Writing a resume a can be difficult. From knowing what not to include to knowing exactly what hiring managers want to see, there is a lot you need to know. But having an idea of what you need to include before you actually begin working on your resume can help ease the stress.

Having a well-crafted resume can help you not only feel more confident going into an interview, but it can help you get your foot in the door. When a hiring manager sees a well-written resume, they are far more likely to keep reading and call you in for an interview. Here are five things you need to include when writing your resume:

1. Contact Information

One of the things you never want to miss on your resume is your contact information. It’s crucial to have this information listed at the top of your resume. If a hiring manager or someone reviewing your resume can’t find your name, address, email, or telephone number, then they have no way of contacting you. As you begin crafting your resume, make sure this information is listed at the top of the page.

2. Career Objective

In a recent post, we talked about the importance of defining your career objective and why you need one, but you also need to make sure that statement goes on your resume. Typically, this statement is at the top of your resume so that potential employers have a good grasp on who you are as a worker and what your goals are as an employee.

3. Career History

While your contact information and career objective are important things to include, the meat and bones of your resume should be your career history. Whether you list one job or three, you need to be specific in what your roles were and what you accomplished while in those positions. One thing that many job candidates forget to include is specific dates for their previous positions.

4. Skills

Potential employers want to know what specific skills you offer. Are you highly organized? Experienced in Microsoft Office Suite? Whatever individual skills you offer, list them so that employers see what sets you apart from other candidates. Be careful in listing your skills. You don’t want to put too many skills or ones that are irrelevant to the position you are applying to.

5. Education

Whether it’s a high school diploma, trade school certificate, or a college degree, you need to list your educational experiences. Many jobs require some sort of education and by listing your education on your resume, you can help employers see that you are qualified for the job.

What things do you like to include on a resume? Is there anything we missed on our list? Let us know what you think in the comments section below!