The Ultimate Software Engineer Resume Guide (Examples & Tips) | Arc

💻 The Best Software Engineer Resume

What makes a great software engineer resume? Comparing a good resume with a bad resume makes it easier to spot the difference. Read on to create your best developer resume ever!

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs in software engineering and development will grow by 22% in the decade between 2019 and 2029. Globally, according to Evans Data Corporation, the number of developer jobs is expected to increase from 23.9 million in 2019 to 28.7 million in 2024.

However —

Though more software engineer positions will open up in the coming years, there will also be more candidates vying for your position. And, that’s especially true for the higher-paying jobs at top startups and multinational companies.

Meaning, don’t phone it in if you want a serious shot at an interview. You need to know how to write a killer software engineering resume to be considered.

Well, you’re in luck!

Below, you’re going to learn exactly how to write a resume for software engineering jobs. What to include on your resume, how to structure it, things to omit, and more – it’s all here. No need to hire a resume writing service, as you can do this all yourself by choosing a great CV template on Google Docs or Microsoft Word or by finding a free online resume builder.

For this guide, Arc partnered with Christian Eilers, career expert and CPRW (Certified Professional Resume Writer) to lay out in detail exactly how to write a resume for software engineering jobs.

Whether you’re starting from scratch or already have the alpha version of a software engineer resume drafted up, you’ll find all the best advice and expert tips below to transform it into a stable release candidate.

Read more: What to Include on a Software Developer Resume — and What to Leave Off

So, ready to get going?

Here’s how to write a software engineer resume sure to land interviews:

Introduction Paragraph

Hiring managers and IT recruiters spend an average of six seconds scanning through every single resume the first time around, which is really no time at all.

If they notice something they like during that quick glance, your software engineer resume will be reviewed more thoroughly. If not, it’s game over at this particular company, unfortunately.

So, write an irresistible introduction paragraph to capture their attention.

This opening statement is a sales pitch that tells them, “Here’s why you should continue reading my resume and keep me in the running as a software engineer job candidate.” Let’s start off by looking at two examples of this opening paragraph.

First, here’s a bad software engineer resume example:

And here’s a good resume summary example:

The second resume sample provides enough information for an HR hiring manager or tech recruiter to pass it on to the head of IT for further resume review. Let’s dive deeper to understand the characteristics of a compelling opening statement on software engineer resumes:

Concise & Complete – A perfect resume summary statement is only about 3-5 sentences long, yet it touches on everything.

Important Keywords – It’ll allude to, or directly mention, key skills, education, professional experience, certification, and other items meant to keep your candidacy alive.

Numbers as Proof – Don’t simply write that you have certain technical skills or knowledge with software applications. Give the recruiter hard numbers to back up your claims. For example: “I increased speed and accuracy” is quite vague and requires clarification, but “I increased speed and accuracy by 12% in 6 months” shows them just how capable you are.

Tailored – The introductory paragraph should be tailored to each software engineer job description you’re applying for. Mention the role and company to which you are applying, for starters, and search the original job posting for clues as to what kind of person they’re looking for.

There are two main kinds of resume introductions:

Resume Summary – When you have previous experience in software development jobs or as an SWE, this is the one you’ll use. As the name suggests, it summarizes your relevant skills, experience, and education, while also showcasing key accomplishments. All in a way that is tailored to this particular job, of course.

Resume Objective – Also known as a “career objective,” use a resume objective when you have little or no experience in software development or engineering (like if you’re fresh out of university or changing careers). Here, give quantifiable achievements from college or other professional areas which are transferable to software engineering. Then, mention your goals for a career in software engineering to wrap it up.

And, a quick pro tip —

Write your career objective or resume summary paragraph last. Though it’s positioned at the top of the page, completing the rest of your software engineering resume first allows you to flesh out the important numbers and critical details. Once you’re done, you can circle back and fill in this opening paragraph, and it’ll be a heck of a lot easier!

