Resumes: Common Section Headings

• No heading title needed. Do not label ‘Resume’ at top  
• Use complete mailing address, both permanent and local if applicable 
• Include all telephone numbers where you can be reached 
• Include appropriate email address (and check often) 

• Limit length to one or two statements 
• Include type of position you are seeking, type of organization you wish to work for, and skills and contributions you offer 
• Be specific to the job for which you are applying—do not be generic 
• Focus on what you have to offer rather than what you ae seeking to gain 
• Avoid vague phrases: meaningful contribution, challenging position, working with people, seeking advancement 

• If you are a recent graduate, this section comes immediately after your objective, especially if you are looking for work related to your degree 
• Include name of college, city and state, and date of graduation 
• Include level of degree and major and/or concentration 
• May also include academic honors, GPA if above 3.0, relevant courses that demonstrate specific skills and knowledge 
• Do not include high school

• If you have related or noteworthy experience, cite it here. If not, you may want to include campus involvement, military experience, volunteer activities, etc., under the title “experience.” 
• Use reverse chronological order; that is, start with your most recent experience and work your way backwards 
• For each entry, use a consistent banner: title, company name, city/state, and dates of employment 
• Describe your main responsibilities using action verbs and other words that describe you as an effective, contributing employee. Do not use pronouns. Start each phrase with a verb in past tense, even for current jobs 
• Qualify and quantify your accomplishments to dramatically improve the effectiveness of your resume 
• Avoid passive phrases: “Was responsible for…” “Duties included…”  
• Describe your most important function and accomplishment first, even if it occupied only a small percentage of your time 

• Include activities that are related to your objective and/or show evidence of certain related skills 
• Include offices, clubs, volunteer activities, committees, and other extra-curricular events 
• Be specific as to why you are including them without going into long explanations

• Include this section if you have specialized skills, such as computer skills or foreign language skills 
• Include level of expertise where appropriate 
• If a certain skill is particularly relevant to your employment objective, you may want to include them in a section labeled with the skill (e.g. “computer skills” as the section heading rather than “skills”)

• There may be other headings that would help in an employer’s evaluation of you for a specific employment objective. These may include: community service, leadership activities, citizenship status or work authorization, travel, publications, awards, special certifications or licenses, memberships and other affiliations, and presentations.  
• Use other headings sparingly and only when they are related to your objective 
• Do not create a heading for only one item 

• In most cases, a statement at the end of the resume saying that references will be available upon request is sufficient 
• Most appropriate is to have your references listed on a separate page, one that is sent to employers only when requested; typically 3-5 reference 
• Cite name of the reference, title, company/organization, mailing address, phone number and email address. Also, include a brief statement of your affiliation 
• Select people who can speak to your experience and potential for the type of work you are targeting 
• Always get the individual’s permission to use him/her as a reference beforehand. And consider giving your references a copy of your resume in order to enable them to speak about your strengths and qualifications

Lacking experience in a specific occupational area? Make your resume stand out with transferrable skills! Some skills are applicable to many (if not all) workplace scenarios. Learn about the transferable skills employers want by reading the article below:

25 Transferable Skills Employers Look For