4 Python Resume Examples & Tips for Backend, Django, PySpark, And Senior/Entry Level Python Devs

Most will tell you that landing a Python role is a numbers game. More applications == more chances.

That’s not entirely true in 2023 and beyond. Applying to as many jobs as you can assumes that the hiring manager randomly hires - this Python code would better explain it:

import random

resumes_recieved = [...] candidate = random.choice(resumes_received)

print(f"Shortlist {candidate.name}!")

It isn’t like that though.

While they can reject your application based skills, experience, etc.

But, a bad Python resume can get rejected before a hiring manager assesses any other criteria.

That’s why it is very important for you to not only create a resume that shows them what they are looking for, but also make sure that your Python Developer resume is formatted in the right way too.

In this article, you’ll learn everything you need to know to be the best Pythonista on the job market.

We will teach you the following:

1. How to create a Python resume that makes you a top 1% candidate for the target role.
2. How to select the right format for a Python resume.
3. How to enhance your resume with projects and other sections to stand out.
4. How to understand what a hiring manager is expecting from your resume when they list a job.

First, let’s start with a few Python resume examples to inspire you.

Python Developer Resume Example (Backend Engineer)

Django Python Resume Example

Full Stack Python Resume Example

Python Data Engineer Resume Example (PySpark)

When you ask for a feedback on your Python resume, it isn’t uncommon to hear unhelpful advice like:

1. Your resume is too long, no one would read it.
2. List more Python projects on your resume.
3. Remove “this” section.

The reality is that none of the advice is contextual to your resume, neither is it actionable. Instead you need to truly understand what type of Python job you are applying to and shape your resume for it.

To begin with, if you are applying for a very competitive Python role (e.g. a MAANG job), you’ll be competing with top talent. Your resume should look like one!

What Hiring Managers Expect from a Top Candidate’s Python Resume?

Ideally, a hiring manager’s expectations are based on the following from a Python resume:

1. Your Python programming skills - performant, maintainable, and testable Python code.
2. Significant Python development experience beyond simple helloWorld.py type projects.
3. Your expertise with frameworks they use - Django, Flask, Spark, etc.
4. Maintainability of your code - they are concerned if you are going to write a module that’s only going to increase tech debt.
5. Scalability of your code - if scalability is their concern, they want you to be able to write Python code that can scale their business product(s)/service(s).
6. Testability of the Python code you write - if the company practice is to write >90% testable code, they would expect you to be able to write highly testable code.
7. Ability to learn - this is important as Python developers are expected to learn and build at the same time. They expect to see this from your resume.
8. A Python resume isn’t just expected to write code - but also be able to deploy and document well too.
9. A talented Python developer would be able to display their thoughtfulness when it comes to architectural design patterns.
10. If the job demands a full stack Python developer, a top resume would be expected to have a solid command of other front end, backend languages and expected to know your way around databases.
11. Projects, especially open source projects that display your Python skills are highly appreciated.

Broadly speaking, most applicants would create Python resumes for one of the following jobs:

1. Python roles at top organizations like Google.
2. Entry level Python roles.
3. Mid-level Python roles.
4. Senior Python roles.

For each of these jobs there are subtle differences in the way we create those Python resumes. In our “how to write a Python resume” section, we will discuss each of them.

How to Write a Python Resume

To write a Python resume that land interviews, do the following:

1. Select the right Python resume format - reverse chronological, functional or combination layout. Select the right one based on your relevant work experience.
2. Add the most common sections that every hiring manager expects - header, summary/objective, work experience, skills, projects, and education.
3. As a Python developer, you have a broad set of skills - read the job description to understand which ones are relevant to the job. Build your Python resume around it.
4. Use the STAR format while listing your Python and other programming work experience.
5. Add your Github or portfolio page links in the header section.
6. Your education section should be short if you have significant work experience, otherwise consider adding more relevant details.
7. Keep your resume one page if your total experience is less than 15 years. It is acceptable to have a Python resume of two pages or more with more than 15 years of experience.
8. Do a quick 10 second test to see if you can locate key information just by glancing before you finish writing your resume. If you are unable to find information consider adding/removing content, improve visual hierarchy or rearrange resume sections.

