By Prachi Sachdeva — Apr 30, 2022

5 Sections to Include in Your Resume [25 Examples]

Photo by Volodymyr Hryshchenko / Unsplash

We all are familiar with a basic resume - formatting, writing style, ley sections, do’s and don'ts. We have resources for all of them:

Resume formats
Writing Guides
Resume Building Tools
Resume templates
Content Guides

….and much more. You use all of them, have your resume ready, and are all set for expediting the job application process.

Fast forward to the time after you’ve applied to hundreds of jobs and don’t get any response. Well, there may be several reasons for that.

One of them is not having an optimised resume. A job-optimised resume is much more than a piece of paper with your job details, and skills.

So what is an optimised resume?

An ideal resume

Has keywords from the job posting
Only information relevant to the job
Talks about other activities
Showcases your personality

And the basic sections cannot do all this. You need more than supplying "AST ready" information.

So here are the five things you can put in your resume and how they help:

Projects

Projects are like the job experience or internship sections for students without internships.

They fill the knowledge gaps created by a lack of experience
They help in drawing the recruiter's attention from what is missing to what you've done
They give you the practical exposure you need to sustain and excel in a fast-paced, deadline-driven space
They differentiate you from the crowd who come to the interview table straight out of textbooks
They quantify the value you brought to the employer (On-job projects)

How to represent them

Projects attract recruiters despite your experience level. For beginners, they are all the more important, equally important is their representation on your resume. Here's how to do it:

Name of the Project
Your role and deliverables within the project
Short description of the project
Relevant links if any

Below are 5 resumes with projects.

Resume of Software Developer

Check the full resume of Software Engineer here

Resume of UX/UI Designer

Check the full resume of Software Engineer here

Resume of Online Tutor

Check the full resume of an Online Tutor here

Resume of Tableu Developer

Check the full resume of Tableau Developer here

Extracurriculars

The importance of extracurricular activities is underrated. they are more than just pursuing your interests or hobbies. They play a greater role in personality development and finding the right job

They develop useful transferable skills
They are a great way to network outside your core academic circle
They show your passion for your hobbies
They show your ability to manage multiple priorities

How to represent them

Extracurriculars are important for the beginner workforce. Their importance fades as you grow in your career:

Create a separate section for extracurricular activities
Write the name of the activity and institution/ organization associated with it
Give a brief description

Below are 5 resumes with extracurricular activities

Resume of Experiential Marketer

Check the full resume of Experiential Marketer here

Resume of Software Engineer

Check the full resume of Software Engineer here

Resume of Systems Engineer

Check the full resume of a Systems Engineer here

Resume of Finance Manager

Check the full resume of Finance Manager here

Resume of PR Coordinator

Check the full resume of the PR Coordinator here

Certifications & Courses

Certifications and courses are your additional attempts at skilling yourself. These do not include your university education. With a boom in online education, it is all the more easier to upskill yourself or learn a completely new skill. Here is how they help:

They make switching careers easier
They enable you to upskill and stay updated with the developments in the industry
They help you develop expertise in a particular niche
They demonstrate your commitment and passion for your role

How to represent them

As these are directly related to your job, you need to represent them vividly to the recruiter. Here's how you can do this:

Add your most recent certification to your title or your summary
Create a separate section in your resume with the name of the course/certificate along with that of the issuing authority
In the case of certificates and licenses, add the license number and its validity

Here are 5 resumes with certifications and courses listed on them

Resume of Technician

Check the full resume of Technician here

Resume of Marketing Analyst

Check the full resume of a Marketing Analyst here

Resume of Instructional Designer

Check the full resume of an Instructional Designer here

Resume of Operations Manager

Check the full resume of an Operations Manager here

Resume of Social Media Manager

Check the full resume of a Social Media Manager here

Interests & Hobbies

Most resume experts and even HRs will suggest not giving dedicated space to this section. We suggest otherwise - hobbies and interests are the only elements in your resume that show your real personality. It is however true that you do not need them at a senior level.

When to put hobbies and interests in your resume:

You have adequate space for it
You have been active in engaging with your hobbies
Your hobbies align with your extracurricular engagement
The skills you learn through your hobbies help you in your workplace

How to represent them

Hobbies and interests if used strategically, put you ahead of many job seekers. Here's how you can use these in your resume:

A separate section with a list and brief details
Create an extracurricular section and write relevant activities
Talk about them in summary if you have any achievements related to your hobbies

Resume of Store Executive

Check the full resume of Store Executive here

Resume of Technical Writer

Check the full resume of Techincal Writer here

Resume of Service Marketer

Check the full resume of Service Marketer here

Resume of Junior IT Engineer

Check the full resume of Magazine Editor here

Community Contributions

Community contributions are like extracurricular activities for senior professionals. Your engagement in any volunteering is always appreciated. From a recruiter's perspective:

They show that you care for the society
They help you with networking
They prove that you take initiative and will support the team when required

How to represent community contributions in your resume

Create a section with the name of the organization, your role, and dates of service
If you participate in your organization's CSR initiatives, write those along with your job responsibilities