Created by CakeThe importance of a powerful and professional
resume can’t be stressed enough. It’s more than just a document serv
ing the purpose of a job application, but a great way to promote your professional image.When writ
ing a
resume, you may have asked yourself many questions, such as how long should a
resume be? Which
resume format to use and how should the
resume be designed? Or what is the best tool/platform to create a professional
resume?Among these challenges, what to put on a
resume seems to be the most challeng
ing. Some have a lot of
information to share, whereas some don’t know what to write. There are also many different
resume sections that are specific
in their content, so you might f
ind yourself ask
ing more specific questions like what to put for the objective on a
resume? What skills to put on
resume? What to put under education? And so on.
No need to worry about that - we’ve put together what should be
included
in a
resume, for both experienced professionals and first-job seekers.
Table of Contents:
What to Put on a
Resume - All
Resume SectionsWhat to Put on a
Resume if You Have No ExperienceWhat NOT to Put on a
Resume - Th
ings to AvoidOther Tips on What to
Include
in a
Resume
What to Put on a
Resume - All
Resume SectionsHere are the complete key sections that must be put
in your
resume:
Contact
Information
Resume Summary/Objective or Profile StatementExperiencesEducationSkillsAwards AchievementsOther Additional Sections
1. Contact
Information
The contact
information commonly goes under the name “About Me”
in a
resume,
in which you provide basic
details about:
Full nameProfessional title (optional but highly recommended)Email addressPhone numberAddress (unnecessary if you’re apply
ing for a freelance job)L
inked
In or
personal website (optional)
Here’s an example of what to put
in the
resume profile:
Alton Phillips
(+156)-164-555
[email protected] 253 Live Oak Street, Lolita, TX 77971L
inked
In: l
inked
in.com/altonphillips1990
💡 Pro tip: Make sure you provide correct
information, otherwise the recruiter can’t contact you for further notice.
2.
Resume Summary/Objective or Profile Statement
You might also be wonder
ing, what to put for the objective on a
resume? As the name suggests, a
resume profile, a.k.a the profile statement or
resume objective, provides a brief, powerful summary of your qualifications, professional experience, and accomplishments
in the field. It is commonly placed at the top of your
resume to pique the employer’s
interest from the start.
What to put
in the profile of a
resume? Note that a profile statement may comprise different types and each serves different purposes. A
resume summary shows the employer how your experiences and skills will turn you
into a perfect fit for the position, while a career objective demonstrates your motivation to apply for the job open
ing and states your goals on the career path.Below are what to put
in the summary of a
resume:Job titleExpertise (with years of work experience)Key skillsOutstand
ing achievements
in previous roles (optional)Career goals (optional)
Here’s an example of the
resume summary for a debt collector:
Self-motivated Debt Collector with the ability to work
in fast-paced environments and adapt to complex situations. Fully knowledgeable
in federal and state laws of collection regulations. Highly proficient
in negotiat
ing payoffs and settlements with clients while assist
ing them with f
inancial management and payment plans.
💡 Pro tip: Write a
resume summary with
in 3 sentences - you may want to
include more
information
in other key sections.
3. Experiences
This section plays an important part
in prov
ing that you’re the right fit for the position, especially when you have plenty of work experience. If you are apply
ing for higher positions, you need to make this part sh
ine to impress recruiters and employers.Below are what to put under “Experience” on a
resume:Company name (with location)Job titleEmployment period (with month and year of start and end)Key job responsibilitiesOutstand
ing accomplishments (if applicable)
Below is an example of how to write work experiences
in a .NET developer
resume:
WORKEXPERIENCE
.NET Developer | Sama Corp., San Francisco11/2017 - 09/2021Utilized the DataGridExtension library from DataGridExtensions to
increase the filter
ing capability to the company WFP Datagrid.Successfully launched a 6 multi-step wizard dialog
in WPF with Test Driven Development served for the associated ViewModel.Jr. .NET Developer |
Interlast, Charleston10/2014 - 08/2017Developed 2
in-house Account
ing tools and applications utiliz
ing SSRS Reports and Telerik Controls.Worked closely with the IT team to ma
inta
in relevant web applications, databases, and Adobe forms when needed.
💡 Pro tip: Unlike a CV, you should not
include part-time and/or volunteer jobs which are not relevant to the open
ing position.
4. Education
For many specific areas like f
inance and account
ing, employers make decisions based on your educational background. They want to make sure that you have ga
ined fundamental knowledge of the field or obta
ined any higher degree.Here are what to put under “Education” on a
resume:School name (with location)Degree levelMajor m
inorGraduation yearGPA (if it’s high)Achievements
Example of what to put under education
in a
resume for the first job:
EDUCATION
B.S.
in Bus
iness Adm
inistration, Account
ingThe University of Texas at Aust
in, TX Class of 2010GPA: 3.8/4.0Achievements:- National Student Volunteer Award (2013)- Dean's List for 2 semesters
in a row
💡 Pro tip: The education section should be presented
in reverse chronological order, start
ing with your highest level of education and mov
ing backward
in time for every subsequent degree.
5. Skills
What skills to put on a
resume can further demonstrate whether you’re qualified for the job open
ing - either
in terms of job performance or cultural fit.Examples of good skills to put on a
resume for Digital Market
ing:Strong communication skillsResearch Analytical skillsSEO toolsGoogle AnalyticsContent Market
ingPaid Social Media Market
ing
💡 Pro tip: Make sure you list out both hard and soft skills with 5 each.
6. Awards Achievements
With significant accomplishments
in your career, you can make your
resume stand out from the crowd and get a leg up on the competition.
Here’s an example of list
ing achievements
in a
resume for a controller:
ACHIEVEMENTS
Employee of the Year 2020Contributed to 20% higher returns by switch
ing corporate
investments to
index-l
inked funds.
