Breaking into program development isn’t exactly a walk in the park, especially if you’re just out of college or making a career switch. Getting your foot in the door pretty much starts with a sharp entry-level software engineer resume. That’s your shot to get noticed.

This guide’s gonna help you figure out how to put your skills front and center, shine a light on any projects you’ve worked on (school stuff counts, side too), and tweak your application so it grabs a recruiter’s attention — even if your background’s a little light.

Stick with these pointers and you’ll end up with a resume that actually stands out and shows what you bring to the table. Not bad for someone just starting out, right?

Entry-level software engineer resume examples

Entry-level front-end software engineer resume sample

On average, there are ~129,200 job openings per year in those combined categories (software dev / QA / testers), largely due to replacements and growth.

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Entry-level software engineer resume template

Entry-level Software Engineer Resume
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Resume for entry-level software engineer | Plain text

Ethan Miller

Location: Austin, TX

Email: ethan.miller@gmail.com
LinkedIn: /in/ethanmiller
GitHub: /ethanmiller

Objective

Recent computer science graduate with a strong foundation in front-end development and a passion for creating interactive, responsive websites. Seeking a front-end engineer role to contribute coding and design skills and grow within a collaborative team environment.

Education

University of Texas at Austin

Bachelor of Science in Computer Science

Graduated: May 2024

  • GPA: 3.6/4.0

Technical Skills

  • Languages: HTML, CSS, JavaScript, TypeScript
  • Frameworks/Libraries: React, Angular, Bootstrap, jQuery
  • Tools: Git, GitHub, Figma, Chrome Developer

Experience

Front-End Developer Intern

Dell Technologies, Round Rock, TX

June – August 2024

  • Developed front-end features for internal applications using React and TypeScript.
  • Collaborated with the design team to improve UX/UI and increase the site's responsiveness.
  • Optimized application performance by implementing lazy loading and improving asset management, reducing page load times by 25%.
  • Gained exposure to agile development methodologies and attended daily stand-up meetings.

Projects

Portfolio Website

  • Created a personal portfolio website using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to showcase coding projects.
  • Implemented a contact form with JavaScript validation and designed responsive layouts with CSS Flexbox and Grid.

To-Do List App

  • Built a to-do list app via React and Bootstrap, allowing users to add, edit, and delete tasks.
  • Implemented local storage functionality to save user tasks between sessions.

Soft Skills

  • Attention to Detail
  • Team Collaboration
  • Problem Solving
  • Time Management

Strong sides of this entry-level software engineer resume example:

  • The intro paragraph? It’s tight and aimed at front-end jobs — clear as day what this person wants. No guessing games for the recruiter.
  • Technical skills are neat and tailored to front-end development — think HTML, CSS, JavaScript, plus those must-have frameworks like React and Angular. It’s not just copy-paste from a tutorial, it’s focused.
  • Projects aren’t just filler — they’re legit and directly tied, like a portfolio website. You can tell this person’s built things, not just watched videos.
  • Soft skills get a shoutout, too — teamwork and problem-solving, which, you can’t survive in engineering without.

How to properly format my software engineer resume?

  • Go with a clean, readable font like Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman.
  • Body text? Keep it between 10 and 12 points. Headings should pop a little more, so think 14–16.
  • Skip the decorative fonts. They just make things look messy and unprofessional.
  • Make a single page resume if possible. Since you’re an entry-level candidate, it’s better to be brief and punchy than to ramble.
  • Margins should be standard — one inch all around. White space is your friend. For line spacing, 1.0 to 1.15 works great; it keeps elements sharp.
  • Add bullet points to break up information, so that it is easy for recruiters to scan through.
  • Include parts of a resume like "Summary" (or "Objective”), "Skills,” "Education," and "Experience" for a fine structure.
  • Always save your resume as a PDF so it looks the same everywhere. Seriously, don’t skip this.

One more thing: crafting your resume online is a lifesaver if you don’t want to deal with formatting nightmares.

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Back-end entry-level software engineer resume example

Sample entry-level software engineer resume

Kevin Henderson

Location: Chicago, IL

Email: kevin.henderson@gmail.com
LinkedIn: /in/kevinhenderson
GitHub: /kevinhenderson

Objective

Entry-level back-end software engineer with a solid understanding of server-side development, databases, and RESTful API design. Seeking to leverage experience in Java and SQL to contribute to a dynamic development team at a fast-growing tech company.

