How to Organize Your Resume Sections

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