How to Create a Resume Header [5+ Examples]

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A resume header is the first thing a recruiter will look at on your resume.

If you get it wrong, they’ll just discard your resume immediately, even if you’re the most qualified person in the world.

Because it’s the introduction to your resume.

If you mess this up, you’re already leaving a bad impression.

Imagine you’re applying for a job as a Data Analyst and your resume header says you’re a “Mechanical Engineer”.

They’ll drop your resume in a heartbeat.

Luckily, writing a resume header is easy.

And in this article, we’re going to cover how to create a job-winning resume header, what to include within, and some of the best practices you should keep in mind.

Ready? Let’s begin.

Starting with:

What Goes On a Resume Header?

resume header

First, your resume header should include your:

  • Job/Professional title.

(Optional) Resume Summary or Objective

  • Phone number.
  • Email address.

Now, here’s how to write each section, starting with...

Your name is the first thing that you write in your resume header.

Make sure to use the same name you use across all online profiles (that you want the hiring manager to know about).

For example, if you use “Jonathan” in your LinkedIn profile, don’t use Jon on your resume.

The standard practice is: First Name, Last Name.

  • Jonathan Doe

This one is pretty obvious.

What title does the job ad say?

Mention that below your name, word-for-word.

  • Digital Marketing Specialist
  • Graphic Designer and Writer

Do NOT use fancy buzzword job names.

“Code Ninja, Marketing Samurai, Design Guru,” and the like.

Sure, these sound cool, but no one actually knows what they mean.

Within your resume header, you can also include either a resume summary or an objective.

These optional sections are there for the hiring manager to get a general idea of who you are, and why you’re the best person for the job.

If they see that you’re relevant in a few words, they’ll want to continue reading.

So, if you decide to include them, here’s the difference between the two:

  • Resume Summary - Sums up your previous work experience and explains how it can benefit the company you want to work for.
  • Resume Objective - Describes your professional goals for the job you’re applying for. Unlike the resume summary, you don’t include work experience here, so it’s perfect for a no experience resume , or a career change resume.

Here’s a quick example for both:

  • Project manager with a proven track record of working with tech and software development teams using agile and waterfall methodologies. Managed 5+ teams of software projects over the last 3 years and have a basic understanding of several programming languages (Java, React, NodeJS).

Psst. Are you a project manager? Check out our guide on how to create a project manager resume .

  • Recent graduate with a B.A. in Marketing looking to start my career in advertising at Agency X. Strong copywriting and design skills, mixed with a creative mind. Practical experience of designing social media ads (Facebook, Instagram), while working as a social media marketing intern at Company Y.

The main thing the hiring manager wants to know here is if you’re in their area, or if they’ll have to sponsor your relocation.

Hiring managers typically prefer people near their company. But if you really want to make it clear you’re willing to move, you can mention that you’re open to relocation.

To keep things simple, you should only mention your country , and city (in that order).

What you DON’T have to do, though, is to list your exact address. The recruiter does not care where you live.

  • Denmark, Copenhagen (open to relocation).
  • Copenhagen, H. C. Andersen Blvd. 7, 1553, second floor...

Phone Number

A phone number still remains the most common way for hiring managers to set up interviews.

When listing your number, make sure you:

  • List the one you use the most.
  • Have a decent voice mail message (And not: “heeey, Kyle here, if you’re hearing this, I’m probably drunk or something, haha”).
  • Include your country code , if applying outside your country.
  • Do NOT include your work number.
  • +45 11442233

Email Address

Right after your phone number, email is the #2 most common way for hiring managers to reach you.

The #1 tip here is that your email should always be professional and easy-to-read.

The standard email format is [FirstName][LastName]@gmail.com.

And if that’s taken, using a first or last initial is okay.

How to Make Your Resume Header Stand Out

Now, you can stop here and you’ll probably be fine.

That’s what most people do.

But if you want to stand out from the thousands of other candidates with your resume, here’s what else you can add to your resume header...

If you have an online portfolio or a personal website that’s relevant to your job - feel free to include it in your header.

Make sure it’s up to date and doesn’t have anything too personal that could get you in trouble with the HR.

If your job deals with online work (marketing, IT, design, etc.), your site can be a great way to show off your achievements.

  • JohnDoeDesigns.com
  • JohnDoeOnPoliticsAndReligion.com

job search masterclass

Most (if not all) recruiters are going to be on LinkedIn.

By adding your LinkedIn URL to your resume, the hiring manager can learn more about your professional qualifications.

They can also see if you have some mutual connections in the company (who could end up recommending you!).

Just make sure your LinkedIn URL looks professional.

By default, LinkedIn usually adds some random numbers to your profile when you first join.

Make sure you personalize your LinkedIn URL by editing it in your profile settings.

  • linkedin.com/in/JohnDoe
  • linkedin.com/in/JohnDoe102923131

PS - not sure what to include in your LinkedIn profile? Check out our guide on how to optimize your LinkedIn profile to complement your resume .

You should only include your Twitter profile if you have a professional profile, and it’s relevant to your position.

In very specific cases (e.g. marketing and journalism positions), your profile can help you come across as an expert on the subject, especially if you have a decent amount of followers.

Otherwise, if you use Twitter to express personal opinions that don’t have anything to do with your job - it’s best to keep it off.

Like with Twitter, relevance is key here.

Applying for a design position and have your portfolio on Behance? Go for it!

But if you’re applying for a finance role, the hiring manager will be very confused as to why you included it.

Have a lot of followers and upvotes within your specific field?

You can then go ahead and include your Quora profile.

This can convince the HR manager you’re really the go-to expert on your topic.

This is only for developers, coders, and computer scientists.

If that sounds like you and you have completed a lot of coding projects, feel free to link your GitHub profile in your resume.

Anything Else

Got a YouTube channel? A personal blog? Something else?

Use your discretion to decide if it’s relevant to your job position.

Just make sure you don’t have anything too personal on there!

Resume Headers Done Right - 5 Resume Header Examples

Looking for further inspiration? 

Check out these 5 resume headers from job-winning resumes and see how they get it right.

Business Development Resume Header Example

header for business development resume

Work in biz-dev? Check out our article on how to make a Business Development Manager Resume!

Computer Scientist Resume Header Example

If you need to write a computer science resume, your header information should focus on two main things:

  • Your contact information , so your employer can contact you.
  • Your coding / project portfolio.

And here’s when your GitHub and LinkedIn profiles come into play.

Here’s what that might look like:

Computer Scientist Resume Header Example

There’s more to creating a computer science resume than just the header. Check out our dedicated guide!

Digital Marketing Specialist Resume Header Example

As a marketer, you probably have a natural talent for communication and understanding what makes a person buy a product.

So, you should already be selling yourself starting from your resume header, like so -

Digital Marketing Resume Header Example

For more tips and tricks on how to create a marketing manager resume , check out our article!

Sales Associate Resume Header Example

Sales Associate Resume Header Example

For more on how to make a sales associate resume , head over to our dedicated guide.

No Experience Resume Header Example

Are you a student looking to break into the workforce but have little to no experience?

Here’s how you might start your resume:

resume header for no experience

No-experience resumes can be tough - you don’t have any experience, what are you supposed to include? Find out the answer in your student resume guide .

Key Takeaways

The HR manager only needs a few seconds to decide if they’re going to read your full resume or not.

So, the goal of your resume header is to catch their attention and get them to continue reading the rest of your resume.

Follow these important steps to make sure your resume header is on point:

  • When designing your professional resume header, make sure you include all the essential details, such as: your full name , job title , resume summary or objective (optional), location , phone number , and email address .
  • When writing each section, make sure everything is accurate and relevant to the job position.
  • If you want to stand out from other candidates, consider including other online profiles that show your previous achievements and overall expertise on the subject.
  • Finally, if you’re looking for real-world resume header inspiration, you can use the 5 examples above to get an idea of what the resume header might look like within your job field.

Looking for more actionable resume-building advice? Make sure you follow our career blog to stay up to date with the latest career advice.

Suggested reading:

  • How to Write a Resume | Beginner's Guide
  • How to Pick the Best Resume Format [+Examples]
  • 150+ Must-Have Skills for Any Resume [With Tips + Tricks]

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  • Job Search Tips

7 Resume Headers and Sections You Need (+ Examples)

how to write a resume heading

13 min read

Two women siting around a table talking

Writing an awesome resume is hard! With a blank page staring at you, it’s difficult to even know where to begin. Don’t panic - we’re here to help. Just getting a basic structure in place makes it much easier to write the information you need to include, so start with some straightforward resume headers. 

In this article, we’ll share some ways to lay out and organize your resume so that filling in the relevant information becomes much easier. We’ll also discuss the perfect resume headers and sections you need, what they should look like, and how to create resume headers that stand out. 

Why are proper resume headers so important?

Hiring managers depend heavily on your resume layout to find the information that’s relevant to them, so an easy-to-read layout will greatly improve your chances of securing an interview.

In short, the more intuitively your resume is organized, the easier it is for both humans and applicant tracking systems to decipher the information and pick out the details they’re looking for.  

There are certain important things to keep in mind when drafting your resume; in particular, deciding where to put information and how to label it. When hiring managers have just a few seconds to glance over your resume, it’s important that you organize it efficiently so that they can easily find the most important information.

The way that you organize the information on your resume is almost as important as the content itself. These are just some of the reasons: 

Your resume will likely be scanned by an applicant tracking system

If your information is not labeled correctly, the ATS won’t know how to categorize it. Applicant tracking systems scan through your information using page markers like headers. If you have easily navigable resume headers, the ATS will have no problem parsing your information correctly and passing the relevant information on to the employer.

If your resume is not structured correctly, however, the applicant tracking system will have a hard time locating relevant information. It will present the employer with jumbled information.

In short, don't confuse the machine! A well-organized resume will make it easy for the computer to identify keywords and categorize your information, bringing you one step closer to winning an interview and landing the job.

Your resume will be scanned by a hiring manager - but only for a few seconds.

Most hiring managers are tasked with going through dozens, sometimes hundreds, of resumes in a short period of time. Because of this high demand, most hiring managers spend an average of about six seconds scanning each resume. Of course, six seconds is not even close to enough time to actually read the whole resume. So, how can we guide the eyes of the employer to the information that we absolutely need them to see? With clear and concise resume section headers, of course!

Let’s expand on the role of the hiring manager and look more in-depth at how hiring managers spend these precious six seconds analyzing each resume.

Ladders analyzed the tendencies of 30 recruiters over a 10-week period. The results speak volumes about what the most important aspects of a successful resume are (you can check out the full report here ).

