The latest articles on DEV Community by Rory (@rornic). https://dev.to/rornic https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F3408986%2F3bb20017-b784-420f-aef0-dc85c7f86a68.png https://dev.to/rornic en Rory Sun, 03 Aug 2025 06:40:26 +0000 https://dev.to/rornic/how-to-write-a-great-software-engineering-cv-with-free-template-374e https://dev.to/rornic/how-to-write-a-great-software-engineering-cv-with-free-template-374e <blockquote> <p>Your CV isn’t a memoir — it’s a spec sheet.</p> </blockquote> <p>I’ve been on both sides of the hiring table in tech and I keep seeing the same issues crop up again and again.</p> <p>So I decided to condense everything I’ve learned into one clear and simple guide. As a bonus, I put together a CV template to go with it.</p> <h2> The TL;DR </h2> <ul> <li>Use a clean, readable format (no fancy colours, no 2-column designs).</li> <li>Lead with your impact.</li> <li>Show what you <em>did</em>, not what you were “responsible for”.</li> <li>Quantify everything: “improved p99 latency by 80%”, “increased conversion by 1.5%”.</li> <li>1–2 pages max. PDF only. Use a real filename. </li> <li>Tailor your CV to the role (and stack) you’re applying to.</li> </ul> <h2> Use the Free CV Template </h2> <p>I’ve turned this advice into a downloadable <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-wZw0wuH5P7aCPIMxB2ovePEg9Euf4gKi3EOqS_skqI/template/preview" rel="noopener noreferrer">Google Docs template</a> you can copy and make your own. It’s based on my own CV so it’s tried, tested, and continuously improved.</p> <blockquote> <p>Link: <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-wZw0wuH5P7aCPIMxB2ovePEg9Euf4gKi3EOqS_skqI/template/preview" rel="noopener noreferrer">Download the CV Template</a></p> </blockquote> <h2> Full Breakdown </h2> <p>If you want the full article that goes into CV anatomy, red flags to avoid, and formatting tips, I’ve written that up here:<br><br> <a href="https://rornic.dev/posts/software-engineer-cv-tips" rel="noopener noreferrer">How to Write a Great Software Engineering CV</a></p> <h2> Final Thoughts </h2> <p>Your CV’s only job is to earn you a conversation.</p> <p>Make it clean. Make it focused. Make it easy for someone to say: <em>“We should interview this person.”</em></p> <p>Looking for high-quality tech jobs? </p> <p>Check out <a href="https://findatechjob.dev" rel="noopener noreferrer">findatechjob.dev</a> for a blazing-fast search over thousands!</p> <p>If this helps, drop a comment or feel free to share your own CV tips below.</p> career productivity learning