A strong developer CV is technically precise yet readable. Tech recruiters scan for stack overlap with the role, concrete project outcomes, and something suggesting you're someone they could survive a sprint with. A list of forty technologies without context works against you.
What belongs on a developer CV
A two-sentence profile summary anchoring your specialisation and direction. Below: chronological experience with one line on the product per role and two-to-three bullets with measurable impact. A focused skills block of five to eight technologies you really use daily — no alphabet soup.
Show your GitHub or portfolio link if you're proud of it. One or two active open source contributions often outweigh a certification.
Stack keywords verbatim (where it fits)
ATS systems still often match on exact strings. If the ad says "TypeScript", write "TypeScript" — not "TS" or "JavaScript/TypeScript". But don't overdo it: three technologies you don't use daily are weaker than five you actively work in.
What separates a strong bullet from a weak one
Weak: "Responsible for backend of the product." Strong: "Built the new orders service on Go + Postgres; p95 response time from 800ms to 120ms." Concrete, measurable, stack woven in. Not every bullet needs a number — but two or three per role should.
Concrete example bullets
- Built new orders service on Go + Postgres; p95 from 800ms to 120ms.
- Cut release cycle from weekly to daily via CI/CD overhaul (GitHub Actions + Argo CD).
- Mentored two juniors through their first year; both promoted to mid-level within 18 months.
- Migrated 30+ microservices from manual deploys to Terraform + ArgoCD; deploy time from 40 to 3 minutes.
- Open source maintainer: [package] (200+ stars); core PR reviews for [framework].
Pitfalls for this role
- "Responsible for X" without outcome. What did that responsibility actually achieve?
- Skill soup of twenty technologies without context. Recruiters scroll past, hiring engineers frown.
- No GitHub or portfolio link when you have one. For dev roles, concrete work is the strongest signal.
- Side projects framed as main course when you have five years paid experience. Keep the balance.
For most tech employers: calm, modern typography without excess. Creative for design-oriented studios; Conservative for banks and government.
Salary indication 2026 (NL): junior €40–55k, mid €55–75k, senior €75–100k+. Tech scale-ups and consultancies usually above corporate IT.
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