Elena Prokopets
Claire Briggs Webber, CPRW
Web development is a high-growth field with plenty of earning potential. The average salary is $76,000 per year with bonuses and vested stock options also doled out to those joining a startup.
But the challenge is that web development also a very crowded industry. You will have a lot of competition for the best (read six-figure) jobs in your niche. Thus, it’s important that you truly stand out! Of course, you have the talent, experience, and technical skillset! Now, you just have to convince hiring managers. The best way to do that is by filing a compelling resume.
That’s where we come in! Take a look at some helpful tips on writing your resume and other steps you can take to land a great job. We’ve even included a web developer resume sample for your review.
Work Some Magic With Your Professional Summary
So many resume summaries or objective statements begin with a plain opener: ‘Experienced web developer interested in…’ or ‘Talented web developer seeks a position…’. That’s boring and does nothing to grab attention. Open with something relevant and compelling right from the start. Here are a few examples:
- ‘Web developer with a proven record of increasing conversions by more than 20%’
- ‘Web designer offering high-converting landing pages and websites.’
- ‘Ecommerce website development specialist. Familiar with PCI-DSS compliance’
The key is to find a need that applies specifically to the company and incorporate that into your summary statement.
Show The End Results of Your Work
It’s not enough to just say you build websites or landing pages. There are thousands of people who can do that. Instead, you have to take things a step further. Remember that you have to fill in the blanks: ‘I built a website that, ___________________’ or ‘I created a landing page that _____________’.
This means that rather than writing, ‘Developed multiple landing pages for a major electronics retailer’, you might write ‘Developed multiple landing pages for a major electronics retailer that resulted in an average sales increase of 23%.’
Build a Great Portfolio
Every web developer should be prepared with an amazing portfolio that really showcases your results. Select work that illustrates your range of talents, but focuses on your most marketable skills. Then, display it professionally on your own website, or through a reputable portfolio hosting service.
Link your portfolio in your contact information. Then, consider linking to specific pages if they are relevant in your professional or skills section. If you have it, consider linking to your GitHub or another open-source account to share samples of your code as well.
Arrange Your Skill Set in a Logical Order
Rather than arranging your skills in a bulleted list or grid, use subheadings and group similar skills together. This will add context. Plus help the hiring managers better understand the depth of your skills in any given area. Here’s an example:
Web Development Frameworks:
- Angular
- jQuery
- Spring
- React
Make Your Soft Skills Relevant
If you are applying for a freelance or contracting job, your technical skills are most important. On the other hand, if you are trying to land a permanent job, your leadership and management skills also matter. Include these in your resume, but don’t forget to make them relevant to your position. Rather than writing ‘Communications Skills’, use ‘Requirements Gathering’. Both indicate an ability to share information, but the latter is more relevant to web development.
Web Developer Resume Sample (Word version)
Download resume example (.docx)
Web Developer Resume Example (text version)
Professional Summary
Skilled web developer who creates high converting landing pages, and web pages with a focus on user experience. More than 5 years of eCommerce experience with a range of SMEs. Able to complete projects at a face pace while maintaining the highest standards of quality.
Skills
Applications and Web Servers
- Tomcat
- Apache
Web Development Languages
- HTML
- HTML5
- Java
- PHP
Prototyping Tools
- Azure
- Proto.IO
Management skills
- User Requirements gathering
- Project management
- Peer mentoring
Professional Experience
Axis Web Consultants
March 2016 — Present
Lead Consultant
- Lead website rewrite for a top auto parts supplier in the United States
- Assisted multiple small businesses in converting from WooCommerce to Shopify
- Managed the development of landing pages for a large wholesale grocer that increased average conversion per page by 35%.
Hawthorn Industries
June 2015 – March 2016
Internal Web Developer
- Designed, developed, and maintained the company intranet page.
- Team leader of the creation of the Hawthorn-Europe page that was a key deliverable in the company’s expansion into the European market.
- Developed and published web development and design testing standards resulting in 30% fewer post-deployment bugs.
Education
University of Iowa
Bachelor of Science — Web Development
May 2015
3.75 GPA
- Gold Medal Winner: 2014 Student Web Development Challenge
- Vice President Uof I Web Developers Association
- Completed Web Design Internship: Enterprise Holdings May 2014
Projects
Please review the following code samples and screenshots of my most noteworthy projects:
- Created an online customer satisfaction survey for a national urgent care clinic.
- Assisted a Des Moines area non-profit increase online donations via a web app that interfaced with Facebook Messenger.
- Developed a series of web pages to streamline the application process at Des Moines Community College
Final Thoughts: Consider a Projects Section
You may have noticed a projects section at the end of the sample resume above. This is a great way to add references to work that you have done independently, through internships, or as a student. Simply make a brief list of notable work you have done, and link to the pages in your profile and GitHub.
