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Programmer Resume Samples

Whether it’s taking a picture, ordering food or even driving your car, most of what you do nowadays goes through software at some point. Programmers are responsible for all of that code, with the profession only becoming more prominent. Here’s how you can write a computer programmer resume that looks amazing and does its job.

Programmer Resume Example

What to Highlight in a Programmer Resume

Programmer Resume Example

Your skills are by far the most important aspect of a programmer resume. Be sure to emphasize knowledge in specific systems, coding languages and other specialized areas that match what the employer is looking for. Although professional experience can certainly go a long way, your skills should be featured first and foremost.

Programmer Resume Example

Programmer Resume Example
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Structure of a Programmer Resume

The first thing to decide when writing a programmer resume is what resume format you’re going to use. The chronological format is typically best if you have a lot of experience, while the functional format may be best if you don’t. From there, you can move on to all the sections in the resume.

Header

The resume header is where you put your contact information. Include your phone number, email, address and your professional job networking links, especially your LinkedIn. The LinkedIn link is important in such a heavily computer-based job as a programmer.

Summary or objective

Next is your resume summary or resume objective. This is a 2-3 sentence explanation of your resume, all encompassed in a single short paragraph. A resume summary is best for those with a lot of professional experience. If you lack relevant work experience, you can write a resume objective. This will include a sentence stating your career goals.

Skills

You need programming skills to succeed in this industry and skills make up a huge part of the perfect resume. Here are some bullet points that you might want to include in your skills section:

  • Programming languages (Python, HTML, JavaScript, SQL, ASP.NET, PHP, Visual Basic, Perl)
  • Troubleshooting
  • Web development and understanding of web applications
  • Project management
  • Operating systems (Windows, Mac OS, Linux)
  • Debugging existing programs
  • General software development and software engineering
  • Understanding of data structures
  • Information Technology (IT) knowledge
  • Problem-solving skills
  • Ability to work with algorithms
  • General understanding of MySQL and Oracle
  • Ability to optimize programs
  • Working with team members

Hard skills and technical skills will likely dominate your programing resume due to the nature of the industry, but it’s equally important to include soft skills. You’ll often work in a team in a programmer job, and your ability to work together is critical.

Work history

Your work history section should go over all the previous experience you have in this field. If you’re applying for an entry-level job, you may need to include internship experience, volunteer work and even hobbyist work that shows that you’ve used these skills in the past.

Education

Last is your education section. Many people in this field have at least a bachelor’s degree in a field like computer science. Although a few jobs may be open to you without formal study, it’s best to have a bachelor’s degree on your resume before you start looking for anything above an entry-level job.

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Do's and Don'ts

  • Use a programmer resume sample to create your resume. You can find resume templates at ResumeNerd.
  • Concentrate on your skills as much as possible. Even though your work history can prove that you know how to do the job, job types vary tremendously for programmer resumes, so your skills can show what you actually do.
  • Include a “Key Projects” section if you’ve done a lot of work on large projects. This can give a better picture of what you do in your job.
  • Feature any ultra-obscure programming languages. Although it might be a fun tidbit of information, space is at a premium on a programmer resume and it’s not helpful in the resume.
  • Take solo credit for group projects you’ve done. Remember, it’s important that you’re willing to give credit where credit is due, and that means talking about when your team members helped you.
  • Don't list your work history chronologically (that is, starting from your first job). You want to list your work history in reverse-chronological order, with the most recent jobs first.

FAQ: Programmer Resumes

Yes. It’s always important to add a programmer resume when you’re trying to get a programmer job. A cover letter lets you talk about your years of experience, speak directly to the recruiter and ask for a job interview. Plus, you don’t even have to know how to write your own to do it; you can just use the ResumeNerd cover letter builder to build one.

If you don’t have much experience in the field of programming, it’s important that you emphasize your skills and talent. Additionally, programming is unique because you can work on your own. If you have any projects that you’ve worked on yourself, you can include those projects in your resume rather than having to include full-time paid work.

You should never submit exactly the same resume to more than one job. A professional resume needs to be unique and tailored to a specific job description. Look through the information in the description of the new job to find out the elements that the hiring manager probably wants to see. Then, incorporate that information into your resume writing.

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