills section

Because technical abilities are so essential in a Node.js developer role, these skills should go in a dedicated skills section on your resume. In particular, highlight your knowledge of JavaScript and related frameworks such as React and/or Angular. The more tools you have at your disposal, the more versatile and effective you’ll be at your job.

   Strong use of technical action verbs to introduce past achievements

Your accomplishments from past jobs will stand out even more to recruiters when you lead into them with strong action verbs. For a Node.js position, it’s especially helpful to choose verbs that demonstrate your ability to solve problems, collaborate with others (such as “coordinated”, “optimized”, or “created”), and showcase developer skills (e.g. debugged, developed, coded).

Template 13 of 13: AngularJS Developer Resume Example

AngularJS is a front end framework used to create faster and lighter programs. AngularJS developers design and build applications using JavaScript. Since they focus on front end development, they will create everything that users see on the website or application. AngularJS developers will also test and troubleshoot the platform when necessary.

Tips to help you write your AngularJS Developer resume in 2024

   demonstrate your ability to coordinate with team members..

As an AngularJS developer, you will have to work with other team members such as designers and backend developers. You must coordinate with them on the application’s features, functions, and visual aspects. Therefore, you need to have excellent communication and team work skills. This is a great value that you should definitely include in your resume.

   Mention your proficiency with SEO.

This might seem odd because AngularJS developers don’t create the website’s content. However, SEO plays a huge role in the performance of single-page apps by improving their ranking on Google’s search. Knowing SEO is not usually a required skill, but it can help you stand out.

Skills you can include on your AngularJS Developer resume

We spoke with hiring managers and recruiters from top companies like Microsoft, Google, and Amazon to gather their best tips for creating a winning software developer resume. By following their advice and studying the examples they've shared, you'll be able to craft a resume that showcases your skills and experience in the most effective way possible.

   Highlight your technical skills

Employers want to see that you have the specific technical skills needed for the role. Make sure to:

• List programming languages you know, like Java, Python, or C++
• Include frameworks you have experience with, such as .NET, Angular, or React
• Mention tools you've used, like Git, Jenkins, or Docker
• Specify databases you've worked with, such as MySQL, MongoDB, or Oracle

Avoid simply listing skills without context. Instead, show how you've applied them:

• Java, Python, JavaScript
• Developed a Java-based application for managing customer data, resulting in a 20% increase in efficiency
• Created Python scripts to automate data processing tasks, saving the team 10 hours per week

   Show the impact of your work

Don't just list your responsibilities; show the results you achieved. Quantify your impact with specific metrics:

• Developed a new feature that increased user engagement by 30%
• Optimized application performance, reducing load times by 50%
• Contributed to a project that saved the company $100,000 annually

If you don't have exact numbers, estimate the impact of your work:

• Built a tool that significantly reduced the time spent on manual testing
• Implemented a new system that greatly improved the team's collaboration and productivity

   Include relevant projects

Showcase your skills and initiative by including personal projects or contributions to open-source projects. This is especially important if you have limited professional experience.

When listing projects:

• Briefly describe the project and its purpose
• Specify your role and the technologies you used
• Highlight the project's impact or any unique challenges you faced

Personal Project: Movie Recommendation System Developed a Python-based movie recommendation system using collaborative filtering techniques. Utilized the MovieLens dataset and achieved an accuracy of 85% in predicting user preferences. The project showcased skills in data processing, machine learning, and algorithm implementation.

   Tailor your resume to the job

Customize your resume for each job application to show that you're a strong fit for the specific role. Here's how:

• Read the job description carefully and identify the key skills and requirements
• Prioritize the skills and experiences that match the job description
• Use similar language and terminology as the job posting
• Remove or minimize irrelevant information

For example, if a job emphasizes expertise in a specific programming language:

• Proficient in various programming languages, including Java, Python, and C++
• Expert in Java with 5+ years of experience developing large-scale applications
• Led a team of Java developers to create a high-performance trading platform

   Showcase your soft skills

While technical skills are crucial, employers also value soft skills that enable you to work effectively in a team. Highlight your:

• Communication skills: Show how you've collaborated with others or presented complex ideas
• Problem-solving abilities: Describe how you've approached challenges and found innovative solutions
• Leadership experience: Mention any times you've mentored others or taken the lead on a project
• Adaptability: Show how you've learned new technologies or adjusted to changing priorities

For example:

Led a cross-functional team of developers, designers, and product managers to launch a new mobile app. Communicated regularly with stakeholders, adapted to changing requirements, and successfully delivered the project on time and within budget.

   Keep it concise and readable

Hiring managers often review hundreds of resumes for a single position. Make yours stand out by keeping it concise and easy to read:

• Limit your resume to 1-2 pages
• Use clear, simple language and short sentences
• Break up text with bullet points and headings
• Choose a clean, professional font and format
• Proofread carefully for grammar and spelling errors
• Long paragraphs or dense blocks of text
• Unnecessary jargon or technical terms
• Inconsistent formatting or hard-to-read fonts
• Personal information like age, marital status, or photo

Remember, your goal is to make it easy for the hiring manager to quickly grasp your qualifications and fit for the role.

Writing Your Software Developer Resume: Section By Section

  header, 1. put your name on its own line.

Your name should be the most prominent part of your header, so it's best to put it on its own line. Use a slightly larger font size than the rest of your resume to make it stand out.

• John Smith | Software Developer | [email protected] | 123-456-7890 | New York, NY

Instead, format your header like this:

• John Smith Software Developer [email protected] | 123-456-7890 | New York, NY

2. Include your job title if you're established

If you're an experienced software developer with a clear job title that matches the roles you're targeting, consider adding it to your header. This quickly communicates your career focus to hiring managers. However, if you're earlier in your career or are targeting a variety of roles, leave your job title out to keep your options open.

John Smith Senior Full Stack Developer [email protected] | 123-456-7890 | New York, NY

For entry-level candidates, a simpler header works well:

Jane Doe [email protected] | 123-456-7890 | San Francisco, CA

3. Make your location general

Including your location helps employers understand where you're based. However, for privacy reasons, only include your city and state, not your full address.

• 123 Main St, Apt 2B, Austin, TX 78701

Keep it concise:

• Houston, Texas
• Seattle, WA

If you're searching for remote roles, you can clarify that by saying "Location: Raleigh, NC (Remote)" or simply "Remote".

  Summary

As a software developer, your resume summary is an opportunity to provide a brief overview of your skills, experience, and career goals. While a summary is optional, it can be particularly useful if you are changing careers or have a diverse range of experiences that may not be immediately apparent from the rest of your resume. However, avoid using an objective statement, as it is outdated and does not provide value to the hiring manager.

When crafting your summary, focus on highlighting your most relevant qualifications and achievements, tailoring them to the specific software developer position you are applying for. Use metrics and specific examples to demonstrate your impact and value.

To learn how to write an effective resume summary for your Software Developer resume, or figure out if you need one, please read Software Developer Resume Summary Examples , or Software Developer Resume Objective Examples .

1. Highlight your technical skills and programming languages

Showcase your proficiency in the programming languages and technologies that are most relevant to the software developer position you are targeting. For example:

• Experienced software developer skilled in Java, Python, and C++, with a strong background in agile development methodologies
• Full-stack developer proficient in JavaScript, React, Node.js, and MongoDB, with experience building scalable web applications

Avoid generic statements that do not provide specific information about your skills, such as:

• Knowledgeable in various programming languages
• Familiar with multiple technologies

2. Emphasize your problem-solving abilities and achievements

As a software developer, your ability to solve complex problems and deliver results is crucial. Use your summary to highlight your problem-solving skills and notable achievements. For example:

Results-driven software developer with a proven track record of designing and implementing efficient solutions to complex problems. Developed a machine learning algorithm that improved product recommendation accuracy by 30%, resulting in a 15% increase in customer engagement and sales.