How to Write an Experienced Python Developer Resume

To write an experienced Python developer resume, follow these steps:

1. Select a reverse chronological resume layout if total experience is less than 15 years. Else, select a functional or combination resume layout.
2. Avoid adding entry level projects that reduce the overall impact of your resume. Be very picky about what type of Python projects you would like to list.
3. Scan the job description and look at all major Python frameworks listed in it. If you have experience with them, list them in your skills section and show how you built Python apps/services using them in your work experience.
4. Your Python work experience should display either of these at minimum: scale of work, quality of code, testability, maintainability, and your ability to mentor junior Python developers.
5. If the job description asks for a specific skill (e.g. real time data handling capabilities for fintech) - customize your resume around it.
6. Display your project management skills and the scale of projects managed (e.g. size, cost savings, etc) if the job asks for a Python developer with project management experience.
7. Highlight your capabilities in understanding software architectures that scale and achieve business values.
8. Any senior Python developer is expected to also have top notch DevOps skills too.
9. While writing your resume don’t add languages or skills that can’t be backed by either of your experience, certifications, or education.

How to Write a MAANG Python Resume

While writing a MAANG Python resume, you need to do the following:

1. Make sure to go through each MAANG’s own criterias/principles e.g. Amazon has Amazon’s leadership principles. Ensure that your resume reflects that you exceed these requirements.
2. Avoid using the same resume for all MAANG companies. You should be creating a specific resume for each company.
3. Highlight your resume around very specific topics that the job demands. For example, if the job is focused on data engineering, ensure that your resume exceeds what they expect from a Python Data Engineer.
4. If you have an impressive Github profile, link out to it from your Python resume’s header.
5. But if you have a few impressive open source projects, create a separate section for your Python projects.
6. While writing your Python experience you should highlight the impact and complexity of your Python work. E.g. Created a 3 tier deep learning architecture to improve spare parts recognition from 96% to 99.7% accuracy.
7. Write 4-5 versions of your Python summary make sure it shows your total years of experience in Python (and other demanded skills), your Python expertise, and your achievements.
8. If you have an academic background and have published research papers - you can create a specific section for published research and link out to them.

But what if you are an entry-level Python developer with no experience trying to write a resume?

If you are in the early stages of your career, the good news is that lack of experience can now be compensated with internships, personal projects, or open source contributions.

Doing so highlights that you are an extremely self-driven Python developer and are a very passionate Pythonista.

How to Write an Entry Level Python Developer Resume

1. First of all, select a functional or a combination layout for your Python resume.
2. Next, add an objective instead of a summary to explain why you are a great fit for a Python job.
3. While you lack Python experience, replace it with either Python or any other relevant tech internship or simply add Python projects in its place.
4. Be selective while adding other tech stack to your Python resume. Consider subsetting your most visible skills to those that are present in the job description.
5. List your Github, open source Python projects, and any other portfolio links in your resume header.
6. While listing any project or a Python internship experience, display thoughtfulness in your programming decisions. Display the scale and impact of your projects.
7. Keep your resume’s length to one page.

Metaphorically, you just did:

pip install VisualCV

Now, let’s import this Python resume and make it even better.

from VisualCV import better_resume

While you are at it, why not try importing your existing resume and give it a makeover with VisualCV?

It is as simple as: updated_resume = VisualCV.doc_read(‘oldResume.docx’) Or updated_resume = VisualCV.pdf_read(‘oldResume.pdf’)

We will now show you how to write individual sections of your Python resume with examples.

Optimize Your Python Resume’s Header

The key to a perfect resume header is:

1. Add your full name.
2. Avoid listing your full street address. Just listing city and state should be sufficient.
3. Add your contact information - your phone number and a professional email (no cooldude2020@gmail.com).
4. Add a link to your Github/Gitlab and any other portfolio (e.g. a website or a Python blog or Stackoverflow profile).
5. List your current (or prospective job title) in the header. It helps a hiring manager understand what you currently do or aspire to do.

