10 Resume Sections to include in 2023

It is safe to say that in order to create a standout resume, you need to have all the necessary and relevant sections laid out correctly. Every resume section serves its own purpose, so to have your education listed under professional experience will surely leave job recruiters unimpressed.

What sections should be on a resume?

The sections mentioned in the article above can exhibit your experience and skills in a comprehensive way, however, being as an effective CV should be no longer than 2 pages, you might want to be selective with which sections to include as you might find yourself running out of space. The most necessary ones are:

What is the correct order of resume sections?

The order of the resume sections can vary from resume to resume, depending on the level of professional experience. The following would be the order for a junior/senior level employee. For entry-levels sectrions 5 and 6 would be reversed to include a more detailed description of your education background.

We have listed 10 sections in this article and have indicated which ones are non-obligatory to add to your resume.

1. Skills overview

Skills are the basis of how you conduct your work, which is why this is one of the most important resume sections to add to a CV. You have surely picked up certain skills during your education, training programs, and general life experience. Being as there are a plethora of skills out there, it is important to identify which are the ones that apply to the job position you are seeking and only include those.

Furthermore, they are classified into two groups, soft skills and hard skills. Below you will find examples of each to keep in mind when writing your skills section on your resume.

Get inspired by more Skills to put on a Resume

2. Educational background

The resume section for education could be placed at the bottom if you are a seasoned employee, or at the top if you are an intern or entry-level employee. This is another one of the obligatory resume sections. For seasoned employees, going all the way back to your high school diploma is not necessary, in fact, it weakens your resume. HR experts recommend instead to include any recent certifications you may have acquired, exhibiting that you are up to date on the latest practices in your industry.

However, if you are an entry-level employee, it is recommended to include as much information about your school coursework as possible. Adding any volunteering experience can also prove to be beneficial if you have empty space to fill on your resume.

3. About me/Profile summary

The about me resume section is the same as the profile summary section. If you already have a profile summary or a resume objective this would be the place to add it. This is the part of the resume where you can really let your personality shine, so don’t be afraid to express yourself here. Make sure to cover all the points below to have an eye-catching resume about me section.

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4. Hobbies and interests

Hobbies section is one of the non-obligatory resume sections. However, if you are an entry-level employee or intern, or even a worker with extensive professional experience and you feel like your interests complement your job it would be a good idea to add it.

There are 2 types of interests, passive and active ones. Passive interests are activities that require mental energy to get done, whereas active interests exert physical energy.

5. References and recommendations

The References section is not obligatory to include in a resume anymore. But again, let’s say you only joined the workforce a year ago, it would be advisable to add it toward the end of your resume. This, for example, could be a teacher, or an old boss with whom you have established good rapport. The recommendations section is a real plus for your profile.

6. Awards and recognitions

Another non-obligatory resume section is Awards. However, if you have received several awards and recognition for your work in your previous jobs or university, it would be wise to dedicate a section in your resume to highlight them.

7. Professional experience and Project highlights

Experience section of a resume

The Experience section is where you list all relevant job experience as well as any volunteer work or internships you may have completed. Be sure to list the dates for each job and include a brief description in 3-4 bullet points of your duties, responsibilities, and key achievements.

Project highlights

Your Projects section should be a place to include any major projects you’ve completed throughout your career, such as an app, website, or software program. Be sure to mention the details of each project and list any awards or recognition you’ve received for completing them. An example of that could be as follows:

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8. Volunteer experience

The Volunteer section on your resume is where you should list any non-paid work you’ve completed in the past. This can be anything from volunteering at a charity or non-profit organization, mentoring younger individuals, or participating in any other type of unpaid work.

9. Language proficiency

Speaking several languages has become almost a necessity in this increasingly globilized world. Show off your skills by adding a Language section to your resume. This resume section can be especially important if the job requires knowledge of another language.

10. Leadership qualities

The Leadership section is a place to showcase any experience or qualifications you have when it comes to leading a team. These could be scattered around your CV, included in your profile summary and professional experience, or you could also have a resume section entirely dedicated to them—especially if you are applying to a leadership position at a new company.

Below are some examples of leadership skills to add to this section:

Check out How to make a Resume for more tips!