A software engineer is a professional in computer science who has the knowledge and skills to design and develop computer software applications. They must know the most commonly used computer programming languages used to make modern software programs, such as Java, Scala, C, Python, and C++.
The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 26% increase in the number of software developer and software engineer jobs by 2032. That means roughly 153,900 new software engineer jobs will be created each year. The job titles of software engineers can vary based on the position. Some examples of titles include systems developer, mobile app developer, computer programmer, and computer applications engineer.
There is much competition in the software engineering job market. To stay ahead of the competition and impress potential employers, you will need to present them with an impressive software engineer resume that outlines your outstanding skills and abilities in the field.
Of course, you may be new to the software engineering profession if you have recently obtained a college degree or special technical certification in the field. That is okay because you can still create a fantastic entry-level software engineer resume that will make hiring managers want to consider you for a job.
The Primary Steps in Writing a High-Quality Software Engineer Resume
The first thing you need to do is obtain as many credentials, references, skills, internships, and education in the software engineering field as you can. Since it is a highly competitive job position, your resume needs to demonstrate that you are ready to step into a software engineer job on day one.
Below are the main steps for creating the ideal software engineer resume template for yourself to give to hiring managers and recruiters. You may feel emboldened to create multiple versions of the resume depending on the specific software engineer job you are applying for. These steps will help you to create the basic template you will need to work from when modifying your resume for more specific software engineer positions.
1) Make a Separate List of Your Technical Skills
A software engineer job is a technical position. So, the first thing you should do is make a list of all the technical skills you can bring to the position, such as your knowledge of programming languages, operating systems, database architecture, cloud computing, problem-solving, and multitasking. Organizing your technical skills will come in handy when creating your resume.
It might help if you gather all documentation, certifications, diplomas, and other official documents highlighting your education, skills, and work background. They will make it easier to write your software engineer resume accurately and effectively without missing any key pieces of information.
2) Create the Header of Your Resume
The header is the first part of your software engineer resume that you will write. It is the uppermost section of the resume where you put your name, profession, and contact information. It might look something like this:
Rob Smith
(Senior Software Developer)
777 Park Lane
Sugar Land, TX 22311
Phone: 555-555-5555
Email: rob@smith.com
This is an example of the contact information that a highly experienced software developer might put on a senior software engineer resume, which is why he is listed as a “senior software developer.” If you were applying for a senior position in the software engineering field, it would help to put “senior” in front of your job title to showcase your high level of experience.
3) Write Your Mission Statement
How would you sum up your software engineer background and career goals in two sentences? Your mission statement is usually the next section on the resume after the contact information. It is basically a summary of who you are and what you can offer to the employer.
Here are some of the key pieces of information you should include in your mission statement:
- Number of years of experience as a software engineer
- The most advanced skills you possess (e.g., programming languages)
- Previous accomplishments in the field
- How your skills can help you excel at the job position
Try to keep your mission statement clear and concise. Most employers won’t read beyond the mission statement of a resume if it is unclear or poorly written. So, you should really work hard to make it the best mission statement possible.
4) List Your Education and Training Information
Your educational background is a significant factor in whether you will get hired for a professional software engineer position. The minimum educational requirement is that you have a Bachelor of Science Degree in either Computer Science, Software Engineering, or some related technical field.
Here is what your education details might look like on your software engineer resume:
- Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering
- Michigan Technical University, Houghton, Michigan
- Graduated Magna Cum Laude, June 2015
- GPA 4.0
It is highly recommended that you try to earn a Master of Science in Software Engineering or Computer Science because that will make you much more competitive in this demanding job field.
In addition, try to highlight all the certifications you have acquired from coding boot camps and online courses. These could be certifications in technical topics like cybersecurity, algorithms, data structures, web development, C++, and so on. It is important to mention these additional certifications on your resume to help narrow down your area of expertise in the software engineering field.
5) Professional Work Experience
The work experience section is one of the most important parts of your resume. Most hiring managers and recruiters will prioritize applicants who have a stable work history in the software engineering field, especially if applying for more advanced or senior job positions.
Each job description should mention the title, the date range that you spent working in the position, and a bullet list that mentions the responsibilities and duties you had at the job.
