Crafting a CV that stands out can be a daunting challenge for a software engineer intern, as it's essential to balance technical prowess with the ability to showcase soft skills effectively. Our guide provides insightful tips and practical examples that will help you navigate this complexity, ensuring your CV impresses potential employers and opens doors to exciting opportunities.
Structure, write, and edit your software engineer intern CV to land the role of your dreams with our exclusive guide on how to:
- Create an attention-grabbing header that integrates keywords and includes all vital information;
- Add strong action verbs and skills in your experience section, and get inspired by real-world professionals;
- List your education and relevant certification to fill in the gaps in your career history;
- Integrate both hard and soft skills all through your CV.
Discover more industry-specific guides to help you apply for any role in the links below:
Resume examples for software engineer intern
Explore additional software engineer intern cv samples and guides and see what works for your level of experience or role.
By Experience
Junior Software Engineer Intern
- Clear and Organized Presentation - The CV is structured to deliver information smoothly, with clear section headings such as Experience, Education, and Skills. Each segment is concise, making it easy to navigate and ensuring that essential details stand out without overwhelming the reader.
- Strong Leadership Potential - Grace’s experience as a Coding Club Co-Founder highlights her leadership skills. She successfully organized and led a coding club, demonstrating her capability to cultivate learning environments and enhance the skills of young developers. This shows her potential to step into leadership roles in her career trajectory.
- Commitment to Community Building - The inclusion of voluntary activities, particularly her role as a Technical Volunteer at STEM Learning UK, emphasizes Grace’s dedication to community engagement. This not only illustrates her passion for fostering tech education but also her ability to work well across different functions and with varied groups.
Associate Software Engineer Intern
- Comprehensive Skills and Courses - The CV highlights a broad skill set, encompassing programming languages such as Java, Python, and C++, alongside practical tools like Jira. Additionally, the inclusion of specialized courses in full-stack web development and automated software testing reveals a dedication to continuous learning and adaptation in an evolving tech landscape.
- Effective Use of Freelance Experience - With a focus on tangible outcomes, the CV references freelance work that yielded significant business improvements and software innovations, such as a mobile app achieving over 5,000 downloads and enhancing local businesses' efficiency by 20%. These achievements not only demonstrate technical prowess but also a strategic understanding of business needs and user engagement.
- Diverse Volunteering and Mentoring Experience - The candidate's involvement in mentoring and volunteering showcases valuable soft skills, like communication and leadership. Serving as a coding mentor for The Prince's Trust, they contributed to the community while honing their ability to foster a collaborative learning environment, preparing individuals for enhanced job readiness.
By Role
Software Engineer Intern in Cybersecurity
- Focus on Security Automation and CI/CD Integration - Amelia Murphy's CV highlights her specialization in security automation and CI/CD integration, which are crucial for modern cybersecurity practices. This focus not only underscores her technical prowess but also aligns with the industry's need for automated and agile security solutions.
- Early Career Involvement with Prestigious Institutions - The CV reflects Amelia's strategic career choices, working with eminent institutions such as the University of Oxford and Imperial College London. This not only enhances her credibility but also suggests exposure to cutting-edge research and practical applications in cybersecurity.
- Soft Skills and Leadership in Cybersecurity - Her experience leading workshops and hackathons demonstrates strong leadership and communication skills. These soft skills are imperative in cybersecurity, where collaboration and clear communication often dictate a project's success.
Software Engineer Intern in Data Analysis
- Comprehensive Content Presentation - Florence Knight’s CV is structured with clarity and precision, presenting all necessary information without overwhelming the reader. Each section is clearly defined and the use of bullet points helps to quickly convey key achievements and responsibilities. The concise and targeted summary provides a strong introduction that encapsulates her enthusiasm and proficiency in data science.
- Strong Career Trajectory in Engineering and Data Science - The CV illustrates a coherent career path with increasing responsibilities, starting from lab automation to leading a data science project at Goodyear. This progression highlights growth in technical skills and leadership capabilities, and a shift from practical engineering projects to more complex data-driven initiatives.
- Impressive Achievements with Business Relevance - Each job role details outcomes that directly correlate to business improvements, such as a 15% increase in model accuracy and a 30% efficiency boost in lab operations. These achievements not only reflect Florence's technical competence but also her ability to make tangible impacts within her teams and organizations, aligning data science innovations with strategic objectives.
