Best Resume Headers for 2024 [Examples & Templates]

Your resume header is the first thing a hiring manager sees when they look at your resume. Think of it as the cover of a book - if it doesn't grab their attention, they might not read on. It's important to get it right because it sets the tone for the rest of your resume and can affect your chances of getting hired.

In this blog post, we'll show you how to create a strong resume header that stands out and increases your chances of getting an interview.

In this guide you’ll learn:

• What information to include in your resume heading.
• How to go about making a 2-page resume header.
• What to put in a header for resume. 
• Examples of resume headers for your inspiration. 

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1. Resume Header—Examples and Template

What is a resume header? 

Resume header is the resume section that tops your resume and serves as a business card of a sort. It’s where you put your name and job title along with your contact details such as your phone number, email address, or LinkedIn URL.

Here’s how to make a resume header:

• Add your full name
• Write your job position
• Include your phone number
• Don’t forget about your email
• Consider adding a LinkedIn URL

Here’s an example of a good header for a resume:

Resume Heading Example

The resume header above follows this template:

Resume Header Template

Even though the professional resume header template above only lists some basic information, you’re free to include additional info, too. For example, your resume heading template could also consist of:

• Your address
• Other social media handles (Twitter, GitHub, Pinterest, Tumblr, Instagram, etc.)
• Personal website

Expert Hint: Make sure your resume has everything it needs. Our guide on what to put on a resume will help you.

The only rule that matters when writing a resume header is relevance. Limit yourself to including the information that’s relevant to the job offer.

For example, if the job offer says only local applicants will be considered, it’s actually a good idea to include your address in the resume header.

Applicants for creative positions may want to show off their portfolios. If that’s the case, there’s nothing wrong with adding such social media handles as Instagram or Pinterest.

And one more thing: A resume header should be visually appealing and easy to find for someone who’s looked at your resume for the first time. Why?

Well, you don’t want the recruiter to be unable to quickly get in touch with you, do you? Here’s a couple of ideas on how you can format your resume header:

Resume Header Examples

This simple header of a resume is placed in the sidebar on the left. This way the main section of the resume gains extra space and all the contact details are placed in the top right corner of the document where they’re easy to find.

This resume header sample is simple and clean. It’s located at the very top of the resume with all the contact details in plain view.

This example of a good resume header includes graphical elements in the form of icons. Again, all the contact details are easy to find and clearly visible.

This last resume header design is split into two separate sections. The name and job title come up top in a designated horizontal bar, whereas the contact details can be found in the sidebar under the personal info label.

Remember: The best resume headers are the ones that look professional and are easy to find on your resume, just like the ones you can see in the examples above.

Expert Hint: The section that comes right after the resume header is called the resume profile, and it’s a short rundown of your entire resume. Make sure yours is nothing short of awesome.

2. Resume Header Tips 

1. Should a cover letter have the same header as your resume?

Yes, the heading of your cover letter should match your resume header. Your job application consists of two documents that complement each other: a cover letter and a resume. As such, they both should have matching document heading styles.

Expert Hint: Cover letters matter in 2024. Learn how to write a job-winning cover letter from our dedicated guide.

2. How to make a 2-page resume header?

The answer to this question is pretty straightforward: The resume header on page 2 should look exactly the same as on page one. Why?

It’s practical. If the recruiter is reading page two of your resume and they want to get in touch with you, the only thing they need to do is look at the top of the page. Plus if for some reason page one of your resume goes missing, your contact details won’t be lost forever. They’ll still be visible in the header on the second page of your resume.

Expert Hint: Not sure what the perfect length for your resume is? Our dedicated guide has all the answers.

3. What NOT to Include in a Professional Resume Header?

Make sure your resume heading does not include:

• A photo
• The word resume

Adding a photo can inadvertently bias the recruiter. So, if the job offer doesn’t specifically state you should include a photo, don’t do this. After all, what matters is what you can do rather than what you look like.

As to the word resume itself—The recruiter knows it’s a resume so you don’t really need to inform them. Plus, it’s a waste of space.

Also, see to it that your resume header is free from any unprofessional or irrelevant details such as:

• Date of birth
• Gender
• Ethnicity
• Religion
• Parents’ names
• Marital status
• Number of children
• Nationality
• Hobbies

Note: You can find some of the information above in the so-called biodata, which is a counterpart of the US resume in India and other Asian countries. However, none of this should make its way into a resume header that you send to a US employer.

The ResumeLab builder is more than looks. Get specific content to boost your chances of getting the job. Add job descriptions, bullet points, and skills. Easy. Improve your resume in our resume builder now.

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Nail it all with a splash of color, choose a clean font, and highlight your skills in just a few clicks. You're the perfect candidate, and we'll prove it. Use our resume builder now.

Expert Hint: If you’re looking for more specific information on how to write a resume, check out our resume examples for 50+ different professions.

3. How to Make a Resume Header in Microsoft Word

Here’s a quick tutorial on how you can make a basic resume header in Word. 

1. Decide what to include in the resume header on your resume.

Let’s stick to the basic resume header template you can find at the top. Simply copy-paste it into a new MS Word file.

2. Fill in the blanks with your details.

3. Insert a table.

4. Merge the cells in the top row.

Select the top row cells and in the right-click mouse menu select the “Merge cells” option.

5. Paste the info into the table.

6. Center-align the text in the table.

7. Remove all table borders.

8. Select the text in the top cell (name and job title) and add the bottom border.

9. Play around with the formatting.

In the example above, I changed the resume fonts to Arial Nova, set the font size to 11pt, then bolded the name, increased the font size to 16pt, and reduced the font size below the line to 9pt.

I also added an extra line of text just below the job title, left it empty, and changed the font size to 6pt to push the horizontal line down a little.

And this is it—That’s how you can make a simple resume header in Word. You can also get a free MS Word Resume Template if you want to speed things up.

Expert Hint: If you’re not sure what kind of resume you need, check out our guide on how to choose the best resume format.

Take your time to experiment with different resume heading styles and try to find the best font for your resume header to make it look good. And once you come up with a resume header you’re happy about, head straight to our guide to learn how to make a perfect resume.

Double your impact with a matching resume and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter generator and make your application documents pop out.

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Want to try a different look? There's 21 more. A single click will give your document a total makeover. Pick a cover letter template here.

Expert Hint: Not all Free Resume Builders are ATS friendly. To make sure your creative resume reaches a human reader, send it directly to the recruiter's inbox.

Key Points

Here’s a summary of how to make a resume header:

• Include your name, job title, and contact information.
• Consider adding URLs to your social media profiles (e.g. LinkedIn or others).
• Consult the job offer to see if there are any other details worth including (e.g. address).
• Do not add a photo, the word resume, or any unprofessional information (e.g. ethnicity).

Do you have any other questions about making a resume header? Would you like to share your advice? We’re always happy to hear from you. Give us a shout out in the comments below.

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