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Software engineer skills: what job ads ask for most

Updated 31 October 2026 · 2,777 software engineer job ads from the last 90 days

What skills does a software engineer need?

In 2,777 software engineer job ads from the last 90 days, the skills asked for most were Python (26% of ads), AWS (16% of ads) and CI/CD (16% of ads). The ads also name communication skills (28%) and teamwork (26%) explicitly.

Compared with software engineering ads as a whole, software engineer ads ask for C++ (16% against 8%) and Distributed systems (13% against 8%) more often.

Skills and tools in software engineer job ads

Share of software engineer ads that mention each skill, with all software engineering ads for comparison (the thin mark).

  1. Python26%all 20%
  2. AWS16%all 14%
  3. CI/CD16%all 17%
  4. C++16%all 8%
  5. TypeScript15%all 15%
  6. Observability14%all 13%
  7. Go14%all 10%
  8. Java13%all 12%
  9. Distributed systems13%all 8%
  10. React13%all 16%
  11. Kubernetes13%all 12%
  12. Machine learning11%all 7%
  13. Docker10%all 9%
  14. Rust9%all 5%
  15. Linux9%all 7%

Ways of working the ads name

Listing these on a CV proves little; show them in a bullet point or in the interview.

  1. Communication skills28%all 19%
  2. Teamwork26%all 20%
  3. Leadership10%all 8%
  4. Problem solving10%all 7%
  5. Mentoring9%all 7%

How to use this on your CV (or résumé)

  1. Check the job you're applying for, not just the averages: paste your CV and the ad into the free CV keyword checker to see which of its skills your CV doesn't mention.
  2. For each skill you really have, use the ad's own words in a bullet point that shows how you used it, ideally with a number. The software engineer CV example shows how.
  3. Leave out skills you don't have. Interviewers ask about what's on your CV.

Is your CV missing any of these?

Compare your CV with a real software engineer job ad. Free, no sign-up, and your CV never leaves your browser.

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Skills for other jobs

How these figures are made

  • 2,777 job ads posted in the last 90 days with “software engineer” (or a close variant) in the title, from public job sources Litjob collects. Most are from the UK, the US and Europe.
  • Each percentage is the share of those ads whose text (not counting the job title) mentions the skill at least once. Duplicate ads are removed.
  • Skills are matched as whole words from a list of about 300 skills, tools and certifications, so a skill described in other words isn't counted.
  • Jobs people add to their own Litjob accounts are never included.

Every role family, and the full method: the skills job ads ask for most, by role.