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Create ResumeA strong software developer CV in the UK needs to prove three things quickly: you can build the right type of software, you have worked with relevant technologies, and your work has made a measurable difference. Recruiters do not read developer CVs like essays. They scan for technical match, project relevance, commercial context, seniority level, and evidence that you can deliver in a real engineering environment.
The mistake I see constantly is developers treating a CV like a technical inventory. They list every language, framework, database, cloud tool, testing library, and methodology they have ever touched. That does not make the CV stronger. It often makes the reader work harder. A good software developer CV is not just a list of technologies. It is a positioning document that helps a recruiter or hiring manager understand where you fit, what problems you solve, and why you are worth interviewing.
A software developer CV has one job: make the hiring team confident enough to interview you.
That sounds obvious, but most CV advice misses the real screening logic. A recruiter is not asking, “Is this person interesting?” They are asking, “Can I confidently put this person in front of the hiring manager without looking like I have misunderstood the role?”
That means your CV needs to answer the questions sitting in the recruiter’s head:
Does this person have the core programming language required?
Have they used the frameworks and tools we actually need?
Have they worked in a similar environment?
Are they hands-on or more removed from coding?
Have they built, maintained, scaled, migrated, integrated, tested, or supported software like ours?
Is their seniority level realistic for this role?
For most UK software developer roles, the best CV format is a reverse chronological CV with a strong technical summary, a clear tech stack section, and achievement-led work experience.
Do not overcomplicate the structure. Creative layouts, graphics, skill bars, icons, columns, and decorative design usually create more problems than they solve. This is especially true when applicant tracking systems are involved.
A clean UK software developer CV should normally include:
Name and contact details
Professional profile
Technical skills
Professional experience
Key projects, if useful
Education
Can I see evidence of delivery, not just technical exposure?
The brutal truth is that many good developers undersell themselves because their CV makes the reader guess. And in hiring, guessing is risky. Recruiters do not usually reject candidates because they are definitely unsuitable. They reject them because the CV does not give enough confidence to move forward.
A strong UK software developer CV removes uncertainty. It makes your technical fit obvious, your project experience relevant, and your impact credible.
Certifications, if relevant
GitHub, portfolio, or LinkedIn links, if strong and relevant
The structure needs to help two readers at once: the recruiter doing the first screen and the technical hiring manager doing the deeper review.
The recruiter usually wants quick confirmation of fit. The hiring manager wants to understand your engineering judgement, problem-solving ability, code ownership, collaboration style, and delivery impact. Your CV needs to serve both without turning into a technical novel.
The top third of your CV matters more than people like to admit. By the time a recruiter has read your profile, skills section, current job title, company, and first few bullets, they have usually formed an early view.
That does not mean they have made the final decision. But they have already placed you into a mental category:
Strong match
Possible match
Unclear
Too junior
Too senior
Wrong stack
Too academic
Too support-focused
Too far from hands-on development
Your job is to avoid landing in the “unclear” pile. Unclear candidates often have the skills, but the CV does not frame them properly.
For example, “Software Developer with experience in JavaScript, APIs, databases, and agile environments” tells me almost nothing. It could describe thousands of developers.
A sharper version would be:
Good Example: Full stack software developer with commercial experience building React and Node.js applications for customer-facing platforms. Strong background in REST API development, PostgreSQL, AWS deployment, automated testing, and cross-functional agile delivery.
That is better because it tells the reader the type of development, stack, environment, and commercial use case.
Your CV profile should be short, specific, and technically useful. It should not be a motivational paragraph about being passionate, hardworking, or eager to learn. Those words are not harmful by themselves, but they are weak because every candidate can claim them.
A good software developer profile should cover:
Your developer type
Your core technologies
The kind of products, systems, or platforms you have worked on
Your seniority or scope
Your strongest delivery value
For most candidates, 4 to 6 lines is enough.
Weak Example: I am a motivated and passionate software developer with excellent communication skills and experience working in fast-paced environments. I enjoy solving problems and learning new technologies. I am now looking for a challenging role where I can grow and contribute to a successful team.
This is not terrible because it is offensive. It is weak because it gives me no hiring information. I still do not know your language, stack, level, product background, or what kind of role you fit.
Good Example: Software Developer with 4 years’ commercial experience building full stack web applications using TypeScript, React, Node.js, Express, and PostgreSQL. Experienced in developing REST APIs, improving front-end performance, writing automated tests, and deploying services on AWS. Comfortable working in agile product teams, collaborating with product managers and designers, and owning features from technical design through to release.
