If you are starting out on your job search as a developer, and you have questions about how to prepare a great résumé that can get your foot in the door, then this article is for you.

In an ideal world, you wouldn’t need a resume. However, in reality, you will, at some point, find yourself applying at a company.

This article contains some tips and tricks you can use when you are trying to put together a resume as a developer, especially if you are just starting out. Some of these methods are being confirmed by professionals in the field of employment.

• What a Good Developer Resume Looks Like
• What Should a Software Developer Put on a Resume?
• Software Engineer Resume Example
• How do You List Software Development Skills on a Resume?
• Full Stack Developer Resume Example
• Full Stack Developer Skills for Resume
• What Are The Roles And Responsibilities of Full-stack Developer?
• What Skills Should a Software Engineer Put on a Resume?
• What Are The Responsibilities of Front End Developer?
• What Skills Are Needed From Front End Developers?
• How do I Write a Tech Resume With no Experience?
• Are Software Developers Really Engineers?
• Is it Better to be a Software Engineer or Software Developer?
• What Should be Written in a Resume for a Website?
• How do I Get a Web Developer Job With no Experience?
• Where Should I Look For Developer Jobs?
• How Can I Make my Developer Application Stands Out?
• Is it Hard to Get a Job as a Web Developer?
• What Technologies Are Used For Front End Development?
• What is The Purpose of Web Development?

What a Good Developer Resume Looks Like

You can have solid tech skills but not know the first thing about writing a killer resume. Of course, there’s no such thing as a perfect resume. What works at one company may not impress the hiring manager at another.

Read Also: Remote Silicon Valley Software Jobs

However, there are several pieces of advice that are universally helpful in crafting a great software development resume. If you are wondering what your resume as a developer should look like, consider the points below.

1. It Should Show Your Career Trajectory

When a hiring manager reviews your application, he’ll want to see a positive and compelling career progression that fits with the role you’re applying for. If your last job was as a junior front-end developer, and now you’re applying for a back-end role, think about why this move makes sense and how employers might interpret it.

Does it seem like you’re trying to build a full-stack experience? Or does it seem like you’re desperately applying for any and all jobs you can find?

If you’re making a shift, an objective statement can help. Another option: Discuss your passion for—and less obvious experience with—back-end development in your cover letter, too.

2. It Should Be Customized

Along those lines, the story you tell will vary with the position you’re applying for. We recommend writing a separate, master list of all your projects. Then, when it comes time to compile your resume, switch out sections and projects depending on the job you’re applying for.

In other words, if the job listing says “You should be familiar with C#,” add those three-year-old C# projects and delete something less relevant.

3. It Shouldn’t Be Embellished

Customized means you talk about the skills you have and how they relate to a specific role. It does not mean stretch the truth so you look like a dream applicant. You’d be surprised how many developers send me resumes claiming to be “highly experienced in skill X,” but when it comes time to interview, I’m told it’s something they just began learning.

Some take this as a sign that an applicant is lying—or completely unaware of his experience level. (Either way, it pretty much ends the interview.) So, be honest, even about the little things.

4. It Should Utilize Keywords

So long as you’re being honest, it’s a good idea to include any keywords on your resume that also appear in the job description. A lot of tech organizations use keyword parsers to filter candidates who match the job description best.

Just remember that after the computer picks you, a human will look at your application too, so read it out loud to see that it sounds natural.

5. It Should Include Links to Professional Sites You Want Employers to Find

Employers will search for your social media profiles and website, so you can make their lives easier by including these links on your resume. (Not to mention, doing this controls what they find—and you never quite know where a Google search will lead.) Additionally, including your beautiful website gives you the opportunity to demonstrate your technical chops!

So, be sure to include a link to your personal website, Linkedin, and GitHub profile pages—as well as any other positive professional sites you maintain.

6. It Should Prioritize Content Over Aesthetics

Every hiring manager differs and sometimes, something crazy will get you hired. But, day in and out, most hiring managers, want candidates who stick out because of their unique experience rather than their resume design flair.

So, as a developer, spend your time outlining your use of the latest programming framework, including a script you wrote to solve an interesting problem, or illustrating the results of your latest projects rather than making it pretty.

7. It Should Be Typo-Free

Don’t freak out about every single word choice, but keep your grammar consistent and for the love of God, spell things correctly. Every computer in the world has a spellcheck. Show that you care enough to correct the squiggly red lines on your resume.

Remember: Developers need strong attention to detail, and you want to show that you have that. So even if “writing” isn’t your strong suit, this is an easy opportunity to show that you can catch even the smallest of errors.

8. It Should Not Be Named “Resume”

This tip comes from Erik Martin, who was a hiring manager at Reddit. It sounds obvious, but I’ve also encountered candidates who need this advice a lot lately: What you name your file matters.

People send their resumes via email or upload them to our ATS, and half of them are named “resume.pdf.” Those don’t stand out, and any time I search for it, hundreds of other docs will come up, too. So, be sure to include your full name, too.

9. It Shouldn’t List an Embarrassing Email Address

To set up an interview, most hiring managers will send you an email. But, if you’re using a strange handle (or one that’s the same as your dirty Twitter account), it just could change their minds. We suggest a combination of your first and last names or initials.

Remember, developers are supposed to be tech-savvy. If you’re using a Hotmail account, I will not be impressed with your internet know-how.

What Should a Software Developer Put on a Resume?

Every software engineer worth their salt hates messy spaghetti code. Likewise, recruiters hate messy, poorly structure resumes. They expect everything to be just right, so they can read quickly and easily. Here’s how to do it right.

• Use reverse-chronological format.
• Create an eye-catching resume header that includes your contact information.
• Use elegant and readable resume fonts, set your resume margins to an inch on each side and set your line spacing to 1.15.
• Divide it up into clear resume sections, emphasizing each one with a resume header set at a font size that’s larger than your body text. 12 points for the body and 14–16 for the headings is ideal.

These are the sections a software engineer resume should have, from top to bottom.

