All 25+ Resume Sections That You Could Use (+The Best Order)

The essential resume sections are the header with contact information, work experience, education, and skills. The most important additional sections are the summary and objectives. Other common sections include certifications, projects, languages, extracurricular activities, volunteering, and awards. 

There are certain sections of a resume that are “must haves” and “nice to haves.” 

In total, we’ve listed 25 different sections that you could possibly include. We’ll go through each one and cover how to order them based on your experience. 

What Sections Do You Absolutely Need to Have on Your Resume?

Here are the non-negotiable sections to put on a resume: 

• Header with contact information
• Work experience 
• Education 
• Skills 

This is also the standard order of resume sections. 

When you submit a resume for a job application, employers typically expect to receive a resume in the reverse chronological format. This emphasizes your work experience, since this is what hiring managers usually care about the most. Start with the header, followed by your work experience, education, and skills.

If you’re using a different resume format, then the order of sections would be different: 

• Functional resume: header, objective, skills summary, experience, education, additional sections, skills. 
• Combination resume: header, summary, skills, experience, education, additional sections. 

Below, we’ll go through each of the non-negotiable sections for a standard resume. 

Header with contact information

The header is the very first section of your resume. This is where you add the following contact information: 

• Full name
• Location
• Email address
• Phone number
• Website links (portfolio and relevant social media such as LinkedIn)

Here’s our full guide to writing and formatting the resume header section. 

Work experience section

The work experience section is normally the most important part of a resume. It gives potential employers an overview of your work history and track record. 

Here’s how to add a job entry: 

• Job title
• Company name
• Dates of employment (month and year)
• Location (city and country)

List your work history in reverse chronological order, starting with your most current or recent position. You can go as far back as you need to, but try not to go past 10–15 years unless you have significant experience to emphasize. 

Next, add bullet points underneath each job entry to describe your responsibilities and achievements. Include numbers where possible to specify tasks and outcomes. Prioritize what’s most related to the target job description and embed keywords naturally to get past hiring software used by modern recruiters. 

If you have no work experience, I suggest checking out our guide on how to write a resume with little to no experience here. 

Education section

The education section is where you showcase formal academic qualifications. This is usually your bachelor’s degree from university or a professional diploma. 

You can start with your highest level of qualification and work your way back, but don’t list anything below a bachelor’s degree or professional diploma. In other words, no need to mention what high school you attended. 

Here’s what to put: 

• Title of qualification
• Institution name
• Location (city or state)

You may also add extra details such as your GPA, year of graduation, relevant coursework, minors, awards, and extracurriculars.

Rare cases for leaving out the education section

Here are a few rare cases for when you could omit the education section:

• You didn’t attend university or completed any academic programs at a similar level as a bachelor’s. In this case, focus on your work experience and certifications. 
• You have an established work history and track record that completely overshadows your educational background. 

Generally, you should never skip the education section. 

And if the job description states that you need a particular level of education, then it can’t be skipped, regardless of how many years of experience you might have. 

Skills section

The skills section is usually the final section of a resume. This is where you list key resume skills and abilities to the job you’re applying for, including:

• Hard skills
• Soft skills
• Software proficiencies
• Industry-specific knowledge 

You can also categorize your skills when making a list of skills across different areas. Here’s an example below:

All Additional Sections of a Resume That You Could Add

These are the most common additional resume sections: 

• Summary
• Objectives
• Professional profile
• Awards and honors
• Certifications
• Licenses
• Projects
• Achievements or accomplishments
• Languages
• Volunteering
• Extracurricular activities 
• Hobbies and interests
• Relevant coursework
• Publications

The less popular sections include involvement, training, testimonials, references, personal information, and specializations. Beyond that is typically custom sections that candidates create based on their specific background. 

Below, I’ll go through each section and share its significance, who it’s best for, and tips to make them stand out. 

Summary

Significance: High.

Best for: Job seekers with more than 2–3 years of experience.

The summary section goes after the header section. This is where you provide an overview of your career highlights, professional strengths, and areas of expertise.

Here are a few tips to make your summary section stand out: 

• Using metrics, highlight your most notable career accomplishment that’s related to the job description.
• Focus on showcasing unique qualifications. 
• Clarify how you can address specific company needs. 
• Use action verbs and language that paints a clear picture of how you can add value. 

Objectives

Significance: High.

Best for: Career changers, job seekers with 0–3 years of work experience.

The objectives section goes after the header section. 

Go for an objective section instead of a summary when you have limited experience in the field you’re applying for. Focus on showcasing relevant skills and how your background or interests align with the target company’s goals. 

Here are a few tips for writing resume objectives: 

• Tailor your career goals to the company’s objectives.
• Highlight specific skills that you want to apply or develop. These should also be related to what the company is looking for in a candidate. 
• Mention your passions in relation to the company’s cultural values.
• Mirror the same words and language used by the company to show that you’re a good cultural fit. 

