How To Structure A Resume For Success in 2026

Crafting a successful resume goes beyond simply listing your education and work history; it’s about how you effectively present your information. Whether you’re creating a resume from scratch or selecting between resume templates, it’s crucial to organize your details in a way that captures attention.

Employers often spend mere seconds scanning resumes, which means that making your information easy to find is vital. A well-structured resume allows hiring managers to quickly identify your strengths and qualifications without having to sift through clutter.

Key Takeaways:

• The essential sections a resume must include are contact information, career summary, skills, work history, and education.
• Relevant volunteer experience, personal projects, certifications, or hobbies can also be valuable additions.
• Recent graduates should emphasize their skills and relevant experiences.
• The three common resume formats are chronological, functional, and combination.

How To Structure Your Resume

A resume is typically divided into standardized sections across various industries. Knowing which sections to include is the first step in structuring your resume effectively.

• Contact Section

• Career Summary Section

• Skills Section

• Work History Section

• Education Section

Let’s break down each section and examine the details that should be included.

The Sections Of A Resume

1. Contact Section

   The contact section is often overlooked but is critical. If hiring managers can’t easily reach you, you may not progress beyond the resume review stage of the hiring process.

   Your contact section should contain your phone number, email address, and at a minimum, your city or state. If applying for remote positions or jobs in different regions, you may omit your full address. Including a link to your LinkedIn profile is also recommended.

   Avoid placing your contact details in the document header, as many applicant tracking systems (ATS) may fail to capture this information.

2. Career Summary Section

   Next, include a career summary section. This brief pitch, typically two to three sentences, should address:

   • Why you are the ideal candidate.
   • How the position aligns with your career aspirations.
   • Specific achievements in your work history that demonstrate your qualifications.

   Here’s an example of a strong resume summary:

   Innovative marketing specialist with over 5 years of experience driving brand growth through data-driven strategies. Proven track record of increasing engagement and conversions through effective campaign management and SEO optimization.

3. Skills Section

   The skills section is a succinct list of both hard and soft skills relevant to the job. Aim to include 3-10 skills, balancing between the two types:

   1. Hard skills. These are quantifiable abilities acquired through training, such as proficiency in specific software, languages (both programming and spoken), and other technical skills.

   2. Soft skills. These include interpersonal skills and personality traits, such as teamwork, communication, and problem-solving abilities. While harder to quantify, they are equally important.

   Consider a 70/30 split favoring hard skills, especially in tech-related roles. To reinforce your soft skills, provide examples in your work history that demonstrate these abilities.

4. Work History Section

   This section outlines your previous employment in reverse chronological order. Here are key points to consider:

   • Keep it relevant; avoid outdated or unrelated positions.
   • Include experience from the past 10 years, unless older roles are pertinent.
   • Use industry-specific keywords to describe your roles and responsibilities.
   • Quantify your achievements to showcase your impact.

   For each job, include:

   • Company information: Name, location, and a brief description if not well-known.
   • Job title: Ensure accuracy to help ATS and hiring managers assess your fit.
   • Time frame: Use the mm/yyyy format for clarity.
   • Job description: Highlight achievements with quantifiable results rather than just listing responsibilities.

5. Education Section

   The education section is crucial. Include graduation dates and any higher degrees. If you hold a bachelor’s degree, omit high school details. For those without a degree, mention your highest attained diploma or relevant certifications.

   Consider including:

   • Degree/program name
   • College/university name
   • Dates attended

   Optional details may include a minor, GPA (if 3.5+), honors, significant projects, and relevant extracurricular activities.

Optional Sections For Your Resume

While the core sections are essential, additional sections can enhance your resume, especially if you need to fill space or highlight significant experiences.

• Volunteer experience. Highlighting unpaid work shows community involvement and can help bridge gaps in employment.
• Passion projects. Include personal projects or a portfolio that demonstrate your initiative and skills.
• Certifications. If you have multiple relevant certifications, consider creating a dedicated section.
• Interests and hobbies. This section can be included if it adds value or relevance to the role you’re applying for.

Resume Structure For Recent Grads Vs. Experienced Workers

The structure of a resume can vary significantly between recent graduates and seasoned professionals. Recent grads often focus on education and relevant skills, while experienced workers emphasize their work history and career achievements.

Recent graduates may opt for a career objective section instead of a summary, focusing on aspirations rather than experience.

Typical structure for recent graduates:

• Contact Information Section
• Career Objective
• Skills Section
• Work History
• Education
• Optional Sections

In contrast, experienced professionals should prioritize their career summary and work history:

• Contact Information Section
• Career Summary
• Work History
• Skills Section
• Education
• Optional Sections

Three Resume Formats

Now that we’ve covered essential sections, let’s explore the formatting options for your resume:

1. Chronological. This format emphasizes your work history, starting with your most recent role. It is the most commonly used and showcases a steady career progression.

2. Functional. This format focuses on skills rather than work history, making it ideal for those with gaps in employment or career changers. Include a skills section that provides context for your experience.

3. Combination. This format merges both skills and work experience, ideal for those applying for advanced positions that require a demonstrated skill set and relevant work history.

