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Put your name and professional contact details first, followed by a concise headline for the role you want. Add a tailored summary or relevant skills only if they make your fit clearer. Keep the layout straightforward and put this information in the document body—not in a word processor header or footer.
What belongs at the top of a resume?
- Your name: Make it prominent and easy to identify. Use your full name or the name you prefer to be called; add a relevant professional designation only when it supports the role.
- Professional contact details: Include an email address you check, a phone number where you can take job-related calls, and your city and state. Add a current LinkedIn profile or relevant portfolio link when it helps demonstrate your work. U.S. guidance from CareerOneStop and UC Davis HR says a full street address is unnecessary or not recommended.
- A role headline: Add a short target title or professional focus beneath your contact information, such as “Data Analyst” or “Customer Support Specialist.” A brief qualification or achievement can help if it is relevant and supportable elsewhere in the resume.
- A summary, if it adds useful context: Use a few concise sentences or bullets to connect relevant skills and results to the vacancy. Avoid generic adjectives and a recap of information the reader can already see in your work history.
- Relevant skills, when the job calls for them: A compact technical or job-specific skills section can sit near the top if the posting emphasizes those skills. List only skills you can substantiate in the rest of your resume.
CareerOneStop’s top-section guidance describes a summary of three to four sentences or three to five bullets as one option. UC Davis HR’s resume guidance gives four to six statements as a typical range for a qualifications summary. These are different examples, not a required formula.
Should you put a summary at the top?
Use one when it quickly explains why your experience, skills, or results match the role—especially when that connection is not immediately obvious from your job history. Skip it when it would only repeat a clear, consistent career progression. CareerOneStop specifically suggests omitting a summary for applicants with three years of experience or less, or when the work history already tells a clear story; treat that as its guidance rather than a rule that applies to every resume.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsChoose what follows the headline by the job’s priorities. If a short narrative makes your fit legible, put the summary next. If the posting makes particular technical or job-specific skills central, bring those skills forward instead. The sources reviewed do not establish a universal rule for placing education above or below experience; make the qualification most relevant to the opening easy to find.
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How should you format the top section for readability?
Use a clear hierarchy and a simple, single-column layout. CareerOneStop’s formatting advice recommends standard section headings and cautions that some applicant tracking systems may not read headers and footers reliably. It also advises avoiding tables, text boxes, columns, logos, images, and graphics that could scramble content. ATS behavior varies, so this is a compatibility precaution—not a guarantee that any particular format will pass screening.
Keep your name, contact details, headline, and any summary or skills content in the main document body. Tailor the headline, summary, and selected skills to the specific posting rather than reusing a generic introduction for every application. Deloitte’s resume guidance likewise recommends putting contact information first and adapting the resume to the job.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.A simple example of the order
- Jordan Lee
- Chicago, IL · jordan.lee@email.com · (555) 010-1234 · linkedin.com/in/jordanlee
- Operations Analyst
- Optional: a brief, job-focused summary with relevant experience or results.
- Optional: a concise list of role-specific skills emphasized in the posting.
The example shows structure, not a required wording or a claim about any particular applicant. Include a LinkedIn or portfolio link only if it is current and relevant.
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