Whether you call them systems/software/web programmers, engineers, or developers, software engineering is a hugely profitable business. According to Glassdoor, entry-level software engineers make an average annual salary of $102K.
That’s high compensation for the vast number of tasks they have to specialize in, from being proficient in front-end and back-end development to communicating with clients. Here are just a few of the responsibilities to expect from this role - and to be reflected in entry-level software engineering resumes:
In this article, we’ll cover the steps to write an entry-level software engineer resume. Continue to read!
Table of Contents:
Resume profiles consist of resume headers, resume summaries, and entry level software engineer resume objectives, along with personal information like contact details and location. Where resume headers are short titles that address the basic details of who you are, resume summaries are two to four sentences that elaborate on this.
They’re both the first part of your entry level software engineering resume that will be seen, which makes them essential at getting right.
Resume Header Examples #1
Entry-Level Software Engineer
Resume Header Examples #2
Software Engineer Proficient In Operating System Debugging
Resume Header Examples #3
Entry Level Software Engineer With Background In UI Design
💡Pro Tips: Capitalization Is Key For Resume Headers.
While resume headers are easy to write, resume summaries are a little bit more challenging. That’s why it’s best to leave them until after the rest of your entry level software engineering resume is complete; they are a summary of everything you write, after all. Even so, fresh graduates may choose to only highlight their academic background and relevant skills for the position.
Resume Summary Example #1
Passionate and self-taught Software Engineer with proven experience in developing web applications. Certified AWS Cloud Practitioner with successful projects for small businesses and personal use.
Resume Summary Example #2
Motivated and detail-oriented Computer Science graduate with a strong foundation in operating system debugging, software design, and development. Proven ability to learn new technologies quickly and apply them effectively.
Resume Summary Example #3
I am an entry-level software engineer with a background in UI design. Possess detailed knowledge of web application development with a proven track record of creating user-friendly and efficient applications for clients. Proficient in JavaScript, HTML/CSS, and Python.
Next comes the resume objective or the career objective. Usually a single line that’s tagged onto the end of the resume summary, an entry level software engineering resume objective clearly links your background with the target job while identifying your motivation for applying. It may sound simple, but this is an essential part of the resume, so be sure to check out the following entry level software engineering resume examples.
Resume Objective Example #1
Eager to leverage my programming background in an established company.
Resume Objective Example #2
Keen to leverage my design and development skills to enhance user experiences at ABC Company.
Resume Objective Example #3
Seeking a software engineering position to leverage my technical skills and contribute to innovative projects.
First impressions are important, but the work experience section is where the real work is done for your entry level software engineering resume. Which can be daunting if you don’t have any actual experience as a software engineer. Thankfully, there are a few steps you can take to ensure that this section still dazzles recruiters, even with the lack of proper work experience.
Automated | Tested | Deployed | Reviewed | Optimized | Documented |
Collaborated | Troubleshot | Configured | Researched | Led | Designed |
Communicated | Maintained | Created | Integrated | Implemented | Analyzed |
Developed | Debugged | Learned | Mitigated | Collaborated | Refactored |
Entry Level Software Engineer Resume Example:
Programming
Creative
💡Pro Tips: If you’re an entry level software engineer with absolutely no work experience, and you’re in a pickle about what to include in the work experience section, go on and highlight non-relevant, i.e. non-engineering related, work experience. As long as you focus on the transferable skills we cover in the next section, you’ll be fine.
Not sure what kind of entry level software engineer resume skills are desirable? Below is a list of the 50 skills that you’re most likely to need - and to demonstrate - for your application. While there’s no way you can, or should, note down all 50, it’s recommended that you select an equal number of hard (technical) and soft skills.
Though both lists present key skills, it’s worth considering focusing on your programming skills (i.e. what languages you’re proficient in), problem solving skills, attention to detail, and software development skills. Though you may choose to list them out, it’s important that you cover how you used these skills to achieve results, even if it was just for a project or personal blog.
Hard Skills
Soft Skills
Software engineering positions are one of the few technical roles that don’t necessarily require a degree. However, entry level applicants without a degree will still need to demonstrate either practical or theoretical knowledge of the field with work experience or courses. The latter can be discussed in a separate section; for now, we’ll show how to express your educational background for entry level software engineering resume with no experience.
