A well-formatted resume is key to landing a software engineering job. With hiring managers filtering through hundreds of resumes, your resume must be concise, easy to read, and ATS-friendly. In this tutorial, we'll walk you through the perfect resume template for a software engineer, with must-have sections and formatting tips.
Why a Strong Resume Template Matters
Recruiters and hiring managers will spend about six seconds scanning a resume before they make the decision to consider or not consider an applicant. So, an unprofessional resume that is cluttered, missing key sections, or difficult to read can cost you an interview.
The right resume template for a software engineer ensures:
- Your technical skills and experience are highlighted upfront.
- Your resume is easy to scan for key qualifications.
- Your format is ATS-friendly, meaning it won’t be rejected due to design issues.
Want a faster way to achieve this? Allsorter automatically formats resumes to ensure clarity, consistency, and ATS optimization—no manual effort required. But if you want to learn some handy tips along the way, check out the guide below.
What Is The Best Resume Template for a Software Engineer
Below, we’ll take a look at what exactly is the best resume template for a software engineer, along with its key features and information requirements:
1. Contact Information (Header)
Keep this section simple and easy to find. Include:
- Full Name
- Phone Number
- Professional Email
- LinkedIn Profile & GitHub (if applicable)
- Portfolio or Personal Website (if available)
Pro Tip: Avoid using unprofessional email addresses. Stick to a format like firstname.lastname@gmail.com.
2. Professional Summary (3-4 sentences at most)
A short, impactful summary should include strong action words and information of:
- Your years of experience in software engineering.
- Your key technical skills and areas of expertise.
- Any notable achievements or contributions.
Example:"Software Engineer with 5+ years of experience in full-stack development, specializing in JavaScript, React, and Node.js. Proven track record of building scalable applications and improving system performance by 30%. Passionate about problem-solving, clean code, and collaborating with cross-functional teams."
3. Key Skills & Technologies (List format for easy scanning)
Hiring managers and ATS systems scan for keywords, so the best resume template for a software engineer should comply. Include a section listing your top on-demand skills:
Programming Languages:
Python, JavaScript, Java, C++, TypeScript
Frameworks & Libraries:
React, Angular, Node.js, Django, Spring Boot
Databases & Cloud:
MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, AWS, Azure, Google Cloud
Tools & Other Technologies:
Docker, Kubernetes, Git, CI/CD, Agile
Pro Tip: Customize your skills list based on the job description to ensure relevancy. Even if you have experience in other fields unrelated to what you’re pursuing, avoid overcrowding your resume with it.
4. Work Experience (Reverse Chronological Order – Most Recent First)
For each job, include:
- Job Title | Company Name | Location | Dates Worked
- 3-5 bullet points showcasing achievements, not just responsibilities.
Example:Software Engineer | ABC Tech | New York, NY | 2020 – Present
- Developed and deployed React-based applications, improving performance by 40%.
- Led the integration of RESTful APIs, reducing response times by 20%.
- Improved unit testing coverage to 95%, decreasing production bugs by 30%.
Pro Tip: Use quantifiable achievements whenever possible (e.g., “Improved system speed by 30%” instead of “Improved system speed”). If you’re struggling to keep your work experience consistent, you can let Allsorter format it professionally for you.
5. Education (Degree, School, Graduation Year)
For the education section, keep it short and straight to the point. Include:
- Degree: Bachelor’s/Master’s in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field.
- University: Institution Name.
- Year of Graduation: (Optional if you have 5+ years of experience).
Pro Tip: If you’re a recent graduate, place this section above work experience and include relevant coursework or projects.
6. Certifications (Optional, but Valuable!)
Certifications help you stand out. Some top certifications for software engineers:
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect
- Google Professional Cloud Developer
- Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate
- Oracle Certified Java Programmer (OCP)
If you need help organizing multiple certifications, Allsorter can make sure they are formatted correctly for better readability.
7. Projects (For Early-Career Engineers or Side Projects)
If you have open-source contributions, personal projects, or freelance work, list them like this:
- Project Name | Brief description
- Tech Stack: Tools and programming languages used
- GitHub link (if available)
Example:E-commerce Web App: Built a full-stack e-commerce site using React, Node.js, and MongoDB, enabling real-time payment processing via Stripe.
8. Additional Sections (Optional)
If you have unique experiences that set you apart, consider adding extra sections to showcase your expertise and interests beyond traditional work and education. Consider adding:
- Hackathons & Competitions (e.g., Google Code Jam, LeetCode competitions)
- Publications & Blogs (If you write about coding topics)
- Languages Spoken (For international roles)
Employers value candidates who actively engage in coding communities and bring diverse perspectives to their teams, so these may be exactly what land you a position.
Bonus Tips for an ATS-Friendly Resume
Most companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to filter resumes before they even reach a hiring manager. That means that a human recruiter will never see your resume if it's not formatted appropriately. Here's what you need to do to pass an ATS check:
- Use a clean, professional font (Arial, Calibri, or Helvetica).
- Stick to a one-page resume (unless you have 10+ years of experience).
- Avoid complex designs, tables, and images—ATS systems struggle to read them.
- Save as a PDF to preserve formatting (unless instructed otherwise).
If all of this sounds like a hassle, Allsorter can handle it for you. With AI-driven resume formatting, Allsorter ensures your resume is polished, ATS-optimized, and recruiter-ready.
Wrapping Up
A strong resume template for a software engineer highlights your skills, experience, and impact while remaining ATS-friendly. By following this structure and optimizing for readability, you’ll increase your chances of landing your dream job.
Need help formatting your resume? Try our AI resume formatting tool to ensure it’s optimized for hiring managers and applicant tracking systems. Explore Allsorter today!