March 16th, 2021 | Updated on December 26th, 2022
With a 22% projected growth of employment in 2029 for software developers, the competition in the tech industry is fierce.
With an average annual salary of $107,510 it’s one of the highest-paid jobs in 2021.
With such high competition, to stand out among other candidates, showcasing your skills with a relevant software developer resume is imperative.
In this guide, we will guide you on five tips to get hired as a software developer.
Create A Relevant Software Developer Resume
Effectively presenting your skills and experience to the hiring manager is a critical aspect for getting hired as a software developer.
A well-targeted software developer resume will showcase your skills, achievements, projects, domain knowledge to the recruiter effectively.
Things To Keep In Mind When Creating A Resume:
Write A Summary
Recruiters only have 7.4 seconds to screen a resume. A robust professional summary effectively hooks the recruiter’s attention to read the resume in that 7.4 seconds.
Start your resume with years of experience, followed by any certifications and current job title. For example :
“3 years experienced and AWS certified Software Developer.”
Also, make sure to wrap up your resume summary within 3-4 lines.
Create Two Separate Skills Section
Create two separate skills sections on your software development resume.
- Key Skills
- Technical Skills
The key skills section includes the core competencies of the job seeker, such as computer architecture, computer programming, project management, etc.
The Technical Skills section includes the tools, languages, databases, frameworks the professional is proficient in.
Create A Professional Experience Section
The professional section effectively showcases the responsibilities and accomplishments of the job seeker. Write the professional experience section in reverse chronological order. Additionally, use single-liner bullet points and club 2-3 bullet points under single subheadings to improve readability.
Optimize The Resume For ATS
Before reaching the hiring manager, an ATS software sorts the resumes with relevant keywords. Include these job-related keywords and skill in your resume and optimize them for the ATS.
Address The Recruiter’s Concern
Job descriptions are there to help the candidate clearly understand the roles and responsibilities of the position.
But, studies have shown that job seekers spend 49 – 79 seconds reading a job description and miss important information
Instead, read the job description carefully and create a software developer resume by utilizing the skills and responsibilities mentioned in the job description.
Acquire More Technical Skills
Software development professionals are required to have a wide range of technical skills including different tools, languages and frameworks etc.
Professionals can stay updated on industry knowledge and upskill themselves by learning new languages, tools or by doing a certification course.
Here are some examples of software development courses:
- Amazon Web Services (AWS Certified Developer – Associate Level)
- Microsoft (MTA) Certifications
- Microsoft Azure
Make A Portfolio Of Diverse Projects
Recruiters go through hundreds of qualified software developer resumes every day. And they look for relevant projects in a candidate’s portfolio.
For instance, when the job requirement is knowledge of React, then include a project where you have used React extensively.
Here’s how you can showcase your projects in your software development resume:
- Projects: If the projects were for the previous organization, include them under the work experience section. If the projects are done independently, create a separate “Projects” section on the resume and include the project details in that section.
- Portfolio: Additionally, you can include the online portfolio link in the resume header section
Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile
A study found that 58% of employers screen applicants on social media before scheduling an interview.
Applicants need to keep their LinkedIn profile updated before applying for a job.
Tips to optimize LinkedIn Profile:
- Put the keyword “Software Developer” on the candidate’s LinkedIn profile title and throughout the profile.
- Use the “About” section to introduce the candidate’s work experience to prospective employers.
- Update LinkedIn profile work history section with relevant work experiences
- Use the “Featured” section on the LinkedIn profile to showcase relevant works and share the online portfolio.
Key Takeaways
The key takeaways of the blog are:
- First, create a targeted software development resume for applying for a job.
- Make sure the resume is ATS-friendly.
- Be up-to-date with the latest languages, tools, and technologies in your industry.
- Include relevant projects and portfolio link on your resume
- Keep your LinkedIn profile up-to-date before applying for a job.
