How to Write a Technical CV: Skills, Examples, Template

There are a lot of smart people out there.

To get the job, your technical CV needs to stand out like the IBM Summit in a world of Raspberry Pi’s.

But don’t worry.

All you have to do is 1) know the technical skills they want, and 2) show how you’ve used them to do great things.

The technical CV sample below will give you the schematic.

This guide will show you:

• A technical CV example better than most.
• How to make a good job description for tech CVs.
• How to write a CV for technical jobs that would wow Elon Musk.
• Why you can’t just list your technical CV skills (and what to do instead).

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What users say about Resumelab:

I had an interview yesterday and the first thing they said on the phone was: “Wow! I love your CV.”
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I love the variety of templates. Good job guys, keep up the good work!
Dylan 

My previous CV was really weak and I used to spend hours adjusting it in Word. Now, I can introduce any changes within minutes. Absolutely wonderful!
George

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Need a specific kind of technical skills CV? Looking for specific technical CV templates? See our guides:

• IT CV
• Computer Science CV
• Engineering CV
• Data Scientist CV
• DevOps CV
• Software Engineer CV
• Entry Level Software Engineer CV
• Web Developer CV
• UX Designer / UI Developer CV
• Web Designer CV
• Technical Writer CV
• Architect CV
• Network Engineer CV
• Engineering Student CV
• Entry Level Mechanical Engineer CV
• Lab Technician CV Examples

Haven't found what you're looking for? Check all our CV Examples.

Technical CV Example You Can Copy and Use

Now here’s how to write a technical CV they’ll love:

1. Start With the Best Technical CV Format

Technical workers handle complex jobs that need a high degree of training and competency. They work in subjects like computers, information, programming, science, engineering, and math. A technical CV needs to narrow the field and focus on skills and achievements wanted by a particular employer.

The first step?

Showing you can deliver to specs.

That’s why the best tech CV templates (like the one above) follow these CV format rules:

Technical CV Template

• Start with the reverse-chronological format.
• Work with CV fonts like Georgia or Lato in 10–12pt.
• Use white space as a buffer, and 1-inch margins.
• Deliver a one-page CV to most technical job openings.
• Cover these CV sections: Header, Summary, Experience, Education, Skills, and “Additional.”

Expert Hint: Save your technical skills CV as a PDF file. PDF CVs don’t cause usability issues on different devices. Check the job ad first for warnings against them.

2. Write a Technical CV Summary or Objective

Most technical skills for CVs get ignored.

Here’s why:

Because tech hiring managers aren’t machines. After a while, the CVs they read start to look like redundant code.

How can you make them read yours?

With a strongly-typed technical CV summary or CV objective.

Include:

1. One adjective (solution-driven, hard-working, efficient)
2. Job title (Software Engineer, Data Scientist)
3. Years of experience (2+, 4+)
4. How you’ll help (deliver powerful code, supply deep business insights)
5. Best few achievements (increased client satisfaction by 20%...)

These computer technical CV examples give the requirements:

Technical CV Sample—Summary

Solution-driven software engineer with 5+ years of experience and strong Java and cloud skills. Seeking to deliver powerful code for Netflix. At Softsmasher, led team that received the 2018 ACT Software System Award. Increased client satisfaction by 20% in 6 months. Cut security risk 53%.

Hard-working, enthusiastic software engineer, highly skilled in Java, C, C#, C++, Python, Perl, Ruby, Ruby-on-Rails, SQL, and pairs programming. A solid team player who is goal-oriented and can be relied on to work to meet client goals. Very dependable and a good listener.

Schrödinger, meet cat.

The first of those technical CV samples could get you in at a unicorn.

The second is a donkey with a papier-mâché horn. It’s bereft of concrete details.

Technical CV Example—Objective

Writing an entry-level CV for technical jobs?

Don’t panic.

You can use freelance work, volunteer work, or personal projects, like this:

Productive programmer with skills in software development and Java, seeking to generate effective code for Softsmasher. Built working calendar app that has been downloaded over 1,000 times. Wrote a real-time currency conversion app in Java.

Expert Hint: Each achievement in your technical CV should exactly match what the hiring team advertises in the job ad. That’s called tailoring a CV. I’ll show how next.

The ResumeLab builder is more than looks. Get specific content to boost your chances of getting the job. Add job descriptions, bullet points, and skills. Easy. Improve your CV in our CV builder now.

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3. Write a Solid Job Description for Your Tech CV

God is in the details.

But the details are in your CV job description.

It must be short (or they won’t read it).

But make it punchy (or they won’t care).

Do both by first reading the job ad, then plugging in your technical achievements that match.

These computer technical CV examples crack the code:

Tech CV Template [Job Description]

Job ad wants these technical skills on a CV: (1) full stack software development (2) security (3) automation.

Senior Software Engineer

Softsmasher, Inc.

February 2017–May 2019

• Led team of 9 software engineers driving full stack software development for 22 client projects. Raised customer satisfaction by 20% in 6 months.
• Cut security breaches 53% by enacting assessment, testing, and repair loop.
• Slashed lead times 18% by giving more power to team members.
• Decreased meeting times 5 hours a week per person through automation.

