Top Software Developer Resume Skills for 2026

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 Software Developer’s bullet points might look like this:

• Machine Learning: Built machine learning models, increasing predictive accuracy by 25% for data-driven decisions.
• Data Analysis: Created data models to support business decisions, increasing revenue by 10% through optimized user engagement.
• Python: Created Python-based web applications, improving user experience with faster load times.
• SQL: Managed relational databases using SQL, supporting a 200% increase in data without performance issues.
• C: Optimized existing C code to eliminate redundancies, increasing application efficiency by 20%.

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,

“Analyzed software issues.”

You could say,

“Applied analytical skills to debug complex software issues, reducing bug resolution time by 40%.”

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 Software Developer might benefit from segmenting their skill lists as follows:

• Technical Skills
  • Computer Skills
  • Java
  • C
  • SQL
  • Python

  Analytical and Data Skills

  • Data
  • Analytical
  • Machine Learning

  Engineering Skills

  • Engineering
  • Computer Engineering

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,

“Built machine learning models.”

You could say,

“Built machine learning models, increasing predictive accuracy by 25% for data-driven decisions.”

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: Software Developer at a Technology Company

Requirements: Proficiency in programming languages like Java and Python, experience with SQL and data management, and strong analytical skills.

Tailored Resume Job Description:

• As an experienced software developer, I am skilled in creating efficient and scalable solutions for complex technical challenges.
• I have a strong command of Java and Python, which I’ve used to develop and optimize applications that handle high traffic while maintaining fast response times.
• I am also proficient in SQL, regularly designing and managing databases to ensure data accuracy and optimize performance.
• In my previous roles, I utilized my analytical skills to identify bottlenecks in software applications, implementing solutions that reduced processing time by 25%.
• My experience includes working on machine learning models and leveraging data insights to drive product improvements, enhancing user experience by 15%.
• I am passionate about developing reliable, user-friendly software, and I’m committed to staying current with industry trends to deliver the best possible solutions.
• With my expertise in programming languages, data management, and analytical problem-solving, I am well-suited for the Software Developer role at your company.

“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.