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Resume layout: section order and what a parser sees
A good resume layout puts the most relevant section right under your name and keeps everything in one reading order. Here is the standard order for each stage of career, and a step-through of how an applicant tracking system reads single- and two-column pages.
Standard layout: Name and contact → Summary → Experience → Education → Skills → optional sections (Certifications, Projects, Volunteering). Students and new graduates move Education above Experience.
How a parser reads your layout
Many parsers pull text from a PDF line by line, left to right across the whole page width. Step through to see the order it reads each block in.
What the parser extracted
Simplified. Modern parsers (e.g. in Workday and Greenhouse) detect columns better than older ones, but you rarely know which one an employer uses.
Resume section order by career stage
| You are… | Recommended order |
|---|---|
| Experienced (3+ years) | Header, Summary, Experience, Skills, Education, Certifications |
| Student or new graduate | Header, Summary, Education, Experience, Projects, Skills, Activities |
| Career changer | Header, Summary (naming the new target), Relevant Experience or Projects, Skills, Training, Other Experience |
| Licensed profession (nursing, teaching, accounting) | Header with credentials, Summary, Licences & Certifications, Experience, Education |
Resume sections, explained
- Header
- Name, target title, phone, email, city and state, one link. What to include.
- Summary
- Two or three sentences: who you are, years and field, what you are best at, one proof point.
- Experience
- Reverse-chronological. Title, employer, location, dates, then 3–6 bullets starting with verbs and containing numbers.
- Education
- Degree, school, year. Add GPA (3.0+), honours or coursework only if you graduated in the last few years.
- Skills
- Hard skills and tools named as the job ad names them. Leave generic soft skills to your bullets.
- Optional
- Certifications, Projects, Volunteering, Languages, Publications, Awards. Include only what supports the target role.
Chronological, functional or hybrid?
Reverse-chronological is the layout recruiters and parsers expect, and every template here uses it. A functional resume (skills grouped, jobs listed without detail) often reads as hiding something. A hybrid, with a stronger skills section above a chronological history, is the right compromise for career changers and returners; see the career change example.
Questions
What is the best resume layout?
A single-column, reverse-chronological layout with standard headings. It parses reliably and matches what recruiters expect.
Are two-column resumes bad for ATS?
Not always, but they are riskier. Some parsers read across both columns and mix sections. Use single column for online applications and keep a two-column version for direct emails.
What order should resume sections be in?
Header, summary, experience, education, skills for most people; education moves above experience for students and recent graduates.