You could be working as a Software Engineer for a few years or be very new to the field of software engineering, in both cases having an updated resume is a must before you apply for a new position. It might be a compact document, to craft it might take some time, especially if you do not know where to begin.
But as you have clicked on this article, you have already taken the first step as we will tell you everything that you need to include in your resume to apply for the job of Software Engineer.
Plus, if it is the first time that you are preparing your resume for the role of a Software Engineer we have some very important tips for you.
Why do you need a software engineering resume?
After you have worked for some time in a different field and have a resume that is loaded with experience, you might feel that you will be able to land an interview for a new career. But this is a myth, because while applying for the job of a Software Engineer you are definitely going to need a technical resume that has been crafted specifically for engineering, programming or the development job that you are looking for.
The main purpose of a resume is to present a picture of who you are professionally and whether your skills match the ones that were mentioned in the job description, to the recruiter so that he/she can decide whether you deserve to go into the ‘yes’ pile of resumes for the interview, or not. Some companies use resume scanners and scan for the keywords matching the job description on your resume, in these cases you need to make sure that you have edited your resume according to the job description before applying. This will increase your chances of getting selected exponentially.
Also, if you have taken any relevant Sofware Engineering courses online, make sure that you mention that on your resume.
What Should Go on a Software Engineer Resume?
There are certain things that are a must if you are applying for the job of a Software Engineer to get noticed by your hiring manager.
1. Contact Information
Make sure that you include your name, mobile number, email address, mailing address, and other social media handles along with a link to your portfolio ( if you have one ), on your resume. You should keep all these details in an easy-to-spot location, preferably at the top so that the recruiters can easily spot them and get in touch with you.
2. A heading Specific to Software Engineering
You could just be starting out, but you should still consider giving yourself an apt title so that your seriousness towards being a Software Engineer is visible in it. It could be something like a Junior Software Engineer.
3. Programming Skills
If you have the required programming skills that were mentioned in the job description you should list them out in a section titled “Skills”. Make sure that you list the skills that you have actually gained by learning on the job, interning, taking courses, or teaching yourself.
For instance, if your job requires web development skills, make sure that you list CSS, JavaScript, HTML, and applicable libraries that you are familiar with. If the back-end engineering skills are required, then you can list those including SQL, Python, etc.
4. Job Experience
Generally, you start with the most recent jobs and move backward in time and if you have had a long and illustrious career you can pick the more relevant jobs you have had to list on your resume. But you have to always be mindful of the fact that you do not want to bombard the recruiter with information, rather you want to give him/her just the amount of information that is required for the job and most relevant to the job description.
On the other side, you can list your experiences even if it is your first job as a Software Engineer, but you need to be creative about how you show that you can solve problems, succeed in a team environment and most importantly work with technology. You can show that you are a great team man and a great employee overall.
5. Courses and Education
All your degrees and certificates are to be listed in your resume. Your certificates, professional designations, or certificates from the online courses that you have done go under the “Education” heading of your resume. But yes these aren’t a must. Even if you do not have a degree but the skills, you can get to the finish line.
Is This Your First Software Engineering Job?
If this is the first time you are applying for the job of a Software Engineer, you might be lacking on the technical front of the resume and that is perfectly understandable and expected. You should then, most likely, be applying for a Junior Software Engineer position and prepare the resume accordingly.
As a substitute for the long list of Engineering jobs, you could include a section that highlights your latest programming projects. These could be the most random of projects, that you might have taken on for your portfolio, as a part of your online course, or just for fun.
You could add a list of your certificates from your online course that you must have taken. This will help the recruiter be assured about your skills.
Conclusion
While you list the items for your resume, just make sure that you follow the instructions above and you will do just fine.