1. Header with contact info
2. Summary statement/career objective
3. Work experience 
4. Education
5. Skills
6. Additional sections (certifications, hobbies and interests, projects etc.)

And a final formatting tip for you. Save it as a PDF unless you’re specifically told otherwise. PDFs keep your structure intact and they’re readable on pretty much any device. 

Now here is a little tip. Don’t start with your resume introduction, you’ll just get stuck. Start off with your work experience and leave that first section until last.

Software Engineer Resume Example

Tim Janssen

Software Engineer

202-555-0110

tjanssen_zety@gmail.com

linkedin.com/in/tjanssen_zety

Diligent software engineer with 5+ years of experience in commercial application development. Eager to join Cyclone Inc. to build innovative and cutting-edge business solutions for the impressive suite of clients within its global reach. In previous roles, slashed downtime by 25% and ensured 98% on-time project completion. Also identified and dealt with a significant process bottleneck that boosted coding efficiency by 35% when resolved.

Experience

Software Engineer

CirroStratus Inc.

May 2016–present

• Engineered modern applications with Java, JavaScript, SQL Server, and No SQL.
• Built innovative microservices and Web Services (incl. SOA/SOAP/REST/XML).
• Utilized Cloud Foundry for efficient building on top of Kubernetes.
• Efficiently deployed and integrated software engineered by team and updated integration/deployment scripts to improve continuous integration practices.
• Liaised with Product Managers to identify minimum viable product requirements and clearly defined feature sets into well-scoped user stories for individual team members.

Key achievement: Maintained maximum uninterrupted flow of business-critical ops. Cut downtime by 25% and costs of warranty by up to 45%.

Software Engineering Intern

Kell Tech

September 2015–May 2016

• Supported Kell Tech’s testing and engineering processes.
• Confirmed that completed software met client requirements.
• Completed maintenance on existing programs.
• Worked closely with product team on scope of future projects and innovations.
• Carried out continuous identification, measurement, and improvement of processes.

Key achievement: Identified and dealt with a significant process bottleneck that boosted coding efficiency by 35% when resolved.

Education

Bachelor of Computer Science

Carnegie Mellon University

2012–2015

• Heavy focus on full stack engineering with modules on both front and back end processes.
• Built a mock payment system for an Android ecommerce app for a senior year project.

Skills

• Adaptability
• Teamwork
• Agile frameworks
• Interpersonal communication skills
• Java, HTML, CSS, SQL Server, No SQL
• Status tracking frameworks (Jira and Rally)
• Practical knowledge of SQL and database concepts
• Solid knowledge of cybersecurity principles

Certifications

• Cloudera Certified Developer for Apache Hadoop (CCDH)
• Oracle Java Certifications Associate Professional
• Puppet Labs Puppet Developer Certification

Languages

• Dutch (Advanced)

You’ve just seen a perfect software engineer resume template.

How do You List Software Development Skills on a Resume?

There are several factors you need to consider before you can successfully list programming skills on your resume. Apply these steps to your own resume-writing process:

1. Review the job description

The first step in deciding how you should list your programming skills on your resume is to review the original job posting for the position in which you plan on applying. Use the job description to highlight specific skills and review the experience levels that are necessary to complete the job efficiently.

2. Compare your technical skills to the job in question

After reviewing the job posting, compare how your current programming skills and level of experience relate to what the employer is asking for. If the description in the job posting does not reflect your qualifications, consider other skill areas that you could use to present yourself as a reliable candidate for the position.

3. Be honest with yourself

You want to make sure that you are being honest with yourself and the employer to whom you are sending your resume. Make sure not to exaggerate your skill level or include programming languages that you are not familiar with.

This could be present a misrepresentation of you as a candidate. If your qualifications do not match those of the job description, consider pursuing opportunities that better suit all you have to offer.

4. Place your skills section at the top of your resume

You should place your skills section at the top of your resume so that employers can immediately review your qualifications and mark you as a good candidate to pursue.

Place your programming skills directly under your header and contact details if you do not wish to include an objective statement or summary section. Place your programming skills directly below your objective statement or summary if you do choose to include one.

5. Organize your most advanced skills first

By organizing your most advanced skills before those that you consider intermediate or beginner level, you can potentially encourage an employer to continue reading your resume. If they are in the process of skimming through candidate resumes, having not only the required programming skills but also desired skill levels in those areas could determine whether or not they contact you for an interview.

6. Categorize your skills into tools, languages and operating systems

Instead of simply listing your programming skills in an unordered, bulleted format, consider separating them depending on whether they are considered a programming language, tool or operating system. This can demonstrate your organizational skills while also clearly outlining your skill set to an employer.

7. Place skills next to years of experience and skill level

This might be a good option for a programmer with experience working in the industry. If you are an entry-level programmer looking to apply for an entry-level position, listing that you have seven years of experience working with HTML might not seem realistic to an employer.

8. Adjust formatting based on your current qualifications

Concerning the above point, be sure to tailor your skills section to fit your current programming skills, experience level and the job position to which you are applying. As long as you consider these three elements, you can format your qualifications in a way that could enhance your employability.

Full Stack Developer Resume Example

Priyanka Mehra

Certified Full Stack Web Developer

priyanka.mehra@gmail.com

(718) 212-6466

linkedin.com/in/priyankamehra

Summary of Qualifications

Dedicated and efficient full stack developer with 6+ years of experience in application layers, presentation layers, and databases. Certified in both F/E and B/E technologies. Spearheaded successful transition from LAMP stack to MEAN which cut latency by 40% and increased effectiveness of database administrators by 20%. Seeking to further improve HTML5 and CSS3 skills as the future full stack developer at Atmospheric Solutions.

Work Experience

Full Stack Developer
May 2016–June 2019
General Gaming, Boston, MA

Key Qualifications & Responsibilities

• Developed full-stack web applications which processed, analyzed, and rendered data visually.
• Liaised with back end developers, front end developers, quality assurance testers, and CTO as needed.
• Managed time-sensitive updates, including content changes and database upgrades.
• Planned, wrote, and debugged web applications and software with complete accuracy.