Degrees relating to software engineering positions include Computer Science, Information Technology, and Software Engineering. However, since this role is open to majors from other walks of life like UI and UX Design, the actual list of accepted degrees for positions that require them may be more varied.
Entry Level Software Engineer Resume Example Education #1
BSc Information Technology
2021 - 2024
University of Leicester, U.K.
Relevant Projects: Operating Systems, Data Structures, Assembly Language Programming, Database Management
Entry Level Software Engineer Resume Example Education #2
MSc Software Engineering, Chinese Culture University, Taiwan
2018 - 2020
BSc Engineering, National Dong Hwa University, Taiwan
2013 - 2017
Entry Level Software Engineer Resume Example Education #3
BSc Computer Science, University of Southern California, USA
2007 - 2010
Dean’s List (2009)
💡 Pro Tips: Even if you have a smidgen of software engineer experience, it’s still a good idea for fresh graduates to include academic coursework on your entry level software engineer resume. You can take this one step further by adding your GPA, but only if it’s at least a 3.5 or equivalent.
According to a Coursera reviewer, education outside of traditional academics gets the bulk of credit for achieving the role of software engineer at Meta. Adding a certifications section to your entry level software engineer resume is therefore a great way to show hiring managers that you’ve updated your abilities and studied your stuff, especially if you don't have a degree.
While there are plenty of great courses online to prove your software engineering skills, here are a few to get the ball rolling:
Even if you’ve written the most outstanding entry level software engineer resume, your application won’t get anywhere without appeasing the mighty ATS (Applicant Tracking System). These handy-for-hiring-managers yet annoying-for-applicants mass scanning systems inspect resumes for keywords, making it essential that you copy JD keywords into your resume.
Yet, for all their knowledge, ATS are notorious for being unable to recognize tables, charts, graphs, columns, and images, which is an issue when using resume templates online. Thankfully, you won’t run into any problems when using Cake’s resume templates as they’re both professional and ATS-friendly. Problem solved!
While you may be keen to start jotting down your work and academic experience in the commonly used reverse chronological resume format, hit pause for a moment and consider the following:
If you weakly mumble “academic projects” to the former and “yes” to the latter, then you should go for a functional (skills-based) resume format for your entry level software engineer resume, not a reverse chronological. This is the better option of the two as it emphasizes your strengths and transferable skills - without drawing attention to the positions you’ve (not) actually held.
You’ve written your entry level software engineer resume and you’ve spied the next subheading for cover letters, so what now? What’s the hold up? Before you can get around to crafting the best cover letter possible with Cake, it’s worth considering whether you want to link your portfolio to your resume.
Hiring managers like to see proof of claims that you dabble in software engineering, therefore it’s recommended that you create a portfolio on Cake and link it to your Cake resume so that your entire application can be streamlined. Check out the portfolio community on Cake for ideas on what to add.
This is an entry level software engineer resume which means that cover letters are essential to show hiring managers that you’re the best fit for the position. Make sure your application stands out from the crowd by crafting a super software engineer cover letter using Cake’s new AI tool that makes acing the entire application process a piece of cake!
In this article, we’ve covered how to write the best entry level software engineering resume for fresh graduates, individuals with no degree, and career changers.
As we’ve explained, writing a traditional reverse chronological resume can be challenging for beginners, hence why we recommend going for a skills-based functional resume format to better highlight your strengths in programming, collaboration, and attention to detail.
These skills, as well as any others the JD highlights, should be discussed in more detail in your work experience section, which should focus on academic background. You may also wish to discuss relevant coursework, projects, or extracurricular activities you’ve engaged in, whether for your degree, certification, or pleasure.
Whether you have a degree or a certification or a strong self-motivation for software engineering, ensure hiring managers can feel - and see - this passion by linking your portfolio to the entry level software engineering resume. This can easily be done with Cake’s free resume builder, where you can link your portfolio directly into your resume.
Looking for more ways to improve your software engineering application? Check out the Cake blog for the best resources to ace your application.
— Originally written by Eva O'Mara —
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