Crafting the perfect resume can be overwhelming, especially because recruiters only spend around 7 seconds scanning it for critical information. The key is to choose the right resume sections to include and present them effectively to grab the recruiter’s attention.

In this guide, we’ll show you the must-use resume sections and share tips on how to make each section stand out.

To make it easier and faster, try our resume builder! With customizable templates and expert tips, you’ll have well-structured and polished resume sections in minutes.

What are the 5 main resume sections you should include?

Your resume is like a snapshot of your professional life. It should highlight your skills, experience, and accomplishments in a way that speaks to your future potential. 

“A standout resume effectively captures the attention of hiring managers and recruiters, presenting a clear, concise, and compelling snapshot of your qualifications and achievements,” says Clair Levy, a Certified Resume Writer for Precision Resume Solutions.

Here are the main sections of a standout resume:

Resume sections you need to include
1
Contact information

Clearly list your full name, phone number, email address, location (city, state), and LinkedIn profile.

2
Resume summary

Provide 2–3 sentences showing your key skills, years of experience, and expertise.

3
Work experience

Highlight your key accomplishments with measurable results rather than listing job responsibilities.

4
Skills

Include relevant technical, hard, and soft skills that align with the job description.

5
Education

List your degree(s), university name, and graduation year.

How do you organize your 5 essential resume sections?

A standout resume is not just about listing your experiences; it’s about presenting them in a way that tells a compelling story of your career journey and showcases your unique value proposition to potential employers.

Here’s a closer look at each section and the information you need to include when updating your resume.

1. Contact information section

Make your contact info easy to find at the top of your resume. You want employers to reach you easily.

Here’s what you should include in your contact section:

  1. Full name. Your name should be the most prominent part of your contact info. It should be at the top of the page and in a larger font than the rest of your text. Include any titles or professional designations.
  2. Home address. Just include your town or city, state, and zip code.
  3. Professional email address. Don’t use your current employer’s email, as it appears unprofessional and inappropriate for job searching.
  4. Contact number. This can be your landline number or your cell phone number. It’s not necessary to include both as this will only confuse the hiring manager. Make sure the phone number listed is one that you feel comfortable having potential employers contact.
  5. LinkedIn URL or link to portfolio (Optional). This gives employers additional insight into your experience, education, and skillset.

Here’s an example of what a contact information section might look like:

Sample contact information section of resume

2. Professional summary section

Think of your resume summary as your “elevator pitch.” It should consist of 2 to 3 sentences that give employers a quick overview of who you are and what you bring to the table.

While your summary should be brief, it should also be specific. If you’re not sure how to be brief and specific, here’s a formula you can use:

Text Copied!

[Your Professional Title] with over [X Years] of experience in [Field/Role]. Skilled in [Skill 1], [Skill 2], and [Skill 3]. Proven success in [Measurable Accomplishment 1] and [Measurable Accomplishment 2].

Here is an example of a resume summary for a marketing professional:

Marketing Manager Resume Summary

Need help crafting a standout resume summary? Create your professional summary with Jobscan’s resume summary generator. All you have to do is go to Jobscan’s resume builder, go through the prompts, and click on the blue button that says “Generate summary.”

Resume summary generator

Create your resume summary today with Jobscan!

Create your own resume summary for free or use Jobscan’s resume builder to generate a personalized resume summary tailored to your work history.
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What is your experience level?
What position are you applying for?
How many years of experience do you have?
What have been your main responsibilities in your relevant roles?
Write your responsibilities as -ing statements. Ex. “Creating dashboards to monitor customer service performance.”


How would you describe your professional personality?
What areas are you most proficient in?

What are your most impressive relevant career accomplishments?


Your Resume Summary

Read our full guide: How to Write a Resume Summary Statement

3. Work experience section

The work experience resume section is the heart of your resume. This is where you show your career progression and accomplishments. Hiring managers will check your work experience to see if you have the skills to excel in the job you’re applying for.

Here’s an example of an effective work experience section for a project manager:

Here are six steps you need to take to create a compelling work experience resume section:

Step 1. Include these details in your work experience section

When listing your work experience on your resume, it is essential to include the following information: 

  • Employer name
  • Employer location (city and state, or country if applicable)
  • Job title
  • Start and end dates (month and year)
  • Measurable accomplishments

Step 2. List your work experience in reverse chronological order

Reverse chronological order means that you list your current, or most recent, work experience first, at the top.