Avoid using vague or cliché statements that do not provide concrete examples of your abilities, such as:

• Excellent problem-solver
• Team player with a strong work ethic

3. Tailor your summary to the specific position

Customize your resume summary to the specific software developer position you are applying for. Research the company and the role to identify the key skills, technologies, and experiences they are looking for, and incorporate them into your summary. For example:

• For a mobile app developer position: Experienced iOS developer with a strong background in Swift, Objective-C, and Xcode, passionate about creating intuitive and engaging mobile experiences
• For a DevOps position: DevOps engineer with expertise in AWS, Docker, and Kubernetes, focused on automating processes and improving system reliability and scalability

Avoid using a generic summary that could apply to any software developer position, as it may not capture the hiring manager's attention or demonstrate your fit for the specific role.

  Experience

The work experience section is the most important part of your software developer resume. It's where you show hiring managers what you've accomplished in your career and how you've made an impact. Use this section to highlight your technical skills, problem-solving abilities, and the results you've achieved.

Here are some key tips to keep in mind as you write your work experience section:

1. Highlight your technical skills

As a software developer, your technical skills are your biggest selling point. Make sure to showcase the programming languages, frameworks, and tools you've used in each role. For example:

• Developed and maintained web applications using React, Node.js, and MongoDB
• Built RESTful APIs using Spring Boot and MySQL
• Implemented CI/CD pipelines using Jenkins and AWS

Don't just list your skills, though. Provide concrete examples of how you used them to solve problems and deliver results.

Use our Targeted Resume tool to make sure you're including the right technical skills for the job you want. It analyzes the job description and your resume to identify gaps in your skills.

2. Quantify your impact

Whenever possible, use metrics to quantify the impact of your work. This helps hiring managers understand the scale and significance of your contributions. For example:

• Reduced page load time by 40% by optimizing database queries and implementing caching
• Increased user engagement by 25% by redesigning the UI and improving site navigation
• Managed a team of 5 developers to deliver a $500K project on time and under budget

If you don't have access to specific metrics, you can still use numbers to provide context, like the size of the team you worked on or the number of users impacted.

Focus on your most recent and relevant experience. If you have older or less relevant roles, you can still include them but cut back on the details. Highlight key accomplishments and skills without going into too much depth.

3. Show your career progression

Hiring managers want to see that you've grown and taken on more responsibility over time. If you've been promoted or taken on leadership roles, make sure to highlight that in your work experience section. For example:

Senior Software Engineer, XYZ Company, 2019-Present - Led a team of 3 junior developers to build a new mobile app from scratch - Mentored and trained new hires on best practices for code quality and testing Software Engineer, XYZ Company, 2016-2019 - Collaborated with cross-functional teams to design and implement new features for the company's flagship product - Contributed to open source projects and spoke at local tech meetups

If you don't have a traditional career path, you can still show progression by highlighting increasing levels of responsibility or the impact of your work over time.

Use strong action verbs to describe your contributions, like "developed", "optimized", "architected", and "led". These help paint a picture of what you actually did in each role.

  Education

Your education section shows recruiters that you have the necessary educational background and knowledge for the software developer role. It also gives them an idea of your career trajectory and additional skills you may have gained through your education.

In this section, we'll cover what to include in your education section and tips for making it stand out to potential employers.

1. List your degrees in reverse chronological order

Start with your most recent or highest degree first, and work backwards from there. For each degree, include:

• Name of the institution
• Location of the institution
• Degree obtained
• Field of study
• Graduation year (if within the past 10 years)

Here's an example of how to format your education:

Bachelor of Science in Computer Science University of California, Berkeley Berkeley, CA Graduated: May 2020

2. Include relevant coursework, projects, and achievements

If you are a recent graduate or have limited work experience, you can boost your education section by including:

• Relevant coursework
• Projects you completed
• Academic achievements or awards

Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering San Jose State University San Jose, CA Graduated: June 2022 Relevant Coursework: Data Structures and Algorithms, Web Application Development, Database Systems Senior Project: Developed a mobile app for a local non-profit using React Native

This additional information shows employers the specific skills and experience you gained during your education that are applicable to the software developer role.

3. Consider adding a 'Certifications' section

Industry certifications demonstrate your expertise in specific technologies or methodologies. If you have completed any relevant certifications, you can either list them under your education section or create a separate 'Certifications' section.

Some popular software development certifications include:

• AWS Certified Developer - Associate
• Oracle Certified Professional, Java SE Programmer
• Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate

Certifications: AWS Certified Developer - Associate, Amazon Web Services, 2021 Oracle Certified Professional, Java SE 11 Developer, Oracle, 2020

4. Tailor your education section to your level of experience

The importance and length of your education section will depend on your level of professional experience. Here are some guidelines:

• Recent graduates: Emphasize your education and include more details like relevant coursework, projects, and GPA (if above 3.5).
• Mid-level professionals: Keep your education section concise, focusing on your degrees and any notable achievements. Omit graduation dates if it has been more than 10 years.
• Master of Science in Computer Science, Stanford University
• Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering, California Polytechnic State University

At the senior level, your professional experience and accomplishments hold more weight than your educational background.

Action Verbs For Software Developer Resumes

There is a popular misconception about software developers. People often think that it is a merely technical profession, neglecting the value of soft skills like communication and resilience. A successful developer is able to translate highly complex requirements into actionable plans. 

Now, how can you demonstrate this in your resume? By using effective communication. Action verbs will help you do that by streamlining your work experience and precisely expressing your responsibilities. You can use bullet points to illustrate your experience and start the phrase with a strong action verb. We have curated some of the most relevant action verbs for your developer resume.

• Strengthened
• Troubleshooted
• Architected

For more related action verbs, visit Software Engineering Action Verbs .

For a full list of effective resume action verbs, visit Resume Action Verbs .

Action Verbs for Software Developer Resumes

Skills for software developer resumes.

Software engineering covers a wide spectrum of the development production cycle, so developers must have a holistic set of skills. This includes knowledge of the integrated development environment, programming languages, frameworks, data structure, and troubleshooting. 

You should use the skills section as an opportunity to display your potential. Don’t leave anything behind, but try to be as industry-specific as possible. Take a look below to see some relevant skills in the software development field.

• Software Development
• Agile Methodologies
• Cloud Computing
• Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)
• Software Project Management
• Amazon Web Services (AWS)
• Enterprise Architecture
• Distributed Systems
• Software Architecture
• Microservices
• Software as a Service (SaaS)
• Web Services
• Integration
• Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA)
• Enterprise Software
• Technical Leadership

How To Write Your Skills Section On a Software Developer Resumes

You can include the above skills in a dedicated Skills section on your resume, or weave them in your experience. Here's how you might create your dedicated skills section:

Skills Word Cloud For Software Developer Resumes

This word cloud highlights the important keywords that appear on Software Developer job descriptions and resumes. The bigger the word, the more frequently it appears on job postings, and the more 'important' it is.

How to use these skills?

Other engineering resumes, c, c++, and c# developer.

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How to write a killer Software Engineering résumé

By Terrence Kuo

An in-depth analysis of the résumé that got me interviews at Google, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft, Apple, and more.

This résumé got me interviews at Google, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft, and Apple.

I obtained these interviews by sending my résumé to the résumé black hole , also known as applying online.

Applying online is the most common way people go about applying for a job and therefore the least effective way to land an interview due to competition. Yet that is exactly how I obtained all my interviews.

How did I accomplish this?

In this article, I will go through a line-by-line analysis of my résumé for the following purposes:

• explaining the choices that I made in creating my résumé
• why I believe this résumé worked to help me land those interviews, and
• how you can create an even better résumé!

I decided to write this article because I struggled a lot with landing interviews when I first started looking for a job. It would have been extremely helpful for me to have a real-life example résumé to look at.

This article is organized into the following sections:

• The All Too Familiar Way of Not Landing an Interview - a short anecdote of my frustrations when I first started applying for jobs
• Evaluating the Options: Moving Forward - a reflection on different strategies to improve the odds of landing interviews

Learning How to Write a Killer Résumé By Example - the step-by-step analysis of my résumé with each of the following sections corresponding to my résumé:

The Essentials from a Glance

• Who Are You
• Contact Information
• Personal Projects

The All Too Familiar Way of Not Landing an Interview

Applying online.