Key Achievements

• Spearheaded transition from LAMP stack to MEAN stack, reducing latency by 40% and increasing database admin effectiveness by 20%.

Junior Full Stack Developer
December 2012–April 2016
Crazy Lazy Apps, Los Angeles, CA

Key Qualifications & Responsibilities

• Maximized applications’ efficiency, data quality, scope, operability, and flexibility.
• Used various ideas from distributed computing, large-scale design, real-time data processing, data storage, ML, and AI to solve challenging dataset problems.
• Managed, optimized, and updated PHP databases as necessary.
• Developed app integration with REST / SOAP and other APIs for Google Maps, social media logins, payment processors, and other services.

Education

Bachelor of Science in Software Development

Champlain College, Burlington, VT

Graduation: 2011

Relevant Coursework: Operating Systems Architecture, Linux/Unix Programming, Usability in Website and Software Design, C++ Programming I & II, Web Page Development, Relational Database Design & SQL, Data Engineering, Advanced Software Programming.

Key Skills

• Google Compute Engine
• Android and iOS App Development
• HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP
• Bootstrap & Angular JS
• jQuery
• SQL Databases

Certifications

• Full-Stack Web Development with React Certification
• Front End Web Development Certificate
• Back End Web Development Certificate
• AWS Certified DevOps Engineer — Professional
• Free Code Camp Full Stack Development Certification

Awards

• Dev of the Quarter (Q3/2015) at Crazy Lazy Apps

Memberships

• Association for Women in Computing (AWC)
• Association of Information Technology Professionals (AITP)

Languages

• Hindi: Native Proficiency

Full Stack Developer Skills for Resume

Here are the necessary skills employers of full-stack developers look for:

• Web Development Stacks (LAMP, MEAN)
• Database Technology (MySQL, Oracle, MongoDB)
• ElastiCubes and In-Chip Analytics
• HTML & CSS
• JavaScript & JS Frameworks (Angular JS, React)
• Web Markup (HTML5 & CSS3)
• Content Management Systems (Wordpress)
• Basic UI / UX Design
• Node.js
• Python
• Django
• PHP
• .NET
• Ruby on Rails
• Version Control Systems / Git
• HTTP & REST API / SOAP
• Adaptability & Accountability
• Professional Development
• Attention to Detail
• Technical Abilities
• Presentation Abilities
• Problem-Solving Abilities
• Decision-Making Abilities
• Project Management Abilities
• Analytical Abilities
• Time Management Abilities
• Computer Abilities
• Teamwork & Collaboration Abilities
• Organizational Abilities
• Effective Communication Abilities

Here is how to list skills on a resume for full stack developer jobs:

• When thinking up good skills to put on a resume, start with a list of general skills for full stack developer jobs.
• Include both soft skills and hard skills, just like you’ll talk up both your front end development skills and your back end dev skills.
• Look at the job ad’s requirements section to see who they’re looking for. This will give you an idea of the best resume keywords to use.

What Are The Roles And Responsibilities of Full-stack Developer?

A Full Stack Developer is someone who works with the Back End — or server-side — of the application as well as the Front End, or client-side. Full Stack Developers have to have some skills in a wide variety of coding niches, from databases to graphic design and UI/UX management in order to do their job well. They are something of a swing, ready to assist wherever needed in the process.

Some of the responsibilities of a Full Stack Developer include:

• Helping with the design and development of software
• Testing and debugging software to keep it optimized
• Writing clean code for the front and back end of the software
• Designing user interactions on the web application itself
• Creating servers and databases for the back end of the software
• Ensuring cross-platform compatibility and optimization
• Testing and maintaining the responsive design of applications
• Working with graphic designers to design new features
• Developing APIs and RESTful services
• Keeping up with technological advances to optimize their software
• Communicating effectiveness of emerging technologies to decision makers
• Considering security, maintenance, scalability, and more when developing

What Skills Should a Software Engineer Put on a Resume?

Software engineer skills are abilities required by software developers to create, maintain and operate computer programs used by businesses and organizations. These skills are divided into two categories:

Soft skills

Soft skills are personal attributes that help individuals interact with others on the job. Transferable across industries, these skills and are regarded as the combination of communication, social and interpersonal.

Hard skills

Hard skills, also referred to as “technical skills,” are practical skills required by software engineers to build, maintain and repair software. Unlike soft skills, hard skills are industry-centric and are acquired either in school or through years of experience in the industry.

Examples of software engineer technical skills include software developments, object-oriented design (OOD), software testing and debugging as well as computer programming and coding.

Software engineer skills in the workplace

As a software engineer, you are required to be knowledgeable in technical skills and also possess soft skills relevant to your field. The type of skills you possess depends on the type of job you are seeking. Here are some common skills you may see listed on job posts for software engineers:

• Communication
• Teamwork
• Computer programming and coding
• Problem-solving
• Multitasking
• Attention to detail

Communication

Communication is a soft skill that allows you to understand and be understood by your coworkers. This skill involves friendliness, confidence, giving and receiving feedback, clarity and adapting to different communication styles.

Effective communication means asking relevant questions to gain more information, using active listening when others speak to you and exercising empathy to ensure your message and tone are clear and respectful.

Teamwork

Many software engineers work on teams to provide services and maintain systems. Teamwork involves discussing problems that arise with coworkers, being able to articulate the project needs, having the ability to listen and accept criticism, and having respect for other team members.

Although software development is a solitary act, but as a software engineer, you should be able to communicate and work closely with others in a team.

Computer programming and coding

Computer programming and coding is the process of writing a set of instructions that is executed by the computer. It is the basis of software engineering and it will always be listed as one of the technical skills on a job post.

So, if you want to pursue a career as a software engineer, you must learn at least one programming language. Here is a list of programming languages that may be included in job posts:

• C#
• C++
• HTML
• Java
• JavaScript
• Perl
• PHP
• Python

Problem-solving

Problem-solving is an essential skill in the workplace. It means finding the source of a problem and developing an effective and efficient solution. Some tasks that use this skill include testing and debugging software. Patience, creativity, innovation and critical thinking are also used to find the cause of a problem and in developing effective solutions.

