What is the best LaTeX resume template for software engineers?

Jake's Resume is the most widely used: single column, clean, and reliable in ATS parsing. Awesome-CV is a good choice if you want a little more styling.

Is a LaTeX resume better than a Word resume?

Not for recruiters. They see the PDF, not the source. LaTeX gives tighter typography and version control; Word or Google Docs is faster to edit. Content matters far more than the tool.

Do recruiters like LaTeX resumes?

Many technical recruiters recognise the Jake-style layout and find it easy to skim. No recruiter rejects a resume for being made in Word, though.

What is a LaTeX format resume?

A resume written in the LaTeX typesetting language and compiled to PDF. The term usually refers to the clean, single-column look of templates like Jake's Resume.

Can I make a LaTeX CV without installing anything?

Yes. Overleaf runs LaTeX in the browser for free. Or use a builder that produces the same layout without any LaTeX.

LaTeX resume templates for software engineers

By Mubeen Jawed, founder of ResumeForDev · Updated November 7, 2026

Short answer

The most popular LaTeX resume template for software engineers is Jake's Resume: one column, Computer Modern font and ruled small-caps headings, free on Overleaf. Other common choices are Deedy (two columns), Awesome-CV (styled, with color accents) and moderncv (more traditional CV layout). LaTeX resumes are ATS-friendly when they're single column and compiled to a text-based PDF. Check that the text copies out of the PDF in order. If you don't want to maintain LaTeX, a builder can produce the same layout.

Key points

Jake's Resume is the default LaTeX template in software engineering.
Single-column LaTeX templates parse well in ATS software.
Overleaf lets you edit and compile in the browser with no install.
LaTeX costs time on formatting; that's the main reason people switch.

Why engineers use LaTeX for resumes

LaTeX gives precise, consistent typography, keeps your resume as plain text you can put in Git, and produces clean PDFs. In CS communities it has become a signal of a technical resume, mostly because of one template: Jake Gutierrez's “Jake's Resume”, which you'll see in countless resume threads. The trade-off is that every edit means touching markup, and fitting a page exactly can take a while.

The main LaTeX resume templates

Popular LaTeX resume templates for developers
Template	Layout	ATS parsing	Best for
Jake's Resume	One column, ruled small-caps headings	Reliable	Most software engineering applications
Deedy Resume	Two columns, compact	Less predictable	Fitting a lot on one page
Awesome-CV	One column with color accents	Generally fine	A slightly more designed look
moderncv	Classic CV with a side date column	Generally fine	Academic or European-style CVs
RenderCV themes	Generated from a YAML file	Depends on the theme	Keeping your resume as data

For a deeper comparison, including non-LaTeX options, see alternatives to Jake's resume template.

How to use a LaTeX resume template in Overleaf

Create a free Overleaf account and search the template gallery for the template name, or upload the .tex file from its GitHub repo.
Open the project and edit the main .tex file. Each entry is usually a macro like \resumeSubheading with title, dates, company and location.
Recompile after each change and watch the page count. Most templates won't stop you spilling onto page two.
Download the PDF, then open it and select the text to check it copies out in reading order.
Keep a copy of the .tex in Git so you can make tailored versions per application.

Are LaTeX resumes ATS-friendly?

Yes, when the template is single column and you compile to a text-based PDF (pdfLaTeX and XeLaTeX both do by default). Problems come from two-column layouts, icons used instead of words, and custom fonts that map characters oddly, which can turn ligatures like “fi” into garbage when parsed. Test with a copy-paste, then run the PDF through a free ATS resume checker. More detail in what makes a developer resume ATS-friendly.

Getting the LaTeX look without LaTeX

If you like the layout but not the upkeep, you have two options. You can recreate it by hand in an editor: see Jake's template in Google Docs or Word. Or use ResumeForDev, which renders a faithful port of Jake's layout (Computer Modern, small caps, ruled headings), auto-fits it to one page and exports a text-based PDF. It also writes the bullets with you, from your own answers.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best LaTeX resume template for software engineers?: Jake's Resume is the most widely used: single column, clean, and reliable in ATS parsing. Awesome-CV is a good choice if you want a little more styling.
Is a LaTeX resume better than a Word resume?: Not for recruiters. They see the PDF, not the source. LaTeX gives tighter typography and version control; Word or Google Docs is faster to edit. Content matters far more than the tool.
Do recruiters like LaTeX resumes?: Many technical recruiters recognise the Jake-style layout and find it easy to skim. No recruiter rejects a resume for being made in Word, though.
What is a LaTeX format resume?: A resume written in the LaTeX typesetting language and compiled to PDF. The term usually refers to the clean, single-column look of templates like Jake's Resume.
Can I make a LaTeX CV without installing anything?: Yes. Overleaf runs LaTeX in the browser for free. Or use a builder that produces the same layout without any LaTeX.