Knowing one, or even a few, programming languages is an extremely valuable skill in today’s job market.
Nowadays, every industry needs a website, or some gadgets or machinery in their stores.
And that’s what makes these skills so important to have.
But how to list your programming language skills on your resume?
We got you covered.
In this article, we are going to explore the following topics:
- Should You List Programming Languages on Your Resume?
- How to List Programming Languages on Your Resume?
- How to List Programming Languages in the Experience Section of Your Resume?
- How to List Programming Languages Certifications on Your Resume?
And we are going to leave you off with some great examples to take into account.
If you want to make your resume the best it can be, we recommend you checking out How to Make Your Resume Stand Out.
And if you are looking for more information about your programming resume, we got you covered too – Ultimate Programmer Resume Writing Guide.
But if you are ready to focus on listing your programming languages on your resume, stick around.
Should You List Programming Languages on Your Resume?
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The answer to that question is short and simple.
Yes, you should list your programming languages on your resume, as long as they are relevant to the position you are applying for.
If you are applying for a programmer job position, you might find several programming languages, listed as requirements in the job posting.
Don’t worry if you don’t match every single one, the hiring manager would appreciate your skills and make the best out of them.
When listing your programming languages, you need to be careful about one thing.
You need to list only programming languages that you feel you have a good skill level in.
Otherwise, it may backfire.
All in all, listing programming languages on your resume is always a good idea, as long as they are relevant, and you have the necessary skills to use them.
How to List Programming Languages on Your Resume?
As you might have guessed, the main place you would want to list your programming languages is in the Skills Section of your resume.
But how to do this right?
You have two options for listing your programming languages in your Skills Section:
- Listing them one per line, in case they are not so many
- Listing them on a single line, in case you know plenty of programming languages
The point of choosing one of these options is that you wouldn’t want your programming languages to take up all the space in your resume.
There are other important skills that you should list there as well.
To help yourself, you can always check out the job listing and add to your resume any keywords that are applicable to your skillset.
That way, you can easily attract the hiring manager’s attention.
But simply listing the programming languages you know would not be enough in most cases.
What you would want to do is give some more information, but don’t overdo it.
To specify your level of knowledge in each programming language, you can do one of two things:
- Specify proficiency with words like Proficient, Intermediate, Novice
- Specify proficiency, specifying years of working with or studying each programming language
Using years is typically the better option of the two.
Most job listings specify how many years of experience they require with each technology, so the hiring managers would look for exactly that.
If you have not specified years of experience, they might decide to skip your resume and call in for an interview someone who has.
It doesn’t matter if you are professionally taught, or you taught yourself.
What matters is knowing how to use what you have learned and proving it.
How to List Programming Languages in the Experience Section of Your Resume?
To enhance your resume even more, you should consider including the programming languages you know in your Work Experience Section.
Of course, only do that if it is possible, and you have had a programming job, using these programming languages.
If you have some programming job experience to list, you should do it like any other.
Include the company name, your position, and the dates of employment.
Where you would want to list your programming languages is the bullet list under the job position, where you normally list responsibilities and achievements.
You can also specify any important projects you worked on.
This is the best possible way to show your expertise in the programming language.
However, including it here does not mean to skip it in your Skills Section.
Make sure you list them wherever possible.
That way, you can be sure that your skills would be noticed by the hiring manager.
Best of all, including your programming languages in both your Work Experience Section and Skills Section, can really show your potential employer that you not only have the knowledge, but you also know how to use it.
How to List Programming Languages Certifications on Your Resume?
Last but not least, what should you do with your programming languages certifications?
There is nothing more attractive to your potential employer than seeing that you are willing to go the extra mile.
And certifications on your resume show them just that.
In order to list them right, you should create a separate Certifications Section.
That’s where you should list certifications, certifying body and date acquired.
That does not mean that you should skip on listing your programming languages in your Skills Section or your Work Experience Section.
As we said before, make sure that your programming languages are wherever possible.
You wouldn’t want the hiring manager to miss them.
Examples of Listing Programming Languages on Your Resume
Now you know everything you need to know about listing programming languages on your resume.
But we wouldn’t leave you off without showing you some examples of everything we talked about.
And we have the best out of the best examples in store for you.
So check them out – Ultimate Programmer Resume Examples.
Takeaways: Self-Employed on Resume?
We are all done.
Now you know why programming languages on your resume are important and how to include them in the different sections of your resume.
You are now ready to list your programming languages and present yourself in the best possible light.
Take your time and scan the job listing for any other skills that the hiring manager would be looking for.
Don’t forget to make it all relevant to the job position you are applying for.
Keep our examples in mind and make your self-employed experience get you your next job in no time.
Make one that's truly you.
