In this guide, we'll walk you through 8 tried-and-tested strategies to help you craft an impressive back-end developer resume that really puts your technical skills in the spotlight, is tailored to the job ad, and sets you up as the top choice. 

Along the way, we include back-end developer samples which you can use as your first draft. 

Software Engineer Resume Sample (Hired)

Hired by:

Hired by: allen institute

Amazon Software Development Engineer Resume Sample

Hired by:

Hired by: Amazon

IBM Software Engineer Resume Example

Hired by:

Hired by: IBM

See more examples like these

If you don't feel like reading and prefer watching a video instead, check out the front-end resume guide below. Most of the points it makes can be applied to your back-end developer resume, too.

Oh, and if you want to turn your LinkedIn profile into a resume with just one click, we've got you covered.

1. Choose the right resume format

Before diving into the details of your back-end developer resume, it's crucial to decide on the format that best showcases your skills and experience. 

Generally, there are three main resume formats to consider:

• Chronological (Classic). Focuses on your work history, listing your past positions in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent job.
• Functional (Skill-Based). Emphasizes your skills and expertise over your work history, grouping them into relevant categories.
• Hybrid (Combination). A blend of chronological and functional formats, showcasing both your skill set and work history.

Out of these three, the functional resume format is an excellent choice for back-end developers. 

Here's why:

1. Skills-focused. As a back-end developer, your technical skills are crucial. The functional format highlights your expertise upfront, catering to hiring managers' interests.
2. Adaptable for any experience level. Whether you're an industry veteran or a newcomer, a functional resume easily accommodates work history gaps, limited experience, or an extensive career by emphasizing your skills and projects.
3. Easily tailored for each job application. Functional resumes allow you to customize your skills to match job descriptions, showcasing your qualifications' relevance for each position, and increasing your chances of landing an interview.

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2. Elevate your back-end developer resume with a powerful summary

A compelling resume summary can be your secret weapon in capturing hiring managers' attention and setting you apart from other applicants. 

Typically condensed to a few sentences, your resume summary is a brief introduction showcasing your key technical skills, experience, and accomplishments as a back-end developer. 

Let's go through some tips to help you create an eye-catching resume summary:

1. Keep it concise. Keep your summary to 3-5 lines, focusing on standout experiences, skills, and achievements to engage hiring managers quickly.
2. Tailor it to the job. Customize your summary according to the job description, highlighting the skills and expertise that align with the employer's requirements.
3. Quantify your achievements. Where possible, use numbers to quantify your accomplishments, such as the percentage by which you improved database performance.
4. Mention soft skills. While technical skills dominate a back-end developer's resume, briefly mentioning some relevant soft skills — like problem-solving, adaptability, or communication — can demonstrate that you're a well-rounded candidate.

Let's see how this can look in practice. 

3. Highlight your back-end development hard (and soft) skills

As a back-end developer, you rely on specific technical skills to perform your job. Naturally then, hiring managers pay a lot of attention to the skills section of your resume. 

While creating the skills section, don't just include every single skill/tool/software you've ever touched. Instead, you want to add skills that align with what the company is searching for.

You can do so by researching the job description and tailoring your resume around the specific programming languages, systems, and programs they want.

Plus, you shouldn't completely ignore soft skills in your back-end developer CV.

Our tip is to only add skills you know in-depth and that you’re comfortable discussing in an interview. But if you feel it’s important to also list some other technologies, you can divide your skills section into “Key skills” and “Other technologies”.

4. Create a custom personal projects section

Naturally, your resume should include standard resume sections, like:

• Resume summary
• Work experience
• Education
• Skills

But if you want to get noticed, you need to give hiring managers something extra.

Adding personal projects section to your CV can help you do just that, plus it will make you a more qualified candidate. Some even say this section is a must-have for people looking for a back-end developer position.

And which projects can you include in a section like that? It can be a blog, a mobile app, or a personal website — really anything programming-related that you created by yourself and in your own time. 

It will show the hiring manager your passion for programming — and hiring managers love that!

Just create a separate section called “Side projects” or “Personal projects” and include:

• Name of each project
• Short description
• Tools and technology you used
• Respective links

By the way, if you're bound by an NDA and cannot really talk about your past projects, there's still a way to include those projects in your resume. Our resume vs non-disclosure agreement guide can help.

