Writing a CV for tech jobs: a clear structure that passes the first screen

By Axyra Nova Editorial · 2 October 2026 · 5 min read · Careers

A CV for a tech role has two audiences. First, it may pass through an applicant tracking system that scans for relevant skills and job titles. Then, if it gets through, a person skims it quickly to decide whether to read further. A good tech resume works for both: it is clearly structured, specific and easy to scan.

This guide covers a structure that works for developers, analysts, designers and other technical roles, including people changing careers.

Keep the format simple

Fancy layouts often cause problems:

Tables, columns and text boxes can confuse automated systems.
Icons and graphics take space without adding information.
Unusual fonts may not display correctly.

Use a clean single-column layout, standard headings, and a common font. Save as PDF unless the employer asks for another format. One page is often enough early in a career; two pages is reasonable with more experience.

The structure

Name and contact details
Short summary
Skills
Experience
Projects
Education and certifications
Optional: languages, volunteering, interests if relevant

1. Name and contact details

Include your name, email address, phone number, city and country, and links to your portfolio, GitHub and LinkedIn. You do not need a full home address. Make sure the email address looks professional.

2. Summary

Two or three lines saying who you are, what you do and what you are looking for. Avoid clichés like "hard-working team player". Be specific:

"Front-end developer with experience building responsive websites in React and WordPress for small businesses. Looking for a junior role where I can grow in accessibility and performance."

3. Skills

List skills relevant to the jobs you are applying for, grouped sensibly:

Languages: JavaScript, TypeScript, HTML, CSS, SQL
Frameworks and tools: React, Node.js, WordPress, Git
Other: accessibility testing, performance optimisation, REST APIs

Only list skills you could discuss confidently in an interview. Match the wording to the job description where it honestly reflects your experience, since automated screens look for those terms.

4. Experience

For each role, include the job title, organisation, location and dates. Then write a few bullet points focused on what you achieved, not just what you were responsible for.

A useful pattern is: action + what + result or context.

Weak: "Responsible for website maintenance."
Better: "Maintained five WordPress client sites, applying updates, fixing bugs and setting up automated backups."
Better still: "Reduced page load times on a client's main landing page by compressing images and removing unused plugins, measured with PageSpeed Insights."

Only include figures you can back up. Never invent numbers.

Career changers

Experience from other fields counts. Highlight transferable skills: problem-solving, communication, project management, working with data or customers. A teacher who built lesson-planning spreadsheets or a retail manager who analysed sales data has relevant experience to describe.

5. Projects

For people early in their tech career, projects can be the most important section. For each:

Project name and a link.
One line describing what it does.
Key technologies.
One or two bullets on what you built or solved.

Our guide to building a tech portfolio that gets interviews explains how to choose strong projects.

6. Education and certifications

List degrees, bootcamps and relevant certifications. Online courses can be included, especially substantial ones with projects. Do not list every short tutorial; choose those most relevant to the role.

Tailor every application

Sending the same CV everywhere is less effective than spending ten minutes tailoring it:

Reorder skills so the most relevant come first.
Adjust the summary to match the role.
Highlight the projects and experience closest to the job.
Use the employer's terminology where it honestly fits.

Government job guidance, such as the USAJOBS resume guidance, stresses matching your experience clearly to the requirements listed, which applies to most employers.

Proofread carefully

Errors in a CV for a detail-oriented technical role stand out. Check:

Spelling and grammar.
Consistent dates and formatting.
That every link works.
That file names are sensible, such as "Ada-Okafor-CV.pdf".

Ask someone else to read it too.

A worked example

A self-taught developer applying for junior roles originally had a two-page CV listing every course she had taken and a skills section with over thirty technologies. She rewrote it to one page:

A three-line summary focused on front-end development.
A skills section with the technologies she used confidently.
Three projects, each with a link and two bullets on what she built.
Her previous customer service role, rewritten to highlight communication, problem-solving and the internal spreadsheet tool she built.
Two substantial certifications instead of twelve short courses.

The new version was easier to skim and matched job descriptions more closely. She started receiving more responses to her applications.

Common CV mistakes

Listing duties instead of achievements. Say what changed because of your work.
Long skills lists that include tools you used once.
Unexplained acronyms from previous industries.
Inconsistent formatting, such as different date styles or bullet types.
Missing links to your portfolio or GitHub, or links that no longer work.
One version for every job. A few minutes of tailoring makes a real difference.

Cover letters

Many applications still ask for a cover letter. Keep it short: why this company, why this role, and two or three specific examples of relevant work. Advice from career resources such as Indeed's career guide covers cover letter structure in detail.

Your online presence

Recruiters often check LinkedIn and GitHub after reading a CV. Make sure they tell the same story. Our guides to LinkedIn profiles and GitHub profiles cover what to update.

Learning resources

Our learning platform lists free courses that can strengthen your CV, including CS50x for computer science foundations.

Frequently asked questions

Should I include a photo?

In many countries, including the UK and US, photos are not expected and are often discouraged. Follow local norms for where you are applying.

How far back should my experience go?

Focus on the last ten years or so, and on roles relevant to the job. Older or unrelated roles can be summarised briefly.

Do I need to explain gaps?

A short, honest note is enough if asked. Learning, caring responsibilities and personal projects are all legitimate.

Is a one-page CV required?

Not always. One page suits early-career candidates; two pages is fine with more relevant experience.