One specific challenge you might face when crafting your CV as a software developer is showcasing a wide range of technical skills without overcrowding the document. Our guide offers clear strategies to prioritise and present your expertise effectively, ensuring a sleek and impactful CV.
- Answer job requirements with your software developer CV and experience;
- Curate your academic background and certificates, following industry-leading CV examples;
- Select from +10 niche skills to match the ideal candidate profile
- Write a more succinct experience section that consists of all the right details.
Do you need more specific insights into writing your software developer CV? Our guides focus on unique insights for each individual role:
Formatting your software developer CV to meet the role expectations
Staring at the blank page for hours on end, you still have no idea how you should start your professional software developer CV. Should you include more colours, two columns, and which sections? What you should remember about your CV format is this - ensure it's minimalistic and doesn't go over the top with fancy fonts and many colours. Instead, focus on writing consistent content that actually answers the job requirements. But, how about the design itself :- Use the reverse chronological order to showcase your experience, starting with your most recent role;
- Include your contact details (email address, phone number, and location) - and potentially your professional photo - in the header;
- Must-have CV sections include summary or objective, experience, education, and skills: curate the ones that fit your profile;
- Your professional software developer CV should be between one-to-two pages long: select the longer format if you have more experience.
A little bit more about your actual CV design, ensure you're using:
- plenty of serif or sans serif font (e.g. Montserrat, Exo 2, Volkhov) as they are Applicant Tracker System (ATS) compliant. Avoid the likes of Arial and Times New Roman because most candidates' CVs are in this typography.
When submitting your CV, are you still not sure what format it should be? Despite the myth that has been circling around, most modern ATS systems are perfectly capable of reading PDFs. This format is an excellent choice as it keeps all of your information intact.
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Incorporate a touch of colour in headers or section breaks, but keep it professional and ensure it doesn’t detract from readability, especially in more conservative industries.
The top sections on a software developer CV
- Contact Information allows for easy communication.
- Technical Skills showcase coding proficiency.
- Work Experience highlights relevant job history.
- Education Background details academic qualifications.
- Projects and Portfolios demonstrate hands-on experience.
What recruiters value on your CV:
- Highlight key programming languages and technologies you're proficient in at the top of your CV, as recruiters often look for specific technical skills first.
- For each role in your work experience, focus on your achievements using quantifiable results, such as efficiencies gained, systems optimised, or the scale of the projects you've worked on.
- Include a section on personal or collaborative projects, particularly those involving cutting-edge technologies or innovative solutions, to showcase your passion and continuous learning.
- Emphasise your experience with software development methodologies such as Agile, Scrum, or DevOps practices, as these are often crucial to modern software development roles.
- Don't forget soft skills such as problem-solving, teamwork, and communication; incorporate them into your descriptions of your roles and projects, showing how they contributed to your success as a developer.
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Making a good first impression with your software developer CV header
Your typical CV header consists of Your typical CV header consists of contact details and a headline. Make sure to list your professional phone number, email address, and a link to your professional portfolio (or, alternatively, your LinkedIn profile). When writing your CV headline , ensure it's:
- tailored to the job you're applying for;
- highlights your unique value as a professional;
- concise, yet matches relevant job ad keywords.
You can, for examples, list your current job title or a particular skill as part of your headline. Now, if you decide on including your photo in your CV header, ensure it's a professional one, rather than one from your graduation or night out. You may happen to have plenty more questions on how to make best the use of your CV headline. We'll help you with some real-world examples, below.
Examples of good CV headlines for software developer:
- Senior Software Engineer | Full-Stack Development | Agile Methodologies | AWS Certified | 10+ Years Experience
- Junior Developer | Front-End Specialist | React & Angular | MSc Computer Science Graduate | 2 Years Experience
- Lead Software Architect | Enterprise Solutions | CI/CD Pipelines | Oracle Certified Professional | 15+ Years Experience
- Mid-Level Software Developer | Data Analytics & AI | Python Proficiency | BSc Honours | 5 Years Industry Insight
- Principal Software Engineer | System Design | DevOps Expert | Azure Solutions Architect | 12 Years Leadership
- Software Development Manager | Project Life-Cycle Management | Java & SQL Expert | PMP Certified | 7 Years Commanding Teams
Choosing your opening statement: a software developer CV summary or objective
At the top one third of your CV, you have the chance to make a more personable impression on recruiters by selecting between:
- Summary - or those three to five sentences that you use to show your greatest achievements. Use the CV summary if you happen to have plenty of relevant experience and wish to highlight your greatest successes;
- Objective - provides you with up to five sentences to state your professional aims and mission in the company you're applying for
CV summaries for a software developer job:
- Accomplished Software Engineer with eight years’ experience in developing scalable web applications using Java. Proficient in modern architectures and cloud technologies with a notable contribution in optimising legacy systems, leading to a 30% increase in system efficiency at TechGiant Ltd.
- Dedicated Full Stack Developer with a decade of programming expertise, especially in Python and JavaScript. Notably enhanced user experience for a high-traffic e-commerce platform, resulting in a 40% uptick in customer satisfaction. Keen on leveraging skills to tackle complex problem-solving scenarios.