Software Engineer Intern in Web Development
- Structured and Comprehensive Presentation - Ava Phillips' CV stands out with its well-organized structure, making it easy to navigate through her qualifications and experiences. The use of clear headings and bullet points effectively highlights key accomplishments and skills without overwhelming the reader with information. Each section is distinctly separated, allowing for quick access to relevant details, which shows her attention to detail and clarity in communication.
- Impressive Career Trajectory and Growth - Despite being in the early stages of her career, Ava showcases significant growth and a strong trajectory in software engineering. Her experience as a team lead in a national competition and as a research assistant demonstrates her rapid advancement and commitment to her field. This trajectory suggests a promising potential for leadership and expertise in software development.
- Technical Expertise and Industry-Specific Skills - Ava's CV highlights her proficiency in a diverse range of programming languages and development tools such as Python, Java, C++, and JavaScript. Her focus on building scalable web applications and systems for global connectivity reflects a deep understanding of industry-specific technologies and methodologies. Her ability to design algorithms that outperform benchmarks indicates a high level of technical depth crucial for a software engineering role.
Software Engineer Intern in Mobile Applications
- Structured and Concise Layout - The CV is well-organized with clear sections that facilitate easy navigation through different areas of expertise, experience, and skills. Each section succinctly covers relevant details without overwhelming the reader, maintaining clarity and focus on key information.
- Exemplifies Leadership and Team Skills - Through roles such as Hackathon Team Leader and App Development Participant, the CV highlights exceptional leadership qualities and collaboration skills. The candidate demonstrates the ability to guide teams to success, troubleshooting issues effectively and fostering innovation in high-pressure environments.
- Exhibits Diverse Technical Proficiency - The CV details a broad technical skillset that includes programming languages across mobile and IoT development. By listing tools like Swift, Kotlin, and Python along with methodologies applied in hackathons, the candidate makes a compelling case for their industry-specific expertise, ensuring their technical depth is showcased comprehensively.
Software Engineer Intern in Artificial Intelligence
- Content Presentation - The CV is exceptionally well-structured, providing a clear and concise overview of Isabelle Reed's qualifications. Each section is organized logically, allowing the reader to easily identify key information such as experience, education, skills, and achievements. This clarity not only makes the CV easy to read but also ensures that the most important details stand out to potential employers.
- Career Trajectory - Isabelle's career progression demonstrates significant growth and a strong focus on scalable systems and software initiatives. Starting with a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, she advanced to roles that highlight her leadership as a Project Lead and her collaborative work as a Research Collaborator, indicating a trajectory that blends technical proficiency with project management.
- Unique Industry-Specific Elements - The CV showcases Isabelle's proficiency in specialized tools and methodologies crucial to her field. Her experience with distributed systems, machine learning, and cryptography, among other technical skills, reflects a deep technical expertise. Additionally, her involvement in the development of scalable backend infrastructures and content delivery optimizations highlights her ability to handle complex technology challenges effectively.
Software Engineer Intern in Machine Learning
- Strong emphasis on cross-functional collaboration - The CV highlights Sienna West's ability to bring together diverse teams, as demonstrated through her collaborative projects at Scotland AI Collaboration and EcoDesign Scotland. Her work in coordinating workshops and facilitating community learning underscores her knack for leveraging diverse skill sets to achieve shared objectives.
- Deep technical proficiency and innovative focus - Sienna's expertise in advanced machine learning frameworks such as TensorFlow, PyTorch, and JAX is prominently featured, indicating her technical depth. Additionally, the emphasis on generative models and design automation for improved efficiency suggests a forward-thinking approach that is critical in cutting-edge tech environments.
- Commitment to sustainability and its business impact - Sienna's focus on integrating sustainability into design processes is not only a personal passion but also a key business differentiator. The projects and volunteering work aimed at reducing environmental impact showcase her strategic mindset and the potential to drive eco-conscious innovations in industry settings.
Software Engineer Intern in Game Development
- Structured Content Presentation - The CV is organized with clarity and conciseness, beginning with a strong header featuring essential contact information and a summary that sets the tone for the candidate's career focus on quality assurance and test automation. Distinct sections with clearly labeled headings ensure easy navigation and quick access to relevant information.