Then, list your previous work experience below that, going “back in time,” so to speak. Make sure you include the specific employment dates on your resume. These help hiring managers and recruiters form a clear picture of your career trajectory.

Step 3. List your job responsibilities and accomplishments in bullet points

When listing your job responsibilities and accomplishments, it’s a great idea to use bullet points

Bullet points make it easier for employers to quickly scan through your resume and find the information they need.

Begin each bullet point with a strong action verb. These words help the reader visualize what you did in previous positions. They also help employers quickly identify and understand your work experience. 

Examples of strong action words
  • Managed
  • Organized
  • Increased
  • Streamlined
  • Reduced
  • Increased

Step 4. Include specific and measurable results

Hiring managers want to see the measurable results of your efforts. So, include specific, concrete examples that demonstrate your success in achieving measurable results. If you’re applying for positions that need to see your experience, like a federal job, then this becomes even more important.

Here are examples of specific and measurable achievements versus ineffective statements.

Effective examples
  1. Led a team of 10 sales associates, increasing monthly revenue by 25% through targeted training and performance strategies.
  2. Increased website traffic by 40% over six months through targeted SEO strategies, resulting in a 15% boost in lead generation.
  3. Reduced operational costs by 20% in one year by streamlining processes and negotiating vendor contracts.
Ineffective examples
  1. Managed a team.
  2. Worked on improving website traffic.
  3. Helped with cost-saving initiatives.

Step 5. Include any awards or recognition you received

If you’ve received awards or recognition for your work, you should include this information in the work experience section of your resume. 

To do this, simply list the name of the award, the date you received it, and, if necessary, a brief description of what it was for. 

If you have many awards, you may want to create a separate section on your resume specifically for awards and recognition. 

Step 6. Use keywords from the job description

One of the most important things you can do to create an effective work experience section is to include keywords from the job description. Keywords can be hard skills, job titles, or any industry-specific terms.

Incorporating those keywords is critical because most companies use computer software called an applicant tracking system (ATS) to make the hiring process easier. 

When you submit your resume, it goes directly into an ATS database.

When a hiring manager wants to find a good job candidate for a specific position, they’ll type keywords into the ATS search bar. 

If your resume doesn’t include those keywords, your resume will remain in the database, perhaps never to be seen by recruiters.

To create a resume that uses the necessary keywords, without keyword stuffing, use Jobscan’s bullet point generator. This allows you to create the perfect resume in minutes that highlights your achievements and skills. The resume builder identifies the skills you need for a role, you click on it, and it’s on your resume.

Here’s what it looks like. In this example, the phrases showcase time management skills, which is a core skill requirement for the job.

a screenshot of jobscan's resume bullet point generator shown with phrases that highlight time management skills

Try Jobscan’s bullet point generator today!

Read our full guide: How to Add Work Experience to Your Resume

4. Education section

Compared to other sections of a resume, writing an education section is easy. 

Just like your work experience, your education should be listed in reverse chronological order. This section should include the following:

  • Name of your degree/diploma or certification
  • Name and location of your school or institution
  • Year of completion (or expected year)
  • GPA (if 3.5 or higher)
  • Honors and academic achievements (Optional)

Here’s an example:

Sample of education resume section

Listing your college GPA is optional, but only consider doing it if you’re a recent graduate and your GPA is above 3.5. Here’s a sample:

Resume education section sample with GPA

Read our full guide: How to Format Your Resume Education Section

5. Skills section

The skills section of your resume is the perfect place to showcase the unique abilities that make you a great fit for the job you’re applying to. 

Your skills section should include both the hard and soft skills that are relevant to the position you’re applying for.

  • Hard skills are specialized, measurable knowledge and abilities. Examples include computer programming, web design, data analysis, project management, and financial accounting. They come from specific training.
  • Soft skills, on the other hand, refer to abilities related to interacting with others and working productively. Examples include communication, problem-solving, time management, and leadership.

Like the rest of your resume, your skills section should be tailored to the specific job you’re applying for. 

To do this, carefully read through the job description and pick out what hard and soft skills are mentioned. Then include these skills in your skills section (as long as you have those skills, of course!). 

If you have skills that are not relevant to the job you’re applying for, then don’t include them in your skills section. 