Work Experience Section

Next comes the work experience section, where you’ll compile your previous job history.

As in the last section, let’s look at a good example and a bad example of a software engineering resume job experience section before we talk about the best way to go about it.

Here’s a not-so-great professional experience example:

Now take a look at this good example work experience section:

Here’s what makes the second software engineer resume example the better choice:

Order – In your work experience section, the first line should be your job title, as it’s the most relevant information. Below each job title, include the company name, your working location (not their HQ city), and the dates you were employed. Start with the most recent software engineering position and work backwards from there (reverse-chronological order).

Active Voice – Use active voice rather than passive voice. It’s way more powerful and effective to say “I formed and mentored a team” than to say “the team was formed and mentored by me.”

Quantifiable Achievements – Just as a checksum verifies the integrity of an associated file, achievement numbers verify how well you carried out past responsibilities. You can say you oversaw the redesign of a website, but you can prove you did a great job if you add something like “… leading to a 35% sales increase.”

Power Verbs – Things like “worked on,” “responsible for,” and “helped” are weak resume words and phrases. Add some oomph to your writing with powerful, software development-related words (e.g., “tested,” “engineered,” “transitioned”).

Formatting – Group work experience achievements into bullet points. Around 3-5 bullet points per entry is ideal. Also, let it breathe – rather than cramming it all in there, make use of negative space to help each point stand out. A solid block of text is hard for recruiters to parse in that initial 6-second scan!

Be Consistent – You can choose to spell the full month name or abbreviate the state in which you worked. Just be sure to follow that same styling everywhere else in the work experience section and other resume areas.

Please note that we recommend a great mid-level or senior software engineer resume to have the work experience section immediately follow the introductory statement. However, if you’re writing a resume with little or no experience (perhaps for a software development internship or junior software engineer position), move more relevant sections higher, particularly skills and education. Always put the most impactful items highest.

Education Section

In software engineering, depending on where you’re applying, your academic history may play an important role. Even if you are a self-taught developer or learned through a coding bootcamp, quite a few job descriptions for software engineer roles still require some university education. While your degree may be completely unrelated to information technology, it’s still important to display your scholastic credentials in the best way possible.

Before we dive into how to write a resume education section, let’s again take a look at some resume examples.

A bad software developer resume example:

And a good SWE resume sample:

Note that there are many ways to organize the education section of your senior or junior software developer resume.

A general rule of thumb: the less professional experience a job seeker has (say on a junior software engineer resume), the more info ought to be included to compensate.

Here are the must-have elements:

Degree – If you’ve earned a degree, the first line of each entry should be the degree name and your major. Follow the naming convention the job description uses when deciding to choose between “bachelor’s degree,” “BS,” or “B.S.” If you’re working on a degree, write instead “Majoring in Computer Science,” for example.

School Details – On the following line, simply write the name of the university and the city and state (or city and country).

Dates – Follow the same dating format you used above in the work experience section.

Format – In the bad example, the date is a second column within the education entry, which itself is in the resume’s second column. This very likely would make it difficult to parse if scanned into HR’s ATS (applicant tracking system) software. The fewer columns, the better, but a single column is best!

And some optional items to consider:

GPA – Adding your grade point average is often problematic, as anything much less than a perfect GPA will turn them off.

Relevant Coursework – Include college classes you took which are relevant to the job you’re applying for. And not just specifically connected to software engineering. For example, if you’re applying to become the lead software engineer, adding that course you took on business leadership is a great way to increase your chances!

Minor – Listing a minor (or double major) on your resume shows you can balance a heavy workload and are eager to soak up knowledge.

Honors – If you graduated with honors or earned any academic awards, show them off.

Projects – Similarly, highlight any relevant software engineering projects, academic publications, or research papers.

Finally, while most job descriptions may specifically seek someone with a degree in computer science or software engineering, don’t pass up the chance just because your university history doesn’t match. As one of the more modern employment sectors, they may still consider you – especially if you have enviable software engineering skills and experience.

