Don’t ever write “C/C++” on your resume (or in any context). They are different languages that happen to have some similarities and compatibilities, and this is how you should think about them. Write “C, C++” instead.

I’ve conducted hundreds of interviews and looked at even more resumes for embedded software candidates, and I’ll let you in on a secret - every candidate who has ever written “C/C++” on their resume has already dug themselves into a hole before the interviews have even started. It’s a “yellow flag” that indicates one or more of the following:

  • They think C++ is so similar to C that they are practically the same language.
  • They don’t know C++ at all, beyond introductory courses. At least, they don’t know enough to be able to distinguish it from C. If you ask them to list the differences, they might be able to rattle off one or two things.
  • They see other people writing C/C++, and adopt the convention themselves. They “go with the flow” because they don’t have enough confidence or knowledge to do otherwise.

The same advice goes for recruiters and employers - stop putting “C/C++” on job postings. It demonstrates that the team responsible for the wording of the job post doesn’t know the difference between C and C++, which is not a great signal to give to potential hires. It also propagates the lie that “C == C++”.

In general, you should think of C++ as superset of C (though this isn’t strictly true). A C++ compiler can compile C programs, but that is just about the extent of it.

C++ is an enormously more complex language than C, and it becomes more complex roughly every 3 years (C++11, C++14, C++17, C++20, etc). It can take years of focused effort to become a somewhat competent modern C++ programmer. Just because you know C does not mean you know C++. Do not brush it off as “C with classes”, because it’s much more than that.

(By the way: this is not an endorsement for C++. After working as a C++ developer myself for 5+ years, I prefer using C for embedded software.)

If you’re trying to land a job as a C++ developer, you had better know that C++ is a wildly different language than C. Writing “C/C++” demonstrates that you don’t know this, and your resume may never get a second look.