Resume sections

The headings and sections in your resume will depend on:

• the industry you are applying to,
• the  information you most wish to highlight,
• your level of relevant experience
• and to some extent personal preference.

Use ResumeBuilder for heading ideas. We suggest ordering the sections by putting the most relevant information first. Examples are below.

Main sections

The titles you use in your resum can be different to the below suggestions, but keep them simple: one or two words that will be meaningful to an employer.

Your name: should be at the top of your resume as part of the main title in larger bolded font. E.g.

Resume
William Brown

It is okay to use a preferred name and sometimes this can be helpful to employers if you have a name that is hard to pronounce.

Contact details:

• your current residential address in Australia
• use a professional email address - one that uses your name, not a humorous one such as: prettykitty@yahoo.com
• A mobile or land line number is acceptable. Ensure you have voice mail with a professional sounding message

Career objective: summarise the type of work you are seeking and your key skills or experiences that make you a good candidate.

Education: start with your current or most recent education and work backwards. Use your judgement on how far back  to go. Rule of thumb is Year 12 for younger students and 10 years for mature students. Highlight your strongest subjects/majors

Employment history: start with your current or most recent employment and work backwards.

Key skills: this section can be useful if you have had limited casual work experience, volunteering, or internship opportunities and wish to highlight the development of transferrable skills though other means. Suggested sub headings: communication, teamwork, problem solving, research skills

• provide examples of when and how you have used those skills before
• use the S.T.A.R technique to help you write interesting and succinct examples for your key skills

Referees: employers usually consult referees about your behaviour and performance in the workplace

• ask permission from an individual before listing them as a referee
• professional referees have supervised you at work or sometimes volunteer work
• academic referees have supervised you in your studies
• most employers prefer 3 referees

Other possible sections

Professional development: training that is relevant to the work you are applying for. Do not repeat items from your education section

• Include a brief description if the  title is not obvious

Extra-curricular activities: may include volunteering, sporting involvements, interests (hobbies). Use it to show employers how you’ve used your skills outside the workplace, and that you’re a well-rounded person.

• Usually included on the last page of your resume.