What to Put on a Resume

Crafting a resume isn’t about listing every job you’ve ever had — it’s about showing employers why you’re the right fit for the role at hand. Since recruiters spend just seconds scanning each resume, you need to present your information in a way that’s clear, relevant, and easy to skim. The best resumes highlight key achievements, measurable results, and the skills most valuable to the job while trimming out clutter and irrelevant details.

This guide will walk you through the essential resume sections every candidate should include, optional add-ons that can help you stand out, and the common mistakes to avoid. By the end, you’ll know how to organize your experience and skills so hiring managers immediately see your value.

Building a Resume That Gets You Hired

Recruiters review hundreds of applications for each role, often while managing multiple open positions at once. Because of this workload, they don’t have the time to carefully read every resume word-for-word. Instead, they scan quickly, looking for specific details that demonstrate whether a candidate’s experience connects to the role they’re recruiting for.

This means your job as an applicant is to make the recruiter’s job easier. Your resume should present information in a clean, easy-to-read format, with headings and bullet points that guide the eye toward your most relevant skills and accomplishments. More content isn’t always better; in fact, resumes cluttered with irrelevant details can hurt your chances. Instead, prioritize achievements that can be tied to measurable results, like boosting revenue, cutting costs, or improving customer satisfaction. Those concrete details help a recruiter picture the value you’d bring to their team.

Think of your resume as a marketing document rather than a personal history. Every detail you include should have a purpose, showing how your background makes you an ideal candidate for the role you want.

For inspiration, browse our resume examples to see how successful candidates showcase their achievements.

The Must-Have Sections for Every Resume

1. Contact Information (How Employers Reach You)

At the very top of your resume, provide your full name, phone number, and a professional email address. Avoid casual email handles from years ago — a simple format using your name is best. Many employers also expect to see a LinkedIn profile link, especially in fields like business, technology, or marketing. If you’re in a creative industry, such as design or writing, you might also include a link to your portfolio or personal website.

Keep this section simple. Recruiters don’t need your full street address, date of birth, or marital status. These details are considered outdated and, in some cases, could introduce bias into the hiring process.

2. Resume Summary or Objective (Your Career Snapshot)

The section that sits just below your contact information is often the first thing a recruiter reads. A strong summary or objective can set the tone for the rest of your resume. Experienced professionals should use a summary to showcase career highlights, while students or career changers may benefit from an objective that explains their career goals.

An effective summary combines your years of experience, your role or industry, and your key areas of expertise. For example: “Eight years of experience managing financial operations and budgeting for mid-sized manufacturing firms, overseeing teams of up to 50 employees, and reducing operating costs by 15%.”

An objective, on the other hand, highlights what you’re seeking and the skills you bring. For example: “Recent marketing graduate eager to apply data analysis skills and campaign management experience in a digital marketing role.”

The goal is to deliver a quick snapshot of your professional identity so the recruiter wants to keep reading.

3. Work Experience (Showcasing Your Professional Background)

Your work history is the core of your resume. Employers want to see where you’ve worked, what you did, and most importantly, what impact you made. List positions in reverse chronological order, beginning with your most recent role. For each job, include the company name, location, your job title, and the dates of employment.

Under each position, use three to five bullet points to highlight your accomplishments. Start each bullet with a strong action verb like “developed,” “increased,” or “managed.” Whenever possible, tie your accomplishments to numbers, percentages, or other concrete measures of success. For example:

If you have freelance or consulting experience, you can group it under “Self-Employed” or “Independent Contractor.” Format these roles the same way you would a traditional job. For employment gaps, a short one-line explanation is sufficient, such as “Career sabbatical for caregiving” or “Completed professional certification program.”

4. Education (Academic Credentials and Training)

The placement of your education section depends on your career stage. Recent graduates should list it toward the top of the resume, while experienced professionals can move it below their work experience. Include the school name, location, degree, and graduation year. If you earned honors, scholarships, or awards that add value to your application, list those as well.

For candidates with multiple degrees or certifications, create a clear structure. Degrees can be grouped under “Education,” while certifications may deserve their own section. For example:

This makes it easy for a recruiter to quickly confirm your academic and professional qualifications.

5. Skills (Highlighting Your Strengths)

Your skills section should reflect the expertise most relevant to the role. While soft skills like “leadership” or “communication” are important, they’re often better demonstrated through your achievements. Use this section for hard skills that can be easily matched to the job description, such as proficiency with specific software, foreign languages, or technical tools.

For example, an IT professional might list “Python, SQL, AWS, cybersecurity protocols,” while a marketing candidate could include “SEO, Google Analytics, social media strategy, content management systems.” Tailor your skills list for each application so it aligns with the keywords in the job posting.

Browse our resume templates to see how different designs highlight the skills section.

Optional Sections That Can Strengthen Your Resume

Not every resume needs extra sections, but strategically adding them can help you stand out, especially if they showcase qualifications the employer values.

6. Certifications & Licenses (Boosting Your Credibility)

Certifications demonstrate specialized knowledge and commitment to professional development. They are particularly valuable in fields like IT, healthcare, or project management. Always include the name of the certification, the issuing organization, and the year earned. For example: “Certified Scrum Master (CSM), Scrum Alliance — 2023.”

7. Volunteer Experience (Demonstrating Leadership & Initiative)

Volunteer work can be a strong addition, especially for early-career candidates or those making a career change. Treat volunteer experience the same as paid work by listing your title, the organization, dates, and achievements. For example: “Volunteer Coordinator, Habitat for Humanity — Managed logistics for five community build projects, recruiting and supervising over 100 volunteers.”

8. Awards and Honors (Showcasing Notable Achievements)

If you’ve received recognition for your work, include it on your resume. Awards demonstrate excellence and credibility, but keep them relevant. A “Top Salesperson of the Year” award carries weight; a high school art contest win likely does not.

9. Languages (A Competitive Edge in Many Fields)

Bilingual and multilingual skills can be a significant asset, especially in global companies or customer-facing roles. List languages along with your proficiency level, such as “Fluent in Spanish, Conversational in French.”

10. Professional Memberships and Affiliations (Demonstrating Industry Involvement)

Memberships in professional organizations show that you’re active in your industry. List these if they’re relevant to the role or if you’ve held leadership positions within the organization. For example: “Member, American Marketing Association — 2019–Present.”

What NOT to Include on a Resume

Just as important as knowing what to include is knowing what to leave out. Certain details can clutter your resume or even hurt your chances. Avoid including:

• Personal details like age, marital status, or headshots (unless specifically required)
• Salary expectations or lists of references (these come later in the hiring process)
• Outdated jobs or irrelevant experience that doesn’t connect to your career goals
• Generic buzzwords like “hardworking,” “go-getter,” or “results-oriented” without supporting evidence
• Long paragraphs of text — recruiters prefer concise bullet points they can skim quickly

By removing unnecessary information, you make space for details that truly highlight your qualifications.

Irina Pichura

Career Coach

Irina Pichura, founder of Resumeology, is a renowned career coach with over 10 years of recruiting experience at Fortune 500 companies like Goldman Sachs and ADP, as well as startups such as Investopedia. With a degree in Psychology from Fordham University in New York City, Irina offers a unique perspective on what it takes to stand out in a competitive job market.