💡 Pro tip:
Include the awards and achievements related to the field only.
7. Other Additional Sections
If you have more to br
ing to the table,
include all
in your
resume as long as they’re relevant, for example:
CertificationsProjectsPublications AppearancesHobbies
Interests
💡Pro tip: Be honest, concise, and focus on the job open
ing!
What to Put on a
Resume if You Have No ExperienceFor fresh graduates or career changers, you may not have plenty of relevant work experience
in the field. With not much experience, you might wonder, “Then, what should I put on my
resume?” Don’t panic - if you are wonder
ing, “what do you put on a
resume?”, here are some optional sections that you can use to deemphasize the lack of professional experience on your
resume.
1. Volunteer Work
Volunteer work should be written
in the same format as your work experience section.It means that you need to
include the follow
ing
information:
Name of the organization or volunteer programJob titleTime frameKey responsibilitiesAccomplishments
2.
Personal Projects
Even though you don’t have a lot of experience
in full-time positions,
personal projects can still benefit you
in some ways, specifically when:
You’ve been work
ing as a freelancer
in a relevant field.You’re seek
ing a career
in Market
ing, Design, IT, etc.Your
personal projects are well-known.
3.
Internships
At some po
int,
internships are similar to work experience. You also leverage your knowledge and skills to work
in a professional organization. Thus, you can follow the format of the work experience section to write about your
internships.
4. Skills relevant to the job
For a
resume with no experience, the skills section is a key part and should be placed at the top of the
resume. Here, you need to highlight what you are capable of as well as excel at so that employers can consider you as the right candidate for the role.You should not only list out skills related to the position but also tailor this section to the job description.
5. Certifications relevant to the job
Particular
industries like Nurs
ing, HR, F
inance Account
ing, etc. require specific licenses and certifications. Hence, add
ing these should be a must among what to put on a
resume for the first job.Even when gett
ing a relevant certificate is not a requirement for the job open
ing, list
ing this can beef up your
resume.📚Further read
ing: How to Put Relevant Coursework on
Resume? (Tips Examples)
What NOT to Put on a
Resume - Th
ings to Avoid1. Irrelevant job experiences
The key difference between a
resume and a CV is that a
resume focuses on what is related to the position only. Recruiters and employers spend an average of 7 seconds review
ing an
individual application. Thus, you may not want to waste his time go
ing over irrelevant
details.
2. Misspell
ings grammatical errors
Keep
in m
ind not to submit your
resume without check
ing the spell
ing, grammar, and vocabulary carefully. A
resume with typos and grammatical errors will lead employers to th
ink that you’re unprofessional and lack attention to detail.
3. Unprofessional pictures
You could hurt your chances of land
ing the job
interview by add
ing an
inappropriate picture, for example:
A quick selfie taken at home or when you’re hang
ing out.You don’t dress professionally.The quality is low and the photo can’t be seen clearly.📚Further read
ing: Photo
in Resume: Captur
ing Attention or Caus
ing Controversy? [+ Tips Examples]
4. Unprofessional email address
Strange as it sounds, many recruiters and hir
ing managers have warned of this as a common problem with job applicants. Email names are deemed unprofessional when they
include nicknames and numbers
instead of your real name.
5. Cursive or decorative fonts
Even when you’re seek
ing a creative job, it’s recommended you go for standard fonts which are easy-to-read and ATS-friendly.
Below are the best fonts for a
resume:Times New RomanArialCalibriHelveticaCambria
6. References
Applicants were advised to
include references on their
resumes/CVs. However, this is outdated and
inappropriate nowadays.Employers have doubted the veracity of the feedback, so they th
ink it’s unnecessary to
include references unless specifically requested.
7. Lies exaggerations
Honesty and reliability are what all employers look for
in a candidate. As they haven’t met and worked with you, the first way to verify this is based on what you put on your
resume.
Other Tips on What to
Include
in a
Resume🖋 What are good skills to put on a
resume?
It's important to list out hard skills, a.k.a. technical skills so that employers can see whether you are capable of perform
ing a specific task or series of tasks to complete a job. Besides that, you also need to highlight necessary soft skills such as teamwork, problem-solv
ing, time management, communication skills, etc.
🖋 What to put on a
resume as a teenager?
As a student, you can emphasize your achievements at school like a high GPA or any academic awards. Hir
ing managers might consider these as a good
indicator of success on the job.If you have taken courses related to the job open
ing, list those on your
resume as well.
🖋 What
interests to put on a
resume?
Examples of good
personal interests to highlight on a
resume:
Volunteer workWrit
ing blogsRead
ingPhotographyLearn
ing languages
🖋 What to write
in the hobbies section
in a
resume?
Below are some hobbies to
include
in a
resume:
Artistic activitiesCommunity serviceCook
ingExercis
ingPlay
ing an
instrument.
🖋 What are good strengths to put on a
resume?
If you have several good
personal traits, list those
in a separate section aside from “Skills Qualifications”, for example:
Work
ing well under the pressureWill
ing to take on challengesConsistently meet
ing deadl
inesA fast learnerA can-do attitude🔑 Key Takeaways:What to
include
in a
resume:
Personal profile,
personal statement, work experience, education, skills.
In addition to these 5 key sections
in a
resume, you can add extra if you have more to show, like accomplishments, certifications,
personal projects.What not to
include
in a
resume:
Details unrelated to the job open
ing and/or unprofessional
information that are not suitable for the work environment.What to put on a
resume with no experience: Focus on academic accomplishments, soft skills,
internships, and
personal projects.
Cake provides the best
resume builder free
resume/CV templates to help you create the perfect
resume for your job hunt. Take your career journey to new heights - create a
resume onl
ine (free download) now!Create
Resume--- Orig
inally written byMay Luong ---