Section headings ATS software recognises – Page 2

Yes, colour usually does no harm because systems read the text, not the colour. A dark blue, green or burgundy heading can make a resume look polished.

Points to check:

• Contrast: light grey, yellow or pale colours can be hard to read on screen and in print.
• Printing: some recruiters print in black and white, so the heading should still stand out through bold or size.
• Consistency: use one accent colour for all headings.

Never use colour to hide text, such as white words on a white background. That is a known trick that recruiters can spot when they copy or select text, and it damages trust.

It is possible, but headings above the content are safer. Side headings are usually built with tables or two columns, and some systems read tables row by row or column by column, which can separate the heading from its text or mix it into the wrong section.

If you like the look of side headings, test your file:

• Copy all the text from your PDF and paste it into a plain text editor.
• Check that each heading appears directly before its own content.
• Check that nothing is out of order.

If the order is wrong in the pasted text, switch to headings placed above each section. Single-column layouts make this simple.

Side headings can also squeeze your content into a narrower column, which makes bullets wrap onto more lines and pushes the resume onto an extra page. Headings above the content give your text the full page width. If an employer's portal shows you a parsed version of your resume, look at it carefully: when sections appear mixed together there, the layout is the likely cause.

Because some systems cannot read them as text, so the heading may disappear or end up out of order. A heading saved as part of an image has no letters a system can extract. Text boxes in word processors are sometimes read separately from the main text, so the heading can appear in a strange place.

Signs you have this problem:

• When you copy and paste the resume text, the heading is missing.
• Headings appear together at the end of the pasted text.

The fix is simple: type your headings as normal text lines in the main body of the document, and style them with bold or size instead.

Most strong resumes have four to seven sections. The core is usually Summary, Work Experience, Education and Skills, with optional sections such as Certifications, Projects or Languages when they add something.

There is no rule about an exact number. Ask of each section: does it help the reader decide if I fit this job?

Signs you have too many:

• Sections with only one weak line
• Similar sections that could be merged, such as "Courses" and "Training"
• Content repeated in two places

Fewer, well-filled sections are easier to read and less likely to confuse software than many tiny ones.

No. Remove any heading that has no content. An empty "Certifications" or "Awards" heading looks unfinished to a recruiter and adds a section the system has to process for nothing.

This often happens with templates that come with every section switched on. Before sending, check each heading and ask whether there is real, relevant content beneath it.

If you have only one item for a section, consider merging it into a nearby section instead. For example, one certificate can sit under "Education and Certifications", and one award can be mentioned in a bullet under the related job.

It can be unclear, because people use it to mean different things. Some use "Qualifications" for degrees, others for licences and certificates, and others for a summary of strengths. That ambiguity can confuse both readers and software.

Use a more specific heading instead:

• Degrees: "Education" or "Education and Qualifications"
• Certificates and licences: "Certifications" or "Licences and Certifications"
• Summary of strengths: "Summary" or "Key Skills"

If an employer's job posting uses "Qualifications" for a list of requirements, that does not mean your resume needs a section with the same name. Match the requirements in your content, not in the heading.

"Professional Summary" is usually the better choice for anyone with experience. A summary describes what you already offer, while an objective describes what you want. Employers tend to care more about what you bring.

"Career Objective" or "Objective" is still a recognised heading and is common for freshers and in some markets, such as India and the Gulf. If you use it, focus on the value you offer, not just the job you want.

Example objective that still sells: "Commerce graduate with internship experience in accounts payable, seeking a junior accountant role where I can apply Tally and Excel skills."

Either heading is easily understood by software.

Yes. "Executive Summary" is understood as the same kind of section as "Summary" or "Professional Summary", and it suits senior managers and directors. Plain "Summary" works just as well if you prefer it.

What matters is what you write beneath it: scale, scope and results rather than adjectives.

Example: "Operations director with 15 years leading logistics networks across the GCC, managing teams of up to 200 and multi-site budgets."

Keep it to three to five lines. Senior resumes sometimes add a "Board Roles" or "Leadership Highlights" section after it; if you do, keep the main "Experience" section intact so your full history is easy to follow.

Use "Languages". It is short, clear and widely recognised. List each language with a simple level that readers understand.

