18 Resume Sections You Didn't Know You Needed (And When to Use Each)

You've been lied to about resumes.

"Keep it to one page." "Just use Summary, Experience, Education, Skills." "Don't get creative."

That advice worked in 2015. In 2026, it gets you lost in a stack of 250 nearly identical applications.

Here's what nobody tells you: Your resume has room for up to 18 different section types. Most people use 4. The candidates who get callbacks? They strategically use 6-10.

Let me show you what you're missing.

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The Two Types of Resume Sections

Before diving in, understand this framework:

Essential sections get you in the door. Everyone has them.

Strategic sections get you the interview. They're your secret weapon—the proof that you're not just qualified but exceptional.

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The 5 Essential Sections (Get These Right First)

1. Contact Information

What it includes: Name, email, phone, location, LinkedIn, website/portfolio

Sounds obvious, right? Yet 14% of resumes have contact info errors that cost them the interview.

Pro move: Add your LinkedIn URL and portfolio link. When 87% of recruiters research candidates online before calling, making it easy for them helps you.

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2. Professional Summary

Best for: Everyone with 2+ years of experience
Skip if: You're entry-level (use an objective statement instead)

Think of your summary as a 3-second elevator pitch. Not your life story—your value proposition.

The difference? Specifics. Numbers. Personality.

Need help writing yours? Our AI Summary Generator creates personalized summaries in seconds—no more staring at a blank screen.

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3. Work Experience

The backbone of every resume—but most people butcher it.

Your experience section isn't a job description transcript. It's a highlight reel of impact.

The formula that works:

[Strong Action Verb] + [What You Did] + [Measurable Result]

• ❌ "Responsible for social media management"
• ✅ "Grew Instagram from 5K to 85K followers in 8 months, generating $120K in attributable sales"

Struggling with bullet points? Try our Bullet Point Generator—paste your role and get powerful achievement statements instantly.

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4. Education

Include: Degree, institution, graduation year
Optional: GPA (if above 3.5), relevant coursework, thesis title, honors

The education section shrinks as your experience grows. Recent grads can include coursework and academic projects. Mid-career professionals? Just the basics—your work speaks louder.

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5. Skills

The ATS gatekeeper. This section determines whether a human ever sees your resume.

Structure that works:

• Group skills by category (Technical Skills, Tools, Soft Skills)
• Include proficiency levels for technical skills
• Mirror exact keywords from the job description

Not sure which skills to highlight? Our Skills Finder analyzes job descriptions and recommends the skills that matter most.

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The 13 Strategic Sections (Your Secret Weapons)

This is where you stop blending in and start standing out.

6. Projects 🎯

Best for: Tech roles, designers, career changers, recent grads
Impact level: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Game-changer for technical roles)

Projects are proof. While everyone else claims they can code, you show the actual GitHub repo. While others say they're "creative," you link to the portfolio.

What to include:

• Project name and your role
• Technologies used
• Link to live project or repository
• Brief description of impact/results

When to skip: If your work experience already demonstrates the same skills and you're tight on space.

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7. Certifications 🏆

Best for: Finance (CPA, CFA), Tech (AWS, Google Cloud), Healthcare, Project Management (PMP), HR (PHR/SPHR)
Impact level: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Critical for regulated industries)

In some fields, certifications aren't optional—they're table stakes. In others, they're differentiators that prove specialized expertise.

The hierarchy:

1. Required certifications → Put at the top or even next to your name
2. Industry-recognized credentials → Dedicated section near skills
3. Online course certificates → Consider a separate "Courses" section

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8. Languages 🌍

Best for: International companies, customer-facing roles, translation/localization, NGOs
Impact level: ⭐⭐⭐ (High value in specific contexts)

In a globalized job market, multilingual candidates have an edge—but only if you communicate proficiency accurately.

Proficiency levels that recruiters understand:

• Native — It's your first language
• Fluent/Bilingual — You can handle professional conversations without issue
• Conversational — You can get by, but not for business negotiations
• Basic — You know enough to travel

Pro tip: Include certifications like DELF, JLPT, HSK, or DELE if you have them.

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9. Awards & Honors 🏅

Best for: Sales roles, academia, competitive fields
Impact level: ⭐⭐⭐ (Strong when relevant)

Awards are external validation. Someone else said you were exceptional.

