What do recruiters look for in a resume of a software engineer?

Recruiters scan resumes to decide quickly whether you’re a likely fit for a role and worth sending to the hiring manager. They look for signals of technical fit, impact, and communication — in that order. Clear, concise presentation matters because they often have seconds per resume.

Key things they look for and why:

• Strong header/summary: role + years + focus (helps immediate relevance).
• Technical skills section: languages, frameworks, tools (for quick skill-matching and ATS).
• Relevant experience with metrics: what you built, your role, and measurable impact (shows ability and results).
• Projects or portfolio links (GitHub, live demos): proves you can ship code.
• Role-appropriate keywords: mirrors job description to pass filters and show fit.
• Problem-solving and ownership examples: shows seniority and initiative.
• Clean, scannable formatting: recruiters want speed and readability.
• Communication/teamwork hints: collaboration, mentoring, cross-functional work.
• Education/certs only if relevant or differentiating.

Tailor each resume to the role and prioritize recent, high-impact work.

What specific role or level are you targeting so I can suggest exact tweaks?