Software Developer CV Examples & UK Templates

When it’s time to enter the software development job market, topmost is the best way to highlight the talents and accomplishments recruiters find most enticing. The best software developer CVs combine a strong message and excellent work examples to target individual employers.

You may be a coding expert, but coding your CV to make the best impression is a different skill altogether. That’s why it’s to your advantage to use the powerful job-hunt resources of resume.io. Luckily, we have you covered with our expert CV guide, with adaptable examples.

CV guide for a software developer CV

Accelerate success with Resume.io. Our guides and CV examples cover over 170 professions, and our CV builder makes creating a compelling CV easier than ever.

This CV guide and the corresponding software developer CV example will cover the following:

• How to write a software developer CV
• Choosing the right CV format for a software developer
• How to add your contact information
• Using summaries
• Adding your software development experience
• Listing education and relevant experience
• Software developer job market and outlook

How to write a software developer CV

Before you write a programme, you must decide what will go into it. Your software developer CV needs that same first step. With few exceptions, all CVs should include these essential sections:

• The CV header
• The CV summary (aka profile or personal statement)
• The employment history section
• The CV skills section
• The education section

No two versions of your software developer CV should ever be exactly alike. It’s vitally important to tailor your CV to each job application so it’s 100% relevant. That’s one reason to make sure you carefully scutinise the posted job description and requirements. It’s your best source for customising your CV content and tone accordingly. 

Presenting yourself as the best candidate is vital. Here’s how:

• Highlight accomplishments. Specific projects and any quantifiable achievements demonstrate your impact in previous roles and provide concrete evidence of your strengths and capabilities in software development.
• Customise your CV for each job opportunity. This way the hiring manager can clearly see that you have the relevant skills and experience to excel in the role and are invested in the company.
• Choose a clean and professional format for your CV. Avoid design-heavy formats and fancy fonts that are distracting and can negatively impact readability.
• Optimise your CV with the right keywords to ensure you get past applicant tracking systems (ATS) and your CV reaches the eye of a recruiter.

Choosing the right CV format for a software developer

“Form follows function” is your software developer CV motto. Your goal is to attract recruiters, so present the information in a structure they understand best: reverse chronological order. This allows for quick retrieval of key details such as your most recent position, skills, and contact information.

The reverse chronological CV format mostly affects your employment history section, where you will begin with your most recent post and work your way backwards.

Contractors, first-time job hunters, or those with a multitude of experiences or years on the job should consider a hybrid format that elevates highlighting skills. A functional CV may benefit you if you are a software engineer with deep technological expertise. Unless you fall into one of those categories, you are best off sticking with reverse chronological order.

Check out our CV templates if you need some inspiration and choose the format that best suits your situation. We also have many versions available as CV examples that you can review. 

Include your contact information

You may or may not be a UX expert, but you do know that design elements play a role in how software is perceived. The same is true of your software developer CV. The header serves the purpose of adding eye-catching design and presenting your contact information.

Here’s the key information you need to include: 

• Full name & title. Start with your full name, followed by the title of the role you are targeting.
• Professional email address. Use an active, professional email, such as [email protected].
• Phone number. Share the phone number you’re most likely to answer, complete with a professional voicemail greeting.
• Location. There’s no need to provide your full address. You can simply mention your city or general location.
• LinkedIn. Include a link to your LinkedIn profile. Just ensure that this is updated and consistent with your software developer CV.

Don’t include:

• Photo: Not expected in the UK.
• Personal details: Don’t include your age, date of birth, whether you’re married, or your nationality on your CV. This can lead to issues such as age discrimination.

Make use of a summary

Just as your header is your opportunity to add a design element, the summary of your software developer CV is your opportunity to present your professional style. This may not be the first section recruiters read, but if they are intrigued, they will want to know more about you.

The summary, also known as the profile or personal statement, gives you a chance to elaborate on your greatest software achievement. Within these 100 or so words, you can also explain your approach to design and engineering, but perhaps the most important element is a sentence that speaks directly to the potential employer by detailing why this particular job is the one for you.

Try to avoid repeating information from other sections of your CV, instead provide an overview of what makes you the software developer to hire. For example, "Proven success creating engaging new applications across a wide range of user needs.”

Try to avoid using too much technical jargon in your opening summary too. Your technical expertise needs to be a key component, but balance this with soft skills, such as communication, leadership, and teamwork. The first person to screen your CV may not be a software development expert, so it's better to be clear, accessible, and engaging. 

You can find adaptable software developer CV example summaries below:

Outline your software developer work experience: crack the code

Unless you’re new to the workforce, the employment history section of your software developer CV will consume the bulk of space in your document. Here you detail the story of your career growth and successes using strong, positive language.

Notice that we didn’t say responsibilities because this section is more than a recitation of everything you have done on the job. Instead, carefully choose the tasks you have completed that illustrate your high-level skills and the quality of your work.