- Career Trajectory and Growth - Rosie Gray demonstrates a promising career trajectory, moving swiftly from an intern to pivotal roles like the Software Automation Project Coordinator at BBC within a short span. This progress illustrates her capability to take on increasing responsibilities and her proactive engagement in influential projects in QA and software automation.
- Technical Proficiency in Automated Tools - The CV highlights Rosie's expertise in industry-specific tools like TestComplete and her comprehensive understanding of QA processes. Her involvement in developing testing strategies and contributing to automation across different platforms showcases her technical depth and commitment to enhancing software reliability.
Software Engineer Intern in Embedded Systems
- Content Presentation - The CV is notable for its clear and structured presentation, offering conciseness and easy navigation through various sections such as experience, education, and skills. This clarity allows potential employers to quickly grasp Isaac Scott’s qualifications and career trajectory.
- Career Trajectory - Isaac Scott’s career path exhibits a clear progression, from being a C/C++ Programming Tutor to an Embedded Systems Developer intern at Broadcom Inc. This progression demonstrates the candidate's growth and dedication to deepening his expertise in embedded systems.
- Achievements and Business Relevance - The CV highlights achievements with a strong focus on their business impact. For instance, reducing onboarding time by 20% and decreasing defects by 15% at Broadcom Inc. underline Isaac’s ability to deliver value through technical proficiency and team collaboration.
Software Engineer Intern in Cloud Computing
- Clear structural organization - The CV demonstrates excellent clarity and structure, beginning with personal information, a concise summary, and a well-ordered listing of experiences. This ensures that key information is easily accessible to the reader, facilitating a quick understanding of the applicant's capabilities.
- Growth in leadership and technical roles - The career trajectory of Jack Taylor showcases significant progression within software engineering and leadership roles, such as leading a project at Code First Girls. This upward mobility suggests both technical proficiency and emerging leadership capabilities, indicating readiness for internships in challenging environments.
- In-depth technical skills and tools usage - The CV highlights specialized skills in Golang, Python, Kafka, and microservices, showing a depth of knowledge in modern toolsets and methodologies critical for cloud-native financial application development. Such technical acumen aligns well with industry demands, enhancing Taylor’s employability in the fintech sector.
Software Engineer Intern in DevOps
- Content Presentation and Structure - The CV is well-organized, beginning with a precise summary that encapsulates the applicant’s enthusiasm and objectives in data engineering and DevOps. It systematically delineates professional experience with clear headlines and dates, allowing for quick navigation and comprehension. Bullet points are effectively used to convey key contributions and achievements, ensuring clarity and a concise presentation of complex projects and responsibilities.
- Strong Career Progression in Data-Focused Roles - Lily's career trajectory reflects a strong growth path within the tech industry, focusing on data engineering and cloud computing. The transition from a Cloud Computing Student Project Manager to a Data Projects Leader illustrates a progression that underscores increasing responsibility and expertise. Despite being early in her career, the roles indicate a strategic alignment in her interests and growing expertise in cutting-edge data technologies.
- Technical Depth with Industry-Specific Tools - The CV showcases impressive technical proficiency by listing a wide range of industry-relevant tools and methodologies, such as Docker, Kubernetes, Prometheus, and Google Cloud Platform. This highlights Lily’s strength in deploying and managing scalable data systems and her commitment to maintaining competitive technical capabilities in a rapidly evolving field. Notably, her hands-on experience with containerization and automation stands out as a valuable asset in data-focused environments.
Software Engineer Intern in QA Testing
- Emphasizes leadership and coordination skills - The CV highlights Jack's experience as a Software Testing Project Coordinator, where he successfully led a team in increasing test coverage and implementing automated testing frameworks. This demonstrates his capability to manage and guide a team effectively, essential for a career as a QA Specialist.
- Clear growth in technical expertise and adaptability - Jack’s career trajectory shows a clear shift from a Web Development Trainee to a Project Coordinator in software testing, illustrating his adaptability and desire to grow in the QA field. His experiences reflect a solid understanding of both development and testing areas, which is crucial for ensuring high-quality software products.
- Implementation of industry-standard tools and methodologies - The CV showcases Jack's proficiency with industry-standard QA tools like Cypress, Jenkins, and Jira. Additionally, his experience with Agile methodologies is evident through his participation in sprint meetings and process improvements, adding solid depth to his technical foundation in quality assurance.
