A hiring manager or engineer reading a developer resume skims for three things: the stack you have shipped with, the kind of problems you solved, and a link that proves it. A list of fifteen languages with star ratings answers none of those. Two or three projects with what you built, what you used and what changed answer all three.
The examples below are fictional. Replace every [bracketed] project, company and number with your own work.
Put a projects section near the top if you are junior
For junior developers and graduates, projects are the strongest evidence. For each one, say what it does, your part in it, the stack, and one technical decision. Link the repository or a live demo, and make sure the README explains how to run it.
Software developer resume template (fictional)
[Your Name] — Software Developer ([Frontend / Backend / Full-stack])
[Email] · [City] · [GitHub link] · [Portfolio or LinkedIn link]
PROFILE: [Junior / Mid-level] developer building [web apps / APIs] with [main stack]. [One piece of evidence].
PROJECTS: [Project name] — [what it does]. Built [part you built] in [React / Node.js / Python]. [One decision, e.g. added caching that cut page load from X to Y, measured with Z]. [Link]
EXPERIENCE: [Software Developer / Intern], [Company] — [dates]
• Built [feature] used by [users or team]; wrote tests in [framework].
• Fixed [number] bugs from [support queue]; reviewed pull requests for [team].
SKILLS: Languages: [2–4]. Frameworks: [2–4]. Tools: [Git, Docker, CI, cloud] — only what you have used.
Match the stack to the job posting
- Put the languages and frameworks named in the posting first, if you have used them.
- Group skills by type (languages, frameworks, tools) instead of rating them.
- Drop anything you could not discuss in a technical interview.
- Keep one page until you have several years of experience.
Should a developer resume include a GitHub link?
Yes, if it shows your own work. Pin your best repositories and write a README for each. A portfolio site or live demo works too.
How do I write a developer resume with no experience?
Lead with projects, internships, open-source contributions and hackathons, formatted like jobs. Describe what you built and the decisions you made.
Should I list every programming language I know?
No. List the ones you could use in an interview today, with the most relevant to the job first.
Applying in the Gulf? See the junior software engineer CV example. Share your projects with a portfolio website and build the resume in the resume builder.