Though every resume will look slightly different, the basic format is the same. A resume usually includes a header and various other sections, such as experience, education, activities, honors, and skills.
The header of your resume is the section that communicates all of your basic information. This includes your name, your current address, your permanent address (if different), your home phone number, your cell phone number, and your e-mail address. In short, this is the section that allows prospective employers to contact you for an interview. Double check all of this information for accuracy; many potential employees have missed out on interviews because they put the wrong phone number or e-mail on their resume and the employer couldn’t contact them.
Right below the header, you’ll include your objective statement or summary. Not all resumes have this section, but if you decide to include an objective, it goes at the top.
Once the header is done, you’ll want to move on to the body of the resume. This includes the many other sections listed in the previous paragraphs. These sections can be listed in many different orders depending on the skills you want to highlight, but Experience and Education typically come first.
The Experience section of the resume highlights any relevant experience you have. This includes time spent at previous jobs, researching in school, and possibly even volunteer positions if they relate to the job you are applying for. This information is usually listed in reverse chronological order, meaning the most recent experience you have is listed first and the oldest last.
The Education section is listed either before or after the Experience section; both are at the top, though. For recent graduates, Education usually comes first because they have less experience. This section lists all degrees you’ve received from all schools, and is also in reverse chronological order. The most recent degree you earned goes first. If you have any education beyond high school, you usually don’t list your high school here.
Activities, Honors, and Skills are all optional categories. If you participate in school organizations (especially if you hold a leadership position in those groups) or received an award from your school or previous job, list them under these categories. If you wish to list volunteer jobs separately from experience, you can list them here. If you have special experience with computer software or machinery, you’ll want to list them as skills (however, customer service or other generic abilities are not listed as skills).
At the very bottom of the resume, you may want to type “References Available Upon Request.” However, inclusion of this statement is not necessary, as most employers know this already. Don’t list your references on the resume, though. This line should be the only place you mention references.
