A Python developer resume is as sleek as a snake slithering through the underbrush—it achieves its objective smoothly and efficiently. A well-designed resume boosts your chances of impressing an employer who’s looking to hire a Python developer with the skills you bring to the table.
What qualities make the difference between an average resume and one that soars? Professionalism and clarity.
You know that beautiful code sets the foundation that makes everything run more smoothly. The same is true of a great Python resume. Since a first impression may be the only impression you get to make, ensure you take as much care in developing your application document as you do with your code and grab the attention of the recruiter who has the power to make or break your job search.
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This resume guide and corresponding Python developer resume example will teach you the code for:
The very first step in writing your Python resume is understanding what sections to include. Your resume should contain the following elements:
Each of these sections serves a specific purpose, which we will delve into below; however, what they all have in common is that they are elements in your case for employment. No line of text should be wasted with empty phrases, just like no line of code should be extraneous. To enhance your persuasiveness, gain an understanding of what each employer is looking for, their challenges and their needs and highlight the aspects of your talents and abilities that will solve their problems. In other words, sell yourself directly to the customer.
Here’s an outline to guide your pitch:
Optimize for the ATS
Keywords and phrases mapped to the job are factored into the ATS algorithm that will decide whether your Python resume passes through to a recruiter or you receive the “your skills don’t match our requirements but we’ll keep your resume on file” email.
Getting the right blend of those phrases requires not a hammer, but a gentle touch since you may get past the ATS, but recruiters know all the tricks.
Here are a few examples of how to straddle the line. If a Python developer job ad lists:
You may not only add these abilities to your work history and skills section, but write a summary such as this:
“Python developer with 3 years of experience programming and integrating data storage solutions and reprogramming existing databases. Expertise in writing server-side web logic as well as collaborating with front-end developers.”
For more tips on conquering the ATS, check out our article Resume ATS optimization.
Your resume needs to be straightforward, professional, and clear with a bit of creativity to show off your unique thinking—the same qualities of a good developer. The best format for most Python resumes is reverse chronological, which focuses primarily on the employment history section.
Within this format, use reverse chronological order to tell the story of your career. Below is an example.
If you’re in the job market for the first time or have retrained in Python, any alternative format, such as the functional format, may suit your career story better. This format focuses more on skills and less on employment history.
When exploring the many resume templates in our resume builder, select the format that best suits your situation. We have plenty of versions of the three formats available as resume examples.
Python development may include an element of creativity which you may want to show off in your resume design. Choose either a slightly arty, but professional creative layout, or go a bit more conservative with a clean modern layout.
Presenting your contact information in an eye-catching and professional manner may be the key to a recruiter reaching out. Make sure all your details are easy to read. Design is important, but not if it obscures the main goal of your resume: to allow a recruiter to contact you.
Don’t include:
Sylviana Gomez
Python Developer
s.gomez@gmail.com
(212) 555-1502
New York, NY
sylgomez.com
Sylviana “Syl” Gomez
I want to be a Python developer
snakeeyes@gmail.com
(212) 555-1502
148-11 253rd St.
New York, NY 11422
http://www.sylgomez.com
The word “summary” does not truly convey the importance of these 2-3 sentences of your resume. Here, you need to project confidence and effectively highlight the career accomplishments and professional attributes that best exemplify what the employer is seeking. Use strong descriptive and action words throughout.
For Python developers, this means blending descriptions of your technical expertise with your problem-solving skills and collaborative nature into a sentence or two showcasing your greatest career achievement. Also include your years of experience (since this is typically found as a requirement of the job and likely an ATS keyword).
As in your entire resume, show action with strong verbs. Here’s a list to get you started: conceptualized, coded, deployed, diagnosed, launched, re-architected, engineered, visualized.
Avoid repeating phrases from your employment history and instead get to the heart of your value proposition with a description that encompasses both your work style and your expert skillset. For example, “Through consistent communication with sales and marketing teams, revamped applications to significantly increase user engagement and boost revenue.”
Looking for more inspiration for your summary? These related resumes will help:
You can find adaptable Python developer resume examples summary below:
Detail-oriented entry-level Python developer with solid foundation in programming. Proficient in Python with strong understanding of data structures, algorithms and object-oriented programming principles. Eager to use my collaboration and communication skills to join your highly-skilled team and continue to develop my abilities.
Python developer with five years of experience leveraging Django and Flask to develop web applications that meet client requirements and business objectives. Skilled in troubleshooting complex problems with expertise in database management and API integration, and system architecture design. Dedicated to innovation and continuous learning.
Accomplished senior Python developer with 10+ years of experience leading cross-functional teams, providing technical guidance, and driving project success from conception to deployment. Strong mentor who shares knowledge and expertise in designing, implementing and optimizing mission-critical software to develop team from within.
The meat of your Python developer resume is your employment history. Start with your most recent work experience and work your way back. If you are a senior developer, you may stop about 10 years back. Keep your experience relevant to the job you seek now.
Be as specific as possible as you use each bullet point to highlight an achievement. Begin with a strong action you took and use data and details to present a full picture of your successes. Avoid using too much IT jargon to ensure that your message is clear.
