Sections

Most resumes use the same basic sections. The right order depends on your experience level and the job you want.

Basic Sections

The most common sections are:

Header (name and contact information)
Education
Work experience
Other activities, skills, and interests

If you are applying for your first job, or are recently out of school and applying for a position, you likely want your education immediately after the header. Otherwise, consider having your education after your work experience.

Some industries have specific expectations for what sections should be in a resume. Look at examples from your industry to get a sense of what employers expect.

Header

The resume header should be simple. Include the basic information an employer needs to contact you:

Name
Email
Phone Number
Address

Use an email address that looks professional. A simple address based on your name is usually safest.

Education

In this section, list your college or university education. You can also include study abroad, certifications, or other relevant programs. As you progress in your career, older education details usually matter less.

Include the following for your university experience:

University name
Degree (majors and minors)
GPA
Graduation date (month and year)

Include the following for any study abroad:

Program/university name
Subject studied
Program start and end dates (again, month and year)

Work Experience

In this section, list the work experience that helps explain your fit for the job. Early in your career, that may include internships or part-time work. Later, you may leave off older roles to make room for more relevant experience.

If you have a large gap between jobs, do not try to hide it with confusing dates. You can explain the context in a cover letter or introductory email.

If you need a matching application document, start with the free cover letter builder and download a PDF cover letter with consistent formatting.

For each job, include the following:

Company name
Your position
Location
Dates employed
A list describing your role/responsibilities and key accomplishments

Other activities, skills, and interests

This section can help when it adds relevant skills, activities, or context that do not fit elsewhere.

The items can be directly related to the position, such as tools or certifications, or they can be activities that make you easier to remember in an interview.

This is optional. If you include it, choose a section title that matches the content, such as "Skills", "Projects", or "Activities".