An effective resume must consistently include five essential sections to ensure the recruiter has all the necessary information for an initial evaluation, especially in the mere 7 seconds they spend on a quick review.

The five sections your resume must include are:

1. Contact Information: This should be at the top of the page and it’s crucial to double-check (or triple-check) it to avoid missing the opportunity to be contacted. Include your full Name, Phone Number, Email Address (professional, not informal), and your Location (city and country only). Optionally, you can add your optimized LinkedIn profile.
2. Resume Summary or Professional Profile: Placed just below the contact information, this section acts as a quick introduction to grab the employer’s attention. It should be concise, 2 to 4 sentences long. While the “Objective” is often considered outdated and less useful for experienced professionals, the Professional Summary is a 2-4 sentence summary that highlights your main achievements and skills.
3. Work Experience: This is the main section recruiters turn to. You should structure each entry with the Job Title, Company Name, Location, and Dates of Employment. The key is to focus on achievements rather than responsibilities, as achievements are unique and demonstrate your value (e.g., “Detected and corrected tax reporting errors, saving the company over $150,000” instead of “Prepared financial reports”).
4. Education: Usually placed after work experience (in reverse chronological order). List the Program Name, University Name, and Years Attended. You should only mention your GPA if it is very impressive (3.5 or higher), as recruiters do not usually consider it a key indicator of professional success.
5. Skills: One of the three most important sections. It provides a quick overview of what you can do. It is essential that these skills are tailored to the position and industry you are applying for. Prioritize hard skills (e.g., software, coding languages, accounting) over generic soft skills (e.g., teamwork or critical thinking), as the latter are often devalued by overuse.