How to End the Resume: A Complete Guide to Finishing Strong

Introduction: The Final Impression Matters

You've crafted compelling bullet points, highlighted your achievements, and organized your experience perfectly. But as you reach the bottom of your resume, you pause. How should you end it? What goes at the bottom? Should you include references? Certifications? A closing statement?

Many job seekers spend hours perfecting the top of their resume but give little thought to how it ends. This is a critical mistake. The ending of your resume is just as important as the beginning – it's your final chance to make an impression and reinforce your value proposition.

A well-structured resume ending can:

• Reinforce your qualifications and expertise
• Showcase additional relevant skills or achievements
• Provide context that strengthens your candidacy
• Leave the recruiter with a positive, memorable impression

In this comprehensive guide, we'll walk you through everything you need to know about ending your resume professionally and effectively, ensuring you finish strong and maximize your chances of landing that interview.

1. Understanding What Belongs at the End of Your Resume

Before we dive into specific sections, it's crucial to understand the purpose of resume endings. The bottom portion of your resume serves several key functions:

Reinforcing Your Value

The end of your resume is an opportunity to reinforce the value you bring. While your experience section shows what you've done, the ending sections can highlight who you are as a professional – your skills, certifications, education, and other qualifications that support your candidacy.

Providing Additional Context

Ending sections can provide important context that doesn't fit naturally in your experience section. This might include:

• Professional certifications relevant to the role
• Continuing education or training
• Languages you speak
• Technical skills that deserve emphasis
• Professional affiliations or memberships

Creating a Complete Picture

A well-rounded resume ending helps create a complete picture of you as a candidate. It shows that you're not just defined by your job titles, but by your continuous learning, professional development, and diverse skill set.

Leaving a Strong Final Impression

Just as your resume opening creates a first impression, your resume ending creates a lasting one. A professional, well-organized ending reinforces that you're detail-oriented, thorough, and serious about your career.

2. Essential Sections to Include at the End

Skills Section: Showcase Your Technical and Soft Skills

A skills section is one of the most common and valuable ending sections. It allows you to highlight both technical and soft skills that are relevant to the position.

How to Structure It:

• Technical Skills: List software, programming languages, tools, and platforms you're proficient with
• Soft Skills: Include communication, leadership, problem-solving, and other interpersonal skills
• Industry-Specific Skills: Highlight skills unique to your field or the target role

Best Practices:

• Organize skills by category (e.g., "Technical Skills," "Software Proficiency," "Languages")
• Use keywords from the job description
• Be honest about your proficiency level
• Prioritize skills most relevant to the target position

Example:

Technical Skills: Python, JavaScript, React, SQL, Git, Docker
Software: Salesforce, HubSpot, Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Creative Cloud
Languages: English (Native), Spanish (Fluent), French (Conversational)

Certifications and Licenses: Demonstrate Continuous Learning

If you hold professional certifications, licenses, or have completed relevant training, these belong at the end of your resume. They demonstrate your commitment to professional development and can set you apart from other candidates.

What to Include:

• Professional certifications (PMP, CPA, AWS Certified, etc.)
• Industry licenses (Real Estate License, Teaching Certificate, etc.)
• Online course completions (if relevant and recent)
• Professional development training

How to Format:

• List the certification name
• Include the issuing organization
• Add the date (month and year)
• Include expiration date if applicable

Example:

Certifications:
- Project Management Professional (PMP), Project Management Institute, 2023
- Google Analytics Certified, Google, 2024
- AWS Certified Solutions Architect, Amazon Web Services, 2023 (Expires: 2026)

Education: Positioning Your Academic Background

While education often appears near the top for recent graduates, for experienced professionals, it typically belongs at the end. This placement emphasizes your work experience while still acknowledging your educational foundation.