- Former Data Analyst transitioning to a software development career, bringing over five years of experience in data handling and keen analytical talents. Recently obtained a certification in software development, with a focus on C# and .NET frameworks, eager to apply quantitative analysis skills in a new programming role.
- Accomplished Mechanical Engineer pivoting into software development with a strong foundation in problem-solving and design. Recently graduated from a coding bootcamp, showcasing proficiency in JavaScript and React. Applying mathematical precision and attention to detail to contribute effectively to software project teams.
- Enthusiastic entrant to the field of software development, with a newly minted degree in computer science and hands-on internship experience. Eager to apply knowledge of Java and SQL to develop robust software solutions that elevate user experiences and drive business success.
- Recent graduate with a Bachelor’s in Software Engineering targeting entry-level software development roles. Keen to apply comprehensive understanding of Python, Java, and agile methodologies to create impactful software solutions. Committed to continuous learning and growth in a team-oriented environment.
The best formula for your software developer CV experience section
The CV experience section is the space where many candidates go wrong by merely listing their work history and duties. Don't do that. Instead, use the job description to better understand what matters most for the role and integrate these keywords across your CV. Thus, you should focus on:
- showcasing your accomplishments to hint that you're results-oriented;
- highlighting your skill set by integrating job keywords, technologies, and transferrable skills in your experience bullets;
- listing your roles in reverse chronological order, starting with the latest and most senior, to hint at how you have grown your career;
- featuring metrics, in the form of percentage, numbers, etc. to make your success more tangible.
When writing each experience bullet, start with a strong, actionable verb, then follow it up with a skill, accomplishment, or metric. Use these professional examples to perfect your CV experience section:
Best practices for your CV's work experience section
- Highlight your proficiency in relevant programming languages and frameworks, mentioning specific projects where you used them. For example, detail how you improved application performance by refactoring legacy code in Java or designed a responsive UI with React.
- Showcase your experience with software development methodologies such as Agile, Scrum, or Kanban, illustrating with examples how you contributed to each project phase. Demonstrate how your daily stand-ups and sprint retrospectives improved team efficiency and project outcomes.
- Emphasise your problem-solving skills by describing complex issues you've resolved, such as debugging tricky software defects or optimising system performance under tight deadlines. Be specific about the tools and techniques you employed to fix these issues.
- Include your contribution to open source projects or link to your GitHub repository to validate your hands-on experience and ongoing commitment to learning. This will give potential employers insight into your coding style and collaborative work on software projects.
- Document your role in team collaborations and how you communicated technical solutions to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. Highlight any distinctive software architecture designs or innovative features that you successfully pitched and implemented.
- Focus on the impact of your contributions, such as the scalability improvements you achieved or the new features you developed that increased user engagement. Quantify these achievements using metrics where possible to provide concrete evidence of your successful work.
- Detail your experience with database design, development, and management, providing examples of how you've efficiently handled large data sets or optimised queries. Mention the database technologies you’re proficient in, like MySQL, PostgreSQL, or NoSQL databases like MongoDB.
- Explain your involvement in the full software development lifecycle, including requirements gathering, writing technical specifications, coding, testing, deployment, and maintenance. Describe your adaptability to changes in project scope and your ability to meet critical deadlines.
- Mention any certification or ongoing training related to software development, as this demonstrates a commitment to professionalism and knowledge of the latest industry trends. For instance, if you are a Certified ScrumMaster, this indicates an understanding of team leadership within an Agile framework.
- Led a team of 5 developers on a successful rewrite of the customer-facing portal for XYZ Corp, enhancing user experience and system reliability.
- Implemented robust code review practices that increased code quality by 40%, markedly reducing post-deployment bugs.
- Designed and executed a comprehensive unit testing strategy that improved software releases' stability, achieving 99.9% uptime.
- Constructed an innovative e-commerce platform for ABC Retail that processed over £1.5 million in transactions within the first year.
- Played a pivotal role in the integration of a new payment system that decreased checkout times by 30%, markedly boosting customer satisfaction.
- Automated the deployment process using CI/CD pipelines, reducing deployment time by 50% and accelerating feature rollout.
- Developed a real-time analytics tool for DEF Media that enabled data-driven decisions, contributing to a 20% increase in advertising revenue.
- Refactored legacy codebase which cut down the server costs by 25% due to improved efficiency.
- Collaborated cross-functionally to develop custom CRM solutions that enhanced sales team productivity by 35%.
- Contributed to the development of a multi-threaded background processing system that handled over 10,000 transactions per hour.
- Assisted in the migration of the database system to a new SQL Server platform, which provided a more scalable and reliable data storage solution.
- Supported the maintenance of the GHI banking software, ensuring a high level of customer service through minimal downtime.
- Developed and launched a new feature that allowed users of the JKL Software Suite to export data reports, increasing user engagement by 15%.
- Contributed code to the core module, helping to reduce system load by optimising algorithms, resulting in a 10% speed increase for data processing.
- Took initiative to research and deploy a new version control system that bolstered the team's ability to manage code changes effectively.
- Participated in the development of a new module for the MNO Hospital Management System, leading to a 20% improvement in patient data management.