Multitasking

Multitasking is the ability to perform more than one task at a time. As a software engineer, you may be required to work on multiple projects under a tight deadline while staying organized and prioritizing tasks. This time management skill allows you to remain productive and efficient.

Attention to detail

This is the ability to achieve precision and anticipate possible outcomes. As a software engineer, you are required to be thorough and accurate while handling complex code, documents and projects. You should be able to analyze, utilize a version control system to store your old work, employ thorough testing protocols in your code to ensure others can read it with ease.

What Are The Responsibilities of Front End Developer?

A front-end developer has one general responsibility: to ensure that website visitors can easily interact with the page. They do this through the combination of design, technology, and programming to code a website’s appearance, as well as taking care of debugging. Whenever you visit a website, anything that you see, click on, or otherwise use is the work of a front-end developer.

Although there is some variation across companies, you can generally expect a front end developer role to include some or all of the following: 

• Optimizing the user experience.
• Using HTML, JavaScript and CSS to bring concepts to life.
• Developing and maintaining the user interface.
• Implementing design on mobile websites.
• Creating tools that improve site interaction regardless of the browser.
• Managing software workflow.
• Following SEO best practices.
• Fixing bugs and testing for usability.

What Skills Are Needed From Front End Developers?

Of course, front-end developers do more than design and code a website’s look and feel. Below, we’ll cover some of the more common additional skills these professionals rely on in their work.

Using CSS Preprocessors

Most front-end developers use CSS preprocessors to add functionality to CSS coding, making it more scalable and easier to interact with. Prior to publishing the code on your website, CSS preprocessors transition it into well-formatted CSS that works across a variety of browsers, the most in-demand being LESS and SASS. 

Using APIs and RESTful Services

A front-end developer will also interact with and make use of APIs and RESTful services. REST (Representational State Transfer) is a lightweight architecture that makes network communications simpler, while APIs and RESTful services follow that architecture. 

Creating Maintaining Mobile and Responsive Design

With the rise of people using mobile devices to connect to the internet, it has become essential for websites to be mobile-friendly. As such, most front-end developers now create responsive designs or mobile designs for their websites. 

Responsive design changes a website’s layout depending on the device and screen size, and occasionally requiring changes to the content and functionality based on those factors. 

Developing Across Browsers

If your web development isn’t functional across the full range of browsers that are available today, you will miss out on an entire category of potential web users. While browsers are fairly consistent, their differences can be significant, including in terms of coding interpretation. A front-end web developer must understand these differences and incorporate them into their code. 

How do I Write a Tech Resume With no Experience?

Just because you don’t have existing skills that are relevant to the job or experience in a traditional work setting doesn’t mean you can’t craft a convincing first job resume. Whether you’re a high school or college student, you may be wondering: How do you write a resume with no work experience? Well, we’ll tell you with these expert tips.

1. Include a summary statement

Resume objective statements, where you state exactly what career goals you wish to achieve, have mostly fallen out of fashion. This is largely because you want to focus on what you can do for the employer, not what the employer can do for you.

A resume summary statement, on the other hand, sums up who you are professionally at the top of the page in a sentence or two and serves as the first impression you give a hiring manager to entice them to keep reading.

2. Decide on a resume format

There are a few dominant resume templates in use today: chronological, functional, and hybrid, which is a combination of the two. A chronological resume format lists a candidate’s work experience in reverse-chronological order. A functional resume format focuses on highlighting the candidate’s skills and achievements, rather than work experience.

While the functional resume format can be an attractive option for job seekers with little experience, most employers prefer a chronological or hybrid resume format. Whatever resume format you decide to use, be sure that your format remains consistent throughout the job resume.

3. Pay attention to technical details

When editing your resume, make sure there are no punctuation, grammatical, spelling, or other errors that will make your resume look unprofessional.

Then, have a friend or family member read it again to catch any mistakes you might have missed — you can’t afford a typo or missing word as a candidate with no prior work experience. Also, be sure to vary your language and utilize action verbs throughout your resume to keep your reader engaged.

4. Take stock of your achievements and activities

Make a list of absolutely everything you’ve done that might be useful on a resume. From this list, you’ll then need to narrow down what to actually include on your resume. Different things might be relevant to different jobs you apply for, so keep a full list and pick the most relevant things from it to include on your resume when you send it out.

5. Focus on your education and skills

In lieu of a work experience section, it’s best to expand and focus on an education section to highlight the skills you’ve developed on your resume. What can you do well that this job requires? What will be useful to the hiring company? What have you done in school and what have you studied that has prepared you for assuming this job?

This is generally a little easier if you’re a college graduate with specialized education, but even a high school graduate can talk about their electives and relevant coursework, why they wanted to take them, and what they learned from the class.

6. Internships, internships, internships

Paid and unpaid college internships are one of the best weapons you have against “experience required.” Not only do they give you some real-world work experience, they also allow you to network and make connections that can put you in a job later.

When applying for a job without experience, be sure to list any internships you completed. If you haven’t had one, consider applying as a step before an entry-level job.

7. Include any extracurricular activities or volunteer work

When surveyed, the majority of employers say that they take volunteer experience, such as being a soup kitchen volunteer, into consideration alongside paid work experience. So any volunteer work that highlights your talents or where you learned a new skill should be put on your resume.

Only include extracurricular activities and hobbies if they are relevant to the position and have equipped you with transferable skills that would be useful for the job role.

8. Never include these certain elements

While there are many elements you should consider adding to your resume, there are a few things you should never include on your resume because they waste space, don’t tell the employer anything relevant, or could damage your personal brand.

This list includes, but is not limited, to references, writing samples, and photos of yourself. Do not add this information to your resume unless an employer or recruiter asks you to provide them. In addition, make sure you’re not using an unprofessional email address.

“Kegmaster2017@email.com” may have sounded great when you were younger, but it’s not the right message to send to prospective employers. It’s easy to create a free, professional-looking email address for your job-search activities with platforms like Gmail.