Professional profile

Significance: High.

Best for: Job seekers with more than 2–3 years of experience.

A professional resume profile sort of combines both elements, from a summary and objective section. This is where you provide an overview of your areas of expertise and finish by showcasing your career aspirations. 

Here are a few tips for writing a resume profile: 

• Focus on tangible accomplishments and measurable outcomes. 
• Emphasize key skills, frameworks, or software that you’re proficient in. 
• Clarify how your career aspirations align with the company’s mission and long-term goals. 
• Keep it concise and no more than 4–5 sentences. 

Awards and honors

Significance: High.

Best for: Entry-level professionals and recent graduates.

The awards and honors section is where you list accredited successes. These accomplishments are usually from a candidate’s academic background. 

Here’s what to put for this section:

• Award title
• Organization/institution 
• Date of award received
• Location of the organization/institution

If you’d like to add a bit more detail, use bullet points to describe what you learned as well as the skills you developed or applied. 

Certifications 

Significance: High.

Best for: All job seekers. 

The certifications section on a resume lists relevant certificates earned in school, university, and college. Or, it could be a certificate that you earned in your spare time by completing an accredited online course from an established organization. 

Here’s what to put in the certifications section:

• Certification title
• Organization/institution 
• Location
• Date of completion
• Bullet points summarizing what you learned or achieved (optional)

This is an impressive section that can even be used for a c-suite executive resume, as long as it’s relevant to the role. 

Licenses

Significance: High.

Best for: All job seekers.

The licenses section on a resume is more or less the same as the certifications section. You include the following details:

• License title
• Organization
• Location
• Date earned

Projects

Significance: High.

Best for: All job seekers.

The projects section of a resume is impressive for candidates at all levels, depending on the type of project you write about.

For example, an entry-level candidate could write about a personal project, such as how they built their own website. In contrast, a mid-level or senior candidate could use this section to share relevant freelance or consulting projects that they worked on. 

Although it’s not the same as formal work experience, relevant projects can demonstrate areas of expertise or transferable skills that hiring managers seek. 

Here’s how to approach the projects section: 

• State your role in the project, followed by the organization or institution. 
• Include the start and end dates by month and year. 
• Add the location by city and country. 
• Underneath each project entry, add bullet points to describe what you achieved. 
• Use numbers to specify tasks and results. 
• List projects in reverse chronological order. 

Achievements or accomplishments

Significance: Medium.

Best for: Job seekers with multiple milestones.

The achievements or accomplishments section highlights your most notable results or contributions from your career, education, or personal projects. It’s more common for entry-level candidates, but it can be useful when you want to reserve the education, extracurricular activities, and work experience sections for focusing on technical responsibilities and details.

Here’s what to include:

• Achievement title or statement
• Company or organization
• Location (city and country) 
• Date of achievement

You can also add a bullet point or two to specify the exact achievement. Use numbers and metrics to emphasize your impact. 

Languages

Significance: High. 

Best for: All job seekers. 

A language section is where you list the languages you’re proficient in. Simply add the language you’re skilled in, followed by your proficiency level. You may also add bullet points to showcase tasks you completed that prove your language skills. 

If you’re limited on space, you can add your language certificate into the certifications section, as shown in this translator resume example. 

Volunteering

Significance: High.

Best for: Entry-level professionals, recent graduates, and career changers. 

Volunteering experience looks good on a resume because it demonstrates transferable and practical skills. It also hints at your work ethic, attitude, and teamwork abilities—all of which are valuable to potential employers. 

Here’s what to put in a volunteering resume section: 

• Volunteer role or job title
• Organization 
• Location (city and country)
• Start and end dates by month and year
• 1–5 bullet points describing the skills you applied, tasks carried out, and notable achievements. 

Involvement

Significance: High.

Best for: All job seekers. 

An involvement section can include extracurricular activities, certifications, or side projects you participated in outside formal employment.

The term "involvement" is intentionally broad so that you can group various types of work or activities in one place without having to divide them up into multiple sections. This helps you save space, keep your resume concise, and fit everything neatly on one page.

Extracurricular activities 

Significance: High.

Best for: Entry-level professionals and recent graduates.

The extracurricular activities section of a resume showcases your contributions outside formal academic or school work. This section gives potential employers an insight into your personality, interests, and leadership abilities. 

Here’s how to write about extracurricular activities on a resume: 

• List the activity or role you played in the association/institution/organization/society.
• Mention start and end dates of participation.
• Include the location.
• Add 1–5 bullet points describing what you did. Use strong action verbs to write about the tasks you carried out.
• Highlight any positive outcomes or milestones that you accomplished.
• Include numbers where possible, e.g. when describing a task you carried out or when highlighting an achievement.

Hobbies and interests

Significance: Low.