Here are a few software engineer resume examples of the work experience section:
Brainy Tech Solutions Inc. – San Francisco, California
Python Developer
(August 2022 to Present)
- Utilize full-stack programming methods to create external web applications that result in an 80% increase in user retention
- Created an API-driven publishing service to oversee 20 million page views
- Update current Python modules and redesign the architecture of 10 software products to add two million more page views per month
- Develop interactive forms and create robust email marketing campaigns that save information into a database by utilizing the DJANGO framework
Bob’s Software LLC – Columbus, Ohio
Software Engineer Intern
(August 2021 to August 2022)
- Decide on the best object-oriented programming methods and coding practices to use on full-stock software development projects
- Conduct programming work in a 10-person team to update and release 10 custom .NET service-oriented applications
- Use custom hardware to develop, test, and execute software applications
If you are new to the field, then you probably won’t have much work experience to show in this section. However, if you can work an internship or computer boot camp for at least six months or more, then it can give you the bare minimum work experience you need for your resume.
6) List All Your Technical and Non-Technical Skills
Don’t overlook the skills section of the software engineer resume. Recruiting managers and employers skim through dozens of resumes per day and will quickly read through the skills section before looking at anything else. They want to ensure that any potential job candidate possesses the skills necessary to do the job.
Therefore, find some free space on your resume to list all the technical and non-technical skills that you possess. You could break them up into two different lists or combine them as one, depending on how much available space you have left on your resume.
Here are some examples of what these skill lists might look like for a software engineer:
Technical Skills:
- Visual Basic
- C++
- C
- C#
- .NET
- HTML/CSS
- JavaScript
- Microsoft 365
- Android Studio
- Visual Studio
- Eclipse
- Python
Other Skills:
- Problem-Solving
- Time Management
- Teamwork
- Research
- Communication
- Data Analysis
You don’t necessarily need to make your skills list as long as these because that might take up too much space on your resume. Just highlight the essential skills that you possess which are needed for the job you are applying for.
Read More :- Computer Skills To Mention On Resume
7) Additional Sections
Do you have anything else worth mentioning about your background? Did you win any awards, lead any interesting software projects, or develop any groundbreaking new software programs?
Recruiting managers will be highly impressed if you have participated in past projects or made valuable open-source software contributions that benefit other software engineers and programmers.
Resume Example #1 –
Chris Johnson
Front-End Developer
Contact:
12345 Hope Street
Phoenix, Arizona 77777
Phone: 555-555-5555
Email: chris@johnson.com
Mission Statement:
Talented front-end developer with more than 10 years of experience developing high-end web solutions for organizations of various industries. Highly skilled in creating several web-based applications while utilizing a wide range of technologies. The future goal is to use these robust technical skills to succeed as a senior front-end developer.
Education:
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, January 2012
River Brook University – Chicago, Illinois
Work Experience:
DP Technology Corporation – Camarilla, California
Front End Developer
(August 2013 to September 2023)
- Oversee website development projects, starting from the initial design stage and going all the way through to the completion stage.
- Manage a team of programmers to complete software projects based on clients’ requirements.
- Train clients on how to use their website content management systems.
- Develop custom themes and install them into WordPress, Concrete5, and PHP-Fusion.
Technical Skills:
- WordPress
- JavaScript
- PHP
- SQL
- C++
- jQuery
- Web API
- C#
- HTML5
- CSS/Bootstrap
- MailChimp
Resume Example #2 –
Debra Walz
Entry-Level Software Engineer
Contact:
9999 Kindly Avenue
Reno, Nevada 88833
Phone: 555-555-5555
Email: debra@walz.com
Mission Statement:
Recent college graduate with a bachelor of science degree in software engineering. Looking to utilize my vast technical skills and knowledge of software design and development to excel in an entry-level software engineer position at a reputable computer company.
Education:
Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering – June 2021
University of Texas – Austin, TX
Graduated: Magna Cum Laude with a 4.0 GPA
Work Experience:
Five-Star Applications Inc.
Software Engineer Intern
(July 2021 to August 2024)
- Helped to design, develop, and maintain a web-based application using a variety of web programming languages, contributing to a 35% reduction in bug reports
- Assisted in reviewing web software coding to ensure it was accurate and compliant with basic coding standards and practices
- Collaborated with senior software developers and assisted them in developing and managing their projects using various methodologies
Technical Skills:
- jQuery
- Web API
- C#
- CSS
- React.js
- Vue.js
- JavaScript
- PHP
- SQL
- C++
- HTML5
Conclusion
Do your best to keep your software engineer resume on a single page. Recruiting managers don’t have the time to look through multiple pages of a single resume. Instead, they want to quickly scan through the information to find the right candidates to contact for interviews.
Keep your resume concise, detailed, and to the point. All it needs to do is mention the most critical details about your educational background, work experience, and skill set. If you want to know what this looks like, we have provided some software engineer resume examples to give you a more visual perspective on how to do this.