ENTRY-LEVEL SOFTWARE ENGINEER RESUME TEMPLATE ============================================== [YOUR FULL NAME] [City, State] | [Phone Number] | [Email Address] [LinkedIn URL] | [GitHub URL] | [Portfolio Website URL] PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY -------------------- Recent [degree] graduate with strong foundation in [programming languages/technologies]. Developed [number]+ projects including [brief description of impressive project]. Passionate about [specific area - web development, mobile apps, systems programming] with proven ability to [key skill] and [key skill]. Seeking to contribute technical skills and problem-solving abilities to [type of role/company]. TECHNICAL SKILLS ---------------- Programming Languages: [Python, Java, JavaScript, C++, Go, etc. - list in order of proficiency] Frontend: [React, Vue.js, Angular, HTML5, CSS3, TypeScript, Redux, etc.] Backend: [Node.js, Django, Flask, Spring Boot, Express.js, etc.] Databases: [PostgreSQL, MongoDB, MySQL, Redis, etc.] Tools & Technologies: [Git, Docker, AWS, Linux, Jenkins, etc.] Development Practices: [Agile/Scrum, Test-Driven Development, CI/CD, Code Review, etc.] EDUCATION --------- [Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Arts] in [Computer Science/Software Engineering/Related Field] [University Name], [City, State] Graduated: [Month Year] GPA: [X.XX/4.0] (include only if 3.5 or above) Relevant Coursework: [Data Structures, Algorithms, Operating Systems, Databases, Web Development, etc.] Honors: [Dean's List, Academic Scholarships, Honor Society memberships] PROJECTS -------- [Project Name] | [Technologies Used] | [GitHub Link if available] [Month Year] – [Month Year] • Developed [type of application] using [technology stack] that [specific functionality] • Implemented [specific feature] resulting in [measurable outcome - X% faster, Y users, etc.] • Utilized [specific technologies/patterns] to achieve [technical accomplishment] • Deployed to [platform - AWS, Heroku, etc.] serving [number] users or handling [metric] • Achieved [specific metric - load time, test coverage, performance benchmark] [Second Project Name] | [Technologies Used] | [GitHub Link] [Month Year] – [Month Year] • Built [description] featuring [key functionality] using [tech stack] • [Specific technical achievement with metric] • [Performance or scale accomplishment] • [User adoption or impact metric if applicable] [Third Project Name] | [Technologies Used] | [GitHub Link] [Month Year] – [Month Year] • Created [description] that [purpose/problem solved] • [Technical implementation detail with outcome] • [Measurable result or metric] EXPERIENCE ---------- [Job Title - Software Engineering Intern, Developer Intern, etc.] [Company Name], [City, State] | [Month Year] – [Month Year] • Developed [feature/component] using [technologies] that [impact with metric] • Collaborated with [number]-person team to deliver [project/feature] serving [number] users • Wrote [number]+ unit tests achieving [X%] code coverage for [component/feature] • Participated in code reviews providing feedback on [number]+ pull requests • Fixed [number]+ bugs improving application stability by [X%] • Implemented [specific technical solution] reducing [metric] by [X%] [Previous Role - if applicable] [Company Name], [City, State] | [Month Year] – [Month Year] • [Achievement with specific technology and measurable outcome] • [Contribution to team or project with metric] • [Technical skill demonstrated with result] OPEN SOURCE CONTRIBUTIONS (if applicable) ----------------------------------------- [Project Name] | [GitHub Link] • Contributed [number] pull requests adding [functionality] and fixing [number] issues • Improved [specific aspect] resulting in [measurable improvement] • [Specific technical contribution] HACKATHONS & COMPETITIONS (if applicable) ------------------------------------------ [Hackathon Name], [Location] | [Month Year] • [Award/Placement] - Built [project description] in [time period] • [Technical accomplishment or innovation] CERTIFICATIONS (if applicable) ------------------------------ • [AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner] - [Year] • [Certification Name] - [Issuing Organization], [Year] ACTIVITIES & LEADERSHIP (if applicable) --------------------------------------- [Role], [Organization Name] | [Month Year] – [Month Year] • [Leadership accomplishment or responsibility] FILL-IN INSTRUCTIONS FOR ENTRY-LEVEL SOFTWARE ENGINEERS: ========================================================= PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY TIPS: - Keep to 2-3 lines maximum - Lead with your degree and technical foundation - Mention your strongest projects or internship - Express genuine interest in specific technical area - Example: "Recent Computer Science graduate with strong foundation in full-stack development. Built 5+ web applications using React and Node.js including social platform serving 1,000+ users. Passionate about creating scalable