What to Put on a Resume in 2026 [7+ Job-Winning Sections]

Table of Contents#

1. Contact Information
2. Professional Summary
3. Work Experience
4. Education
5. Skills
6. Certifications and Licenses
7. Achievements and Awards
8. Additional Sections

1. Contact Information#

Common Practices#

• Always include your full name at the top of the resume. This should be in a larger font size than the rest of the text to make it stand out.
• Provide a professional email address. Avoid using unprofessional or old - fashioned email addresses.
• Include a phone number where you can be easily reached. Make sure your voicemail message is professional.

Best Practices#

• If you have an online portfolio or LinkedIn profile, add the links to your resume. This gives employers a broader view of your work and professional network.
• Double - check that all contact details are up - to - date and accurate.

Example#

John Doe
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (123) 456 - 7890
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/johndoe
Portfolio: johndoe.portfolio.com

2. Professional Summary#

Common Practices#

• A professional summary is a brief paragraph (3 - 5 sentences) that highlights your key qualifications, skills, and career goals.
• It should be customized for each job application to align with the requirements of the position.

Best Practices#

• Use action verbs to describe your achievements and responsibilities. For example, "Managed a team of 10 developers", "Led a successful marketing campaign".
• Quantify your achievements whenever possible. For instance, "Increased sales by 20% in six months".

Example#

Results - driven marketing professional with over 7 years of experience in digital marketing. Skilled in developing and implementing comprehensive marketing strategies that drive brand awareness and increase customer engagement. Successfully led a campaign that resulted in a 30% growth in online sales within a year. Seeking a challenging marketing manager role to leverage my skills and drive business growth.

3. Work Experience#

Common Practices#

• List your work experience in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent job.
• Include the company name, job title, employment dates, and location.
• Describe your responsibilities and achievements in each role.

Best Practices#

• Focus on the achievements rather than just listing the duties. For example, instead of saying "Responsible for customer service", say "Improved customer satisfaction ratings by 15% through effective problem - solving and communication".
• Use bullet points to make the information easy to read.

Example#

Company Name: XYZ Corporation
Job Title: Marketing Specialist
Employment Dates: January 2024 - Present
Location: New York, NY

- Developed and executed social media marketing campaigns, resulting in a 25% increase in followers across all platforms.
- Managed a budget of $50,000 for online advertising and achieved a 30% return on investment.
- Collaborated with cross - functional teams to launch new product lines and increase market share by 10%.

4. Education#

Common Practices#

• List your educational institutions, degree names, majors, and graduation dates.
• Include the highest level of education first.

Best Practices#

• If you have a high GPA (above 3.5 on a 4.0 scale), you can include it.
• If you have taken relevant courses to the job you're applying for, you can add a short list of those courses.

Example#

University Name: ABC University
Degree: Bachelor of Business Administration
Major: Marketing
Graduation Date: May 2023
Relevant Courses: Marketing Management, Consumer Behavior, Digital Marketing

5. Skills#

Common Practices#

• Divide your skills into categories such as technical skills, soft skills, and language skills.
• List the skills that are relevant to the job you're applying for.

Best Practices#

• Use specific keywords from the job description. This increases the chances of your resume getting through applicant tracking systems (ATS).
• For technical skills, include the proficiency level (e.g., Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced).

Example#

Technical Skills:
- Advanced proficiency in Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator
- Intermediate knowledge of Python programming language
- Proficient in using Excel for data analysis

Soft Skills:
- Excellent communication and teamwork skills
- Strong problem - solving and decision - making abilities

Language Skills:
- Fluent in English
- Intermediate in Spanish

6. Certifications and Licenses#

Common Practices#

• List any relevant certifications and licenses you have obtained.
• Include the issuing organization and the date of issuance.

Best Practices#

• If a certification is particularly prestigious or hard - to - obtain, you can briefly mention the significance or the corresponding skills it represents.
• Keep this section updated as you earn new certifications.

Example#

Certification: Google Analytics Individual Qualification
Issuing Organization: Google
Date of Issuance: June 2025

License: Project Management Professional (PMP)
Issuing Organization: Project Management Institute
Date of Issuance: March 2024

7. Achievements and Awards#

Common Practices#

• Include any notable achievements and awards that are relevant to your field.
• This can be from your work, academic, or extracurricular activities.

Best Practices#

• Quantify the achievements as much as possible. For example, "Won the Team Excellence Award for leading the project that saved the company $100,000 in costs".
• Provide context to make the achievements more understandable.

Example#

- Received the "Employee of the Year" award in 2024 for achieving a 40% increase in sales in a highly competitive market segment.
- Awarded the Dean's List for maintaining a GPA of 3.8 or above during my entire undergraduate studies.

8. Additional Sections#

Common Practices#

• You can include additional sections such as volunteer work, hobbies, or publications if they are relevant to the job or show positive traits.
• Volunteer work can demonstrate your social responsibility and teamwork skills.
• Hobbies can give employers an insight into your personality and interests outside of work.

Best Practices#

• Keep the additional sections brief and relevant. Don't overcrowd your resume with too much information.
• If a hobby is related to the industry, expand on how it has developed relevant skills.

Example#

Volunteer Work:
- Volunteered at a local animal shelter from 2023 - 2025, assisting with animal care and fundraising events. This experience enhanced my teamwork and communication skills.

Hobbies:
- Photography: Developed skills in visual composition, attention to detail, and creativity through my photography hobby.

Conclusion#

In 2026, a well - structured resume with these 7 + job - winning sections can significantly increase your chances of landing your dream job. Remember to customize your resume for each application, use relevant keywords, and highlight your achievements and skills. By following these guidelines and best practices, you'll be well on your way to creating a resume that stands out in the competitive job market.

References#

• Monster.com: A leading online job board that provides resume writing tips and resources.
• LinkedIn Learning: Offers courses on resume building and career development.
• ResumeGenius: Provides resume templates and writing guides.