For more tips on making a CV that works, check out Arc’s Ultimate Software Engineer Resume Guide.
The pandemic has impacted the job market in virtually every sector, yet hiring for one type of role remains strong. According to research analysts, software development is one of the leading sources of “new wages” in the US — meaning that there are plenty of opportunities for experienced software developers to find work in this difficult job market.
If you’re thinking of making a career move in 2022, it’s time to dust off your old information technology resume and make some updates — starting with the resume format.
We’ll break down for you the best resume format for senior software developers and include some tips for designing an easy-to-read resume that gets past applicant tracking system filters and into the hands of recruiters.
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Here’s how to format your developer resume for today’s competitive job market.
3 Common Resume Formats
As a senior software developer, it can be tricky to figure out how to frame experience and achievements in the most compelling, succinct format possible. Generally speaking, there are three common resume formats that you could use to showcase highlights from your career.
Chronological resume
As the name implies, this resume format emphasizes the length of time you’ve spent in your field honing your skills. This resume format is great for those whose professional experience closely matches the responsibilities outlined in the job description.
Functional resume
Rather than focus on how much time you’ve spent in the industry, this format showcases the skills, talents, and certifications you’ve accomplished. This format type is best for those in technical or skill-based professions, or for those who are transitioning into a new career.
Hybrid resume
As a combination of the functional and chronological resume, this format details the skills and talents you have developed while highlighting your work experience. Most experts recommend using the hybrid resume for applying to technical roles where work experience is an important differentiator (e.g., for senior management positions in software development).
Any of these formats work, depending on the role for which you are applying, but generally, a hybrid resume format is the best option for senior software developers well into their career. This resume format lays out your depth of experience while highlighting any project-based work you’ve accomplished to show off your technical abilities.
No matter which format you choose, it’s important to understand how the detail of your formatting choices will impact the success of your application. Most recruiting teams use an applicant tracking system (ATS) to help sort through resumes.
The applicant tracking system is a program with an algorithm that attempts to save IT hiring managers, tech recruiters, and HR specialists time. The ATS does this by scanning the resume’s text, identifying specific keywords matching the job description, and then ranking all received resumes by match percentage and relevance.
If you want to ensure your resume gets you to an interview, you better keep the ATS in mind as you write your resume!
These resume formatting tips below will help you avoid ATS filters that automatically reject your resume and help you show your experience in the best light possible.
Read More: How to Write a Computer Science Resume
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Best Resume Format for Software Developers
Your resume should include the following sections (though not necessarily in this order).
Summary or personal statement
This section tells recruiters who you are and features your biggest accomplishments. This personal statement should be customized for each senior software development role for which you are applying.
Skills section
Here, list your accomplishments related to management and leadership, as well as experience-oriented soft skills. Make sure to mention things like time management, decision making, how you’ve led a team, and more. Quantify these skills with results wherever possible.
Employment history or project highlights
The majority of your resume should be made up of a list of your successes and accomplishments as shown through your experience. You can either do this by listing specific projects, or by listing job titles.
You may want to include sections for training, certifications, and specific technical skills you’ve acquired over the course of your career. Also, consider adding a professional portfolio of your past projects, or at least a link to an online version. Here’s how to create a web developer portfolio.
Read More: 10 Hard and Soft Skills to Put On a Resume for Software Developer Jobs
Resume Design Best Practices
The layout of your resume — how you tell the narrative arc of your professional achievements — is only one part of the equation. You must also format your resume to make it past an ATS screen and into the hands of a human. An incredible 75% of applications are rejected before a recruiter even reads them.
To make sure your resume isn’t flagged for rejection, make sure you follow these formatting tips for a software engineering resume:
- File type: Unless the upload button specifies “PDF”, use a Word document file format (.doc or .docx).
- Use keywords: The ATS algorithm is looking for words that mirror the software developer job description or at least match it. Determine the particular software developer skills the company is searching for, and do your best to (honestly) include those on your resume.
- Avoid using images: An ATS usually can’t parse images, charts, or graphs — so leave those off altogether.
- Use one column: keep it simple and clear by formatting your resume in one left-aligned list-style narrative. Don’t get fancy or complicated in how you place content on the page.
- Use simple bullet points: Stick to bullet point formats like the simple circle or dash. Intricate bullet points may read as an image or get scrambled in the ATS, causing the system to boot your application.
Once you make it through the ATS screening step, you want to make sure your resume format is fit for human consumption, too. Keep your resume to one page per decade of work experience. Recruiters spend an average of five to seven seconds reading each resume, so try to stick to two pages or less.
Keep your fonts simple and clear. Use one of the most popular fonts for a resume, such as Helvetica, Georgia, Lato, Verdana, Arial, Garamond, Calibri, or Cambria. This will help ensure both the hiring manager and the ATS can easily read your resume!
And, last but not least, follow these guidelines when formatting your cover letter, as well!
A software developer cover letter template should generally match the resume in style, color, font size, and other aspects. Learn how to write a cover letter for IT jobs, how to write a software engineering cover letter, or how to make a cover letter for computer science backgrounds.
Software developers seeking to update their resume should start with the best resume format for their skills, background, and career interests.
Choose a format for a resume that allows you to demonstrate why you’re a good fit for a specific tech position or IT company.
It may be the case that you have a few different resume drafts ready to go for whatever job opportunity comes your way, but tailor it at least a bit before sending it out.
Read More: Glossary of Remote Working Definitions
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