solutions with clean, maintainable code." TECHNICAL SKILLS ORGANIZATION: - List languages in order of proficiency (strongest first) - Group by category (Languages, Frontend, Backend, etc.) - Only include technologies you can discuss in interviews - Be honest about proficiency levels - Don't list everything you've touched once EDUCATION SECTION: - This is MORE important for entry-level than experienced engineers - Include GPA if 3.5 or above - List relevant coursework that demonstrates skills - Include academic honors or scholarships - Mention capstone project if impressive PROJECTS SECTION: - This is YOUR MOST IMPORTANT SECTION as entry-level - List 3-5 substantial projects - Include personal projects, school projects, hackathon projects - Always include GitHub links if code is shareable - Focus on projects with real users or measurable impact HOW TO DESCRIBE PROJECTS: Each project should answer: - What did you build? (type of application) - What technologies did you use? (tech stack) - What problem did it solve? (purpose) - What was the impact? (users, performance, metrics) PROJECT METRICS TO INCLUDE: - Number of users (if deployed) - Performance metrics (load time, response time) - Test coverage percentage - Lines of code or commits - GitHub stars or forks - Download counts for apps - Any measurable outcome EXPERIENCE SECTION: - Internships count significantly - Teaching assistant positions count - Research assistant roles count - Freelance or contract work counts - Part-time development work counts QUANTIFYING LIMITED EXPERIENCE: - "Wrote 50+ unit tests achieving 85% coverage" - "Fixed 15 bugs improving app stability by 30%" - "Contributed to codebase with 20+ commits" - "Participated in 10+ code reviews" - "Developed feature used by 500+ internal users" GITHUB PROFILE: - CRITICAL for entry-level engineers - Must have active repositories with quality code - Pin your best 3-4 projects - Write good README files with screenshots - Include meaningful commit messages - Don't include if profile is empty or has only school assignments PORTFOLIO WEBSITE: - Highly recommended for frontend/full-stack engineers - Showcase your best projects with descriptions - Include live demos when possible - Make the portfolio itself impressive (shows your skills) - Keep it simple and professional OPEN SOURCE CONTRIBUTIONS: - Even small contributions matter - Documentation improvements count - Bug fixes count - Show you understand professional development workflows - Include link to your contributions HACKATHONS: - Show you can build under pressure - Demonstrates teamwork - Include any awards or recognition - Mention innovative solutions or technical challenges WHAT TO AVOID: - Don't use objective statements - Don't list skills you can't explain in interviews - Don't include irrelevant work experience - Don't use buzzwords without substance - Don't exaggerate your role or skills - Don't include high school information - Don't list "Microsoft Office" as a skill ACTION VERBS FOR SOFTWARE ENGINEERS: - Developed, Built, Created, Designed, Implemented - Architected, Engineered, Programmed, Coded - Optimized, Refactored, Debugged, Resolved - Deployed, Integrated, Configured, Automated - Collaborated, Contributed, Participated FORMATTING NOTES: - Keep to ONE PAGE for entry-level - Use consistent formatting throughout - Include clickable links (GitHub, LinkedIn, Portfolio) - Use 10-11 point font for readability - Save as: FirstName_LastName_Software_Engineer_Resume.pdf - Also have .docx version for ATS systems GITHUB LINK FORMAT: - Use full URL: github.com/yourusername - Make sure profile is public - Pin your best repositories - Ensure code is clean and well-documented PROJECT VS EXPERIENCE: - If you have 2+ internships, lead with Experience - If you have strong projects but limited work experience, lead with Projects - Projects can be more impressive than weak internships - Choose order based on your strongest content TECHNOLOGIES TO EMPHASIZE: - Modern frameworks (React, Vue, Angular) - Backend frameworks (Node.js, Django, Spring) - Cloud platforms (AWS, GCP, Azure) - Databases (SQL and NoSQL) - Version control (Git is mandatory) - Testing frameworks - CI/CD tools COURSEWORK TO HIGHLIGHT: - Data Structures and Algorithms (critical) - Operating Systems - Database Systems - Computer Networks - Software Engineering - Web Development - Mobile Development - Machine Learning (if relevant) GPA GUIDELINES: - Include if 3.5 or above - Include if 3.3+ and applying to competitive companies - Omit if below 3.3 - Never lie about GPA - Consider including major GPA if higher than overall WHAT TECH COMPANIES LOOK FOR (ENTRY-LEVEL): - Strong fundamentals in data structures and algorithms - Ability to write clean, readable code - Understanding of software development lifecycle - Experience with version control (Git) - Some exposure to testing and debugging - Collaboration and communication skills - Passion for learning and growth - Personal projects showing initiative