Software Engineer Intern in UI/UX
- Structured Clarity and Professional Flow - The CV is organized neatly, providing clarity and ease of navigation. Each section is logically arranged, allowing potential employers to quickly grasp the candidate’s qualifications, experience, and skills without sifting through overwhelming information.
- Demonstrates Robust Technical Expertise - Harper Webb's background shows a strong command of industry-specific tools and methodologies, such as Spring MVC, DevOps practices, and RESTful APIs. This depth of technical knowledge is crucial for a Full Stack Engineer, highlighting not just familiarity but expertise in critical areas.
- Strong Record of Leadership and Team Collaboration - Harper’s role as an Open Source Contributor with Mozilla Foundation demonstrates significant leadership abilities, including leading a team to enhance platform functionality. This is supported by accomplishments like initiative-driven features and cross-cultural team collaborations.
Software Engineer Intern in Network Systems
- Logical and Well-Organized Structure - The CV is structured with clarity and precision, aiding in seamless navigation through the candidate's background. Each section conveys critical information without being verbose, making it easy to understand the candidate’s journey and expertise.
- Strong Career Progression in Tech Innovation - Freddie Hughes exhibits a remarkable career trajectory from a Junior Data Analyst to a Technology Innovator within a year. This rapid growth indicates a proactive attitude toward taking on increasingly complex roles and responsibilities, enhancing his value to prospective employers in cutting-edge tech sectors.
- Broad Technical Skillset with Industry Specific Tools - The CV showcases a diverse range of technical skills including Distributed Computing and Natural Language Processing. These skills are crucial for high-performance data platform development and demonstrate Freddie’s deep understanding of technical methodologies applicable in finance and technology innovation.
Software Engineer Intern in Database Management
- Structured and Clear Presentation - The CV is structured in a logical manner, clearly categorizing different sections such as education, experience, and skills. This clarity and structure make it easy for recruiters to navigate through the candidate's qualifications and professional background. The use of concise bullet points ensures that key information is communicated effectively without overwhelming the reader.
- Growth Demonstrated Through Diverse Roles - Alexander's career trajectory reflects steady growth from a facilitated coding club position to becoming an open-source contributor for a major organization like Mozilla. This progression exhibits a commitment to developing technical skills and gaining experience in different facets of software engineering, demonstrating a strategic approach to career development.
- Impactful Achievements with Real-World Relevance - The achievements listed in the CV are not just quantified but show a significant impact on real-world challenges. For example, winning a hackathon with a machine learning app that improved study productivity by 30% underscores the candidate's ability to create solutions that foster measurable improvements, which is particularly appealing in the tech industry.
Software Engineer Intern in System Architecture
- Clear and Purposeful Structure - The CV is presented in a structured format, with well-defined sections such as experience, education, skills, and volunteering. This organization ensures that key information is easy to locate, helping hiring managers quickly understand Lily’s background and capabilities.
- Career Progression in Technology - Despite being in an internship-driven early stage, Lily's career exhibits significant growth by moving from project contributor roles to organizing and leading tech workshops. The trajectory illustrates her ability to undertake increasing responsibilities in tech, particularly in software engineering and database management.
- Technical Depth and Industry Relevance - Lily's experience in handling complex tools like AWS and PostgreSQL, along with methodologies like Agile/Scrum, reflects a deep technical expertise that is crucial in contemporary software engineering environments—especially in healthcare tech, where precision and efficiency are paramount.
Software Engineer Intern in Firmware
- Cohesive Structure and Clarity - The CV is well-structured and clearly presented, with distinct sections for experience, education, skills, and achievements, making it easy for potential employers to quickly ascertain key information. The use of bullet points in the experience section aids in concise communication of the candidate’s roles and contributions.
- Technical Proficiency in Embedded Systems - William Hall’s expertise in C++, IoT, and UML, alongside notable achievements like developing a smart energy management system, underscores his technical depth in embedded firmware engineering. His involvement in implementing IoT communication protocols for systems with over 200 sensors highlights industry-relevant tools and methodologies.
- Diverse Experience with Cross-Functional Collaboration - A mix of professional and volunteer roles demonstrates adaptability and a collaborative spirit. By working on open-source projects and providing community support through digital skills training, the CV showcases the candidate's capability to work across various teams and apply his skills in different contexts effectively.
