According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the demand for software developers should increase by more than 20% over the next ten years. This can be a lucrative career, but to find the best jobs, you’ll need a top-notch resume. While we recommend that you hire a professional resume service to create your software developer resume, here are a few tips if you decide to write your own.
1. Highlight Your Skills
A software developer resume can look different from a traditional resume for other types of executives. Those resumes tend to include a career objective, work experience and education sections, and possibly a skills section or a section detailing the types of certification they might have earned.
While a software developer resume also includes the objective, work experience and education, your skills section will be a crucial component of the resume. It is in this section you will list all of the programming languages, source controls, operating systems, cross-platform software, etc., with which you are an expert. While all sections of a resume are important, this is a section that a hiring manager probably will skim before looking at anything else.
2. Add A Projects Section
In addition to including a skills section and a work experience section, many software developer resumes also include a projects section, where you highlight various projects and list a few of the projects that you’ve worked on and explain what you did and the types of programming languages, etc. that you used to create the projects. This is different from work experience in that you will be highlighting individual projects so that a hiring manager can truly see the types of projects you can complete.
3. Show Off Your Professionalism
This tip is more for those entry-level software developers. Many hiring managers say they will toss a resume if the contact information looks unprofessional. Everyone needs to include an email address in their contact information, but if your email reads as “partygirl2001@hotmail” or “ilovebeer@gmail,” this is not going to impress a hiring manager.
Also, please don’t use the email from your current job, that looks tacky, and it could come back to haunt you. Email addresses are free, so create a professional-looking email just for your job hunt, freelance jobs and so forth. Your professional email should simply include your first and last name, such as JohnSmith@gmail.com.
Additionally, many software developers create a professional website to show off their skills, so if you have your website, place this information on your resume. It also can be smart to include your LinkedIn page. We highly recommend that you create a great LinkedIn profile and use this free networking tool to your advantage. If you aren’t confident about your LinkedIn profile, we can provide you with LinkedIn profile writing as well as resume writing.
4. Keep It Error-Free
While this may seem like a no-brainer, it’s worth a mention. Even a single spelling error can cause your resume to end up in the reject pile. You also cannot simply depend on a spellchecker program to catch every error. Even the most advanced grammar and spellcheck software can miss an error, so read over your software developer resume carefully and consider asking one or two other trusted friends or family members to give it a look, as well.
Additionally, it’s not just about spelling and grammar errors. Double and triple-check your contact information. Even if you use a professional resume writer (which, again, we highly recommend), they won’t know whether or not your phone number and email are correct. If your contact information isn’t correct, you are likely to miss out on many job opportunities.
5. Quantify Your Skills
When describing your duties in the work experience section of your resume, don’t simply list a bunch of tasks. You need to provide a bit more information so that the hiring manager can truly understand your capabilities. For instance, you could simply state that you “built eCommerce sites,” or you could state instead, “designed eCommerce sites integrated with PayPal, Google Pay, Apple Pay and other payment APIs.” This provides the hiring manager with a clearer idea of your skills.
Following these tips can help you create a solid resume, but it’s often best to simply leave resume writing tasks to the professionals.
Why Use A Professional Resume Writer?
1. You Write Code, Not Resumes
While we know you are an expert at software development, you probably aren’t also a professional writer. Resume writing can be a bit of an art form, and a professional writer knows how to create a resume that’s dynamic, well-organized and easy to read. Each of our resume writers has years of experience, and we have writers on staff that specialize in software developer resumes, programmer resumes and IT resumes.
2. We Create Error-Free Resumes
Aside from lying on a resume, most hiring managers say that obvious spelling and grammar errors are one of the top reasons why they toss resumes in the trash bin. Not only do our resume writers carefully edit their work, but they also pass off each resume to a second editor, who not only looks for careless errors and edits for style, this second editor will study it from a strategic standpoint to ensure that your resume truly stands out.
3. We Can Handle Tricky Situations
We write resumes for all types of people. Some people are changing careers and moving into the field of software development, and we can create a resume that showcases your strengths, even if you are coming from another industry. Many software developers handle freelance work on the side or have spent their career as a freelancer. Freelance resumes can be difficult to write, but our team has the experience needed to create this type of resume.
Additionally, perhaps you have work gaps or were fired from your last job, we have career coaching services that can help you address these issues during the interview process. No matter what type of unique situations you have faced, we can craft a resume that shows off your skills and strengths.
4. Our Resumes Are Guaranteed
We stand by our work with a unique guarantee. If you use our resume and follow our advice, but are not hired in 45 days or less, we will rewrite your resume, refund your money and pay you an additional $100. No other resume writing service can or will make that guarantee.
Your resume is an investment in your career, and if you need a software developer resume, our team of experts can create the perfect resume. We also can provide you with an eye-catching cover letter, thank you notes and even build your LinkedIn profile. At Resume Writing Group, we offer all of the services you need to ensure that you find a fantastic new job.
