Full Stack Developer Resume Skills: What to Include and Why They Matter

Use a simple, clean format that highlights your skills and experiences. Focus on readability by using bullet points and short phrases to present your skills. Properly organize your resume into education, experience, and skills sections.

“Adding a skills section to your resume is a great way to draw the recruiter’s attention to your most relevant strengths and competencies.”

– Ashley Watkins, NCRW, NCOPE, Job Search Coach

For example, a full stack developer’s bullet points might look like this:

• Developed backend modules in Java, increasing application stability by 30%.
• Developed custom APIs for data exchange, improving data accessibility by 40%.
• Utilized computer science fundamentals to debug complex issues, improving code quality by 30%.
• Enhanced site functionality by embedding HTML forms, enabling direct user interactions.
• Created dynamic and responsive web applications with JavaScript, enhancing interactivity and user engagement.

Hitting all the top job requirements with your skills list will help you rank highly for a keyword search within an applicant tracking system. But don’t stop there. Add context for every skill elsewhere in your work experience. If a recruiter is excited by “business analysis” in your skills section, the first thing they’ll do is skim your work experience to figure out when, how, and how much you used that skill.

As you list your responsibilities, it’s also important to highlight your major accomplishments wherever you can.

“For soft skills, it’s often more effective to demonstrate them in the context of your past work experience. Instead of merely stating “excellent team player”, you are better off saying “collaborated with a cross-functional team of 6 on a new product launch that boosted sales by 30% in one year”. Examples of specific accomplishments or business outcomes speak louder than buzzwords.”

– Ana Lokotkova, Career Coach and Advisor

For example, if you significantly increased the team’s productivity, be sure to mention this accomplishment.

Instead of saying,

“Built server-side applications in NODE JS”

You could say,

“Built server-side applications in NODE JS, reducing response time by 25% and improving user experience.”

This demonstrates your level of expertise with the skills you listed. It gives the recruiter more reason to be interested in you as a result.

If you’re applying for a role requiring a broad skillset, categorize your skills.

“If you opt to include a designated skills section on your resume, include up to 10 of your core competencies. Excessive skills lists are overwhelming and sometimes confusing to the reader.”

– Kelli Hrivnak, Marketing and Tech Recruiter

For example, someone applying for a role as a full stack developer might benefit from segmenting their skill lists as follows:

Frontend Development Skills

• JavaScript

• CSS

• HTML

Backend Development Skills

• NODE JS

• Java

• APIs

Development and Design Skills

• Development

• Design

Technical Knowledge and Problem-Solving Skills

• Computer Skills
• Computer Science

Use numbers to quantify your achievements wherever possible. This helps potential employers understand your abilities and the impact you can have on their organization.

“Recruiters and hiring managers are looking for relevancy of how and when you applied those skills, so provide examples of this in your experience section. Bonus tip: Don’t just insert the skill like a task–include results.”

– Kelli Hrivnak, Marketing and Tech Recruiter

Instead of saying,

“Designed responsive layouts using CSS”

You could say,

“Designed responsive layouts using CSS, increasing mobile usability and boosting conversions by 20%.”

By using numbers, you give hiring managers a better sense of your value.

Read the description carefully and emphasize the relevant skills and experiences. Highlight the skills that the employer seeks and provide examples of how you’ve used those skills in your previous roles. Doing so can demonstrate that you’re a strong fit for the position and increase your chances of being invited to an interview.

“The ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach doesn’t work when it comes to your resume. For every job application, tailor your skill set to match the job description. Most companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) that filter candidates based on keywords and skills listed in the job description. So, research the role you’re applying for and distill the skills required.”

– Ana Lokotkova, Career Coach and Advisor

In order to do this, “you must first understand what skills are most important for the target role,” says Ashley Watkins.

Here’s an example of how to tailor a business analyst resume to a job description:

Job Description: Full Stack Developer at a Tech Startup

Requirements: Experience with frontend and backend technologies, specifically JavaScript, NODE JS, and APIs, along with design skills.

Tailored Resume Job Description:

• As an experienced full stack developer, I am skilled in creating efficient and seamless applications from the ground up.
• I am proficient in JavaScript and NODE JS, which I have used to develop both client and server-side functionalities, supporting scalability and improving application performance.
• I regularly integrate APIs to enhance application capabilities, streamlining data exchange and enabling new features that boost user engagement.
• In my previous roles, I utilized design skills to create intuitive, responsive interfaces, improving user satisfaction by 20%.
• I have a solid foundation in computer science principles, which I apply to optimize code and ensure fast, reliable performance.
• I am dedicated to delivering complete, functional solutions that meet both technical requirements and user needs.
• My experience with frontend and backend technologies, combined with a commitment to quality development and design, makes me a strong candidate for the Full Stack Developer position at your startup.

“Focus on the sought-after and in demand skills. A great way to figure out what is currently in demand is by researching current job openings from your preferred companies and reading through the posting. Pay close attention to the preferred requirements section and build your skills section based on this list.”

– Chelsea Jay, Career & Leadership Development Coach – Seasoned and Growing

Start each bullet point with an action verb. An action verb expresses an action, such as “create,” “build,” “manage,” “lead,” or “implement.”

Action verbs grab the reader’s attention and paint a vivid picture of what you accomplished at work.

Action verbs make your resume more interesting to read. They also show the kind of can-do attitude that employers are looking for.