A software developer resume has to prove you ship working software and keep it maintainable — features delivered, bugs fixed, and code others can build on. Hiring managers scan for your stack, the scope of what you shipped, and outcomes like performance or reliability gains. This example shows how to frame development work around impact rather than task lists, surface the languages and tools recruiters filter for, and keep the resume clean for both engineers and ATS screening.
Sample resume
Kevin Zhao
Software Developer · Full-Stack Web Applications
Boise, ID
Professional summary
Software developer with 4 years building and maintaining full-stack web applications. Ships features end to end, fixes production issues with regression coverage, and refactors shared code for long-term speed.
Experience
Software Developer
Jun 2021 – Present
Sawtooth Software · Boise, ID
- Delivered customer-facing features from design through deployment in a TypeScript and Node.js codebase.
- Cut average API response time by 40% by adding caching and eliminating N+1 queries.
- Reduced recurring production incidents by adding integration tests and improving error logging.
Junior Developer
Jun 2020 – May 2021
Boise Web Works · Boise, ID
- Built and maintained client web apps with JavaScript, REST APIs, and SQL databases.
- Fixed bugs and shipped small features, learning code review and CI workflows.
Education
- BS, Computer Science — Boise State UniversitySep 2016 – Jun 2020
Skills
Sample resume summary
Software developer with experience building features, fixing production issues, and improving maintainability across the codebase.
Achievement bullet examples
- Delivered product features from technical design through deployment.
- Investigated production issues and shipped fixes with regression coverage.
- Refactored shared code to improve readability and future development speed.
Skills to highlight
ATS keywords
How to write this resume
Show what you shipped, not tasks
Lead each bullet with a delivered feature or fixed problem. "Delivered customer-facing features from design through deployment" beats "worked on the codebase".
Quantify performance and reliability
Response time, incident rate, test coverage, and load are the metrics engineers respect. "Cut API response time by 40%" makes impact concrete.
List your real stack
Name the languages, frameworks, and databases you actually use. Recruiters and ATS filters match against them, so keep the list accurate and current.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Writing duty lists ("worked on features") instead of what you shipped and its impact.
- Skipping performance, reliability, or test-coverage improvements.
- Listing every technology ever touched instead of your genuine working stack.
- Omitting a GitHub or portfolio link that lets engineers see your code.
Frequently asked questions
What should a software developer resume include?
A summary, experience framed around shipped features and fixes with metrics, your real tech stack, and a GitHub or portfolio link. One page is ideal early-career.
How is a software developer resume different from an engineer resume?
They overlap heavily; "developer" roles often emphasize shipping features and maintaining applications, while "engineer" titles may stress systems design. Match the posting.
Should I include a GitHub link on a developer resume?
Yes — a GitHub or portfolio link lets engineers verify your work. Make sure the linked projects are clean and represent your current ability.