Resume Header 2026: How to Write Contact Information That Gets You More Callbacks

Your resume header is the first thing every recruiter, hiring manager, and ATS system sees. Get it wrong, and your application might never get read — no matter how strong the rest of your resume is. Get it right, and you make it easy for employers to pick up the phone and call you.

This guide walks you through exactly what to include in your resume header in 2026, what to leave out, and the small details that separate callbacks from silence.

what’s a Resume Header?

A resume header sits at the very top of your resume. It contains your name, contact details, and — increasingly — links to your professional online presence. Think of it as your personal billboard: it has to be clear, professional, and immediately tell the reader who you’re and how to reach you.

In 2026, with most applications going through ATS platforms like Taleo, Workday, Greenhouse, and iCIMS, your header also needs to be machine-readable. Fancy graphics, unusual formatting, or missing fields can cause parsing errors that push your resume to the reject pile.

What to Include in Your Resume Header

1. Your Full Name

Use the name you go by professionally. If your legal name is different from what colleagues know you as, put your professional name first and your legal name in parentheses if needed for background checks.

• Do: Sarah Mitchell
• Do: Sarah Mitchell (Legal: Sarah Mitchell-Johnson)
• Don’t: Sarah “Sam” Mitchell-Johnson, MBA, PMP

Keep credentials and degrees out of your name line. They belong in a dedicated certifications or education section.

2. Phone Number

Include one reliable phone number with a professional voicemail greeting. Format it consistently:

If you’re applying internationally, always include your country code. Recruiters at multinational companies often screen candidates across time zones.

3. Professional Email Address

Your email should be a variation of your name. Avoid nicknames, numbers that look random, or anything that signals anything other than professionalism.

• Good: sarah.mitchell@gmail.com, s.mitchell@outlook.com
• Bad: partyanimal99@yahoo.com, hotmama2025@gmail.com

Gmail and Outlook are both fine. If you’ve a custom domain (sarah@sarahmitchell.com), that can look polished — but it’s not necessary.

4. City and State (or Region)

You don’t need your full street address. In 2026, listing just your city and state — or city and country for international roles — is the standard practice. This helps recruiters understand your location for roles that require on-site work or have location-based salary bands.

• Do: Austin, TX
• Do: London, United Kingdom
• Don’t: 123 Main Street, Apt 4B, Austin, TX 78701

5. LinkedIn Profile URL

Over 87% of recruiters check LinkedIn before scheduling an interview. Include a clean, customized URL — not the default string of random characters LinkedIn assigns.

• Good: linkedin.com/in/sarahmitchell
• Bad: linkedin.com/in/sarah-mitchell-9a3b72c1d

To customize your URL: go to your LinkedIn profile → click “Edit public profile & URL” → change your URL to something clean and professional.

6. Portfolio or Website (If Relevant)

If you work in design, writing, marketing, development, or any field where a portfolio matters, include a link to your best work. Use a clean domain — not a free hosting URL with ads.

• Good: sarahmitchelldesign.com
• Okay: behance.net/sarahmitchell
• Bad: myportfolio.wixsite.com/sarahmitchell-free

7. GitHub or Professional Profile (If Relevant)

For developers, engineers, data scientists, and similar technical roles, a GitHub profile link can be more valuable than a portfolio site. Make sure your pinned repositories are clean and demonstrate your skills.

What to Leave Out of Your Resume Header

Some information doesn’t belong in your header — and including it can actually hurt your chances:

Note on photos: In some countries — including Germany, France, Saudi Arabia, and much of the Middle East — including a professional photo is expected or even required. Know the norms for the market you’re applying to.

Resume Header Formatting Tips for ATS in 2026

ATS systems parse your header first. here’s how to make sure the system reads it correctly:

• Use standard labels: “Phone” and “Email” are fine, but the ATS will also recognize these fields without labels if they’re formatted normally.
• don’t put contact info in headers or footers: Some older ATS versions can’t read header/footer content. Keep everything in the main body of the document.
• Use a single-column layout: Two-column header designs (name on the left, contact on the right) can confuse some parsers.
• Stick to standard fonts: Use Arial, Calibri, Georgia, or Garamond. Avoid decorative fonts that may not render correctly.
• Save as PDF or DOCX: PDF preserves formatting across devices. DOCX is also widely accepted. Avoid .pages, .odt, or image-based formats.

