Things You Must Have on Your Resume
Your resume does not need to be fancy. It needs to be clear, easy to read, and focused on the job you want.
Guiding Village ·
Your resume does not need to be fancy.
It needs to be clear, easy to read, and focused on the job you want.
A recruiter may only spend a few seconds looking at your resume before deciding whether to keep reading, so the goal is to make the important information easy to find.
1. Your basic contact information
At the top of your resume, include:
- Your full name
- Phone number
- Professional email address
- City and state
- LinkedIn profile, if you have one
You usually do not need to include your full street address.
Keep your email professional
A simple email like:
is better than something overly personal or difficult to read.
2. A short professional summary
A professional summary is a short section near the top of your resume that tells the employer what kind of candidate you are.
Keep it to about 2–4 sentences.
Example
“Customer service professional with experience helping customers, solving problems, and handling high-volume communication. Strong communication and organizational skills with a focus on accuracy and customer satisfaction. Seeking a remote customer service or support position.”
If you have little experience
Focus on strengths and goals.
Example:
“Reliable and motivated job seeker with strong communication, organization, and computer skills. Quick learner who works well independently and with others. Seeking an entry-level remote opportunity in customer service, administration, or support.”
3. Relevant work experience
List your most recent experience first.
For each job, include:
- Job title
- Company name
- Location
- Dates worked
- A few bullet points explaining what you did
Do not just list duties.
Try to show what you accomplished or what skills you used.
Weak example
- Answered phones
- Helped customers
- Entered information
Better example
- Assisted customers by phone and helped resolve billing and account questions
- Entered customer information accurately into company systems
- Managed multiple requests while maintaining professional communication
The second version gives the employer a better idea of what you can actually do.
4. Skills that match the job
Include a skills section with abilities that are relevant to the positions you are applying for.
For remote jobs, useful skills may include:
- Customer service
- Written communication
- Phone support
- Data entry
- Microsoft Office
- Google Workspace
- Email communication
- CRM software
- Scheduling
- Billing
- Claims processing
- Typing
- Time management
- Problem-solving
- Attention to detail
- Working independently
Do not add a skill simply because it sounds good.
Only include skills you actually have or can reasonably perform.
5. Education
Include your highest level of education.
Examples:
High School Diploma
Wake County High School
or
Associate Degree in Business Administration
Community College Name
You usually do not need to include graduation dates unless they are relevant.
If you have certifications, training, licenses, or completed courses that relate to the job, include those too.
6. Keywords from the job posting
Many employers use software to scan resumes before a recruiter sees them.
That means your resume should use some of the same language found in the job posting.
For example, if the posting says:
- customer service
- inbound calls
- data entry
- Microsoft Office
- claims processing
and you genuinely have those skills, use those exact phrases in your resume.
Do not copy the entire job posting.
Just make sure your resume reflects the skills and experience the employer is actually asking for.
7. Results when possible
Numbers can make your experience stronger.
Instead of:
“Helped customers every day”
you could write:
“Assisted 40+ customers per day by phone and email.”
Instead of:
“Handled scheduling”
you could write:
“Scheduled and confirmed 25+ appointments per week.”
Do not invent numbers.
Use them when you genuinely know them.
8. A clean, simple format
Your resume should be easy to scan.
Use:
- clear section headings
- readable fonts
- consistent spacing
- simple bullet points
- one or two pages at most for most job seekers
Avoid:
- too many colors
- large graphics
- complicated columns
- tiny text
- decorative fonts
- excessive icons
A resume does not need to look like a magazine.
It needs to be easy for both people and hiring systems to read.
9. Correct spelling and grammar
Small mistakes can make a resume look rushed.
Before sending it, check:
- spelling
- dates
- company names
- job titles
- phone number
- email address
- punctuation
- formatting consistency
Reading your resume out loud can help you catch mistakes you missed on screen.
10. A resume tailored to the job
You do not need to rewrite your entire resume every time you apply.
But you should adjust it for the type of job you want.
For example, if you are applying to a customer service role, move customer service skills and relevant experience toward the top.
If you are applying to an administrative role, highlight organization, scheduling, data entry, and office software.
The employer should be able to quickly see why your background fits the position.
What you usually do NOT need on your resume
In most cases, leave these out:
- your Social Security number
- date of birth
- marital status
- photograph
- full street address
- references
- salary history
Never put sensitive personal information on a resume that will be uploaded online.
Before you submit your resume
Do one final check:
- Is your phone number correct?
- Is your email professional?
- Does your summary match the type of job?
- Are your most relevant skills easy to find?
- Did you include useful keywords from the posting?
- Are your dates accurate?
- Is the formatting consistent?
- Did you remove sensitive personal information?
- Did you save the final version as a PDF unless the employer asks for another format?
One last tip
Your resume does not need to show that you are perfect.
It needs to show that you are qualified, dependable, and worth talking to.
Keep it clear, honest, and relevant to the job you want.
Looking for legitimate remote opportunities? Browse verified remote jobs on Guiding Village and apply directly through official employer sources.