In short, here’s what Ladders found:

Of the six seconds that an average hiring manager spends looking at each resume, 80% of the time was spent looking at the following data points:

Current position and job title / start-end dates

Previous position and job title / start-end dates

When recruiters couldn’t immediately locate this information, they discarded the resume.

Example of a common human resume scan process

The following is from the study done by Ladders. It shows where the hiring managers focused their attention while reading a resume:

resume eye test

This study makes it clear that it’s incredibly important to have clearly labeled sections and organized information. It should take less than a second for a hiring manager to locate any of the above information. If the information can't be immediately located, it may as well not be there.

To make you seem professional 

Your resume is the first impression you’ll make on the hiring manager, so it needs to look smart and professional. You could present a long rambling essay on your experience and skills, but what they’re expecting, and what looks infinitely more professional, is a well-presented, concise summary of your suitability for the role. 

A  well-laid-out resume shows that you know what’s expected and can present an attractive, structured, and relevant document that makes a compelling argument for your candidacy. Resume headers play a key role in achieving that. 

Now that we've established why concise resume organization is essential to success let’s dive into the details of how you can effectively use resume headers to arrange your resume.

Headers for your resume

First, determine which information is likely to be most important to the employer. Usually, it’s things that prove your suitability for the role, such as experience, skills, and qualifications. Then, clearly label that information and format it in an easy-to-read manner. The most important sections include: 

1. Resume title and header section

Let’s start with the first of the resume headers, the header for your entire resume. This header (also called the resume title) is going to be more robust than the others as it serves as an overall introduction to the resume and provides some basic personal information about you. Position it at the very top of your resume. It doesn’t need to take up much space - a couple of lines max should suffice. 

The essentials that you absolutely must include in your professional resume header are:

Name: Sounds obvious, but don't forget it! Make sure your name stands out. Put it in bold or in a larger font than the rest of your resume and place it at the top of the page. It should take less than a second to find your name on your resume.

Email address: Chances are, this is how the employer will choose to contact you to progress your application. Make sure that you use a professional email address - this is one of the very few occasions when it’s OK to use a hyperlink in your resume. The same principle applies here: make sure that your email address can be located in less than a second when glancing at your resume. Hiring managers expect your contact details to be at the very top of the resume, with your name. 

Phone number: The phone is the second most popular means of communication for hiring managers. As with the other two essentials, make sure this contact information is super obvious and easy to locate. If you’re job searching internationally, don’t forget to include the dialing code, too. 

The following details are optional but really helpful if you've spent time optimizing them - they can add that little extra zing that other candidates may not provide. 

Personal website: Depending on the industry you’re going into, a personal website can give you a huge leg up on the competition and help your resume header to stand out. For example, an Artist or Graphic Designer can use a personal website to demonstrate their talent and past work. Similarly, a Web Developer or anyone else who has a tangible portfolio of work can leverage a portfolio website to show off their work.

LinkedIn: Most hiring managers will check your LinkedIn profile so, if you have one, make sure that you include a link. You can check out our post on how to include a LinkedIn URL on a resume. If you don’t have a LinkedIn profile yet, it’s worth setting one up to support your job search. It’s free and could help you to land a job quicker !

2. The resume summary

Summary on Resume

Including a professional resume summary will help you to catch the attention of a hiring manager. You don't need to label it as long as you stick to paragraph form. If you do wish to give it a header, something simple like “Professional Profile” or “Professional Summary” will do the job. There’s an example above to give you inspiration on how to format the resume summary. As the first information that a hiring manager will read about you, it’s important that this section is jam-packed with keywords and reasons for them to hire you.

3. Core competencies

A core competencies section is very useful for both highlighting keywords and skills relevant to the role and capturing the attention of a hiring manager with snappy, relevant bullet points. You could choose a header that says “Core Competencies”, “Key Skills,” or “Areas of Expertise”. For more information, read our post on choosing the right core competencies for your resume .

4. Work Experience

The work experience section should take up the bulk of your resume. The header could read “Career Summary”, “Work Experience,” or “Professional History”, for example. You could add “Key Achievements” subheadings for each job, too, to really highlight the value you bring to an organization.

 You may want to create a separate header for voluntary work, although it’s perfectly fine to include volunteering within your career history if you prefer - particularly if it will cover a career gap. 

5. Education

This is another important category that’s often part of the 6-second scan. A simple, one-word header like “Education” or “Qualifications” is perfect. You can also be more specific and divide it further into sections like “Certifications” or “Professional Development." Key information to add within this section is the level of qualification, subject title, and year of completion. 

This post has more details on listing education on a resume.

6. Technical Skills

Having a technical skills section is optional if your industry doesn't require a lot of technical skills - but we don't recommend completely eliminating any valuable and relevant ones that you have. If you don’t feel a whole Technical Skills section is worth it for the roles you’re aiming at, you can include the skills in your Core Competencies section instead.

However, if you’re applying in an industry where specific “hard” skills are valued, it’s helpful to further divide your skills into multiple sections. For example, you can have an “IT Proficiency”, “Languages”, or “Technical Skills” section to directly address the requirements of the job listing.

For more information on drafting the perfect skills section, check out our blog post that covers what skills you should put on your resume .

7. Achievements 

Ideally, you’ll list career-related achievements as part of every job you include. If, however, you feel a bit light on achievements, or you have a handful of knockout achievements that you really want to highlight, or you have some personal achievements that don’t sit comfortably anywhere else on the resume, you may want to create a separate section headed “Achievements.” This will draw the readers’ eye to details you’re particularly keen to show off, whether that’s a professional achievement, such as saving the company $5 million by developing a new system, or a personal achievement, such as raising $10,000 for a relevant charity by completing an ultramarathon. 

Personal achievements should be positioned at the end of the resume, whilst professional achievements should be positioned much more prominently. Bear in mind the rule that the most critical information that you want to convey to a recruiter should be clear within the top third of the first page. 

8. Optional sections

These other resume header examples are not strictly necessary unless you want to highlight a personal selling point that is highly relevant to the role you’re applying for. You could consider including:

Affiliations

Research and Publications

Activities and Interests

Resume headers examples

When you’re sitting down to write your resume and are faced with a blank page, you can use these examples of resume headers to get you started:

Main resume header and contact details

Professional Profile

Core Competencies 

Career History

Qualifications 

Technical Skills 

Personal Achievements 

You may not need all of them, but they will guide your thoughts and your writing so that you can get the key information down on the page before you tweak and tailor it to perfectly fit the role you’re applying for.

How to style your resume headers

Good resume headers stand out from the rest of the text but don't go over the top. A larger and bolder font will do the trick. You may also want to consider underlining headers in a resume to separate them from the body of the text - although not in such a way that they’re mistaken for hyperlinks. You've done a good job if it’s clear at first glance where the headers are located.

Make the text in the headers short and specific. Don't get too creative with these section headers, either. They're signposts to identify how you've organized your resume, they shouldn’t distract the reader from the valuable content within each section!

The following is a good example of a resume header format by the professional writers here at ZipJob :

Creative Strategist Resume Example Employment Only

Creative resume headers

While we’re all in favor of creativity and individuality, we really can’t recommend using creative headers. Whether that’s in terms of wording (such as “What you need to know about me”) or format (such as graphics and text boxes), creative headers are generally not the way forward. The keys are to remain professional, to make the reader’s job easier by giving them what they expect, and to present a resume that is scanned accurately by an ATS. 

Should my resume have headers and footers?

So far in this article, we’ve focused on section headings for your resume. But what about using the Header and Footer functions in Word? It’s tempting to use the Header function for your name and contact details and the Footer function to duplicate the information on subsequent pages, but we’d strongly advise against it. Some ATS can’t read the information in headers and footers, so although a human will be able to see the details as you intended, the information may get missed when your resume is scanned. 

When the ATS misses contact information in your resume, it could lead to your resume being rejected altogether. 

Use headers as signposts to get the YES you’re waiting for

The headers on your resume are a guide for the hiring manager and applicant tracking systems to find your information. Labeling and placing resume headers correctly is essential to sending the message you want to send and standing out from the crowd. With the correct resume header format, your resume is one step closer to landing you that elusive interview.

We wish you lots of luck in your job search. When you’ve written your resume, why not submit it for a free review from our team of resume experts? 

Recommended reading:

Resume Format Types: Examples & Which Option Is Best?

How to Write a Good Resume Summary (+Examples)

What Is A Resume Title? (+30 Examples)

This post was originally written in 2016 and was updated in 2021 and 2023.

Jen David, Editor & Content Writer, Jen David, Editor & Content Writer

Jen David has been writing CVs since 2010 and is the founder of CV Shed . She has worked with clients in numerous industries and at all stages of their careers, from students through to senior executives of global businesses. She loves producing polished, focused CVs that appeal to both human recruiters and applicant tracking systems, enabling her clients to take the next step in their careers. Jen has written and edited numerous articles for publication on industry-leading job boards.

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How to Write and Format Resume Headings

Becca Dershowitz

Your resume is often the first impression you make on a potential employer, and the layout and formatting of your resume can significantly impact your chances of getting hired. One crucial element of a well-formatted resume is the use of clear and effective headings. A strong heading can grab the attention of the reader and quickly communicate your qualifications and experience.

In this article, we will provide tips and guidelines on how to write and format resume headings to make sure your resume stands out and showcases your skills and experience in the best possible way.

3 key takeaways you'll get from this article

  • What resume headings are and why they are important to have on your resume
  • Different types of resumes may use different resume headings
  • Examples of resume headings for the main sections of your resume

What are resume headings?

Resume headings are the phrases that go above each section of your resume that organize the content of a resume. The resume heading serves as a title for each section. They typically appear in bold and larger font than the rest of the text, helping to make the resume easy to read and navigate.

Resume headings help recruiters and hiring managers easily skim your resume for important details like work experience, education, and skills.

It's worth noting: resume headings are different from resume headers. A resume header is at the very top of your resume and can include your basic contact information like your name, job title, location, phone number, and professional email address. Avoid disclosing specific personal information, like your street address.

Are resume section headings important?

Yes, resume headings are very important because they help to structure the information on your resume and make it easier for employers to quickly locate the key information they are looking for. By using clear and concise resume section titles, you can guide the reader's attention to the most relevant parts of your resume and highlight your skills and experience in a logical and organized manner.

Well-designed resume headings can also make a difference in how your qualifications and experience are perceived, help your resume to stand out from other job applicants, and leave a positive impression on potential employers. They show that you have taken the time to carefully organize your information and that you value clarity and professionalism.

