# Resume Header: Word Setup That Doesn't Hide Your Name

Build a parseable resume header in Word with the right contact fields, safe formatting, and checks that keep your name and details visible to an ATS.

> Put your name, one phone number, email, city and region, and a LinkedIn or portfolio URL in the document body at the top, not inside Word's Header area or a text box.

Author: Lena Park
Published: 2026-08-27T12:00:47.840Z
Updated: 2026-08-28T18:38:06.428Z
Canonical: https://yourunique.cv/articles/resume-header

A good resume header puts your name and contact details in the document body at the top. For an ATS-friendly file, use plain text, one phone number, one email address, your city and region, and a LinkedIn or portfolio URL when it helps your application. Do not put these details in Word's Insert > Header area, a text box, or a decorative banner.

The safest setup is simple: type the block as the first content on page one, keep it left-aligned or centered with normal paragraph tools, and save a clean PDF. This keeps your identity attached to the rest of the resume when a parser extracts the text.

## What belongs in a resume header

Use the fields below as your standard contact block. You do not need to include every optional field in every application.

| Field | Use it? | What to enter |
|---|---|---|
| Full professional name | Yes | The name you use in professional settings. Make it the largest text on the page. |
| Phone number | Yes | One reliable number with a clear voicemail. Include the country code if applying internationally. |
| Email address | Yes | A professional address that you check often. |
| City and region | Yes | City, state, province, or similar region. Use the location relevant to the role. |
| LinkedIn URL | Usually | Add a complete, readable URL if the profile is current and supports your application. |
| Portfolio or personal site | When relevant | Include one working URL for work samples, case studies, code, writing, design, or research. |
| Work authorization or availability | Sometimes | Add this only when the job asks for it or it removes a likely question. It can also fit in a summary. |
| Professional credential | Sometimes | Put a license or certification in the header only when it is central to the role. Otherwise list it in a Certifications section. |

A city and region is usually enough. A recruiter does not need your exact street address to contact you. If you are open to relocation, remote work, or several locations, state that in your summary or a short location line instead of adding a home address.

Your email should look professional. Use a variation of your name when possible. Check every character in the phone number, email, and URLs. One wrong character can block contact or send a recruiter to the wrong profile.

## What does not belong in the header

Leave these items out of a standard US private-sector resume header:

- Full street address, apartment number, and ZIP code. They add personal exposure without helping most hiring decisions.
- Multiple phone numbers. Choose one number. Multiple numbers create uncertainty and add noise to extracted contact data.
- A headshot. For most US private-sector roles, do not add one unless the industry or employer specifically demands it.
- Date of birth, age, marital status, gender, nationality, or Social Security number. These are not standard resume contact fields.
- A long personal statement. Put your summary below the header so it remains a separate section.
- “References available upon request.” Use the space for evidence of your work.
- Social media links with no professional purpose. Include a profile only if it is current and relevant to the job.
- Decorative icons that replace labels. A phone symbol may look clear to a person, but a parser can treat it as an unknown character and lose the value beside it.

Do not add skills to the header just to make the file look optimized. Skills belong in a Skills section and in your work bullets when you can support them with real experience.

## Correct header block

Type a block similar to this directly into the first paragraph area of the document:

```text
Maya Chen
415-555-0182 | maya.chen@email.com | Austin, TX
linkedin.com/in/mayachen | mayachen.com
```

You can put the details on one line if it remains readable, or use two lines. A city and region is enough for most applications. If you apply from another location, make the location truthful. Do not imply that you live somewhere you do not.

A slightly more targeted version could look like this:

```text
Jordan Patel
312-555-0147 | jordan.patel@email.com | Chicago, IL
linkedin.com/in/jordanpatel | jordanpatel.com | Open to relocation
```

Use a separator such as a vertical bar only when it is typed as normal text. Keep the URL visible rather than hiding it behind an image or icon. Word may turn it into a hyperlink automatically. That is fine, but make sure the visible text still tells the reader where the link goes.

For more layout examples, see [ATS-Friendly Resume Template: Simple Layouts That Still Parse in 2026](https://yourunique.cv/articles/ats-friendly-resume-template). A plain layout gives you fewer places for contact details to disappear.

## Word setup that keeps the header in the body

The key rule is simple: do not use Insert > Header. Use ordinary paragraphs at the top of page one.

### Step 1: Start with a blank paragraph area

Open the resume in Microsoft Word. Click before the first character on page one. If the file already has a banner, table, or image at the top, remove it or rebuild the top section with paragraphs.

Set normal page margins under Layout > Margins. Keep enough white space around the text so the block does not touch the page edge. Avoid reducing the margins to force the resume onto one page.

### Step 2: Type your name

Type your full professional name on the first line. Select it and set a larger font size than the body text. Use a readable font that is already available in Word. Bold is acceptable. Avoid WordArt, outline effects, and decorative text.

A name is easier to find when it is a normal text paragraph. Do not place it in a logo, image, shape, or floating object.

### Step 3: Add contact lines as normal paragraphs

Press Enter and type your phone, email, city and region, LinkedIn URL, and portfolio URL. Use one or two lines. Apply paragraph alignment, font size, and spacing from the Home tab.

Do not build the block with a one-row table just to control alignment. Some files parse tables in an unexpected order. Paragraphs are easier to inspect and edit.

### Step 4: Set spacing without empty-page tricks

Select the header paragraphs. Use Paragraph settings to add a small amount of space after the contact block. Do not press Enter many times to create distance. Extra empty paragraphs can shift when Word exports the file or when another application opens it.

Keep the next section, usually a Summary or Professional Summary, directly below the contact block. Use a visible section heading for it.

