Individuals who are good at computer programming often face problems when it comes to drafting a resume. They find coding a computer program easy than putting down what they can do on the resume. If you have been experiencing the same, we can solve your problems. Here, we are presenting you guidelines on writing a computer programmer resume and a few samples that you can copy for free and customize.
Choose apt resume format
A computer professional knows that for a product to be successful, it must be easy to use and understand. For example, if a website isn't easy to navigate, it would immediately lose its audience. Similarly, if the recruiter finds your resume disorganized and poorly written, he will simply discard it. On the other side, an impeccable resume format would help you in getting through the door. Use the most widely accepted reverse chronological resume format as it is easy for recruiters to gauge your recent skills and experience.
Put your basic contact details right at the start
As a recruiter's desk is flooded with thousands of resume even for a single vacancy, it is not possible for him to remember the shortlisted candidates or scout for potential ones. To make this painless, it is a good practice to write basic information such as name, contact number, and professional mail address at the top of your resume. Moreover, it is quite common to include your URL profile as the recruiter is going to assess online presence anyway. Giving a link to your LinkedIn page makes the task much easier for him. However, make sure that your profile is presentable and up to date.
Market yourself using objective/career summary
If you are a recent graduate or career changer, writing a job objective is acceptable as you are targeting a specific position. However, for professionals who have a considerable experience in programming, a carefully crafted introduction in the initial section of resume can arose interest in the recruiter. Write a short para of 3 - 4 sentences that showcase your strengths, major work accomplishments to prove yourself worth for the job.
Example: -
Result-oriented, focused, and motivated Computer Programmer with 7+ years of experience in designing, developing, and testing 20+ software applications. Proficiency in reviewing code to make alterations, debug errors, and design websites using use-case diagrams or other functional requirements provided by clients. Certified JAVA professional, team player with exceptional problem-solving, organizational, and communication skills.
Show your expertise
While other skills such as teamwork, customer service initiation are valued, these take a backseat when it comes to writing codes. Having a separate technical skills section can throw a spotlight on your programming prowess. Mention programming skills such as C++, JAVA, SQL, Python, Perl, MongoDB, Scala, etc. that you are comfortable in working with. Just listing names might sound impressive, but it fades the recruiter's interest if you have not elaborated it properly. Also, do not exaggerate as all programming languages might not be used in the company you are trying for, and the interviewer can catch you red-handed if you are unable to answer questions related to it. In addition to the languages, you can also mention level, experience and the tools you have used for different projects.
Focus on accomplishments in work experience section
Recruiters do look for keywords in your resume. So, instead of just writing about the number of projects you have worked for, mention what role you played in it. Use action words such as designed, developed, executed, planned, etc. to show what you did. Instead of cramming your work experience section with previously handled duties, use quantitative figures and problem-action-result format as it helps to highlight your achievements as well as show what you can bring to the table.
For example:
Recruiters are more interested in knowing how well you did the assigned task rather than what you did.
Highlight professional certifications
As the programming industry is evolving at a rapid pace, one needs to stay updated with the evolving technologies. Listing professional certifications can show your interest in programming and urge to stay abreast with the changing technology. Apart from this, include your educational qualification in the bottom-most section of your document. Write the highest degree, university name and year of completion.
For beginners, who have no experience, you can mention programming projects done on freelance basis, coding contributions to GitHub or other open source initiatives, or about participation in hackathon events. Also, even if you have been a part of large number of products at professional level, you need not have each one of them on the paper. Include only those projects you are fully knowledgeable about and are relevant to the company requirement.
A fully detailed resume can compel a recruiter to put it in the trash bin. Make sure that the length of your resume is not more than 2-3 pages and is free from grammatical/ spelling errors. Avoid bluffing, providing irrelevant details and using too much jargon as the hiring manage would discard it. To assist you in drafting a compact and effective resume, we have provided computer programming resume samples for different roles on our site which are given below.
Checkout ourcomputer programmer resume samples below :
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