Best Resume for Computer Science and Engineering

Computer Science Resume  - Guide & Examples

 

Computer Science Resume - Samples & How to Guide

Computer Science is a particularly fascinating field because of its wide variety of applications. No other field combines the advancement of science with the creation of practical applications for the market in quite the same way.
Computer Science graduates can have a myriad of careers. Some of their core duties include:

• Developing new, and improving existing, computer-based technologies, systems, and solutions.
• Working with computer programmers, information technology professionals, and mechanical or electrical engineers to solve problems and create products.
• Designing and engineering operating systems, software, hardware, networks and communications, and databases.
• Researching information transfer and computation theory.
• Solving technological problems.

If you need to write a Computer Science resume, this guide and the accompanying examples will give you a complete picture of every step in the process!
For inspiration, check out the following computer science resume example our team has prepared together with recruiters:

 

What Companies Expect to See on a Computer Science Resume

In the Computer Science world, the most relevant information is the skills you have—not the formal education you’ve completed or the jobs you’ve done.
However, it’s very common for Computer Science careers to expect a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, or a Ph.D. for those who want to do academic research.
Make sure you have most of the appropriate qualifications before you apply to a job ad!

Contact Information to Include on a Computer Science Resume

Your header information should focus on:

• A: How an employer can contact you.
• B: How they can learn more about you.

This means that you need to include a link to some form of web presence, like an online portfolio, a Github page, or your LinkedIn. Don’t make the mistake of including an unprofessional Facebook wall or a personal journal.

It used to be common practice to include your address in your Contact Information, but that has fallen out of fashion since snail mail is almost never used to contact applicants.

Formatting a Computer Science Resume

Like any other resume, a Computer Science resume should be structured in reverse-chronological order. That is, unless you don’t have very much experience—then you should emphasize your transferable skills (which are usually going to be soft skills) in a functional resume.

Computer Science Resume Layout

Computer Science is such a varied field that a Computer Science resume can include almost any of the available sections.
Work Experience should be near the top, along with Skills, assuming you’re doing a reverse-chronological  resume . Even if you don’t have much relevant work experience, this list shows to potential employers that you are responsible, trustworthy, and professional.
Education is another important section that appears on every resume, but some Computer Science professionals don’t have much in the way of formal education.
If that’s the case, make sure that your supplemental sections show that you have made up for that. If you’ve attended a boot camp or completed some other type of self-directed learning, include that in a section of Certificates or Conferences and Courses.
Volunteer or Projects sections can encompass anything you’ve done on your own that’s relevant to the job you’re seeking.
Include an Awards section if you have received any—even if they’re not directly related, they can enhance the other information on the page.
Make sure to place your list of Technical Skills up by your general skills section—it’s important, so it shouldn’t get lost down near the bottom of the page.

Achievements for a Computer Science Resume

When writing about your previous work experiences, most people write a boring list of the duties you completed every day.

Professional Examples of Achievements for a Computer Science Resume

• Led and managed a team of six in developing new financial management software.
• Developed company procedures and guidelines for data analysis and security that increased efficiency by 30% in the first six months after implementation.
• Conceptualized, planned, launched, and led the Search Engine Optimization committee.

Wrong Examples of Achievements

• Helped new employees learn company culture
• Solved problems
• Analyzed data

Skills for a Computer Science Resume

Hard Skills for a Computer Science Resume

• Mathematics
• Problem-solving
• Experimentation
• Computer and technology knowledge
• Programming languages
• Technical writing
• Software development
• Computer hardware engineering
• Data analysis
• Information systems management
• Technical writing
• Linear algebra
• Statistics
• Calculus
• Discrete mathematics

Soft Skills for a Computer Science Resume

• Attention to detail
• Teamwork & cooperation
• Analysis
• Organization
• Communication
• Creativity
• Training and teaching
• Time management 

Perfect resume format  tracking systems guide & examples

• The perfect resume format will pass applicant tracking systems.The perfect resume format will pass applicant tracking systems.
• It will show off your value as a future employee.
• It will help recruiters make the decision in seconds (invite you to the interview, of course!)
•  Pick the wrong one, and you’ll annoy those little bits and their human overlords—
•  But which resume format is best?

 Most importantly, how to pick the proper resume format for you?

  In 5 minutes, you’ll learn all you need to know about formatting a resume.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

         1.Proper format:How to format a resume right?

         2.The three types of resume and how o pick the best best resume Format 

                 1. Reverse-chronological resume format

                 2. Skill based/  Functional resume Format

                 3. Hybrid /combination resume Format

     4.Recap: how to pick Best resume Format

Proper Resume Format: How to Format a Resume Right?

