Making a great resume is like choreographing a dance. Just one misstep and the entire performance could fall apart.
You don’t want to take that risk when it comes to your career. That’s why you should always write a resume outline before you make the real thing. An outline will help you figure out what your resume should focus on, whether it be your impressive career achievements, your many skills or your education.
If you’re short on time and need to make a resume ASAP, you can use our Resume Builder, which offers a selection of resume templates in a variety of styles. These templates are, in essence, perfect resume outlines, meaning all you’ll need to do is fill in your personal information to craft a strong resume.
Download a popular template created by our certified professional resume writers.
4 resume outlines for different career stages
Let’s review a handful of resume outlines — each one perfect for a different stage in your career.
You’ll see that the resume outline examples below use different resume formats. Formats are simply ways to organize your resume sections. You’ll need to choose your format so you can do a proper outline.
Here are the four career stages we’re about to review:
- Entry-level
- Midcareer
- Senior-level
- Returning to work
Let’s see how each stage uses a resume outline to their benefit.
Resume outline example — Entry-level
In this functional resume format, the outline emphasizes the skills and abilities of the job seeker. After all, they have very little professional experience, so there would be no sense in giving much space to work history.
Resume outline example — Midcareer
In this combination resume format, the outline balances skill sections with a work experience section. When you’re at midcareer, you want to try to represent both in equal measure.
Resume outline example — Senior-level
In this chronological resume format, the outline helps a more advanced job seeker show their work history, beginning with the most recent job and working backward. This format is perfect for people with a clear career trajectory.
Resume outline example — Returning to work
Job seekers returning to the workforce have several options for a resume outline. In this case, the job seeker opted to balance their substantial work history with their skills so they could make the case that their career transition will be smooth.
Why do I need a resume outline?
Writing a resume can seem intimidating when you’re staring at the blank page — that’s why you should make a resume outline.
Think of a resume outline as the skeleton of your resume — it provides a structure that you can then build upon as you make your resume. Using one will help you organize your thoughts and remember the critical information you need to write the best resume you can muster.
Now that you understand the purpose of an outline, let’s see what to include in yours.
The 5 parts of a resume outline
1. Resume heading
You’re well aware that contact information is an essential part of the resume — so where should you list it, and what should you include?
The best spot for contact info is your resume’s header. Here’s an example of a well-made header:
Virtually every resume should include the following in the header:
- Your name
- Phone number
- Email address
Then, there are additional items worth your consideration:
- Location (city and state)
- LinkedIn profile
- Other social media profiles
- Job title
- Personal website
Pro tip:Avoid listing your age on your resume. While it may not be fair, ageism is real, happens frequently and can be difficult to prove.
2. Professional summary or resume objective
The second part of your resume outline should be a resume profile.
Resume profiles come in two forms — a professional summary or a resume objective. If you have some work experience, a professional summary is best. Summaries include an overview of your most relevant experience and skills, as well as touching on your most impressive accomplishments.
Here’s an example of a good professional summary:
If you have little to no work experience, you’ll want to write a resume objective instead. An objective outlines your transferable skills, relevant education and training and your career goals.
Here’s an example of a good objective statement:
Now, let’s move on to the third part of your outline — work experience.
3. Work or relevant experience
For most job seekers, the work experience section will take up the bulk of the page.
You’ll notice the work history section in the best resume examples always do the following:
- Include the job titles and names and locations of the companies the candidate worked for.
- List the positions in reverse-chronological order, starting with the most recent.
- Feature between three and five bullet points for each job entry. These highlight responsibilities and professional accomplishments.
- Use action words to give the resume a more dynamic, action-oriented feel.
- Insert as many keywords as possible from the job listing.
That last point is important. When you fill out the experience portion of your resume outline, make sure to read the job description closely. You should highlight the skills and abilities expected of you. Those are keywords you should add to your resume. They’ll help you pass the automated screening process known as an applicant tracking system (ATS).
4. Skills and certifications
When you are creating your resume outline, you’ll want to study the job description closely so you can put together an excellent section for skills. In the job description, you’ll find the most important skills for the job.
Make a list of those skills you possess, then list other skills you have that would be helpful to the role. If you have completed professional training or certifications that are relevant to the role, you’ll want to add those here, too.
You want your resume to have a mix of hard skills and soft skills. Together, they make for a well-rounded candidate.
Here are a few hard skills commonly found on resumes:
- Data analysis
- Research
- Foreign language proficiency
- Quality control
- Technical support
- Financial analysis
Here are a few soft skills commonly found on resumes:
- Collaboration
- Leadership
- Communication
- Work ethic
- Flexibility
- Creativity
Pro tip:Don’t forget computer skills! When you list your ability to use certain software programs, be specific by listing the exact name of the program.
Next, let’s talk about education.
5. Education
Your education section is the cherry on top of your resume outline. When adding education to your outline, list the name and location of your institution and the name of the degree you received.
Only list high school in this section if it is the highest level of education you have completed. Also, don’t list your date of graduation unless you are a very recent graduate.
Pro tip:Your education section should generally go below work experience. But there’s one exception — if you are fresh out of college, you may want to place your education near the top for the first couple of years.
Additional sections to consider for your resume outline
The core resume sections are just the start. There are a bunch of additional sections to consider for your resume outline that could take your candidacy to the next level.
While these are optional, they just might help you stand out from similarly qualified applicants. Sections include:
- Awards: Adding honors and awards is a great way to show potential employers that you bring your A-game to everything you do. In this section, add any academic, professional or volunteer awards you have been given.
- Volunteer work: If you have done extensive volunteer work, especially if it is relevant to the role you’re applying for, be sure to list it on your resume. This is especially helpful for those job seekers with minimal work experience. Many of the skills required to perform volunteer work, such as project management and customer service, can be transferable to the workplace.
- Professional associations: Listing your professional associations is a great way to show recruiters and hiring managers that you are up to date with industry trends. Limit those you list to organizations that are related to the role you seek.
- Languages: If you are fluent in another language, it could set you apart from the competition. Be sure to list it on your resume.
- Hobbies: Some job seekers choose to include this section to show that they are well-rounded individuals. While completely optional, this section could create interesting talking points in an interview. However, be careful not to include anything that could be off-putting to a potential employer, such as political or religious organizations.
Key takeaways
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Always outline your resume
You wouldn’t build a house before creating a blueprint, right? Outlining your resume will guide you through every step.
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Outlining your resume will save time
Another benefit of resume outlines is you spend less time deciding what to write because the structure is already set.
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Resume outlines have five core sections
There are five critical sections to any resume: header, summary, work experience, skills and education.
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Additional sections can help you stand out
There are many optional resume sections — foreign language, volunteer work and more — that could give you the upper hand.
Don is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) with more than 10 years’ experience creating digital content, including four years helping job seekers develop their careers. He holds an M.S. in Journalism from Northwestern University.
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