How To List Programming Languages On Your Resume

Easy Tips for Listing Your Languages

How To Showcase Your Programming Language Skills On Your Resume 

A successful resume should highlight your experience, skills, and abilities, which includes your knowledge of programming languages. If you’re a software engineer or developer, showcasing programming languages on your resume can be an effective way to demonstrate your skill set and increase your chances of getting the job. Here are some tips for highlighting programming languages on your resume. 

Clearly List Your Programming Languages 

When listing programming languages on your resume, it’s important to be clear and concise. You don’t need to list out every single language you know, but make sure to include the ones that are most relevant to the position you’re applying for. You can better understand what employers are looking for by thoroughly reading the job posting. If a skill you have isn’t listed on the job posting, but you feel it is important, include it. As long as it directly adds benefit to the company and makes sense for the role in which you’re applying. 

Should I List Frameworks & Libraries?

The short answer is yes! While you don’t want your entire resume to look like computer code (no offense), you do want to make sure you include all of your skills that the potential employer may be looking for. Include any frameworks and libraries that you have experience in. This will show potential employers that you can use these tools to effectively develop applications if needed. As far as software goes, you can mention the software you are experienced in later on. While some employers want to make sure you understand how to use the industry standard software applications, it usually isn’t the main focus. That being said, if there is any software the job listing specifically mentions, and you do in fact have experience with it, definitely make sure to mention it on your resume. A good place to add software is in a short paragraph or bullets section depending on how many you have to list. 

How To List Programming Languages

If you have just 1-3 programming languages to list, then you can include them as bullets (one per line) on your skills section. If however, you have 3 or more programming languages to list, we recommend including them in a sentence list form. Remember, you want your skills section to include hard and soft skills, so having 2-3 programming languages listed, allows you to add 2-3 soft skills. See our example here below.

EX: A – If you have 1-3 programming languages:

SKILLS

• JavaScript
• JSP
• HTML
• Attention to detail
• Problem solving

EX: B – If you have 3 or more programming languages:

Skills: Javascript, JSP, HTML, XQL, XML, web developing, data structures and algorithms, attention to detail, organized. 

As you can see, both are effective ways of highlighting your skills. To an interviewer, an organized and clearly written resume is more important than the style you choose. If you need help with figuring out which resume layout is best for your next career move, JFC Global can help! Get help crafting your resume here. 

Will The Interviewer Ask About My Programming Languages?

It is never advisable to include anything on your resume that isn’t true or accurate. There is a very high likelihood that your interviewer will discuss everything on your resume with you. While it can be tempting to list all the skills the company is looking for, however, it is much more impressive to be honest about your experience. Oftentimes, companies will give you a proficiency test if you move past the initial interview. By being upfront about what skills and experience you have and don’t have, you can avoid feeling unprepared or disappointed. Some companies are even willing to offer training to the right candidate, so being upfront could really benefit everyone. 

Emphasize Your Experience With Each Language 

It’s not enough just to list each language under one heading; potential employers need more information about what level of experience you have with each language before they make a hiring decision. Make sure to describe how familiar or proficient you are with each language so employers have a better understanding of what they can expect from you if hired. For example, if you’ve been working with Java for several years now, let employers know by mentioning this in your experience section or in the body of the resume itself.  By mentioning your programming languages and how you’ve used them throughout your resume, you show more proficiency and provide context for the interviewer.

Final Resume Tips

Programming languages are essential for many software engineering roles. Therefore, it’s important for applicants to showcase their coding knowledge on their resumes properly. By following the tips above, you will be able to effectively highlight your programming language skills, and stand out from other candidates competing for the same role. Highlighting specific experience with each language is especially important so employers know exactly what they’re getting when they choose you for the position. If you need help in creating your resume, or have questions about how to connect with companies that need your unique skills, contact our experts at JFC Global for more information. We have helped thousands of people just like you, craft the perfect resume and get the career of their dreams.