You probably know the link that every company provides for online applications. It’s the classic career site that shows you a bunch of job titles which you think you are totally qualified for until you open the job description and read the minimum requirements.

A job description with a bunch of words that you have never heard of, may have heard of, or hoped you had heard of. And it has an innocent-looking “ Apply” button .

Despite the uncertainty you may feel about your qualifications, you apply anyway because you want a job.

So you fill out the application form, press submit — and wait and hope for a positive response.

Your results will be varied:

• Phone Interview ? (yay, a chance at employment!!!)
• Immediate Rejection ? (darn, back to the drawing board)
• No reply ? (ugh, at least give me the courtesy of having some closure)

Repeat Until Success… Right?

Sadly, this is the typical process that many people go through when looking for a job/internship.

Apply to a couple of companies. Get a couple of rejections or no replies. Apply to a couple more companies. Get a couple more rejections or no replies. Over, and over, and over again.

Why do we do this to ourselves? We spend all this time doing the same repetitive task to obtain the same, disappointing results.

Because this is what everyone does to get an interview, right? Because at least we’re working towards the right direction and have a glimmer of hope, right? How else are you supposed to get an interview?

Evaluating the Options: Moving Forward

“Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.” Dale Carnegie, (author of “How to Win Friends and Influence People”)

We can think of approaching the problem of not getting interviews in two ways:

• Putting your application/ résumé under the microscope
• Questioning the process in which you go about obtaining an interview

This article focuses on the former, because no matter what avenue you end up taking to get an interview, essentially every company utilizes your résumé as a basis for evaluation . Therefore, we will examine my résumé under a microscope and focus on learning how to write a remarkable résumé.

Getting an interview via online application is extremely challenging because your résumé has to pass numerous stages before it gets into the hands of the hiring manager.

It has to bypass online keyword filters , stand out to a recruiter who reviews it for about 6 seconds and meet the expectations of the hiring manager who decides whether you are worth interviewing.

Yet, despite all those hurdles, I obtained all my interviews by applying online. How? Trial and error . I’ve applied to hundreds of different software engineering positions since my sophomore year of college.

When I first started applying, I faced a staggering number of rejections, but over time I learned how to adapt. By the time I was a senior, I was extremely successful in landing interviews from almost every company I applied to.

The résumé that landed me all those interviews is the exact one in this article.

It took me four years of iteration and real-life testing to get to this point. From this experience, I have come up with a list of résumé writing principles to help you write an even better software résumé. These are principles that have helped me land my dream job and are principles that can help you land yours.

While it took me four years of college to figure this all out, you don’t have to go through all the leaps and bounds because you can learn all of it right here, right now.

My goal is to be the one-stop hub for all your questions on how to obtain a software engineering interview. That way, you don’t have to waste countless hours cross-referencing Google search results to find the best answer on how to write a software engineering résumé that gets interviews.

Your valuable time could be better spent on writing your killer résumé.

So start here and now with this article. Reap the benefits from my past experiences and let’s begin the step-by-step walkthrough of my résumé!

Learning How to Write a Killer Résumé — By Example

“As to methods there may be a million and then some, but principles are few. The man who grasps principles can successfully select his own methods. The man who tries methods, ignoring principles, is sure to have trouble.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

Let’s take another look at this résumé:

One-page résumé

Recruiters do not have all day to read your résumé. On average they view it for less than 6 seconds. Keep it short and concise .

Sections (Header, Education, Employment, Software Projects, Skills)

Place sections in order of importance from top to bottom. The ‘ Personal Projects ’ section is a unique, must-have for people looking for a software engineering position.

Consistent layout + font per section

Make sure each section contains a uniform look. Consistent style is important as it enhances the readability. Readability is essential.

So why does this résumé work? Let’s explore the numbered bullet points.

Who Are You (1)

Target Audience: Anyone writing a résumé

Starting off real easy. Your name. Place your name at the top of your résumé in a large legible font.

No need to be all fancy about it with extravagant colors or fancy fonts. Plain and simple does the trick. You want the recruiter to see this easily from a mile away because you want them to know who you are. A recruiter who has to do minimum work is a happy recruiter. A happy recruiter is one who is more likely to give you an interview.

Recap: Make it ridiculously easy for the recruiter to read and find your name.

Contact Information (2)

Your contact info should be as easy as identifying your name. This is so important. Of all the things in the world, please do not mess this one up because how else on earth will the recruiter contact you?

Recap: Put in the correct contact information or you’ll never be contacted.

Education (3)

Target Audience: Anyone writing a résumé with a degree

If you are attending or attended college, this should be the first section of your résumé, because going to college is a huge accomplishment. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, only “66.7 percent of 2017 high school graduates age 16 to 24 enrolled in colleges or universities”. So be proud of it and include it!

Right off the bat, this tells the recruiter that you are invested in education and learning, which is crucial because technology is continuously changing. Furthermore, this information serves as an indicator of your successes, so be sure to put it down.

Recap: Put down where you got educated.

Be sure to include relevant coursework corresponding to the position that you are applying for. While a course on the History of Italian Gastronomy sounds exceptionally appetizing, it doesn’t have a place in a résumé that is trying to get you a job in computer science.

This will significantly improve the ability of the recruiter and the hiring manager looking at your résumé in deciding whether you are a good fit for the position. And as previously mentioned, a happy recruiter is more likely to give you an interview.

Recap: Only include relevant coursework.

Okay. GPA. Before we talk about this, let’s remind ourselves of the main purpose of a résumé.

The main purpose of a résumé is to highlight your knowledge, skills, and accomplishments succinctly. You want to include things on your résumé that you are proud of, but also things that will impress. You want to paint a picture of yourself in the best light possible so that recruiters and hiring managers want to interview you.

Now back to your GPA. It should be fairly obvious whether or not your GPA is impressive. If your GPA is below a 3.0, don’t put it on your résumé. There’s nothing wrong with excluding your GPA from your résumé if it only harms your chances.

If you have a GPA between 3.0–3.2, this is a judgment call. From personal experience, I have talked to some companies that require a minimum GPA of 3.2, but these were primarily financial or quantitative companies. Most software companies have little regard for your GPA. If you have anything above a 3.2, I would place it on your résumé.

If you have a low GPA, fear not, as this gives you the opportunity to be creative! My overall GPA was a 3.2 due to poor grades from my freshman engineering prerequisites and humanities classes. But once I finished and started taking courses within my major, my in-major GPA (GPA calculated from courses in my major) was a 3.44, which was significantly higher. So that’s what I put down (but make sure to qualify it as a departmental GPA).

There are many ways of going about presenting yourself in the best light possible, even when it may seem like the odds are stacked against you. I only provided one example of accomplishing this, but there are many more ways waiting to be discovered by you. Fully embrace your failures and accomplishments because they make up who are you. Be honest and truthful, and always focus on highlighting the best parts about yourself.

Recap: Your GPA does not define you. The purpose of your résumé is to present yourself in the best light. Never forget that! Be creative when going about this and DON’T LIE.

Employment (4)

Target Audience: Students with software engineering work experience

If you are a college student without any experience, don’t be afraid! This was my senior year résumé when I was applying for a full-time job. I was fortunate enough to have accumulated relevant work experience from summer internships, but this isn’t absolutely necessary to get an interview. If you find that you don’t have much to put in section, jump down to the ‘ Personal Projects ’ section.

While it is great to have past work experience, not all work experience is treated equally when it comes to looking for a job in software engineering. Focus only on including work experience that has relevance to the job that you are applying for. For instance, if you have experience working as a cashier in retail or a waiter in the food industry, don’t include it! Unfortunately, your abilities to handle money or serve food did not provide any indication that you will succeed as a software engineer.

A recruiter’s goal is to match candidates with jobs that fit the candidates’ skill sets. Therefore it is essential only to include past work experience that has some relation to the position that you are currently applying to, on your résumé.

Part of accomplishing this means creating a collection of various résumés, each tailored specifically for the different job that you are interested in. This is analogous to the college application process, where you had to write separate essays for each university that you applied to. Each college has its own values, culture, and vision, making it nearly impossible to write a generic, one-size-fits-all college essay. Therefore, tailor your résumé to the job that you are applying for.