Common resume headings

Common headings on a resume for most job seekers include:

  • Header/Contact Information: includes your name, address, phone number, and email address.
  • Professional Summary: a short professional bio is a brief statement that highlights your key skills, experience, and career goals.
  • Education: lists your academic qualifications, including degrees, certifications, and any relevant coursework.
  • Work Experience: provides details about your professional experience, including job titles, dates of employment, and descriptions of your duties and accomplishments.
  • Skills and Interests: highlights your key skills and areas of expertise, as well as any personal interests or unique hobbies on a resume, that showcase your personality and skills.
  • Awards/Honors and Activities: lists any awards or recognition you have received for your work and describe any extracurricular or volunteer activities.

How to write resume headings

Resume headings should be clear, concise, and easy to read and understand. To ensure this, use the same font, formatting, and style throughout your resume to maintain consistency and professionalism.

While the font remains the same, the font size for your resume headings should be slightly larger than the rest of the text in your resume. This will make your headings stand out and draw the reader's attention.

Use bold or underline formatting to make your headings stand out even more, while considering margins and leaving enough white space between your headings and the rest of the text in your resume to make it easy to read and navigate.

You'll also want to position your headings in a way that prioritizes information. We recommend using a reverse chronological order format instead of a functional resume format.  Place the most important information at the top of the page and use clear categories to divide your resume into sections.

Specificity can make or break the amount of time a recruiter or hiring manager looks at your resume. Use specific and descriptive headings that clearly convey the information you want to communicate. Commonly used phrases like “Education,” “Professional Experience,” and “Skills” are all areas that a recruiter will be looking for.

Tips for writing resume headings

Here are some tips for writing effective resume headings:

  • Keep it concise: Use brief and straightforward headings that are easy to read and understand. Avoid using long sentences or complex phrases that may confuse the reader.
  • Use resume action verbs : Start your headings with action verbs that demonstrate your skills and experience. For example, use "Managed" or "Oversaw" instead of "Responsibilities included."
  • Customize headings: Tailor your headings to the specific job and industry you are applying for. Use keywords that are relevant to the position you are seeking.
  • Use clear categories: Divide your resume into clear categories, such as "Work Experience," "Education," "Skills," etc., to make it easier for the reader to navigate.

Resume headings if you have no experience

When creating a resume with no experience, it's important to highlight your skills, education, and other qualifications. It's worth noting that lacking industry-specific work experience doesn't necessarily mean that you lack relevant skills that can be applied to the position. Your previous experiences may have equipped you with transferable skills that are valuable in the industry you're applying for.

At the very top of your resume will be the resume summary section. Provide a brief overview of your skills, education, and career goals in your professional summary section. It's important to emphasize your strengths and showcase your potential for success in the position you're applying for.

Your education section should be the most robust and thorough section of your resume, including your academic achievements, your degree, major, and any relevant coursework, honors, or awards. Because of this, your resume header "Education" should be at the top of your resume to showcase your most relevant qualifications.

Other headings to include on a resume with no experience could be:

Skills: List any relevant skills that you possess, such as computer skills, language skills, or other technical abilities. You can also include soft skills, such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving.

Projects: If you have completed any relevant projects, include a section that highlights your role, the project goals, and the outcomes achieved. This can show your ability to work independently and demonstrate your problem-solving skills.

Volunteer Work: If you have volunteered for any organizations or causes, list them in a separate section to show your commitment to helping others and making a positive impact in your community. Volunteer work can also help demonstrate your leadership and teamwork skills.

Internships: Internships provide valuable experience and demonstrate skills and knowledge for the position, even without prior professional experience. Listing them on a resume shows eagerness to learn, commitment to the industry, and helps stand out from other job seekers who don't have internship experience.

By including these headings, you can effectively showcase your skills and qualifications even if you don't have prior work experience. Be sure to tailor your resume to the position you're applying for and use specific examples to demonstrate how you can be an asset to the company.

Resume headings for a more experienced professional

A resume for an experienced professional typically has more resume headings than a resume with no experience because they have a longer work history and more information to convey.

In addition to your professional summary, education, skills, and awards and honors, there are other sections to include on a resume for a more experienced professional.

Work Experience: This section lists your previous job titles, companies you worked for, employment dates, and accomplishments examples and metric-driven achievements for each position.

Certifications and Licenses: This section lists any professional certifications or licenses you have earned from attending conferences or training programs that are relevant to the position you're applying for.

Professional Memberships: This section identifies any professional associations or organizations you belong to that are relevant to the position. You can also highlight any leadership positions held in professional organizations.

Research and Publications: This section can help showcase expertise and demonstrate level of achievement. It should include relevant information such as the title, author(s), co-authors, publication date, and name of the publication or conference. It's important to be selective and choose the publications that are most relevant to the job you are applying for, and to use a consistent format throughout the section.

The order and importance of these sections may vary depending on your specific circumstances and the job you are applying for.

Resume headings for a creative resume

If you are crafting a creative resume, you may want to consider using headings that reflect your personal brand and style.

While many of the headings included in a creative resume are the same as a more professional resume, the information included in each section should reflect the applicant's personality.

Profile: This heading can be used to provide a brief summary of your skills, experience, and career goals. It can be written in a creative and engaging way to capture the reader's attention.

Skills: Highlight your key skills and areas of expertise in your skills section. You can use creative icons or graphics to make this section visually appealing.

Experience: Showcase your work experience. Consider using a creative format such as a timeline or infographic to make this section more engaging

Projects: Highlight your creative projects, such as design work or art pieces. You can include images or links to your work to showcase your skills.

Education: This heading can be used to showcase your education and training. Consider using a creative format such as a mind map or flowchart to make this section more visually appealing.

Awards and Recognition: Showcase any awards or recognition you have received for your work. You can use creative graphics or icons to make this section stand out.

Examples of resume headings

Having different resume heading options for each section of your resume provides flexibility and allows you to tailor your resume to the specific job you are applying for.

When choosing the best heading for each section, consider the job requirements, your professional experience, and what you want to highlight about yourself.

Choose a heading that accurately reflects the content of that section, and that will make you stand out as a strong candidate for the job. Remember to keep the headings consistent throughout your resume to maintain a professional and organized appearance.

Headings for the professional summary

  • Professional Summary
  • Resume Summary
  • Career Summary
  • Professional Profile
  • Personal Statement
  • Career Goals

Headings for the education section of your resume

  • Academic Background
  • Qualifications
  • Educational Experience
  • Relevant Training
  • Educational Training
  • Academic Achievements
  • Academic Experience
  • Certifications

Headings for the experience section of your resume

  • Work Experience
  • Work History
  • Employment History
  • Professional Experience
  • Career Highlights
  • Professional History
  • Employment Experience
  • Professional Background
  • Relevant Experiences

Headings for the skills section of your resume

  • Core Competencies
  • Areas of Expertise
  • Technical Skills
  • Hard Skills
  • Soft Skills
  • Core Strengths
  • Professional Skills
  • Additional Skills
  • Additional Expertise
  • Related Experience
  • Related Skills
  • Job-specific Skills

How to easily create a professional resume with the proper headings

Crafting a resume that highlights your skills and experience takes time, but that doesn't mean you need to hire a certified professional resume writer. Teal can make this process much simpler. You can upload an existing resume or import your optimized LinkedIn profile directly to your Teal dashboard .

Using Teal's software, you can build an exhaustive list detailing your work experience, and it will all be saved in your Career History for you to pick and choose from as needed.

With all your professional experience conveniently stored in one place, you can tailor your resume to the specific job you're applying for and craft multiple versions of your resume . Use Teal's AI Resume Builder with built-in AI to craft professional summaries, metric-driven achievements, choose from multiple professional resume format options, cover letters , and more.

Matching your keywords and the different headings of your resume to what the job is looking for will improve your chances of landing an interview. Use Teal's AI Resume Builder to quickly compare the skills and keywords in the job posting to those in your resume.

If you're looking for inspiration - head over to our  resume examples section  to view resume heading samples across hundreds of job titles.

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How to Write a Resume Header

Your resume header is the very first thing an employer will see. Not only does it need to contain the correct information, but it needs to stand out as well! In this guide, we will teach you how to write the ideal header for your resume.

Ed Moss

What is a Resume Header?

A resume header is a short section that includes an applicant’s relevant personal information.

The header of a resume is the first section you should include on a resume.

There are 3 main purposes a resume header serves:

  • ‍ Introducing You to Employers: Your header is the very first part of your resume an employer looks at. This makes the header your chance to introduce yourself and include memorable details. ‍
  • Building a Strong First Impression: Once the employer has been introduced to you, you need to make a lasting first impression. The way you design and structure your header will help you to achieve a good impression. ‍
  • Providing Your Personal Details: The amount of personal information will vary depending on the job and applicant. Typically, you should include at least your name and an email or phone number.   

Though your header will be short and simple, paying attention to details still matters.

By the end of this guide, you will know how to craft an effective resume header to land your dream job.

We will cover everything from what information to include to how to format it.

Beautiful resume templates to land your dream job

Physical Therapist

What is the Right Resume Header for My Application

When deciding how to write your resume header, it is important to take style and design into consideration.

To choose which style best fits your needs, you must consider how much space you have on your resume.

You should also consider the purpose of your resume, such as what level of experience you are trying to portray.

The 3 main types of resume header styles include:

  • ‍ Name and Contact Information: This is the most standard header format you will see. The name will often be larger and bolded. The contact information will generally fall right below the name. ‍
  • Name and Job Title: With this header format, you will include a job title either beside or underneath your name. Typically, there will also be contact information included underneath the job title. ‍
  • Name and Summary: This type of header will list your name and then a professional summary or objective statement underneath. There may also be a job title included. This may not leave enough room for the contact information, which will need to be listed elsewhere on the resume.

Where Do I Put My Contact Information

In headers of any style, it is crucial to not let your contact information get lost.

Ideally, your contact information should fall directly below or closely adjacent to your name.

If it is not close to your name, it should be clearly labeled.

The goal is to make your contact information as simple to find as possible.

If an employer can’t easily find your email or phone number, your resume may be thrown out.

There are two main locations to list your contact information:

  • In the header
  • In a sidebar towards the top of the resume

Placing contact information into a sidebar can be helpful when using up header space for a title or summary.

However, we generally advise keeping the contact information within the header when possible.

A sidebar can also be useful as a place to list additional or non-essential contact information.

This may include a link to an online portfolio, a website, LinkedIn, or other social media.

