Technical Lead Resume Example
If you're hoping to start a career as a technical lead, you'll need experience in overseeing code quality and collaborating with PMs. A strong resume for technical lead applications showcases your skills, experience and achievements and helps you stand out from other candidates. In this article, we'll outline how to write a winning resume to boost your chances of success in your technical lead applications.
This comprehensive guide will give you all the tools you need to craft a technical lead resume that positions you strongly against other candidates. The article will take you through the key steps of creating a resume that presents your key skills, qualities and career achievements in a format that employers favor. It will also help you tailor your resume according to your unique skills and experience level. Read on to learn the tips Jobseeker careers experts recommend as the best for your technical lead resume.
What to include in a technical lead resume
Most resumes contain similar key sections, with a technical lead resume being no different.
If you have no work experience as a technical lead or have just started in the industry, you could consider using a functional or skills-based format, which emphasizes your skills and education. Furthermore, a junior resume is more likely to focus on soft and transferable skills, as well as relevant training, internships and volunteer roles.
Work experience is typically the most important resume section for technical lead applicants with some prior experience. As such, it's best to use a traditional, reverse-chronological resume format. Your resume should focus on your career achievements, and the role you've played in successful projects and activities for your employers. Consult the job description for guidance on what to showcase, and provide evidence to support your claims.
For senior technical lead roles, you're likely to be competing against highly experienced candidates. Use a reverse-chronological resume format and focus on adding additional information that shows your credentials beyond your work experience. Some elements to include in a senior resume for maximum impact might include awards, publications, conference presentations or professional memberships. By adding these sections, it's likely that your resume will be longer than a junior resume.
While the content and format of your resume may vary depending on your experience levels, it's important to always include the following sections:
Resume Header and Personal Information
Your technical lead 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. Create a clear, well-structured header that acts as the headline of your resume. Use color accents and blocks to help this section stand out and catch the eye of the reader.
Make sure your email address appears as professional as possible, and doesn't include anything like nicknames, inappropriate language or personal information. If it does, set up a new email account with an address based on your name or initials, and use that for your job applications. Always double-check your contact details are up-to-date before sending your resume.
Naomi Gray
naomi.gray@example.com
(111) 222 33 444 55
112 Ocean Avenue, Amityville, NY
linkedin․com/in/naomi–gray123
Resume Objective
The next section is the resume summary. The section might also be called 'resume objective' or 'personal profile'. This is a brief introduction to you, your key skills and your career achievements and ambitions. While a resume summary focuses on your career achievements and experience, a resume objective typically focuses on your ambitions for the future. Furthermore, when writing your profile, focus on two or three key skills and achievements that showcase your suitability for technical lead roles.
Alternatively, write a paragraph that concentrates on your career objectives and how this role fits with your wider ambitions and progression.
A good resume summary reflects the job description and highlights some of the key skills required for technical lead 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. The graphic below showcases some good examples of what to include in your technical lead resume summary.
Good example:
Dynamic and results-driven technical lead with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and extensive experience as a Senior Software Engineer. Proven expertise in leading development teams, architecting scalable solutions, and driving innovation in software projects. Adept at managing complex technical projects, ensuring high-quality deliverables, and fostering collaborative environments. Strong proficiency in multiple programming languages, software development methodologies, and cutting-edge technologies. Committed to continuous learning and leveraging technical skills to achieve organizational goals
Bad example:
Technical lead with a background in computer science and experience in software engineering. Worked with teams to create solutions and manage projects. Familiar with various programming languages and technologies. Interested in learning new things and using skills to help achieve goals
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. The visual above includes some examples of what not to do with your technical lead resume summary
Work Experience
Under your work experience section, add any jobs you've had in the past that are relevant to the position of a technical lead. List each relevant role in reverse-chronological order starting with your current or most recent role. Add your job title, the organization name, its location and the dates you worked there.
Under each job entry, add several bullet points highlighting your responsibilities and achievements. Consult the job description for a list of the key requirements for the role and make sure your work experience section showcases how you meet these requirements.
A good work experience section pulls the reader in with clear examples of where you've put the skills necessary for the job into good use in your career to date. This typically includes evidence of how your skills and activities contributed to positive outcomes for the organization. See below for some good examples of what to include in your resume work experience section.
Good example:
Senior Software Engineer, January 2022 - Present
Innovatech Solutions, Oklahoma City
- Led a team to develop a scalable microservices architecture, improving system efficiency and reducing response time by 40%
- Implemented automated testing frameworks, increasing code coverage from 60% to 95%, and reducing bugs in production by 30%
- Spearheaded a critical database migration with zero downtime, enhancing data integrity and system resilience
Bad example:
Senior Software Engineer, January 2022 - Present
Innovatech Solutions, Oklahoma City
- Managed a team to enhance system performance and reliability
- Improved testing processes for better code quality
- Oversaw database operations to ensure smooth transitions
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 and Qualifications
Under education, add details of any degrees or professional qualifications relevant to technical lead roles.
