Software engineer new grad resume example

By the Rezumed team · Updated October 31, 2026

A new grad software engineer resume has one job: show that you have built working software and can explain what you built. Projects and internships carry that proof, so they get the most space. Coursework and skills support it.

What this resume has to prove

The Bureau of Labor Statistics says software developers "design computer applications or programs", and that they typically need a bachelor's degree in computer and information technology or a related field, such as engineering or mathematics. It also notes that students can gain experience through an internship while in college.

So a hiring team reading a new grad resume looks for three things: code you wrote that does something, evidence you can work in a shared codebase, and a degree or path that fits. Everything else is supporting detail.

Sample resume

Notice the order. Education comes first because it is short and expected, then Experience because the internship is relevant, then Projects. With no internship, move Projects above Experience.

What to put in each section

Projects: what it does, what you built, what it runs on

Name each project, say in a few words what it does, and say whether it was solo or a team. Then write bullets about your part. Team projects are fine, as long as it is clear which piece was yours, because the interviewer will ask.

Experience: internships, TA work and other jobs

An internship bullet should name the change you made and who it helped. Teaching assistant work counts too: it shows you can read other people's code and explain problems clearly, and BLS lists communication among the important qualities for developers. A non-technical part-time job can stay as a single line.

Education

Degree, school and graduation month. Add your GPA if it helps you. List four or five courses that match the job, not your whole transcript.

Skills to list

Keep skills as plain text, grouped by type. Then mirror the job post: if it says "PostgreSQL" and you have used PostgreSQL, write PostgreSQL, not "SQL databases". The University of Maryland career center also suggests mirroring the job description's keywords. Only list what you could use in a technical interview tomorrow.

Tools

• Languages: Python, Java, JavaScript or TypeScript, C or C++, SQL
• Frameworks: React, Node.js, Spring, Flask or Django
• Tools: Git, the Linux command line, Docker, a cloud platform if you have deployed to one
• Testing: pytest, JUnit or Jest

Abilities

• Reading and changing an existing codebase
• Debugging and writing tests
• Code review, giving and receiving it
• Explaining technical choices to people who don't code

Common mistakes

• A wall of languages. Twelve languages from a week each makes the reader doubt all of them. List the ones you have written real programs in.
• Tech names with no outcome. "React, Node, MongoDB" is a stack, not a bullet. Say what the software does and what you built.
• No links. Put a GitHub or portfolio link in the contact line, and give the repositories it points to a short README.
• Claiming the whole team project. "Built a scheduling app" invites questions you can't answer if you only wrote the front end. Name your part.

FAQ

Should I include hackathons?

Yes, as a project, if you built something that runs. Say what it did and what your part was. A hackathon where nothing shipped belongs in activities, if anywhere.

Do I need a summary at the top?

Not usually. For a new grad engineer, the projects say more than a summary can. If you add one, keep it to two lines. See Resume objective or summary?

How long should it be?

One page. If you need to cut, drop the oldest non-technical job before you cut a project.

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• Entry-level UX designer resume exampleA plain, one-column resume that points to case studies: research, usability testing and an internship.
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See all resume examples.

Sources

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Software Developers, Quality Assurance Analysts, and Testers
• University of Maryland Career Center: Resume how-to guide