9. Keywords, keywords, keywords

Most employers use some form of an applicant tracking system (ATS) to scan and sort resumes. This may seem unfair, but it is the reality of modern-day hiring. To combat this, you will want to come up with and include a list of keywords in your resume when applying for any job.

The best place to find these keywords is in the job ad itself, or in ads for similar jobs. One caveat: Don’t use meaningless, annoying “buzzwords,” such as “go-getter,” “team player,” and “detail-oriented.” Unfortunately, sometimes these buzzwords are the only keywords listed in the ad. If that’s the case, you’ll need to sneak them in alongside your detailed accomplishments.

10. Add a cover letter

Even if one is not required, it’s generally a good idea to send a short cover letter along with your resume. Cover letters are where your personality comes out, and you need to use them to make the case for why you’re the perfect candidate for this job.

A standout cover letter can convince an employer to bring you in for an interview, even if your resume itself doesn’t have all the things they’d like to see.

11. Customize your resume for each job you apply to

The last and most important thing to remember when creating a good resume is to customize it for every job to which you apply. Different job postings are going to have different keywords, different job duties listed, and so on. Appealing to each individual employer’s needs and job requirements is the best strategy for getting your application noticed and hopefully landing your first job.

Are Software Developers Really Engineers?

The difference between software engineers and developers is hotly contested; there’s little consensus and the terms are often used interchangeably. However, to software experts, there’s a clear distinction in responsibilities, expertise, and approach to the development life cycle.

Still, the distinction is slight and often conflated by the fact that software engineers are in high demand and most tech professionals work beyond their job description to keep up with the pace of the industry.

Software engineers are involved in the development life cycle, but not all developers are engineers. Software engineers apply engineering concepts to design software that addresses the user’s specific needs and requirements. These tech professionals approach problems logically and develop systematic solutions.

Is it Better to be a Software Engineer or Software Developer?

Distinguishing between the two is sometimes tricky, though, because employers aren’t always precise about the two roles. Meanwhile, the job descriptions themselves overlap a bit. Adding to the confusion? Software engineers sometimes get involved in software development—but most software developers are not software engineers.

Key Differences: Software Developer vs. Software Engineer

Software Developers …	Software Engineers …
Generally spend less time in school.	Generally earn higher salaries.
Exercise a little more creativity.	Conduct more analysis.
Work on projects that can be more limited in scale.	Work on projects that can be larger in scope.
Often collaborate with individual clients.	Often solve problems for all users.

What Do Software Developers Do?

Perhaps it’s obvious from the name, but software developers are responsible for the development process, designing the components of the application. Software developers monitor their projects from start to finish, and often juggle simultaneous projects that are in different stages of development.

They collaborate with clients to determine their needs and make decisions, so people skills are a necessity in addition to computer expertise. They work closely with programmers who are creating code in order to anticipate, diagnose and fix problems; monitor project updates; and troubleshoot. Quality and consistency are achieved through experimental software runs, direct repairs and revisions.

Software developers typically have strong analytical skills so they can weigh the clients’ needs against the software capabilities. They also must be familiar with computer language.

What Do Software Engineers Do?

Software engineers take a bigger-picture approach, often considering the tradeoffs that must be made to other parts of a system and its architecture when building data pipelines or scalable domain-specific languages, for example. Their focus is structural design.

These professionals need technical expertise and experience using open-source tools. They also need proficiencies in pattern design, automated testing and fault-tolerant systems. They often collaborate with information technology, operations and development staff to create and maintain programs, architecture, large-scale data stores and cloud-based systems.

What Should be Written in a Resume for a Website?

Your personal resume website is a digital version of the traditional paper resume. It shows your education, skills, and previous positions or projects you’ve worked on. But, it also shows things you cannot accurately share using a paper resume. It allows you to display photos and images of your projects or share links to articles you’ve written or had published elsewhere.

You can also use it to share a brief bio of yourself, along with your mission statement, links to your social media profiles, and contact information. It serves as your online home base and allows you to build a personal brand and make a great first impression.

Before adding content to your website, take a moment to think about the primary purpose of your website. A great personal website will show your personality and your skills while still maintaining a professional tone.

1. Your Bio

When people land on your website, they want to know who you are, what you do, and whether you have the skills and qualities to work at their company. Sharing your life story isn’t the primary objective of your bio, but rather showing visitors how you can help them; either by working with them one on one or by joining their ranks.

Most people use their About page to share a brief biography. This is the place to share the most important details that are relevant to your professional life:

• Your education
• Your skills and expertise
• Your latest job or project you worked on

You can also include a brief section about what matters most to you, what causes you believe in, and a few hobbies to make it more engaging and to show off your personality.

2. Examples of Your Work

If you’re in the creative field such as design, writing, or photography, then samples of your work are crucial for showing your hands-on creative skills and how you apply your knowledge and experience. It also shows potential employers your aesthetic, which helps them determine whether you would be a good match for their company or project.

Writers, on the other hand, can link to articles published on the web or show a collection of photos of print articles. You can also include links to co-authored books.

Even if you work in a different field, such as marketing or sales, you can still use your creativity to include examples of marketing campaigns or give an idea of how your particular skill helped improve conversion rates.

Bear in mind that you shouldn’t add every portfolio piece, but rather reserve this space to showcase your best work.

3. Testimonials

Testimonials are another crucial element you need to have on your professional personal website. They work as social proof and help build your credibility. The testimonials demonstrate you’re capable of working and collaborating with others. They also speak volumes about those soft skills that are needed for the job.

Do make sure the testimonials offer some substance and talk directly about your expertise and the experience of working with you, rather than having a stream of “She’s a great person” or “He is very knowledgeable.”

You can solve this by asking previous clients or employers to share a sentence or two about the way your specific skills helped them and how satisfied they were with working with you.

4. Contact Information

Contact information is crucial so people can get in touch with you. You can use a contact form if you’re not comfortable giving out your email address, but it’s recommended to include more than one way of contacting you. 

