Your resume is a synopsis of your career, but in some cases, that synopsis needs to expand to include extra information in your resume that does not quite fit under the usual categories of Experience and Education. For example, you may have licenses and certifications; given presentations to business associations; written published articles; or had a major achievement outside of work.
You might want to organize that extra information by inserting a new heading into your resume (generally, after Education) such as:
- Awards
- Board Memberships
- Certifications
- Community Service
- International Travel
- Languages
- Licenses
- Presentations
- Professional Affiliations
- Publications
- Training
If you are at a complete loss for a heading, try “Additional Information,” but the more specific you can be, the better. Also, carefully consider whether the extra information in your resume is aligned with your career goals. An Eagle Scout award received by a new graduate in 2019 carries more weight than an Eagle Scout award received decades earlier by someone well into their career. International travel and language skills may have no relevance at all for a career path that is strictly within the United States.
On the other hand, some achievements, such as certifications and licenses, may be so important that they should also be mentioned in your opening profile on page 1. If you are applying for a position on a Board of Directors, then a list of your current Board Memberships may be more important than work experience and should come directly after the profile. The first consideration is the position you are aiming for—that should guide your decision about whether and where to place extra information in your resume.
At Robin’s Resumes®, we help job seekers at every stage of their career make important decisions about the length, content, and organization of their resume to gain maximum traction for their job search. Please contact us today.