Breaking into the audio industry can feel intimidating – especially when your CV is the first (and sometimes only) thing a hiring manager sees. But a strong, well-structured CV can dramatically increase your chances of landing an interview, whether you’re applying through The Audio Programmer or approaching companies directly.

This guide walks you through exactly what audio developers, DSP engineers and plugin creators should include to stand out in a competitive industry.

‍

1. Understand What Hiring Managers Actually Look For

Hiring Managers and Recruiters are usually handling a lot of applications so want to be able to see key information at first glance. When they first open your CV, they're mainly looking for three things:

• Skills – the technologies, frameworks and tools you can use
• Experience – evidence that you’ve applied those skills
• Impact – what you contributed, improved or delivered

If these aren’t immediately visible, your CV risks being overlooked, even if you’re highly capable.

‍

2. Keep It Clear, Simple, and Easy to Scan

Hiring managers in audio are often developers themselves, which means they value clarity far more than decoration.

Do:

• Use clean headings and consistent formatting
• Stick to 1–2 pages
• Use bullet points instead of dense paragraphs
• Include links (GitHub, portfolio, LinkedIn, website)

Avoid:

• Long personal statements
• Tiny fonts or complex layouts
• Over-stuffed tech lists
• Burying key information at the bottom

A clean CV shows you can communicate well – a skill every audio team values.

‍

3. Put Your Technical Skills Front and Centre

Your core tech stack should be instantly visible.

• Core Skills: C++, JUCE, DSP, audio algorithms, plugin development (VST3 / AU / AAX)‍
• Tools: Git, CMake, Xcode, Visual Studio, CI/CD tools‍
• Specialisms (if applicable): Machine learning for audio, spatial audio, embedded systems, iOS audio, HISE, Max/MSP, MIR

If you’re early in your journey, only list skills you can actually demonstrate. Hiring managers can spot inflated skill sections quickly.

‍

4. Show Real Projects (Even Small Ones)

The biggest barrier to getting hired in audio is a lack of demonstrable work.

Hiring teams want to see:

• Plugins you’ve built
• DSP algorithms you’ve implemented
• University or bootcamp projects
• Open-source contributions
• Prototypes and experiments
• Completed modules or projects from TAP courses or books
  
  

For each project, explain:

• What it does
• What you contributed
• Technologies used
• Link to GitHub, videos or demos

Two strong, well-explained projects often outperform a long CV with no evidence of practical ability.

‍

5. Advice for Junior Developers vs Experienced Engineers

The expectations for a junior developer are very different from those for a senior engineer. Here’s how to shape your CV depending on where you are in your journey.

For Junior Developers

Your goal is to show progression, curiosity and practical learning.

Highlight:

• Personal projects that apply DSP or C++ concepts
• Coursework, bootcamps or self-directed learning (TAP books, courses, JUCE resources)
• GitHub repos that show consistency and improvement
• Clear explanations of your contributions to group work
• Any relevant experience: music production, electronics, maths

Avoid:

• Long lists of skills you can’t yet show
• No links to code or demos
• Layouts that prioritise design over clarity

Show that you’re developing real ability and that you can already solve small problems independently.

For Experienced Developers

Your focus should be impact, ownership and depth.

Highlight:

• Plugins or products you’ve shipped
• Technical decisions you owned (architecture, DSP design, optimisation)
• Performance improvements you implemented
• Specialisms (filters, convolution, ML, oversampling, spatial audio, mobile audio, embedded systems)
• Collaboration with product, QA, UX or sound teams
• Leadership contributions such as mentoring or code reviews

Avoid:

• Vague statements like “worked on DSP” with no detail

Show that you can ship maintainable, high-quality audio software with confidence.

‍

6. Quantify Your Contributions

Where possible, include numbers, improvements or outcomes. It instantly strengthens your CV.

Instead of: “Worked on plugin architecture and DSP.”

Write: “Redesigned filter architecture using biquad processing – reduced CPU by 30%.”

Or: “Implemented oversampling stage for distortion plugin – improved anti-aliasing and audio quality.”

Numbers tell a story quickly.

‍

7. Tailor Your CV for Audio, Not General Software

General software CVs often miss the strengths audio teams look for.

Include:

• DSP concepts you’ve worked with (filters, FFT, convolution, oversampling)
• Platforms you’ve built on (JUCE, HISE, Unity/Wwise, iOS audio)
• Audio production, sound design or music background
• Plug-in formats or engine integrations
• Relevant education or courses

Audio development sits at the intersection of engineering and creativity. Show that you understand both.

‍

8. Demonstrate That You Can Be Trusted With Code

You can earn significant trust immediately by linking to:

• Clean, readable GitHub repositories
• Projects with documentation or README files
• Meaningful commit histories
• Unit tests (where appropriate)
• Well-structured version control
  

This signals that you write maintainable code, not just quick prototypes.

‍

9. Avoid Common Red Flags

These issues often lead to quick rejections:

• Long tech stacks with no projects
• Buzzwords like “AI”, “DSP” or “C++” without evidence
• Typos or formatting inconsistencies
• No GitHub, website or portfolio links
• Overly complex or “creative” layouts
• Copy-pasted responsibilities with no achievements

A good CV is about clarity, honesty and proof.

‍

10. Keep Personal Statements Short (Optional)

If you include one, limit it to two sentences. Here’s an example that works well:

“C++ and DSP developer focused on building high-quality audio tools. Passionate about plugin development, efficient code and solving creative technical challenges.”

Confident. Concise. Relevant.

‍

11. Get a Second Pair of Eyes (Preferably Technical)

A reviewer – whether a mentor, another engineer or a TAP team member – can help catch:

• Technical inaccuracies
• Confusing explanations
• Formatting errors
• Details hiring managers expect but don’t see

If you're applying through The Audio Programmer, we can help refine your CV before it reaches a studio or client.

‍

Conclusion

A strong CV doesn’t have to be long – it needs to be clear, relevant and demonstrative.
In audio, practical examples and clean communication often matter more than years of experience.

By presenting your skills and projects in a way that’s easy for hiring managers to process, you significantly increase your chances of getting an interview – and moving forward in your audio development career.

‍