Resume Examples

Here are examples of different resume formats:

1. Chronological Resume Example

   Jack Pilgrim

   Washington, DC 14015 – (555) 444-3333 – jackpilgrim@gmail.com – www.linkedin.com/jpilgrim

   Resume Summary

   Creative graphic designer with 3+ years of experience developing promotional materials and social media content. Collaborated with marketing teams to increase inbound calls by 23% YoY through impactful digital strategies. Thrives in fast-paced environments, managing multiple projects effectively.

   Work Experience

   Creative Designs | Washington, DC
   Lead Graphic Designer | June 2018-Present

   • Developed landing pages and marketing materials that contributed to over $250,000 in quarterly sales.
   • Trained and managed a team of 4 junior designers to successfully deliver over 40 projects weekly.
   • Conducted UX research to enhance content marketing strategies, resulting in a 12% increase in organic traffic.

   Happy Place | Alexandria, VA
   Junior Graphic Designer | July 2016-May 2018

   • Implemented design strategies that improved client retention by 22%.
   • Streamlined project workflows, reducing turnaround time by 8%.
   • Published digital content across platforms, enhancing brand visibility.

   Education

   Savannah College of Art and Design | Savannah, Georgia
   May 2016
   Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design

   Skills

   • Adobe Creative Suite
   • Typography
   • HTML/CSS
   • WordPress
   • Collaboration
   • Project Management

2. Functional Resume Example

   Allison Neederly

   Chicago, Illinois, 60007 | (333) 222-1111 | allison.neederly@gmail.com | www.linkedin.com/allison.neederly

   Resume Summary

   Dedicated customer service representative with over 4 years of experience resolving customer issues across multiple channels. Recognized as a top performer with a 100% satisfaction rate during Q1 of 2020.

   Relevant Skills

   Customer Service

   • Handled over 200 customer inquiries daily, reducing wait times by 56%.
   • Expertise in conflict resolution, fostering a positive shopping atmosphere.
   • Trained new staff in product knowledge and customer service protocols.

   Web Chat and Phone

   • Proficient in several web chat platforms, enhancing online customer support.
   • Achieved the fastest call resolution rates, averaging under 5 minutes.
   • Conducted satisfaction surveys for over 10,000 customers.

   Work Experience

   XYZ Inc. | Philadelphia, PA
   Customer Service Associate
   New Look Global | Burlington, VT
   Junior Customer Service Representative
   L.L. Bean | Burlington, VT
   Sales Associate

   Education

   University of Vermont | Burlington, VT
   May 2012
   Bachelor of Arts in Humanities

3. Combination Resume Example

   Priya Laghari

   New York, NY | (222) 111-0000 | priya.laghari@gmail.com | www.priyabizdev.com

   Resume Profile

   • Strategy Development: Enhanced international sales by 13% through strategic market entry into Southeast Asia.
   • Management: Led cross-functional teams, optimizing communication and project delivery.
   • CRM: Developed and implemented a CRM system for managing accounts worth over $10M.

   Work Experience

   Business Development Manager
   01/2015-Present
   Microsoft | Redmond, WA

   • Formulated product strategies that increased inbound traffic by 26% YoY.
   • Cut training time for new software by 50% through the development of e-learning programs.
   • Led a $1M digital marketing initiative achieving a 200% ROI in the first year.

   Regional Sales Manager
   11/2012-01/2015
   Big Things Inc. | St. Louis, MO

   • Managed a territory generating approximately $55M in annual revenue.
   • Collaborated with executives to devise strategies, reducing overhead by 20%.
   • Increased client retention by 12% through enhanced relationship selling.

   Account Manager
   02/2009-11/2012
   Solutions Corp. | Chicago, IL

   • Implemented strategic CRM plans, boosting long-term client retention by 22%.
   • Oversaw 50+ accounts totaling over $35M.
   • Generated leads through proactive outreach and relationship management.

   Relevant Skills

   • CRM: Proficient in Salesforce, Zoho, and HubSpot with a proven track record of managing customer relationships effectively.
   • Salesmanship: Negotiated deals exceeding $1M with expertise in upselling and cross-selling.
   • Presentation: Delivered impactful presentations to stakeholders and clients, fostering positive relationships.
   • Data analytics: Skilled in utilizing analytics tools like Google Analytics and Microsoft Power BI.

   Education

   Colgate University | May 2008
   MBA

   Fordham University | May 2006
   Bachelor’s Degree in Business

Final Thoughts

Structuring a resume may feel overwhelming, but most industries have established standards. Ensure you include your contact, work history, and education sections at a minimum.

Choose additional sections that are specific and relevant to the job you’re applying for. Remember to adjust your format depending on your experience level. With a well-structured resume in hand, you’re well on your way to landing your next opportunity.

Author

Heidi Cope

Heidi Cope is a former writer for the Zippia Career Advice blog. Her writing focused primarily on Zippia's suite of rankings and general career advice. After leaving Zippia, Heidi joined The Mighty as a writer and editor, among other positions. She received her BS from UNC Charlotte in German Studies.

Expert

Don Pippin, MHRM, CPRW, CDCS

Don Pippin is an executive and HR leader for Fortune 50 and 500 companies and startups. In 2008, Don launched area|Talent with a focus on helping clients identify their brand. As a Certified Professional Resume Writer, Certified Digital Career Strategist, and Certified Personal Branding Strategist, Don guides clients through career transitions.