Resume Header Examples for 2026

Example 1: Standard Professional Header

SARAH MITCHELL
Austin, TX | (555) 123-4567 | sarah.mitchell@gmail.com
linkedin.com/in/sarahmitchell

Example 2: Creative Professional Header

David Chen
UX/UI Designer — San Francisco, CA
david@dc-designs.com | (415) 555-0192
portfolio: dc-designs.com | linkedin.com/in/davidchenux

Example 3: Technical Professional Header

Priya Sharma
Software Engineer | Seattle, WA
priya.sharma@outlook.com | +1-206-555-0147
github.com/priyasharma | linkedin.com/in/priyasharma-dev

Example 4: International Applicant Header

Ahmed Al-Rashidi
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | +966-55-555-0123 | ahmed.rashidi@gmail.com
linkedin.com/in/ahmedalrashidi

Common Resume Header Mistakes

Even small errors in your header can cost you an interview. Here are the most common mistakes we see:

1. Using an unprofessional email. If your email is from middle school, it’s time for a new one. Create a free Gmail account with your name.
2. Forgetting to update your phone number. If you’ve moved countries or changed numbers, double-check that the number on your resume is current and has a working voicemail.
3. Broken LinkedIn links. Click your own LinkedIn URL before submitting. If it leads to a 404 page, you’ve lost that opportunity.
4. Inconsistent formatting. If your name is in 18pt bold but your phone number is in 10pt regular, the header looks sloppy. Keep font sizes and styles consistent.
5. Too much information. Your header should be 2-4 lines max. don’t cram in every possible way to contact you.
6. Using a header/footer in Word. As mentioned, many ATS systems skip header/footer content. Place your contact info in the document body.

How StylingCV Helps With Your Resume Header

Every StylingCV template comes with a professionally designed header section that’s built to pass ATS parsing. The fields are clearly labeled, properly formatted, and positioned in the document body — not in headers or footers.

When you build your resume on StylingCV, the tool guides you through each field: name, phone, email, location, LinkedIn, and portfolio. You can customize the layout to match your industry — clean and minimal for finance and law, more visual for design and marketing.

Start building your resume for free at StylingCV →

Related Reading

• How to Write a Resume Summary: 20 Examples That Get Interviews
• LinkedIn Profile Optimization 2026: 10 Steps to Get Recruiters
• How to Tailor Your Resume to a Job Description: Step-by-Step Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I put my full address on my resume?

No. In 2026, listing your city and state (or city and country) is enough. Full street addresses are a privacy risk and no longer expected by employers.

What if I’ve two phone numbers?

Include only one — the one you’re most likely to answer. If you’re applying internationally, use the number with the appropriate country code.

Do I need LinkedIn on my resume?

Yes, for most professional roles. Recruiters routinely check LinkedIn profiles before reaching out. A missing LinkedIn link can mean a missed opportunity.

Can I use a nickname on my resume?

Use the name people call you at work. If your legal name is very different, you can add it in parentheses for background check purposes: “Sam Mitchell (Legal: Samantha Mitchell).”

Should my email include my phone number or be linked to my phone?

Just list them separately. there’s no need to connect your email to your phone number on the resume itself.

What font should I use for my resume header?

Stick with clean, ATS-friendly fonts: Arial, Calibri, Cambria, Garamond, or Georgia. Use 16-20pt for your name and 10-12pt for contact details.

Is it okay to use a creative resume header design?

For creative roles (design, marketing, media), a visually distinctive header can help you stand out. For corporate, finance, legal, and government roles, keep it clean and simple.

Key Takeaways

• Your resume header is the first thing recruiters and ATS systems read — make it count.
• Include: full name, phone number, professional email, city/state, LinkedIn URL, and portfolio (if relevant).
• Leave out: full address, photo (in most Western countries), date of birth, marital status, and “references available upon request.”
• Keep it ATS-friendly: standard fonts, no headers/footers, single-column layout, PDF or DOCX format.
• Keep it to 2-4 lines — clear, professional, and easy to scan.

Your header sets the tone for your entire resume. Take 10 minutes to get it right, and you’ll make it easier for every recruiter to reach out and schedule that interview.

Ready to build a resume with a perfect header? Try StylingCV’s free resume builder — every template is ATS-optimized and designed to get callbacks.