 Here are the simple, standard rules you have to follow when formatting a resume.

 (Feel free to skip this section if you simply want to pick a format and start working on your resume.)

 For a professional resume,  follow these 10  resume formatting steps:

How to format a resume?

1. Set one-inch margins on all four sides.
2. Pick a 11 or 12pt resume font and stick to it.
3. Create a proper resume header format for your contact details.
4. Divide your resume into legible resume section: Contact Information, Resume Summary, Work Experience, Education, Skills.
5. Use bullet points to talk about past jobs.
6. Be consistent with your resume formatting (e.g., stick to the same date format: for example 11–2018, or November 2018.)
7. Use single or 1.15 line spacing.
8. Add an extra space before and after each section heading.
9. Make your resume as long as need to be.
10. Don’t use photos on your resume. Unless the job description specifically asks for them. You’re looking for a job, not a date!

Enough theory, though. Here are two examples of the bad vs the good way of how to format a resume. We’ve created the sample resume format on the right in our builder.

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The Three Types of Resumes and How to Pick the Best Resume Format

Applying for jobs is a tough game. To win, you have to be creative and think out of the box to some extent. But—

You also have to play by the rules.

 Rule one: there's no one best format for resumes. You have to choose and format a resume in one of the three standard ways.

 There are 3 types of resume formats that are most common:

Reverse-chronological resume format

• Functional (or skills-based) resume format
• Combination (or hybrid or chrono-functional) resume format

 The main difference between them is the chief focus.

 What does it mean for you?

 That you have to know the correct order of sections on each of the standard resume formats.

Have a look:

 What are the three main resume formats?

The Three Standard Resume Formats: Resume Structure

As you can see:

• The chronological resume format focuses on work experience.
• The skills-based resume format is based on, well, skills.
• The hybrid / combination resume format highlights both your experience and skills, linking the skills in the skills summary to real-life experience that shows how you gained them.

What’s the best format for your resume?

That depends on your career path so far.

• Looking for a job in your industry in which you have lots of experience? Go for the reverse-chronological resume format.
• Eying a creative gig where your portfolio of projects and broad skills set are more important than the work history? Pick a functional resume format.
• Applying for a highly specialized position for very experienced senior candidates? A combination resume format will be perfect for you.

Let’s discuss that on some real-life examples.

Meet three job seekers: Frank, Thomas, and Christian.

Their resumes and how these correspond with their careers will guide you through the process of picking a good resume format for your situation.

Frank is an electrician.He’s been working in his field for over 15 years.

He’s been with the same company (having gotten promoted from journeyman to master) since 2007.

Frank found an interesting opening for a master electrician position with a big, international corporation. The responsibilities listed in the job ad are very similar to his current duties and tasks.

To get recruiters’ attention, he needs to highlight his career progression and proudest professional wins. That’s why Frank wrote a reverse-chronological resume. Scroll down to see it!

Thomas is an entry-level PR specialist. He’s been doing a lot of freelancing and participating in minor projects but has little full-time experience.

He graduated in 2017. He’s worked as a part-time PR Intern since then and done a lot of side gigs and non-profit projects to build his portfolio. He’s also a prolific blogger.

Thomas wants to apply for a full-blown role as a Content Marketing and PR Specialist with a tech company with a relaxed culture. He’s never done a similar job before, but he has all the necessary skills.

If Thomas wants to get the job, he needs to showcase his portfolio and present the wide variety of his skills. The functional resume format is a great pick for him. Scroll down to check his resume out.

Christian is a Senior IT manager. He’s held leadership positions with the biggest IT companies in the world.

Not only is Christian a master programmer, but also an effective leader.

Someone from Christian’s professional network let him know about an unlisted, highly-specialized position as the Head of IT with a huge IT company that designs mobile apps.

To get there, Christian needs to prove that he has comprehensive technical knowledge, as well as team-building and leadership skills. Christian went for a combination resume format.

Now, it’s time to see their actual resumes and explain how different job seekers can make the most of each of the most common resume formats.

Here are the three standard resume formats: 

1. Reverse-Chronological Resume Format

For starters, here’s a sample reverse-chronological resume format created in our builder.

Reverse-Chronological Resume Format Sample

The reverse chronological resume format is useful to virtually all job seekers. That’s why this is the most popular US resume format.

Recruiters are familiar with it so it makes their job easier: helps them spot all relevant information in a flash. It’s also a really simple resume format to use.