This works because it gives the recruiter what they need quickly. It is not trying to sound impressive through vague adjectives. It is impressive because it is specific.
Good Example: Senior Software Developer with 8 years’ experience designing and delivering scalable backend systems using Java, Spring Boot, AWS, Kafka, and PostgreSQL. Strong background in API architecture, cloud migration, system performance improvement, mentoring developers, and working closely with product and engineering leads to turn business requirements into reliable technical solutions.
For senior roles, the profile needs to show more than coding ability. Hiring managers want to see ownership, design judgement, mentoring, stakeholder awareness, and the ability to make technical decisions that survive contact with reality.
The technical skills section is one of the most misunderstood parts of a software developer CV.
Many developers use it as a dumping ground. They add everything: Java, Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, React, Angular, Vue, Node.js, Django, Flask, Spring Boot, SQL, NoSQL, MongoDB, PostgreSQL, MySQL, AWS, Azure, Docker, Kubernetes, Git, Jenkins, Jira, Agile, Scrum, HTML, CSS, REST, GraphQL, Linux, Windows, and then sometimes Microsoft Office for good measure.
This creates two problems.
First, it becomes hard to see what you are actually strongest in. Second, it can make your CV look inflated. Recruiters and hiring managers know the difference between “I used this once” and “I can deliver production work with this”. When everything is presented equally, your strongest skills lose weight.
A better technical skills section is grouped and prioritised.
Use categories that make sense for your background:
Languages: JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, Java
Frontend: React, Next.js, HTML5, CSS3, Tailwind CSS
Backend: Node.js, Express, Django, REST APIs, GraphQL
Databases: PostgreSQL, MongoDB, MySQL, Redis
Cloud and DevOps: AWS, Docker, Kubernetes, GitHub Actions, Terraform
Testing: Jest, Cypress, Pytest, JUnit
Tools and ways of working: Git, Jira, Agile Scrum, CI/CD
This is much easier to scan. It also tells the reader how your skills sit together.
One thing I always notice: candidates sometimes list technologies they would not be comfortable discussing in interview. That is risky.
If you put Kubernetes on your CV, someone may ask you about deployments, pods, clusters, Helm charts, monitoring, or troubleshooting. If you have only watched it happen from the sidelines, do not present it like a core skill.
You can still include exposure, but frame it accurately.
Good Example: Supported Docker-based deployments and collaborated with DevOps engineers on Kubernetes-hosted services.
That is much better than implying you independently designed and managed Kubernetes infrastructure when you did not.
Hiring managers do not mind candidates with learning areas. They do mind feeling misled. There is a difference.
Your work experience section should show what you built, how you built it, and why it mattered.
Most weak developer CVs describe responsibilities like this:
Weak Example:
Worked on web applications
Developed new features
Fixed bugs
Attended agile meetings
Used JavaScript and React
Technically, that might all be true. But it does not help the reader understand the level of work.
A stronger software developer CV gives context and impact:
Good Example:
Developed reusable React components for a customer self-service platform, reducing duplicate front-end code and improving release consistency across 4 product squads
Built and maintained REST APIs in Node.js and Express to support account management, authentication, and payment workflows
Improved page load performance by refactoring legacy components and introducing lazy loading, reducing average load time from 4.2 seconds to 2.1 seconds
Wrote unit and integration tests using Jest and Cypress, increasing test coverage across key user journeys and reducing regression issues during releases
Collaborated with product managers, UX designers, QA engineers, and DevOps to deliver features through sprint planning, code review, testing, and production deployment
Notice the difference. The stronger version shows tools, purpose, environment, outcomes, and collaboration. It does not just say “developed features”. It explains the kind of features and why they mattered.
When writing software developer CV bullets, I like using a simple framework:
Built: What did you create, develop, design, automate, integrate, migrate, or refactor?
Used: Which technologies, frameworks, architecture, tools, or methods did you use?
Improved: What became faster, more reliable, more scalable, more secure, easier to maintain, or easier for users?
Delivered: What was the commercial, technical, user, or team outcome?
You do not need every bullet to include all four. But the best bullets usually contain at least two or three.
Good Example: Refactored legacy PHP modules into Laravel services, improving maintainability and reducing recurring production defects across customer billing workflows.
That tells me what changed, the tech used, and the impact.
A hiring manager wants to understand what kind of software environment you have worked in. A developer building internal tools for a small company may have different experience from someone working on high-traffic fintech platforms, SaaS products, ecommerce systems, healthcare software, or public sector systems.
