ResumePhoto, declaration and personal details: what an Indian resume needs
Most of what tradition puts at the bottom of an Indian resume is not needed by a private employer. Include a personal detail when it is asked for, not by habit.
What every resume needs
- Full name, as on your certificates and identity documents.
- Mobile number that you answer, with a working voicemail or a habit of calling back.
- Email address made from your name.
- City and state. A full postal address is not needed at this stage.
- Languages you can work in.
Details that are usually not needed for private-sector jobs
| Detail | Include? | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Photograph | Only if asked | Some roles and employers ask for one. If they do, use a recent, plain passport-style photo. |
| Date of birth or age | Only if asked | Application forms that need it will have a field for it. |
| Father's or husband's name | No | It has no bearing on your ability to do the job. |
| Marital status | No | Leave it out unless a form requires it. |
| Religion, caste, community | No | Not for a private job resume. Reservation categories are stated on government application forms, where they are asked for. |
| Nationality | Only for jobs abroad | Useful where work permission matters. |
| Full permanent address | No | City and state are enough until an offer letter is being prepared. |
| Identity numbers | Never | Do not print Aadhaar, PAN, passport or bank numbers on a resume. Give them only on official joining forms. |
| Passport details | Only for jobs abroad | "Valid passport" is enough; no number. |
| Hobbies | Optional | One line, only if they say something relevant or memorable. |
| Salary, current or expected | No | Discuss it when the employer raises it. |
| References | No | Give them when asked. "References available on request" wastes a line. |
Why leave them out
Three reasons. First, space: a resume has one page to show what you can do, and eight lines of personal particulars push out eight lines of evidence. Second, focus: details such as age, marital status or community can only distract from your fitness for the work, and many employers prefer not to see them. Third, safety: a resume is forwarded, uploaded to portals and stored in many places. The less personal data on it, the less there is to misuse. Identity numbers, in particular, should never be on it.
When the rule changes
- The employer asks. If the advertisement or form asks for a photograph, date of birth or any other detail, give it. Following the instruction matters more than any general advice.
- Government and public-sector applications. These use prescribed forms with their own fields for date of birth, category and so on. Fill the form; a resume is usually not part of it.
- Certain roles. Some customer-facing, aviation, hospitality and modelling roles ask for photographs and physical particulars as part of the application.
- Jobs abroad. Customs differ by country: in some a photo is expected, in others it is discouraged. Check guidance for that country or employer.
- A biodata is requested. Then personal particulars are the point of the document. See resume, CV and biodata.
The declaration
"I hereby declare that the above information is true to the best of my knowledge", followed by date, place and signature, is a habit carried over from biodata forms. A private employer does not need it on a resume; your statements are taken as made by you in any case, and anything false has the same consequences with or without the line. Leave it out and use the space. Include it only when the employer or institution specifically asks for a signed declaration, as some government-linked organisations and colleges do.
If you do add a photo
- Recent, clear, plain light background, face forward, neat everyday clothes.
- Small, at the top right. It must not push text into narrow columns.
- Never a cropped group photo or a selfie.
- Remember that a photo placed in the file can upset resume-reading software; keep the text in a single column beside or below it.
The builder on this site leaves out the photo and personal particulars on purpose, to keep the page focused and readable. If an employer asks for them, add the details in your covering email or on their form.
Relocation, shifts and notice period
These are practical facts some employers want early. If the advertisement stresses them, one short line under additional information is useful: "Willing to relocate", "Comfortable with rotational shifts", "Available to join immediately". Say them only if they are true.
Questions people ask
Should I put my photo on my resume?
Only if the employer asks for one. For most private-sector jobs in India it is not needed.
Is a declaration required at the end of a resume?
No, unless the employer or institution specifically asks for a signed declaration.
Should I write my date of birth?
Leave it out unless the application asks for it. Forms that need your age will have a field for it.
More guides
Sample resumes
General guidance. This page gives general suggestions on writing a resume, reviewed in November 2026. Employers differ: if an advertisement or application form asks for a particular format or detail, follow it. Every name, employer and college in our examples is invented. Nothing here promises an interview or a job.