Lastly, a note on dates. Order your experiences in descending order starting with your most recent experiences. For undergraduates, this means being mindful of including experiences that are both recent and relevant. Sadly, no one cares about whatever accomplishments you had in middle school or high school. If the experience is outdated, leave it out.

Recap: Have various versions of your résumé tailored for each job you are applying for. There is no one-size-fits-all résumé.

The hardest part about résumé writing is having descriptions that fully encapsulate your accomplishments from past work experiences in a meaningful and impressive way.

What does it mean for your descriptions to be meaningful and impressive? It means getting the recruiter to think: “This is someone that has the skill sets we are looking for. This is someone that has made a significant impact in their past jobs. This is someone we would like to interview and potentially hire.”

The primary objective of the Employment section is to show the impact and value that you had while working at an established institution. Your goal is to show recruiters that you are a candidate that can get things done and do them well.

To best showcase my accomplishments in my résumé, I adopted the following powerful formula, created by the Former SVP of People Operations at Google, Laszlo Bock:

“Accomplished [X] as measured by [Y] by doing [Z]” — Laszlo Bock

You can see this very clearly in the very first bullet point of this section on my résumé.

Improved device’s battery lifespan by 8% by integrating a fuel gauge sensor and establishing a battery saving state

Let’s break it down:

Accomplished [X]- Improved device’s battery lifespan

Measured by [Y]- by 8%

By Doing [Z]- integrating a fuel gauge sensor and establishing a battery saving state

I leveraged this formula in some shape or form in almost every sentence in my résumé.

To help you along this process, below is a word bank of excellent verbs you can and should use:

Here are some examples of fill-in the blank sentences that I have come up with for you to get started:

• Reduced _ by _ by _ .
• Redesigned _ for _ .
• Implemented _ for _ by _ .
• Improved _ by _ through _ .
• Utilized _ to _ for _ .
• Increased _ by _ through _ .
• Integrated _ by _ for _ .
• Incorporated _ for _ by _ .

Recap: Use the “Accomplished [X] as measured by [Y] by doing [Z]” formula. It’s the most effective and most apparent way of showing recruiters/managers your impact.

Lastly, I end each work experience with a leveraged knowledge bullet point. The utility behind this last bit is it enables the reader to really get a sense of the technology I am familiar with by explicitly stating the technologies that I used for the project.

This also allows me to have a concise, but clean ‘Skills’ section located at the bottom of my résumé. Recruiters can then look at the bottom to immediately obtain a sense of my capabilities by seeing which computer languages I am familiar with. If they are looking to see if I have specific knowledge in a particular tool, framework, or library, then they can find this out by looking at my projects.

Recap: Including technologies that you used in your descriptions will help you bypass online keyword filters when applying online. This will also give recruiters a clearer idea of your experiences and knowledge.

Personal Projects (5)

Target Audience: Students looking for software engineering internships/full-time positions + Unique section for software engineering applicants

Maybe if I say it enough times, you will understand the importance of this section, especially for those that do not have work experience .

Personal projects are integral to piquing recruiters and hiring managers interest as it shows you are passionate about programming.

A personal project can be anything programming related, whether it be a Python script, Java program, web page, mobile application, etc. These projects show that you are genuinely interested in computer science and you have strong desires to work as a software engineer because you are willing to go beyond your schoolwork and create something on your own.

Taking the initiative to build something on your own is extremely impressive. It shows that you are dedicated to expanding your knowledge of computer science and that you are not afraid of putting in the extra work to do so. Ultimately, it is a fantastic way to demonstrate self-initiative and genuine interest in this field.

The other benefit of doing personal projects is that you inevitably gain the skills that apply to work in the real world. Things that you don’t usually do at school, but you will do at work such as using standard frameworks/libraries, understanding full-stack web development, creating mobile applications, setting up a development environment, or programming efficiently with Vim.

Tip: Create a personal website that showcases and documents all of your personal projects. This is a little hack that ‘virtually extends’ your résumé beyond the one-page limit.

To reiterate one last time, personal projects show your passion and dedication towards developing the necessary skills needed for a job that you don’t yet have. This is a must-have on any software engineering resume.

“Build some iPhone apps, web apps, whatever! Honestly it doesn’t matter that much what you’re building as long as you’re building something. You can build a fairly meaty project in one weekend. This means that with about 3–4 weekends of work, you can make your résumé go from so-so to fantastic. Seriously — I’ve seen lots of people do this.” Gayle McDowell, former Google Engineer and Author of Cracking the Coding Interview

If there is a specific company that you really want to work at, one of the best ways to stand out is doing a personal project that is directly related to the job that you are applying for.

I got my internship at Autodesk by taking a free online interactive computer graphics course on Udacity. The course taught me to use a JavaScript library called three.js , and it just so happened that there was a software engineering internship opening at Autodesk looking for someone with full-stack website and knowledge in three.js (aka ME).

A word of caution on this technique. This strategy is not perfect. This only really works for companies like Autodesk which do not have generalized software engineering internships like Google, Facebook, and Microsoft. When starting off early in your career, it is better to generalize and figure out the different disciplines of computer science. Nonetheless, this is an excellent method worth trying if there is a specific company you want.

Recap: Personal projects are imperative. If you haven’t already, start NOW! You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Target Audience: Anyone looking for a software engineering job

The title explains it all. Keep this section dumb, simple, and clean. List all the relevant skills that you want the recruiter to know you have. The more skills you have listed here that match key technical words in the qualification section of the job description, the better your chances!

This will allow you to bypass the online keyword scanner easily. However, this is not a fool-proof method of circumventing the scanner. Ultimately it is a recruiter who gets their hands on your résumé that decides, but they will also be more inclined to give you an interview if they see you as a good fit for the job!

A thing to note about the skills section is to NOT simply list all the keywords on the job description just for the sake of showing you’re a good fit. It will come back to bite you as you will be questioned on the skills you claim to know.

Part of giving yourself some leeway in this is including an indication of your proficiency level. Since you are probably not practicing every language you’ve ever encountered on a day to day basis, including a proficiency level can help the recruiter know your strongest languages at a moment in time and other languages that you are familiar with.

I’ve opted to use two tiers:

• Proficient - Languages that I am very familiar with, feel very comfortable using, and can interview with right now.
• Familiar - Languages that I have utilized in the past but may not be as knowledgeable in currently, but can pick back up given time.

Other valid options include:

• Intermediate
• Working Knowledge
• Basic Knowledge

Recap: When applying for a specific job online, cross-reference the job description and add essential technical keywords on your résumé to increase your chance of getting an interview.

Key Takeaways

• Make sure your name and contact information is correct and legible
• Be sure to include your education. If your GPA is low, leave it out or be creative!
• Utilize the “Accomplished [X] as measured by [Y] by doing [Z]” formula to effectively show the impact that you had in your past employment
• Do personal projects — especially if you do not have past experience working in tech

Final Thoughts

While this résumé got me interviews at numerous software engineering companies, there is no guarantee that following all the principles and techniques I have explained here will yield the same results for you.

This was my senior year résumé in 2017. It is a showcase of my journey and interest in software engineering. Copying it will do you no good, as technology is constantly evolving and the talent search is an ever-changing process. Instead, use this as a reference.

Use my résumé and this article as a resource to become a better résumé writer and a more effective communicator. Focus on learning how to best convey your skills and achievements to others. This in itself is an invaluable, lifelong skill that you will need wherever you go.

As you write your résumé, please remember — be yourself!

Your résumé is a list of your own accomplishments, achievements, and interests. Your goal is to craft the most polished version of yourself. Lastly, have fun and enjoy the process!

For anyone interested in using this resume template, I obtained it from CareerCup which was founded by Gayle Laakmann McDowell, author of Cracking The Coding Interview .

From personal experience, what’s most important is the content. The resume writing principles discussed above can be applied to any template!

Also, check out my new website, memlayout.com , which helps students learn programming through visualizing their python code line-by-line.