If you're applying for technical lead 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 version control systems or software development lifecycle.
Enter the name and level of the qualification, the institution you studied at, its location and your dates of study or graduation. You could also add one or two bullet points to draw attention to your grades if they were particularly good, as well as any specialist subjects you studied. This will help the hiring manager understand your knowledge and special skills better.
Additionally, mentioning any leadership roles or any societies and clubs you participated in while studying shows proactivity and initiative.
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, 2017 - 2020
University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY
Skills
Listing your key skills can help to prove your suitability for technical lead jobs. These could be cloud computing platforms, conflict resolution or various other relevant skills. Once more, review the job description and pick out any key technical lead skills listed that match yours. Focus on these skills and any other key transferable skills that make you a strong candidate for the job.
Showcasing hard skills on your technical lead resume
Under hard skills, add any specialist skills you possess that are specifically required for technical lead jobs. These tend to be technical skills and industry knowledge essential to the position. Furthermore, an extensive list of hard skills helps to make a compelling case for your technical lead job applications, as they show employers your understanding of the technical lead role. It's best to aim for four or five key hard skills that match the job description. These can really showcase your suitability for the job.
For an effective resume hard skills section, focus on the technical skills that are most essential in the job description, and that match your specific expertise. Some examples of the best hard skills for a technical lead resume are listed below.
- Project management tools
- Software development lifecycle
- Version control systems
Showcasing your best soft skills
In your soft skills list, include any personal characteristics that make you a good fit for a technical lead job. Soft skills tend to be more universal than hard skills, but they're no less important. Indeed, as the nature of work changes, soft skills are growing in importance, so make sure you include them in your resume. It's best to aim for four or five soft skills that match the job description and reflect your strongest personal qualities.
A good soft skills section would include skills that match the job description, and also reflect your key strengths and qualities. See the graphic below for an indication of what to include in a strong soft skills section for a technical lead resume.
- Problem-solving skills
- Effective communication
- Team leadership
Certifications and Training
Under this section, list any relevant certifications or licenses that are relevant to technical lead jobs. Add any official certifications or accreditations that increase your level of qualification and suitability for working as a technical lead. Therefore, add any professional licenses or certifications, along with valid dates that show they're still valid.
Below you can find several examples of certifications for a technical lead resume:
- PMP Certification, 2022
- AWS Certified Solutions, 2022
- Google Cloud Professional, 2022
Optional Resume Sections
If you need to provide further evidence of your suitability for the job, optional sections can be useful for a technical lead resume. Choose any optional sections that showcase essential or desirable skills or experience for technical lead jobs.
Personal Hobbies and Interests
Add any hobbies and interests that reinforce your credentials for the position. They also help to show a different side of your personality, and can help your resume create a more memorable impression on hiring managers. If you're short on real world work experience, hobbies and interests can be a useful way of providing more information about your qualities. Just make sure any hobbies and interests you include in your resume add genuine insight into your personality, in ways other sections of the resume can't.
Volunteer Work
If you're lacking relevant technical lead work experience, volunteer work can help to show you still have the relevant skills. Include the title of your volunteer role, who you volunteered for, as well as the dates you carried out the work. Provide brief details of your responsibilities and the impact you made.
References
References aren't a standard technical lead resume section, but employers do sometimes ask for them. Check the job advert and only include them if requested. Before adding any referees to your resume, ask them for their assistance and prepare them for contact by the employer.
References will be available upon request.
Best action words for your technical lead resume
Start each bullet point in your work experience section with a strong verb to show actions you took. Choose verbs from the suggestions below that highlight your key skills or those mentioned in the job description.
- Lead
- Design
- Develop
- Implement
- Optimize
- Mentor
- Troubleshoot
- Collaborate
- Architect
- Innovate
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 technical lead resume
Now we've covered the main sections to include in your technical lead resume, let's take a look at how it all comes together in the example below:
112 Ocean Avenue, Amityville, NY
•
naomi.gray@example.com
•
(111) 222 33 444 55
•
linkedin․com/in/naomi–gray123
Experienced Technical Lead with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and a proven track record as an Engineering Manager. Skilled in leading technical teams, managing software development projects, and implementing innovative solutions to drive business success. Adept at coordinating cross-functional efforts, optimizing processes, and ensuring high-quality deliverables. Strong communicator with a passion for technology and a commitment to continuous improvement.
Engineering Manager
2020
-2022
Innovatech Solutions (Chesapeake)
- Led a cross-functional team of 15 engineers, delivering a $2M project 3 months ahead of schedule with 20% cost savings
- Implemented agile methodologies, increasing team productivity by 35% and reducing project lead time by 25%
- Spearheaded the development of a new software platform, generating $5M in annual revenue and capturing 10% market share
Project management tools
Software development lifecycle
Version control systems
Problem-solving skills
Effective communication
Team leadership
PMP Certification
AWS Certified Solutions
English - Fluent
Spanish - B2
Do's and don'ts of a technical lead resume
Advice to help you craft a winning resume
- Use a well-structured resume layout that optimizes headings, structure, margins, fonts and line spacing to make your document as accessible as possible to the reader.
