Programmer Resume Example

This comprehensive guide will give you all the tools you need to craft a programmer resume that positions you strongly against other candidates. You'll find valuable tips on writing a resume that best showcases your unique skills and achievements. There is also extensive guidance on how to structure your resume to match the job description, and to reflect your experience levels to impress HR specialists and employers. Continue reading to find the best programmer resume tips from careers experts at Jobseeker.

Main sections of a programmer resume

The key sections to include in a programmer resume are similar to those for any role or profession.

You will have some choice over your resume layout and structure, but be sure to include these sections as the core of your document:

Resume Header

Your programmer resume header is the place to add your contact details. Start by adding your full name and underneath, include your email address, phone number and location. Adding your LinkedIn profile, if you have one, can help the employer get a better insight into your skills and industry expertise. You don't need to include any additional personal information or a photo. Be aware of the amount of space your resume header takes up. You don't want your contact details to take space away from the main content of your resume, so keep this section as brief as possible.

Only include professional, name-based email addresses in your resume header. If you have an old email address that uses nicknames, puns, references to your personal interests or anything else that could appear unprofessional, set up a new email just for your job applications. Finally, always double-check your contact details are correct and up-to-date before sending your resume.

Resume Summary

Following your resume header, write a resume summary to introduce yourself and showcase some of your key skills and achievements. Alternative names for this section are 'resume objective' and 'personal profile'. While a resume summary focuses on your career experience, a resume objective covers your ambitions and career plans. Furthermore, when writing your profile, focus on two or three key skills and achievements that showcase your suitability for programmer roles.

Alternatively, focus on introducing your career ambitions, and why this role is a good fit, both for you and the organization.

A good resume summary reflects the job description and highlights some of the key skills required for programmer roles, while leaving the reader with an impression of your unique qualities and strengths. The most effective resume summaries also provide evidence to back up the claims made in them. Take a look at some strong examples of how to approach a programmer resume summary in the graphic below.

Conversely, a bad resume summary might be too generic, lacking focus on the specifics of the job description. It will also fail to provide any useful insights on what makes you a unique candidate. In the graphic above you can find some negative examples of how to write a resume summary.

Work Experience

Next, list your relevant employment history and any key achievements that show you're suitable for a programmer position. For each entry, list the job title, the name of the employer, its location and the dates you worked there. Add each job in reverse-chronological order, starting with your current or most recent role.

Add some bullet points under each job entry, explaining your achievements in the role, so the reader can see how you contributed towards success for the company. Provide evidence of your impact and make sure each point addresses a requirement listed in the job description.

The best resume work experience sections focus only on the most relevant previous jobs, and link each bullet point back to a skill or experience listed in the job description. It's also critical to provide evidence that shows the value you added to each role in a quantifiable way, such as project outcomes, key performance indicators or feedback from customers, colleagues or managers. There are some examples of strong resume work experience sections below.

See above for some of the pitfalls to avoid with your resume work experience section. A bad resume work experience section might fail to address skills and achievements that relate directly to the job description. Falling back on clichés, vague descriptions and basic responsibilities, rather than showing the impact you made, is likely to disengage the reader.

Education

Your resume's education section provides space for you to list your highest and most relevant qualifications for programmer roles.

If you're applying for programmer positions you'll typically need to have a degree. A Bachelor of Science in Computer Science will usually help your chances of success. You could also list any qualifications that demonstrate your RESTful API development or database management systems.

List your relevant qualifications in reverse-chronological order. Add the name and level of the award, the institution, its location (if this isn't obvious from the name) and your dates of study. If you have space, include some bullet points outlining any specialist areas of study, awards or high grades, so the employer can learn more about your unique skill set and knowledge.

Additionally, mentioning any leadership roles or any societies and clubs you participated in while studying shows proactivity and initiative.

Hard and Soft Skills

The skills section of a programmer resume is a chance to list any skills you have that match those of the job description. You could include RESTful API development, effective communication or any other skills that show you're a suitable candidate. Again, refer to the programmer job description for an indication of the types of skills the employer is looking for, and make sure your skills section reflects these.

Listing hard skills on your programmer resume

Under hard skills, add any specialist skills you possess that are specifically required for programmer jobs. These tend to be technical skills and industry knowledge essential to the position. Furthermore, it's important to show these skills in a programmer resume as they provide a strong indication of your experience in the sector. Aim to include four or five key hard skills. If you have space, explain how and where you've used that skill to create successful outcomes in your career. These skills will demonstrate your credentials and show how you meet the job description.

