How to create a software engineer resume as a career pivoter

Selena Ma is the Head of Fellowship Recruitment at Formation and has over ten years of experience in tech recruiting at both Meta and Google. She’s sifted through thousands of resumes and knows exactly what a recruiter is looking for in an application. 

We see many career pivoters in Formation’s Fellowship program, and they often have the same questions: How do I craft a resume that will stand out among a sea of applicants? How do I position my career transition as a strength? What will it take to catch a recruiter's attention when I’m up against others with CS degrees?

I previously wrote an article on how to format your SWE resume that serves as a great guide on formatting your resume, what recruiters are looking for, and, generally, how to stand out. 

Here’s my specific advice for career pivoters.

Tell your story: Don’t hide the transition 

As a career pivoter, there are a few ways you can approach crafting your resume. One option is to focus solely on software engineering. Start your timeline with your bootcamp or wherever you learned to code and build your story from there. 

If you ask me, I prefer to see a candidate's complete progression from where they started to how they got to the application they’re submitting now. These narratives often resonate with recruiters because we appreciate the human element behind a resume. Recruiters tend to be drawn to what might be seen as an 'underdog story', which can make a candidate stand out as a good hire. 

A compelling personal journey demonstrates hard work and grit and can tell the recruiter a lot about your character and the type of employee you might be. People really connect with those stories and are drawn to the human impact. 

Connect the dots: Highlight transferable skills and passions

Showing the transition also gives you the opportunity to showcase transferable skills. 

There’s a big difference between hiring someone with multiple years of experience and someone fresh out of college looking for their very first job. Lean into the fact that you have significant work experience. For example, at Formation, we've seen individuals transition from chefs to software engineers. There are many transferable skills between these experiences, like leading a team, working efficiently under tight deadlines, prioritizing tasks, and managing high-pressure situations typical in a kitchen. 

Changing careers can also be a competitive advantage. If you join a company building a platform for legal teams and you used to be a lawyer, that’s an incredible experience to bring with you. When you can connect the dots between how you were introduced to software engineering or why you love it and your old career—marry your passions—you have a really strong fit.

Even if the connection isn’t that obvious, you could highlight important skills like 

• Problem-solving
• Project management
• Analytical thinking
• Communication
• Attention to detail
• Teamwork and collaboration
• Adaptability and learning agility
• Customer focus and empathy
• Data analysis
• Creative thinking
• Technical writing

Keep it cohesive: Show how you got from A to B

When creating your resume as a career pivoter, it’s critical to avoid submitting a disjointed resume. Make sure that your resume tells a cohesive story. Your resume timeline should maintain a logical flow that’s easy for a recruiter to follow. 

When creating your resume, make sure that you

• Clearly outline the steps you took to transition, such as education, certifications, or relevant projects
• List and clearly date any significant milestones that facilitated your transition, like completing a bootcamp or earning a certification
• List any clubs, GitHub contributions, personal projects, or freelance work that would demonstrate your involvement in tech 
• Highlight the most impactful and relevant experiences from past positions, focusing on things that would signal transferable skills
• Convey a consistent message about your career transition and goals on your LinkedIn profile, resume, and cover letter 

Stand out: Don’t be afraid to be YOU

Adding a bit of flair to your resume can catch a recruiter’s eye by showcasing what’s unique about you. Don’t go overboard, but I like the idea of a catchy title like "Chef turned Engineer" or "Robotics Geek and Classically Trained Musician." These titles are engaging and make people curious about your background, blending who you are into a fun, unique narrative instead of just "Software Engineer." 

This can work especially well if you’re blending the passions of your previous life with your current role. One of our Fellows was a doula who became a software engineer for a startup focused on birthing mothers, leveraging her past experience in a relevant tech role.

You don't have to banish that previous career, and your new path doesn't mean that your last career meant nothing. You can bring your whole self to work, and all of your experiences can play into what you have to offer a company. It's advantageous to have you and the perspective that you bring.

Need more? Get holistic interview prep with Formation

The Formation Fellowship gives mid-level and senior engineering job seekers everything they need to land their dream roles—including personalized skill brush-ups, unlimited mock interviews with experienced software engineers and hiring managers from top-tier tech companies, career and negotiation support, and more. 

If you’re having trouble navigating your job search on your own, apply here and get unconditional support from a team of engineering mentors, technical recruiters, career coaches, and more.