Always Include These Six Things on Your Resume

Nancy Anderson
Posted by in Career Advice


Your resume is arguably the most important component of your job application. If it's not performing the way you'd like, consider a rework. Great resumes include the right information to get hiring managers to call you. Make sure yours includes the following six elements.

1. Career Summary

A career summary, sometimes called an executive summary, is a good replacement for your outdated and redundant objective statement. Placed at the top of your resume, the career summary consists of a few brief sentences that present your strongest skills, interests and experiences, while explaining what makes you unique in your industry.

2. Keywords

Many companies use applicant tracking software to scan through hundreds of resumes at a time, so if your resume doesn't include keywords, you're doing yourself a disservice. To get an idea of what you need to include, look carefully over the job description. Use the same words and phrases listed in the job description to describe your own skills and experience. If the job description isn't helpful, just target common industry terms.

3. Certifications

Always include relevant certifications in your resume. Don't let all those hours of training and exams go to waste. Including certifications shows hiring managers that you are motivated and committed enough to your career to seek out additional training. It places you a step above other candidates.

4. Social Media Links

Many companies like to perform a quick online check of applicants. Help the process along by including links to your blog, LinkedIn profile or website in your resume. Make sure these pages are up to date and preferably relevant to the job you're applying for. The information listed on these links should also match the information on your resume exactly. You want to present a consistent brand across all platforms.

5. White space

Your resume should contain plenty of white space to present a clean, polished appearance to the reader. A resume that is too text-heavy becomes laborious to read. You don't need to include every job you've ever had, just the strongest and most relevant experience that relates to the company's needs for the open position. Using a standard font size, even the most experienced candidate should be able to pack a punch into one page.

6. Contact information

Your resume should list your contact information prominently to make it easy for the hiring manager to contact you. Always list your phone number and email address right at the top, and make sure they are up to date. Listing your physical address is usually not necessary.

A well-composed resume opens doors to the jobs you want. Give your resume a second look to make sure it includes the right information for hiring managers to correctly assess your background and skills — and call you for an interview.


Photo courtesy of pakorn at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    @Rebecca S thanks for your comment. A CV is typically needed for those seeking employment in higher education - such as being a professor. Personally, I would have that CV ready for such positions but would create a resume for all other types of positions. Current wisdom has us creating a resume that's only 1 page long. VERY hard to do when you are older. But maybe you can create a compelling resume that fits on 1-2 pages and then you can have the rest of your information at your fingertips when you are sitting in an interview. It's going to be tough to get into your field after a 15 year break. Look at some job postings for a position of interest and see what the qualifications are. That way you will know what is needed even before you apply. Personally, I would try to find a recruiter who specializes in my field and would use him to get me in the door. And I would consider all options - contracting, temp work, etc. Because the more recent experience you have, the better. Then, once you get some of that experience, go for the more permanent type of positions.

  • Rebecca S.
    Rebecca S.

    @Nancy Anderson, I am also wondering how to deal with a Curriculum Vitae (C.V.)? After completing my BS in Biology and MS in Environmental Science/Aquatic Ecology, my advisors said my resume should be in "C.V." form, which has many pages of detailed information. So that is what I did, and that is what I have. I've never created a 1-2 page resume and haven't a clue how to fit so much info into 1 or 2 pages, which info is best to omit and which info I should leave in.

  • Rebecca S.
    Rebecca S.

    Thank you for your informative articles @Nancy Anderson! As Jill B. stated, I too would love to read tips on how to re-enter the workforce after a 15+ year absence. I have been living in a small, remote town in ND, too far to commute to a job in my field of education. I've taken what jobs I could get nearby in order to also raise my 4 kids, who are now all teenagers. It is so hard to be competitive after being out of the loop for so long.

  • Ron D.
    Ron D.

    If you cut out experience to make white space do you disclose this with a note stating complete portfolio of experience is available on request?

  • Erin J.
    Erin J.

    I have had instances that not disclosing a job on my resume was considered lying on the application!

  • Carl Y.
    Carl Y.

    Thank you for your valuable information. Carl Y.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    @Elizabeth D. thanks for your comment. Any of the free resume critiques that you receive on any site are very basic critiques and do not take the whole person into account. They are simply to show you where you might want to make some changes or have your resume written by a professional in your field. They are limited at best. There really are no right ways to do things here. Some companies would prefer an executive summary and never want to see an objective while other companies want to see an objective and then you have the companies who don't want to see either. Make your resume speak about you. If you need an objective statement to identify who you are and where you want to go, then by all means use it. I think an objective is good if you are in the process of changing careers or if you are re-entering an industry that you worked in years before. That's just my opinion of which I am sure I will get blasted. Bottom line is that your resume needs to "speak" of you - who you are and what you bring to the table.

  • ELIZABETH D.
    ELIZABETH D.

    I recently had a "free critique" of my resume and the company said my "executive summary" should be replaced with an "objective." Just the opposite of what's stated here! What's up with that?

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    @Jill B. thanks for your comment. We will see what we can do about creating just such an article as many of our job seekers are in the same situation as you.

  • Jill B.
    Jill B.

    Thank you so much for the pertinent advice. I will definitely use the information you provided. I really wish you would create an article with tips and suggestions about re-entering the workforce after a 20+ year abscence. Thanks again.

  • Niurys R.
    Niurys R.

    Thank you for the information.

  • PAMELA B.
    PAMELA B.

    Very helpful! Thanks

  • RONIE O.
    RONIE O.

    ..thanks its a nice tips..

  • Tanine h.
    Tanine h.

    I going to use these tips when I prepare my next resume

  • Michelle B.
    Michelle B.

    Thanks, great advice!

  • Mohammed A.
    Mohammed A.

    Very helpful.

  • annabell perez
    annabell perez

    Helpful information. Thanks.

  • Patrick Arlan P.
    Patrick Arlan P.

    very informative

  • Bakri A.
    Bakri A.

    Excellent advice

  • Lynn M.
    Lynn M.

    Thank you for the advice!

  • Abeyan R.
    Abeyan R.

    Ideal concept to prepare a professional resume

  • Mike M.
    Mike M.

    Good advice. Thanks

  • Pedro Williams
    Pedro Williams

    This information is insightful and step above traditional info pertaining to resumes

  • Elizabeth  Buckley
    Elizabeth Buckley

    Thanks. Great advice

  • LINCOLN M.
    LINCOLN M.

    Sounds like a match! Thanks.

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