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Landing your first significant job in a coveted career field is an exciting endeavor. Although it may be challenging to compete with some top talent for the job you want, getting your foot in the door with an entry-level position isn’t as daunting. Explore the tips, techniques, and samples you need to build an entry-level software developer job resume that will help you get an interview.
Entry-level software developer jobs are for new graduates with little to no professional experience. These jobs typically task workers with responsibilities like testing software, documenting problems and fixes, providing technical support to users, and developing new programs or updates. Although most employers don’t expect entry-level applicants to have significant relevant work experience, job candidates should have the proper education and skill set for this career.
Although you may be familiar with the best practices for traditional resume writing, some strategic techniques can help you secure an entry-level software developer job.
While you can create and post a generic resume to help recruiters find you online, making detailed changes to the resumes you send out for specific jobs is essential. Hiring managers can quickly spot a boilerplate resume, and you won’t earn any extra points for this quick and dirty approach. Adjust your resume for each application to consistently deliver the most relevant information possible to your potential employer.
Scan the job listing for keywords that tell you precisely what the employer seeks. If the listing specifies that the employer provides on-the-job training for the company’s coding methods, you should mention that you’re studious, a fast learner, and great with time management. If the listing specifies experience with stored procedures, you’ll know to highlight the relevant project you completed during your internship. Job postings offer powerful clues that will help you build a resume targeted to the entry-level software developer job you’re seeking.
On a traditional resume, you would typically include your work experience right after your professional summary. However, an entry-level candidate’s resume often features education first, with work experience further down. Your relevant experience is probably slim if you’re seeking an entry-level software developer job, while your education is likely to be more recent or even ongoing. Put your most compelling details at the top and slip the areas where you’re weaker to the bottom so you can capture the hiring manager’s interest early with your professional strengths.
Dig deep to consider all relevant areas where you may have gained relevant experience for an entry-level software developer job. Although you may not have held a full-time job in software development yet, this doesn’t mean that you have to leave your experience section blank. Consider volunteer opportunities where you may have used your software development skills. Perhaps you wrote code for a nonprofit that was building internal software solutions for its donor relationship database. Maybe you’ve volunteered as a tutor for middle or high school students learning to code.
Internships can provide valuable experience for this part of your resume as well. Although you may not have received payment for your services, you undoubtedly learned some applicable skills about how software developers fit into workplace dynamics. Provide statistics and details on the work you completed when possible to highlight your strengths and accomplishments.
Go back through your resume and look for places where you can match your resume keywords to those on the job listing. Check out the recommended skills, essential responsibilities, and qualifications listed. Adjust the wording on your resume as needed to match your strengths to those desired by the company.
This attention to detail is crucial to getting past applicant tracking systems. This automated software screens resumes for the most desirable skills, experience, and phrases. In this case, the software ultimately decides which resumes will make it into the hands of real-live hiring managers and which ones never see the top of the pile. Prepare your resume accordingly.
“An entry-level candidate resume often features education first, with work experience further down. Put your most compelling details at the top and slip the areas where you’re weaker to the bottom so you can capture the hiring manager’s interest early with your professional strengths.”
[Applicant name]
[Street address]
[City, State ZIP code]
[Phone number]
[Email address]
[Link to relevant web profile or portfolio]
Summary
[Summarize your key strengths and qualifications in three to five sentences.]
Education
[Degree type and major | School Attended | Year of graduation]
Relevant coursework
Skills
Experience
[Title of job, internship, or volunteer position], [Dates of work]
To further demonstrate your proficiency in software development, you may fill out your resume with supporting sections like a technology summary of the programs and languages you’re fluent with or a listing of software development projects you’ve done with bullet points detailing the scope of the work.
Amy Smith
123 Town Street Road
Springfield, IL 62629
555-555-5555
asmith@emailaddress.com
[Link to relevant web profile or portfolio]
Summary
Recent software development graduate with a specialty in Java programming. Experience with developing, testing, and debugging code via team-based projects and in self-directed settings. Seeking to apply analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills to an entry-level software engineer position.
Education
Bachelor of Science in Software Development | Western Governors University | 2022
Relevant coursework
Skills
Experience
Mobile app development volunteer, Local Food Bank, January 2020-April 2021
Tech volunteer, Hometown Church, June 2020-Present
Technology summary
SQL Server, Oracle, AngularJS, ASP.NET MVC, Azure, SSAS, OOP, Jira
With a well-crafted resume, you can demonstrate to potential employers that you’ve dedicated significant time and effort to mastering software development, even if the opportunity you’re pursuing is your first real job in the field. Include the right keywords, highlight your distinctive strengths, and wait for the job offers to roll in.
Examine the top reasons resumes get rejected so you can protect yours.
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Review the difference between hard and soft skills to include a little of both in your entry-level resume.
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