Don’t list your contact information incorrectly and end up missing out on big opportunities!

Follow our guide on How to List Contact Information on Your Resume !

Business Analyst

What Do I Put in a Resume Header?

Once you have decided on a header style, it is time to sort out what information to include.

There are 4 essential pieces of information to include in a resume header:

  • ‍ Your Name: You want to maintain consistency with your name. If you use a nickname, make sure to only use it on your resume if it is listed elsewhere as well. Generally, you want to list your full legal name and provide employers with nicknames later. ‍
  • Your Phone Number: This can be a cellphone or landline, just be sure to include whichever you use the most. When including a phone number, only include one. Including too many takes up unnecessary space. ‍
  • A Professional Email: Your resume may be perfect in every way, but if you have an unprofessional email you can squander your chances. If you don’t already have one, make a new email with either just your name or your name and a keyword. The keyword should be related to the job you are applying for ideally. ‍
  • Your Job Title: Including a job title helps to make your header stand out more. Plus, it gives employers a clear idea of your professional goals.

There are, of course, other pieces of information you can use to bulk out your header a little more.

Just be sure to not crowd the header with too much information.

Additional pieces of information to include in a header or personal information section include:

  • ‍ Professional Summary or Objective: This is usually 1 to 3 sentences. It will describe your experience, career goals, and what you can bring to the company. Summaries and objectives are often used to apply for more advanced positions, such as for a senior-level job.  ‍
  • Desired Position: If you are changing career paths or just entering the workforce, you may not have a job title yet. In this case, you may want to list your desired position. This should be tailored for each job you apply to. ‍
  • Location: There is some debate on how much location information to include on a resume. When in doubt, try to at least include your city, state, and country.

Do I Include an Address in My Resume Header?

Let’s discuss the location portion of your contact information for a moment.

Resume professionals are often at odds over whether or not to include an address on your resume.

In the past, a full mailing address was required as a means of contact.

Nowadays, phones and email have made the use of snail mail increasingly sparse.

In general, you can omit a full mailing address from a resume.

However, you may still want to include a certain amount of location-related information.

Here are 3 key factors that come into play for employers looking at locations on a resume:

  • ‍ Local Tax: Some employers will only want to hire local residents due to local tax regulations. Typically, these types of employers will specifically request information about your location. ‍
  • Relocation: Many companies are willing to work with candidates who need to relocate. Indicating a desire or plan to relocate on your resume can be helpful for this. ‍
  • Proximity: Employers may not be able to assist with relocations. This may drive them to seek out applicants who are in close enough proximity to the job.
Still not sure whether or not to include information about your location? Check out our article Should I Put My Address On My Resume for more help!

High School Teacher

How Do I Format a Resume Header?

When formatting your resume header, there are a few important aspects:

  • ‍ Conciseness: Your header should be very brief, ideally 50 words or less. If there is a summary or objective included, try to keep it short as well. ‍
  • Readability: Simple language and sentence structures are key. Every part of your resume should be skimmable by the employer. ‍
  • Design: While the rest of your resume should be as simple as possible, the header is where you can get a little more creative.

To best show you how to properly format a header, we will provide you with three examples of the header styles listed above.

Example 1: Name and Contact Information

John Doe | (123) 456-7890, [email protected]

Why It’s Wrong: In this example, the contact information is listed on the same line as the name.

Although the name is bolded and enlarged to help it stand out, this creates a distraction.

The name should always be given its own line and treated like the title to the entire document.

John Doe (123) 456-7890 | [email protected]

In this corrected example, the name is the only piece of information on the first line.

This can be aligned either left, center, or right. All information within the header should use the same alignment.

Example 2: Name and Job Title

John Doe, Computer Analyst (123) 456-7890 | [email protected]

Why It’s Wrong: The example is right in making the job title larger in text than the contact information.

However, the name should still be given a separate line.

Additionally, the job title should not be the same size as the name, as this is distracting.

John Doe Computer Analyst (123) 456-7890 | [email protected]

In this corrected example, the name has once again been given its own line.

The job title falls onto the second line in a smaller font and italics.

The font is still slightly larger than the contact information and the italics help the title to stand out.

Example 3: Name and Summary

John Doe Computer Analyst, (123) 456-7890 | [email protected]

Computer Analyst with over 10 years of experience working with programming languages and software analysis.

Seeking a senior-level position, bringing with me over 10 major corporate clients.

Why It’s Wrong: In this example, the applicant has tried to fit way too much information on the second line.

In this case, either the job title needs to be removed or the contact information needs to be relocated.

John Doe (123) 456-7890 | [email protected] Computer Analyst with over 10 years of experience working with programming languages and software analysis. Seeking a senior-level position, bringing with me over 10 major corporate clients.

In this applicant’s summary, the first piece of information they mention is being a Computer Analyst.

This makes the use of a job title in the line before unnecessary.

Plus, it allows for the contact information to remain in the header.

Additionally, the summary has been italicized to help it stand out from the rest of the text.

This helps to create a less monotonous visual flow as well.

Need more help crafting your resume? Take a look at our guide on the 20 Best Resume Writing Tips and Tricks (with Free Checklist) .  

IT Manager

How Do I Make My Resume Header Stand Out?

While you don’t want to go overboard, the header of your resume is where you can get a little more creative in your design elements.

Here are 5 ways to help your header stand out:

  • ‍ Shapes: Background shapes behind the text of the header can help to set the header apart from the rest of the resume. Be sure to use a non-distracting color and that the text can still be clearly read. ‍
  • Color: While you don’t want to overuse color on a resume, the header is a great place to add a splash of color. You use color for background shapes and the text. Check out our article on Colors on a Resume: What Do Employers Really Think ? ‍
  • Fonts: When choosing fonts, you should stick to using only 1 to 2. While it may be tempting to use a fancy font, stick to simpler fonts such as Arial, Cambria, or Times New Roman. Enlarge the font size to help header text and section titles stand out. ‍
  • Bolding: Bolding is one of the most powerful tools you have on a resume. Use bolding to help emphasize your name. ‍
  • Italics: Italics are great for creating complementary pieces of text below larger, bolded fonts.

Headers for Different Levels of Experience and Industries

Every time you submit a resume, you should first take the time to tailor it to the job.

Jobs can differ in many ways, from different industries to varying levels of experience needed.

Here is a quick rundown of which type of header to consider using for the following use cases:

Use Case 1: Entry-Level Positions

When applying to an entry-level position, your header should include your name and contact information.

It may also be useful to include a LinkedIn, website, or online portfolio.

This will help especially if you are lacking in work experience.

For entry-level jobs, a job title and summary are generally unnecessary.

You won’t have the years of experience to back up either of these more than likely.

However, it may be useful to include an objective statement that explains your desired position and some of your skills and proficiencies.

Use Case 2: Mid- to Senior-Level Positions

When applying to mid to senior-level positions, using a job title and/or summary in your header is recommended.

For these higher-level positions, closer attention will be paid to the resume.

While entry-level applications will be skimmed, high-level applications will be closely compared.

In the summary, you should clearly detail your experience and qualifications.

If you have clients following you from a previous job, this is a good place to mention that as well.

Use Case 3: Specialized Industry Positions

Every industry is different.

Thus, every resume you submit to new industry needs to be tailored and optimized.

When applying to jobs in specific industries, the work experience section will ultimately play a larger role than the header.

However, the header is the best opportunity to introduce yourself as a professional in that field.

For professionals looking to switch careers or industries, including a summary or objective may be useful.

In it, they can describe why they are switching industries and what their future career goals look like.

Final Takeaways

Your resume header makes the first impression on employers.

By ignoring the formatting and quality of your header, you heighten the chances of missed opportunities.

Putting in the effort to tailor your header perfectly is essential.

Here are 3 key takeaways for writing your resume header:

  • ‍ Get creative, but don’t overdo it. Use larger fonts, bolding, and italics to help your header stand out. ‍
  • Always try to include your contact information within a header. If there is not enough room, then include it at the top of a sidebar that is easily found and clearly labeled. ‍
  • Prioritize your name . The most important part of your header is your name. You don’t want to distract from it by including other information on the same line. Additionally, your name should be the largest piece of text on your resume.

Easy Resume offers a large collection of free-to-read resume guides . Make sure to check them all out for more examples, advice, and tips!

Browse more resume templates that fit your role

Ed Moss is an author for Easy Resume

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Dive Into Expert Guides to Enhance your Resume

How to Write Resume Section Headings

RC Team

Resume section headings  are one of the first things prospective employers see on your resume. As they are written in a larger font size and are often in bold, they are  designed to stand out .

As employers generally scan resumes in a matter of seconds, it’s crucial to make a  positive first impression . For this reason, it’s important to make sure the  headings on your resume  are clear, error-free, and attractive.

This guide on  how to write resume headings  will explain how to avoid the most common pitfalls job and give you tips on how to nail your  resume section headings . Designing a resume can be time-consuming. Nowadays, many people prefer to use  resume builders  as a way of quickly achieving  professional-looking results .

Here are 6 tips on  how to write resume section headings .

1) Make your resume headings stand out

You want employers to notice your  resume headings . Put them in a slightly larger font and  consider using bold . Your resume should be written in 11 or 12-point font. Consider using 13 or 14 for your headings.

2) Keep it simple

You want your resume headings to be noticed but you also you want your resume to give the right impression. It should look  professional and polished  and show you’re a serious job candidate.  Avoid gimmicks  and use a clear  font  such as Arial or Georgia. If you have an eye for design and are applying for a job in the arts you can consider using more  creative resume headings .

3) Avoid long resume headings

Writing longer headings makes them less clear. Try to use only 1 or 2 words. Headings just need to make it clear what they contain, nothing more.  Resume heading examples : ‘Work Experience’, ‘Qualifications’, ‘Honors and Awards’, ‘Skills’.

4) Don’t use vague headings

Keep your headings short but  make sure they’re clear . Don’t just write ‘Work’ or ‘History’. Make sure the heading contains enough information for the reader to  instantly understand  what the section contains. ‘ Work History ‘ and ‘ Work Experience ‘ are both concise and clear.

5) Don’t overcrowd your resume

Less is more  on a resume. You should use headings to make the most important parts stand out. You should only have headings which include  at least 3 items . There’s no point in having a section which only has 1 item. In these cases, it’s better to combine sections. Including a ‘ Miscellaneous ‘ section is an option. Your education, work experience, and skills sections should be the most prominent.

6) Use a resume template

Resume templates  are the easiest way of producing  top-quality resumes  which maximize your chances of reaching the  first interview stage . There are numerous to choose from and they are quick to edit and adapt for each job application. Whether you’re writing a  professional resume  or an  entry-level resume , there are different  styles and layouts  to meet your needs.