Add to your allure by quantifying achievements. You didn’t just write a software programme, you reduced the time it takes to complete expense reports by 20%. Avoid vague statements, such as:

• Led project teams across the SDLC to successful outcomes
• Optimised existing systems and processes
• Provided expert advice to senior management

Describing actions combined with positive outcomes and tangible results is going to make your work experience section more powerful and effective. Here’s how you can add some colour to these statements with specific outcomes and results:

• Boosted product sales by 25% in current role, following the introduction of cutting-edge UX design principles to improve the customer experience
• Successfully designed and deployed an automated despatch system that improved control of deliveries and field service operations.
• Actively monitored emerging technologies and acted as a focal point of contact on the development process.

Take a look at the software developer employment history CV sample below:

Include the relevant key skills that make a great software developer CV

When compiling your CV list of core skills, focus on their value-added impact on the employer.  Carefully consider both the attributes each different employer lists in the job advert and the skills that differentiate you from the pack. 

A software developer CV should include a balanced blend of hard skills and soft skills. That is, your strengths such as coding, programming, DevOps, and associated technologies should be supported by attributes such as strong attention to detail and problem-solving skills. 

If you need some pointers on the types of skills to include on your CV, check out our CV builder which provides examples of in-demand skills as well as proficiency levels you can adjust.

Here’s what the skills box looks like in our software developer CV template. 

Listing skills is straightforward, but providing tangible evidence makes a stronger impact. When crafting your software developer CV, make sure to support each skill with concrete examples. Connect each key skill to a specific situation and its positive result. 

This approach will capture the attention of recruiters more effectively. For instance, in your professional profile and work experience sections, emphasise your:

• Analytical skills by troubleshooting complex software bugs and broken code.
• Technical proficiency by leveraging expert knowledge of JavaScript, Java, Python, PHP, C++, C#, and HCL.
• Teamwork by describing your success collaborating in cross-functional teams to ensure successful delivery of the end-to-end SDLC.

Detail your education & relevant software developer certifications

Software developers may be self-taught, but many employers require at least a university degree. Some engineers may have higher qualifications as well. No matter what level of academic achievement you have, the education section of your software developer CV is the place to list it.

Within this section, you should enumerate all the training courses and certifications you have earned as well. If your list of certificates is long and you have space, you may consider creating a separate section. 

For recent graduates, you may move this section up and include academic courses directly related to the positions for which you are applying.

Beyond your degree, college, or high school education, you should also list any additional training or professional development activities:

• Training and certifications. Courses, seminars, and conferences show you’re committed to professional development. This could include CompTIA Security+, Certified Scrum Master, or Certified Software Engineer.
• Internships. Completing internships enhances your professional skills and provides real-world experiences that show your commitment to your career goals.
• Professional memberships. Registration with professional bodies, such as the Institute of Analytics (IoA), boosts your credibility with prospective employers.

Check out the education section from our adaptable CV sample below:

Pick the right CV layout and design for a software developer CV

When a user opens a software programme, the first impression they make is of the way it looks. Keep that in mind as you create the look of your software developer resume. While you want recruiters to remember your attractive document when it’s time to schedule interviews, your main goal is legibility.

With that as a baseline, here are some pointers for creating a great first image that also makes reading your CV easy on the eyes:

• Choose easy-to-read fonts and use boldface for your section headings
• Maintain margins of at least .75 inches all around
• Limit yourself to one or two subtle colours
• Use a font size no smaller than 10.5
• Try an expertly-designed CV template instead of starting from scratch

You only have mere seconds to make a great first impression with your CV. If your CV looks sloppy or unprofessional at first glance, it’s game over. 

For a hassle-free way to get all of the layout and design details just right, consider using one of Resume.io's field-tested CV templates with our builder tool.

Software developer text-only CV example

Software developer job market and outlook

There may be some cause for concern within the UK economy as a whole, but software developers remain in high demand. That demand has fueled an increase in salaries, according to Hackajob’s 2023 hiring trends report. In fact, starting salaries for software developers is an average of 64% higher than the UK average.

The report also found salary offers running from £25,000 for very early careers to £137,000 for seasoned professionals. 

Software developers are in such demand that they may have their pick of several positions – the top reason that prospective employees turned down a job in the field was that they had already said yes to another company.

You may be in the driver’s seat, but a top-notch CV can get you the job that you truly want. 

Key takeaways for building a software developer CV

Software developers are in high demand, but in order to land the best opportunities you will need a great CV. Your CV should open with a strong summary that describes your career, but also tell your prospective employer what you will bring to their company. Follow this with your career highlights in your work history section, a carefully curated skills section, and a robust education section. Don’t forget to adapt your CV for each job application.

Using an expert-designed CV template can put you on the road to securing your dream software developer job as quickly as possible.