Commercial context helps the reader place your experience.
Include details such as:
B2B SaaS platform
Ecommerce checkout system
Fintech payments application
Internal CRM tool
Customer-facing mobile app
Public sector digital service
Healthcare booking system
Logistics management platform
Data-heavy analytics dashboard
This does not need to be dramatic. It just needs to be clear.
Good Example: Built backend services for a B2B SaaS platform used by enterprise clients to manage subscription billing and customer account data.
That gives the recruiter a much stronger mental picture than “worked on backend services”.
Recruiters and hiring managers read software developer CVs differently. Understanding both viewpoints helps you write a better CV.
A recruiter often starts with match and marketability. They are looking for evidence that you fit the job brief and can be presented credibly to the employer. A hiring manager reads with more technical judgement. They want to know how you think, how deeply you have worked with the stack, and whether your experience will transfer into their team.
Recruiters usually look for:
Current and recent job titles
Main programming languages
Frameworks matching the role
Years of relevant commercial experience
Industry or product relevance
Contract or permanent background
Location, right to work, and remote or hybrid fit
Clear career progression
Gaps or very short roles
Whether the CV is easy to present to a hiring manager
Recruiters are not always technical specialists. Some are excellent. Some are matching keywords with terrifying confidence. Either way, your CV should make your fit obvious enough that even a non-technical recruiter can understand the essentials.
That does not mean stuffing keywords. It means using clear, accurate language.
Hiring managers usually care about:
Depth of technical experience
Quality of project ownership
Problem-solving ability
System design exposure
Code quality and maintainability
Testing and reliability mindset
Collaboration with product, QA, DevOps, and other engineers
Ability to work in their team’s environment
Evidence you can handle the role level
A senior hiring manager does not just ask, “Has this person used React?” They ask, “Have they used React in a way that shows they can handle our codebase, our product complexity, and our delivery expectations?”
That is why your CV needs to show practical usage, not just tool names.
Keywords matter, but not in the lazy way people talk about ATS systems.
A lot of CV advice makes applicant tracking systems sound like mysterious robots rejecting people because they did not use the exact sacred phrase. In reality, ATS platforms mostly store, parse, search, and organise applications. Humans still make decisions. But recruiters often search within systems using keywords, and job boards also rely heavily on searchable terms.
So yes, keywords matter. But they need to be natural, truthful, and connected to real experience.
For UK software developer roles, relevant keyword areas may include:
Software Developer
Software Engineer
Full Stack Developer
Front End Developer
Backend Developer
Java Developer
Python Developer
.NET Developer
React Developer
Node.js Developer
TypeScript
JavaScript
C#
Java
Python
PHP
Ruby
Go
AWS
Azure
GCP
Docker
Kubernetes
Microservices
REST APIs
GraphQL
SQL
PostgreSQL
MongoDB
CI/CD
Agile
Scrum
TDD
Unit testing
Integration testing
SaaS
Cloud migration
System design
API development
The point is not to throw all of these into your CV. The point is to include the ones that genuinely match your experience and the roles you are targeting.
When applying for a role, compare your CV against the job description and ask:
Have I included the core language they require?
Have I shown the framework in my skills and work experience?
Have I demonstrated the type of work they need, such as APIs, cloud, testing, microservices, or front-end performance?
Have I used similar wording where it is accurate?
Have I removed irrelevant noise that distracts from the match?
This is where candidates often misunderstand tailoring. Tailoring does not mean rewriting your entire CV every time. It means adjusting emphasis so the most relevant evidence is easiest to find.
If a role is focused on backend Java and AWS, your React side projects should not dominate the top of the CV. If a role is front-end heavy, burying your React, accessibility, performance, and UI work beneath a generic “developer” summary is poor positioning.
Projects can be useful on a software developer CV, especially if you are early career, changing stack, returning to development, or trying to prove experience outside your current job.
But projects need to be handled carefully.
A project section should not feel like a student portfolio unless you are actually applying for junior roles. For mid-level and senior developers, projects should support your positioning, not distract from commercial experience.
Include projects if they help answer a hiring concern.
Projects are useful when:
You are a junior developer with limited commercial experience
You are switching from one stack to another
Your current job title does not show your true technical work
You have built something substantial and relevant
You have open-source contributions worth showing
You have a GitHub portfolio that demonstrates code quality
Projects are less useful when they are small tutorial builds that many other candidates have copied. A weather app, calculator, to-do list, or basic landing page will not damage your CV, but it rarely moves the needle unless you are very early career.