There are many different things to think about when  writing a resume . It’s still the most powerful tool you have at your disposal when you’re  looking for a job  so make sure you perfect it as much as you can. Read this guide on  how to write a resume  for more tips on crafting a winning resume.

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A resume header is the first thing recruiters check out on your resume.

Click here to directly go to the complete resume header examples.

You've come to the right place to learn how to make headers for resumes that will increase your chances of getting that coveted interview.

Resume Headings carry all your personal, contact, and social media information. They introduce you to the recruiter and are (correctly) given a lot of importance while making a resume.

Using a poor resume headings format can even mess with the ATS software used by many hiring managers.

Here's a summary of how to write the headers for resumes:

  • Do not name your resume as ' RESUME ' or ' CV ', just start with your name.
  • Write your name between 14-16 points and with proper spacing.
  • Do not write the function in the title but the proper designation .
  • Do not write more than one phone number or e-mail address.
  • Provide the current location of your residence.

In this blog we will walk you through:

  • What exactly is a resume header?
  • What are some examples of resume header?
  • What is the best resume header format?
  • How to make your resume header stand out?
  • What not to add on your resume header?
  • How to create headers for resumes on word?
  • Best resume heading checklist

Imagine that your contact information in the resume header is not correctly picked up by the Applicant Tracking System. Now, the recruiter can't get in touch with you even if they are interested!

This blog post will cover the following topics:

What is the Resume Header?

As the name suggests, a resume header is at the top of your resume and mainly contains your name, resume title, and contact information along with social and professional information.

To make your resume writing experience effortless, we have got some hacks:

  • Put your personal contact info in the correct order
  • Include your name , resume title , location , phone number , & email address
  • Add extra information like LinkedIn id , only if relevant
  • Make it easily readable by styling it right.
  • Do not start your resume by naming it as Resume or CV

10+ Resume Header Examples

Each of these resume heading examples has been created by our experts on our online resume builder .

Feel free to build your own resume heading using these!

1.Software Developer Resume Header

Software-developer

Also Read : How to Write a software developer resume in 2022?

2. Business Development Associate Resume Header

Business-developer

Also Read : How to Write a business developer resume in 2022?

3. Data Analyst Resume Header

Data Analyst

Also Read : How to Write a data analyst resume in 2022?

4. Digital Marketing Associate Resume Header

Digital-marketing-associate

Also Read : How to Write a digital marketing resume in 2022?

5. Marketing Manager Resume Header

Marketing-manager-resume

Also Read : How to Write a marketing manager resume in 2022?

6. AWS Resume Header

AWS-Resume

Also Read : How to Write an AWS resume in 2022?

7. Cyber Security Analyst Resume Header

Cyber-Security-Analyst

Also Read : How to Write a cyber security resume in 2022?

8. Business Analyst Resume Header

Business-Analyst

Also Read : How to Write a business analyst resume in 2022?

9. Medical Assistant Resume Header

Medical-Assistant-Resume-Header

Also Read : How to Write a medical assistant resume in 2022?

10. Customer Service Associate Resume Header

Customer-Service-Associate-Resume-Header

Also Read : How to Write a customer service assistant resume in 2022?

Why Do You Need Resume Headers?

It is convenient to have the name of the candidate at the beginning of your resume - both for the recruiter and for the candidate.

A resume header serves the purpose of identifying your resume. In fact, we suggest highlighting the header of the resume to differentiate it from the body of the resume.

Also Read : How to Write a Stellar Resume in 2022?

Resume Heading Format

The resume header format that you choose should always be at the starting of the page.

Select it as the left margin or put it at the center. Your name is the most important thing, and the second most important thing is your phone number and e-mail address.

Then add additional information like a clickable website or social media links. There are different types of resume header formats but the contact information format is always the same and it comes first.

If you want to directly look at the resume header sample, you can skip to the end of this article.

Resume Header: Name

Make sure that your name is the most visible part of your resume. Your name will make your resume stand apart from hundreds of other resumes.

  • Make your name the biggest thing on your resume .
  • If you have different names (like Kenneth, Kenny, or a maiden name), you should use the version that is most searchable on the internet.
  • Keep the name the same across all of your profiles that you have listed. Your portfolio website, Twitter handle, and LinkedIn profile should all belong to you.

Resume Header: Resume Title

What is a resume title?

A resume title presents your profile to the recruiter in one word or a couple of words. It summarizes your professional experience in one or two words.

As important as it sounds to list the title on your resume, it is the most unattended one.

Take care of the following points so that you do not forget to add the right title:

  • Add the job title to your resume in a 1 or 2 points smaller font than the name . Example: DevOps Engineer .
  • If you have certification or a key license, list it in the professional resume header. Example: Certified MongoDB Architect .

To find the right resume header templates, head on to our online resume builder .

Resume Header: Address

Next thing is to add your address; however, this is the aspect that can be left unlisted for privacy concerns.

Hiring managers usually look for people near their company. This prevents them from funding their travel.

Instead of your full address, you can simply list the city/region .

Example: Westville, IL

Resume Header: Phone Number

A phone number is by far the most common way for hiring managers to contact you!

  • List your personal contact number and which is widely accessible .
  • Do not include your present work phone.
  • Make sure that your phone has a decent voice mail message .
  • Write your ISD code before the phone number.
  • Give space in between the phone number for aesthetic purposes. Ex.: +01 222 343 2423

Resume Header: Email Address

Email is a fairly common way that managers use to reach out to fellow applicants.

  • After your phone number, write a professional-looking email address.
  • A good-looking email would contain first name, last name, and a widely used email provider like Gmail or Microsoft.
  • One email address is enough.
  • Do not use your current work email .
  • Avoid any email id that includes slang or jargon. Ex: [email protected] .
Also read : What All Contact Information Need to Go in a Resume Header?

How to make a Resume Header stand out

We have got some creative resume header ideas for you. Usually, people do not consider these hacks and fall short of scoring in the interviews.

Spend less time wondering and more time conditioning your resume header with the following tips:

Resume Header: Web Addresses

A web address is usually not needed in your resume heading.

However, if you have a job-related online portfolio or website, you can include it. It is a good way to let the recruiter focus on your potential.

Adding a portfolio will work exceptionally for good online projects. Software engineers, architects, interior designers, graphic designers, and artists should include portfolios.

Resume Header: LinkedIn profile

A lot of recruiters now use LinkedIn to hire potential job seekers.

Adding a decently updated LinkedIn profile in your resume header will help the recruiter to know more about you. He can browse through your endorsements and key skills , projects and volunteer experiences .

Your connections and past jobs will give him a fair idea of your reach and professional potential.

Your LinkedIn profile should be up-to-date and personalized. Optimize your profile with the right profile summary, background picture, profile image, and ATS keywords.

Resume Header: GitHub profile

If you're a person in the field of information technology, or a student who has completed many coding projects, it is ideal that you include your Github profile for your resume to stand out from the rest.

Want your resume to stand out?

Also read : What Are the Do's and Don'ts to Keep in Mind While Drafting a Resume?

If you directly want to choose a resume header template, you can move to the last section of this guide.

Resume Header: Twitter

If you have a professional and optimized Twitter profile and use it to showcase your work, you can add it to the Resume header.

Especially for profiles such as marketing, community-based jobs, journalism positions, your active profile can be an add-on to your candidature.

If you use Twitter to showcase personal opinions, you can skip adding them to the resume header.

Resume Header: Behance

Rules are the same for Behance as well. If your work involves designing, for instance, graphic and UI-UX, you can add your Behance portfolio in the resume header.

But if you are applying for a tech role such as data analyst, or software engineer, your Behance portfolio is of no use.

Resume Header: Quora

Are you applying for a job in a marketing and writing profile? Do you have many followers in a specific field in Quora?

If yes, go ahead and add the Quora profile link to your resume header.

This will show the recruiter that you have solid knowledge and social backing on a specific subject.

Resume Header: Instagram

Add your Instagram portfolio if you are an artist or model or you have successfully built an eCommerce business via Instagram.

For everything else, you can skip adding your Instagram profile link in the resume header unless, of course, it is asked in the job description.

Resume Header: Other Links

Do you have a successful youtube channel? Or a blog or anything relevant to the job you are applying for?

If yes, then you can add it to the resume header.

What Not to Include in Your Resume Header

There are certain things you must not miss to include in your resume, Also, there is certain information you should avoid from your resume. Here is a list:

Irrelevant Social Media Links

Do not include a social media profile link, if it's not helping you get the job directly.

Especially most candidates uses Facebook or Instagram to share personal stories. So it's better to leave these profiles out of the recruiter's site.

Irrelevant Personal Details

Quite like anything personal, your physical characteristics like:

or beliefs or creed like:

  • political wing

opens the door to the possibility of accusations of discrimination against the company.

Recruiters prefer that you do not include any physical descriptions or any political or personal details so as to reduce any possibilities of prejudice during the time of hiring.

It is ideal that you are only hired on the basis of your professional expertise.

Your Full Address

In the resume header, do not write your complete address. Just add the location in "City/Country Code" format. If you add the full address, you may be subject to discrimination.

Recruiters will prefer a candidate who is closer to the job location. And if your address shows that you live far away, then they might ditch you for a candidate who stays near.

2 Page Resume Header

Although a 1-page resume header is fine in most cases, sometimes you might want to create a resume header on every page of your resume.

You can easily do this in Word. Read the section below.

Also Read : How to Write a 2-page Resume in 2022?

How to Create a Word Resume Header

If you want to create a resume header in word, we have got some hacks for you.

  • When creating a word resume header, do not use Word's document heading . It is not applicant tracking software friendly.
  • You should left-align your margin or put it in the center.
  • Try to use large 20-24 point font for your name heading.
  • Put the rest of your contact information in 10-14 point font below.
  • The most readable resume heading font that looks professional, like Calibri or Open Sans, Ariel,

Proofread the Word Resume Header

You should reread your contact details and make sure they are correct. This is to avoid accidental mishaps.

Make sure you have added the right portfolio or certification.

Do not overly design your resume header to make it stand out. Odd designs, colors, and fonts will distract the recruiter from important contact information. Exhibit your skills in your LinkedIn profile or online portfolio instead.

Resume Header Checklist

The key to getting your contact information noticed by the recruiter is a nicely aligned resume header!