Education

University of Illinois at Chicago

Bachelor of Science in Software Engineering

Expected Graduation: May 2025

  • GPA: 3.8/4.0

Technical Skills

  • Languages: Java, Python, SQL
  • Databases: MySQL, MongoDB
  • Frameworks: Spring Boot, Node.js
  • Tools: Git, GitHub, Docker, Postman

Experience

Back-End Developer Intern

Grubhub, Chicago, IL

May 2024 – August 2024

  • Developed RESTful APIs using Spring Boot for an internal food ordering system, handling data storage and retrieval processes.
  • Wrote SQL queries and optimized database schema, improving query performance by 15%.
  • Worked closely with front-end teams to integrate APIs, ensuring seamless data flow and system consistency.
  • Collaborated in code reviews, offering suggestions that improved code quality and maintainability.

Projects

Book Management System

  • Built a Java-based application that allows users to manage a collection of books, including adding, updating, and deleting records.
  • Connected to a MySQL database and implemented CRUD operations, using JDBC for connectivity.

RESTful API for Movie Database

  • Created a RESTful API in Python using Flask for a simple database, allowing users to add, update, and retrieve movie information.
  • Integrated Swagger for API documentation and Postman for testing endpoints.

Soft Skills

  • Analytical Thinking
  • Communication
  • Adaptability
  • Teamwork

This entry-level software engineer resume sample will impress the HR team:

  • The way it organizes computer skills is smart. Instead of dumping everything together, it breaks out languages, databases, frameworks, and tools. No hunting for Python in a sea of random buzzwords.
  • The projects listed (like the book system and that RESTful API for movies) aren’t just homework assignments — they demonstrate real mastery in database wrangling. Way more impressive than just saying “I can code.”
  • That Grubhub experience? Legit. The paper details what was done there. That’s the kind of detail that gets attention.
  • The objective is focused and relevant. It’s not just "I want a job" — it’s about contributing to a tech company in a meaningful way.

Should I choose an engineer resume objective or summary?

If you’ve got a bit of background — maybe some internships, open-source contributions, or class projects — a resume summary is the way to go.

Entry-level software engineer resume summary sample:

Detail-obsessed entry-level software engineer with hands-on experience in Java, Python, and web development thanks to internships and open-source work. Fired up about tackling tricky problems and always up for learning the latest tech to build cool, effective solutions.

If you’re brand new to the tech world — just plenty of ambition — then a resume objective fits better.

  • It’s where you spell out your work goals and reveal you’re ready to learn and grow.

Entry-level software engineer resume objective example:

Recent computer science grad looking for a first software engineering gig to put coding, problem-solving, and teamwork skills to use. Can’t wait to dive into real-world Java and C++ challenges and bring energy and fresh perspective to a driven engineering team.

How to showcase your software engineer resume skills?

For entry-level roles, the skills section is your best friend. This is where you spotlight what you know now and your potential for more. Recruiters skim this part fast, so make it count — indicate you’ve got the building blocks they need.

  • Hard skills are measurable technical abilities and knowledge (e.g., programming languages, software, tools).
  • Soft skills are interpersonal or cognitive traits that impact your work style and collaboration (e.g., communication, problem-solving).

Software engineer hard skills:

  • Java
  • Python
  • HTML/CSS
  • SQL
  • Git/GitHub
  • C++
  • JavaScript
  • Debugging
  • Data Structures
  • Basic Algorithms

Soft skills for a software engineer resume:

  • Problem-Solving
  • Team Collaboration
  • Adaptability
  • Communication
  • Time Management
  • Attention to Detail
  • Creativity -Self-Motivation
  • Critical Thinking
  • Openness to Feedback

Full-stack software engineer resume template

Software engineer resume with no experience

Entry-Level Full-Stack Software Engineer Resume
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Resume for entry-level software engineer | Text version

Emily Crawford

Location: San Francisco, CA

Email: emilycrawford@gmail.com
LinkedIn: /in/emilycrawford
GitHub: /emilycrawford

Objective

Enthusiastic full-stack developer with experience in front-end and back-end technologies. Skilled in JavaScript, Python, and database management, with a strong understanding of agile development. Seeking a full-stack position to apply diverse technical skills and contribute to impactful projects.

