What to Include in a Good Resume

When writing a resume, it’s important to include relevant information that highlights your qualifications, experiences, skills and positive attributes. Here are the key elements to include:

• Contact information: Include your full name, phone number, email address, and optionally your professional social media profiles (e.g., LinkedIn).
• Resume objective or summary statement: A brief statement at the beginning that summarizes your career goals, key skills, and the value you can bring to the employer. This section is optional and can be tailored to the specific job you’re applying for.
• Professional experience: List your work history in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent or current position. Include the company name, job title, employment dates, and a description of your responsibilities and achievements. Focus on quantifiable accomplishments and use action verbs to demonstrate your impact.
• Education: Include your highest level education, such as a degree, along with the institution’s name, location, graduation date, and any honors or awards you received. If you have relevant professional certifications or additional coursework, include those as well.
• Skills: Create a section highlighting your relevant skills. Include both hard skills (technical abilities specific to the job) and soft skills (interpersonal, communication, problem-solving, etc.). Use keywords from the job description to tailor this section to the specific position.
• Achievements or honors: If you have received any notable awards, recognition, or achievements, such as scholarships, publications, or leadership roles, include them in a separate section to showcase your accomplishments.
• Additional sections: Depending on your background, you may include additional sections such as:
  • Projects: Highlight significant projects you’ve worked on, including the objectives, your role, and the outcomes achieved.
  • Volunteer work: Include any relevant volunteer experiences that demonstrate skills or qualities beneficial to the position.
  • Professional affiliations: List memberships in professional organizations or industry-related groups.
  • References: It is generally not necessary to include references on your resume. Instead, state that references are available upon request. Prepare a separate document with a list of references to provide if requested during the hiring process.

Keep your resume concise, typically limiting it to one or two pages. Tailor the content to each specific job application, emphasizing the most relevant qualifications and experiences. Use a clean and professional format, consistent fonts, and bullet points for readability. Proofread your resume carefully to avoid typos or grammatical errors before submitting it.