Best for: Students and job seekers with little to no experience. 

A traditional hobbies and interests section is where you list your personal passions. It makes it clear what you’re passionate about and sheds light on your career aspirations. You would normally include up to five hobbies and interests, but these should all be relevant to the role you’re applying for. 

The hobbies and interests section is a hit or miss. Some hiring teams value it, while others prioritize practical experience. Instead of just listing hobbies, we recommend showcasing your interests by writing about a relevant project, course, or extracurricular activity.

Relevant coursework

Significance: High.

Best for: Students, recent graduates, and entry-level professionals.

The relevant coursework section is where you list academic projects that you’ve completed as a student. This works well when applying for your first job or internship and showcasing your knowledge in a particular subject area. 

Here’s what to put when listing coursework:

• Coursework title
• Institution
• Location
• 1–2 bullet points describing what you learned or accomplished (optional)

Training

Significance: Medium.

Best for: Entry-level professionals and career changers. 

This section is where you can list relevant workshops, specialized training, and recent upskilling through formal or informal programs. It helps with showing that you’re a competitive candidate in your field, especially if you were trained by a reputable industry leader. 

Here’s what to include: 

• Training program title
• Organization 
• Location
• Dates of training
• 1–3 bullet points clarifying skills gained or developed. 

Publications

Significance: High.

Best for: Mid to senior level candidates and job seekers applying for roles in research or academia. 

Publications on a resume means listing organizations or media outlets where your work has been featured. This section is more standard in academic CVs than traditional resumes. 

If you were published as part of a specific role or company, you can include it under the work experience section. However, if your work was published independently in reputable outlets like Forbes, consider creating a dedicated section to showcase these achievements.

Here’s what to include for publications on a resume:

• Title of the published work
• Author(s)
• Media source or organization
• Location
• Date of publication
• 1–2 bullet points summarizing your work that was featured

Professional associations or memberships

Significance: Medium.

Best for: All job seekers. 

The professional associations or memberships section is where you list your involvement in industry-specific organizations, networks, or societies. Depending on your role in the association or membership as well as its relevance to your target field, it can look impressive to recruiters. 

Here’s what to put: 

• Organization name 
• Membership role 
• Location
• Dates of membership 
• 1–3 bullet points to clarify notable contributions and accomplishments

Testimonials

Significance: Medium.

Best for: Mid-level job seekers, career changers, and freelancers.

List positive feedback from clients or professional contacts on your resume to cement credibility on your resume. The significance of a testimonial can be high if it includes specific results or contributions of your work that directly align with job requirements. 

Here’s how to add testimonials to a resume:

• Use quotation marks for the testimonial.
• State the first and last name of the person who gave you the testimonial, followed by their job title and company or organization. 

References

Significance: Low.

Best for: Don’t include.

There’s no need to put references on a resume. If the employer needs a reference, they’ll make a request and that’s when you can provide them. Therefore, it can be a waste of space on your resume. 

The only exception is if the employer specifically asks you to include references on your resume or if it’s stated as mandatory on the company’s job description. 

Personal information

Significance: Low.

Best for: Job seekers applying to roles in countries or industries where including personal details is customary or required.

This section provides personal details that may be relevant to the role or required for the application process. In some countries or industries, cultural norms or legal requirements make including personal details mandatory. For instance, this is common in the biodata format. 

Specializations

Significance: Medium.

Best for: Mid-level to senior job seekers and career changers. 

The specialization resume section is where you list areas of expertise. You can use this to position yourself as a specialist in your role. 

Add the particular subject area or skill that you excel in, followed by 1–3 bullet points showcasing proof of your expertise. Describe relevant achievements or qualifications using numbers. 

Alternatively, create a category in the skills section titled “Areas of expertise” to emphasize your specialties. 

Custom sections

Significance: Medium to high. 

Best for: Job seekers with unique experiences, creative projects, or non-traditional accomplishments that directly relate to the role or showcase specialized expertise.

A custom resume section means creating your own unique category. It’s where you can highlight unique experiences or projects from your professional background that don’t fit into standard categories like work experience or education. For example, you could create a dedicated section about podcasts, public speaking, and entrepreneurial ventures. 

How to Order Resume Sections Based on Your Experience Level

Here’s how to order resume sections based on your experience level: 

• Add the header with contact details, which should always be at the top of your resume. 
• Prioritize a summary or objective section. 
• If you have a minimum of 1–2+ years of experience, place the work experience section after the summary or objective, followed by the education section. 
• If you have little to no experience, you can place the education section after the summary or objective, followed by the work experience section. 
• Include additional sections that allow you to highlight relevant skills and experience. 
• Finish with a skills section. 

Below, I’ll outline the standard order of resume sections for candidates of every level. 

Students, recent graduates, interns, and entry-level candidates

You probably have no work experience, so focus on highlighting relevant skills and knowledge through projects or academic achievements. 