Education

San Francisco State University

Bachelor of Science in Computer Science

Graduated: May 2024

  • GPA: 3.7/4.0

Technical Skills

  • Languages: JavaScript, Python, SQL, HTML, CSS
  • Front-End: React, Vue, Bootstrap
  • Back-End: Node.js, Express, Flask
  • Databases: PostgreSQL, MongoDB
  • Tools: Git, Docker, Jenkins, AWS

Experience

Full-Stack Developer Intern

Slack Technologies, San Francisco, CA

June 2024 – September 2024

  • Developed and maintained features for Slack's web application using React on the front end and Node.js on the back end.
  • Built RESTful APIs to enhance functionality, enabling new features for the messaging platform.
  • Assisted in migrating the database from MySQL to PostgreSQL, improving data processing speeds by 20%.
  • Collaborated with designers and front-end developers to refine and enhance user interfaces, ensuring cross-browser compatibility.

Projects

E-commerce Platform

  • Created a mock e-commerce platform using the MERN stack (MongoDB, Express, React, Node.js).
  • Designed a user-friendly interface with React and implemented secure authentication with JWT.

Blog Platform

  • Developed a blog application with Flask for the back-end and Vue for the front-end, supporting CRUD operations for posts.
  • Implemented a MongoDB database to store post and user information.

Soft Skills

  • Collaboration
  • Problem Solving
  • Creative Thinking
  • Time Management

This sample entry-level software engineer resume is effective for several reasons:

  • There’s a good mix of languages and frameworks — not just one or two tossed in to fill space. That shows some well-rounded traits, which is what you need if you’re looking to go full-stack.
  • The objective doesn’t waste time. It points out both front-end and back-end qualifications, so it’s obvious she’s got what it takes for a job.
  • The soft skills aren’t just thrown in. Stuff like creative thinking and teamwork isn’t just there for buzzwords — they paint a picture of someone who can jump into different initiatives and actually get along with people. Always a plus.
  • Projects are directly aligned with full-stack development and showcase the ability to build and implement complex features using modern technologies.

What educational credentials should I add to my resume?

  • Put down the full title of your degree (like “Bachelor of Science in Computer Science”) and the name of your school. No shortcuts or weird abbreviations.
  • If you’ve taken any specialized courses that are tied to software engineering, you may want to display them.
  • Specific classes like "Algorithms," "Data Structures," "Web Development," or "Machine Learning" are worth mentioning if the job seems to care about them.
  • If you finished with honors like cum laude or joined any student groups (think coding clubs, hackathons, all that jazz), definitely add those. Not everyone does, so it’ll help.
  • The GPA question? Only add it if you’re proud of it — usually 3.5 or higher, otherwise just skip it. No need to overshare.

How to organize the experience section in a resume?

If you’re applying for entry-level engineering gigs, you probably don’t have a ton of formal experience yet — but honestly, that’s fine. You can still make this section look sharp by pulling in all the relevant stuff you’ve done.

  • Toss in any internships you’ve landed. List the company, your title, and the dates. But don’t stop there — point out what you did. Maybe you fixed a gnarly bug, or helped automate some tedious task.
  • Got side projects, like building a website, cranking out a mobile app, or pitching in on open-source item? Perfect spot to write those. Drop a quick summary, what tech or tools you used, and anything cool that came out of it.
  • Any volunteering where you used your skills, such as developing a website for a non-profit, can be a valuable addition.

For each opportunity, emphasize what you learned — like picking up new programming languages, debugging, or testing skills. If you handled tricky problems or worked with a team, absolutely call that out.

Conclusion

An entry-level resume should showcase your technical knowledge, problem-solving skills, and enthusiasm to work for continuous learning.

By focusing on relevant projects, highlighting any internships or volunteer experience, and tailoring your entry-level software engineer resume to each job, you’ll increase your chances of landing that crucial first role.

With a little time and strategic thinking, your application can open the door to opportunities that help launch a successful career.

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