Software Engineer Intern in Blockchain
- Structured and Concise Presentation - The CV's layout is neatly organized, allowing for easy navigation through sections such as education, experience, skills, and achievements. This structure enhances readability and ensures that key information is accessed quickly, showcasing Olivia Turner's qualifications effectively without overwhelming the reader with excessive details.
- Focus on Real-time Control Systems - A standout aspect is the inclusion of domain-specific details like real-time control and embedded programming, leveraging technical expertise tailored to the software engineering field. This emphasis on niche skills aligns the candidate with industry demands, positioning her as a specialist in these cutting-edge technologies.
- Effective Utilization of Peer Programming - The CV highlights Olivia's soft skills and leadership through her success in implementing peer programming methodologies, which resulted in a 20% productivity boost. Such collaboration skills are crucial in today’s tech industry, where teamwork and peer learning are integral to achieving project success.
Software Engineer Intern in Bioinformatics
- Concise and well-structured presentation - The CV is organized in a clear and structured manner, making it easy to navigate through the different sections. Essential information like contact details, experience, education, and skills are presented concisely, which helps in quickly grasping the candidate's background and capabilities relevant to the role.
- Diverse industry and technical skill set - Harper Webb's experience spans both genomics and software development, showcasing adaptability and depth in technical expertise. Proficiency in various tools and methodologies such as RESTful web services, Docker, Kubernetes, and cloud services like AWS demonstrates the candidate's ability to apply industry-specific technologies effectively.
- Impactful achievements with clear business relevance - The CV highlights significant achievements with specific metrics that underscore the candidate's ability to make meaningful contributions. Examples include a 20% increase in data accessibility for cancer research and a 40% reduction in deployment time, reflecting both the technical impact and overall contribution to organizational goals.
Structuring and formatting your software engineer intern CV for an excellent first impression
The experts' best advice regarding your CV format is to keep it simple and concise. Recruiters assessing your CV are foremost looking out for candidates who match their ideal job profile. Your white space, borders, and margins. You may still be wondering which format you need to export your CV in. We recommend using the PDF one, as, upon being uploaded, it never alters your information or CV design. Before we move on to the actual content of your software engineer intern CV, we'd like to remind you about the Applicant Tracker System (or the ATS). The ATS is a software that is sometimes used to initially assess your profile. Here's what you need to keep in mind about the ATS:
- All serif and sans-serif fonts (e.g. Rubik, Volkhov, Exo 2 etc.) are ATS-friendly;
- Many candidates invest in Arial and Times New Roman, so avoid these fonts if you want your application to stand out;
- Both single and double column CVs can be read by the ATS, so it's entirely up to you to select your CV design.
PRO TIP
Be mindful of white space; too much can make the CV look sparse, too little can make it look cluttered. Strive for a balance that makes the document easy on the eyes.
The top sections on a software engineer intern CV
- Contact Information ensures quick communication.
- Technical Skills showcase relevant proficiencies.
- Education Background highlights academic credentials.
- Work Experience demonstrates practical application.
- Projects and Portfolio exhibit hands-on experience.
What recruiters value on your CV:
- Highlight your technical proficiency by including specific programming languages, tools, and technologies you have worked with; recruiters look for candidates who have hands-on experience with languages such as Python, Java, or C++ and tools like Git, Docker, or Jenkins.
- Showcase any relevant projects or coursework that demonstrates your ability to code and solve problems; detail what you built, the technologies used, and the impact of your contribution.
- Include any previous internships, work experience, or volunteer work in tech, even if they were short-term or part-time roles; this reflects your practical exposure to software development processes.
- Emphasise soft skills like teamwork, communication, and adaptability by mentioning any collaborative projects or team-based experiences, as software engineering often requires working closely with others.
- Ensure you tailor your CV for each application by carefully reading the job description and highlighting the experiences and skills that align with the responsibilities and preferred qualifications of the software engineer intern role.
