What to include in a resume header
A resume header has one job: to let a recruiter contact you in under ten seconds. Everything else can wait. The contact information on a resume that belongs in the header is your name, your phone number, an email address and your city and state. Add a link to a profile or portfolio only if it shows work the resume cannot, such as a design portfolio or a code repository.
- Name. Largest text on the page, in the name you use at work. Skip titles such as Mr. or Ms. and do not add a middle name unless you always use it.
- Phone. One number you answer, in the form 555-0142. Make sure your voicemail greeting sounds professional.
- Email. A simple address built from your name. Avoid an old school address that may close, or a nickname.
- Location. City and state is enough. The address on a resume guide explains why you can leave the street off.
- One link. Your professional profile, portfolio or website, written as a short readable address. See resume website for when it earns the space.
- Job title line (optional). A single line under your name, such as Registered Nurse, which tells the reader which job you are applying for before they read anything else. The resume headline guide covers this line in detail.
Resume header examples
These resume header examples show different levels of detail. They are formats to copy; the names, numbers and links are invented.
| Case | Header |
|---|---|
| Standard | Dana Whitfield · Austin, TX · 555-0142 · dana.whitfield@example.com |
| With a profile link | Dana Whitfield · Austin, TX · 555-0142 · dana.whitfield@example.com · linkedin.com/in/yourname |
| With a title line | Marcus Bell, Registered Nurse · Columbus, OH · 555-0177 · marcus.bell@example.com |
| Relocating | Priscilla Okafor · Relocating to Denver, CO in March 2027 · 555-0153 · p.okafor@example.com |
| Remote job | Tomas Reyes · Remote (Eastern time) · 555-0121 · tomas.reyes@example.com · tomasreyes.example.com |
| Two lines, centered | Name on the first line (JORDAN LEE), then Seattle, WA · 555-0188 · jordan.lee@example.com on the second |
Whichever you pick, match it on your cover letter so the two documents look like a set. The cover letter format guide shows how the same block carries over. Resume header templates are layouts with the block in a set place; any clean template from the gallery will do.
What to leave out of the header
Skip the words Resume or Curriculum Vitae, since the reader knows what it is. Leave out your full street address, date of birth, marital status and photograph, which US employers do not ask for, and keep to one phone number and one email address. Social media handles that are not professional stay off too, and so does an objective statement: put the summary below the block, as in the summary guide.
Put the header in the body of the page rather than in the page header area of a word processor. Some screening software and some converters skip text that sits in that area, and a missing phone number is the worst thing that can drop out.
Standard resume headings for the sections below
Resume headings are the labels above each section. Use the plain ones, because recruiters and software both scan for them. A clever label such as My Journey makes the section harder to find.
| Section | Use this heading | Also accepted |
|---|---|---|
| Opening paragraph | Summary | Professional Summary, Profile |
| Jobs | Work Experience | Professional Experience, Experience |
| Schooling | Education | Education and Training |
| Abilities | Skills | Technical Skills, Core Competencies |
| Credentials | Certifications | Licenses and Certifications |
| Unpaid work | Volunteer Experience | Community Involvement |
| Projects | Projects | Selected Projects |
Keep headings in the same style, size and capitalization throughout: bold, a little larger than body text, with space above. The what to include in a resume guide gives the order in which they appear.
Building the header in a template
In CVEmber you type your details into the contact fields once and the design you pick places them in its header, and switching to another design keeps them. Check how the header looks in the preview, and keep the details short enough to sit on one or two lines.
Sources
Checked on 13 October 2026.