Make it easy for potential employers to reach you. If you’re trying to get hired locally, including your address and phone number is an excellent idea. You can also list links to your social media profiles where you maintain a professional presence so anyone interested in working with you can get a glimpse of your entire online presence.

5. Resume

Even though the purpose of a personal resume website is to have continually updated information about your skills and experiences, it’s a smart idea to add a page containing the usual information that you would add to your paper resume.

You should also include a downloadable version of your resume in a PDF format so HR managers can download it quickly and have it readily available during the hiring process.

6. Personal Branding

Contrary to popular belief, branding is no longer reserved for the big players. A good brand encompasses so much more than a logo. It combines your voice which comes off through your writing, your logo which can be as simple as your name in a particular font, your photos, colors you use on your website, as well as how others perceive you.

Your brand should represent you and give visitors a sense of what you stand for. By spending a little time and developing a visual representation of yourself, you’ll stand out more which makes you more memorable.

7. An Updated Blog

What better way to show your expertise than by sharing your knowledge with others? That’s where an updated blog comes into play. It allows you to show your understanding of your particular industry as well as gives an insight into your thought process.

You can share tips and tricks that relate to your niche as well as case studies and opinions on the latest trends.

A blog also helps establish you as a thought leader and drive more traffic to your website, which increases your visibility.

8. Your Elevator Pitch

A good elevator pitch will sum up what your profession is and what you’re looking for. Your elevator pitch should be added to your home page as well as your about page, preferably above the fold. This helps potential employers to immediately see if you’re a potential candidate. It also helps you avoid getting offers that wouldn’t be the right fit for you.

In short, an elevator pitch saves you and potential employers time and ensure you get more relevant offers in your inbox or over the phone.

9. Your Photo

While a traditional resume doesn’t lend itself well to including lots of images, a personal resume website is a different story. Here, you can and should include your images as they help you stand out and show recruiters and potential employers the person behind the resume.

It goes without saying that the photos should be professional, so avoid using images that you shared on your private social media accounts.

Consider the example below from Jess Tan who included a photo of herself that looks professional, yet still has character thanks to creative use of icons and illustrations around it.

10. Links to Your Social Media Accounts

Once potential employers receive your resume, chances are they’re going to google you. Instead of letting them come across personal social media accounts, take the matter into your own hands and include links to your professional profiles on your resume website instead.

This directs them to where you want them to go instead of leaving it to chance. Gary Sheng does an excellent job by including his LinkedIn and Facebook profile not only to show potential employers the rest of his online presence, but also as a way of getting in touch.

How do I Get a Web Developer Job With no Experience?

Once you’ve learned web development and you have a good understanding of the languages, it’s time. Time to start using your new skills to start a new career. It’s intimidating at first because you might feel like you aren’t ready. Like with everything else in life, there’s a strategy that you can use to help you get that new job a little faster.

Have a portfolio ready

If you don’t have any experience as a web developer other than the projects you did in some class, that’s not going to work unless those projects can be turned into something portfolio-worthy. A portfolio-worthy project is something that shows off what you really know. The front-end should be immaculate and so should the back-end if you’re trying to go full-stack.

That’s not just talking about the way it looks and functions for the user either. Your code should also be as clean and efficient as you can get it. At the very least, get rid of any commented-out code. All of the best practices should be present and you should be using either the most up-to-date version of your libraries or the version that the company you’re applying at uses.

You should aim for 3-5 portfolio projects to have ready for potential employers. Using Git is the easiest way to make your code base available for them to look at, but if that’s not an option have a live website they can go to. This should be your most advanced, complex, and polished work and it should be easy for them to get to.

Have some references ready

At a minimum, have someone ready to speak about your work ethic. It could be an old co-worker or someone else that knows you really well (that’s not related to you). Since you don’t have any previous experience any potential employers probably won’t expect your references to speak about your coding abilities.

Here’s where you can shock them. Offer to do a pro-bono website for someone in your community. It’s a win-win for both of you. They get a nice website and you get a portfolio project and a reference if you do a good job.

They won’t be able to talk about how great your code is, but they’ll talk about the stuff that’s hard to find in web developers. Stuff like good communication skills and project management.

Show your non-technical skills

The days of being an awkward, antisocial programmer are over unless you’re just a coding genius. For the rest of us who need employment though, your non-technical skills might be even more important than your technical ones.

For starters, if people feel like they can’t talk to you they probably won’t hire you. Be willing to talk through things and explain them without being condescending. Another thing that’ll help you is having incredible time management skills. Everybody likes it when you get your stuff done on time.

Show off your real personality when you go on interviews, talk online, or do anything else that puts you in touch with the companies you want to work with. Remember, they’re hiring you for more than just your ability to hack at a keyboard because they could have anyone do that.

Make sure you understand the basic concepts for interviews

Interviews are where a lot of confidence gets destroyed if you aren’t prepared. Before you go to an interview, read through the job description again. Think about the technology stack they use and figure out if you can answer some basic use-cases.

Nobody’s going to ask you about if statements and Boolean values. They’re going to ask you how you would write the code to fix a problem the majority of the time. If you can’t explain how to do something like data binding or explain how you would inherit some methods from a different class, go learn what those things mean.

Knowing some of the fundamental terminology will take you a long way when you’re trying to translate the interview questions from WebDev-ian to English. Plus, if you really made some good portfolio projects you’ll know what you’re talking about. Just use the right words for it.

Be willing to shotgun applications

Getting your first anything without experience is hard, but it’s not impossible. There is a position out there for you. It’s waiting on you to do the work to get it though. That might mean you have to do 3-10 applications a day.

There’s no magic to this. You apply and improve until you get hired. It’s going to take some time and you might start to wonder if it’s worth all of this extra work. Just hang in there. It does get better. The best part is that after you get this first job under your belt, it won’t be as difficult to get your next and better job!

If you keep applying for jobs consistently, going on interviews, asking for feedback, and doing absolutely everything you can, you will get that first job. It’s not glamorous like in the movies, but it will get you hired. And along the way you’ll learn some of the tricks and shortcuts to maneuver the process better and faster.