For those of you applying for software engineer jobs with non-traditional learning pathways in your past, we’ve got you covered! Use the resume education section to list traditional education, and we’ll talk more about where to add the others in just a moment.

Skills Section

The software engineering resume skills area should be well thought out. Managers are looking for abilities you have which are relevant to the position, and anything which doesn’t just get in the way.

Reread the job description. Find the software engineer skills they’re looking for, and, if applicable, include these in your resume skills list.

Here’s a bad resume skills example:

And this is a better example:

Let’s look at the characteristics of a great SWE resume skills section:

Quantity – Include only relevant skills which will help you land the software engineering position. These will usually be listed in the job description. As a software engineer, there’s probably no point listing your proficiency with Microsoft Office, but more relevant software applications should certainly be included.

Go “Hard” – Hard skills are those which can be developed through learning, such as technical skills, while soft skills are acquired as life goes by, such as people skills. Go heavier on the hard skills.

Grouping – IT managers often prefer you to include skill levels to identify just how proficient you are at each one. Follow our convention above or choose your own, but omit any skills with which you have only a rudimentary understanding.

Format – Remember that ATS we mentioned earlier? To make sure hiring software will read your resume correctly, opt for a text-based format (see the good example) over bar charts or fancy graphics.

An important thing to remember – your entire resume shows off your software engineering skills and abilities, not just this skills section. And, other places often show these skills off in a better way, particularly when accompanied with numbers.

You can save crucial resume real estate by thoughtfully cherry-picking, especially for soft skills. For example, rather than (or on top of) adding “communication skills” or “leadership skills” here, imply you are a great communicator or leader using the career summary statement, education section, or work experience bullet points.

Certifications & Awards

If you’re looking to apply Pareto’s principle (the “80/20 rule”) to writing a resume for software engineering jobs, the certification and awards section is sure to give you the most bang for your buck.

If you are able to include this section, the few words you list here may just be the most impactful items found on your resume. Why? Certifications and awards, including online qualifications, automatically prove a certain level of technical skills and knowledge, especially when delivered from an industry-renowned organization.

However, though just a few words long, there’s a right way and a wrong way to list them.

Here’s a bad software engineer resume sample:

And here’s a good example:

First and foremost, the bad example is hard to notice as it’s crammed there into a corner. The good example makes use of white space all around to ensure the contents stand out to hiring managers.

Also, always remember to stay consistent. The bad example uses the full name of one certification as the first entry but the abbreviation for the second. Our recommendation is to write out the full name and include the abbreviation in parentheses to maximize resume keywords.

Finally, if you have several certifications and awards each, consider splitting them up into their own sections. Otherwise, one section combining both is just fine.

Personal Projects Section

Software developers are a passionate, dedicated, enterprising bunch, and you likely have some (or many) personal projects, open source contributions, or freelance work to show off. And that’s great! These software side projects are very useful in getting the hiring manager on your side.

However —

Let’s just figure out how to highlight your software projects in the best possible way.

A personal projects section on a resume is a good idea for lower-level software engineering positions with little professional experience. If you’re writing an entry-level software development resume or a resume for a software engineering internship position, add a few of your proudest projects. Having these projects shows you’re not just in it for the paycheck, but rather you are wholly passionate about software development and engineering.

But, for mid-level and senior software engineering resumes, link out to an online portfolio of your projects in the resume contact information section instead. As a software engineer with experience, you’re going to need all the room on the resume you can get, which is why the online projects portfolio is better. However, if you find yourself with room to spare, by all means, include them!

Anyway, if you’ve decided to add projects directly onto your resume, here’s what to do:

Grouping – When listing more than a couple of projects, group them into subheadings like “Technical Projects,” “Business Projects,” and “Other Projects.”