A project entry should include:
What the project does
The problem it solves
The technologies used
Your specific contribution
Any meaningful technical decisions
Link to GitHub or live demo, if suitable
Good Example: Built a full stack booking application using React, Node.js, Express, PostgreSQL, and JWT authentication, allowing users to search availability, create bookings, and manage account details. Designed REST API endpoints, implemented form validation, added automated tests with Jest, and deployed the application using Render and Supabase.
This is much stronger than “Created booking app using React and Node.js” because it shows real development thinking.
A GitHub link can help you, but only if it supports your credibility.
Before adding GitHub to your CV, check:
Are your repositories organised?
Is the README clear?
Does the code reflect your current standard?
Are there meaningful commits?
Is the project actually relevant?
Would you be comfortable discussing the code in interview?
A messy GitHub with abandoned experiments is not automatically a problem, but do not send hiring managers there expecting them to decode your brilliance from chaos. They will not. They have a job to fill, not a forensic investigation to conduct.
Most software developer CV mistakes come from one of two problems: too much technical noise or not enough evidence.
Candidates either overload the CV with every tool they have touched, or they write so vaguely that their real ability is hidden.
A skills list is helpful, but it cannot carry the whole CV.
If your CV says you know Python, Django, AWS, Docker, PostgreSQL, and APIs, I still need to know what you did with them.
Did you build production APIs? Maintain legacy systems? Write automation scripts? Deploy cloud services? Improve database performance? Build internal dashboards? Work on high-availability systems?
Technology without context is weak evidence.
Generic bullets make good developers look average.
Avoid lines like:
Responsible for software development
Worked with the development team
Fixed bugs and implemented features
Participated in agile ceremonies
These describe the existence of the job, not your contribution.
Replace them with specifics.
Good Example: Implemented new API endpoints for customer onboarding workflows, reducing manual account setup tasks for the operations team and improving data consistency between CRM and billing systems.
That tells me what you did and why it mattered.
A senior developer CV should not read like a mid-level developer CV with more years added.
For senior roles, show:
Technical decision-making
Architecture input
Mentoring or code review
Ownership of complex features or services
Cross-team collaboration
Incident resolution or production accountability
Performance, scalability, reliability, or security improvements
Hiring managers are asking, “Can this person raise the quality of the team?” Your CV needs to show that.
A software developer CV in the UK is usually strongest at 2 pages. Senior candidates with extensive project work may need 3 pages, but only if the content earns the space.
Length is not the problem. Low-value length is the problem.
A 3-page CV with strong technical context, achievements, relevant projects, and clear progression can work. A 3-page CV full of repeated responsibilities, old technologies, and vague statements will not.
Some candidates bury their best evidence under old jobs, long summaries, or bloated skills sections.
If you are applying for a React role, your React work should appear clearly in your profile, skills, and recent experience. If you are applying for backend Java roles, Java, Spring Boot, APIs, databases, cloud, and system design should not be hidden on page two.
Recruiters should not have to hunt for your relevance. Make it visible.
The best software developer CV bullets are specific, technical, and outcome-focused.
They show a combination of action, technology, purpose, and result.
Use patterns like these:
Built [feature, service, application, API] using [technology] to support [user, business, system, team need]
Refactored [legacy code, service, module], improving [maintainability, performance, reliability, scalability]
Developed [frontend or backend functionality] for [product or platform], enabling [specific user or business outcome]
Integrated [third-party service, payment provider, CRM, internal system] using [API, webhook, event-driven architecture]
Improved [metric] by [specific technical action]
Automated [manual process], reducing [time, errors, support workload, deployment effort]
Collaborated with [teams or stakeholders] to deliver [feature, release, migration, system improvement]
Good Example:
Developed REST API endpoints in Node.js and Express for customer account management, supporting authentication, profile updates, and subscription changes across a SaaS platform
Improved application performance by optimising database queries and adding Redis caching, reducing average response times for high-traffic endpoints
Built reusable React components and form validation logic for onboarding journeys, improving front-end consistency and reducing duplicated code across product teams
Migrated legacy PHP functionality into Laravel services, improving maintainability and reducing recurring production issues in billing workflows
Created automated unit and integration tests using Jest and Cypress, increasing release confidence and reducing regression defects during sprint deployments
Integrated Stripe payment workflows using webhooks and secure API handling, enabling automated subscription updates and payment status tracking
Supported CI/CD pipelines through GitHub Actions and Docker-based deployments, improving release speed and reducing manual deployment steps
These bullets are useful because they do not just say “I coded”. They show what kind of coding, in what context, with what value.
