Resume Example
Backend Developer Resume Example
Show API reliability, data modeling, and scalability. This sample focuses on latency, throughput, and system ownership.
Modern Minimal
Clean sidebar layout with navy accent. Great for tech and finance roles.
Keywords
Sample bullets
- Designed REST APIs handling 25k req/min with 99.95% uptime using caching and rate limits.
- Reduced query time by 45% by indexing hot tables and refactoring data models.
- Implemented tracing and alerts that cut incident MTTR from 90 to 35 minutes.
Soft skills
- API documentation
- Database optimization mindset
- Security awareness
Certifications
- AWS Certified Developer - Associate
- Google Professional Cloud Developer
- Microsoft Azure Developer Associate
Why this works
- Highlights reliability and performance improvements.
- Shows ownership of data and infrastructure decisions.
- Includes security and monitoring signals recruiters look for.
Step-by-Step Guide
How to Write a Backend Developer Resume
Lead with system impact
Backend developers build the infrastructure that powers applications. Your summary should highlight scale (requests/second, data volume), reliability (uptime, error rates), and efficiency (latency, cost optimization).
Quantify scale and performance
Include specific metrics: API response times, throughput, database query optimization, cost reductions, and uptime percentages. 'Optimized queries reducing p99 latency from 2s to 200ms' shows concrete technical improvement.
Showcase your technical stack
List languages (Python, Go, Java, Node.js), frameworks (Django, Spring, Express), databases (PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Redis), cloud services (AWS, GCP), and infrastructure tools (Docker, Kubernetes, Terraform).
Highlight architecture and design
Show you can think beyond individual features. Include examples of systems you've designed, migrations you've led, or architectural decisions you've made. This signals senior-level thinking.
Include reliability and observability
Modern backend development requires operational excellence. Mention monitoring (Datadog, New Relic), logging, alerting, incident response, and any reliability improvements you've driven.
Summary Examples
Good vs. Bad Resume Summaries
“Backend engineer with 6 years building high-throughput distributed systems. Designed event-driven architecture processing 5M events/day with 99.99% uptime. Expert in Go, PostgreSQL, and AWS.”
Clear experience level, impressive scale (5M events), reliability metric, and specific tech stack.
“Backend developer with experience in Python and databases. Team player who writes clean code and follows best practices.”
Vague and generic. No scale, no specific achievements, no indication of complexity handled.
“Platform engineer specializing in API design and microservices. Led migration from monolith to microservices serving 2M daily users. Reduced infrastructure costs 40% through optimization and right-sizing.”
Specific specialty (APIs, microservices), significant project (migration), user scale, and cost impact.
“Experienced backend developer looking for challenging opportunities. Strong problem-solver with good communication skills.”
No technical specifics whatsoever. Could apply to any developer at any level.
Action Verbs
Power Words for Backend Developer Resumes
Common Mistakes
What to Avoid
- ✗Not including scale metrics (requests/second, data volume, users served)
- ✗Missing reliability numbers (uptime, error rates, latency percentiles)
- ✗Listing technologies without context about what you built
- ✗Omitting cloud and infrastructure experience that's often required
- ✗Focusing only on features without mentioning performance or operational impact
- ✗Not showing architectural thinking or system design experience
Salary ranges
| Level | US | EU | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry | USD 67,000-115,000 | EUR 35,000-55,000 | CAD 55,000-90,000 |
| Mid | USD 87,000-141,000 | EUR 50,000-78,000 | CAD 75,000-110,000 |
| Senior | USD 120,000-195,000 | EUR 70,000-100,000 | CAD 100,000-140,000 |
US hot markets
- San Francisco
- New York
- Seattle
EU hot markets
- London
- Berlin
- Zurich
Canada hot markets
- Toronto
- Vancouver
- Ottawa
FAQ
Common questions about this role
What should backend developers highlight?
API performance, data modeling, reliability, and system scalability.
How do backend engineers show impact?
Latency reduction, uptime improvements, and throughput gains are the clearest signals.
Related Roles
More Engineering & Tech Examples
Beyond Templates
Templates are so 2015
Static templates give everyone the same look. Our Resume Studio uses AI to dynamically generate a completely unique resume for every job—personalized to your style, your experience, and the role you're targeting. No two resumes are ever the same.