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Knowing what to include in a resume can feel overwhelming. Should you add a photo? Do you need a summary? Is your GPA relevant? The rules change every few years, so let's look at what belongs on a resume in 2026 and what you should leave off.

Essential Resume Sections

Contact Information: Your name, phone number, email address, and LinkedIn URL. City and state are sufficient — you don't need your full street address. Make sure your email sounds professional (no "partyguy99@gmail.com").

Professional Summary: A 2-3 sentence overview of who you are and what you bring. Tailor this to each role. For writing help, see How to Write a Resume Summary That Gets Noticed.

Work Experience: Your most recent and relevant positions, listed in reverse chronological order. Include company name, job title, dates, and 3-5 bullet points per role. Focus on accomplishments with measurable results, not just responsibilities.

Skills: A mix of hard skills (technical abilities) and soft skills (communication, leadership). Organize by category if you have many skills.

Education: Degree, institution, and graduation year. GPA is only relevant for recent graduates (within 2-3 years).

Optional Sections Worth Adding

Certifications: Highly valuable in fields like IT, project management, and healthcare. List the full certification name and the issuing organization.

Languages: If you're bilingual or multilingual, this is a differentiator in many industries.

Volunteer Experience: Shows character and can fill employment gaps. Especially useful for career changers.

Projects: Include significant personal or academic projects that demonstrate relevant skills.

What to Leave Out

• Photo: Unnecessary in most countries (except some creative fields in Europe)
• References: "References available upon request" is a waste of space
• Age, marital status, or religion: Irrelevant and illegal for employers to consider
• Objective statements: Outdated — replace with a professional summary
• High school: Once you have college or work experience, remove it

For format guidance, see Ideal Resume Length: How Many Pages? and Chronological vs Functional Resume: Which Is Best?.

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