I know it can be frustrating looking through job postings just to see “5+ years experience” on a lot of them. Don’t get discouraged though because if you give up, you really won’t find anything. Keep sifting through all the applications and apply for everything you remotely qualify for.

Where Should I Look For Developer Jobs?

While gaining as much real-world experience as possible, you also need to come up with a solid job-search strategy.

Web development is an extremely broad field, and there are so many different avenues you can pursue. Before you start browsing for jobs, you need to consider what you’re looking for and use this to streamline your search.

Tailoring your job search

Your job search should be tailored to both your existing skills and your goals for the future. If you want to focus on front-end development, it makes sense to apply for frontend roles. However, if you have plans to branch out into backend development later on, check for roles that might accommodate this.

At the same time, think about the kind of setting you would most like to work in. Before you start searching, consider the following questions:

• What specific area of web development do you want to focus on?
• Would you thrive in a startup environment, or are you more at home in a big corporation?
• Do you want to be part of a small or large team?
• What industries and products are you passionate about?
• Are you willing to travel or relocate?

We’re not encouraging you to be fussy. However, having a good idea of what you want will make your job search much more efficient.

Useful web development job portals

Now you know what you’re looking for, it will be much easier to find suitable roles. There are plenty of places to look for web developer jobs. Some of the most popular online portals include:

• LinkedIn
• Indeed
• Glassdoor
• StackOverflow
• GitHub
• Authentic Jobs
• Codeity
• CyberCoders
• Smashing Jobs

Besides the internet, the opportunity may also be lurking in the offline world too. Don’t be shy about asking your friends or industry contacts if they know of anyone hiring.

How Can I Make my Developer Application Stands Out?

The next challenge in landing your first web development job is to secure an interview.

While it’s not uncommon for experienced developers to be headhunted (programmers are in high demand, after all!), those new to the industry have some convincing to do.

So how can you stand out from dozens, possibly hundreds, of other applicants? Let’s take a look at some key strategies.

Tailor your resumé and cover letter

Job hunting is extremely time-consuming, and we’re all guilty of firing off loads of generic applications at once. However, recruiters will spot this a mile away, and this one-size-fits-all approach rarely pays off.

If you are serious about landing a web developer role, you must tailor your resumé and cover letter to each job you apply for.

Pay attention to:

• Vocabulary: Recruiters will be skimming your resumé for certain keywords. Pick out the most important keywords from the job description and optimize your resumé for those exact terms. For the job description below, you might focus on the following keywords: HTML, CSS, Bootstrap, Design Thinking, agile development, JQuery, willing to travel.
• Highlighting the right skills: In both your resumé and cover letter, it’s important to highlight the skills and experience that match you to the job. Even if you have an impressively broad skillset, emphasize those skills that are essential to the role.
• Providing relevant examples: Give generic claims and vague, sweeping statements a wide berth. Instead of declaring yourself “an excellent team player”, provide concrete examples of when you’ve demonstrated this.

Optimize your online profiles

When it comes to finding a job, your online presence can make or break your chances of success. Most recruiters nowadays will search for you online, so make sure you’re making a good impression. Watch this video on how to impress recruiters in the tech field, and keep reading for the first steps you can take to improve your online presence.

Start by optimizing your professional profiles on sites like LinkedIn and AngelList. Make sure all the information about your skills, experience and qualifications is up-to-date, and upload a professional photo (not a selfie).

Reinforce your skills with a concise, captivating heading that sums you up in one or two sentences. For example:

“Frontend developer proficient in JavaScript, HTML and CSS, with extensive experience in the payment technology sector.”

Again, pay attention to keywords here: recruiters may be scanning for certain terms, so match your vocabulary to the kinds of jobs you’re looking for.

Finally, make sure your social media profiles are either set to private or clear of any content that might deter an employer.

Polish your portfolio

A crucial part of your application package is your web developer portfolio. Your portfolio is a personal website that should:

• Introduce you to potential employers, clients and contacts
• Summarize your skills and areas of expertise
• Showcase projects you’ve worked on
• Provide contact details
• Share links to your GitHub projects and social media accounts

Before applying for jobs, get your portfolio up-to-date with all your latest (and best) projects together with the right contact details.

And remember: Your portfolio website is not just a platform for hosting your projects — it’s a portfolio piece in itself! Go the extra mile to code in some quirky functionalities and show what you can do as a developer.

Share your code on GitHub

Yet another way to show employers what you’re made of: sharing your code on GitHub.

It’s considered the industry-standard tool for version control. On top of this, GitHub also makes it easy to follow certain coding best practices—making it a great tool for beginners.

Creating a GitHub account and making regular contributions shows potential employers that you’re actively using and expanding your skillset. Not only that: they’ll also want to see how clean you keep your code!

Make sure you have an active GitHub account in place before you send out any applications, and be sure to include a link in your resumé.

Is it Hard to Get a Job as a Web Developer?

Developing a website requires industry knowledge and skills. And the reality of it is that everyone wants a website and not everyone is willing to put the time, effort, and money into making one on their own. The DIY scene may be great for home furniture, but it doesn’t always relate to making websites.

The internet provides a long list of places where you can get developer jobs, and they include general job sites, startups, remote work, mobile development, and WordPress positions.

The employment of web developers is projected to grow 13 percent over the next ten years, faster than the average for all occupations.

What Technologies Are Used For Front End Development?

The following core web technologies are employed by front-end developers (consider learning them in this order):

Hyper Text Markup Language (aka HTML)

HyperText Markup Language, commonly referred to as HTML, is the standard markup language used to create web pages. Web browsers can read HTML files and render them into visible or audible web pages. HTML describes the structure of a website semantically along with cues for presentation, making it a markup language, rather than a programming language.

Cascading Style Sheets (aka CSS)

Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) is a style sheet language used for describing the look and formatting of a document written in a markup language. Although most often used to change the style of web pages and user interfaces written in HTML and XHTML, the language can be applied to any kind of XML document, including plain XML, SVG and XUL.

Along with HTML and JavaScript, CSS is a cornerstone technology used by most websites to create visually engaging webpages, user interfaces for web applications, and user interfaces for many mobile applications.

