INDUSTRY STATS
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, IT and Software Engineering positions are at a much faster than average growth rate, which is 22%. With that said, there are currently 1,847,900 jobs in the market right now. The total number of jobs is expected to increase by 409,500 to 2,257,400 in the period of 2020-30.
What’s more, the median annual wage for the IT and Software Engineering jobs was $110,140 in May 2020. The lowest 10% earned less than $65,210, and the highest 10% more than $170,100.
Our conclusion? The IT and Software Engineering job market is facing competition due to decreasing demand.
Top software programmer sections that make the best resume
- Header
- Professional summary
- Experience (with numbers and results)
- Relevant skills
- Education
- Certifications
How to craft the perfect software programmer resume experience section
Perfecting the experience section: software programmer resume checklist:
- Be careful with bullet points: use no more than 4-6 per position;
- Mention only positions that are relevant to the job you’re applying for;
- List your experience in chronological or reverse-chronological order;
- Highlight your results by using numbers – e.g. percentage increase/decrease in an important metric that’s followed by - your hard work;
- Use action words whenever possible… but more on that below.
Need examples? We looked through thousands of Software Programmer resumes and gathered some examples of what the ideal experience section looks like. Check them out below!
- Automation, data handling, data manipulation and visualisation using Python and its libraries.
- Worked on various predictive models, text classification and image processing models as per organisational needs.
- Built OCR for extraction of data from product image using pytesseract and structuring the data for further use.
- Python script to scrape data from dynamic websites using Beautiful Soap.
- Built website for representation of data from various resources as per requirement using HTML, CSS, Javascript.
- Oracle SQL to write queries for Data Extraction.
- Software Developer C++/Qt.
- Experience in SCRUM (An incremental over Agile).
- Experience in Integrated Designer for Designing UI (User Interface) Components and stored in a well-structured XML format.
- Highly motivated software engineer with extensive experience in IT solutions, OO design and development.
- Strong business focused approach.
- Strong Zone in Developing User Interface components and migration of Oracle to Google Protocol Buffer.
- Completed all phases of software development life cycle including requirements, design, development, testing, deployment and support.
- Write modular, secure, and well-tested front-end code in JS, HTML, and CSS.
- Developed the UI layout and front-end programming (HTML) for web application that matched requirements
- Development of Client Side Validation techniques JQuery, Angular and JavaScript.
- Designed the front-end applications, user interactive (UI) web pages using web technologies like MVC
- Developed interface to transfer data from .NET applications to Oracle ERP Finance Software
- Held weekly team meetings to identify issues and assign work.
- Responsible for creating efficient design and developing User Interaction screens JavaScript, jQuery, AJAX
- Responsible to making the pages, dynamic using AJAX and XML.
- Experience in writing Stored Procedures using MS SQL Server 2005/2008/2014 and Visual SVN
- Creating various applications using Aps.net,C# and SQL Server
- Getting involved in all steps of development life cycle of projects
- Analyzing server codes and changing them with new ones
- Analyzed and written high-quality code as per specifications
- Resolved application issues in various technical platforms along withdevelopment of alternative solutions and schedules.
- Participate in continuous improvement initiatives
PRO TIP
Check the Software Programmer job description for inspiration. Look for similarities between your employer’s values and your experience.
Action Verbs for Your Software Programmer Resume
Recommended reads:
Impressing recruiters with a top software programmer resume skills section
Checklist for an impressive software programmer resume skills section:
- List both hard and technical skills that are important for the role;
- Check what the job description says and add some keywords based on that;
- Focus only on relevant skills;
- Try not to list things such as “communication”; rather, highlight your soft skills in other sections of your Software Programmer resume.
Top skills for your software programmer resume
Python
Java
Javascript
GIT
SQL
HTML
Teamwork and communication
Creative problem solving
Analystical thinking
Owning up to errors
Self-learning
Time management
PRO TIP
When picking skills to feature in your resume, make sure they'll be relevant to the position you’re applying to. The point of listing skills is for you to stand out from the competition. Stay away from repetitive, meaningless skills that everyone uses in their resumes. Or else, they’ll backfire and make you look like an average candidate.
Recommended Reads:
Software programmer resume header: Tips, red flags, and best practices
Checklist for your software programmer resume header
- Your name and surname in a legible and larger resume font
- The job title you’re applying for or your current job title as a subheading to your name
- Link to your portfolio or online profile, such as LinkedIn
- Address (City and State for the US; just your city for rest of the world)
- Email address
- Headshot (required or welcomed in the EU; not required and sometimes frowned upon in the US)
Stick to popular email providers such as Gmail or Outlook. And use these professional formats to create your username:
- first.last@gmail.com
- last.first@gmail.com
- firstlast@gmail.com
- f.last@gmail.com
- first.l@gmail.com
Recommended reads:
PRO TIP
Some companies, states, and countries have non-discrimination policies about what kind of information can be included on your Software Programmer resume. This might include a photo (which is often included in a resume header and might be on personal web pages you link to). You can always email the company’s HR department to ask about their policies before you apply.