Example:
"Languages
English (fluent), Arabic (native), Hindi (conversational)"

If you have only one or two languages and want to save space, you can include them as a line within your Skills section, for example "Languages: English, Urdu". Either approach is understood.

Avoid rating languages with stars, dots or bars. Those graphics carry no meaning for software, and readers interpret them differently. Words such as "native", "fluent", "professional" or "basic" are clearer, and you can use a recognised scale such as CEFR levels (B2, C1) if the employer is familiar with it.

Both are fine. "Awards", "Honours and Awards" and "Achievements and Awards" are all clear headings. Choose the shortest one that fits your content.

Include only awards that a reader will understand or that relate to the job, with the name, giver and year.

Example: "Employee of the Quarter, Al Safa Hotels, Q2 2024 (selected from 120 front-office staff)"

If you have only one award, consider putting it as a bullet under the relevant job instead of a separate section. That keeps the result connected to where you earned it.

Use "Professional Memberships" or "Professional Affiliations". Both are standard and tell readers you belong to recognised bodies in your field.

List the organisation and your membership type, with dates if useful.

Example:

• "Member, Society of Petroleum Engineers, since 2021"
• "Associate Member, [Chartered Institute], 2023 to present"

If the membership is also a professional designation, such as ACCA, list it under "Certifications" as well or instead, because that is where employers will look for it. Only include active memberships, or mark past ones clearly.

Usually not. Most employers ask for references later in the process, so a "References" section takes space without helping you pass the first screen. The line "References available on request" is also widely seen as unnecessary, because employers assume it.

Include a "References" heading only when:

• The job posting asks for referees on the resume.
• Local practice in your target market expects it, and you have permission from the people you list.

If you include it, list each referee's name, job title, organisation and contact details, and tell them they may be contacted. Never list someone without asking first.

Match the headings to the language of the whole resume. If the employer asked for an Arabic CV, write the headings in Arabic too, such as الخبرة العملية for Work Experience and التعليم for Education. If the resume is in English, keep every heading in English.

Mixing languages, for example English headings with Arabic content, can confuse both readers and software that expects one language throughout.

Many GCC employers accept English resumes, and some ask for both. If you need two versions, make two separate documents rather than one bilingual file. Check the job posting or application portal for which language they want.

Common Arabic headings:

• الملخص المهني (Professional Summary)
• الخبرة العملية (Work Experience)
• التعليم (Education)
• المهارات (Skills)
• الشهادات (Certifications)
• اللغات (Languages)

Use the same simple, standard wording you would use in English, and keep job titles and company names exactly as they appear officially.

Write the headings in the same language as the job posting and the rest of your CV. If the posting is in French and you write your CV in French, use French headings such as "Expérience professionnelle", "Formation" and "Compétences". If the posting is in English, as some international roles are, an English CV with English headings is usually fine.

The key principle is consistency: one language per document. Software set up for French-language applications is likely to expect French section names, and a recruiter will find a single-language document easier to read.

If you are unsure which language to use, follow the language of the job advert or ask the recruiter.

It is better not to. Bilingual headings make each line longer and can confuse software that expects one language, and the content beneath them will still be in only one language anyway.

If an employer wants both languages, prepare two complete versions:

• An English resume with English headings
• An Arabic resume with Arabic headings, laid out right to left

Name the files clearly so you upload the right one.

Example file names: "Fatima-Ali-Resume-EN.pdf" and "Fatima-Ali-Resume-AR.pdf"

Two clean documents are easier for recruiters to forward to the right person, and each one reads naturally from start to finish.

Yes, fix it before you apply. A resume with English content and, for example, German or Spanish headings looks careless to a recruiter and may confuse software that tries to match headings to fields.

Steps to fix it:

• Change every heading to English: Summary, Work Experience, Education, Skills.
• Check smaller labels too, such as "Present", month names and "Languages".
• Read the whole page once more, or copy the text into a plain editor, to catch anything you missed.

This often happens when a template was set up for another language. One consistent language throughout is the goal.

Use the language the employer will read. Most private-sector and multinational jobs in India expect an English resume, so English headings are the normal choice. Use Hindi or Malayalam headings only when you are writing the whole resume in that language, for example for a government post, a local organisation or a role that asks for it.

