Ensure your CV format is structured to best highlight your unique experience and life situation.
Software engineer CV template (text format)
PERSONAL STATEMENT
Performance-driven professional with 6+ years of experience designing systems architecture and APIs for IT start ups and large corporations. Skilled at managing small- to large-scope projects from ideation to timely completion and budget constraints by preparing strategic plans and roadmaps. Proven success in leading research and proof of concept initiatives for AWS and other cloud-native ecosystems, as well as experience mentoring new hires. Seeking to contribute to [Company]’s Remote Monitoring & Management team as your next Senior Software Engineer.
WORK EXPERIENCE
Software Engineer
ITecHART Group
Jan 2020–Present, London
- Design and implement new cloud-based solutions for AWS, leveraging services such as EC2, S3, Lambda, and DynamoDB to provide innovative and scalable products
- Work closely with product managers and architects to define requirements and prioritise features, ensuring that development efforts align with business goals
- Lead cross-functional teams of engineers, designers, and data scientists to deliver high-quality software on time and within budget
- Developed proof-of-concept applications to demonstrate the feasibility and potential of new ideas, resulting in the successful launch of 10+ new products since Jan 2022
- Demonstrated strong leadership and communication skills by successfully onboarding and mentoring 20+ junior software engineers and interns, receiving 95%+ scores on all new employee satisfaction surveys
Associate Software Engineer
Studio Graphine
Oct 2016–Dec 2019, Leeds
- Developed the backend systems architecture for an online multiplayer game (XPlode!) using Java, resulting in a highly scalable and resilient platform that could handle thousands of concurrent users
- Built a robust API using Ruby on Rails to support various game features, such as real-time chat, leaderboards, and player matchmaking
- Worked closely with frontend engineers to ensure seamless integration between the server-side architecture and the client-side user interface
- Implemented continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD) pipelines using Jenkins and GitLab to automate testing and deployment of new features, resulting in faster release cycles and improved development efficiency
PROJECTS
READWITHME, May 2017 – November 2018
- Used JavaScript to develop an early-years learning app that taught phonics and other basic literacy skills. App use grew organically to over 100 users within a week of launching.
SMARTR, Call for Code Innovation Challenge, May 2017 – November 2018
- Given the theme ‘the future of accessible and equitable education’, developed an e-learning app using Ruby on Rails and Yammer API that develops custom learning plans for Key Stage 2 students.
EDUCATION
MSc Computer Science – Distinction
University of Birmingham, 2015–2016, Birmingham
BEng (Hons) in Software Engineering – First-Class Honours
University of West London, 2012–2015
KEY SKILLS
- Java (Spring, Hibernate, JSF)
- Go (Gin, Echo, Beego)
- Ruby (Yammer, GitHub, Facebook API)
- HTML, CSS, Twitter Bootstrap
- Software testing
- C/C++
- Strong written and verbal communication
- Team leadership & training
HOBBIES & INTERESTS
- Reading science fiction
- Blogging
- Kayaking
How to write a software engineer CV
Given the UK’s robust and growing tech industry, software engineers are in a strong position.
According to ITJobsWatch, the number of job ads citing software engineering rose by over 24,000 between April 2022 and April 2023, while average salaries increased by over 9.5%.
However, looking for work in a strong industry doesn’t guarantee a great job (even if you have great qualifications). The best software engineer positions remain highly competitive, so it’s essential to advertise your skills in a way that appeals to tech employers.
Here are three tips on how to write an outstanding CV to secure your target role:
1. Optimise your CV with software engineer-related keywords
Before your CV reaches a human employer, it’ll have to pass an application tracking system (ATS), which will scan it for relevant data to determine whether you’re a good fit for the job.
In other words, your CV needs the right keywords for employers to give it even a first glance.
Identify the best keywords for your job application by reading the job description closely. Here’s an example with the relevant keywords highlighted in bold:
The bolded keywords are essential to doing this job, so each one you include on your CV (where relevant and truthful) will increase its chances of passing an ATS.
You can also check for common software engineer-related keywords that may transfer to the job you’re applying for. Here are a few examples:
- Communication
- Problem solving
- Adaptability
- Attention to detail
- JavaScript
- MongoDB
- Organisation
- Data entry
- Atlassian Jira
- Oracle PL/SQL
Want to showcase your design skills? Consider typesetting your completed CV on a LaTex CV template. This approach will highlight your close attention to detail while producing a beautiful application that sets itself apart from CVs made using word processors.
2. Showcase your relevant accomplishments with a projects section
Including a projects section is recommended for software engineer CVs. A projects section gives an overview of any individual or collaborative projects you’ve worked on and is an excellent way to showcase how you’ve applied your SWE skills in the past.
To write your projects section, list 3–5 highly relevant projects for the job you’re applying for.
For example, if you’re applying for an Android developer role, a compelling projects section could be a portfolio of apps (or even a single app) that demonstrate key features like intuitive UIs, location services, and well-organised code.
Craft your CV as a roadmap of your achievements, not just a list of tasks. Show how you’ve driven innovation, solved problems, and added value. A CV that tells a story of your impact will resonate with employers seeking top-tier software engineers. — Margaret Buj, Interview Coach and Principal Recruiter at Mixmax
Your projects section can include any projects you worked on at university, in a freelance role, or in your own time. However, if the project was something you accomplished in a previous job, you should include it in your work experience section.
Here’s how you structure a projects section entry so that an employer can read it easily:
Project Name, Year Completed
A brief description of the project and your key accomplisments in one or two lines. Use hard numbers to measure your achievements and be specific about any languages, frameworks, or ecosystems involved.
3. Correctly highlight your software engineer skills for your industry
When looking at your software engineering CV, employers don’t just want to find out which technical skills you have. They want to determine whether you have the know-how to use these skills to solve complex problems.
For example, if the job you’re applying for requires Java skills, simply listing “Java” in your key skills section won’t intrigue the employer. They’ll also want to know what protocols, ecosystems, and data types you’re familiar with, as well as what past coding experience you have.
To give that context, you’ll need to highlight your skills throughout your CV.
Give the employer a quick overview of what you know using a CV layout that is either organised into two columns or features a prominent skills section near the top of the first page.
To save time formatting your CV, use a ready-formatted CV template like Dynamic, Abertawe, or Bloomsbury.
For each key technical skill you list, put any noteworthy applications and frameworks in brackets to show the employer the breadth of your experience.
KEY SKILLS
• Java (Hibernate, Spring)
• Python (Full stack, Google Cloud)
To satisfy the employer, you should elaborate on these highlights by providing specific examples in your work experience section.
Be specific when describing the action and outcome associated with each skill. Use an approach like the ‘XYZ’ formula (‘Accomplished [X] as measured by [Y], by doing [Z]’) in your work experience bullet points to give adequate context and emphasise your experience.
Improved scalability and reduced downtime by 50% by designing and developing a microservice on AWS
And if you’re not sure how to turn your previous experiences into compelling work experience entries, use a CV maker to generate software engineering bullet points that you can personalise.
Software engineer job outlook in 2025 — things to know
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), software engineers in the UK earn an average annual salary of £51,714.
You can find information about the gender pay gap for software engineers on the ONS’ website.
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