We offer lists of the items that you absolutely must include in your resume and a LIST of optional items to consider including:

Resume Musts:

• Name
• Address(es)*
• Phone numbers*
• Email address
• Education
• Experience
• Resume Optionals
• Objective Statement (currently out of fashion; please click the preceding link to see what replaces the objectives statement)
• Headline and/or Branding Statement (often used instead of an Objective Statement); see more about career branding in our Career Branding Tutorial
• Professional Profile or Qualifications Summary (use this Professional Profile/Qualifications Summary Worksheet)
• Keyword Summary
• Licenses/Certifications
• Accomplishments/Achievements
• Transferable SKILLS
• Strengths
• Affiliations/Memberships
• Languages
• Foreign travel
• Presentations
• Publications
• Activities
• Hobbies/Interests
• Military
• The notation, “References available on request”

We also offer this list of items that should never be included on a resume:

• Height, weight, age, date of birth, place of birth, marital status, sex, race, health, social security number (except on an International Resume/CV)
• Reasons for leaving previous job(s)
• Name of boss or supervisor
• Street addresses and phone numbers of past employers (city and state is sufficient)
• Picture of yourself
• Salary information
• Specific names of references (more on this issue later)

The title “Resume” Religion, church affiliations, political or other controversial affiliations: Any disclosure on your resume that could get you screened out as a candidate is risky. You may TAKE the stance that you don’t want to work for an employer that would ELIMINATE you because a hiring manager didn’t like your political beliefs or religious affiliation. But given that, for most CANDIDATES, religion, politics, and any other controversial affiliations are not relevant to your next job, it’s wise to leave them out.

We offer lists of the items that you absolutely must include in your resume and a list of optional items to consider including:

Resume Musts:

We also offer this list of items that should never be included on a resume:

The title “Resume” Religion, church affiliations, political or other controversial affiliations: Any disclosure on your resume that could get you screened out as a candidate is risky. You may take the stance that you don’t want to work for an employer that would eliminate you because a hiring manager didn’t like your political beliefs or religious affiliation. But given that, for most candidates, religion, politics, and any other controversial affiliations are not relevant to your next job, it’s wise to leave them out.