While the job ad will list responsibilities such as:
You should not repeat this generic language in your employment history section. Instead, illustrate what you have done to improve software functionality while performing these tasks. Employers want to know not what you did, but the results you achieved, especially if you can quantify any efficiency that led to time or money savings, an increase in user satisfaction or engagement or another tangible plus for the business.
For example:
Take a look at the Python developer employment history resume sample below:
Python Developer at Airbnb, San Francisco
July 2019 - Present
Software Engineering Intern at Dropbox, San Francisco
June 2018 - August 2018
As a Python developer, you may have an easier time creating a resume with no experience. Why? You have a portfolio that demonstrates what you can do. Lean on this experience by describing projects you have completed, either in a school setting or on your own.
You may also include experience that shows your “ soft” or interpersonal skills. Employers of entry-level workers want to be sure that you can do the basics: get along with others, make deadlines, manage your time and be relied upon. Focus on these and any other transferable skills, for instance any skills you have from working in IT in another capacity.
Critical thinking and problem-solving are coveted attributes for a Python developer, so if you have had a job in which you had to come up with creative solutions, highlight one of those.
Despite lacking direct experience, these attributes will let an employer know that you have the foundation of a good worker.
In your skills list, curate a blend of the hard and soft skills that offer a well-rounded picture of your abilities. As a Python developer, you have a host of technical skills to include. All these are hard skills that can be learned.
You can set the proficiency level of each skill to give the recruiter more information. The resume builder offers several pre-written key skills to choose from with proficiency ranges you can set. You can also write in your skills.
Your skill level
How do you know how to rate your technical skill levels? First, if a skill is a requirement for the job, you should be proficient or expert at it. If it is a “nice to have,” it may be OK to rate yourself as intermediate, but don’t list any skills in which you are not at least at that level.
If you are unsure whether you would be considered proficient or expert, you can take an assessment test, but it is likely that you can base your assessment on what you are able to do in a certain program. Certainly, if you have a certification in any technical skills, that will give you a good idea. Finally, you can always ask a coworker for their opinion.
Although you may believe that your technical skills are most prized, recruiters value soft skills such as communication, eagerness to stay on top of technology advances, leadership and problem-solving.
Here’s what the skills box looks like in our Python resume template.
The skills section is the most obvious place to highlight your skills, you should be scattering them throughout a resume for a Python developer. The skills list is an excellent overview, but illustrating how you use these skills will boost your candidacy.
Here are skills to highlight within your work history and summary sections:
The job listing will guide your decisions on which skills your prospective employer finds most important.
It is possible to get a job as a Python developer without a college education, but many employers prefer at least a bachelor’s degree in computer science, information management systems or a related field. All your degrees should be listed in your education section.
For IT professionals, other learning experiences can be just as important as your degree. For example,
If you are in the Python developer job market for the first time and your education section is impressive, consider a hybrid resume format that will allow you the flexibility to expand this section. You may also simply move it above your employment history to give it more prominence.
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, University of California, Berkeley
August 2015 - May 2019
The best code is streamlined and contains no wasted lines. It may be called “elegant” or “beautiful” because it gets straight to the point. A great resume for a Python developer should project these principles through its design as well as its content.
The right layout demonstrates that you understand economy of design and ease of use, but can come up with creative solutions when they are called for. That’s why you need a design that’s clean and professional yet appreciated by any recruiter who sees it.
The best options for a Python developer are ones that clearly denote each section with a bold font and crisp lines. Color use should be minimal, unless you pride yourself on your web design skills and then you can go a bit bolder.
Crafting a great resume takes time, but you can streamline the process by taking advantage of our field-tested resume templates. We know you can format a document, but why bother when you can focus your creativity and problem-solving skills on the resume itself.
Profile
To secure a position as a Python Developer where I can apply my expertise in developing efficient and scalable software solutions. With my strong background in Python programming and experience in collaborative development environments, I am committed to contributing to the success of innovative projects and furthering my professional growth.
Employment history
Python Developer at Airbnb, San Francisco
July 2019 - Present
Software Engineering Intern at Dropbox, San Francisco
June 2018 - August 2018
Skills
Education
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, University of California, Berkeley
August 2015 - May 2019
The demand for software developers in general will continue to explode, with a projected leap in need of 25% over the next decade. Since Python is used by financial institutions, tech companies and government agencies including Google, Amazon, Intel, IBM, Facebook, JP Morgan Chase, we believe the demand for Python developer skills will not abate any time soon either.
Even more positive for Python experts, the need for data scientists will leap 35% over the next decade, U.S. labor statistics estimate.
In the overall category of software developer, which includes Python development, salary ranges from $72,401-$182,129. The average salary is $114,832. Python developers may also be data scientists. Their salary range is $94,352-$198,843 with an average of $136,046.
While your technical skills are very important, your ability to communicate and problem solve, both soft skills, are also highly valued. To highlight your skills, quantify your greatest achievements while showcasing your communication, problem-solving, technical knowledge and the attributes you used to succeed.
Our online resume builder can streamline the application process, and make it easy to customize each resume—a must for a successful job hunt.