If you’re looking to make the right first impression on hiring managers who read your resume, you need them to understand who you are and what you’re hoping to offer the company. One of the best ways you can improve your resume in just a few minutes is by writing a strong resume summary. If you’re looking to get more out of your resume summary, here are the most important things to know.
A resume summary, also known as a resume professional summary, is a paragraph of a few sentences that goes right at the top of your resume. This paragraph gives more insight into who you are, and features skills and past experiences relevant to the job you’re pursuing, showing what you can do to benefit the company as a whole.
The resume summary’s prime objective is to incentivize a hiring manager to want to read your entire resume. You’re collapsing your entire career down to just a few sentences — you need to make sure it’s as engaging as possible, as it could be the difference between getting a job and not getting a job.
More than ever before, you need to stand out and effectively showcase your best skills to the hiring managers and recruiters who are reading your resume. Over 90% of fortune 500 companies use some form of applicant tracking software (ATS) to weed through potential candidates so it’s crucial that you set yourself apart by paying attention to what the employer needs so you can craft a professional resume summary.
Hiring managers and recruiters also want you to identify all of your most important skills up front so they can determine at a glance whether you’re a good option for the company. Use these tips to help you find the right language to use and skills to highlight so your resume summary is truly effective. The ResumeHelp examples and guidelines below will help you craft a resume summary that shows off your best attributes to potential employers.
One of the best ways to learn how to write an effective resume summary is simply by looking at existing summaries in our resume samples. Make sure you use the resume samples that match the job you’re looking into so you can get the best resume summary for your own resume.
Highly analytical, result-driven accountant skilled at working quickly and accurately under tight deadlines. Adept at all functions of accounting, including balancing sheets, processing payments, managing accounts payable and providing executive administrative support. Dedicated to providing exemplary work and supporting the overall mission of the department and company.
Energetic administrative professional skilled in providing quality administrative support, with experience spanning multiple industries. Dedicated to leading highly effective administrative teams and managing office operations with efficiency and grace. Excellent communication and relationship building skills.
Talented artist well-versed in different media, including digital art, oil paintings and ceramic. Art history expert and savvy entrepreneur with deep understanding of the business side of art. Skilled business owner with a proven track record of keeping workplaces efficient, driving sales and motivating clients and students to think outside the box.
Strategic business analyst with superior risk mitigation skills and a record of financial performance enhancement. Evaluates business needs and implements actionable improvements to increase profitability. Experienced in working with several groups including customer service management, product development, business operations and business clients.
Diligent computer scientist with extensive understanding of identifying process improvements. Purpose-driven professional tasked with monitoring computer programs and systems. Practiced troubleshooting with diagnostics procedure and in-depth technical experience.
Considerate and reliable customer service representative dedicated to maximizing satisfaction and retention with proactive attention to individual customer needs. Smoothly handles questions and resolves concerns with great problem-solving abilities and attention to detail. Multitasks and manages time well to consistently meet performance targets.
Structured data analyst experienced working with vast data sets to break down information, gather relevant points and solve advanced business problems. Skilled in predictive modeling, data mining and hypothetical testing. Offering eight years of experience in improving business operations.
Skilled dental assistant with three years of experience working with dental staff to treat patients. Adept at taking dental x-rays, preparing dental impressions and assisting dental hygienists and dentists. Expert at creating and maintaining clean and sterile environments.
Attentive assistant teacher capable of providing academic and social-emotional support to individuals and groups of students. Strong background in educational content creation and technology integration. Passionate about promoting adolescent growth and fostering independence.
Competent engineering professional offering foundation in engineering project management and design. History of success in performing load and cost calculations and establishing clear parameters. Detail-oriented with solid knowledge of current industry practices.
tatistics focused financial analyst highly committed to developing and implementing robust policies, procedures and processes that align with business objectives and promote strategic initiatives. Offering a successful career cultivating cross-functional relationships and advising management staff on methods that improve financial results.
Deadline-driven graphic designer focused on overseeing projects from concept through final delivery. Successful at creating brand messages, strategies and key graphic productions. Resourceful and hardworking with the know-how to find the right vendors and keep all team members on task. Highly effective at collaborating with artistic, project, production and administrative leadership to complete tasks according to budget and schedule goals.