Crafting a strong summary for your software programmer resume
Checklist: The perfect software programmer resume summary section
- Add a couple of keywords from the job description;
- Mention some of your most valuable skills and characteristics;
- Highlight your top achievements (and add numbers!);
- Use no more than 3-5 sentences to guarantee readability and keep - the hiring manager interested.
Resume summary formula:
PRO TIP
Your summary should act as an elevator speech, briefly promoting how you will benefit the employer if hired. Pitch your strengths in the summary and expand on them in your Software Programmer experience section. Give examples like how your work benefited each employer.
Recommended reads:
An impressive education section: Software programmer resume
Software programmer resume: education section checklist
- Highlight your highest education degree;
- Include the degree subject, year of graduation, and institution name;
- Mention some of the awards you’ve received during your studies;
- List your certifications (incl. the body that’s issued them);
- Entry-level positions: Give preference to courses that are relevant to the position.
Top Certifications for Your Software Programmer Resume
Computer Science 101: Master the Theory Behind Programming
Computer Science 101: Learn Computer Science to become a better Programmer and Software Engineer.
Software Engineering for Data Scientists and Programmers
Engineer software projects from scratch as a data scientist or as a programmer and excel as a Software Engineer.
Your First Steps from Programmer to Software Architect
How to Become a Software Architect? Take Your First Steps to become a Software Architect Today!
How to Become a Programmer
A practical guide that teaches you how to switch careers, and build amazing apps in the tech industry
Software Architecture and Design Essentials
Essential Concepts for Developers & Programmers who aspire to become Software Architects
Recommended reads:
PRO TIP
There are dozens of certifications that you can claim as a Software Programmer. But, some are more effective than others. That’s why you mustn’t include every certificate other applicants might have. Try instead to earn and list a few of the difficult ones.
The right format for your software programmer resume
When it comes to formatting your Software Programmer resume, there are certain things you need to keep in mind. These include your level of expertise, your total years of experience, and the position and company you’re applying for, to name a few.
You can choose between three basic resume formats:
- Reverse-chronological resume format;
- Functional skills-based resume format;
- Combination (or Hybrid) resume format.
The reverse-chronological format is just that – all your experience listed in a reverse-chronological way. It’s great for experienced professionals who have been in the industry for many years and have no career gaps.
The functional skills-based resume, on the other hand, focuses on skills, education, and personality traits, rather than experience. This makes it great for graduates, people with less experience, or bigger career gaps. The idea is to show you’re the perfect match without putting too much emphasis on your lack of relevant experience.
If none of these sound suitable, go for a hybrid (or combination) resume. It’s a mix of experience, skills, and personality traits. It’s also considered modern and innovative because of its non-traditional structure and sections. Here, you can add details about what your typical day looks like or what your life philosophy is. In short, the hybrid resume format shows who you are, both as a professional and as an individual.
More tips on perfecting your resume style and layout:
- Choose a traditional 12p font;
- Make sure your resume margins are no bigger than an inch;
- Go for a one-page template. If you have broad experience and can’t fit your resume on one page, choose a two-page resume template
- Save your resume as PDF to avoid formatting issues and unauthorized editing.
Read this: Ways to make your Software Programmer resume stand out
Recommended reads:
PRO TIP
Sometimes you’ll want to go after a job which requires more experience than you have. Instead of using a typical Software Programmer resume layout, you can use a creative layout. Getting noticed is the most important challenge and a creative resume layout might help you get invited for an interview as most of other accountants have boring resume designs.
More sections worth adding to your software programmer resume
If the industry, company, and position you’re applying for allow for that, you could include other sections in your Software Programmer resume. By doing this, you’ll show the recruiter that you’re a real human and not a robot.
Here are some ideas:
The right kind of creativity for your software programmer resume
Several years ago, everyone preferred keeping a safe distance from creative resumes. Today, adding creativity to your CV is considered cool, innovative, and one of the best ways to stand out.
You can add a creative section that describes your typical day or even go for a colorful creative template. No matter what you choose, make sure to keep the position, company, and industry in mind. Otherwise, you risk looking silly.
What makes a great software programmer resume: key takeaways
- Choose a resume layout that sends the right message across and fits your current career situation;
- Create a resume header that shows your desired job title, and easy to find contact numbers;
- Be specific about your experience, accomplishments and future goals in your summary;
- Feature detailed metrics and specific examples that show the impact you made in your previous roles when describing your experience;
- List soft skills backed by examples;
- Add all of your technical skills and certifications that you have and match the job description;
- Show off a dash of personality in your resume that will demonstrate your culture fit and the right mix of hard and soft skills.