Here’s the recommended order of resume sections:

• Header 
• Objective
• Education 
• Work experience 
• Additional sections
• Skills

Depending on the organization’s job description, you may include a list of hobbies and interests. Either create its own individual section or create a category and integrate them into your skills section. 

Career changers

Those making a career change resume likely may not have direct work experience in the new field they’re applying for. So, it’s crucial to showcase your work history in a way that aligns with the job requirements. Focus on transferable skills and relevant accomplishments. 

Here’s the recommended order of resume sections:

• Header section
• Summary/Objective
• Work experience
• Additional section 
• Education
• Additional section 
• Skills

You can include additional sections before or after the education section. Prioritize the additional resume section based on what’s most relevant to the job description. 

Mid-level professionals

Mid-level professionals will have a minimum of 3–5 years of work experience. 

At this stage, hiring managers will expect to see a detailed work history. So, focus on showcasing career progression and technical skills through professional achievements. Only include additional sections that showcase relevant skills that are directly applicable to the target role. 

Here’s the recommended order of resume sections:

• Header 
• Summary 
• Work experience
• Education
• Additional resume section
• Skills

Seniors and above

Seniors typically have a minimum of 5–8 years of work experience. Usually, the core sections would be more than enough. If you’d like to include an additional section, make sure it emphasizes your technical expertise and leadership skills. Examples of such sections include certifications and professional projects. 

Here’s the recommended order of resume sections:

• Header 
• Summary
• Work experience
• Additional sections
• Education
• Skills

Use an AI Resume Writer and Editor to Complete Each Section Faster

You can use our AI Bullet Point Writer to generate bullet points to describe your professional experience or projects. Simply enter your job title, press “Generate Bullet” and that’s it! 

If you want a more personalized output, you can enter more basic details about your professional background, such as your field or domain, experience level, and the target job description. 

Alternatively, you can use our AI Bullet Point Editor to either complete incomplete sentences, or rewrite existing ones based on the best resume writing practices.  

Both tools can help you build your resume faster. Feel free to give them a try—it’s free! 

Summary

Let’s recap on how to create and organize the sections of your resume:

• Prioritize the essential sections. This includes the header with contact details, work experience, education, and skills.
• Arrange sections based on your experience level and strengths. The education section can come after the summary or objective section if you’re inexperienced. If you have an additional section that demonstrates key skills, place this after the work experience section. 
• Use additional sections that highlight skills or qualifications that align with the target job description. 
• Focus on clarity and relevance. Avoid unnecessary sections (e.g., references) unless employers make it clear that they expect to see them on your resume.

Now, you know what sections to put on a resume and which are optional. If you need a professional format that impresses recruiters, you can start from our resume templates here, which are all free to use. 

FAQs

Can you make a custom resume section?

Yes, you can make a custom resume section. Edit the resume section header depending on what the section is going to be about. For example, you could add a “consultancy” section to list your previous freelance projects as a consultant on your resume. 

Could you phrase resume section titles differently?

Yes, you can tweak resume section titles as long as it doesn’t change its entire meaning. The work experience section, for example, could be rephrased as “professional experience” or “work history.” Or let’s say you’re applying for a pharmacist job. You could rephrase the standard resume section of “skills” to “therapeutic areas” and then you could list the areas where you’re most skilled. This makes for a more personalized application.

What does a resume consist of?

A resume consists of your contact information, work experience, qualifications, skills, and achievements. All resumes should have a header, work experience, education, and skills section. Other common additional sections include a summary, objective, projects, and certifications. However, your resume content should be tailored to the job you’re applying for. A resume can look different depending on your field. For inspiration, check out proven resume examples.

What sections should and shouldn’t be on a resume?

A resume should include essential sections like a header with contact information, work experience, education, and skills. A summary or objective section is also important, depending on the role and your level of experience. Optional sections like certifications, projects, or extracurricular activities can be included if relevant. Avoid unnecessary or outdated sections, such as a dedicated references section (employers will ask for references if needed) or a plain "Hobbies" section—highlight relevant interests through projects, extracurriculars, or coursework instead. Never include personal details like marital status or age unless explicitly requested by the job description.

What resume sections are the least common?

Custom resume sections are among the least common. Others include publications, professional memberships, specializations, and industry associations. While optional, these can set you apart from other candidates if relevant to the job. References are also uncommon and generally should not be included on a resume.

What is the most important section to get right on a resume?

Your work experience is the most important section to get right on a resume. Hiring managers need to see that you have the knowledge and expertise to meet job requirements at a high standard. This section provides evidence of your ability to perform the duties of the role effectively, and employers can always verify details through background checks or by contacting your previous company. Essentially, your work experience section is how employers quickly assess whether you’re capable of fulfilling the role’s expectations.