Resume Header Examples: What to Include and Cut
Build a resume header that passes ATS scans and grabs recruiters. See examples, formatting rules, and what to leave off in 2026.
TL;DR: Your resume header is the contact block at the top of page one — name, title, location, phone, email, and LinkedIn. It is the first thing both recruiters and applicant tracking systems scan, and a broken header can sink an otherwise strong resume. This guide covers exactly what belongs in a modern header, what to leave off, and how to format it so every system reads it correctly.
Key Takeaways
- A resume header and a resume heading are different things: the header is your contact block, while headings are section labels like "Experience" or "Education".
- Many ATS platforms cannot parse text placed inside Word's built-in header or footer region, so always type your contact block in the document body.
- Recruiters often spend less than ten seconds scanning an application before deciding whether to keep reading.
- List city and state only — skip your full street address for privacy and space.
- A professional title directly below your name anchors the rest of the resume and helps ATS software categorize your application.
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What Is a Resume Header (and How Is It Different from a Heading)?
The terms get confused constantly, and search results make it worse by mixing the two. Here is the distinction that matters.
Your resume header is the block of information at the very top of the document. It contains your name, professional title, city and state, phone number, email address, and LinkedIn URL. Think of it as the label on the outside of the envelope — it tells the reader who you are and how to reach you before they read a single bullet point.
A resume heading is a section title further down the page. "Professional Experience," "Education," "Technical Skills" — those are headings. One cataloging effort identified 111 distinct resume section headings and titles across categories like objectives, work history, education, and skills. Choosing the right headings matters, but it is a separate problem from building your header.
The confusion has real consequences. If you search for "resume header" and land on advice about section labels, you may never learn that where you place your contact information — inside or outside Word's header region — can determine whether an ATS reads it at all.
What Belongs in Every Resume Header?
A complete header has five core elements. Each one earns its place by serving either the recruiter, the ATS, or both.
| Element | Why It Matters | Formatting Note |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Largest text on the page; anchors your personal brand | Use the same name on your resume and LinkedIn — consistency matters for recruiter searches |
| Professional title | Tells the ATS and the reader what role you target | Match it to the job posting where possible |
| City and state | Signals your location or willingness to relocate | Skip the full street address |
| Phone number | Primary contact channel for interview scheduling | Always include the area code |
| Email address | Required by every ATS and every recruiter | Use a professional handle, not a casual nickname |
| LinkedIn URL | Extends your narrative beyond the one-page resume | Customize the URL slug to remove random characters |
If you hold a role-relevant credential — PMP, CPA, PhD — place the acronym after your name. Keep the font size slightly smaller than your name so the hierarchy stays clean.
For guidance on fonts and sizing that pass ATS scans, see the full breakdown in our ATS-friendly fonts and formatting guide.
Should You Put Your Address on Your Resume?
This is one of the most common questions job seekers ask, and the answer has shifted. In previous decades, a full mailing address was standard. In 2026, it is a liability.
List only your city and state (plus country if you are applying from abroad). A full street address creates a data-privacy risk — your resume circulates through inboxes, databases, and third-party platforms you have never heard of. A city-and-state line still tells the recruiter whether you are local or would need to relocate, which is the only geographic information they actually need at the application stage.
If the job is fully remote and you want to signal flexibility, consider adding "Open to Remote" after your city and state instead of leaving the line blank. Removing it entirely can make a recruiter wonder whether the omission was intentional or an oversight.
Where to Place Your Header: The Word Header Trap
This is the single most damaging mistake you can make with a resume header, and it is invisible on screen.
Microsoft Word has a built-in "header" region — the space above the top margin, accessible through the Insert menu. It looks like a natural home for your name and contact details. But many ATS platforms skip that region entirely and only parse the document body. If your name, email, and phone number live exclusively in Word's header field, they may never make it into the recruiter's system.
The fix is straightforward: type your header directly into the body of the document, at the very top, and format it to look like a header. Use font size, weight, and spacing rather than relying on Word's structural header tool. The result looks identical on screen and in print, but every ATS can now read it.
This same principle applies to footers. Do not place contact information, page numbers, or supplementary details in Word's footer region if you want them parsed.
For a deeper look at what ATS software actually reads and skips, see our complete guide to ATS software.
Resume Header Examples by Career Stage
Entry-Level or Recent Graduate
Jordan Priya Chen
Marketing Associate
Austin, TX
(512) 555-0147 | jordan.p.chen@email.com | linkedin.com/in/jordanpchen
Keep it tight. No credentials to list, no portfolio yet. The professional title should match the role you are applying for, not a generic label like "Recent Graduate." The title is your first keyword signal to the ATS.
Mid-Career Professional
Samira Okafor, PMP
Senior Project Manager
Chicago, IL
(312) 555-0293 | s.okafor@email.com | linkedin.com/in/samiraokafor
The PMP credential follows the name because it is directly relevant to project management roles [1]. If you hold multiple certifications, include only the one or two most relevant to the target role. A cluttered header defeats the purpose.
Executive or Senior Leader
David Morales, MBA
Vice President of Operations
Denver, CO
(720) 555-0381 | d.morales@email.com | linkedin.com/in/davidmorales
At the executive level, the title carries significant weight. "VP of Operations" immediately communicates scope. If you are targeting board or advisory roles, a link to a professional portfolio or speaking page can replace or supplement the LinkedIn URL.
Career Changer
Anika Larsson
UX Designer | Former Mechanical Engineer
Seattle, WA
(206) 555-0412 | anika.larsson@email.com | linkedin.com/in/anikalarsson | anikalarssondesign.com
The dual-title format signals the pivot without burying the target role. Lead with the title you want, not the one you are leaving. For more guidance on framing a pivot, see our career change resume guide.
Should You Use Resume Icons?
