The header of your resume is typically the first section a recruiter looks at. The header is where they get your basic information, such as name and contact information. This is a short section to knock out!

Don’t Use the “Header” Feature

First, you want to add information at the top of your resume but not in the actual header. ATS software often doesn’t pick up information in the page header. Just adjust the margins so that the whitespace still looks right.

Once you’re there, here’s what to include:

Personal Details

First and last name

• If you go by a nickname that you want recruiters to use in the interview process, put it in quotation marks to help people feel comfortable addressing you (Katerina “Kate” Lake)

• If your name is extremely common, like “Ben Smith,” then add your middle initial or name to stand out, like “Ben S. Smith”

City, ST

• It’s really not necessary in 2020 to include your complete address. Just take it off.

• If you’re a remote employee and the job is remote, put “Remote, USA” at the top. This is especially true if you live outside a central metropolitan area

• If you live in a suburb that’s not well known, instead put the name of the metro area where you’re located, primarily if the HQ office is located there (e.g., “Denver Metro, CO” instead of “Watkins, CO”)

• If you’re applying to a role in a place where you don’t live, leave off the location entirely

Title of the role you’re applying for 

• Edit this every time you submit your resume so that it matches the role you’re applying for. Yes, really.

• Use the generic version of the job title (i.e., if the job title is “Account Executive, EMEA Region,” you can just put “Account Executive”).

Contact Information

Email

• If your email address gives away your age, then change it (johnjfowler@gmail.com, not johnfowler1993@gmail.com)

• If you or an outdated email provider, change your email address, then change it (eviejgold@gmail.com, not eviejgold@yahoo.com)

• If your email address is questionably professional, then change it (melissatok@gmail.com, not horsegirl26@gmail.com)

Linkedin URL 

• Most recruiters will look at your LinkedIn profile, so make it easy for them to find it.

• Your Linkedin profile URL defaults to something like linkedin.com.com/veronica-ketts-h0679g7. 

   to shorten your URL to linkedin.com/veronica-ketts. So much nicer!

Cell phone number

• If your area code doesn’t match the area code where you’re applying, use Google Voice to get a phone number that does match.