Software engineer CV example: bullets, skills and summary
A software engineer CV (or resume) has to prove two things fast: that you have shipped real software in the stack the team uses, and that your work changed something measurable — speed, reliability, cost or users. Hiring managers skim for the languages and frameworks in the job ad, then look for scope: what you owned, how big it was and what happened after you shipped.
Example achievement bullet points
Numbers are illustrative – use your own. Each bullet: action verb + scope + result.
- Migrated a monolithic billing service to 6 containerised microservices on Kubernetes, cutting deployment time from 2 hours to 15 minutes.
- Reduced p95 API latency from 820 ms to 240 ms by adding Redis caching and rewriting 12 slow PostgreSQL queries.
- Built a React and TypeScript self-service dashboard used by 3,000 B2B customers, lowering support tickets about invoices by roughly a third.
- Introduced contract tests and a CI pipeline in GitHub Actions, raising test coverage from 45% to 80% and halving production rollbacks over two quarters.
- Led the design of an event-driven order pipeline (Kafka) processing about 1 million events a day with no data loss incidents in the first year.
- Mentored 3 junior developers through code reviews and pairing; two were promoted to mid-level within 18 months.
- Automated infrastructure with Terraform across 3 environments, removing manual setup and saving the team an estimated 10 hours a month.
Skills recruiters look for
- TypeScript / JavaScript
- Python or Java (per job ad)
- React or another front-end framework
- Node.js / REST and GraphQL APIs
- SQL and PostgreSQL
- Docker and Kubernetes
- AWS, GCP or Azure
- CI/CD (GitHub Actions, GitLab CI)
- Automated testing
- System design
- Code review and mentoring
- Clear written communication
Sample CV summary
Backend-leaning software engineer with 6 years of experience building and scaling TypeScript and Python services for SaaS products. I care about reliability and fast feedback loops — most recently cutting API latency by two-thirds and moving a monolith to Kubernetes. Looking for a product team where I can own services end to end.
Tips for this CV
Mirror the stack in the job ad
List the exact technologies the posting asks for (if you really use them) in both the skills section and the bullets. "Built X with Go and gRPC" counts more than a bare skills list, because it shows where you used the tool.
Show scope, not just tasks
For each role, say what you owned (a service, a feature, a migration) and how big it was: users, requests per day, team size, data volume. A rough honest number beats no number.
Link work people can check
Add your GitHub, a portfolio or a live project in the contact line. Pin 2–3 repositories that match the role and keep their READMEs tidy — reviewers do click.
Designs that suit this job
FAQ
How long should a software engineer CV be?
One page for up to about 5–7 years of experience; two pages when you have more relevant roles or significant projects. Cut old or unrelated jobs to a single line rather than adding a third page.
Should I include side projects on my software engineer resume?
Yes, if they are relevant to the job or show skills your day job does not. Describe them like work: what you built, with which stack, and a result such as users, stars or performance.
Do I need a skills matrix with ratings?
No. Self-rated bars ("Python 4/5") mean little to recruiters and some ATS cannot read graphics. A plain list of technologies, ordered by relevance to the job, works better.
Can RezuYes tailor my CV to a specific developer job?
Yes. Paste your old CV or LinkedIn profile and the job ad — the AI rewrites your CV around the offer's stack using only your real facts, sets the strongest proof in bold and predicts 10 interview questions, including the tough ones.