The parts of a resume, in order
A reader gives a resume a few seconds on the first pass, so the order matters as much as the content. Put what proves you can do the job at the top, and the administrative detail below it. The table gives each part with the test for including it. Most of the work in deciding what should be on a resume is deciding which of the optional rows to drop.
| Part | Include it when | Skip it when |
|---|---|---|
| Contact details | Always: name, phone, email, city, and a profile link if it is current and professional | Never skip; leave off the full street address, age and marital status |
| Summary | You have a clear target job and two or three strengths to state in the first lines | Your experience speaks for itself and the page is already full |
| Work experience | You have paid or unpaid work in the last 10 to 15 years, newest first, with results | You have none; lead with projects or education instead |
| Education | Always; put it above experience if you are a student or graduated recently | Never skip a degree the job asks for; drop school grades once you have a degree |
| Skills | The job ad names tools or abilities you really have, in its own wording | The list would be generic words anyone could write |
| Certifications and licences | The job needs or values them and they are current | They are expired or unrelated to the job |
| Projects, volunteering, activities | They show a skill the job needs and your experience is thin | Experience already fills the page |
| Awards and publications | They are recent and tied to the work | They are old or from a field you have left |
| Additional information | A language level, work authorisation or a relevant interest adds something | It would only repeat what is above |
Two parts people ask about do not appear here on purpose. “References available on request” tells the reader nothing they did not assume, so leave it off and keep a separate reference sheet ready (see resume references). An objective statement is replaced for most people by a summary; the choice is explained in how to write a resume summary and career objective examples. The contact line needs only a city and state; see the address on a resume guide. For the traits to name in a summary, see strengths and weaknesses for a resume.
A resume outline you can copy for one page
Here is the outline filled in for a fictional applicant, so you can see how the parts of a resume sit on a single page. The person, employer and figures are invented.
Dana Whitfield
Columbus, OH · (555) 010-0142 · dana.whitfield@example.com
Summary
Warehouse operations coordinator with five years in inventory control and order fulfilment. Cut picking errors by a third and trained eight new hires.
Experience
Inventory Control Lead, regional distribution company, Columbus, OH, 2022 to present
- Ran weekly cycle counts across 4,200 items; raised stock accuracy from 94% to 99%.
- Rebuilt the picking route for two aisles, cutting average pick time by 12%.
Education
Associate degree in Business Administration, community college, 2020
Skills
Warehouse management software, Excel (pivot tables), forklift certification, cycle counting
Notice what is missing: no photo, no street address, no “references available” line. Each bullet carries a result, which is the habit that matters most. If your bullets read like duties, the guide to resume accomplishments shows how to turn them into results.
What should a resume look like?
How a resume should look is mostly about restraint. Use one column, one readable typeface at about 10 to 12 points, even margins, plain headings in the order above, and enough white space that the eye can find the next section. A resume that looks like a form to fill in beats one that looks like a poster, because both people and screening software read it top to bottom. Dates should be aligned the same way throughout, and bullets short enough to scan.
Length follows your history: one page for most people with under about ten years of experience, two when the extra page holds real, recent results. The details are on the one-page resume guide, and the choice of typeface is covered in the best font for a resume. For the full set of layouts, see the US resume format.
What to include in a resume with little or no experience
Without a work history, the parts that carry the page change: education moves to the top, and projects, volunteering, school activities and part-time or informal work take the space experience would. Write each as an entry with a result, even a small one, such as organising a fundraiser that raised a stated amount. The skills to include on a resume like this are the ones the job ad names, shown where you used them. The full approach is in a resume for your first job.
What to leave off a resume
Leave off anything that invites a judgement unrelated to the work or takes space from something stronger: age, marital status, a photograph (for US applications), a full home address, salary history, reasons for leaving, and a hobby list with no link to the job. Also cut jobs from many years ago that add nothing to the story, and duties that every person in the role does. Whatever remains should be something you would be glad to be asked about. If a line makes you hesitate, ask whether the job ad would miss it; if not, it is a candidate for deletion.
Two sections have their own guides: how to list certifications on a resume and work experience on a resume. The top block is covered in the resume header guide.
Sources
Checked on 12 October 2026.