Programmer Resume Example

How to write a programmer resume

Employers always need capable computer programmers to build applications and debug software.

But getting a job in this competitive field isn’t easy. To make a positive first impression on employers, you’ll need a strong resume that highlights your skills, accomplishments, and programming language expertise.

Follow these four tips to help you write a great programmer resume.

Highlight your programmer resume skills

Computer programming is highly technical. To impress hiring managers, you need to fill the skills section of your resume with your most valuable and compelling qualifications.

Be specific about the coding languages you’ve mastered and your relevant technical skills. To give employers a concrete idea of your abilities, you can choose to include skill levels on your resume that indicate your level of proficiency for each skill.

If you’re not sure what skills to put on your resume, check out this list of popular programmer skills to help you get started:

• GUI
• Scripting
• OOAD and RAD
• SAS
• Perl
• Python
• Go
• Cobol
• jQuery
• MongoDB
• Swift
• Java
• Linux
• Oracle SQL
• UltraEdit
• C++, C#
• Apple iOS, MacOS, Windows XP
• XML, HTML
• Quality control

A bonus tip for listing programmer skills on a resume is to group them by type. Having a bullet point dedicated to languages, operating systems, and tools will help make your resume easier to read.

Create a programming projects section

If you have less professional experience, adding a dedicated programming projects section to your resume to make yourself stand out. In fact, adding this information has become the industry standard for programmers with less professional experience.

The projects you choose to list here should be tailored to the position you want.

For example, if you want to become a programmer for a design firm, highlight the creative projects you’ve worked on. On the other hand, if you’re applying to a traditional tech firm, list your most technically impressive projects.

If you’re seeking a data engineer role, you might emphasize projects related to data processing, ETL (Extract, Transform, Load), and database management. For a front-end position, focus instead on front-end web or mobile projects, showcasing your expertise in UI/UX design, responsive layouts, and interactive functionality.

Additionally, cater to the required programming languages. If the role requires Java, describe your Java-related projects and highlight your proficiency in Java frameworks and libraries.

If you’re still in school, add projects you completed for classes or in your spare time. Even if you’ve only worked on minor projects, this still shows you’re excited to grow and take initiative.

Here’s an example of what a projects section looks like on a programmer resume:

Programmer Resume Projects Section

PROJECTS

Online Marketplace Platform | Programmer
July 2021–December 2021

Description: Led the development of an online marketplace platform, utilizing Python, Django, and JavaScript. Collaborated with a cross-functional team to create a robust and user-friendly platform for buying and selling products.

• Implemented secure user authentication and authorization features, ensuring the protection of sensitive user data and maintaining a trustworthy environment for transactions
• Developed a dynamic search functionality using Python and Elasticsearch, enabling users to easily find desired products based on various criteria, resulting in improved search accuracy and a 32% increase in customer satisfaction
• Integrated third-party payment gateways, such as PayPal and Stripe, to facilitate secure and seamless transactions between buyers and sellers, enhancing user convenience and trust
• Collaborated with the QA team to conduct thorough testing, resolving 200+ bugs and ensuring the platform’s reliability and stability

Add hard numbers to your achievements

Since programming is highly technical work, your success is often measured in data. One of the best ways to show employers what you’re capable of is by providing exact numbers demonstrating your achievements.

Did you develop a program that saved X amount of dollars? Did you implement a strategy that saved X amount of turnaround time? Or increase accuracy by a certain percentage?

How many projects did you complete at your last job? Did you manage a team? If so, how many people?

There are many ways to turn your experience into hard numbers that concretely illustrate your output and value to a potential employer.

Example:

• Implemented a new processing system, reducing turnaround time by 12%.

Emphasizing your achievements with hard numbers will help you stand out to employers. Consider this expert tip:

Think of your resume as a marketing tool. Rather than list every duty you completed at a job, focus on the biggest impacts and accomplishments.

Krystin Morgan, Career Coach at Amplify Career Services

If you want to sell yourself as the best candidate for the job, you need to hone in on what it is you have to offer.

Open with a strong programmer resume summary

A good programmer resume summary is essential to getting noticed by busy hiring managers.

A resume summary is a short paragraph describing your key qualifications and skills.

In this competitive field, hiring managers read countless resumes from candidates with similar skill sets. A well-written resume summary helps you stand out from the competition and get noticed.

Here’s an example of a strong programmer resume summary:

Results-driven IT Professional with 9+ years of experience developing web, batch, and business intelligence solutions for diverse industry clients, including federal agencies. Proficient in optimizing business procedures, processes, and productivity through the implementation of bespoke solutions. Deep expertise in algorithms and data structures, enabling the development of efficient and scalable applications.

Make a strong programmer resume

Now that you know how to write a great computer programmer resume, it’s time to get to work. But starting a resume from scratch isn’t easy. If you need to save some time, try downloading a basic resume template to jumpstart the process and help you format your resume properly.