When you create your resume through Jobscan’s resume builder, you will get job-specific skills suggestions that match the job you are applying for.

Here’s a sample list of suggested skills for a nurse.

Jobscan's resume builder skills suggestions for nurse

Read our full guide: Best Resume Skills to Put on a Resume

Organize your resume sections for the ATS

Having well-formatted and organized resume sections impresses recruiters and hiring managers as this makes it easy for them to find your most important details. 

Additionally, having organized resume sections affects how effectively applicant tracking systems (ATS) can process and parse your information. 

Research from Jobscan found that most ATS parse resumes into digital applicant profiles. However, if your resume sections are not formatted correctly, important details may get miscategorized.

With Jobscan, you can optimize your resume sections to ensure both recruiters and ATS can easily interpret your information.

Our resume builder helps structure the sections of your resume correctly which minimizes the risk of miscategorization and improves your chances of getting noticed.

To use the resume builder, all you have to do is:

  1. Upload your resume, import your LinkedIn profile, or create from scratch.
  2. Enter your job title.
  3. Choose skills from our suggested skills list.
  4. Pick from 5 ATS-friendly resume templates.
  5. Add your contact information, work history, education, skills, and certifications.
  6. Click “Jobs” to view personalized job listings.
  7. Scan your resume with Jobscan’s resume scanner to optimize it for the ATS.
  8. Download your resume as a PDF.
Take the guesswork out and write your resume sections with Jobscan’s resume builder today!
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Additional resume sections

Hiring managers and recruiters appreciate it when you go the extra mile to make your resume stand out, and adding additional sections can help you do just that.

Here are optional resume sections you can include:

  • Awards and honors: Enhance your credibility by listing awards and commendations. If you have multiple awards, this is where you should list them.
  • Certifications and licenses: Adding paid or even free certifications to your resume can set you apart from other candidates while adding skills that might be missing in your work experience.
  • Volunteer work: Helping out at a non-profit is a great way to add key skills and experience to your resume. According to a study by Deloitte, 82% of recruitment managers choose candidates with volunteer experience over those that don’t. Format this section similarly to your work experience.
  • Hobbies and interests: Unless your hobby is relevant to the job you’re applying for, this section is typically reserved for recent grads and entry-level candidates who lack work experience.

With our resume builder, you can add these optional sections easily to further boost your credibility and value.

Resume builder additional resume sections

Remember, only include the following additional resume sections if they are relevant to the job you are applying for!

Organizing resume sections based on your career level

Whether you’re just starting in your career or have years of expertise, structuring your resume correctly helps recruiters see your most relevant qualifications and value at a glance.

Here’s how to organize your resume sections based on your career stage.

1. Entry-level job seekers

When you are new to the workforce or if you have no work experience yet, you can follow these tips when writing your resume sections:

  • Start with a strong resume summary. Briefly explain your skills and career goals.
  • Put your education first. Highlight your degree, relevant courses, projects, or GPA if it’s strong.
  • Focus on your internships and volunteer work. Include any hands-on experience you have.
  • List your key skills. Show off important skills if you don’t have a lot of job experience yet.
  • Keep it simple and tailored to the job you are applying for.

Here’s an example:

Sample resume sections for entry-level job seeker

2. Mid-level professionals

When you are a mid-level professional with robust work experience, follow these tips when organizing the sections of your resume:

  • Lead with your work experience. Since you have more work experience, put your work history near the top, showcasing your key achievements and responsibilities.
  • Highlight your key skills and expertise. Follow your work experience section with a skills section that includes both hard and soft skills relevant to the job, such as leadership, problem-solving, communication, and technical skills.
  • Include your education and certifications. Place these below your experience if they’re relevant.
  • Keep it focused. Remove any sections that aren’t directly relevant to the job, such as hobbies or outdated experiences, to keep the focus on what matters most to the prospective employer.

Here’s an example:

Resume sections for mid-level professional sample

3. Career changers

Here are tips you can follow when organizing your resume sections for a career change:

  • Start with a strong resume summary, Highlight your transferable skills and show how they relate to your new field.
  • Emphasize your skills. List your key skills that match the new career.
  • Reframe your work experience. Focus on measurable accomplishments that apply to your new career, even if they were from a different industry.
  • Include relevant certifications and education. If you’ve taken courses or earned certifications for your new field, include them on your resume.
  • Showcase projects and volunteer work. You can add a section for personal projects, freelance work, or volunteer experiences that show your new skills. Make sure they are aligned with your new career.