Newly experienced human resources assistant with a degree in Human Resources Management. Knowledgeable about recruitment, benefits, workers compensation and HR projects and processes. Demonstrates solid analytical, problem solving and presentation skills to foster excellent relationships and credibility at all levels of organization.
Resourceful marketing leader able to successfully execute strategic marketing initiatives and effective brand management in domestic and international markets. Resourceful product positioning and messaging expert well-versed in cost-effective branding and marketing programs.
Diligent and talented mechanical engineer who is an efficient collaborator moving projects forward productively. Skilled at inspiring stakeholders to share ideas and information for project success. Outstanding ability to comprehend design for assembly and manufacturing with demonstrated ability to convert client’s requirements into production needs.
Organized and nurturing nanny with over a decade of child care experience. Continuously prepared to feed, transport and educate children at parents’ direction. Ready to make use of safety training and certifications at all times.
Enthusiastic and caring student teaching assistant confident in working with children with dyslexia to improve literacy skills. Looking to expand knowledge of teaching strategies in primary school education and help Milton Elementary School maintain its reputation for excellence in supporting students from all families.
Compassionate nurse who performs diligently at medical charting and medication administration. Well-versed in monitoring and noting vital signs, cleaning and sanitizing patient areas and assisting with personal hygiene tasks such as restroom usage and grooming. Strong patient care skills combined with excellent patient evaluation and advocacy.
Dependable pharmacy technician adept at filling prescriptions and solving transcription errors. Reviews customer profiles to ensure correct medication management and safety. Known for reducing shortages and losses by closely monitoring inventory levels.
Well organized project manager possessing a demonstrated history of establishing and enforcing adherence to standards of excellence. Well-versed in mentoring and guiding associates to exceed client and stakeholder expectations. Accustomed to cultivating innovative ideas and encouraging new ideas that drive company growth.
Personable and upbeat sales associate with a stellar record of accomplishment in connecting with customers and driving remarkable sales numbers. Proactive, well-organized sales leader successfully met and exceeded targets with strategic approaches. Skilled lead generator, product demonstrator and problem solver.
Sales professional with a hardworking mentality and demonstrated success in increasing company profits. Familiar with preparing contracts, researching markets and collaborating with suppliers to improve quality. Clear communicator who practices multitasking with excellent problem-solving skills and relationship-building abilities.
Results oriented and innovative software engineer with eight years of experience. Quickly communicates complex technical requirements to nontechnical stakeholders. Excellent leadership record of leading development teams in enterprise-wide development projects.
Caring and compassionate teacher with excellent communication skills and strong emotional insight. Dedicated to building inclusive and welcoming learning environments while deepening instructional prowess. Familiar with commonly accepted texts and technology-based strategies while applying state requirements.
Compassionate veterinarian with many years serving clients and animals with excellent health services. Skilled in leveraging medical history and symptoms to reach efficient and accurate diagnoses and compassionate animal practice.
Versatile writer proficient in researching, writing and editing diverse content. Works with minimal input to produce engaging, authoritative and error-free work. Autonomous yet communicative with a history of superior performance in remote environments.
A resume professional summary is used to specifically craft a brief overview of your work experiences into a personal introduction that is relevant to both the role and the company you are applying to.
Example: Highly motivated sales associate with extensive customer service and sales experience. Outgoing sales professional with a track record of driving increased sales, improving buying experience and elevating company profile with target market.
Having a relevant resume summary is essential when submitting a resume as it draws attention to your experiences in the industry and your personal attributes at first glance. Make sure to customize the information present in your summary section as your resume will change and evolve over the length of your career and depending on the job to which you apply.
Resume objectives will describe your professional goals as well as your qualifications for the job you’re applying for. The main difference is that in a summary, the emphasis will be on work experience rather than your goals.
Example: Talented game designer used to a fast paced deadline-driven environment. Eager to join a company that will allow me to manage the design of gameplay systems and online mechanics.
You’ll want to use a resume objective statement if you’re looking to make a career change or are a first-time job seeker. If you have the skill set necessary for a new job but you don’t have much experience, a resume objective may be best, as it places your skills front and center and explains how you plan to use them.
An effective resume summary follows this structure to get the point across and to appeal to hiring managers who only have a short window of time to find a specific candidate. These are the three things to keep in mind when writing your own resume statement:
Employers use applicant tracking software (ATS) systems when reviewing resumes so it is in your best interest to start off your summary by utilizing the top skill you possess that best matches the employer’s job description. In fact, analyzing the job description and making a list of your matching qualifications is a great way to make sure your resume is highlighting the right information for your industry.
