Software Engineer Resume: Examples, Skills & Template

I've rejected thousands of software engineer resumes. Here's the brutal truth: 75% get auto-rejected by ATS before a human ever sees them.

Your resume has 6 seconds to prove you can code. If it's buried in buzzwords, missing key technical skills, or formatted like a creative portfolio, it's going straight to the trash.

This guide shows you exactly how to build a software engineer resume that passes ATS screening and gets you interviews at top tech companies.

Key Technical Skills Every Software Engineer Resume Needs

For comprehensive strategies on optimizing your resume language, our professional impact dictionary covers the exact verbs and metrics for software engineering roles.

Your technical skills section is the first thing recruiters scan. Here's what actually matters in 2025:

Programming Languages (List 3-5 you're genuinely proficient in):

• Python, Java, JavaScript, TypeScript, C++, Go, Rust
• Don't list every language you've touched once—only ones you can code in during an interview

Frameworks & Libraries:

• Frontend: React, Angular, Vue.js, Next.js
• Backend: Node.js, Django, Spring Boot, Express.js, Flask
• Mobile: React Native, Flutter, Swift, Kotlin

Databases & Data:

• SQL: PostgreSQL, MySQL, Oracle
• NoSQL: MongoDB, Redis, DynamoDB, Cassandra
• ORMs: Sequelize, SQLAlchemy, Hibernate

Cloud & DevOps:

• AWS (EC2, S3, Lambda, RDS), Azure, Google Cloud Platform
• Docker, Kubernetes, Jenkins, CI/CD pipelines
• Git, GitHub Actions, GitLab CI

Development Tools:

• Version Control: Git, GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket
• IDEs: VS Code, IntelliJ, PyCharm
• Testing: Jest, Pytest, JUnit, Selenium

Place this section right after your professional summary. Recruiters need to see your tech stack immediately. Match your skills to the job description—if they want React and AWS, those should be prominent.

How to Structure Your Software Engineer Resume

Here's the format that works for 90% of engineering roles:

1. Header

• Full name (larger font, bold)
• Location (City, State—no full address needed)

2. Professional Summary (3-4 lines)

• Years of experience + specialization
• Primary technologies/tech stack
• Biggest achievement with metric

Example: "Full-Stack Software Engineer with 6+ years building scalable web applications for fintech and e-commerce. Expert in React, Node.js, PostgreSQL, and AWS. Led architecture redesign that reduced API response time by 65% and saved $200K annually in infrastructure costs."

3. Technical Skills (categorized)

• Languages: Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, Java
• Frameworks: React, Node.js, Django, Express.js
• Databases: PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Redis
• Cloud/DevOps: AWS (EC2, S3, Lambda), Docker, Kubernetes, CI/CD
• Tools: Git, Jest, Webpack, Jira

4. Work Experience (reverse chronological)

• Company name, location, dates
• Job title
• 3-5 bullet points per role (focus on last 2-3 roles)

5. Projects (2-4 relevant projects)

• Personal, open-source, or significant work projects
• Include GitHub links

6. Education

• Degree, University, Graduation year
• Relevant coursework (optional for experienced engineers)

7. Certifications (if applicable)

• AWS Certified Developer, Google Cloud Professional, etc.

Keep it to 1 page if you have less than 5 years of experience. Senior engineers can use 2 pages, but make every line count.

For more on optimizing your resume format, see our ATS Resume Optimization Guide.

Writing Achievement Bullets That Actually Impress Recruiters

This is where 80% of engineers fail. They list responsibilities instead of accomplishments.

Bad Example: "Responsible for developing features for the company website using React and Node.js."

Good Example: "Built real-time notification system using React and WebSockets, increasing user engagement by 35% and reducing support tickets by 20%."

Here's the formula I look for:

Action Verb + What You Built + Technologies Used + Quantified Impact

Before & After Examples

Before: "Worked on backend API development" After: "Designed and implemented RESTful API using Node.js and PostgreSQL, handling 100K daily requests with 99.9% uptime and sub-200ms response times"

Before: "Improved application performance" After: "Optimized database queries and implemented Redis caching, reducing page load time from 3.2s to 0.8s (75% improvement) and increasing conversions by 18%"

Before: "Participated in code reviews" After: "Established code review standards and automated testing pipeline, reducing production bugs by 40% and cutting deployment time from 2 hours to 15 minutes"

Metrics That Matter

Recruiters want to see:

• Performance: Reduced load time by X%, improved response time by Y ms
• Scale: Processed X million requests, handled Y concurrent users
• Efficiency: Decreased bugs by X%, reduced costs by $Y
• Business Impact: Increased revenue by X%, improved user retention by Y%
• Team Impact: Mentored X engineers, led team of Y developers

If you don't have exact numbers, estimate conservatively. "Significantly improved performance" means nothing. "Reduced API response time from ~500ms to ~150ms" tells a story.

How to Format Projects on Your Resume

Projects prove you can actually code. Here's how to showcase them:

Project Name | GitHub: github.com/username/project | Live: yoursite.com/demo Brief one-line description of what it does

• Tech Stack: React, Node.js, PostgreSQL, AWS, Docker
• Built full-stack e-commerce platform with user authentication, payment processing, and admin dashboard
• Implemented real-time inventory tracking using WebSockets, reducing overselling by 95%
• Deployed on AWS using EC2, RDS, and S3, handling 10K monthly active users

What to Include:

• 2-4 projects (mix of personal, work, or open-source)
• Technologies used (be specific)
• What problem it solves
• Impact metrics (users, performance, scale)
• Links to GitHub repo and live demo (if applicable)

Project Selection Tips:

• Choose projects that demonstrate skills relevant to the job
• Show variety (frontend, backend, full-stack, DevOps)
• Include at least one deployed, production-ready project
• Open-source contributions count (especially to well-known projects)

Make sure your GitHub is clean. Recruiters will check. Have README files, clear commit messages, and remove half-finished projects.

