Resume keywords & skills for a Software Engineer
For a software engineer resume, the keywords recruiters and parsers look for fall into three buckets: core engineering skills (data structures, algorithms, system design, REST APIs, microservices), a concrete tech stack (Python / Java / TypeScript, Git, Docker, Kubernetes, AWS, React, SQL), and the human skills like collaboration and problem solving. Paste your resume below to see which of this role's keywords you already hit and which you're missing — comparison only, nothing uploaded. One honest note: adding keywords makes your resume more relevant to the role; it isn't a trick to fool the machine.
Software Engineer resume keywords (32)
Hard skills
Tools & tech
Soft skills
Check your resume against these Software Engineer keywords
Paste your resume (or drop a file) and see which of this role's keywords you already have and which you're missing — entirely in your browser, nothing uploaded.
Keywords are relevance, not a trick
Keywords exist to show a recruiter you actually fit this role — they're not a trick to fool an ATS. Only add skills you genuinely have: anything you can't defend in an interview backfires fast.
Frequently asked questions
List the languages you're genuinely fluent in that match the target role. Back-end roles often want Python / Java / Go / SQL; front-end roles want JavaScript / TypeScript / React. Rather than stacking ten languages, show 2–3 core ones with real projects and outcomes — depth reads stronger than breadth.
No. Claiming tools you can't use is worse than omitting them — a technical screen or live coding session exposes it fast. A better move: build a small project that genuinely uses them (deploy to AWS, containerize with Docker), then add them honestly. Now it's a real signal.
Don't just list 'proficient in data structures and algorithms.' Tie it to a concrete result, e.g. 'Reworked the core matching algorithm, cutting API p99 latency from 800ms to 120ms.' A line with a verb and a number proves the skill far better than a noun pile.
No — and no tool can promise that. Keywords are one part of relevance. What actually earns a reply is how well your real experience fits the role and how clearly you write it. PolishCat helps you see the gap; it doesn't sell a 'guaranteed pass' myth.
Updated · PolishCat team