If you read this far, thank the author to show them you care. Say Thanks

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32 Software Engineer Resume Examples Designed for 2024

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Writing Your Software Engineer Resume

If you’re looking to take the next step in your software engineering career, there’s no better time than now, especially with many companies releasing salary information thanks to  pay transparency laws across the states .

You have the skills and experience to land your next software engineer job, but figuring out  how to write a resume  is entirely different.

We’ve analyzed countless developer resumes seeing what works and what doesn’t. That’s why we’ve written 32 software engineer resume samples that have  helped developers get jobs at top tech companies like Google, Uber, and Twilio .

Whether you’re wondering how to use ChatGPT to write a resume or are already  checking your resume  for improvements, you’re in the right place to help you get more interviews in 2024!

Software Engineer Resume Example

or download as PDF

Why this resume works

• Always check the job description and the company’s mission statement to determine what you should include in your resume. If you have experience that doesn’t fit into your software engineer resume, but you still want to include, you can try to add some in your  software engineer cover letter .
• Try to include metrics relating to revenue, increased user counts, or increased efficiency. There are numbers there; you just have to find them!

Software Developer Resume Example

• Because of the amount of niche positions, you need to be careful when titling your resume. Always adjust the title on your resume to match the job to which you’re applying.
• Even if your work experience is different from the description, you can include some of the necessary skills and keywords. However, if your work experience is vastly different from the job description, you might want to consider applying for a different type of job.

Software Engineer Student Resume Example

• As long as you have relevant project experience, you’ll be good to go. Plus, points for a strong career objective that clearly labels why you’re joining a company and your main aim after being hired.

New Grad Software Engineer Resume Example

• A word of caution: resist the urge to feature just anything in your piece. Instead, strive to unearth duties and wins relevant to the target company and its KPIs. Talk about using Jenkins for integration automation, building custom UIs with Django, optimizing databases with MySQL, and more.

Software Engineer Intern Resume Example

• Companies will understand that you’re just starting out in your career, so including technical courses like ‘Computer Organization and Architecture’ in your software engineer intern resume will show them you have a solid understanding of the fundamentals.

Software Engineer New Grad Resume Example

• If you’re a recent grad, employers will understand that you have limited work experience but would like to see some proficiency in the technical aspects of the job. Use the job description to know the company’s requirements and adjust the skills you include in your software engineer resume to align with what the company is looking for.

Entry-Level Software Engineer Resume Example

• Plus, a template lets you easily adjust stylistic elements like color, font type, and layout. Make your resume as unique as you are!
• The first option is to demonstrate your ability to create and maintain new projects that are easily scalable and solve real problems. You can include college projects, personal projects, or even start something new so you have something to add!
• The second option is to show off any internships you’ve gotten. You can treat them just like work experience, but you can include it in your work experience or projects section.

Junior Software Engineer Resume Example

• Your time as a developer in a personal endeavor may have involved several responsibilities and accomplishments that make for a worthy addition to your junior software engineer resume.

Associate Software Engineer Resume Example

• Of course, if you have more than 10 years of experience, use a  resume summary  instead. Objectives and summaries aren’t too different, but summaries have more achievements and experience.
• Personal pronouns like “I,” “me,” and “my” take up space, so cut them out.
• Use active voice and active verbs to make sure your work experience bullet points are as short as possible.

Senior Software Engineer Resume Example

• Highlighting a lengthy career with multiple software engineering roles is key to getting noticed, especially when you pair it with quantifiable data from various sources.
• Always check the job description to get an idea of what the employer wants to see. Try to include six to eight skills in your  resume skills section  to give a wide range of your available skills.
• Focus more on adding technical skills, but you can include a few soft skills to highlight how well-rounded you are.

Experienced Software Engineer Resume Example

• For example, take the case of a Certified Software Development Associate (IEEE) certification included in this resume. It’s credible evidence that proves you have a concrete understanding of software design, testing, maintenance, and quality assurance—all of which are integral to any software engineering role.

Mid-Level Software Engineer Resume Example

• Your mid-level software engineer resume should give prominence to accomplishment metrics that touch on your application tools competencies, process streamlining, project timeline reductions, and ability to utilize resources to meet outcome expectations.

Lead Software Engineer Resume Example

• Your lead software engineer resume will go up a notch once you mention a master’s degree in computer science. It gives more credibility and shows that you’ve professionally learned how to lead other engineers and also keep systems running smoothly.

Java Software Engineer Resume Example

• But don’t forget to quantify your contribution. Try using multiple metrics in one bullet point to be extra flashy and prove that your Java skills are second to none.

Front End Software Engineer Resume Example

• If you don’t have the best technical highlights, add names of the most famous companies you’ve worked for in your front end software engineer resume. They can alone show that you weren’t hired for nothing.

Amazon Software Engineer Resume Example

• Create an unmatchable Amazon software engineer resume by listing your best achievements so far like “Grew Amazon Prime subscriptions by 18%” to show your to-be employer you’ve got what it takes to leverage technology and use it to drive better customer experience metrics.

Software Quality Engineer Resume Example

• We know automation’s a big part of this job, but it doesn’t mean you spam the word in every bullet point. Draw out other important impacts you’ve created on the job such as reducing coding errors and expanding test coverage to be a standout candidate.

Backend Software Engineer Resume Example

• Then, why not let your piece showcase your eye for detail? Take the time to go through it, ensuring every line is polished to perfection. While tools like Grammarly can be handy here, they aren’t foolproof, so be critical of the suggestions. Even better, enlist a friend or family member—a fresh pair of eyes might catch something you missed.

Staff Software Engineer Resume Example

• Did your overhauling MYSQL schema indexation expedite data access? Mention time saved in hours per month or week. Can you recount how many technical guides you built or published or how many users benefited from your software programs? Specify the numbers. Dollar-amount savings should also suffice in your metrics.

Software QA Engineer Resume Example

• Subsequently, choose a template (preferably Elegant) that gives ample spacing in the skills section for you to write down all the things you’re an expert at. Keep things simple by using a good color accent and let loose on all your past work experiences.

Director of Software Engineering Resume Example

• It is paramount that your director of software engineering resume shows your numbers for managing teams, cutting costs, expediting processes, and properly managing and prioritizing resources to exceed targets and goals.

Software Engineering Manager Resume Example

• Adding measurable results to your software engineering manager resume will help an employer evaluate the progress and results you’ve brought to companies you’ve previously worked with. This simple addition of observable statistics can go a long way in setting your resume apart from the crowd.

Google Software Engineer Resume Example

• For instance, adding tools and cloud-based services under the Google Cloud umbrella to your Google software engineer resume shows the company you’re well-versed in multiple development solutions.

Principal Software Engineer Resume Example

• While you may have several hobbies and interests, ensure you include those most relevant to the role you’re applying to. Participating in coding challenges and hackathons shows you’re passionate about software engineering, even outside work hours—something any employer will love to see!

Python Developer Resume Example

• That’s why it can be useful to include a projects section. Of course, you want the majority of your resume to focus on work experience, but if you’ve got some unique experience that might fit the  software engineer job description , consider adding this optional section.
• We’d recommend making your  web developer skills  section about 70 precent technical skills, but you can include soft skills for the rest. 

Software Engineer Front-End Resume Example

Full-Stack Software Engineer Resume Example

• Include multiple programming languages in your  resume skills section  to increase your value and better fit the ATS screening criteria.
• Start by reading the  software engineer job description  and looking for repeated keywords. You can also look at other local software engineer jobs to look for more key phrases to include.

Embedded Software Engineer Resume Example

• This will inform recruiters and hiring managers that, in addition to your technical coding skills, you have applicable knowledge of CPU architectures, operating systems, and more. You can also include soft skills related to communication and collaboration to showcase your ability to work with teams.
• This is the perfect place to briefly convey your achievements, your experience, and what you hope to accomplish at your future company. Always tailor it to each job for which you apply!

Software Integration Engineer Resume Example

• Your layout should have a good “visual voice” that’s as unique as you are, so don’t be afraid to play with colors, font types, and layouts. So long as it’s easy to read, format your resume to match your style!
• For example, did you start working with a team and end up leading a team? That’s an excellent example of scalable growth!
• Highlight versatile skills (like types of tools you’ve used) and scalable achievements to prove that you can improve your future workplace!

