Explicitly state your contribution, the specific tools used, and your quantifiable impact.
ALWAYS list the engine you worked in.
Keep it succinct—your CV is a highlight reel of your problem-solving, not a novel!
Getting a job in the games industry as a programmer is highly competitive. With AI things have also changed, but there are some things you can do to stand out.
The most important thing is that you explicitly outline where you made an impact. What problems did you solve? What were the results of your solution?
Optimizing your CV for more interviews
Recruiters will view your experience in relation to their vacancy. That means they have a checklist of hard skills their ‘ideal candidate’ will have, and they’re quickly scanning to see if your CV ticks those boxes.
Usually they will be trying to match:
Technology & Software (e.g., C++, Python, Unreal Engine 5)
Concrete Solutions (the specific tools you made or changes you implemented)
Impact and Scale (the end result of your contributions)
Your CV must be super easy to read. A recruiter should be able to find these things within 2 seconds.
The best thing you can do to get hired is to provide concrete examples of the tools and solutions you used. Tech CVs have to clearly outline how you are an effective problem solver and a solution builder.
Impact - make sure you quantify your work. If you optimized code, state by how much (e.g., reduced frame time from 8.3ms to 3.8ms). If you built a system, state who used it and what the tangible business or gameplay result was.
And…
Always explicitly outline the technology stack. Don't hide your engine or language experience in a dense paragraph; bold those keywords so they jump off the page during that initial recruiter scan.
TL:DR - Recruiters need to see your impact & results, what tech you used and how you implemented change. Always list the game title & engine. Make it easy to read; stick the most relevant examples.
PROGRAMMING
HOW TO GET HIRED.
FAQ
Should I include a ‘skills or technology' section?
Yes, but stick to the role-relevant examples (C++/Unreal, not Microsoft Word). The most important part of your CV is your recent experience, not the skills section.
What if I did the same job over and over? Do I repeat the bullet points?
Even if you did the same job, your impact and the solutions you created are going to be different. Try to get super specific and think how your work was different for each role.
Should I list every game/project I worked on?
Yes, you should state the games. It’s useful info for the hiring team. I usually suggest naming the games in a sentence or two above the experience bullet points.
I’ve hired whole AAA Programming teams. If you need support, I’m here to help!