### Step 5: Check the document body

Click near the name and use the arrow keys to move through the text. You should be able to select each character normally. If clicking the name selects a box, picture, shape, or grouped object, rebuild it as plain text.

Turn on formatting marks with the paragraph symbol on the Home tab. This lets you find stray blank lines, tabs, and manual breaks. It does not prove how an employer's system will read the file, but it helps you remove common layout problems.

### Step 6: Export and inspect the PDF

Save the editable Word file. Then use File > Save As or Export to create a PDF. Open the PDF and try to select the name, phone number, email, and URLs. Copy the text into a plain-text editor. The order should begin with your name, followed by the contact details, then the resume sections.

A PDF with selectable text is preferable to a scanned image. If the PDF has no selectable text, recreate the export rather than submitting it as is.

## Screenshots-in-words: headers that can split

Think of these examples as what you would see in a screenshot, followed by the likely extraction problem.

### Text box header

The screenshot shows “Maya Chen” inside a blue rectangle at the top-left. Phone and email sit in a second text box at the top-right. The rest of the resume begins below.

A person sees a clean two-column header. An ATS may read the right box first, read the boxes in an odd order, or skip one box. The name can become separated from the contact details. Rebuild both boxes as ordinary paragraphs.

### Banner with a name image

The screenshot shows a wide colored banner across the page. The name is part of a logo image. Small white contact icons appear along the lower edge.

The image may contain no selectable text. The icons may be ignored or converted into unclear symbols. A parser can receive an empty first line and start with the body of the resume. Type the name and details as text in the body instead.

### Icon-only contact row

The screenshot shows a phone icon, an envelope icon, a pin icon, and a LinkedIn logo. Each icon is followed by a value, but there are no words such as “Phone” or “Email.”

The values may still be extracted, but the icons can interrupt the text or create stray characters. Plain text labels are safer when a detail could be misunderstood. For example, use “415-555-0182 | maya.chen@email.com | Austin, TX” rather than a row of image icons.

### Two-column table

The screenshot shows the name on the left and contact details on the right, aligned inside invisible table cells.

The result may look polished, but extracted text can run down one column and then the other. This can detach the name from the contact details or place the email after the first job entry. Use normal paragraphs unless the file has been tested carefully.

The same plain-text test can help with the rest of your resume. [ATS Resume: Parsing, Keywords, and Recruiter View](https://yourunique.cv/articles/ats-resume) explains why visual order and extracted order can differ.

## Test the header against the job

Once the body layout is fixed, check whether the resume contains the terms the job description actually requires. Run the PDF through the [ATS resume checker](https://yourunique.cv/free-tools/ats-resume-checker), then paste the same job into [YourUnique.cv](https://yourunique.cv) if you want a draft based on your real profile facts. The Free Tools scan the uploaded PDF for the result and does not save it to an account. Its score and gaps are useful signals, not an employer's Workday or Greenhouse number.

Read the missing-keyword list with care. Add a term only when you have the experience or knowledge to support it. A header cannot repair missing evidence in the work history. A clear name and contact block only make it easier for a recruiter and parser to identify the file's owner.

If the score changes after you fix the header, that tells you the file's extracted text changed. It does not establish a universal passing score. Review the actual text order, section headings, and job-specific evidence by hand. The guide [Check Resume for ATS: How to Test, Read the Score, and Fix What Matters](https://yourunique.cv/articles/check-resume-for-ats) covers that review process.

## Final header review

Before you apply, open both the Word file and the PDF. Confirm that your name appears as selectable text at the start of the document. Confirm that the phone, email, location, and links are accurate. Test each URL in a browser. Remove any text box, floating image, icon-only label, or document-header content that contains important information.

If you want help generating a tailored version from your existing facts, [sign up for YourUnique.cv](https://yourunique.cv/sign-up). You can keep your current layout or choose from [resume templates](https://yourunique.cv/templates), then review the PDF before sending it.

## Apply today checklist

- [ ] Save the final file as a selectable-text PDF, unless the employer requests another format.
- [ ] Keep your name and contact block in the document body, not Word's Insert > Header area.
- [ ] Use clear headings for Summary, Skills, Experience, Education, and any relevant sections.
- [ ] Match relevant skills to the job description without claiming skills or experience you do not have.
- [ ] Review at least five work bullets for specific actions, tools, results, or scope.
- [ ] Paste the PDF text into a plain-text editor and confirm the name comes first and the order remains readable.
- [ ] Run the file through the [ATS resume checker](https://yourunique.cv/free-tools/ats-resume-checker) with the target job description.
- [ ] Open the exported PDF once more and check your phone, email, city, LinkedIn URL, and portfolio URL.

## Questions

### What should a resume header include?

Use your full professional name, one phone number, a professional email address, city and region, and a LinkedIn or portfolio URL when relevant. Place these items in the document body at the top.

### Should I use Word's Insert Header feature for my resume?

No. Type the resume header directly into the document body. Some ATS parsers may miss content placed in Word's document header area.

### Can I use a headshot in a resume header?

For most US private-sector applications, leave out the headshot. Add one only when the industry, country, or employer specifically expects it.

### How can I test whether my resume header parses?

Run your PDF through the [ATS resume checker](https://yourunique.cv/free-tools/ats-resume-checker). It reports a match score, missing keywords, and gaps for the job description you provide. It is a useful check, not the score from an employer's Workday or Greenhouse system.

### Can [YourUnique.cv](https://yourunique.cv) help with a resume header?

Yes. You can upload your resume, keep its layout or choose a built-in template, and paste a job description to get a CV drafted from your profile facts. Review the exported PDF and test its text before applying.

— YourUnique.cv