The most important things to highlight are your relevant experience, your top abilities and a summary of the certifications you possess. If the job listing is looking for people with a certain number of years of experience, add that information. Highlight whatever is most impressive about your resume, what you excel in, and address key requirements that are mentioned in the job description.
Your resume summary should typically be three to five sentences at most. Remember to be sharp and to the point as this is your “elevator pitch” to potential employers. Drawing in their interest with this first section of your resume will make them more likely to read the rest so it is important to include key points of interest in both the company and the role.
Every job application and every job field are going to be a little bit different, so look at resume examples that apply to your specific job field. Make sure you tailor your summary to the job you’re applying to.
A good summary for a resume acts as your “elevator pitch.” It’s a way to engage a recruiter or hiring manager by quickly establishing that you have the skills and personal traits they’re looking for by highlighting your most relevant professional experiences and what you’ll bring to the table.
A resume summary should have skills that directly relate to what the company is looking for and a strong personal introduction that expresses both your interest and qualifications. No two jobs are exactly alike, and you’ll want to update your summary to meet the requirements of each job so you should customize this section with every application.
Your resume summary should be around three sentences long and a minimum of fifty words. Within this space, you should provide a quick introduction to yourself (“Retail manager with experience in handling customer satisfaction”), and highlight a couple of key skills you have that fit the job description.
The best way to begin your resume summary is with an eye-catching hook. Refer to a quality from the job ad that the employer is seeking or a relevant personal accomplishment or career milestone; that way the hiring manager can see that you are not only interested in the desired field but can show what you bring to the table and how you can contribute to their team as a whole.
While you can use a resume summary for an entry-level job, some jobs emphasize more experience than higher-level jobs. Here’s how a good resume summary may look for a high-level marketing manager:
Example: Self-motivated, natural leader with over 10 years experience managing marketing concerns for Fortune 500 companies. Worked with American Express on a $10 million award-winning omnichannel marketing campaign that improved sales by 24% over a year. Excited to move forward with ResumeHelp as the lead point on digital marketing and advertising.
Contrast that example, which prioritizes specific skills and experience, with a summary you might submit for a marketing internship right out of college:
Example:Self-motivated, adept learner with a desire to learn and grow as part of ResumeHelp’s marketing and advertising team. Graduated from Arizona State University with a Bachelor of Marketing in the top 10% of the class. Extensive experience with marketing projects, winning two scholarships centered around customer satisfaction and ecommerce initiatives.
Note how your major achievements are still the focus but these achievements are slightly different. Sure, graduating in the top 10% of the class might not look as exciting as managing a $10 million marketing campaign but an intern’s experiences won’t be as robust as a high-level marketing manager’s. A manager resume will look different from an internship resume, but both can be effective. It’s all about making sure the hiring manager has enough interest in you to look at the rest of your resume.
ATS, which stands for Applicant Tracking Systems, is a type of software that employers use to screen resumes before they even make it to a hiring manager’s desk. This type of software is looking for specific keywords in your resume; if it doesn’t find them, you’re less likely to get a job interview offer, or your resume might get discarded right there.
How do you avoid this? The simple answer is to look at the job listing and do whatever you can to utilize many of the same keywords in your resume summary as you see in the job listing.
If the job listing notes that it’s looking for a “problem-solving innovator with a skill set based around patient care,” you want to utilize the keywords “problem-solving,” “innovative,” and “patient care” in your resume summary. Look at the job listing, try to identify keywords in it, and then use those keywords in your resume summary, while matching them to your own skills and experience.
Hiring managers and recruiters are going to notice if you have a cookie-cutter resume summary that doesn’t directly address their needs. The keywords each company uses for its ATS scanning will be different depending on their job listings, which means you need to update your keywords for every summary. The more you personalize your resume summary to specific job listings, the more likely recruiters are going to want to call you back because you’re demonstrating you’ve done your research on that job.
If you want to make sure your resume provides everything you need to get hired, make sure you use ResumeHelp’s resume builder. Combined with the professional resume summary examples you’ll find here, these resume templates will help you create a resume summary, and resume, that really shines.
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