Document Object Model (aka DOM)

The Document Object Model (DOM) is a cross-platform and language-independent convention for representing and interacting with objects in HTML, XHTML, and XML documents. The nodes of every document are organized in a tree structure, called the DOM tree.

Objects in the DOM tree may be addressed and manipulated by using methods on the objects. The public interface of a DOM is specified in its application programming interface (API).

JavaScript Programming Language (aka ECMAScript 262)

JavaScript is a high-level, dynamic, untyped, and interpreted programming language. It has been standardized in the ECMAScript language specification. Alongside HTML and CSS, it is one of the three essential technologies of World Wide Web content production; the majority of websites employ it and it is supported by all modern web browsers without plug-ins.

JavaScript is prototype-based with first-class functions, making it a multi-paradigm language, supporting object-oriented, imperative, and functional programming styles. It has an API for working with text, arrays, dates and regular expressions, but does not include any I/O, such as networking, storage or graphics facilities, relying for these upon the host environment in which it is embedded.

Web APIs (aka HTML5 and friends)

When writing code for the Web using JavaScript, there are a great many APIs available. Below is a list of all the interfaces (that is, types of objects) that you may be able to use while developing your Web app or site.

Hypertext Transfer Protocol (aka HTTP)

The Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is an application protocol for distributed, collaborative, hypermedia information systems. HTTP is the foundation of data communication for the World Wide Web.

Uniform Resource Locators (aka URL)

A uniform resource locator (URL) (also called a web address) is a reference to a resource that specifies the location of the resource on a computer network and a mechanism for retrieving it. A URL is a specific type of uniform resource identifier (URI), although many people use the two terms interchangeably.

A URL implies the means to access an indicated resource, which is not true of every URI. URLs occur most commonly to reference web pages (http), but are also used for file transfer (ftp), email (mailto), database access (JDBC), and many other applications.

JavaScript Object Notation (aka JSON)

It is the primary data format used for asynchronous browser/server communication (AJAJ), largely replacing XML (used by AJAX). Although originally derived from the JavaScript scripting language, JSON is a language-independent data format. Code for parsing and generating JSON data is readily available in many programming languages.

The JSON format was originally specified by Douglas Crockford. It is currently described by two competing standards, RFC 7159 and ECMA-404. The ECMA standard is minimal, describing only the allowed grammar syntax, whereas the RFC also provides some semantic and security considerations. The official Internet media type for JSON is application/json. The JSON filename extension is .json.

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (aka WCAG) & Accessible Rich Internet Applications (aka ARIA)

Accessibility refers to the design of products, devices, services, or environments for people with disabilities. The concept of accessible design ensures both “direct access” (i.e., unassisted) and “indirect access” meaning compatibility with a person’s assistive technology (for example, computer screen readers).

What is The Purpose of Web Development?

Website development is a way to make people aware of the services and/or products you are offering, understand why your products are relevant and even necessary for them to buy or use, and see which of your company’s qualities set it apart from competitors.

Displaying this information with high-quality images and thought-out presentations will have a large influence on customers, and it is important to strive towards making your product as relatable and appealing as possible. Additionally, with website development you can:

1. Communicate with your visitors effectively. Interacting with your audience is vital when it comes to generating more business. It is viable to make a website that enables you to get in touch with your customers and prospects, and you can produce valuable content for the audience associated with the industry or business you’re in.

Afterwards post the content on your blog, share it on social media networks and respond to customers’ comments and feedback promptly. This will show your clients the extent to which you’re concerned about their satisfaction and responsive to their needs.

2. Improve your connectivity. A website will facilitate things like expanding your reach and attracting more visitors to your business. Planning to make a responsive website design for your site will help make it accessible to an extensive range of users spanning several devices, such as tablets or smartphones. This will increase both your site’s exposure and organic traffic.

3. Prove your reliability. A website offers a straightforward method of showing the credibility of a business, and the way a person represents his business online is vital for attracting more customers or visitors. Therefore, your website design should be handled in the best possible way, because a professional presentation speaks volumes as testimony to your business.

With the help of website development, you can add your skills, credentials, experience, expertise and more in a single place. These details help you earn the trust and confidence of your visitors and serve as a reference point for customers interested in your business, making it easy for you to produce leads.

Conclusion

Applying for a job does not end with having a good resume. A few things can greatly help your job search: referrals, cover letters, LinkedIn, GitHub, and Stack Overflow.

Employee referrals are the best way to increase your chances of hearing back from a company. If you have a strong referral, much of the above becomes less relevant. How do you get a referral? You ask. Ask around in your network to see who is hiring. Ask on public forums where tech professionals gather like Twitter or LinkedIn—potentially even Blind.

You can try and reach out for a cold referral: but if you do, add context on why you think you are a great fit for a job and offer an easy way out for the person to not refer you if they do not feel comfortable doing so. 

Cover letters are a coin toss. For larger companies, these places usually either don’t ask for one, or don’t pay much attention to it. At smaller firms and startups, where hiring managers are likely to read resumes and cover letters, it’s a better investment to spend time on this.

Read Also: Top 10 US Software Developers Jobs

Keep it short, sweet, and relevant. Don’t repeat your resume: add additional details that make your case stronger as to why you are a good fit for the position you are applying to.

Even if you are not looking for a job today, invest in growing your professional network. The larger your network, the easier you can get referrals from people who know the professional “you.” To grow your network, build genuine relationships with others, help people, and make yourself visible. You don’t have to do this on social media: you can start right now at your workplace, within and outside your team.

LinkedIn, GitHub, and Stack Overflow are all sites where having an up-to-date profile will greatly help your job search. Keep your LinkedIn up to date: it’s a good idea to refresh it as you write your resume. For GitHub, consider creating a GitHub README to present yourself and your key projects more effectively.

Make sure projects you mention in your resume or those that you pin to your GitHub profile also have READMEs that share what the project is about. On Stack Overflow, tailor your Developer Story to make it easy for recruiters and hiring managers to find you with relevant opportunities.