List them and you have got yourself a nearly perfect resume header for a Python developer.

Bad Example - Django Python Developer Resume Header

Mark, 3904 Millbrook Road, Naperville, IL 60540, 6307539566, coolmark420@gmail.com

Let’s break it down by why it is the wrong way to write a Python resume header.

First of all, it doesn't even list the full name of the Python candidate.

Second, there’s no need to add a full street address to your resume. No employer needs that information, and it only detracts them from discovering meaningful information about you.

Third, make it easier for hiring managers to give you a callback if they like your resume. Best if you make the phone numbers easier to read by following the format xxx-xxx-xxxx.

Fourth, the email “coolmark420@gmail.com” isn’t professional either. When you are competing against hundreds of other Python candidates, you have to make sure you don’t leave any stone unturned.

Good Example - Django Python Developer Resume Header

Mark McLedon, Senior Python Developer, Naperville, IL, 630-753-9566, mark.mcledon12@gmail.com, github.com/mld_python, https://stackoverflow.com/users/2121002/ml

What makes this Python developer resume example better?

1. Has everything a hiring manager would look for.
2. The Github link allows the hiring manager to see Python code quality and explore projects that the candidate has done.
3. The stackoverflow profile shows the depth of the candidate's technical capabilities.

If you don’t have a stackoverflow profile, you can add your Python blog or something like dev.to profiles too.

Note - We would suggest you avoid listing your stackoverflow profile if you are below the top 40% overall under the Python tag.

Should You Write an Objective or a Summary on Your Python Resume?

If you have no Python specific experience, go for an objective to explain why you are applying for the job or justify a transition to a Python role. Else, write a Python specific resume summary instead.

If python_experience == 0: print(‘Write an objective’) else: print(‘Write a summary’)

Python Resume Objective Examples

Junior Python Developer Resume Objective Example

A Junior Python Developer seeking to leverage Python programming to contribute to the development of data heavy fintech applications. Passionate about Apache Spark and building highly performant data applications.

Example of Python Resume Objective for Career Transition

Aspiring Python developer passionate about leveraging 5 years of building enterprise applications for banking, travel, and hospitality industries. Core expertise: clean architectures, programming leadership, full stack development, and TDD.

Python Resume Summary Examples

Full Stack Python Developer Resume Summary Example

Full Stack Python Developer with over 4 years of experience designing and implementing scalable software solutions for diverse industries. Skilled in full-stack development, with expertise in Flask, Django and front-end technologies such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

Senior Python Developer Resume Summary Example

Senior Python Developer with over 10 years of experience developing highly scalable, real-time web apps using Flask. Proficient in data analysis and machine learning using Python libraries such as NumPy, Pandas, and Scikit-learn.

Python Engineer Resume Summary Example

Python Engineer with a strong background in designing and deploying scalable network solutions using Python programming and related tools such as Ansible and Terraform. Passionate about leveraging Python to automate network processes and optimize network performance.

Big Data Python Developer Resume

Python Developer with extensive experience in designing and implementing scalable big data solutions. Skilled in utilizing the full range of Python data science tools, including Pandas, NumPy, and SciPy, and experienced in working with Big Data frameworks such as Apache Spark, Hadoop, and Kafka.

How to List Your Python Experience on Resume?

The best way to list your Python work experience on your resume and win a job is by:

1. Following the STAR format and list down all Python projects (prioritized by impactfulness) under each employer.
2. While listing your Python work experience, make sure to add other languages that you used (e.g. Go) and cloud technologies (e.g. AWS streaming service).
3. Highlight the important details in your Python experience - e.g. concurrency, latency, requests per second, etc handled through your Python code.
4. Make sure to list any architectural design work you did and the impact it made.
5. If you have DevOps experience, make sure to highlight it in your experience too.

Below are a few Python resume examples to show you how to write the perfect experience section.