Include:

• Award name and granting organization
• Date received
• Brief context if not self-explanatory

Skip generic ones. "Employee of the Month" at a 5-person startup? Probably not worth the space. "President's Club for Top 2% of Sales Reps" at a Fortune 500? Absolutely.

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10. Courses & Professional Development 📚

Best for: Career changers, continuous learners, emerging tech skills
Impact level: ⭐⭐⭐ (Growing importance in 2026)

The half-life of skills is shrinking. Showing you're actively learning signals adaptability—one of the most valued traits in 2026.

What belongs here:

• Relevant online courses (Coursera, Udemy, edX)
• Bootcamp completions
• Workshops and professional development programs
• Industry conferences attended

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11. Publications 📰

Best for: Academia, research, thought leadership, writing-heavy roles
Impact level: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (Essential for research positions)

If you've been published, you're a subject matter expert. Let recruiters know.

Format:

"Title of Publication" — Publisher Name, Date
Co-authors: [Names]
[DOI or URL if available]

For non-academics: Blog posts on industry platforms, guest articles, or case studies count too—especially for marketing, content, and thought leadership roles.

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12. Volunteering 💚

Best for: Career changers, recent grads, nonprofit roles, gaps in employment
Impact level: ⭐⭐⭐ (Underrated differentiator)

Volunteering shows initiative, character, and transferable skills—without the pressure of a paid role.

Format it like work experience:

• Organization name and your role
• Start/end dates
• 2-3 bullets describing impact and skills used

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13. Conferences & Speaking 🎤

Best for: Tech, academia, sales, thought leadership
Impact level: ⭐⭐ (Niche but powerful)

If you've presented at industry conferences or led workshops, you've demonstrated expertise and communication skills—a rare combo.

Include:

• Talk/workshop title
• Event name and date
• Link to slides, video, or write-up

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14. Test Scores 📊

Best for: Graduate school applicants, career changers, international candidates
Impact level: ⭐⭐ (Context-specific)

GRE, GMAT, Bar Exam, TOEFL, CFA exam scores—when they're strong, they're worth showing.

When to include:

• Required for certain academic or professional paths
• Scores are exceptional (top 10% percentile)
• Relevant to the role (Bar passage for attorneys, CFA for finance)

When to skip: If your experience is strong enough that test scores are irrelevant, leave them off.

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15. Interests 🎯

Best for: Culture-fit-focused companies, creative industries
Impact level: ⭐ (Use strategically)

Here's the controversial truth: 79% of recruiters admit they don't read the interests section. But when they do, it can create an instant connection.

The rules:

• Make it memorable and specific (not "reading, travel, movies")
• Connect to job-relevant traits when possible
• Keep it to one line

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16. References

Best for: Academic CVs, government applications, when specifically requested
Impact level: ⭐ (Usually not needed)

The 2026 rule: Don't include references unless asked. "References available upon request" is assumed and wastes space.

Exception: Academic CVs often include references as standard practice.

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17. Custom Sections ✨

Best for: Anyone with unique qualifications that don't fit standard categories
Impact level: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (High differentiation potential)

Here's where creative candidates shine. Custom sections let you highlight what makes you you—without forcing it into someone else's template.

Examples of effective custom sections:

• Patents — For inventors and engineers
• Key Achievements — A highlight reel separate from experience
• Military Service — Detailed for defense contractors
• Board Memberships — For executive-level candidates
• Media Appearances — For public-facing roles
• Open Source Contributions — For developers

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The Section Stack: Which Ones Do YOU Need?

Here's a quick decision framework:

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Section Combinations by Role Type

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The Bottom Line

Most job seekers limit themselves to a handful of resume sections because that's what they've always seen.

You now know better.

Your resume has room for 18 different section types. The candidates who get callbacks don't use all of them—they strategically choose the 6-10 that best showcase their unique qualifications for each specific role.

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Related Resources

• Resume Section Order Best Practices — Arrange sections for maximum impact
• How to List Certifications on Resume — Placement strategies
• Including Personal Projects on Resume — When and how
• Volunteer Work on Resume — Formatting guide
• Professional Summary Examples — Industry-specific
• Skills for Resume — What recruiters want in 2026
• Resume Examples — See these sections in action
• Resume Templates — ATS-optimized layouts
• AI Resume Builder — Build with all section types