Recommended reads:
Our checklist for the must-have information in your software engineer intern CV header
Right at the very top of your software engineer intern CV is where you'd find the header section or the space for your contact details, headline, and professional photo. Wondering how to present your the name of the city you live in and the country abbreviation as your address;
- are tailored to the role you're applying for by integrating key job skills and requirements;
- showcase what your unique value is, most often in the form of your most noteworthy accomplishment;
- select your relevant qualifications, skills, or current role to pass the Applicant Tracker System (ATS) assessment. Still not sure how to write your CV headline? Our examples below showcase best practices on creating effective headlines:
Examples of good CV headlines for software engineer intern:
- Software Engineer Intern | Full-Stack Development Enthusiast | Java & Python | Agile Methodologies | CI/CD Savvy
- Aspiring Software Developer | Front-End Specialisation | React & HTML5 | UX/UI Design Principles | Git Proficient
- Junior Software Programmer Intern | Data Structures Mastery | C++ and C# Proficient | OOP Concepts | Debugging Expert
- Graduate Software Engineering Intern | Cloud Computing Aficionado | AWS Certified | DevOps Practices | Security Awareness
- Software Development Intern | AI & Machine Learning Interests | Python & TensorFlow | Algorithm Design | Robotics Club Lead
- Entry-Level Software Engineer Intern | Mobile App Development | Kotlin & Swift | Cross-Platform Solutions | UI/UX Prototyping
Catching recruiters' attention with your software engineer intern CV summary or objective
Located closer to the top of your CV, both the summary and objective are no more than five sentences long and serve as an introduction to your experience. What is more, you could use either to entice recruiters to read on. Select the:
- Summary, if you happen to have plenty of relevant experience. Feature your most impressive accomplishments and up to three skills that are relevant to the job you're applying for;
- Objective, if you're just starting your career off. Provide your career goals and answer how you see the role you are applying for will match your professional growth.
Judging which one you need to add to your software engineer intern CV may at times seem difficult. That’s why you need to check out how professionals, with similar to your experience, have written their summary or objective, in the examples below:
CV summaries for a software engineer intern job:
- As a recent Computer Science graduate from the University of Cambridge, I have a foundational year of hands-on experience in Java and Python, supplemented by a robust academic understanding of algorithm design. My greatest achievement includes developing an award-winning mobile application during a hackathon, which utilises machine learning to aid in language learning.
- With over three years of experience in the highly competitive field of front-end development, I have honed my skills in React and Angular, while also gaining valuable experience in UX/UI design principles. My commitment and tenacity shone through when I spearheaded a critical refactor of a legacy codebase in my previous role at TechInnovate Ltd, significantly improving system efficiency and user satisfaction.
- Moving from a successful career in mechanical engineering to software engineering, I bring a unique perspective and an earnest desire to contribute to technological advancements. Though new to the field, my analytical skills and problem-solving abilities, honed over four years at Dyson, have already aided me during my extensive self-taught journey in Python and C++ programming.
- Transitioning from healthcare into the tech industry, I come with a unique blend of skills that marry four years of analytical decision-making as a laboratory technician with a burgeoning talent in software development — my self-initiated study of Java and Swift attests to my dedication to seamlessly pivot into this dynamic sector.
- Seeking an internship to apply my newfound skills in Java, SQL, and Git, acquired through a rigorous six-month online coding bootcamp. I am eager to translate my dedication and quick learning capabilities into impactful contributions in a real-world software development environment.
- Eager to immerse myself in the tech industry, I am on the lookout for an internship where I can employ my strong foundational knowledge in data structures and algorithms, gained from online courses and personal projects. My objective is to grow as a software engineer, by crafting meaningful code and learning from seasoned professionals.
Narrating the details of your software engineer intern CV experience section
Perhaps you've heard it time and time again, but, how you present your experience is what matters the most. Your CV experience section - that details your work history alongside your accomplishments - is the space to spotlight your unqiue expertise and talents. So, avoid solely listing your responsibilities, but instead:
- adverts' keywords and integrate those in your experience section;
- Use your CV to detail how you've been promoted in the past by including experience in the reverse chronological order.
Before you start writing your software engineer intern CV experience section, dive into some industry-leading examples on how to structure your bullets.
Best practices for your CV's work experience section
- Developed a Java-based inventory management application, enhancing the data processing speed by 30%, during a summer internship at TechCo.
- Collaborated with a team of 5 to integrate a new authentication feature into the existing company app, utilising OAuth and RESTful APIs, at InnovateTech.
- Implemented unit tests with 85% code coverage for key software components, improving system reliability, during my internship at Start-Up Solutions.
