Complete example: an early-career software developer
This is a fictional example. The person, employers, university and project are invented for illustration. Include only your own qualifications and contributions.
Jamie Chen
Software developer · Leeds
jamie.chen@example.com · Portfolio: jamie.example.com
Profile
Software developer working on browser-based business tools with TypeScript, React and Node.js. Experience delivering small features from requirements through review and release, with attention to accessible forms, automated tests and clear handovers.
Experience
Junior software developer · Northline Scheduling
July 2024–present
- Built appointment-filter controls in React and TypeScript, including keyboard navigation, empty states and validation for date ranges.
- Added a Node.js API endpoint for saved filters and worked with a senior developer to define permissions and error responses.
- Reproduced a duplicate-submission bug, added a regression test and updated the form state to prevent repeated requests while a save was pending.
- Wrote release notes and a support handover covering the new filters, known limits and steps to investigate reported issues.
Software development intern · Cedar Field Digital
June–September 2023
- Updated content pages and form layouts from agreed designs, checking keyboard access and narrow-screen behaviour.
- Documented the local setup process after testing it on a fresh checkout with another intern.
Selected project
Reading Log · Personal project
January–April 2024
- Built a small application for recording books, notes and reading status using React, Node.js and PostgreSQL.
- Added validation, tests for create-and-edit flows and a README explaining setup, data structure and unfinished features.
Code and a short walkthrough available through the portfolio. This was an independent learning project, not a commercial product.
Education
BSc Computer Science · Westmere University
September 2021–June 2024
Technical skills
Languages: TypeScript, JavaScript, SQL. Front end: React, semantic HTML, CSS. Back end: Node.js, REST APIs, PostgreSQL. Working practices: Git, code review, automated testing and issue documentation.
Describe the work behind the stack
“Used React and Node.js” tells a reader which tools were present. The appointment-filter bullet also explains the feature and the details Jamie handled. A reviewer can ask about keyboard navigation, validation or the API design and get a concrete discussion.
A useful pattern is contribution + technical context + evidence of completion. For example: “Added CSV export to the reporting screen, handled empty datasets and covered date formatting with tests.” You do not need a percentage in every bullet. If you measured a performance improvement, name the measurement and comparison you can defend. If you did not measure it, describe the verified change.
Be precise about ownership. “Worked with a senior developer to define permissions” communicates collaboration. Use “led,” “designed” or “owned” only when those words accurately describe your responsibility. Keep customer information, internal URLs and confidential implementation details out of public examples.
Make projects and skills easy to assess
A project entry should explain the problem, what you built and your contribution. Label tutorials, team projects and independent work accurately. For team projects, name your part; for a tutorial extension, explain what you changed. Check that portfolio links open and that a README gives a reader a useful starting point.
Group skills by purpose and retain the ones relevant to the vacancy. A short list supported by experience is easier to discuss than every library you have encountered. When a job description uses a familiar name for a technology you know, use that name naturally in the appropriate section.
For a first developer role, move a substantial project above unrelated employment and consult the guide to writing a CV without work experience. For an online application, use the PDF and ATS checks before submission. Technical detail should help the reader understand your work, so trim acronyms that add little meaning.