You'll make more impact with your resume hard skills list if you focus on technical skills that reflect your unique expertise and specialism, and that match the key requirements in the job description. See the graphic below for some tips on hard skills for a programmer resume.

Showcasing your best soft skills

Your soft skills are the core qualities and personal characteristics that make you a good employee. They tend to apply to multiple professions and jobs, though the soft skills you'll require may change as you move from junior to senior positions. In fact, as technology develops, soft skills are growing in importance for recruiters and employers, so be sure to add several of these to your resume. In this section, add four of five transferable skills that match the job description.

An effective programmer resume soft skills section should be targeted to include skills that reflect your personality and unique characteristics, while also matching the job description. The graphic below includes some examples of good resume soft skills.

Certifications and Training

In this section, include any programmer certifications, training or licenses you hold that are relevant to the job. These might be licenses that show you're qualified to operate certain equipment, or certifications that give you the edge over candidates with otherwise similar career history. Therefore, add any professional licenses or certifications, along with valid dates that show they're still valid.

See below for some suggestions of relevant certifications for a programmer resume:

Additional Information

In addition to the core sections of a programmer resume, there are several optional sections you could include to enhance your chances. Add any of the sections below that help you showcase your key skills and experience.

Personal Hobbies and Interests

Add any hobbies and interests that reinforce your credentials for the position. Hobbies can help you show different sides of your personality and make your resume more memorable to hiring managers. They're ideal to include if you're a junior candidate who might lack real world programmer experience. If you're thinking about adding hobbies and interests, just make sure they add something unique to your application, and showcase your personality and interests in unique and interesting ways.

Volunteer Work

Listing volunteer work is another useful way to prove your relevant experience for programmer roles. Write your volunteer section in a similar format to your work experience, including your role, the organization name, relevant dates and the details of your contribution.

References

References aren't a standard programmer resume section, but employers do sometimes ask for them. Check the job advert and only include them if requested. Only include referees that you've had prior approval from, and notify them to expect contact from the employer.

Best action words for your programmer resume

Using strong action verbs in your work experience bullet points can make a stronger impression on employers and show the value you added to your previous roles. The suggested action verbs below will help the reader to understand your key qualities and the impact you made on the organization.

Jobseeker's resume templates were created by careers experts to help you produce a professional resume in minutes. You can also find cover letter templates to complete an eye-catching job application that gets you noticed.

Example of a programmer resume

Now that you know everything that needs to go into your programmer resume, let's review an example resume that you can use as a guide when creating your own:

Tips on creating an ATS-optimized resume

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are one of the key ways recruiters and employers manage the hiring process. The systems can screen candidates by scanning and ranking resumes based on each candidate's likely suitability for the vacancy. If you follow a few simple tips when writing your programmer resume, you'll give yourself a better chance of ranking highly in the ATS screening and progressing to the next stage.

Follow these guidelines to create the best ATS-friendly resume:

• Adopt a traditional structure for your resume, such as a reverse-chronological format or a functional format. These are likely to be the easiest layouts for ATS software to scan.
• Use of job description keywords throughout your resume will help it rank higher in the ATS scanning stage, as it will more closely match the requirements laid out in the job description.
• Using clear, simple headings makes it easier for an ATS application to scan your resume, as it can easily identify what's in each section of your document.
• Use a resume design that includes clean, professional design elements to give your content space to breathe. This might include clear, readable fonts, subtle color accents and simple design elements.
• Use concise language to keep the length of your resume to between one and two pages. This will make it easier to scan for ATS applications.

Takeaways for your programmer resume

Writing a strong, impactful resume is about using your experience to demonstrate your relevant skills and achievements. You can do this through your work history or other resume sections. Choose a resume structure that makes the most of your relevant experience, whether through work or other activities, and be sure to tailor your resume to match the job description.

Use Jobseeker's resume templates, other tools and resources to create an application that impresses employers. Sign up today to access a wealth of valuable resume and cover letter resources. Jobseeker's expert-designed cover letter generator can help your applications make a strong first impression on hiring managers. Find detailed cover letter examples to complement your resume and get your application noticed.

Sources:

(1) Tips for Writing a Federal Resume, U.S. Department of Labor: https://www.dol.gov/general/jobs/tips-for-writing-a-federal-resume

(2) Resume Tips, Duke University: https://careerhub.students.duke.edu/resources/resume-tips/