- Assisted in the migration of a legacy system to microservices architecture, resulting in a 20% reduction in server costs, at Cloud Corp during a 3-month internship.
- Contributed to the development of a responsive web application using React and Node.js, which attracted 10,000+ users within the first two months, at WebWorks Internship.
- Analysed user feedback on software usability and functionality, leading to a 15% improvement in customer satisfaction scores at BetaSoft Inc.
- Participated in daily Agile/Scrum meetings, enhancing team communication and sprint deliverables by effectively reporting progress and impediments, during my time at AgileApp Internship.
- Authored detailed documentation for API services, supporting future software maintenance and scalability, while interning at DevSolutions Tech.
- Optimised SQL queries in the company's main product database, resulting in a 25% performance gain evidenced by reduced page load times, at DataStream Inc.
Software Development Internship
Software Engineer Intern
Google UK
06/2021-09/2021
- Implemented a Python-based data aggregation tool that processed over 10,000 data points daily, enhancing the analytics capabilities by 25%.
- Developed an automated test suite using Selenium and JUnit for a new feature in our flagship product, reducing bugs by 15% and shortening the release cycle by two weeks.
- Collaborated with a team of 5 to refactor legacy code, leading to a 30% improvement in application performance and maintainability.
Internship in Software Engineering
Junior Software Engineer Intern
Microsoft Research Cambridge
01/2022-Ongoing
- Contributed to the front-end development of an internal tool using React.js, resulting in improved user engagement by enhancing the UX/UI design for over 200 company employees.
- Aided in deploying microservices for a new feature on the company cloud platform, achieving a 99.9% uptime and handling over 1,000 requests per hour.
- Engaged in critical code reviews and pair programming sessions which led to maintaining high-quality code standards across the team and reducing technical debt significantly.
Engineering Internship - Software Focus
Software Engineering Placement Student
IBM UK Ltd
05/2019-08/2019
- Spearheaded a project to integrate an AI module into the existing CRM system, which improved customer interaction tracking by 40%.
- Enhanced the database management system by writing optimized SQL queries, which increased data retrieval times by 20%.
- Participated in bi-weekly sprint planning meetings to ensure timely delivery of software components, contributing to a team that met 100% of project deadlines.
Software Internship Programme
Intern Software Developer
Amazon Development Centre London
07/2020-12/2020
- Led the development of a cross-platform mobile application using Flutter, which was successfully launched in the App Store and Google Play, amassing over 5,000 downloads within the first month.
- Implemented Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment pipelines, reducing deployment times by 50% and enabling more frequent and stable product releases.
- Assisted with migrating a monolithic architecture to microservices, resolving scalability issues and improving system responsiveness by 35%.
Software Engineering Trainee Programme
Trainee Software Engineer
Palantir Technologies UK
03/2013-09/2013
- Worked on the implementation of an end-to-end encryption feature in a messaging app, securing communications for over 100,000 active users.
- Participated in the development of a caching subsystem that reduced average API response time from 150ms to 65ms for high-traffic services.
- Conducted extensive research and presented findings on emerging technologies in the blockchain sphere, which informed the company's strategic planning for new product development.
Undergraduate Software Developer Experience
Undergraduate Software Developer Intern
Facebook London
02/2017-05/2017
- Prototyped a machine learning algorithm for sentiment analysis on social media data, which increased marketing campaign effectiveness by identifying key customer trends.
- Developed a web dashboard using AngularJS to visually represent business intelligence data, improving decision-making for the marketing team.
- Contributed to the development of an internal API for third-party integrations, expanding the company's service offerings and generating an estimated increase in revenue by 10%.
Graduate Engineer Internship - Software
Graduate Software Engineer Co-op
Salesforce UK
04/2014-08/2014
- Enhanced the security of web applications by incorporating OAuth 2.0 for authentication, successfully mitigating potential risk of unauthorized data access.
- Participated in the design of a scalable NoSQL database solution which now supports rapid data growth up to 500 GB per day, streamlining the data analytics processes.
- Collaborated closely with product managers to implement user-centric features which boosted customer satisfaction ratings by 20% for the company’s main service app.
Professional Placement in Software Engineering
Professional Software Development Intern
Adobe Systems Europe Ltd
11/2015-04/2016
- Took initiative in a project to build a responsive web application with AngularJS, which improved the end-user experience across desktop and mobile platforms.
