Looking to craft a software engineer resume that gets you the interview call? Well, getting an interview call from applying to jobs online is a challenging job in itself. After rigorous searching for a job, you apply to a bunch of suitable software engineer jobs. After that, your software engineer resume has to pass through numerous stages of screening before it even reaches the HR. Resume trackers, online filters and then a few seconds of review from the recruiter – before it finally reaches the group of shortlisted applicants, ultimately leading to an interview call.
Speaking of software engineer interviews, take a look here: Must Read: Amazon Interview Questions for Software Engineers Answered!
So, how do you create a software engineer resume that improves your chances of getting a call? Is it a good-looking template, the right words or a combination of both? Let us delve into the details of writing a software engineer resume to be reckoned with. The same can apply to a software developer resume as well. And if you are looking for a software resume sample, we have got you one further below.
If this is your first-time facing interviews, this might help: Interviewing for Your First Job? Avoid These Mistakes
On an average, a resume gets about six seconds of attention from the recruiter. So, let’s divide the resume into six parts.
- Your name
- Your contact
- Your education
- Your work history
- Your projects
- Your skills
Your name
Telling the recruiter who you are comes first in the order of presenting your information. So, it gets the most highlight too. This doesn’t mean you use fancy fonts and overtly styled decorative elements. Keep it simple, clean and easily visible.
Your contact
Your contact should be the next most highlighted information on your resume. Preferably somewhere close to your name itself. Make sure to double-check this section. You don’t want to miss out on your software engineer interview call because of wrong contact details.
Your education
If you are fairly new to the industry, you may want to put this section before your employment details. This is where you can list out all your relevant coursework, certifications or academic achievements that further boost your chances for software engineer jobs, or even software developer jobs.
Your work history
This is where you sell yourself as a proven successful employee. Explain your duties through accomplishments and numbers. For example, ‘Reduced R&D budget by x% while increasing service levels and improving product stability.’
Here is a list of words you can use to reflect action-oriented work descriptions:
- Obtained
- Enhanced
- Improved
- Redesigned
- Integrated
- Incorporated
- Optimised
- Transformed
- Spearheaded
- Reduced
- Utilised
- Implemented
- Reshaped
- Increased
- Established
- Produced
- Developed
- Created
Your skills
First, make a list of all your skills. Next, sort through them for the ones that are relevant to the software engineer role you’re applying for. It is better to skip an unmatching skill than have it on your resume without adding any value.
Your projects
While this is not a compulsory section, it is highly recommended nevertheless. If you don’t already have one, build a personal website where you can showcase all your self-initiated software projects. For someone with lesser experience, this is a great way to impress your recruiter and improve your chances of landing a brilliant software engineer job.
Before you start writing your resume, make sure you’ve covered this: 6 Questions to Ask Yourself When Writing Your Resume
Some tips to make your software engineer resume smarter
Tip 1:
When you mention things like your accomplishments, awards, coursework or skills, take a moment to analyse whether or not they are relevant to your job application. If avoiding them from your resume doesn’t change anything, it is best to avoid them.
Tip 2:
Yes, it having keywords matching from the job description could increase your chances of getting through the resume filters. But, don’t include them for the sake of this. Remember to keep all information on your resume genuine and truthful.
Tip 3:
While it seems like the easier thing to do, do not send out the same resume for all your software engineer job applications. Speak to each company with a personal touch, either through your resume or your cover letter. This always helps.
Read more on writing winning cover letters here:
- How to Write a Cover Letter for a Software Engineer’s Position
- Cover Letter for Software Developer: Tips, Tricks and Sample
Software engineer resume sample
Here’s a software engineer resume sample for reference.
Lastly, have a thorough check through your entire resume for any possible mistakes. Once you are fully satisfied, it is ready to be sent out.
Good luck with your search for software engineer jobs.
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