What you should include on your resume
1 min | David Brown | Article | Resumes & cover letters

Your resume should be a savvy sales document showcasing your key achievements. Every job you apply for is different, therefore tailored resumes will stand out from the rest.
Personal summary
This is optional, but it’s a good opportunity to highlight in a few sentences what you hope to achieve in your next position, what you offer, and demonstrate how you will solve the hiring manager’s challenges. In marketing terms, this is the place for your ‘unique sales proposition, or ‘USP’.
Include a key skills list
A bulleted list of three to five examples, relevant to the role you are applying for. Wherever possible, use the same adjectives as those used in the job ad.
Get in contact with a recruiting expert to help showcase your skills on your resume.
Describe your position within the company
Provide a short summary line about the company and /or project and where you fit in the hierarchy; this will help hiring managers to envisage the scope of your role. Be sure to document if the business name has changed.
Explain what you do and your key achievements
Duties must be concise and achievements should demonstrate how you impacted the business, including quantified results.
No references at this stage
Actual references are typically not relevant at this stage. It is fine to simply say ‘References are available on request’.
About this author
David Brown, Americas President, Chief Executive Officer USA
David, a 21-year veteran of the staffing business, has been in charge of overseeing all US operations for Hays since 2018. Prior to leading Hays US, David held a number of positions in sales, sales management, and senior management. With his wife and three children, David resides in Atlanta and actively supports a number of regional non-profit organizations.