Common Software Engineer Resume Mistakes (And How to Fix Them)

I see these mistakes constantly:

1. Using a 2-Column or Creative Layout ATS systems can't read them. Your resume gets scrambled or rejected. Stick to a simple, single-column format. Save the creativity for your portfolio website.

2. Listing Every Technology You've Ever Touched If you list 30 programming languages, I know you're not proficient in any of them. Focus on 8-12 skills you can actually defend in an interview.

3. No Metrics or Impact "Developed features" tells me nothing. "Built authentication system reducing login time by 60% and supporting 50K users" shows real impact.

4. Ignoring the Job Description If the job requires React and AWS, those keywords better be prominent on your resume. Customize your skills section and bullets for each application.

5. Burying Technical Skills Don't hide your tech stack at the bottom. Put it near the top, right after your summary. Recruiters need to see it immediately.

6. Including Irrelevant Experience If you're applying for a backend role, your college job as a barista doesn't need 3 bullet points. Focus on relevant technical experience.

7. Using Headers/Footers for Important Info Many ATS systems can't read headers and footers. Keep all critical information (name, contact, skills) in the main body.

ATS Optimization for Software Engineer Resumes

Here's what I know from reviewing 50,000+ resumes through ATS systems:

File Format: Submit as .docx or PDF (check job posting for preference). Avoid .pages, .odt, or image files.

Keywords: Mirror the job description. If they say "Python," don't just write "programming languages." Explicitly list "Python."

Section Headings: Use standard names like "Work Experience," "Technical Skills," "Education." Avoid creative headings like "My Journey" or "Tech Arsenal."

Formatting:

• No tables, text boxes, or columns
• No headers/footers for critical info
• Standard fonts (Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman)
• Consistent bullet points (• or -)
• Clear section breaks

Acronyms: Spell out acronyms on first use, then use the acronym. Example: "Amazon Web Services (AWS)" then "AWS" in bullets.

Dates: Use consistent format (MM/YYYY or Month YYYY)

To learn more about creating ATS-friendly resumes, check out our guide on why 2-column resumes fail ATS screening.

Frequently Asked Questions

What technical skills should I include on a software engineer resume?

Include programming languages (Python, Java, JavaScript), frameworks (React, Node.js, Django), databases (SQL, MongoDB), cloud platforms (AWS, Azure), version control (Git), and development tools. List 8-12 skills that match the job description, placing the most relevant ones first.

How do I format projects on a software engineer resume?

Format each project with: Project Name, brief description (1-2 lines), technologies used, and 2-3 bullet points showing impact with metrics. Example: "Built e-commerce platform using React and Node.js, reducing page load time by 40% and increasing conversions by 25%." Include GitHub links when relevant.

Should I include GitHub or portfolio links on my resume?

Yes, absolutely. Include your GitHub profile URL in your header section alongside LinkedIn. If you have a portfolio website showcasing projects, include that too. Make sure your GitHub has clean, well-documented repositories with README files.

How long should a software engineer resume be?

For early-career engineers (0-5 years): 1 page. For mid-level (5-10 years): 1-2 pages. For senior/principal engineers (10+ years): 2 pages maximum. Focus on recent, relevant experience and impactful projects rather than listing everything.

What's the best resume format for software engineers?

Use a clean, ATS-friendly chronological format with clear sections: Header, Professional Summary, Technical Skills, Work Experience, Projects, and Education. Avoid 2-column layouts, tables, or graphics that confuse ATS systems. Stick to standard fonts like Arial or Calibri.

How do I quantify achievements as a software engineer?

Focus on performance improvements (reduced load time by X%), scale (processed Y million requests), efficiency (decreased bugs by Z%), user impact (increased user engagement by X%), or business results (saved $Y in costs). Use specific numbers whenever possible.

Should I list every programming language I know?

No. Only list languages you're genuinely proficient in and willing to be tested on. Group them by proficiency: "Expert: Python, JavaScript" and "Familiar: Go, Rust." Lying about skills will backfire in technical interviews.

How do I make my software engineer resume ATS-friendly?

Use standard section headings, avoid tables and graphics, save as .docx or PDF, include relevant keywords from the job description, use standard fonts, and keep formatting simple. Don't use headers/footers for important information as some ATS systems can't read them.

Final Thoughts

Your software engineer resume is a technical document, not a creative portfolio. Keep it clean, ATS-friendly, and focused on impact.

Highlight your technical skills prominently, quantify your achievements with metrics, and showcase projects that prove you can code. Customize for each application by matching keywords from the job description.

Most importantly: make every line count. If a bullet point doesn't show impact or demonstrate a relevant skill, delete it.

Now build a resume that actually gets you interviews. Once you pass the screen, check our Technical Interview Preparation Guide to ace the coding challenge.

Related Guides

Looking for more specialized resume advice? Check out these related guides:

• Full Stack Developer Resume Guide — For specialized stack advice
• Data Analyst Resume Guide — For engineers transitioning to data roles
• QA Engineer Resume Guide — For quality assurance and test automation roles
• Product Manager Resume Guide — For engineers moving into product
• AI Engineer Resume Guide — For engineers specializing in ML/AI
• Machine Learning Engineer Resume Guide — For ML-focused engineering roles