Not every software developer CV should sound the same. The right emphasis depends on your level.
A junior developer needs to prove potential and practical foundation. A mid-level developer needs to prove independence and delivery. A senior developer needs to prove technical judgement, ownership, and influence.
For junior roles, hiring managers know you will not have years of commercial experience. They are looking for signs that you can learn quickly, write sensible code, understand fundamentals, and work well in a team.
A junior CV should focus on:
Core programming skills
Projects with clear technical explanation
Internships, placements, freelance work, or bootcamp projects
GitHub or portfolio quality
Problem-solving approach
Testing and debugging basics
Willingness to take feedback
Avoid trying to sound senior. It usually has the opposite effect. A confident junior CV is specific, honest, and practical.
Good Example: Junior Software Developer with practical experience building full stack web applications using JavaScript, React, Node.js, Express, and PostgreSQL. Completed project work involving REST API development, authentication, responsive UI design, testing with Jest, and deployment through modern cloud platforms.
That is much stronger than “highly passionate coder seeking opportunity to grow”.
Mid-level developers need to show they can deliver with less hand-holding.
Your CV should show:
Commercial project delivery
Feature ownership
Stronger debugging and problem-solving
Collaboration with product, QA, DevOps, and design
Production code experience
Testing habits
Understanding of maintainability
Ability to work across the development lifecycle
A mid-level CV should not read like a task list. It should show that you can take requirements, build sensible solutions, and contribute to team delivery.
Senior developers need to show broader impact.
Your CV should include:
Technical leadership
Architecture and design input
Mentoring or coaching
Code review leadership
Complex problem-solving
Performance, reliability, scalability, or security improvements
Stakeholder communication
Ownership of services, systems, or technical direction
A common senior CV mistake is focusing only on technologies. Senior hiring managers want to know how you think. They want evidence that you improve systems and people, not just tickets.
Good Example: Led the redesign of a monolithic order processing service into event-driven microservices using Java, Spring Boot, Kafka, and AWS, improving scalability during peak transaction periods and reducing deployment risk across release cycles.
That gives a much stronger senior signal than “experienced in microservices”.
A UK software developer CV should be easy to parse, easy to scan, and easy to discuss in interview.
Applicant tracking systems are not the enemy. Bad formatting is.
Use a clean format with simple headings. Avoid anything that may confuse parsing or make the CV awkward to read.
Use:
Clear section headings
Reverse chronological order
Standard fonts
Consistent spacing
Plain text job titles
Bullet points under roles
PDF format unless the employer requests Word
Clickable links for LinkedIn, GitHub, or portfolio
Avoid:
Skill bars
Photos
Icons instead of text
Heavy graphics
Tables for core content
Two-column layouts that break parsing
Headers and footers containing important contact details
Unexplained acronyms
Dense blocks of text
A photo is not needed on a UK software developer CV. In most cases, it adds nothing useful and can make the CV feel less professionally aligned with UK hiring norms.
For most UK software developer candidates, 2 pages is ideal.
Use 1 page only if you are very early career and genuinely do not have enough relevant experience. Use 3 pages only if you are senior, contract-heavy, or have highly relevant technical projects that need space.
The real rule is simple: every line should help the hiring decision.
If a line does not prove technical fit, delivery impact, relevant experience, progression, or credibility, cut it.
The term “software developer” covers many different roles. Your CV should reflect the role you are targeting.
A generic CV for every software developer job usually performs worse than a focused CV for a specific type of role.
For front end roles, show:
JavaScript or TypeScript depth
React, Angular, Vue, or relevant framework experience
Component architecture
Responsive design
Accessibility
Front-end performance
API integration
State management
Testing
Collaboration with UX and product teams
Do not reduce front-end development to “making pages look good”. Hiring managers care about maintainable interfaces, performance, user experience, accessibility, and clean integration with backend systems.
For backend roles, show:
Core backend language
API design
Databases
Authentication and authorisation
Cloud infrastructure
Microservices or monolith experience
Performance optimisation
Security awareness
Testing
Backend hiring managers want to know whether you can build services that are not just functional, but reliable, maintainable, and secure.
For full stack roles, show balance. Many candidates call themselves full stack when they are heavily front-end with light API exposure, or backend-heavy with basic UI skills.
That is not always a problem, but be clear.