Here’s an example:

Career changer resume sections

The three resumes above were created using professional templates from Jobscan’s resume builder. Try it yourself and build an ATS-friendly resume in minutes!

How to order the sections of your resume

We’ve seen the five sections you should always include on your resume, but what’s the correct order to put them in?

First of all, your contact information should always come first, followed by your professional summary.

After that, it depends. Here are some tips for how to order your resume sections:

  • If your education is more impressive than your work experience, consider putting your education section above your work experience section.
  • If you have prior work experience in a role that is similar to the role you are applying for, put your skills section after your work experience.
  • If you don’t have a lot of relevant work experience, you can put your skills section before your work experience section.
  • Make your resume sections easy to read. Arrange your sections in a clear, logical way so recruiters and hiring managers quickly see your qualifications.
  • Use standard resume section names. Write “Work Experience” instead of “My Career Journey”.

Resume builder
Optimize your resume with sections in minutes

Jobscan’s resume builder walks you through writing your resume. Prompts will help remind you to include vital resume sections to optimize your resume with keywords and skills.

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Resume sections checklist

Once you have written the different sections of your resume, take a look at the overall structure of your resume and ask yourself the following questions on this checklist:

  1. Does my resume accurately reflect who I am and what I have to offer?
  2. Are the skills and qualifications up-to-date and relevant for the job?
  3. Is my formatting clear, concise, and easy to read?
  4. Have I removed any irrelevant information or outdated experience?
  5. Is my resume tailored to the specific job I’m applying for?
  6. Does my resume include the keywords that appear in the job description?
  7. Does the order of resume sections tell the story of my professional life?
  8. Is my resume free of spelling mistakes, typos, or grammatical errors?
  9. Does my use of color enhance rather than overwhelm my resume?
  10. Are my resume margins one inch on all sides?
  11. Have I used the correct font?
  12. Have you used past or present tense?
  13. Are my margins set correctly?

To help you create your standout resume, you can also check our library of resume examples and resume templates.

Key takeaways

Here are key pointers you need to remember when organizing your resume sections:

  • A standout resume should include these five essential resume sections: contact information, resume summary, work experience, skills, and education.
  • When writing your work history, focus on measurable accomplishments to show your impact.
  • Make sure your resume is tailored to the specific job you are applying for. You can do this by studying the job description, learning what recruiters want, and incorporating keywords that match the job.
  • Order your resume sections based on your experience level. With entry-level job seekers, it is good to emphasize your education first in your job application.
  • Use clear section titles, bullet points, and a structured resume format to make it easy for recruiters and hiring managers to scan your resume.
  • You can always ask tools like ChatGPT to help you write your resume sections. Or, you can use free tools like Jobscan’s resume builder.
  • Double check your information and don’t lie on your resume.
  • Make sure you proofread your resume and regularly update it.

FAQs

What sections are in a resume?

A resume usually has the following sections: contact info, a summary, work experience, education, and skills. Optional sections can include certifications, languages, and volunteer work.

Why are resume sections important?

Resume sections are important because they organize your information and make it easy for recruiters to quickly find your qualifications. A well-structured and well-formatted resume highlights your strengths and increases your chances of getting interviews.

How many sections should a good resume have?

Include at least five sections: contact details, a summary, work experience, education, and skills.

What is the best order for resumes?

The best way to order your resume sections is: contact info, professional summary, work experience, education, and then skills.

How do you separate sections on a resume?

Separate sections using clear headings with consistent formatting. Use spacing and bold font to make each section easy to identify for recruiters.

Is a resume different than a CV?

Yes, a resume is different than a CV. A resume is a brief document (1-2 pages) focused on work experience, skills, and qualifications relevant to a specific job. A CV (Curriculum Vitae) is longer and provides a detailed overview of one’s academic background, research, publications, and professional achievements, often used for academic or research positions.

Should a profile picture be included on a resume?

No, it’s generally discouraged to include a profile picture on resumes in countries like the U.S. and Canada, as it could lead to bias in the hiring process.

How long should a resume be?

For most professionals wondering how long a resume should be, the answer is usually one page. However, if you have extensive experience or are applying for senior roles, a two-page resume may be acceptable.

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