For a junior developer, projects stand in for work experience. What matters is less what you built than which problem you solved, how, and which part was yours.
For: CS and non-CS graduates applying for their first developer role
Start with this example ↗All people, companies and numbers here are fictional. Replace them with your own experience.
Jiwoo Han
Junior Backend Developer · Java/Spring, follows problems to the end
I have built and run API servers with Java and Spring Boot. I enjoy tracing problems with no obvious cause, such as slow queries or failed deploys, through logs and tests, and I document the fix to share with the team.
Projects
Neighborhood Marketplace API · Backend · Team of 4
2023-07 – 2023-11
Java · Spring Boot · JPA · MySQL · GitHub Actions
• Owned the auth and payment APIs and database design. Cut list response time from about 1.2s to 0.3s by replacing an N+1 query with a fetch join, and automated tests and deployment with GitHub Actions.
Study Group Attendance Service · Solo project · From planning to deployment
2023-03 – 2023-06
Spring Boot · Redis · Docker · AWS EC2
• Fixed duplicate records when many people pressed check-in at once with a Redis distributed lock. Matched environments with Docker and ran it for three study groups for two months.
Experience
Example Software (intern) · Backend Engineering Intern
2024-01 – 2024-02
• Changed the admin order lookup API to paginated queries and added indexes to reduce lookup delays.
• Added about 40 unit tests to existing features and documented feedback from code reviews.
Engineer Information Processing · HRD Korea 2023-08
Education
Example University
2019-03 – 2024-02
Computer Science · B.S. · Graduated
• Key courses: Data Structures, Operating Systems, Databases, Computer Networks
Three keys to a Junior Developer resume
01
Put projects at the top
Hiring managers want to know how you actually write code. Place projects right after the summary and link each one to its repository or live site.
02
Write the problem and the fix, not a feature list
'Implemented sign-up, board and comments' appears on almost every resume. One line about a problem you actually hit, such as slow queries, race conditions or broken deploys, and how you fixed it sets you apart.
03
List your stack as deep as you know it
Listing every technology you tried once in a tutorial can hurt you in interviews. Split what you mainly used from what you have tried, and you earn trust.
Writing the summary
State your field (backend, frontend and so on), the technologies you mainly use and how you like to work, in one or two sentences. Mention a working style only if experience backs it up.
I have built and run API servers with Java and Spring Boot. I enjoy tracing problems with no obvious cause, such as slow queries or failed deploys, through logs and tests, and I document the fix to share with the team.
Try rewriting it like this
BeforeBuilt a bulletin board service with Spring Boot.
AfterBuilt a board API with Spring Boot and JPA, and cut list response time from about 1.2s to 0.3s by replacing an N+1 query with a fetch join.
The problem you solved and the before-and-after numbers show skill better than feature names.
BeforeWas responsible for the backend in a team project.
AfterOwned the auth and payment APIs and database design in a team of four, and automated tests and deployment with GitHub Actions.
'Backend' is too broad. Name the features and the process you contributed.
BeforeStudied algorithms consistently.
AfterReached Gold tier on an algorithm judge and documented about 120 solutions on my blog.
Consistency persuades when there is output to check. Add the link if you have one.
Organizing skills
Group skills into languages, frameworks, databases and collaboration or deployment tools. Focus on what you actually used in projects, and check that it matches the technologies in your project entries.
What changes with experience
If this is your first application
Two or three projects described in depth beat five or six listed briefly. One team project and one solo project show both collaboration and ownership.
If you have more experience
Once you have work experience after an internship or bootcamp, move it above projects. Features you owned in a real service, its traffic and incidents you handled are the strongest evidence.
Common mistakes
Including a course or tutorial project without explaining what you added
Private repositories or an empty README
Dozens of technologies in the stack so nothing stands out
No distinction between code you wrote and code your teammates wrote
Frequently asked questions
Should non-CS graduates list their education?
Yes, but lower on the page. Bootcamps or online courses can go under education or in the project description.
Does my GitHub contribution graph matter?
It can show consistency, but it is not the core. Take care of the README and code quality of your main project repositories first.
Do certifications help?
Certifications that show fundamentals are supporting evidence, but they cannot replace project experience.
Build your resume from this example
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