A strong full stack CV should show:
Front-end technologies
Backend technologies
Database work
API development and integration
Deployment or cloud exposure
End-to-end feature ownership
Collaboration across product and engineering
Good Example: Owned end-to-end development of customer onboarding features, building React interfaces, Node.js API endpoints, PostgreSQL schema changes, and automated tests before deploying through CI/CD pipelines.
That gives a clear full stack signal.
For .NET roles, show:
C#
.NET or .NET Core
ASP.NET
Web API development
SQL Server
Azure
Entity Framework
Microservices, if relevant
Testing frameworks
Enterprise application experience
UK .NET roles often sit in finance, insurance, public sector, enterprise SaaS, healthcare, and internal systems environments. If your industry context is relevant, make it visible.
For Java roles, show:
Java
Spring Boot
REST APIs
Microservices
Kafka or messaging tools, if relevant
SQL or NoSQL databases
AWS, Azure, or GCP
Testing with JUnit or Mockito
CI/CD
Performance or scalability work
Java hiring managers often look carefully at backend depth, architecture awareness, and production system experience. Do not just list Java. Show what you built with it.
For Python roles, be clear about the type of Python work you do.
Python can mean backend development, automation, data engineering, scripting, machine learning, testing, or internal tooling. A recruiter needs to know which one applies.
Show:
Django, Flask, or FastAPI
API development
Data processing
Automation
Cloud deployment
SQL
Testing
Integration work
Production usage
A Python CV that only says “Python experience” is too vague. Python is a language. The hiring question is what you can deliver with it.
The UK tech market can be competitive, especially for remote roles, junior developer roles, and popular stacks like JavaScript, React, Python, and full stack development.
Your CV needs to do more than prove you can code. It needs to position you clearly.
Hiring teams do not hire technologies. They hire people to solve problems through technologies.
Stronger CVs show problems such as:
Improving slow systems
Building new product features
Migrating legacy applications
Reducing defects
Improving deployment processes
Automating manual workflows
Integrating third-party services
Strengthening test coverage
Supporting scalability
Improving user experience
When your CV shows problems and outcomes, it becomes much easier for a hiring manager to imagine you adding value.
Metrics can help, but only when they are credible.
Good metrics include:
Reduced load time from 5 seconds to 2 seconds
Increased test coverage from 45% to 75%
Reduced manual processing time by 10 hours per week
Supported platform used by 50,000 monthly users
Improved deployment frequency from monthly to weekly
Reduced production defects by 30%
But do not force fake numbers. Hiring managers can smell invented metrics. Sometimes a clear qualitative impact is better than a suspicious statistic.
Good Example: Refactored duplicated front-end logic into reusable components, making future feature releases faster and reducing inconsistencies across customer journeys.
No metric, still useful.
One of the strongest signs of a good developer CV is the ability to explain complex work clearly.
Do not write like this:
Weak Example: Leveraged scalable distributed architectural paradigms to optimise mission-critical enterprise-grade solutions across digital transformation initiatives.
That sounds like someone swallowed a vendor brochure.
Write like this:
Good Example: Designed and implemented Java microservices to separate payment processing from the legacy order management system, improving scalability and reducing release risk.
Clear beats inflated. Every time.
Before sending your CV for a UK software developer role, check it against this list.
Is your target role obvious within the first few seconds?
Are your strongest programming languages and frameworks easy to find?
Does your profile explain your developer type and commercial experience clearly?
Is your technical skills section grouped and prioritised?
Have you shown how you used technologies in real work, not just listed them?
Do your bullets explain what you built, improved, delivered, or owned?
Have you included relevant tools such as cloud, testing, databases, APIs, and CI/CD?
Does your CV show the right level of seniority?
Have you removed outdated or irrelevant technologies that dilute your positioning?
Is the layout clean, ATS-friendly, and easy to scan?
Are GitHub, portfolio, and LinkedIn links useful and professional?
Have you tailored the emphasis for the role you are applying for?
Can you confidently discuss every technology and project listed?
Does the CV show commercial value, not just technical activity?
The best software developer CVs are not the longest or the most technical. They are the clearest. They help the recruiter understand the match and help the hiring manager trust the candidate’s technical relevance.
That is the standard you are aiming for.
Written by Simar Malhi, a recruiter and headhunter with international recruitment experience. I write about CVs, job applications, hiring decisions, and the reality behind recruitment processes. My goal is to help candidates understand more honestly how employers, recruiters, and hiring managers actually select candidates.
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