What to Include:

• Degree(s) earned
• Institution name
• Graduation year (optional for experienced professionals)
• Relevant coursework or honors (if recent graduate or highly relevant)

How to Format:

• List most recent degree first
• Include major/minor if relevant
• Add GPA only if it's strong (3.5+) and you're a recent graduate
• Omit graduation dates if you're concerned about age discrimination (though this is often unnecessary)

Example:

Education:
Master of Business Administration, Stanford Graduate School of Business, 2018
Bachelor of Science in Computer Science, University of California, Berkeley, 2015

Languages: Highlighting Multilingual Abilities

If you speak multiple languages, especially if they're relevant to the role or company, include a languages section. This can be particularly valuable for international companies or roles requiring communication with diverse stakeholders.

How to Format:

• List languages in order of proficiency
• Use clear proficiency levels: Native, Fluent, Conversational, Basic
• Only include languages you can actually use in a professional setting

Example:

Languages:
English (Native), Spanish (Fluent), Mandarin (Conversational)

Professional Affiliations and Memberships

If you're a member of professional organizations, industry associations, or relevant groups, these can strengthen your resume by showing your engagement with your professional community.

What to Include:

• Professional associations (e.g., American Marketing Association, IEEE)
• Industry-specific organizations
• Leadership roles within these organizations (if applicable)

Example:

Professional Affiliations:
- Member, Project Management Institute (PMI)
- Board Member, Local Marketing Association, 2022-Present

3. What NOT to Include at the End (Common Mistakes)

References Available Upon Request

This is perhaps the most outdated resume ending. Employers assume you'll provide references if asked, so including this phrase wastes valuable space and makes your resume look dated.

What to Do Instead:

• Simply omit this phrase
• Have your references ready on a separate document
• Provide them when requested during the interview process

Personal Information

Never include personal information such as:

• Age or date of birth
• Marital status
• Religious affiliation
• Political affiliation
• Social security number
• Photograph (in most countries)

These details are not only unnecessary but can also lead to discrimination concerns.

Unrelated Hobbies or Interests

While some argue that hobbies can show personality, they generally don't belong on a professional resume unless they're directly relevant to the role. For example, a photography hobby might be relevant for a graphic design role, but your love of hiking probably isn't relevant to a software engineering position.

When to Include Hobbies:

• If they demonstrate relevant skills (e.g., "Competitive Chess Player" for a strategy role)
• If they show leadership or achievement (e.g., "Marathon Runner" can demonstrate discipline)
• If they're directly related to the industry or role

Outdated or Irrelevant Information

Don't include information that's no longer relevant:

• High school achievements (unless you're a recent graduate)
• Very old certifications that have expired and aren't relevant
• Skills you haven't used in many years
• Jobs from 15+ years ago (unless highly relevant)

Generic Statements

Avoid generic closing statements like:

• "Looking forward to hearing from you"
• "Thank you for your consideration"
• "I hope to contribute to your team"

These don't add value and waste space. Your cover letter is the place for such statements.

4. Formatting Best Practices for Resume Endings

Maintain Consistent Formatting

Your ending sections should match the formatting style of the rest of your resume:

• Use the same font and font sizes
• Maintain consistent spacing and alignment
• Follow the same bullet point or formatting style
• Keep the same color scheme (if using colors)

Prioritize by Relevance

Order your ending sections by relevance to the target position:

1. Most relevant skills or certifications
2. Education (if relevant)
3. Languages (if relevant)
4. Professional affiliations (if relevant)

Keep It Concise

Resume endings should be concise and scannable:

• Use bullet points for lists
• Keep descriptions brief
• Focus on keywords and key information
• Avoid lengthy explanations

Use White Space Effectively

Don't cram too much information at the bottom:

• Leave appropriate spacing between sections
• Use white space to create visual breathing room
• Ensure the ending doesn't look cluttered

Maintain Professional Tone

Even at the end, maintain a professional, confident tone:

• Use action-oriented language where appropriate
• Avoid overly casual phrasing
• Keep descriptions factual and achievement-focused

5. Tailoring Your Resume Ending for Each Application

Just as you tailor the rest of your resume, you should customize the ending sections for each application.