Here’s how to structure a resume in reverse-chronological order.

Reverse-Chronological Resume Template

1. Contact information
2. Resume Summary or Resume Objective
3. Work Experience
4. Education
5. Skills
6. Additional Sections

The reverse chronological resume format puts emphasis on your work history because that’s what’s most relevant for hiring managers.

Its key part is the work experience section. Here’s how to write it:

Reverse-Chronological Resume Format: Work Experience

1. Start with your current or most recent job.
2. Follow it with the one before it, then the one before and so on.
3. In each entry list: your position, the name of the company, and the dates worked.
4. Under each job, put up to 5 bullet points. But don’t just list duties. Focus on achievements.
5. Use action words. “Supervised” instead of “responsible for supervising.”
6. Quantify whenever possible. Numbers pop!
7. At the bottom, add a “Key Achievement” subsection. Describe your proudest professional win.
8. Don’t list all your professional responsibilities and accomplishments. Focus on what’s important for this particular position. Tailor your resume to the job description.

Like Frank, the candidate from our example did:

Reverse Chronological Resume Format Example

right

Master Electrician Mosaic Life Claire, St Joseph, MO 2012– Interpreted contract plans and specifications: one-line diagrams, cable and conduit schematics and wiring diagrams. Installed and repair electrical systems, wiring, fixtures, motors per plans. Supervised and assigned work to apprentices, electrical helpers, and journey-level electricians. Trained and mentored electrical apprentices. Diagnosed problems and checked leakages in low and high voltage systems. Took the highest level of care for keeping the workplace area safe and organized by implementing the NEC safety regulations and guidelines. Installed circuit breaker panels, switches, relays, and grounding leads. Key achievements: Increased efficiency by 33% by identifying our client's complex wiring issue. Scheduled a repair plan and supervised a team of 6 specialists. Supervised an internal training program, fully trained 11 apprentices.

Not sure if the rev-chron resume format is your best shot? See the handy table below.

Chronological Resume Format Pros and Cons

Pros and cons of the reverse chronological resume format
PROS	CONS
Recruiters are familiar with it. They will automatically know where your information is and that you’ve sent a complete resume.	It will require tweaking. You will need to make some extra effort to catch the recruiter’s eye.
It’s guaranteed to go through an Applicant Tracking Software (ATS) resume test.	If you have large gaps in your work history, the recruiters will notice them immediately.
The reverse chronological resume format highlights the peak of your career.	It’s not an ideal format of a resume for career changers.

2. Skills-Based / Functional Resume Format

Here’s a functional resume example created in our resume builder.

Functional Resume Format Template

A functional resume format focuses on your skills and abilities. That’s why it’s also called the skills-based resume format.

It lets you emphasize what you’re good at and takes the pressure off of your work experience.

Here’s how to structure a functional resume:

Functional Resume Template

 

1. Contact information
2. Resume Objective
3. Skills Summary
4. Additional Skills
5. Work Experience
6. Education

The two crucial components of a functional resume are the resume objective at the very top and the skills summary. This is how to write them step by step:

Functional Resume Format: Resume Objective and Skills Summary

1. In the resume objective at the top, briefly explain your motivation for pursuing a given career and discuss the most important skills you’ve mastered so far.
2. If you have one, add a link to your online portfolio, a blog, or a personal website to the resume objective.
3. For the skills summary, pick 4 to 5 skills that are most relevant to the job you’re applying for.
4. Don’t just list your skills. Be specific. Give examples of when and how you applied them. Mention software you’re proficient in and quantify whenever you can.
5. Use bullet points or go for plain paragraphs.

Have another look at how Thomas did it:

Example of a Skills-Based Resume Format

right

Results-driven Penn graduate in Journalism and Social Communication seeking to leverage two years of internship and freelancing PR experience with Newton Software Communications Team. Experienced in producing engaging online content (see my portfolio here) and press releases for tech start-ups and local IT companies. Non-profit blogger at www.pr-matters.wordpress.com. Interested in new digital PR solutions including the automatization of customer relations via AI-based email campaigns and chatbots. Skills Summary RESEARCH Able to work with many kinds of clients in a wide variety of fields. Excellent at researching clients' brands, industries, and markets very quickly and efficiently. WRITING Skilled at writing all types of Public Relations texts: press releases, blog posts, bulletins, emailing campaigns (outreach emails, sales emails, engagement emails). Able to produce up to 1,500 words of great, unique content on a daily basis. Correct Computer Science Resume Summary Example Creative and people-oriented Computer Scientist with extensive project management experience. Advanced knowledge of the creation of graphic design software and programming languages relevant to the web. Wrong I am seeking a position as a Computer Scientist. I am friendly and a good problem-solver, so I’m great at working on group projects. Just ask anyone! SOCIAL MEDIA RELATIONS Proficient at managing social media relations across all major social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Tumblr, Google+.