Security Engineer Resume Example

• Our special  resume tip : cut the fluff away from any novice jobs to leave more room for more impressive credentials you got later in your career.
• Demonstrate how your programming skills have evolved or how your interpersonal abilities helped advance your team. And be sure to back your claims with data! 
• Having a variety of jobs shows that you’re well-rounded with a host of skills you may not have obtained otherwise.
• Show this off in your work experience bullet points with a mix of transferable skills and unique abilities from other positions.

Software Development Engineer Resume

• Unload as many education qualifications as you possess to maximize the impression that you’re a certified software developing maestro. These aren’t just fancy additions to your resume but proof of your problem-solving and critical skills , making you the go-to guy for any tech need.

FAANG Software Engineer Resume

• Including skills like PostgreSQL, Apache Hadoop, and Git enrich your FAANG software engineer resume and prove to employers that you’re basically the Swiss Army knife of technology, all ready to confront any software needs Silicon Valley throws your way.

Related resume guides

• Scrum Master
• Tableau Developer
• Program Manager
• Web Developer

When you apply for an engineering job at a company, the first person looking at your resume is actually not a person. Companies use something called an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to filter out a majority of applicants for a role based on keyword matching.

If you pass this initial scan, your resume will get reviewed by a non-technical recruiter. Then at long last, the technical hiring manager will look at your resume.

So, how do you write a resume that will get you through all these hoops to get that first interview? That’s what this guide is designed to help you do!

We’ve analyzed numerous resumes from software engineers and to come up with valuable  resume tips  to get your foot in the door.

Here’s what we’re going to cover in this guide:

• What to put in the vital skills section of your resume.
• How to properly  format your resume  to appease the ATS filters, including what sections to include or omit.
• How to talk about your work experience and personal projects to convincingly appeal to technical and non-technical audiences.
• How to customize your resume for each job to which you apply (it’s easier than it sounds).

Software engineer skills for resume

The skills section is a vital part of your software engineer resume. This will make or break whether you get through the first phase of the resume review, aka the dreaded ATS scan.

Your  resume’s skills section  shouldn’t be a laundry list of frameworks and programming languages. Especially don’t try to include what you wouldn’t be comfortable coding; just reading about Java is not enough to have it in your skills section.

The worst thing that can happen is that you claim knowledge of a programming language and then can’t answer basic questions about that language in an interview. It’s much better to have true expertise in one programming language than to claim knowledge of 10 different languages.

Good hiring companies know that quality engineers can learn new frameworks as needed. So, it’s a big red flag if you list every programming language under the sun.

There are a few options for organizing your skills section on your resume. First, you can organize them by your proficiency level. You can use categorizations like “Advanced” vs. “Familiar” or “Expert” vs. “Working Knowledge.”

Skills organized by proficiency

Or you can organize them by the type of skill you’re discussing. So you can separate the programming languages you know, the frameworks, the tools, and the databases you’ve used.

Skills organized by skill type

Finally, you can list the programming languages you know and include the frameworks associated with that language you’ve used. You can also list your years of experience with that language. This is useful for recruiters, but it can take up a lot of space on your resume, so make sure your resume format allows for an extended skills section.

Skills organized by years of experience

Software engineer resume format

Threading the needle of making your resume ATS-readable, HR-readable, and technical-hiring-manager-readable is not an easy task. So, try to quantify your achievements without getting too in the weeds (while also not being too broad).

General formatting tips

The most important  resume formatting  tip that you should internalize is making your resume one page long, maximum. Recruiters spend, on average, only  six seconds reviewing your resume . They’re not going to read a several-page resume.

Here are the quick hits for how to properly format your resume:

• Keep it to one page.
• Avoid long paragraphs of text to make it readable.
• Bullet points should be self-contained, complete ideas.
• Keep your tenses consistent. Refer to old roles and projects in the past and refer to your current position in the present.
• Avoid pronouns like “I” or “we.”
• Check for grammar and spelling errors . Don’t let this be the reason you don’t get the job!

It’s tough to fit all of your projects and work accomplishments on a single page, but remember, you’re more than your resume. Recruiters understand this and know if a resume looks good initially, they can ask more questions in the interview.

Your goal with your resume isn’t just to include your best talking points; it’s also to make the life of the person reviewing it as easy as possible. Make sure you don’t have long paragraphs of text so it’s easier to read. Break up your would-be paragraphs into singular ideas that are more appealing to the reader.

Bad bullet point formatting

Designed and built out the backend for a client application that enabled users to build their own recipe books. Used Angular on the front-end and NodeJS on the back-end. Working closely with product managers, scaled this application to 200,000 users and generated annual revenue of $1.4M. (If you’re still reading this, then well done, because it’s far too long.)

Good bullet point formatting

• Designed and built out the back-end for a client application that enabled users to build recipe books.
• Used Angular on the front-end and NodeJS on the back-end. Working closely with product managers, scaled this application to 200,000 users and generated annual revenue of $1.4M.

Your bullet points should be self-contained, so you don’t need periods after each point. Within your bullet points, make sure your verb tenses are consistent (past tense is preferable).

Also, we’d recommend avoiding singular pronouns, so don’t use “I” or “we.” They waste time and look unprofessional, so don’t include them. For example, instead of saying, “I worked on building the back-end for a project,” you should say, “Worked on building the back-end for a project.” There are plenty of ways to avoid saying “I.”

Lastly, please  review all grammar and spelling . Don’t give recruiters or hiring managers an easy excuse for someone to put you into the “no” pile. Too many great software engineers don’t  check their resumes  and leave typos and punctuation errors.

Contact information and title

Your name should be the first thing on your resume, and it should be listed in a bigger font. Directly underneath it, you should include a title. This title should always be the job for which you’re applying. So, if your current title is “software engineer” and you’re applying for a senior engineering role, your title should be “senior software engineer.” After your title, include your contact information, including:

• City and zip code (you don’t need to give your specific address)
• Email address (make sure it sounds professional and includes your name)
• Telephone number
• LinkedIn profile URL
• GitHub profile URL
• Personal website (if you have one)

And although you know already to review your resume for typos,  triple-check your contact section  for anything that’s incorrect. We once had a great engineer misspell his email here, and although he was a great fit for the role to which he was applying, the company couldn’t contact him, so he didn’t get an interview!

This may seem like a lot of information to include, but you can make it compact. Here’s a great example:

What you include in the education section of your resume will vary depending on whether you’re applying for an entry-level software engineering role or a more senior role.

Regardless of your seniority, you should always include the school you attended, the year you graduated, and your major. If you had a minor or a specific concentration, include that.

If you’re applying for anything  other  than an entry-level role, that’s all you should include in your education section. Why? Because real estate is valuable on a resume, and your work experience and projects will convey more about your qualification than your GPA or college courses.

Suppose you’re  applying for a software engineering internship  or  looking for your first full-time role . In that case, your education section will be more expansive to accurately convey your qualifications. Plus, you’ll want to mention relevant courses to the role for which you’re applying. For software engineering roles, this means any classes related to software engineering. Took a databases class? Completed an algorithm design course? You get the idea.

If you want to include your GPA, make sure it’s above a 3.2. Otherwise, leave it out.

Entry-Level Software Engineer Education

Senior Software Engineer Education

Software engineer resume summary

Unless it’s done exceptionally well, we strongly recommend that you don’t include a  resume summary  or objective on your software engineer resume. Why? Because they rarely, if ever, convey meaningful information to the person reviewing your resume. Let’s break down a typical objective statement:

Sample software engineer resume objective

I have 3+ years of experience, and I’m looking to leverage my Django expertise to work on challenging problems as a Senior Software Engineer.

There isn’t anything new in this objective. Their 3+ years of experienceand Django expertise should be demonstrated in their work experience. There’s no customization for the specific job, and it’s far too short.

Remember, recruiters typically only look at your resume for six seconds. Don’t make them waste precious time on anything that doesn’t demonstrate new information about why you’re a great fit for the role.

