What should a frontend developer put on their CV?

Focus on three areas: (1) Framework expertise with exact names (React/TypeScript, not 'frontend technologies'), (2) Performance metrics ('improved Lighthouse score from 52 to 94', not 'made site faster'), and (3) Accessibility standards ('achieved WCAG 2.1 AA compliance', not 'improved accessibility'). In 2026, ATS systems scan for specific keywords like React, TypeScript, Tailwind CSS, WCAG, Core Web Vitals, and component libraries. Missing even 2-3 of these can drop your score below the threshold. Not sure which keywords you are missing? Scan your CV with our free tool to find out.

How do I write a frontend developer CV with no experience?

Use this formula for personal and class projects: [Action Verb] + [What You Built] + [Technologies Used] + [Quantifiable Result]. Example: 'Built a responsive e-commerce storefront using React, TypeScript, and Tailwind CSS with 95+ Lighthouse performance score and WCAG 2.1 AA compliance.' Even without work experience, showcasing portfolio projects, open source contributions, and CodePen/GitHub demos with specific frameworks proves you can ship production-quality UI.

What are the best ATS keywords for a frontend developer CV in 2026?

The most impactful keywords fall into five categories: Frameworks (React, Next.js, Vue, Angular, TypeScript), Styling (Tailwind CSS, CSS-in-JS, Styled Components, Sass), Performance (Core Web Vitals, Lighthouse, Lazy Loading, Code Splitting, Webpack, Vite), Accessibility (WCAG 2.1, ARIA, axe-core, Screen Reader Testing), and Testing (Jest, Cypress, Playwright, React Testing Library, Storybook). Over 97% of tech companies use ATS to filter resumes. Upload your CV to see exactly which keywords you are missing.

How long should a frontend developer CV be?

One page if you have under 10 years of experience. Two pages maximum for senior frontend engineers, design system leads, or UI architects with 10+ years. ATS systems parse the entire document regardless of length, but recruiters spend an average of 6 seconds on initial screening. Front-load your strongest keywords, performance metrics, and accessibility achievements on page one. Every line must earn its space.

Should I include a portfolio link on my frontend developer CV?

Yes, a portfolio is almost mandatory for frontend roles. Include a link to a personal site or GitHub Pages portfolio that showcases 3-5 projects with live demos. Each project should demonstrate a different skill: one for responsive design, one for accessibility, one for performance optimization. Make sure every demo loads fast, works on mobile, and has clean source code. A polished portfolio often matters more than years of experience for frontend positions.

What is the difference between a frontend developer resume and CV?

In the US, a 'resume' is a 1-2 page summary of relevant experience tailored per job application. In the UK, Europe, and Australia, a 'CV' (Curriculum Vitae) serves the same purpose but may include more detail. Both are parsed by ATS the same way. The keywords, formatting rules, and optimization strategies are identical. The main difference is regional terminology. Regardless of which you use, the same ATS keywords (React, TypeScript, WCAG, Tailwind CSS) determine whether your application passes the automated filter.

97% of tech companies use ATS

Frontend Developer CV
Example (2026)

Most frontend developer CVs score below 45% on ATS systems. See exactly why yours might be failing. 75% never reach a recruiter.

Free foreverFull analysisWorks with your existing CV

What ATS systems actually see

Toggle between a typical frontend developer CV and an optimized version. Notice what changes.

Generic descriptions and soft skills make this resume hard to scan and easy to ignore.

✗ Soft skills that every applicant claims. ATS cannot match 'Quick Learner' to any job requirement.

✗ 'Making the website faster' has no baseline and no result. How much faster? Which metrics?

✗ 'Created pages' and 'integrated APIs' lack scale and specificity. Which APIs? What kind of pages?

✗ 'Wrote unit tests' gives no sense of scope or outcome. How many? What coverage?

✗ 'Helped designers' is passive. Show your contribution and the measurable result.

✗ Hobbies waste space on a frontend developer resume. Use this space for certifications, open source work, or design portfolio links instead.

Jordan Rivera

Web Developer

New York, NY · jordan.rivera@email.com · linkedin.com/in/jordanrivera · github.com/jordanrivera

Professional Summary

Creative web developer who loves building beautiful websites. Experienced with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Looking for a frontend role where I can grow my skills and contribute to a dynamic team.

Core Skills

HTML/CSSTeam PlayerQuick LearnerProblem SolvingDetail OrientedGood Communicator

Professional Experience

PixelCraft Studios

Jan 2023 - Present

Web Developer

Built web pages and components for the company's main product.
Worked on making the website faster and improving the user experience.
Helped with accessibility improvements and fixed some CSS issues.

BrightLoop Inc.

Mar 2021 - Dec 2022

Junior Frontend Developer

Used React to create pages and integrated APIs for data display.
Made the site mobile-friendly and worked on responsive design.
Wrote unit tests and did code reviews with the team.