But remember—

A functional resume format most likely won’t get you far.

Why?

In short, because recruiters and hiring managers hate it.

According to a Job vite Recruiter Nation Report, the most important thing to recruiters is your job experience. This means:

• Your job titles
• The highest level of responsibility you reached
• Your career progression.

And what does a functional resume do? It throws all of the above out of the window.

For most candidates, using a functional, “skills” resume format is against any sort of logic.

The only groups of job seekers who might entertain using this resume format are:

• Professionals in creative industries.
• Freelancers without a clear career progression, but with a very solid portfolio.
• Military veterans transmitting into a civilian role.
• Ex-CEOs or high-level execs who don’t want to seem overqualified for a lower-level position they need to apply for.

To recap, then:

Pros and Cons of a Functional Resume Format

Skills-Based Resume Format Pros and Const
PROS	CONS
It takes the focus off of your work history and places it on your skills. If you’ve gained your skills through various freelance projects, not full-time employment, this format will let you emphasize those skills.	Most recruiters hate the functional resume format because it’s not easy to scan in quickly.
It’s a good  creative resume format for non-traditional industries.	It’s an instant red flag—suggesting that you’re trying to hide something.
It can be used by military transitioners whose detailed job descriptions might be too difficult to understand for non-military recruiters.	It’s very likely to fail the ATS resume scan.

3. Hybrid / Combination Resume Format

Here’s a combination resume example created in our resume builder.

Hybrid / Combination Resume Format Template

The combination resume format combines the best features of a chronological resume and a skills-based resume.

Here’s how to structure a hybrid resume:

Hybrid (Combination) Resume Template

1. Contact information
2. Skills Summary
3. Additional Skills
4. Work Experience
5. Education

The focal point is your skills summary. This section comes at the top of a hybrid resume, just below your contact information.

The skills summary lists skills relevant to the job and validates them by providing examples of past achievements and professional experience in bullet points.

This is how to write it:

• Start with listing skills that are most relevant to the job you want to land.
• Underneath each skill, add up to 4 bullet points describing your professional achievements that prove you actually have the skills.
• Focus on quantified and measurable accomplishments.

Remember our candidate, Christian?

In his skills summary, he needs to prove that he is:

1. Great at programming and mobile app development.
2. An inspired leader and mentor.
3. A seasoned business executive.

Example of a Hybrid Resume Format

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Programming and App Development Developed and built 20+ mobile apps and 30+ websites providing exceptional user experience. Named BCD M&E’s “Top Programmer of The Year” for three consecutive years 2009-2011. 15+ years experience in C#, C++, Java, and Objective-C. C Certified Professional Programmer (2006), Objective-C Certified Professional Programmer (2009). Leadership 8+ years experience in team management (teams of 10-50 colleagues) and project coordination. Designed and implemented a new IT management model with Apple’s New York Branch, increasing quarterly productivity by 33% and boosting employee satisfaction by 22%. Trained and mentored 50+ junior developers to help them prepare for certification exams (88% success rate). Business Management Coordinated 20+ projects with budgets over $200,000. Optimized procurement processes to reduce BCD M&E’s annual costs by 27%. Successfully cooperated with sales and marketing teams on new business strategies which helped increase Apple New York’s sales volume by 23%.

In a nutshell:

Pros and Cons of a Combination Resume Format

Hybrid Resume Format Pros and Cons
PROS	CONS
Showcases your most important skills and validates them with examples related to your work experience.	It’s suitable for very few candidates: only people with a lot of work experience targeting a very specific position.
A good resume format for employment-gappers who, nonetheless, have many years of relevant work experience.	It’s the most difficult resume format to create properly.

4. Recap: How to Pick the Best Resume Format

So—

What format should your resume be in?