Follow the below steps to stand out:

  • Give the biggest font size to your name. Make it a resume heading.
  • Add your job title as a subheading and mention any required certification or license.
  • Add your best accessible phone number and a professional email address.
  • Mention your region and state. You may omit the full street address.
  • Add the relevant social media handles if the job requires social media skills.
Earn brownie points by inserting a link to a LinkedIn profile and/or a portfolio site.
Also read : How to Get a Personalized Linkedin URL?

FAQ: Resume Header

Should i put a header on the second page of my resume.

Ans: No, you don't need to include the header again on the second page of the resume. Although, we advise you to keep your resume within one page if possible. Hiring managers don't have time to skim through a lengthy resume.

Is it mandatory to put a resume header on a resume?

Ans: Yes, the resume header is a basic yet essential part of your resume. It includes and highlights all the basic information about you.

How do you highlight headers on your resume?

Ans: If you use Hiration Online Resume Builder, you don't need to separately highlight the resume header. Our resume headings format is already highlighted. You just need to put your details and download your resume.

Resume Header Sample With Complete Resume

Here is a complete resume sample with a clear resume header:

  • Tools : Python, PostgreSQL, AWS, Hive, MongoDB, MapReduce, Spark, Linux
  • Packages: Scikit-Learn, NumPy, SciPy, Pandas, NLTK, BeautifulSoup, Matplotlib, Statsmodels, Jupyter Notebook
  • Statistics/Machine Learning: Statistical Analysis, Linear/Logistic Regression, Clustering, Graph Theory, Regularisations
  • Compiled pricing data for competitive analysis by performing web scraping in Python
  • Supervised model development, testing & validation of 100+ financial products and services
  • Created charts in Jupyter Notebook to perform preliminary analysis & visualize data using Matplotlib
  • Predicted stock price with 98% accuracy to enable the company to make informed investments
  • Determined optimal pricing strategies to facilitate the management of funds & achieve revenue goals
  • Made multiple touch sensitive ML systems in all the office floors to improve the company's safety networks
  • Devised high-performance ML systems to detect abnormality , intrusion, fraud, masquerading , malware, etc.
  • Developed an algorithm to understand customer behavior leading to 95% success in targeted marketing campaigns
  • Conceptualized & implemented a sentiment analysis tool to rate the financial competence of companies
  • Originated a recommendation engine to suggest an ideal cluster price for financial services offered by top companies
  • Led a group of 10+ML Interns in producing a workable model to optimize the company's financial transactions
  • Recruited & trained 5+ ML interns and supervised the project that were assigned to them as part of the internship
  • Conducted 5+ ML workshop programs on the fundamentals of python & machine learning to up-skill current employees
  • Engineered a food recommendation system to provide meaningful food recommendations to guests
  • Designed an in-house algorithm for attendance & time management to simplify the hotel's administration work
  • Applied various machine learning techniques using Python to build dynamic pricing models and maximize profits
  • Built a predictive model to analyze customer food preferences leading to 40% reduction in food wastage
  • Employed advanced text mining algorithms to facilitate the identification of search intent latent in individual keywords
  • Top 5 percentile of the class
  • Machine Learning Certification | Coursera | May '10 - Jul '10
  • Python Certification Training | Coursera | Jan '09 - Mar '09
  • Languages : English, Spanish
Also read : What Are the Steps to Writing an Impecabble Resume in 2022?

If you want to create a professional ATS-friendly resume for yourself, go to Hiration Online Resume Builder and create a resume for yourself.

Go to Hiration career platform which has 24/7 chat support and get professional assistance with all your job & career-related queries. You can also write to us at [email protected] and we will make sure to reach out to you as soon as possible.

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How To Write A Resume In 7 Steps (With Examples)

  • How To Write A Resume
  • Resume Skills Section
  • Resume Objective Section
  • Career Objective Section
  • Resume Reference Section
  • Resume Summary Section
  • Resume Summary Example
  • Resume Interests Section
  • Address On Resume
  • Relevant Work Experience
  • Anticipated Graduation Date On Resume
  • Education Section On Resume
  • Contact Information On Resume
  • Statement Of Qualifications
  • How To List Publications On Resume
  • Accomplishments On Resumes
  • Awards On Resume
  • Dean's List On Resume
  • Study Abroad On Resume

Resumes are still the most important document in your job search . Generating a professional and interesting resume isn’t easy, but there is a standard set of guidelines that you can follow. As hiring managers usually only spend a short time looking over each resume, you want to make sure that yours has a reason for them to keep reading.

If you’re looking to write a resume, rewrite a resume you already have, or are just curious about resume format, then you’ve come to the right place. This article will go through the steps to writing an excellent resume, as well as offering examples for what sections of the resume should look like.

Key Takeaways:

A resume is a short document that details your professional history in a way that tailors your experience and skill set for the particular job you’re applying for.

Resumes follow a few standard formatting practices, which hiring managers and recruiters expect to see.

Highlighting your work experience, skills, and educational background with relevant keywords can help you get past applicant tracking systems and into more interviews.

How To Write A Resume

How to write a resume

Writing a resume involves using the proper formatting, writing an introduction, and adding your work experience and education. Stuffing your entire professional life into a single page resume can feel overwhelming, but remember that you’re distilling the relevant parts of your professional experience in order to catch the eye of the recruiter .

Formatting your resume. To start, use a word processor such as Microsoft Word or Google docs. Standard resume formatting calls for:

1 inch margins

10-12 point font

A professional, commonly-used font

Additionally, there are three resume formats that are commonly used. Most people should stick with a chronological resume format , but the combination resume format and functional resume format can be effective for more advanced workers or those who have significant gaps in their resume.

Write a resume header . It doesn’t matter if you have the best resume in the world if the hiring manager can’t contact you. Every single resume should include the following contact information:

Your full name. First and last.

Your phone number. Use a personal phone number, and make sure your voicemail is set up properly.

Your email address. Nothing inappropriate — [email protected] is a safe choice.

Location. City, State, Zip Code is fine, but you can include your full mailing address if you think it’s appropriate.

Your social media (optional). LinkedIn is the obvious one you’d want to include, but make sure your profile looks good. If you have an online portfolio , either on a personal blog/website or on a site like Journo Portfolio , feel free to include that here as well.

Your job title. Also optional, but can be useful for applicant tracking systems.

Resume introduction. You have four options for your resume introduction: a resume objective, summary statement, resume profile, or qualifications summary. For most job-seekers, a resume summary statement is the best choice. Regardless of which resume introduction you choose, avoid first-person pronouns (I/me/my).

Resume objective. A resume objective is the goal of your resume. Since the objective of every resume is to land a job, this is not the most original or impressive opener you can have.

On the other hand, it’s a good choice for an entry-level applicant or someone who is changing career paths . This should be a 1-3 sentence summary of why you’re motivated to get the position you’re applying for.

Who should use a resume objective: Entry-level applicants, career-changers, and recent college graduates.

Resume summary. This is the best opener for most job-seekers. As the name suggests, a resume summary highlights the most salient aspects of your resume.

It should include your current position, how many years of experience you have, some of your biggest achievements, and possibly your career goals. This should be a 1-3 sentence spiel and should include some quantifiable experiences.

Who should use a resume summary: Most job seekers; anyone with quantifiable accomplishments to emphasize and a broad range of skills.

Qualifications summary. A bullet point list (4-6 points is the sweet spot) of your qualifications for the position. It’s best used by applicants going for jobs that require a fixed skill set. It’s not a great choice for entry-level applicants who lack quantifiable achievements.

You’ll notice that a qualifications summary takes up more space than a resume objective or summary, but it can actually save the hiring manager time if you provide a bunch of valuable information right off the top.

Who should use a qualifications summary: Those applying to a job with requirements for certain skills and job-seekers who have a lot of experience in their industry and/or field.

Resume profile. A resume profile is similar to a resume summary, but goes into more detail about your accomplishments at your current or former job, while also telling the reader about your career goals. Think of a resume profile as a section that pulls all the best parts of your work experience section into one place.

Who should use a resume profile: Anyone with significant accomplishments under their belt, expertise in a niche field, or applying to a job in the same industry that they have lots of experience in.

Resume headline. Resume headlines aren’t necessary, but you can include one alongside any of the four types of resume introduction listed above. A resume headline comes between your contact information and the resume introduction of your choice.

Headlines can be used by entry-level applicants and experienced job-seekers alike. The important point is that your headline should be short and to the point. Additionally, you should use title case when writing your resume headline (capitalize words as you would for a book title).

Who should use a resume headline: Any job-seeker who wants to showcase their experience or unique value right off the bat.

Work experience. Your work experience section is the place to let hiring managers know that you have relevant experience that would allow you to handle the job you’re applying for.

If you’re using the chronological resume format, your work experience section would come after your resume summary/objective. In a funcitonal reumse, it would follow your skills section. Either way, work experience should be listed in reverse-chronological order (most recent experience at the top).

When listing your work experience, you should include all of the following information:

Job title. Start by stating the position you held at the company. These are easy cue for the hiring manager to look at and determine whether your past positions would help you succeed at their company.

Company Info. Include the name of the employer, the location where you worked, and perhaps a brief description of the company, if it isn’t a well-known name.

Dates Employed: Use the mm/yyyy format if you want to be sure that most applicant tracking systems (ATS) will pick it up. Whatever format you use for dates, be consistent, or your resume will look sloppy.

Job Description. Don’t just list your job’s responsibilities; hiring managers and recruiters already have an idea of your duties based on the job title. Instead, list your most important and impressive responsibilities/achievements at the job with bullet points. Determine which of these are most relevant for your new role based on the job description.

Ideally, each bullet should be no longer than a single line. However, two lines is acceptable, if used sparingly.

Always start with a strong action verb, followed by a quantifiable achievement and a specific duty. For example: “Developed ad campaigns for clients, increasing sales by an average of 27%.” Each job title should include 3-5 bullet points.

The order that you include this information can be changed around, as long as you are consistent throughout your resume. However, the bullet points detailing your job’s achievements should always be the last item for each entry.

It’s important that you tailor your resume’s work experience section to the job you’re applying for. We recommend reading the job description carefully and highlighting the action verbs in one color and the skills, adjectives, and job-specific nouns in a different color.

Educational background. In almost all cases, your education section should come after your professional history. If you’re a recent college graduate with limited work experience, you may choose to put your educational achievements first.

Like the section on your professional history, educational experiences should come in reverse-chronological order, with your highest level of education at the top. If you have a college degree, you don’t need to add any information about your high school experience. If you didn’t finish college, it’s okay to give a list of what credits you did complete.