Key achievement:

• Headed up team that received 2018 ACT Software System Award.

• Led team of 9 software engineers.
• Responsible for complete software development life cycle of major B2B commercial products.
• Used pairs programming tonne increase efficiency of coding teams.
• Worked directly with clients during the specifications-gathering phase.

That’s binary.

The second of those technical CV examples doesn’t pass validation. It’s technically fine, but it’s not tailored to the job posting.

Writing an entry-level technical skills CV? See this:

Entry-Level Tech CV [Job Description]

Job ad wants these technical skills: (1) app development (2) wearables programming (3) Java (4) C.

Freelance Software Engineer

March 2014–October 2015

• Built working calendar app with functionality to add images. Syncs across multiple devices and accounts. Was downloaded 1,273 times.
• Developed a fitness tracker using a Raspberry Pi and a strain gauge.
• Wrote a real-time currency conversion app in native Java.
• Used Java to upgrade strongbox open source app to Jackson 2.9.9.0.
• Used C to build automation for common tasks in neovim.

Waiter

Olive Garden

March 2014–April 2019

• Worked hard to ensure high level of client satisfaction.
• Never took a sick day in 5 years.
• Employee of the month 5 times.

Remember that.

You must show you’ve at least dabbled in the skill sets the hiring team wants.

So—look at the CV skills list below, but focus on the ones in the online posting.

CV Technical Skills

• Computer skills: MS Office, email, Google Drive, PowerPoint, spreadsheets
• Web skills: HTML, CSS, Content Management Systems, Javascript, WordPress
• Programming skills: Java, C, C#, C++, Objective-C, XML, Python, PHP, MySQL, SQL, Perl, ASP.NET, Ruby, AJAX.

• Engineering skills: STEM skills, design, CAD, prototyping, testing

• IT: Agile, UI/UX, debugging, cloud management, data synchronisation

• Collaboration: Trello, Slack, Jira
• Project Management: Scrum, planning
• General: Math, logic, troubleshooting
• Other: Technical writing, research

Expert Hint: Add numbers to your work history to drive home your achievements for a CV. A technical skill like “automation” is more believable if you used it to slash 5 meeting hours per week.

4. Turn Boring Education to a Reason to Hire You

You didn’t skimp on education.

But that doesn’t mean they’ll like you.

You need to make this hiring team care about your schooling.

Do that by hard-wiring it to their needs.

These technical CV examples show the syntax:

Writing a Technical CV Education Section—Example

Let’s say they care about Java, machine learning, cloud computing, and security.

Education

BS Software Engineering, University of Manchester

2010–2014

• Maintained 100% score in 7 Java coding classes.
• President of student machine learning club.
• Completed scholarship project to build working cloud server.
• Created YouTube channel on cloud security that got 25,000 subscribers.

See that?

You didn’t just say “graduated in x with y degree and z grade.”

You showed technical accomplishments that fit the role.

Expert Hint: If you just graduated, give your CV education section more space on the page. Split it into projects, classes, and clubs, with emphasis on skills in each.

5. Build Your Technical CV With Bonus Sections

Here’s the killer app.

Hiring managers don’t want an algorithm. They want a person.

Give them one by adding “bonus” sections to your technical CV:

• Additional Activities
• Your Portfolio Site
• Professional Associations (like IoA or IEEE)
• Certifications (like AWS DevOps or CompTIA A+)
• Volunteer Work
• Programming Languages
• Conferences
• Freelance Work
• Awards & Honours
• Continuing Education
• Publications
• Foreign Languages

These two examples show how to make additional CV sections stand out:

Technical CV Template—Extra Sections

Additional Activities

• Vice Chair, Jackson Coding Club. Increased membership 25%. 
• Member, ACM's Women in Computing (ACM-W UK)
• Nominated for SIGSOFT Early Career Researcher Award for AI work.
• Led session on security in cloud computing at DeveloperWeek 2018.
• Lead annual session in machine learning at HackState hackathon since 2015.

Additional

• Water skiing
• Winter hiking

Wow.

The first of those technical CV samples could be the next Jeff Bezos.

Its “other” sections show off massive technical skills and passion.

Expert Hint: Writing a cover letter for technical jobs is more than necessary. Many technical hiring managers will delete your CV if you don’t have one. Use it to show why this job means so much to you.

Double your impact with a matching CV and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter builder and make your application documents pop out.

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Key Points

For the best technical CV that gets jobs:

• Use the tech CV template up top. It downloads your skills to the hiring team at terabit speeds.
• Put technical achievements in your CV summary, experience, education, and “bonus” sections to prove you’re no self-taught noob.
• List the best technical skills. You won’t find them in an online list. They’re in the hiring team’s own job posting.
• Write a technical cover letter. Show you “get” the job’s needs. Then add a couple of tech accomplishments that prove you’ll deliver.

Got questions on how to write a great technical CV? Not sure how to show technical skills on a CV? Leave a comment. We’ll be happy to reply!

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