Essential Resume Sections
Every resume needs five core sections: contact information, professional summary, work experience, education, and skills. These are the sections recruiters and ATS systems expect to find.
The order can vary based on your experience level. Recent graduates may lead with education, while experienced professionals lead with work experience.
Each section should earn its space. If a section does not strengthen your candidacy for the specific role, consider removing or condensing it.
Contact Information: What to Include
Full name, phone number, professional email, city and state, and LinkedIn URL. That is the complete list for most job seekers.
Add a portfolio link, GitHub profile, or personal website if relevant to your field. Designers, developers, and writers benefit from linking to work samples.
Leave off: full street address, date of birth, marital status, photo (in the US), and social media accounts unless they are professional.
Professional Summary vs Objective
A professional summary (2-3 sentences) works best for anyone with relevant experience. It highlights your top qualifications and gives recruiters a reason to keep reading.
An objective statement only makes sense if you are entry-level or making a career change and need to explain your goal. Keep it focused on what you bring to the employer, not what you want.
Skip both if you cannot write a strong one. A weak summary is worse than no summary at all.
Work Experience: The Core of Your Resume
For each role, include: job title, company name, location, dates (month/year), and 3-6 bullet points focused on accomplishments rather than duties.
Start each bullet with a strong action verb: Led, Built, Reduced, Increased, Implemented, Designed, Managed, Analyzed. Avoid "Responsible for" and "Helped with."
Quantify wherever possible. "Increased sales by 23% in Q3" is far stronger than "Helped improve sales numbers." Numbers give your claims credibility.
Optional Sections Worth Adding
Certifications: Industry certifications (PMP, AWS, CPA, Google Analytics) add credibility and ATS keywords. Include certification name, issuer, and date.
Projects: Especially valuable for students, career changers, and technical professionals. Describe what you built, the tools used, and the outcome.
Volunteer Work: Include if it demonstrates relevant skills or fills an employment gap. Frame it the same way you would paid experience.
Languages: List languages with proficiency level (Native, Fluent, Professional, Conversational). Multilingual candidates have an advantage in many industries.
What to Leave Off Your Resume
References or "References available upon request." Employers know they can ask. This wastes valuable space.
Irrelevant hobbies (unless they directly relate to the role or company culture). "Avid reader" tells a recruiter nothing useful.
Every job you have ever had. Focus on the last 10-15 years of relevant experience. Early-career roles that do not support your current goals can be removed.
Personal information: age, religion, political affiliation, photo (in the US), or anything protected by employment law.