How to Organize Your Resume Sections

Updated June 18, 20222.6k

Hiring managers will be scanning your resume for specific sections – get to know how to capture their interest with this guide.

Resume Sections

No job application is complete without a professional resume and an accompanying cover letter. Hiring managers usually scan through many resumes for a single job opportunity. So, how do you capture their interest? Simple! Create and organize these resume sections to showcase your best points.

Important Elements of a Standard Resume Section

The following are the essential components of a standard resume:

Header
All resumes start with a header. This features your name, current job title, email, and phone number. These go at the top of your resume where they are prominently visible.

It is also important to include all relevant contact information. Add any professional social media accounts such as your LinkedIn Profile URL, if available. This helps recruiters get a clear picture of who you are and where they can find you online.

Resume summary
A resume without a resume summary might as well not exist. You have to convince employers that you deserve their attention, right? The resume summary section should be a two-to-three sentence description of your expertise.

This is where you describe what makes you different from other candidates. You should focus on summarizing your most relevant abilities and achievements. Tell hiring managers who you are and what you have accomplished.

If you lack professional experience, you can opt for a resume objective. This outlines your skills, career goals and objectives, and shows how your ambitions align with your potential employer

Skills
List relevant skills in your skills section, including both hard skills and soft skills. Hard skills are technical skills obtained through schooling or training while soft skills are personal qualities that will be valuable in the role, like problem-solving skills or communication.List skills in bullet points to keep this section concise.

Review the job description and consider the ideal candidate’s qualifications. For example, if knowledge of specific software is required, make sure that skill is in your resume if you have it.

Work experience
The work experience section should tell a story about your professional journey and top experiences. When describing each job you’ve had, show abilities and key skills that fit the role you are applying for. The best resumes help the recruiter see how your previous experience is relevant.

Explain “how” the companies you have worked with benefited from your efforts. Energize your achievements by using action verbs such as “developed” or “programmed.”

Education
Be sure to include all educational qualifications relevant in the education section. Highlight your accomplishments, such as academic awards or honors. Include your school, major, and what type of degree you hold.

Optional resume sections
You can give your resume a boost by including sections like:

Awards and Honors
Certifications and Licenses
Projects
Hobbies and interests
Extracurricular Activities
Accomplishments
Associations
Publications
Languages
Training
Conferences

How to Organize an Entry-level Resume section

Your resume sections will be organized differently depending on your strengths. For example, your education will be more valuable than your experience if you are a recent graduate, so put it first. Your experience will likely come from internships and volunteer work,and any leadership roles in high school or college can be listed under extracurricular activities. For instance, if you led your Student Union for several years, that is a relevant experience You can also include hobbies and interests that complement the company's culture. Even if you lack work experience, all these factors will give you an advantage.

Your entry-level resume could be organized like this:

Contact Information
Resume Summary
Skills
Education
Experience
Extracurricular activities
Hobbies and interests

How to Organize an Experienced Professional Resume Section

As a mid or senior-level worker, showcase your experience and accomplishments above your education. You have lots of experience under your belt. So, emphasize your work history and stress your experience in your summary. Be sure to list your work history in reverse chronological order.

List the certifications you have obtained through professional organizations. Your commitment to professional growth will shine through. Additionally, you might include publications and conference presentations. As an experienced professional, your resume should highlight your expertise in the field.

Contact Information
Resume Summary
Work Experience and Accomplishments
Skills
Professional Associations and Certifications (if relevant)
Education

How to Organize a Resume Section For Career Changers

If you’re switching fields, highlight your most relevant previous experiences.

Focus on achievements applicable to the current role. Let your capabilities for the new role shine through.

Contact Information
Resume Summary
Work Experience
Skills
Education
Others

Additional Tips to Attract Hiring Managers to your Resume

Showcase the value you bring to the business.

It's important to highlight your skills and achievements. But, you should also focus on showcasing how you brought value to previous companies.
Show that you fit the company's culture

Recruiters look for a cultural fit so that you will enjoy your work and contribute to the work culture. Prove that you have researched the company's culture and know how you can fit in and contribute to it. For example, if the company values collaboration, stress this skill and any related achievements in your resume.
Choose the right resume format

Use a format that best displays your strengths. A chronological format highlights the work history. Functional resumes emphasize education and relevant skills while combination resumes emphasize professional experience and skills.
You can also get your resume in the right format by using a resume builder. The ResumeNerd resume builder offers resume templates and step-by-step instructions to create an outstanding resume.

FAQs: Resume Sections

How can I sharpen the focus of my resume?

Here are a few tips to help you sharpen the focus of your resume:

-Use a resume headline relevant to the position you are applying for.
-Use keywords that align with the job description and the company's culture.
-Display a track record of achievement and success.

Which should come first on a resume: skills or experience?

You need to know your most significant selling point.
You should list skills first if you’re applying for a skills-intensive job, or are short on professional experience. But if you are currently employed in the field in which you’re applying for a job, your experience should come first. Always begin with the section that displays your best qualities.

Do I need to include all of my work experience?

You only need to include the experience that is relevant to the job you are applying to! If you are new to the work world and are applying for part-time jobs, it is okay to include part-time or summer jobs. However, for an executive position many years into your career, these jobs will no longer be relevant.

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About The Author

Cindi Cervone Carlson

Cindi Cervone Carlson is a Senior Vice President for Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. Cindi is responsible for developing, delivering, and implementing a dynamic, world-class organization dedicated to delivering outplacement consulting, training, support, and executive coaching. Cindi started her career at Challenger as a client who had lost her job. Over the past nine years, she has risen from an entry-level, part-time professional to Senior Vice President.