Experienced Python Developer Resume Work History Example

Python Developer

1. Designed and developed internal web applications and APIs using Flask and Django.
2. Conducted performance testing and optimization of application code, resulting in improved application speed and stability.
3. Managed and maintained the company's server infrastructure, ensuring 99.97 SLA uptime and security.
4. Migrated over 5 enterprise web applications to a modern Django based backend without any downtime.

Experience Section from a Full Stack Python Developer Resume

Full Stack Python Developer PowerTrain Inc.

1. Designed and developed a new PowerTrain Explorer for the PT Logistics tool using Python and JavaScript, making it more modern and user friendly.
2. Implemented Python test suite to increase test coverage to 95%.
3. Developed application level design and technical specifications for our end-user application to handle 350+ API requests per second.
4. Implemented program and system walk-throughs with Product Managers and Analysts for new projects.
5. Unified development environment companywide using Docker containers, reducing the time it took to train new developers by 2x.

Python Pyspark Resume Example (experience)

Python Developer

1. Designed and developed ETL pipelines using PySpark and Hive to process large geospatial datasets in a distributed environment.
2. Develop data models that support terrain data analysis for urban mobility teams.
3. Worked with NoSQL databases such as HBase, Cassandra, and MongoDB to store and manage 5 Petabytes of data.
4. Developed and maintained data processing and cleansing scripts using Python and PySpark.
5. Optimized Spark jobs by tuning performance parameters and implementing best practices for partitioning and caching data.
6. Created and maintained data pipelines using Apache Airflow to schedule, monitor, and manage workflows.
7. Conducted code reviews and mentored junior developers on big data best practices, leading to improved code quality and 5 times faster delivery times.

How to List Python on Resume?

You can list Python on the following parts of your resume:

1. Summary or objective section.
2. Your work experience section. List what you built using Python and the business impact it made.
3. Your skills section - list Python as a programming language, but also list specific frameworks for server, frontend, testing, etc that you use.
4. Your projects section - list Python projects to show what you built.
5. Education section - if you leveraged Python extensively at university/college and you are not a very experienced Pythonista, we recommend that you list Python in your education section too.

So, what’s pending on your Python resume? Let’s do:

pip list

We don’t see the skills and education section in our output. Let’s dive into them.

Top Python Resume Skills for 2023

1. Python programming
2. Django
3. Flask
4. Data structures
5. API
6. Pytest
7. Javascript
8. unittest
9. NumPy
10. Pandas
11. Database
12. Architecture
13. Pair programming
14. Code review
15. DevOps
16. Git
17. Machine learning
18. AWS
19. Azure
20. TDD
21. Scrum
22. Agile

Other Python Skills for Your Resume in 2023

1. PySpark
2. Tensorflow
3. Spark SQL
4. Tornado
5. Spark Streaming
6. HTML
7. Hadoop
8. Hive
9. HBase
10. Cassandra
11. MongoDB
12. Apache Kafka
13. Apache Airflow
14. MLlib
15. TensorFlow
16. NumPy
17. Scipy
18. Pandas
19. SQL
20. NoSQL
21. AWS S3
22. Glue
23. Athena
24. GitHub
25. BDD
26. Gitlab
27. Docker
28. Kubernetes
29. Apache Mesos

Finally, how do you list your education on a Python resume?

Let’s take a look.

How to List Your Education on a Python Resume

Unless you are an entry-level Python applicant, the right way to list education on Python resume is: [Degree], [University/College name], Start year - End year

Adding more details while listing education on your Python resume would only increase your resume’s length or reduce the total available space for relevant information.

However, if you are someone with zero Python experience or an entry-level Python Developer, list education using this format instead.

Python Resume Education Format Example for No Experience or Entry-Level Python Developers

[Degree], [University/College name], Start year - End year

• One line description of what Python projects/relevant coursework did
• One line description of what Python projects/relevant coursework did
• One line description of what Python projects/relevant coursework did

Just make sure you don’t make it too long.

And that’s all it takes to write a Python resume that can land you any job you want!