Anything unique to your situation or circumstance (for example, you’re undergoing a career change) should be discussed when creating a cover letter . You can elaborate on what you’re looking for in your next role without the constraint of space.

Work experience

Your work experience section is, without a doubt, the most important section on your resume. This is where a resume reviewer spends most of their time and attention. It’s here that they’ll decide whether they want to move you onto the first stage of the interview process. So, this is not the place to be humble. Show off the good work you’ve done.

If you’re a junior developer, this section will be shorter (in favor of a longer “Projects” section). If you have two-plus years of work experience, this should take up the majority of the space on your resume.

So how do you talk about your work experience convincingly? The key is to  be specific  and  quantify the impact of your work  whenever possible.

Developers rarely work in complete isolation, especially at larger companies. So you must tease out what you did specifically on each project. If you worked as part of a team to turn a multi-page web app into a single-page app, and you were in charge of re-designing the back-end infrastructure for the new app, talk about that specifically.

Good work experience description

Architected the new back-end in Ruby to change multi-page primary product into a single-page app, resulting in $1.2M in annual incremental revenue.

Bad work experience description

The team changed our primary product from a multi-page app to a single-page app, resulting in $1.2M in annual incremental revenue.

Notice that when talking about your actual work, you want to be specific about your particular role. However, when talking about the project’s impact, you can talk about the overall effect that the team had.

Again, quantify the impact of the projects you worked on whenever possible. Businesses hire engineers to move the company forward, and the best way to demonstrate you can do that is to show you’ve had a measurable impact in your past roles.   Rough estimates of impact are okay if you don’t have exact numbers; just be reasonable and logical in your assessments.

Here are some other ways you can try to quantify your work:

• Reduced downtime by X%
• Improved the speed of the application by X%
• Implemented a product feature that improved customer retention by X%
• Improved customer satisfaction (as measured by NPS) by X%
• Built a feature that improved click-through rate by X%
• Scaled a product that successfully handled X concurrent users
• Automated a process that saved X hours of manual labor each week
• Improved a product feature that increased usage by X%
• Worked on a project that led to a cost savings of $X
• Implemented unit tests that improved test coverage by X%
• Fixed a bug that reduced customer complaints by X%  

The formula for discussing your work experience is “my specific contribution to a project” + “the overall quantitative impact.” This describes the same work experience, just in different ways.

Let’s look at an example of this in action to see how effective it is.

Good: Specific contribution plus quantitative impact

Bad: Vague description and no quantitative impact

Software engineer resume projects

The size of your projects section on your software engineer resume should be directly tied to your seniority level when applying for a developer job. The more junior your role, the more space you should allocate to your projects.

If you have more than two years of experience, you should only list one project of which you’re especially proud. Most of your resume should be composed of what you did in your previous jobs.

Try to talk about your projects in the same way you would talk about your work experience. The goal of your projects is to demonstrate your technical skills in context. Show how you used a language or framework to build something that satiated your curiosity or solved a problem.

Your projects should give more color to your skills section. While it’s great to say you know Ruby, it’s even better to say how you built the back-end of your movie recommendation engine in Ruby. Anyone can list a skill on their resume, but showing how you used that skill demonstrates even stronger mastery of that skill.

If you worked on substantial coding projects during school, you should include them here. When possible, always include the projects you’ve listed on your resume in your Github profile or on your personal website.

Here’s the format of how you should talk about your projects on your resume:

• Describe the problem you were trying to solve and how you solved it at a high level. In the example above, “Built an Android app to allow party-goers to vote on what song should play next.”
• Next, discuss some technical details in either one or two bullet points.

Again, you’re trying to demonstrate two things to a hiring manager with your projects. First, you want to give context to the skills you list on your resume. Next, you want to show that you can identify a problem and then implement a solution to solve that problem.

Interests & hobbies

If you have a bit of extra space and have a hobby or interest that might interest employers, you should include it. Some companies appreciate personality, so this would be the place to highlight that.

Customize your resume for each job

We know, we know; customizing your resume is tedious. But we have some good news! You don’t have to overhaul your resume for each job to which you apply. You will likely have to change one or two bullet points on your resume for each application.

Read the  software engineer job description  for the job to which you’re applying. Do any particular projects you’ve worked on or languages you’ve used come to mind when reading it? Those should absolutely be included in the resume you submit for that role.

Now, let’s say you’re applying for the following role:

Clearly, they want an engineer who has experience developing APIs. So, instead of just one bullet talking about my experience building out APIs, you should allocate two to three bullet points to my work.

When customizing your resume for each job you apply for, be sure to expand on the work experience or projects you’ve worked on that are especially relevant to the position at hand.

How to write an effective software developer resume

Here are the major takeaways you should keep in mind when  writing a professional resume :

• Keep your resume to one page.
• Proofread your resume  multiple times  to avoid any grammar or spelling errors.
• If you’re applying for an entry-level role, mention any relevant college courses. Otherwise, don’t let your education section take up a lot of space.
• Unless you tailor it, you don’t need a summary or objective section on your resume.
• Only include skills for which you’d be comfortable being interviewed.
• Always mention your specific contribution and quantify the overall project’s impact on the business.
• If you’re applying for an entry-level role, talk about any personal coding projects you worked on.

Remember, the goal of this resume is to get your foot in the door. Once you get that first phone interview, your skills and personality will surely shine through.

Applying to new jobs can be daunting, but one of the most complex and most confusing parts is now over. You’ve done the research, and you’re ready to  write your resume ! You can use our free  AI resume builder  to start your resume from scratch or a template, and our  free resume checker  uses AI-powered tips to suggest improvements and resolve errors.

You’ve got the knowledge; now go land your dream job!

Software Engineer Resume [2024] - Example + How-to Guide

You’re a software engineer. You use your talents to build the future.

Well, once you get the job.

There’s one thing in your way:

The huge pile of other resumes sitting on the recruiter’s desk.

It’s time to make your talents stand out.

In this guide, we take you through a step-by-step process to creating a software engineer resume that gets results.

• An example of a finished software engineer resume that works
• How to write a software engineer resume that’ll fill up your interview diary
• How to make your software engineer resume stand out [with top tips & tricks]

For some inspiration, here’s a software engineer resume example, created with our very own online resume builder :

Looks good, right?! Now it’s time to create your own.

Besides the software engineer resume example, we've got a bunch more examples for professionals in the computer science field:

• Java Developer Resume
• Web Developer Resume
• Computer Science Resume
• Artificial Intelligence Engineer Resume
• Engineering Resume
• Data Scientist Resume
• Data Analyst Resume
• Data Entry Resume

How to Format a Software Engineer Resume

Now, before you can highlight your talents, you need to format your resume correctly. 

Your resume should be easy to read and not be hard work for the recruiter to skim through. 

The “reverse-chronological” resume format  is the most commonly used format, and we can see why. It positions your top talents at the top of your resume, so the recruiter can immediately see your value proposition.

These software engineering resume formats also get our approval…

• Functional Resume – If you have strong software engineering skills, but a small amount of work experience, this resume format is recommended
• Combination Resume – The final format combines both “Functional” and “Reverse-Chronological” formats. As such, it is ideal for software engineers who have skills AND work experience.

Once you’ve chosen your format, you need to organize your resume layout .

Use a Software Engineer Resume Template

Word is a great application for creating documents.

Creating a resume with text editors is a different story all together!

This is due to formatting issues.

In fact, there’s a chance your entire layout will fall apart as you make alterations. 

Want to skip any formatting issues? Use a software engineer resume template .

What to Include in a Software Engineering Resume

The main sections in a software engineering resume are:

• Work Experience
• Contact Information

Want to go a step further? You can also add these optional sections:

• Awards & Certification

Interests & Hobbies

But wait – what should you write for each of these sections? 

Read on to learn how.

Want to know more about resume sections? View our guide on What to Put on a Resume .

How to Correctly Display your Contact Information

Now, this section doesn’t need any creativity, but it must be factually correct. 

Play close attention to this section – the last thing you want is an impressed recruiter who wants to interview you, but can’t contact you!