Keep it consistent:

• Whole resume in English: all headings in English.
• Whole resume in Hindi or Malayalam: all headings in that language, including labels like dates and "present".

If you are unsure, check the language of the job posting and the application form, and match it.

A common, safe order is: contact details, Summary, Work Experience, Education, Skills, then optional sections such as Certifications, Projects and Languages. Systems mainly care about recognising each section, so the order is chosen mostly for the human reader.

Adjust the order to lead with your strongest material:

• Experienced professionals: Experience before Education.
• Students and fresh graduates: Education, then Projects or Internships, then Experience.
• Technical roles: a Skills section near the top can help readers.
• Roles needing a licence: Certifications or Licences near the top.

Whatever order you choose, keep each section clearly headed and each entry in reverse date order, with your most recent job or qualification first.

A quick test: imagine the recruiter reads only the top third of page one. If that part does not show why you suit the job, move your strongest section higher. Keep contact details at the very top in every case, so nobody has to search for how to reach you.

There is no reliable evidence that section order alone causes rejection. Applicant tracking systems generally look for headings to identify sections, so a clearly labelled "Education" section should still be recognised whether it comes first or fourth.

Order matters more for the recruiter, who reads from the top. Put the information that best proves you fit the job where it is seen first.

What can cause problems is not the order but the structure: headings missing, sections merged under one vague title, or content placed in columns that are read in the wrong sequence. Fix those first, then arrange the sections for the reader.

Usually yes. When your degree is your strongest qualification, putting "Education" first shows the reader what you offer straight away. Follow it with Projects, Internships or Experience, then Skills.

A typical fresher order:

• Summary or Objective (two or three lines)
• Education
• Projects or Internships
• Skills
• Certifications, Activities, Languages

Move Experience above Education once you have a year or two of relevant work, or if a part-time job is closely related to the role. Systems recognise the "Education" heading wherever it sits, so you can choose the order purely for the reader.

Near the top works well for technical and skills-heavy roles; near the bottom is fine when your experience already shows the skills. Systems find a clearly headed "Skills" section wherever it sits, so place it where it helps the reader most.

Put Skills high when:

• The job lists many specific tools, software or methods.
• You are changing careers and need to show transferable skills early.
• You are a fresher with limited work history.

Put Skills lower when your experience bullets already show the key tools and the recruiter will see them there first. Either way, make sure each important skill also appears in context in your experience or projects.

Directly below your name and contact details, as the first section. That is where recruiters expect it, and it frames everything that follows.

Keep it short, two to four lines, and use a plain heading such as "Summary" or "Profile".

Example: "Profile: Electrical engineer with six years in building services design, experienced in AutoCAD, DIALux and load calculations for commercial towers."

Do not place the summary in a sidebar or at the bottom of the page. In a sidebar, some systems may read it after other content; at the bottom, a recruiter may never reach it.

They are common and usually understood, but "Skills" is the plainest option. Both headings appear on many professional and executive resumes, and recruiters know they mean a skills summary.

If you want to be cautious, combine them with the word "skills": "Skills and Competencies" or "Key Skills and Expertise".

Whatever the heading, keep the content specific. A list such as "Leadership, Communication, Hard-working" says little. Specific terms carry more meaning.

Example: "Core Competencies: Budget planning, IFRS reporting, Audit coordination, SAP FICO, Team leadership"

Most people put links in the contact block at the top, with no heading needed. If you have several work samples, a short "Portfolio" or "Links" section can list them clearly.

Tips:

• Write links as readable text, such as "linkedin.com/in/rahul-menon", not just "Click here".
• Include only links that work and show relevant work.
• Label each one if it is not obvious.

Example:
"Portfolio
Website redesign case study: [your-site]/case-study-1
Code samples: github.com/[username]"

Designers, writers, developers and photographers benefit most from a portfolio section.

"Interests" is the more common and professional choice, though both are understood. This section is optional, so include it only if it adds something, such as showing a skill, a personality trait or a connection to the employer's field.

Be specific instead of generic.

Example: "Interests: Marathon running (completed Dubai Marathon 2024), volunteer Arabic-English tutoring"

Avoid lists such as "reading, music, travel", which tell the reader very little. Systems generally do not use this section for screening, so it is mainly for the human reader.