Analyze the Job Description

Look for:

• Specific skills mentioned
• Required certifications or licenses
• Preferred qualifications
• Industry-specific requirements

Prioritize Relevant Information

• Move the most relevant skills or certifications to the top
• Emphasize qualifications that match the job requirements
• De-emphasize or remove less relevant information

Use Keywords Strategically

• Incorporate keywords from the job description into your skills section
• Match the terminology used in the posting
• Ensure ATS systems can easily identify your qualifications

Highlight Transferable Skills

If you're changing industries or roles:

• Emphasize transferable skills in your skills section
• Show how your certifications apply to the new role
• Highlight relevant training or education

6. The ApplyTrackr Advantage: Managing Your Resume Endings

Managing multiple resume versions with different endings can be challenging. ApplyTrackr simplifies this process:

Store Multiple Resume Versions

Save different versions of your resume, each with endings tailored to specific job types or industries. This makes it easy to quickly customize your resume for each application.

Track Which Skills to Highlight

Keep notes on which skills, certifications, or qualifications are most important for different types of roles. ApplyTrackr helps you remember what to emphasize for each application.

Organize Your Certifications and Skills

Maintain a comprehensive database of all your skills, certifications, and qualifications. When applying to a new role, you can quickly select the most relevant ones to include.

Ensure Consistency

ApplyTrackr helps ensure your resume ending matches the style and formatting of the rest of your document, maintaining a professional, cohesive appearance.

Conclusion: Finish Strong and Make Your Mark

How you end your resume matters just as much as how you begin it. A well-crafted ending reinforces your qualifications, provides important context, and leaves a strong final impression with recruiters and hiring managers.

Remember:

• Include relevant skills, certifications, education, and languages
• Avoid outdated phrases and irrelevant information
• Maintain consistent formatting and professional tone
• Tailor your ending sections for each application
• Keep it concise and scannable

Your resume ending is your final opportunity to reinforce why you're the right candidate for the position. Use it strategically, and you'll significantly increase your chances of moving to the next stage of the hiring process.

Don't let a weak ending undermine an otherwise strong resume. Take the time to craft ending sections that complement your experience and showcase your complete professional profile. With ApplyTrackr, managing and customizing these sections becomes effortless, allowing you to focus on what matters most – landing your dream job.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Should I include "References Available Upon Request" at the end of my resume?

No, this phrase is outdated and unnecessary. Employers assume you'll provide references when asked. Simply omit this phrase and have your references ready on a separate document to provide when requested.

2. How many skills should I list in my skills section?

Aim for 10-15 relevant skills, organized by category. Focus on skills that are most relevant to the target position. Too many skills can look unfocused, while too few might make you seem underqualified.

3. Should I include my GPA in the education section?

Only include your GPA if it's strong (typically 3.5 or higher) and you're a recent graduate (within the last 2-3 years). For experienced professionals, GPA is generally not necessary.

4. How far back should I go with certifications?

Include certifications that are:

• Current and not expired (unless still relevant)
• Relevant to the target position
• From reputable organizations
• Generally, include certifications from the last 10-15 years, unless older ones are highly relevant

5. Should I include hobbies or personal interests at the end?

Generally, no. Only include hobbies if they're directly relevant to the role or demonstrate skills that are valuable for the position. For most professional roles, hobbies don't add value and can waste valuable space.

6. How should I format multiple certifications?

List them in reverse chronological order (most recent first), or prioritize by relevance to the target position. Include the certification name, issuing organization, date earned, and expiration date if applicable.

7. Should I include languages if I only speak English?

If you only speak English and the job doesn't require other languages, you can omit the languages section. However, if you have even basic proficiency in another language that might be relevant, it's worth including.

8. How much space should the ending sections take up?

Your ending sections should typically take up 15-25% of your resume. The majority of space should be dedicated to your experience section. Keep ending sections concise and focused on the most relevant information.