- Optimized server-side performance by refactoring legacy Java code, achieving an increase in throughput of server requests by 50%.
- Delivered a comprehensive report on UI/UX best practices, which informed the redesign of the company’s customer portal and increased user engagement by 25%.
How to ensure your software engineer intern CV stands out when you have no experience
This part of our step-by-step guide will help you substitute your experience section by helping you spotlight your skill set. First off, your ability to land your first job will depend on the time you take to assess precisely how you match the job requirements. Whether that's via your relevant education and courses, skill set, or any potential extracurricular activities. Next:
- Systematise your CV so that it spotlights your most relevant experience (whether that's your education or volunteer work) towards the top;
- Focus recruiters' attention to your transferrable skill set and in particular how your personality would be the perfect fit for the role;
- Consider how your current background has helped you build your technological understanding - whether you've created projects in your free time or as part of your uni degree;
- Ensure you've expanded on your teamwork capabilities with any relevant internships, part-time roles, or projects you've participated in the past.
Recommended reads:
PRO TIP
Describe how each job helped you grow or learn something new, showing a continuous development path in your career.
Hard skills and soft skills to showcase your unique skill set on your software engineer intern CV
Did you know that your CV will mostly likely be assessed by recruiters based on skill alignment? And that means that the way you feature your key skills across different CV sections will play a crucial role in landing you that first interview. We recommend you add your:
- technical capabilities or hard skills in your CV experience, certificates, projects, etc. Use your past accomplishments to prove your technical capabilities. List up to a dozen different software or hardware in your dedicated skills section to match the job keywords;
- personal and communication skills or soft skills in your CV strengths, achievements, summary/ objective, etc. Soft skills are a bit more difficult to prove. How do you define your aptitude in active listening? So, instead of just listing the skill name, include a tangible metric to show your success.
On a final note, when you're in a hurry to create your profile, you may misspell a particular technology or soft skill. That's why we suggest you copy and paste the particular skill name (or keyword), directly from the job advert. This would also help you to pass any initial Applicant Tracker System (ATS) tests.
Top skills for your software engineer intern CV:
HARD SKILLS
Programming languages (such as Java, C++, Python)
Data structures and algorithms
Database management (SQL)
Software development methodologies (like Agile, Scrum)
Version control systems (such as Git)
Web development (HTML, CSS, JavaScript)
Mobile development (iOS or Android)
Operating systems (Linux, Unix, Windows)
Understanding of APIs and web services
Unit testing and debugging
SOFT SKILLS
Problem-solving
Communication
Attention to detail
Teamwork
Time management
Adaptability
Eagerness to learn
Critical thinking
Creativity
Proactivity
PRO TIP
Use mini case studies or success stories in your CV to demonstrate how your skills have positively impacted previous roles or projects.
Your university degree and certificates: an integral part of your software engineer intern CV
Let's take you back to your uni days and decide what information will be relevant for your software engineer intern CV. Once more, when discussing your higher education, select only information that is pertinent to the job (e.g. degrees and projects in the same industry, etc.). Ultimately, you should:
- List only your higher education degrees, alongside start and graduation dates, and the university name;
- Include that you obtained a first degree for diplomas that are relevant to the role, and you believe will impress recruiters;
- Showcase relevant coursework, projects, or publications, if you happen to have less experience or will need to fill in gaps in your professional history.
PRO TIP
If there's a noticeable gap in your skillset for the role you're applying for, mention any steps you're taking to acquire these skills, such as online courses or self-study.
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Key takeaways
What matters most in your software engineer intern CV-writing process is for you to create a personalised application. One that matches the role and also showcases your unique qualities and talents.
- Use the format to supplement the actual content, to stand out, and to ensure your CV experience is easy to comprehend and follows a logic;
- Invest time in building a succinct CV top one third. One that includes a header (with your contact details and headline), a summary or an objective statement (select the one that best fits your experience), and - potentially - a dedicated skills section or achievements (to fit both hard skills and soft skills requirements);
- Prioritise your most relevant (and senior) experience closer to the top of your CV. Always ensure you're following the "power verb, skill, and achievement" format for your bullets;
- Integrate both your technical and communication background across different sections of your CV to meet the job requirements;
- List your relevant education and certificates to fill in gaps in your CV history and prove to recrutiers you have relevant technical know-how.