Each educational experience can be listed in the following format:

Degree/Program Name College/University Name Dates attended

You don’t need to add anything else, especially if your resume is already impressive enough. But if you’re struggling to fill up the page, or you feel that aspects of your educational experience will help make you a standout, you may consider also including:

Minor. If you think it rounds out your not-exactly-relevant-to-the-job major nicely.

GPA. Only if it was 3.5 or higher. Otherwise, it’s not going to do you any favors to include this.

Honors. Dean’s List, Cum Laude, etc.

Achievements. If you wrote a killer thesis/dissertation that showcases intimate knowledge relevant to the job to which you’re applying, you can include its title and a very brief description.

Extracurricular activities. Only include if they’re relevant. For example, if you’re applying for a management position and you were president of your student government.

Certifications/Licenses. If the job you’re applying for requires/likes to see certain certifications or licenses that you have, you may include them in this section as well.

Skills section. Your impressive skills should be scattered logistically throughout your professional history section, but you should also include a section solely dedicated to highlighting your skill set . Skills can be broken down into two categories:

Hard skills are skills you learn through training and indicate expertise with a technical ability or job-specific responsibility.

Soft skills are your personality traits, interpersonal abilities, and intangible qualities that make you more effective at your job.

Your resume should have a healthy mix of hard and soft skills, as both are essential to job performance. However, since soft skills are harder to prove in the context of a resume, we recommend leaning more toward hard skills. Additionally, whenever you list a soft skill, make sure that it has a correlating item in your work experience section.

For example, if you say you are skilled in collaboration, you should mention a time when a team project was a major success somewhere in your work experience section.

Optional sections. If you still have space left or there’s more you want to show off that doesn’t quite fit in any of the above sections, you may consider adding an additional section covering one or more of the below categories:

Language . Being bilingual is always impressive, and can be included on a resume for any company. Highlight this more if your position involves liaising with international distributors and/or clients. Don’t lie about your proficiency level.

It may be best to not mention it if you’re not particularly proficient speaker . Such as if you took courses in school, or haven’t really managed to gain fluency. It can end up looking like an attempt to inflate your credentials, which you want to avoid.

Volunteer experience . Always a good thing to include. It shows you’re a team player who behaves in a way that promotes the greater good, without thought of personal gain. Especially good for entry-level candidates and those applying for jobs at a non-profit. If you have gaps in your work history, you can also consider including volunteer experiences in your work history section instead.

Personal projects. A personal blog, published works, or a portfolio of your past projects are all good things to include. They show you take initiative, enjoy and take pride in your work, and that you can handle the responsibilities of the job, if relevant.

Certifications/licenses. If you didn’t include these in your education section, this is another good place to list relevant certifications or licenses that you have.

Interests . This is largely just a space filler if your resume is light in other areas. However, if your hobbies are directly related to the job that you’re applying for, it’s not a bad idea to include them. And it might draw a recruiter’s attention if you end up sharing some of the same interests as they do.

If you have several seemingly random items that are valuable, but don’t warrant creating a whole separate section for, you can also make a section called “Additional Experience.” Here you can include all of the above categories in one place. Just make sure that each item is clear and easy for readers to understand.

Resume samples

Now that we have a good idea of how to write a resume, let’s take a look at some example resumes:

resume example zippia resume builder

Jack Pilgrim Washington , DC 14015 – (555) 444-3333 – [email protected] – www.linkedin.com/jpilgrim Resume Summary Graphic designer with 3+ years of experience creating and implementing promotional materials and social media graphics. Worked with sales and marketing teams to increase inbound calls by 23% YoY through compelling digital media. Adept at planning, managing, and prioritizing multiple deadlines at once, and thrives in fast-paced work environment. Work Experience Creative Designs | Washington, DC Lead Graphic Designer | June 2018-Present Worked with sales and marketing teams to create landing pages, sales proposals, and supporting media elements to drive sales by over $250,000 per quarter Trained, managed, and mentored team of 4 junior designers to fulfill 40+ project orders on a weekly basis Conducted UX research through surveys, usability testing, and data analysis to plan content marketing strategy, driving organic search traffic by 12% Presented proposals, results, and status updates to set of 4-7 clients, ensuring customer satisfaction at or above 95% for 3 years straight Happy Place | Alexandria, VA Junior Graphic Designer | July 2016-May 2018 Translated client needs and branding strategies into design and content strategy, increasing client retention by 22% Reduced project turnaround time by 8% by Utilizing web-based ticket system for completing and archiving finalized pieces Posted digital artwork to network IPTV using web interface to produce high-end info-graphics and other materials Happy Place | Alexandria, VA Marketing Intern | September 2015-July 2016 Assisted marketing team with data collection, analysis, and presentation using Google Analytics Drew up storyboards for new marketing campaigns alongside sales team, increasing brand awareness through social media Wrote 500-1000 word articles to pair with graphical elements on page, leading to a 40% boost in engagement on company website Education Savannah College of Art and Design | Savannah, Georgia May 2016 Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design Skills Adobe Creative Suite Typography HTML/CSS WordPress Collaboration Organization
Allison Neederly Chicago, Illinois , 60007 | (333) 222-1111 | [email protected] | www.linkedin.com/allison.neederly Resume Summary Dedicated customer service representative with 4+ years experience resolving customers’ needs in-person, online, and over the phone. Top achiever at XYZ Inc. with a 100% customer satisfaction rate for Q1 of 2020. Friendly personable, and knowledgable about company’s products and services. Relevant Skills Customer Service Responded to upwards of 200 customer queries daily with XYZ Inc., reducing the average wait time by 56% and increasing customer satisfaction rates by 13% Ability to resolve conflict and create a positive atmosphere for shopping for both new and existing customers through technical proficiency Expert product knowledge and communication skills, and experience training and mentoring new customer service staff Web Chat and Phone Skilled in 3 web chat platforms for helping online customers resolve their queries quickly and accurately Achieved fastest call resolution rate at XYZ Inc., with an average resolution time of under 5 minutes per customer Performed outbound calls for customer satisfaction surveys, as well as writing web-based surveys for 10,000+ customers Troubleshooting Detailed product knowledge allowed for customer technical issues to be resolved at rate within top 5% of all customer service associates at XYZ Inc. Created manual for step-by-step directions for troubleshooting that was implemented for team of 100+ customer service reps Positive attitude took average tech-related negative response from 1/5 stars to 4/5 stars, increasing trust in brands and services Work Experience XYZ Inc. | Philadelphia, PA Customer Service Associate New Look Global | Burlington, VT Junior Customer Service Representative L.L. Bean | Burlington, VT Sales Associate Education University of Vermont | Burlington, VT May 2012 Bachelor of Arts in Humanities
Priya Laghari New York, NY | (222) 111-0000 | [email protected] | www.priyabizdev.com Resume Profile Strategy Development: Grew John Deere’s international sales by 13% by tapping into undeserved countries in Southeast Asia Management: Oversaw a team of managers representing marketing, sales, and product teams. Streamlined collaborative, cross-functional communications through agile and scrum management system CRM: Developed, customized, and implemented new customer relationship management database for accounts totaling over $10M in value Work Experience Business Development Manager 01/2015-Present Microsoft | Redmond, WA Developed product strategies and roadmap for Google AdWords, increasing inbound traffic by 26% YoY Reduced time training on new software by 50% for new and existing employees by implement e-learning programs Spearheaded digital marketing campaign worth $1M that saw a return of 200% in first year by qualifying leads earlier in the sales funnel Regional Sales Manager 11/2012-01/2015 Big Things Inc. | St. Louis, MO Managed territory encompassing 29 regional locations with an annual revenue of approx. $55M Worked with C-level executives to plan business strategies, resulting in 20% reduction in overhead costs Increased client retention by 12% in first year by implementing a CRM approach based on account profiling and elevating levels of relationship selling Account Manager 02/2009-11/2012 Solutions Corp. | Chicago, IL Implemented and developed CRM strategic plans, increasing retention of long-term clients by 22% Maintained 50+ accounts totaling over $35M in value Generated leads through one-on-one consultation via phone inquiries, online check-ins, and meeting office walk-ins Relevant Skills CRM: Proficient with Salesforce, Zoho, and HubSpot; some experience with Keap. Used various CRM software over a decade to successfully manage customer relations and quick to adapt to new software and tools that aid in quality of customer experience. Salesmanship: Negotiated and closed over several deals worth $1M+ and skilled in upselling and cross-selling. Adept at working closely with marketing and product teams to maximize the efficiency of the sales funnel for both inbound and outbound traffic. Presentation: Represented Microsoft Northwest Region at quarterly board meetings, ensuring all stakeholders were kept abreast of new developments and opportunities. Also deliver monthly presentations to big clients and vendors to maintain positive relationship. Data analytics. Expert at integrating data from various analytics platforms, including Google, Microsoft Power BI, and SAP BusinessObjects Education Colgate University | May 2008 MBA Fordham University | May 2006 Bachelor’s Degree in Business

For more resume examples and templates:

Resume examples by job

Google docs resume template

Resume templates

Resume builder

Resume Headers Samples:

header-1

Tip : Never put your contact info in the header of your document; some applicant tracking systems might miss it.

For more on how to write a resume header:

Resume Header

Resume Titles

Resume introduction examples

Entry-Level Resume Objective.

Recent graduate with a bachelor’s in Marketing from the University of Virginia seeking an entry-level role in content marketing. Excellent copywriter with 2+ years experience editing content as a member of the UVa Writing Center.

Career Change Resume Objective.

Eager to apply 7+ years of experience with customer success management to make successful outbound B2B calls, deliver customized business solutions to new and existing customers, and provide expert product knowledge in the role of Account Manager for XYZ Inc.

Example Resume Summary Statement.

Accountant with over 8 years of experience in the medical industry. Adept at advising on management of cash deficits, reconciling departmental accounts, and creating new accounts and codes. Coordinated invoice preparation system for ABC that reduced contractor overhead by 19% YoY.
English teacher with a love of language and 6 years of experience teaching high school students. Developed new curriculum that boosted freshman reading comprehension scores by 12% and created after school book club for AP Lit class, resulting in 100% of participating students achieving a 5 on the AP Lit test.

Example Qualifications Summary.

Executive assistant with 5+ years experience helping maintain efficiency in an office of 25 employees Communicated directly with internal and external stakeholders, helping Senior Vice President manage projects worth $5M+ Proactively managed office schedules, identifying and prioritizing changes to ensure client satisfaction Recognized in a company of 500 for “Outstanding Achiever” in May 2019

Example Resume Profile.

