Software Engineer CV Format (2026)
Tech hiring in your local languagedesh — at product companies, software houses, and remote roles for overseas clients — runs through ATS filters tuned for specific technologies. If your stack and impact aren't clearly listed, you're filtered before a CTO sees your work.
This guide covers how to structure a software engineer CV that ranks well in ATS and proves your ability with projects and metrics.
Choosing your template
A developer CV needs a clean, single-column layout that lists your stack clearly and never traps text in multi-column sidebars an ATS can't read. Browse our ATS-verified templates and pick a simple, scannable one — then let your skills, projects, and links carry the page.
Browse all 14 templates →Section-by-section: what to write
Contact & links
Name, professional email, phone number, city, and — critically — live links to GitHub, LinkedIn, and a portfolio or live project. Recruiters click these. Make sure they work and show real code.
Professional summary
Two to three lines: your role (frontend, backend, full-stack), core stack, years of experience, and one standout result — e.g. "Full-stack engineer with 3 years building React/Node apps; cut API latency 40%."
Technical skills
Group by category: Languages, Frameworks, Databases, Tools/DevOps, Cloud. List the exact technologies from the job post (React, Next.js, Node, Python, Docker, AWS) so the ATS matches them precisely. This is the most-scanned section for dev roles.
Work experience
Lead bullets with impact and scale: users served, latency reduced, deployments automated, test coverage raised. "Reduced build times 40% by introducing CI/CD" beats "worked on the build pipeline." Name the stack used in each role.
Projects
Essential for juniors and strong for everyone. For each: what it does, your role, the stack, and a live/GitHub link. Quantify usage or scope. Open-source contributions count — link the PRs or repos.
Education & certifications
Degree, institution, and graduation year. Add cloud or framework certifications (AWS, Google Cloud, Meta) and notable online specialisations — they signal current, verifiable skills.
Keywords ATS looks for
Weave these into your CV where they're true to your experience — and always mirror the exact wording from the specific job post you're applying to.
Common mistakes to avoid
Software Engineers & IT CV — FAQ
What should a software engineer CV include in your local languagedesh?
A stack-led summary, a categorised technical-skills section, impact-driven work experience with metrics, projects with live/GitHub links, and education plus cloud/framework certifications. A clean single-column template keeps it ATS-readable.
Do I need a GitHub on my developer CV?
Strongly recommended, especially for juniors. A working GitHub with real projects often matters more than a long job history. Add the link in your contact section and make sure the repos show your best work.
How many projects should I list?
Two to four strong, relevant projects — quality over quantity. For each, state what it does, your role, the stack, and a link. This is how you prove ability when your job history is short.
How do I get my CV past the ATS for tech roles?
List the exact technologies named in the job post in a dedicated skills section, use standard section headings, avoid multi-column layouts, and export as selectable-text PDF. EvoResume shows a live ATS score as you edit.