Lead Devops Engineer Resume Sample

Hired by:

Hired by: CloudBeds

Junior Software Developer CV Sample

Hired by:

Hired by: Ericsson

IBM Software Engineer Resume Sample

Hired by:

Hired by: IBM

See more examples like these

5. Include your back-end developer courses and certificates

This section is a great place to let the hiring manager know you’re someone who likes to stay up to date with new softwares and programs.

Jot down relevant courses and new cloud-based certificates either in the education section or in a separate section called “Courses & Certificates” (in case you have more than 2 of them).

List your certificates in reverse chronological order, beginning with the most recent one. 

Don’t forget to include:

• Name of the certification
• Dates
• Authority
• URL or code for the online badge

Don't have any certificates under your belt yet? The following back-end developer courses and certificates might just be the missing pieces in your professional jigsaw puzzle:

• IBM Full Stack Cloud Developer: IBM's professional certification navigates through essential technologies like Node.js, Express, React, Redux, and databases.
• Java Programming and Software Engineering Fundamentals by Duke University: A surefire way to bolster your Java skills, this comprehensive course takes you from basic syntax to data structure.
• Back-End Web Development Certificate at General Assembly: Hands-on and immersive, it covers everything from Python, Django to data modeling.
• Oracle Certified Professional, Java SE 8 Programmer: This globally recognized certification will drastically improve your credibility and employability as a back-end developer. 

Scoop up these courses and certificates, grow your back-end skills, and start coding your success story. Now that's what we call a back-end boost!

6. Education section tips for young developers

For young back-end developers who may be lacking significant work experience, your education section can play a vital role in showcasing your skills, passion, and potential. 

Here are some tips to enhance your education section and make it stand out to potential employers:

• Highlight relevant coursework. Mention any courses or workshops relevant to back-end development, such as programming languages, data structures, algorithms, or web application development.
• Include school projects. Showcase your hands-on experience by listing school projects that demonstrate your coding abilities, problem-solving skills, and familiarity with development tools. Briefly describe the project, the technologies used, and any notable achievements.
• Showcase internships and hackathons. Including internships, hackathons, or coding competitions can demonstrate your initiative and practical experience. These experiences show employers that you can apply your skills in real-world situations.
• Describe your thesis. Show your in-depth understanding of a specific topic and the tools you used. Highlight if your thesis project was picked up by a third party or company and is now being used in real-world applications, demonstrating the practical relevance of your work.

Find out your resume score!

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7. Tailor your resume for specific job ads

One key factor in making your back-end developer resume successful is tailoring it for each job application. A simple, yet effective trick.

Customizing your resume can significantly increase your chances of landing an interview, as employers can easily see the connection between you and the role. 

Plus, it helps get you through applicant tracking systems (ATS) that may be used to scan resumes.

Here's how to tailor your resume using keywords and other elements from the job description:

1. Analyze the job description. Carefully read the job ad, taking note of the required technical skills, qualifications, and other attributes mentioned by the employer. Look for specific keywords and phrases that stand out and are repeated throughout.
2. Match your skills and experience. Review your resume to ensure it highlights the same skills and qualifications mentioned in the job description. Swap out or rephrase your skills to match their terminology.
3. Incorporate keywords throughout your resume. Use the identified keywords strategically throughout your resume, including your summary, skills, and experience sections.

8. Link your GitHub

GitHub is very similar to LinkedIn for technical roles. Don't panic, we're not saying they're the same. 

What we mean is that most of the hiring managers will either look your GitHub up or ask for it anyway. Just like they look at LinkedIn profiles.

Apart from getting noticed and showing off your programming skills, a GitHub profile is a great way to show off attributes that simply cannot be conveyed through your resume. 

For instance, it shows you know:

• how to write a clean code;
• that you can read code;
• and that you have great collaboration skills.

And how to include GitHub on your resume? Simply put a link to your best GitHub project at the very top of your resume, right next to your contact details.

Don't forget to set up your repositories to showcase your best work, as employers may browse through your projects.

Lastly, only put GitHub on your resume if you deem it as your advantage.