Detail-oriented IT Specialist with 4 years of experience overseeing and improving the infrastructure of IT systems. Adept at building and running troubleshooting systems and testing services. Decreased security risk by 47% through continual optimization, while also improving the speed of client portal by 22%. Excellent communicator both internally and for client-facing discussions. Achieved 98%+ customer satisfaction ratings through weekly and monthly check-ins with accounts valued cumulatively at $500,000.

Entry-Level Resume Headline.

Bilingual College Graduate with 80 WPM Typing Speed and Tutoring Experience

Experienced Resume Headline.

Business Development Specialist with 6+ Years Experience Scaling Start-Up Tech Teams

For more on resume introductions:

Resume objective statement

Resume summary statement

Resume summary statement examples

Qualifications summary

Sample resume work experience sections

sample resume work experience section

Work Experience XYZ Industries | Seattle, WA Marketing Associate | May 2019-Present Delivered weekly presentations to client-base to communicate brand messaging, increasing client retention by 11% Served as liaison between marketing and product teams, resulting in projects finishing 2 weeks early, on average Leveraged Excel skills to create and maintain spreadsheet to track consumer insights, emergent trends, and inform decisions of marketing team through competitive analysis Managed team of 5 contractors to juggle multiple priority projects simultaneously, never missing a deadline Initiated an affiliate referral program that PR team went on to turn into a revenue-generating stream valued at $30,000 annually ABC Corp | Seattle, WA Marketing Intern | September 2018-May 2019 Developed, maintained, and processed 20+ digital consent forms and distributor forms Worked collaboratively with a team of 10 marketing professionals, closely aligning our goals with the PR team Provided data analysis using Google Analytics and performed keyword research to increase blog traffic by 56% over six months Answered up to 50 customer queries by phone and email each week

For more on building the perfect resume work experience section:

Resume work experience section

First resume (no experience)

Examples Of Education Resume Sections

Graduated recently from a 4-year program.

Western Illinois University | Macomb, Illinois May 2020 Bachelor of Arts in Sociology | Minor in Psychology 3.95 GPA magna cum laude Dean’s List all semesters

Two degrees.

Fordham University | Bronx, New York April 2016 Master of Chemical Engineering Stony Brook University | Stony Brook, New York April 2014 Bachelor of Science in Chemistry

Anticipated graduation date (not yet graduated).

DePaul Univeristy | Chicago, Illinois Bachelor of Arts in History – Degree anticipated May 2021 Current GPA: 3.8

Older job seeker (graduated 10+ years ago).

University of Chicago | Chicago, Illinois Bachelor of Business Administration

High school graduate (no college degree).

Johnston High School 2016-2020 Head of Computer Club

More on crafting the perfect resume education section:

Education resume section

GPA on resume

Dean’s list

Magna cum laude

Examples Of Skills For Resume

Examples of hard skills include:

Examples of soft skills include:

Here’s more information on how to incorporate skills into your resume:

Resume skills section

Hard skills

Soft skills

Top skills for professionals

Skills-based resume

Resume writing FAQ

What is a resume?

A resume is a one to two-page document that focuses on professional experience, past achievements, education and certifications, and specific skills tailored to the job you’re applying for.

Almost every job application requires a resume, and hiring managers use them as a first impression in determining which applicants get a shot at an interview.

Whether you’re fresh out of college or have 30 years of professional experience, this guide should help craft a resume that stands out from the crowd and get you one step closer to landing your dream job.

What is the format for writing a good resume?

Most people will want to use a chronological or reverse-chronological resume format. This format is compatible with most applicant tracking systems (ATS) and is easy for employers to read. Additionally it helps highlight your experience, which helps prove your qualifications.

How far back should a resume go?

A resume should go back no further than 10 to 15 years. However, it is important that all your information is relevant. Therefore, do not include job experience that is irrelevant to your application, even if it’s fewer than 10 years old. Save that information for later discussions.

Should you personalize your resume for each job?

Yes, you should personalize your resume for each job you apply to. Many recruiters use ATS now, which will search for keywords in a resume and reject those that don’t have them. That means that the skills you choose to highlight as well as your opening, such as your resume summary, should be altered to suit each job you apply to.

You don’t need to rewrite the entire resume for each job, but it does show attention to detail and initiative to make sure that your resume is customized. It also makes it more likely that you’ll get past the first step of the process.

State of New York Department of Labor – Resumes, Cover Letters and Job Applications

Harvard University – Create a Resume/CV or Cover Letter

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Matthew Zane is the lead editor of Zippia's How To Get A Job Guides. He is a teacher, writer, and world-traveler that wants to help people at every stage of the career life cycle. He completed his masters in American Literature from Trinity College Dublin and BA in English from the University of Connecticut.

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COMMENTS

  1. How To Write a Resume Header (With Examples and Tips)

    Use the following steps to help you write and format an effective resume header: 1. Consider the format. It's important for the layout of your header to match the format of your resume. If you want your resume content to be centered, then you may consider centering your header to match. If your content is going to be on the left then consider ...

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    Don't worry - we've got your back! Get inspired from the resume headline examples below! Supply chain manager with 6+ years of experience in steering large-scale manufacturing environments. Engineer specialized in machine learning and data mining. History graduate with internship experience as art curator.

  3. How to Write a Resume Header (With Examples)

    Vertical header. Most resume templates have a horizontal header. Some layouts, however, place the header in a vertical bar on the left side of the resume. Here's an example: A vertical resume heading is a great way to make your resume stand out and add modern flair to your application. However, keep in mind that a vertical resume header is ...

  4. How to Create a Resume Header [5+ Examples]

    Full Name. Your name is the first thing that you write in your resume header. Make sure to use the same name you use across all online profiles (that you want the hiring manager to know about). For example, if you use "Jonathan" in your LinkedIn profile, don't use Jon on your resume. The standard practice is: First Name, Last Name.

  5. Resume Header Examples (20+ Professional Headings)

    Add your title to your name in smaller font. That can be "CPA," "Bookkeeper," "Restaurant Manager," "Nurse Practitioner," and so on. If you've got a key license or certification, use it in your professional resume header. For example, "Mary Meyer, Certified Pharmacy Technician," or "Seth Arbuthnot, Caregiver, CNA."

  6. How to Write the Best Headline for Your Resume (58+ Good Examples)

    5. Keep it short. The best resume headlines are short and impactful. Keep your resume headline between 1 and 2 lines. Once it spills onto a third line, it becomes a summary rather than a headline. If you have more to say, include a resume summary or resume profile beneath your short resume headline. 6.

  7. How to Create a Resume Header (With Examples and Tips)

    Your name. Pretty straight forward, but this should be the full name you go by professionally (middle name optional). So, the name you use on your resume should match what you use on LinkedIn and relevant social media, as well as any searchable work products like articles you've written or industry awards you've won.

  8. Resume header: Examples, instructions and tips to getting the top of

    Resume header examples. Resume headers can be designed horizontally, with all the info at the top of the page, like this one: resume header. Headers can also put the name and occupation at the top and contact info in a well (margin) on the left. The remaining space in the well can be used to list job-related skills:

  9. What is a Good Headline for a Resume? 30+ Examples

    A great resume headline example for a restaurant server resume is: Time Out's Server of the Year, Chicago, 2017. It introduces the candidate by presenting a big professional achievement while being short and concise. A good resume headline is short and effective, like an elevator pitch.

  10. Best Resume Headers for 2024 [Examples & Templates]

    Include your phone number. Don't forget about your email. Consider adding a LinkedIn URL. Here's an example of a good header for a resume: Resume Heading Example. Mary Butler. Business Analyst. +1-727-203-7931. [email protected].

  11. 30 Strong Resume Headline Examples to Use in 2023

    1. Position yourself for the job you want (but don't lie) Again, your goal is to set the stage with recruiters and hiring managers that you're exactly what they're looking for. Given this, the more closely you can align your resume to the job or jobs you want next—without making stuff up, of course—the better.

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    Work Experience. The work experience section should take up the bulk of your resume. The header could read "Career Summary", "Work Experience," or "Professional History", for example. You could add "Key Achievements" subheadings for each job, too, to really highlight the value you bring to an organization.

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    How to write resume headings. Resume headings should be clear, concise, and easy to read and understand. To ensure this, use the same font, formatting, and style throughout your resume to maintain consistency and professionalism. While the font remains the same, the font size for your resume headings should be slightly larger than the rest of ...

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    No matter how keen you are on your nickname, stay away from including it. In addition, make sure that the name you put on social media profiles that you share with a recruiter matches the one on a resume header. #2. Job Title. This one is fairly obvious, but you still should be careful with the job title you add here.

  15. How to Write a Resume Header

    Putting in the effort to tailor your header perfectly is essential. Here are 3 key takeaways for writing your resume header: ‍ Get creative, but don't overdo it. Use larger fonts, bolding, and italics to help your header stand out. ‍. Always try to include your contact information within a header.

  16. How to Write Resume Section Headings

    4) Don't use vague headings. Keep your headings short but make sure they're clear. Don't just write 'Work' or 'History'. Make sure the heading contains enough information for the reader to instantly understand what the section contains. ' Work History ' and ' Work Experience ' are both concise and clear.

  17. Best Resume Header in 2023: [w/ 10+ Professional Examples]

    Add the job title to your resume in a 1 or 2 points smaller font than the name. Example: DevOps Engineer. If you have certification or a key license, list it in the professional resume header. Example: Certified MongoDB Architect. To find the right resume header templates, head on to our online resume builder.

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    Use clear headings, bullet points, and concise language to convey your accomplishments and responsibilities. ... Corissa is always looking for ways to create useful resources for job seekers, from writing job-specific resume samples to crafting in-depth articles on how to ace interviews. Corissa graduated from the University of Colorado at ...

  19. How To Write A Resume In 7 Steps (With Examples)

    Writing a resume involves using the proper formatting, writing an introduction, and adding your work experience and education. Stuffing your entire professional life into a single page resume can feel overwhelming, but remember that you're distilling the relevant parts of your professional experience in order to catch the eye of the recruiter .

  20. The Ultimate Guide To Writing A Career Change Resume

    Words and Phrases To Include In Resume. When it comes to the actual writing, it's essential to use language that speaks to both your old and your new career. Choose words and phrases relevant to ...

  21. Welcome to the Purdue Online Writing Lab

    The Online Writing Lab at Purdue University houses writing resources and instructional material, and we provide these as a free service of the Writing Lab at Purdue. Students, members of the community, and users worldwide will find information to assist with many writing projects. Teachers and trainers may use this material for in-class and out ...