Writing a CV for Software Engineering and Tech Roles
Tech CVs have their own conventions. Here is what hiring managers in engineering actually look for.
Skills section near the top
Tech hiring managers scan for tools and languages first. Put a clear, well-organized skills block in the upper third of the page. Group by category: languages, frameworks, infrastructure, tools.
Show, do not just tell
Listing "React" is one thing; backing it up with a recent role that shipped a React product is another. Make sure each top skill appears in a real project or role bullet below.
Quantify engineering work
Latency reduced, throughput increased, build time saved, on-call incidents lowered, deploys per day, services owned. Engineers respect numbers; vague impact bullets read as marketing.
Link to your code
A GitHub profile, a portfolio site, an open-source contribution — these are the engineering equivalent of work samples. Include them prominently if they reflect your current level.
Match the stack and the seniority
Read the job description carefully. If the company uses Go and Kubernetes, your top bullets should foreground your Go and Kubernetes experience. Senior roles expect system-design language; junior roles expect fundamentals.
One page until very senior
Up to 8–10 years of experience, push for one page. Past that, two pages is fine if every bullet earns its place.
Avoid jargon overload
Recruiters who screen first are often non-technical. Lead each bullet with plain-language impact, then add the technical specifics. "Cut checkout latency by 40% (Node, Redis, custom caching layer)" reads to both audiences.