The contact information section must include:

• Title – Align this to the job description, which is “Software Engineer”
• Phone Number – Check this multiple times
• Email Address – Use a professional email address ([email protected]), not your childhood email ([email protected])
• (Optional) Location - Applying for a job abroad? Mention your location.
• Lauren Hill - Software Engineer. 101-358-6095. [email protected]
• Lauren Hill - Ninja Software Engineer. 101-358-6095. [email protected]

How to Write a Software Engineer Resume Summary or Objective

Here’s a shocking fact for you –

Recruiters spend less than 6 seconds on each resume .

With hundreds of resumes to get through, it’s no surprise that recruiters simply glance over resumes looking for the most important information. 

As such, you want to make the most important information clear to see.

The best way to do this is via a resume summary or objective , which are snappy paragraphs that go on top of your resume.

Their purpose is to quickly highlight why you are the best candidate for the software engineering job. They can be seen as a “small preview” to the rest of your resume.

But what is the difference between the two sections?

A resume summary is a 2-4 sentence summary of your professional experiences and achievements.

• Experienced software engineer with a strong background in developing award-winning strategies for a diverse clientele. 12+ years of industry experience includes leading large engineering teams to achieve concrete goals on a strict deadline. Strong skills include Database management and MySQL, .NET and Java.

A resume objective is a 2-4 sentence snapshot of what you want to achieve professionally.

• Motivated software engineer looking to pursue a successful career in software development at Company X, where I can help in the delivery of state-of-the-art software solutions. Experience includes coding, troubleshooting, and testing for my own personal projects while at University X. Relevant skills include PHP, Data Structures, Machine Learning, and Debugging.

So, which one is best for your situation, summary or objective?

Generally, we recommend experienced software engineers go with a summary. If you have the skills but lack the industry experience, you should choose a resume objective (graduates, career changers, or those still studying).

How to Make Your Software Engineer Work Experience Stand Out

Recruiters want to know that you can do the job, and do the job well. The easiest way to instil confidence in the recruiter is with your work experience.

Here’s how we recommend you structure your work experience section:

• Position name
• Company Name
• Responsibilities & Achievements

Software Engineer

ElectronicsX

03/2017 - 07/2020

• Built an ecommerce site integrated with multiple payment APIs for a 32% in company revenue
• Developed new infrastructure to easily handle over a million client files 
• Consistently achieved 100% compliance with industry best practices
• Reduced security breaches by 84%

To separate your resume from the competition, you should highlight your top achievements. Doing so will allow the recruiter to see the obvious benefits in hiring you.

Instead of saying:

“In charge of infrastructure”

“Developed new infrastructure to easily handle over a million client files”

Simply put, the first statement doesn’t say much.

This is in direct comparison with the second statement that shows how your work benefited the company greatly. Hard numbers that prove your skills – can’t argue with that!

What if You Don’t Have Work Experience?

Not everyone will have a wealth of work experience.

Maybe you’re a graduate looking for your first engineering job?

The question is how to tackle this part of your resume when you have no experience.  

The answer –

Talk about your internship experience, volunteering work, or any achievements at your place of education. 

You can even create a portfolio of your own work!

There are several ways to build a portfolio (and even get paid for it):

• Pick up some relevant freelance gigs on UpWork
• Start you own software project as a side-hustle

Are you recent engineering graduate? Make sure to check out our student resume guide!

Use Action Words to Make Your Software Engineer Resume POP!

…are all common words that the recruiter sees time and time again.

However, you don’t want your resume to resume the competition, which means you should use power words to make your achievements stand out:

• Conceptualized
• Spearheaded

B.A. in Software Engineering

The University of Chicago

2012 - 2016

• Relevant Courses : Software Engineering Project, Distributed Systems Development, Information Systems Modelling, Specification of Software Systems, Software Evolution, Software Quality, Agile Methods

Now, you may need more information. If so, here are the answers to some of the most frequent questions that we get:

What if I haven’t completed education yet?

• Regardless of whether you’re an engineering graduate or still studying, you should still mention every year of education to date

Should I include my high school education?

• Generally, only include your highest form of education. Therefore, include your high school education if you don’t have a relevant degree in engineering

What do I put first, my education or experience?

• Experiences are the priority, so those go first. If you’re a recent graduate, you will likely need to start with education

Need more information? Check out our guide on how to list education on a resume .

Top 10 Skills for a Software Engineer Resume

Your software engineer resume must do one thing—

Show that you’ll do a better job than the other candidates.

But how can you do this? 

Well, by highlighting the right software engineer skills on a resume.  

This is done by looking at the job description, and then comparing the skills needed with the skills you already have.

Put all relevant skills on your resume. Here are the most commonly used skills for a software engineer resume:

Hard Skills for a Software Engineer:

• Data Structures
• Machine Learning
• Web Development

Soft Skills for a Software Engineer:

• Creative Thinking
• Communication
• Time-Management
• Team Player
• Try to sprinkle your skills throughout the document, not just in the skills section. You can drop some of your skills in the resume summary, education section, and work experience section.

Here’s a more comprehensive list of 101+ must-have skills this year .

What Else Can You Include?

That’s all of the essentials covered.

But ask yourself one question –

Does your resume stand out ?! 

The above sections should be enough to get you onto the shortlist, but adding some extra sections could be the deciding factor between you and another candidate.  

Awards & Certifications

Have you won an award for your engineering work?

Have you completed any courses that improve your skills?

If you have any awards or certifications, be sure to list them in your resume!

Here’s an example:

Awards & Certificates

• “Advance Software Engineering” - Coursera Certificate
• “Critical Thinking Masterclass” - MadeUpUniversity

Even though you will unlikely need to speak an alternative language in your job, the skill is still impressive to any recruiter. As such, feel free to add a language section if you have space.

Rank the languages by proficiency:

• Intermediate

Now, you’ll probably thinking, “why is my love of fishing relevant to the job application?”

Well, listing your hobbies allows the recruiter to get to know who you are.

They can also show that you’ll be a good part of the team, especially if you enjoy social activities. 

Here’s which hobbies & interests you may want to mention.

Include a Cover Letter with Your Resume

Cover letters are just as important as they always have been.

You see, a cover letter instantly makes your application specific and more personal. 

Unlike a generic resume that has been sent to ten other companies, a cover letter shows the recruiter that you want to work for their company.

For a winning cover letter, you need the correct structure. Here’s what we recommend:

You should complete the following sections:

Personal Contact Information

Your full name, profession, email, phone number, location, and website (or Behance / Dribble).

Hiring Manager’s Contact Information

Full name, position, location, email

Opening Paragraph

As the recruiter will likely skim through your application, you need to win their attention within the first few sentences. Use concise language to mention:

• The position you’re applying for
• Your experience summary and best achievement to date

Now it’s onto the main body of the cover letter, where you should delve into the following specifics:

• Why you want to work for this specific company
• What you already know about the company
• How your engineering skills will help you to do the job
• Which similar positions have you held before

Closing Paragraph

To wrap up your cover letter, you should:

• Conclude the main points made in the body paragraph
• Thank the recruiter for the job opportunity
• Finish with a call to action that leaves the conversation open, such as “At your earliest opportunity, I’d love to discuss more about how I can help company X” will work

Formal Salutations

End the letter in a professional manner. Something like, “Kind regards” or “Sincerely.”

For more inspiration, read our step-by-step guide on how to write a cover letter .

Key Takeaways

Congratulations!

If you followed the advice above, you’re well on your way to landing that elusive software engineering role.

Before we go, let’s summarize the main points:

• Format your software engineer resume correctly. Use the reverse-chronological format, and then follow our layout recommendation
• Use a summary or objective at the top of your resume
• Highlight your achievements in your work experience section
• Make sure your portfolio is the best it can be. If you don’t have one, think about getting one
• Include a convincing cover letter to separate you from the competition

Suggested Reading:

• Guide to Green Careers - All You Need to Know
• How to Answer “What Is Your Greatest Strength” [4 Samples]
• Why Should We Hire You - 10+ Best Answers

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