- Addressed and resolved over 100 system bugs, improving overall system stability and user satisfaction.
- Implemented an XML-based configuration system that expedited custom set-ups for new clients, reducing implementation times by 25%.
- Orchestrated the successful migration to a microservices architecture for PQR E-commerce, enhancing the scalability of the online platform.
- Created a predictive stock management tool using machine learning that minimised overstock by 20% and reduced stock shortages.
- Pioneered the adoption of containerisation using Docker, leading to a more consistent deployment environment and reducing setup times for new developers by 50%.
- Directed a software development project for STU Mobile Solutions that resulted in the launch of a groundbreaking mobile payment app used by over 1 million users.
- Played a key role in the strategic planning of new product features that were pivotal in securing £500,000 in Series A funding.
- Implemented performance optimisations that improved application response times by 40%, significantly enhancing customer experience.
Lacking professional expertise: how to write your CV to highlight your best talents
Don't count on your lucky stars when you're applying for a role, where you happen to have less (or almost none) professional experience. Recruiters sometimes do hire inexperienced candidates if they're able to present their unique value from the get-go. So, instead of opting for the traditional, CV experience section:
- List any applicable expertise you happen to have - no matter if it's a part-time job, internship, or volunteer work. This would hint to recruiters that your profile is relevant;
- Focus your CV on your transferrable skills or talents you've obtained thanks to your whole life and work experience. In effect, you'll be spotlighting your value as a candidate;
- Separate more space for your applicable academic background and certificates to show you have the technical know-how;
- Ensure that within your objective, you've defined why you'll like the job and how you'll be the perfect match for it. Always ensure you've tailored your CV to individual applications.
Looking for more good examples for your first job? We'll show you how other candidates, with less professional experience, have created their job-winning CVs.
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If you have experience in diverse fields, highlight how this has broadened your perspective and skill set, making you a more versatile candidate.
Mix and match hard and soft skills across your software developer CV
Your skill set play an equally valid role as your experience to your application. That is because recruiters are looking for both:
- hard skills or your aptitude in applying particular technologies
- soft skills or your ability to work in a team using your personal skills, e.g. leadership, time management, etc.
Are you wondering how you should include both hard and soft skills across your software developer CV? Use the:
- skills section to list between ten and twelve technologies that are part of the job requirement (and that you're capable to use);
- strengths and achievements section to detail how you've used particular hard and soft skills that led to great results for you at work;
- summary or objective to spotlight up to three skills that are crucial for the role and how they've helped you optimise your work processes.
One final note - when writing about the skills you have, make sure to match them exactly as they are written in the job ad. Take this precautionary measure to ensure your CV passes the Applicant Tracker System (ATS) assessment.
Top skills for your software developer CV:
Proficient in programming languages such as Java, C#, Python, or JavaScript
Understanding of software development methodologies (e.g. Agile, Scrum, Waterfall)
Experience with databases (SQL, NoSQL)
Knowledge of web development (HTML, CSS, JavaScript frameworks)
Familiarity with version control systems (Git, SVN)
Experience with integrated development environments (IDEs) like Visual Studio or Eclipse
Understanding of object-oriented programming (OOP) concepts
Knowledge of software testing and debugging
Experience with APIs (REST, SOAP)
Ability to work with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP)
Problem-solving and critical thinking
Effective communication and interpersonal skills
Adaptability and willingness to learn new technologies
Strong teamwork and collaboration
Attention to detail and precision
Time management and ability to meet deadlines
Creativity in developing innovative solutions
Analytical skills and logical approach
Resilience and ability to work under pressure
Continuous learning and improvement mindset
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Focus on describing skills in the context of the outcomes they’ve helped you achieve, linking them directly to tangible results or successes in your career.
Education and more professional qualifications to include in your software developer CV
If you want to showcase to recruiters that you're further qualified for the role, ensure you've included your relevant university diplomas. Within your education section:
- Describe your degree with your university name(-s) and start-graduation dates;
- List any awards you've received, if you deem they would be impressive or are relevant to the industry;
- Include your projects and publications, if you need to further showcase how you've used your technical know-how;
- Avoid listing your A-level marks, as your potential employers care to learn more about your university background.
Apart from your higher education, ensure that you've curated your relevant certificates or courses by listing the:
- name of the certificate or course;
- name of the institution within which you received your training;
- the date(-s) when you obtained your accreditation.
In the next section, discover some of the most relevant certificates for your software developer CV:
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Focus on describing skills in the context of the outcomes they’ve helped you achieve, linking them directly to tangible results or successes in your career.
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Key takeaways
Here are five things you need to remember about writing your software developer CV for success:
- Sort your experience based on the reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent career items, to showcase how you've grown your career;
- Include within your CV header your relevant contact details, a headline that could spotlight your unique value, and a photo - if you're applying for roles outside the UK or US;
- Decide to use the CV summary, if you happen to have more professional experience, and an objective, if you want to showcase your career goals;
- Within the experience section, write your bullets using action verbs, skills, and success, instead of just merely listing your on-the-job responsibilities;
- Prove your technical skills, using your education and certificates, and your soft skills, with your achievements and strengths sections.
