What to Put on a Resume: Essential Sections & Content Guide

Building a Resume That Works

One of the most common questions job seekers ask is simply: "What should I actually put on my resume?" It is a fair question. With limited space and high stakes, every word needs to justify its presence. Include too little, and you look unqualified. Include too much, and your strongest qualifications get buried.

This guide breaks down every possible resume section, explains when each one is necessary, and helps you decide exactly what belongs on your resume for maximum impact in 2026.

The 5 Essential Resume Sections

These sections belong on every resume, regardless of your experience level, industry, or career stage.

1. Contact Information

Your contact section is the first thing on the page. Include:

• Full name -- Use a slightly larger or bolder font so it stands out
• Phone number -- One reliable number with a professional voicemail
• Email address -- Use a professional format (firstname.lastname@provider.com)
• Location -- City and state or city and country is sufficient; a full street address is unnecessary
• LinkedIn URL -- Customize your LinkedIn URL to match your name
• Portfolio or website -- Include this if it showcases relevant work

What to leave out: your date of birth, marital status, gender, nationality, or a photo (in the US and UK markets).

2. Professional Summary or Objective

This two-to-three-sentence section sits directly below your contact information and serves as your elevator pitch. Choose between:

• A professional summary if you have two or more years of relevant experience. Focus on your top achievements and core expertise. See our resume summary examples for inspiration.
• A resume objective if you are a recent graduate, career changer, or entering the workforce. State your goal and the value you bring. Check our resume objective examples for templates you can adapt.

Tailor this section to every job application. A generic summary tells the employer you did not take the time to understand their needs.

3. Work Experience

This is the most heavily scrutinized section of your resume. For each position, include:

• Job title
• Company name and location
• Employment dates (month and year format)
• Three to six bullet points highlighting achievements and responsibilities

The key to a strong experience section is focusing on results rather than duties. Every bullet point should answer the question: "What was the impact of my work?"

Use this formula: Action verb + task + quantified result. For example: "Redesigned the customer onboarding workflow, reducing time-to-activation by 40% and improving 90-day retention by 18%."

List your experience in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent position. If you have more than 15 years of experience, you can omit or briefly summarize earlier roles that are no longer relevant.

4. Education

Your education section should include:

• Degree type and major (e.g., Bachelor of Arts in Economics)
• Institution name and location
• Graduation date or expected graduation date
• GPA (only if 3.5 or above and you are a recent graduate)
• Relevant honors, Dean's List, or academic awards (for recent graduates)

If you have a college degree, omit your high school education. If you are currently pursuing a degree, list it with your expected graduation date. For experienced professionals, keep this section brief -- one or two lines per degree.

5. Skills

A well-organized skills section helps both ATS software and human reviewers quickly verify that you have the qualifications they need. Organize your skills into categories:

• Technical skills: Programming languages, software, tools, platforms
• Industry-specific skills: Financial modeling, clinical research, SEO, supply chain management
• Language skills: Languages spoken and proficiency levels
• Certifications: Can be listed here or in a separate section

Pull keywords directly from the job description and list the most relevant skills first. Avoid vague soft skills like "hard worker" or "team player" unless they are backed up by specific examples in your experience section. For detailed guidance, see how to list skills on a resume.

Optional Sections That Add Value

Beyond the five essentials, these sections can strengthen your resume when they are relevant to the role.

Certifications and Licenses

Professional certifications carry significant weight in many industries. List them if you hold credentials like PMP, AWS Certified Solutions Architect, CPA, Google Analytics, SHRM-CP, or industry-specific licenses. Include the certifying body and the date earned or expiration date.

Projects

Personal, academic, or freelance projects are especially valuable for tech professionals, designers, and recent graduates. For each project, include a brief description, the technologies or skills used, and the outcome or impact. This section is an excellent way to demonstrate skills you may not have used in formal employment.

Volunteer Experience

Volunteer work can demonstrate leadership, initiative, and community engagement. It is particularly useful for entry-level candidates who need to fill out their experience section or for professionals who want to highlight passions beyond their day job. Format it the same way you format paid work experience.

Publications and Speaking Engagements

For academic, research, or thought-leadership roles, listing publications, conference talks, or media appearances signals expertise and visibility in your field. Include the title, publication or event, and date.

Awards and Honors

Industry awards, employee recognition, and academic honors can distinguish you from other candidates. Be selective and only include awards that are genuinely impressive or relevant to the role.

Hobbies and Interests

This is the most debated optional section. In general, hobbies should only appear on your resume if they are directly relevant to the role (e.g., open-source contributions for a developer, competitive debate for a lawyer) or if the company culture clearly values personal interests. When in doubt, leave this section off and use the space for more impactful content.

What to Leave Off Your Resume

Knowing what to exclude is just as important as knowing what to include. Remove the following from your resume:

• Personal details: Age, date of birth, marital status, religion, political views, or social security number
• "References available upon request": This is outdated and wastes space
• Salary history or expectations: Save this for the negotiation stage
• Irrelevant work experience: Jobs from 15+ years ago or roles completely unrelated to your target position
• High school education: If you have a college degree, high school information is unnecessary
• Generic soft skills without evidence: Claims like "excellent communicator" mean nothing without supporting examples
• Reasons for leaving previous jobs: This is a conversation for the interview, not the resume
• Negative language: Never mention conflicts, firings, or grievances on your resume

Putting Your Resume Together

Start with the five essential sections and build from there based on what the specific job demands. A software engineer applying to a startup might prioritize a strong projects section, while a nurse applying to a hospital system should emphasize certifications and clinical experience. The goal is always the same: present a clear, relevant, and compelling picture of your qualifications.

If you want a head start, EasyResume's resume builder walks you through each section with prompts, tips, and professional templates that ensure nothing important gets left out. For a step-by-step walkthrough of the entire writing process, read our complete guide on how to write a resume.