Starter Web Agency

Jun 2020 - Feb 2021

Intern

Created landing pages and email templates for clients.
Helped designers convert mockups into code.
Learned about web performance and did some SEO optimization.

Education

New York University

Computer Science degree

2016 - 2020

Certifications & Awards

Google cert
Some accessibility training
Employee of the Month (2022)

Languages

English (Native) • Spanish (Conversational)

Interests & Hobbies

UI design in Figma
Watching CSS tutorials
Photography
Gaming

✗ No matchable keywords. 'Creative' and 'dynamic team' are filler. ATS cannot score 'loves building beautiful websites.'

✗ 'Built web pages' is the most generic frontend bullet possible. No scale, no tools, no outcome.

✗ 'Helped with' shows no ownership. 'Some CSS issues' is unmeasurable and vague.

✗ 'Made mobilefriendly' is table stakes. Every frontend dev does responsive design. Show the impact.

✗ No volume, no tools, no performance data. 'Created landing pages' could mean 2 or 200.

✗ 'Learned about' is not a resume bullet. Show what you delivered, not what you studied.

✗ Vague duties like "Responsible for", soft skills like "Hard Worker", and buzzwords like "synergistic" — no keywords for recruiters to find. This resume gets buried.

Wondering if YOUR CV has these same problems?

Keywords ATS Systems Scan For

These are the exact terms recruiters and ATS systems filter by for frontend developer roles. Missing even 2-3 can drop your score below the threshold.

React

TypeScript

CSS/Tailwind

Accessibility (WCAG)

Web Performance

Responsive Design

Component Libraries

State Management

Webpack/Vite

Testing (Jest/Cypress)

Design Systems

SEO

GraphQL

How many of these are on your CV?

Examples by Experience Level

Select your level. See the exact verbs, bullets, and metrics that ATS systems reward at each stage.

Action Verbs

DevelopedDesignedCollaboratedOptimizedIntegratedReducedDebuggedAutomatedImplementedTested

Metrics to Include

Core Web Vitals (LCP/CLS/FID)
Render Time (ms)
Mobile Conversion Rate (%)
User Engagement (%)
Component Reuse Rate (%)
Bundle Size Reduction (%)
Accessibility Score

Example CV Bullets

Ship independently

Developed a real-time analytics dashboard in React and TypeScript with GraphQL subscriptions, serving 15K+ daily active users with sub-200ms render times.

Implemented responsive design system using Tailwind CSS and CSS Grid, supporting 12 breakpoint configurations and increasing mobile conversion rate by 28%.

Established frontend testing strategy using Jest and Cypress, increasing component test coverage from 30% to 85% and reducing UI regression bugs by 45%.

Are your bullets this specific?

Phrases That Get Frontend Developers Rejected

Listing languages isn't enough. Context matters. "JavaScript" is good; "Built REST APIs with Node.js" is hired.

Responsible for building the frontend of the application.

Describes a job description, not an achievement. Every frontend developer builds UI. ATS sees zero differentiating keywords.

Architected a React component library with 60+ accessible components in Storybook, adopted by 4 product teams and reducing UI development time by 40%.

Helped the team with responsive design.

'Helped' shows no ownership. Recruiters need to see YOU designed, built, or shipped something measurable.

Implemented a responsive design system using Tailwind CSS and CSS Grid, supporting 12 breakpoints and increasing mobile conversion by 28%.

Proficient in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and other technologies.

'Other technologies' is unmatchable. ATS needs exact framework names. List every tool, library, and framework explicitly.

Proficient in React, TypeScript, Next.js, Tailwind CSS, Storybook. Testing: Jest, Cypress, Playwright. Build tools: Webpack, Vite.

Worked on improving the website's performance.

No specifics: which metrics, which tools, how much improvement? This tells a recruiter nothing.

Improved Core Web Vitals (LCP, CLS, FID) across 3 applications, raising Lighthouse scores from 52 to 94 and reducing bounce rate by 22%.

Assisted with UI development and testing.

'Assisted' is passive. Even junior developers should show concrete contributions with measurable outcomes.

Developed and maintained 150+ React component tests using Jest and React Testing Library, increasing coverage from 30% to 85% and catching 18 regressions pre-release.

Made the site look good on mobile.

Subjective and unmeasurable. ATS cannot parse 'look good.' Describe the technical approach and business result.

Redesigned the mobile checkout flow using responsive CSS Grid and touch-optimized components, increasing mobile conversion rate by 32% across 50K+ monthly visitors.

Recognize any of these on your CV?

Certifications That Boost Your ATS Score

Include the full name AND the acronym. ATS systems may scan for either.

AWS Certified Solutions Architect

Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)

Microsoft Certified: Azure Developer Associate

Oracle Certified Professional: Java SE Developer

Certified Software Development Professional (CSDP)

Frequently Asked Questions

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