Resume Example
Software Engineer Resume Example
Highlight systems ownership, performance wins, and reliable delivery. This sample focuses on impact, scale, and the tech stack recruiters expect.
Modern Minimal
Clean sidebar layout with navy accent. Great for tech and finance roles.
Keywords
Sample bullets
- Optimized API latency by 38% by introducing async caching and query batching.
- Designed a scalable event pipeline processing 12M events/day with 99.9% uptime.
- Reduced deployment time from 45 to 12 minutes by rebuilding CI/CD workflows.
Soft skills
- Problem-solving
- Technical communication
- Mentorship
- Adaptability
Certifications
- AWS Certified Developer
- Google Cloud Professional
- CKA (Kubernetes)
Why this works
- Leads with measurable performance and reliability outcomes.
- Emphasizes collaboration across product and infrastructure.
- Surfaces core backend skills and architecture decisions.
Step-by-Step Guide
How to Write a Software Engineer Resume
Choose the right resume format
Use a reverse-chronological format that puts your most recent experience first. Software engineering roles prioritize recent work, so lead with your current or most recent position. Include clear section headers for Experience, Skills, Education, and Projects (if applicable).
Write a compelling summary
Open with a 2-3 sentence summary that highlights your years of experience, primary tech stack, and a standout achievement. Example: 'Backend engineer with 5 years building scalable distributed systems. Reduced API latency by 40% and led migration to microservices architecture serving 2M daily users.'
Quantify your experience
Every bullet should include metrics where possible: latency improvements, cost savings, uptime percentages, team sizes, or scale (requests/second, records processed). Numbers make your impact concrete and memorable to hiring managers.
Showcase your technical skills
Include a dedicated skills section organized by category: Languages (Python, Go, Java), Frameworks (React, Django), Cloud (AWS, GCP), Databases (PostgreSQL, Redis), and Tools (Docker, Kubernetes). Prioritize skills from the job description.
Optimize for ATS systems
Use keywords from the job posting naturally throughout your resume. Include both acronyms and full terms (e.g., 'CI/CD' and 'continuous integration'). Avoid tables, graphics, and unusual fonts that ATS systems struggle to parse.
Summary Examples
Good vs. Bad Resume Summaries
“Backend engineer with 6 years building high-throughput distributed systems at scale. Led API platform redesign that reduced p99 latency from 800ms to 120ms while handling 50K requests/second. Passionate about system reliability and developer experience.”
Specific years of experience, quantified achievements, clear technical focus, and a hint of what drives you professionally.
“Hardworking software engineer looking for challenging opportunities to grow my career. Experienced with many programming languages and always eager to learn new technologies.”
Too generic—no specific skills, achievements, or technical focus. 'Hardworking' and 'eager to learn' are filler phrases that don't differentiate you.
“Full-stack engineer specializing in React and Node.js with a track record of shipping user-facing features at startups. Built checkout flow that increased conversion by 23% and reduced cart abandonment by 18%.”
Clear tech stack, startup context, and business impact metrics that show you understand how engineering drives outcomes.
“Results-driven professional with excellent communication skills and a strong work ethic. Team player who works well under pressure.”
No technical content whatsoever. These generic phrases could apply to any role and tell the reader nothing about your engineering capabilities.
Action Verbs
Power Words for Software Engineer Resumes
Common Mistakes
What to Avoid
- ✗Listing technologies without showing how you used them or what you achieved
- ✗Using vague descriptions like 'worked on' or 'helped with' instead of owning your contributions
- ✗Including every technology you've ever touched rather than focusing on relevant, current skills
- ✗Writing dense paragraphs instead of scannable bullet points
- ✗Omitting metrics and scale that demonstrate the impact of your work
- ✗Forgetting to tailor your resume to each job—the same resume shouldn't go to a startup and an enterprise company
Salary ranges
| Level | US | EU | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry | USD 75,000-100,000 | EUR 45,000-60,000 | CAD 65,000-85,000 |
| Mid | USD 110,000-150,000 | EUR 55,000-85,000 | CAD 88,000-120,000 |
| Senior | USD 150,000-200,000+ | EUR 80,000-130,000 | CAD 120,000-163,000 |
Market themes
- 84% of developers use or plan to use AI tools
- About 45% of US roles are remote
- Polyglot development is increasingly valued
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 a software engineer resume emphasize?
Focus on system impact, reliability, and measurable improvements to performance, cost, or throughput. Lead with specific technologies you've used and quantifiable outcomes like latency reductions, uptime improvements, or cost savings.
Which technical skills matter most for software engineers?
Backend APIs, cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure), databases (SQL and NoSQL), and CI/CD pipelines are consistently prioritized. Include programming languages, frameworks, and infrastructure tools relevant to your target role.
How long should a software engineer resume be?
One page is ideal for engineers with under 10 years of experience. Senior engineers and architects with extensive experience can use two pages, but every line should demonstrate relevant impact.
Should I include a GitHub link on my resume?
Yes, if your GitHub shows relevant projects or contributions. Clean up your profile first—pin your best repositories and ensure READMEs clearly explain what each project does and the technologies used.
How do I show impact without revealing company metrics?
Use percentages and relative improvements instead of absolute numbers. 'Reduced API latency by 40%' or 'Cut deployment time by 3x' conveys impact without disclosing sensitive data.
What's the best resume format for software engineers?
Use reverse-chronological format with clear sections for experience, skills, and education. Include a technical skills section near the top and use bullet points with action verbs to describe achievements.
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