Here’s a recap of what you’ve learned so far:

How to Choose a Resume Format? Chronological vs Functional vs Combination Resume

Chronological vs Functional vs Combination Resume Format
	Reverse-Chronological Resume	Functional Resume	Combination Resume
Chief focus	Work experience	Skills	Skills and work experience
Work experience section	At the top, relevant	At the bottom, irrelevant	In the middle, relevant
Skills section	In the middle, relevant	At the top, relevant	At the top, relevant
Main advantage	Easy to read, universal	Conceals flaws in work history	Emphasizes and validates skills
Main weakness	Very common, might require tweaking	Suggests you’re hiding something	Suitable for few candidates
Good for	Virtually all candidates	Creative jobs, military transitioners, candidates who don’t want to seem overqualified	Career changers, experienced professionals
Not ideal for	Career changers or employment-gappers with very complicated work histories	Students, experienced professionals, career changers, entry-level candidates	Entry-level candidates, students

3

Make Sure Your Resume Format Beats the ATS Resume Test

A disturbing thought research 70% of resumes never reach a human eye.

Why’s that?

Because as many as 7 out of 10 large companies use the ATS resume checker (short for “Applicant Tracking Software”).

So—

Make sure your resume format is ATS-friendly.

How to Format a Resume to Pass the ATS Scan

• Place the contact details at the top of your resume
• Avoid fancy graphics
• Save your resume in the PDF format
• Copy all the contents of your resume
• Paste them into a TXT text editor (such as Notepad)
• If the text in the editor isn’t scrambled, your resume is scannable

 Resume formatting is a complex issue. Even the term “resume format” itself has multiple meanings.

 

Computer Science Resume Templates 

 

 

The field of computer science is one that is multifaceted. The subject has found varied uses in different areas like software engineering. While applying for the job of an engineer at the top ranked IT companies, you’ll need specialist engineering resume. The resume templates you see below have all been designed specifically for those who have received training in computer science. You just have to choose the right computer science resume template that goes with your profession. You may also see Resume template .

• Professional IT Resume template
• Computer science Resume examples

Computer Teacher Resume Template

 

 

Computer Specialist Resume Template

Free IT Resume Format

 

Who Can use the Computer Science Resumes?

As mentioned, these resume templates have been devised specially for people who have received some level of training in the field of computer science. If you like the subject and are planning to make a career out of it, then these templates are for you. Anyone who has studied computer science or even computer science engineering will be able to use these brilliant resume templates. As a matter of fact, someone aspiring to be a software engineer will be able to use these templates to create a resume. That is because while applying to IT companies, an ordinary resume would not do.

 

IT Professional Experience Resume

 

Computer Science Internship Resume

 If you are a computer science student, then this resume template is for you. You can mention all your qualifications and work experience in a neat and organized fashion here. 

Computer Science Student Resume

 

If you’re planning to apply for a computer science internship at an IT firm, then you could use this template. Here you can insert your educational details including the courses you’re pursuing now.

Computer Science Graduate Resume

Computer science students fresh out of college can use this resume template to bag their dream job. It comes in a Word format, which makes it exceptionally easy to use and edit.

Basic Computer Science Resume

This computer science resume template has been kept relatively simple and professional. It looks like it means business, which is exactly what a resume should do. Also, it is 100 % editable.

Diploma Computer Science Resume

B.Sc Computer Science Resume

Tips while Using the Computer Science Resumes

A computer science resume has all the details that an ordinary resume would have. Here are a few things you need to keep in mind while using these:

• The templates provide you with a sample. You could follow these samples while designing your own resume. Or you could save and print these resumes and later add your own details.
• Do not forget to mention your academic qualifications in your resume.
• Your work experience is equally important. Include all your prior employment details, even internships.
• Present all your information in a clear and logical manner so that your readers can follow it.

Why go for Computer Science Resumes?

Studying computer science can promise you a lucrative career. However, you need to do your bit if you want to bag your dream job. Remember, the kind of job you get depends on the kind of resume you create. An impressive resume will get you far in the highly competitive job market. That is precisely why you need to use these computer science resumes which can help you get an edge over others. All these templates are really easy to use; you just have to pick the template you like, edit them to add your own details and then print them. You may also see Chef Resume Template.
Irrespective of the kind of engineering job you’re looking for, you can make the most of these templates. These software engineering resume have been designed by professionals and can be edited with ease since they come in a variety of different formats. You just have to get your hands on the appropriate template.

Key Takeaway

To have a resume format that gets you the job, use these key strategies:

1. Apply the standard resume formatting rules: one-inch margins, elegant font, 11–12pt font size, single line spacing, additional space before and after headings.
2. Choose one of the standard types of resumes: reverse-chronological, combination, or functional resume format. Pick the proper resume format for your individual situation.
3. The format of a resume is mostly about dividing it into proper sections. In this order: contact info, summary, work experience, education, skills, and extra sections.
4. Save space using bullet points in your work experience and education sections.