- Order your work experience in a reverse-chronological timeline, starting with your most recent position.
- Quantify the impact you've made in different roles by offering evidence of your key abilities and your contribution.
- Use strong action words to demonstrate the impact you've made in each technical lead role (e.g. 'implement', 'optimize', 'mentor').
- Add key skills throughout your resume that match the job description, along with a dedicated 'skills' section.
Things to avoid on your resume
- Don't add work experience that's unrelated to the role you're applying for, as it isn't likely to help your chances of success.
- Don't clutter your document by trying to add too many details. Focus on core technical lead skills and achievements that are relevant to the role.
- Don't add hobbies and outside interests unless they help you prove a skill required for the role.
- Don't fill your resume with industry jargon or business-speak that could alienate the reader.
- Don't use an unprofessional email address. Instead, create a simple email address based on your name.
How to make an ATS-friendly resume
Applicant tracking systems (ATS) help recruiters and employers streamline their hiring process. They can store and process data, including applications and applicant data, quickly and efficiently. One of the jobs ATS applications are increasingly responsible for is initial candidate screening. The systems can quickly scan and rank resumes based on how closely they match the job description. If you follow a few simple tips when writing your technical lead resume, you'll give yourself a better chance of ranking highly in the ATS screening and progressing to the next stage.
Here a some simple tips to follow for an ATS-friendly resume:
- Opt for an established, traditional resume format such as a reverse-chronological or functional structure. These will ensure your resume includes all the necessary details ATS scan for.
- Include keywords throughout your resume that align with the job description. ATS software tends to compare your resume to the job description for points of similarity, so careful, considered use of keywords should help your chances of success.
- Include clear headings that make it easy to identify each section of your resume. This will help any ATS software navigate your resume during the scanning process.
- Utilize a clean, clear resume design that helps make your content more readable. Use simple fonts and subtle color accents and design elements that don't detract from the written content.
- Adopt simple, professional language to keep your resume as concise as possible. This tends to make your document more readable, and easier for ATS software to scan.
If you need help creating a professional resume, take a look at our expert career articles and variety of resume examples created by careers experts.
FAQs for a technical lead resume
After writing your technical lead resume, you'll want to write an accompanying cover letter that helps your application stand out.
Before you write your cover letter, think about whether you need a formal, professional letter or if a brief, less formal email might be more suitable.
A traditional cover letter should follow formal letter-writing conventions and structure, including a header, the recipient's address and professional greetings and sign-offs. For the main body of the letter, open with a short paragraph introducing yourself and explaining your reasons for applying for the technical lead role. Follow that with an explanation of your skills and experience and how they're relevant to the position. Close by expressing your gratitude and enthusiasm, and leaving a call to action that encourages the employer to open a dialogue with you.
For help creating an eye-catching cover letter that impresses recruiters and hiring managers, use Jobseeker's professional cover letter templates.
Even if you have no work experience, following a few simple tips for your technical lead resume can ensure you make a strong impression on employers. Choose a resume structure that best showcases your key skills for the role, such as a functional format. This places your skills and education above your work experience. Optional sections at the end of your resume can play a stronger role if you're lacking relevant work experience. Use certifications and training, hobbies and interests, volunteer roles and internships to show you've got the necessary skills for the job.
You can use a resume headline to introduce your document and set the tone for your technical lead applications. Resume headlines are also helpful for the ATS stage of the recruitment process, as they can help you reference the job title and one or two keywords for the role. Take the time to draft a concise, eye-catching headline which includes the job title, one or two key skills and reference to either your experience level or track record.
See below for an example of a well-constructed resume headline:
- Junior Technical Lead in Development
- Innovative Technical Leadership Expert
- Experienced Senior Technical Lead
The resume format that gives you the best chances of success depends on your experience levels, as well as the type of job you're applying for and its seniority level. For entry-level roles, or situations where you're changing to a new career, a functional resume is often the best option. This places your skills and education above your work experience. If, however, you have relevant work experience in the industry, it's typically best to use a reverse chronological resume format. This highlights your achievements in work, which is probably the most important factor for hiring managers to consider.
Key takeaways for your technical lead 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. Select a resume format that suits your experience levels and the job you're applying for, and make sure you tailor your resume for each application.
HR-approved resume templates and other tools by Jobseeker are the easiest way to create a winning job application. Sign up and follow the simple instructions to complete a resume that stands out from the crowd. A stylish, professional cover letter can make all the difference to your job prospects. See Jobseeker's cover letter examples, written by careers experts, to help you craft an eye-catching application.
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/