Phone icons, email icons, LinkedIn logos — they show up in most modern resume templates. The question is whether they help or hurt.
For human readers, small monochrome icons can improve scannability. They create visual anchors that help the eye jump between contact details quickly.
For ATS software, icons are a risk. An ATS parses text, not images. If a phone icon replaces the word "Phone" and the number sits next to it without a text label, some parsers will not associate the number with a phone field. The same applies to email icons and LinkedIn logos.
The safe middle ground: use icons if you want the visual polish, but pair each one with a text label or make sure the contact detail is self-evident (a string matching an email pattern or a phone-number format). If you are applying to a role where you know the company uses ATS screening — which is most mid-to-large employers — default to plain text.
For a full list of formatting decisions that affect ATS parsing, see our ATS resume format rules.
Resume Headings: Choosing Section Labels That Work
Once your header is set, the next structural decision is what to name each section of your resume. These are your resume headings — the labels that organize your content and guide both human readers and ATS parsers.
The most common headings are predictable: "Experience," "Education," "Skills." But the right heading depends on what you are showcasing. One comprehensive reference lists 111 section heading options organized by category — from career summaries and work history to education, training, and volunteer work.
A few principles keep your resume section headings effective:
Be specific when it helps. A generic heading like "Experience" works for most resumes, but a more descriptive label can be useful for specialized roles. The heading should tell the reader what kind of content follows.
Keep headings consistent. If one section says "Professional Experience," do not label the next one just "Education" — match the formality level. Keep all your section labels at the same degree of specificity so the resume reads as a unified document.
Use headings the ATS expects. Applicant tracking systems look for standard labels. "Work Experience" and "Education" are universally recognized. A creative heading like "Where I've Made an Impact" may confuse a parser that is looking for conventional section names. Save the creativity for the content beneath the heading.
For keyword strategies tailored to specific industries, see our ATS keyword strategy guide.
Common Resume Header Mistakes
Putting contact details in Word's header/footer. As covered above, many ATS platforms cannot read these regions. Always use the document body.
Using a work email or work phone. You do not want your current employer discovering your job search through their own email server. Use a personal email and a personal phone number.
Listing an unprofessional email address. An address like "FunnyFrancis@gmail.com" is not offensive, but it is not professional either [2]. Set up a simple firstname.lastname address if your current one does not project the right image.
Skipping the LinkedIn URL. Your resume is a one-page summary. LinkedIn extends the story. Recruiters check it — make sure yours is polished and the URL is customized. For a full optimization checklist, see our LinkedIn profile checklist.
Using inconsistent names across platforms. If your resume says "Barbara Scott" and your LinkedIn says "Barb O. Scott," AI-driven screening tools may treat them as two different applicants. Pick one version and use it everywhere.
Why This Matters
The job market in 2026 runs through software before it reaches a human. Your resume header is the handshake — it happens before anyone evaluates your experience, your skills, or your potential. A header that an ATS cannot parse is a resume that never reaches the recruiter's screen.
The stakes are higher than they appear. Recruiters often spend less than ten seconds on their initial scan of an application. In that window, your header is doing almost all the work: confirming your name, role alignment, location, and reachability. If any of those are missing or buried, the recruiter moves on.
Getting the header right is also one of the easiest wins in resume writing. It takes minutes to fix, costs nothing, and immediately improves your odds. If you want to validate that your header — and the rest of your resume — is being parsed correctly, OneResume's free resume score [FP-OR-001] will flag the specific issues an ATS would catch.
FAQ
What is the difference between a resume header and a resume heading?
A resume header is the contact block at the very top of your document — your name, professional title, phone number, email, and LinkedIn URL. A resume heading is a section label that appears further down the page, like "Experience" or "Skills." The two serve completely different purposes, but search results frequently conflate them.
Should you put your full address on a resume in 2026?
No. List your city and state only. Your full street address is a privacy risk and takes up space that adds no value at the application stage. Recruiters need to know your general location, not your apartment number.
Can I put my resume header inside the Word header region?
It is strongly advised against. Many ATS platforms skip Word's built-in header and footer regions and parse only the document body. Type your contact block directly into the body and style it to look like a header.
Should I include icons or graphics in my resume header?
Use caution. Resume icons can improve visual scannability for human readers, but some ATS parsers cannot interpret images. If you use icons, pair them with text labels so the information is still machine-readable. When in doubt, default to plain text for any application you know will pass through an ATS.
How many resume section headings should I use?
Most resumes need three to five section headings. The standard set — a summary or objective, experience, education, and skills — covers the majority of roles. Add specialized headings like "Certifications," "Publications," or "Volunteer Work" only when the content strengthens your candidacy for the specific role.
Sources
[1] gotresumebuilder.com, "Resume Header: What to Include, 6 Examples & Format Tips". https://www.gotresumebuilder.com/career-advice/how-to-write-a-resume-header-with-examples-and-tips
[2] careerconnections.smeal.psu.edu, "First Things First: Your Resume Heading – Business Career Center | Smeal College of Business", 2025-05-05T17:54:51+00:00. https://careerconnections.smeal.psu.edu/blog/2025/05/05/first-things-first-your-resume-heading/
Frequently Asked Questions
A resume header is the contact block at the very top of your document containing your name, title, and contact details. A resume heading is a section label further down the page, such as Experience, Skills, or Education.
No. List only your city and state for privacy reasons. If a recruiter or HR team needs your full mailing address later, they will ask for it during the hiring process.
Avoid it. Many applicant tracking systems skip the Word header and footer regions entirely and only parse the document body. Place your contact block in the main body of the document, formatted to look like a header.
Only if you are confident the role does not involve ATS screening. Icons can confuse parsers and cause missing contact data. Plain-text labels like Phone or Email are safer for most applications.
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