US Resume Formats, PDF Templates and Examples (2025 Tips)

Important Sections for a US Resume

When it comes time to write your resume, you have to make a choice about the resume format you want to use. Chronological resumes are most common in many traditional industries, but you can also use a functional resume format or a combination resume format.

The differences between these formats have a lot to do with which parts of the resume are most important. In a chronological resume, the work experience section is near the top of the resume and takes up most of the space. In a functional format, it is the skills section that is the focus of the resume. The combination resume format provides a balance of these two parts to provide a broader view of your skills. Now, let’s look at how to write a resume that makes a difference. Whatever resume format you choose, here are the important sections to include in an American resume:

Contact information

The US resume header should contain your contact information, including your full name, phone number, and any professional portfolio links, such as your LinkedIn profile. The purpose of this section is to make it easier for recruiters to contact you for an interview.

Resume summary

The resume objective or resume summary statement should be just below the header and no longer than 2-3 sentences or 4-6 bullet points. If you choose to write a resume objective statement, it will include an overview of your career goals and best skills. This is best for job seekers with limited work experience. If you have many years of experience in the industry you work in, a resume summary would be better. This should be a summary of the relevant experience, qualifications and skills that make you the best candidate for the role.

Skills

Your skills section should contain a bullet-point list detailing your skills that are most relevant to the job description you are applying for. You should consider your entire skill set when writing this section, including your soft skills: for example, communication skills, time management, and attention to detail.

The best resume is one that gives the hiring manager a comprehensive picture of you as a candidate. Only list skills that are relevant to the role as this section is one of the most important to ensure your resume passes applicant tracking systems (ATS). For example, if you are applying to be a graphic designer, you might list skills such as:

• Adobe Creative Suite
• Color theory
• Composition
• Storyboard creation

Work experience

Wherever your work history section is placed, you should list it in reverse chronological order and include up to the last 10 years of professional experience whenever possible. If you don’t have ten years of experience, just include what you have. You must include the title of a particular position as well as the official name of the company where you work and the length of time you have held that position. Once you have done this, you should provide a brief overview of your most notable accomplishments in this role.

Education

Once you have a fair amount of work experience, your education part will become less important. The main exception to this, of course, is if you work in a field that requires academic qualifications to do the job, for example medicine, law, social work. Also list your academic accomplishments in reverse chronological order, and focus on recent and advanced accomplishments. Do not include high school GPA or equivalent unless you do not have advanced qualifications.

Other parts

There are a number of other sections you may want to include in your American resume. Depending on your skills and abilities, you may include sections to detail your professional certifications, languages ​​you speak, publications you have written for, or awards you have received.

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