Core sections
Most professional resumes include: name and contact, a short profile, experience, education, and skills. Add languages, certifications, projects, or volunteer work when they strengthen your case for the target role.
- Contact: email, phone, city (full address rarely needed), LinkedIn or portfolio if maintained
- Profile: 2–4 lines on your track and what you want next
- Experience: reverse chronological roles with bullets
- Education: degrees, relevant coursework only if early career
- Skills: one per line (or grouped); match the job's stack
Optional sections that help
Projects shine for engineers, analysts, and career switchers. Certifications matter when the posting requires them. Publications, awards, and volunteer leadership belong when they prove skills the job needs.
Order and emphasis
Put your strongest proof highest on the page. New grads lead with education; experienced hires lead with experience. If you are switching fields, a projects section or a profile that frames the pivot can sit above older unrelated roles.