Title – On the first line, identify the type of project. It could be something like “iOS Mobile Application” or “eCommerce Chatbot.” If you have a website with expanded details on the project, hyperlink the title there.

Description – Give a short description of the project, no more than 3 sentences. Perhaps include the problem it solved, why you created it, and the client (if applicable).

Skills – To end each entry, identify the skills you used (e.g., API access, JavaScript Interop) or tech stacks required to complete the project (e.g., LAMP, MEAN).

An entry-level software engineer resume should be about a single page in length, and an experienced candidate should have a two-page resume at most. If your side projects resume section is causing your document to become too long, opt for linking to an online portfolio of projects, instead.

Other Important Parts of a Resume

Above are some of the most common and important sections to include on a resume for software engineer positions, but other areas may help your chances, as well. The important thing is to tailor each resume for one particular software engineer job description, rather than sending one generic resume everywhere.

Here are a few additional sections to consider for a good software engineer resume:

Languages – I don’t mean Java, Go, or Python here, but human languages. Adding languages you’re fluent in, along with your proficiency level in each, could be a great addition — especially if you’re joining an international team!

Volunteer Work – Volunteering speaks to your character, commitment, and values. Any job seeker with a volunteer work experience section will definitely earn some extra points.

Publications – Are you an IT thought leader? Let the recruiter know with a few choice links to articles you’ve published on software design, containerization, or big data!

Memberships & Affiliations – Highlight your dedication to computer science, information technology, and software engineering in particular by listing professional organizations where you have an active membership.

Hobbies and Interests – This may seem irrelevant at first, but, like volunteering experience, they help to portray you as a human rather than just as a candidate. If you have some extra space left over on your resume template, consider adding hobbies and interests you’re proud of.

Coding Bootcamps – If you attended or graduated from a coding bootcamp, don’t be shy! Adding this type of non-traditional coding school and education to your resume is more and more common these days. Plus, it looks great to recruiters, especially for software developer resumes with little experience.

Courses – If you took courses related to software development but unrelated to a specific college degree (for example, the University of New South Wales’ “Introduction to Systems Engineering” on Coursera), add these in a section separate from your other education. Do the same for courses you took for other skills you want to show, such as leadership, communication, or business, for instance.

Additional Activities – Have other life experiences or activities which may benefit your chances of landing that tech interview but nowhere to put them? Create a section called “Additional Activities” on your CV template. Here you can put things like conferences you attended (or better yet, spoke at), side projects you have, and other projects and pursuits.

And finally —

A software engineer cover letter.

A cover letter may not exactly be part of a resume, but you definitely ought to include one with your resume.

Just be sure to use it wisely.

Tailor your software engineering cover letter to the job description. Don’t repeat your resume on the cover letter, but use it instead to expand upon or add value to your resume. Explain why you’re applying and why you believe you’re the most eligible candidate for the software engineering position. Highlight key skills, experience, qualifications, and other items which support your claim.

“Every job is essentially a problem looking for a solution. So every job posting has within it a problem that the company is trying to solve by hiring a human to do that,” as Lisa Smith, Engineering Manager at Zapier, told Arc. If you can use your resume and cover letter to convey how hiring you helps them solve their problems, you’ll be well on your way to that software engineer interview.

And just before you send off your application, do a quick resume review to be certain all is in order, from your resume format through to your relevant skills section. Reread the software engineer job description to see if there’s anything you missed. If possible, get a friend, family member, or roommate to proofread your documents or resume builder draft. Now, send your perfect resume off to the hiring manager or IT recruiter, and fingers crossed you land your dream job!

Christian Eilers is a career expert who writes about resumes, cover letters, and the employment process. A Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW), Christian enjoys helping software engineers and developers find amazing work opportunities through the Arc platform. He’s been featured as an expert on careers in publications, including Business Insider, Upskilled, Databox, HR Technologist, among others. A native of New York City, Christian currently lives in and works from Kyiv, Ukraine.

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