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A resume summary is a small paragraph written at the start of a resume that helps give a job seeker’s professional skills and experience additional limelight. It offers the recruiter an insight into the expertise and talents of the job seeker before plunging into the resume. The objective of a summary is to highlight the unique value that the job seeker will add to their company through their abilities and accomplishments.
How to commence a resume with a summary?
The summary is cited below the contact details of the job seeker and above the resume body. It is often called by different names, such as career summary, competencies, qualification summary, experience summary and professional summary.
As recruiters go through hundreds of resumes during the hiring process, a well-written resume summary section may be just what you need to stand out from the crowd.
When should you use a summary?
Summaries in a resume are recommended for job seekers with years of experience in the same field and who wish to work in the same field. It is not recommended for job seekers with limited experience and notable year gaps.
If someone has been working in the same field for a period of 10 years, it serves their purpose to develop a summary and use the additional space to enhance their work experience.
Tips for writing a summary for your resume
When writing a summary, keep in mind your elevator pitch. For instance, if you entered an elevator and saw the hiring manager who could select you for your dream job, how would you present yourself in that 30-seconds elevator journey?
When you plan to add a summary section to your resume, mention your unique strengths, weaknesses, experiences and achievements. Then continue the job posting description and showcase how you can add value to the company.
There are different resume patterns seen in resume professional summary examples. You can pick the one which serves your purpose well.
- Skills: In which skills do you excel? Which skills are suitable for this job?
- Work History: What are the common points in your work history? Look for common work patterns, your role and the company’s culture.
- Accomplishments: What were some accomplishments of your past jobs? If you can quantify them using metrics like money, percentage and year, do it.
Once the information is compiled, you can start writing the body. Always use active voices and action words for a summary. Try to keep the summary statement to just five lines.
Once done, read the summary, and it should answer the question, “why should we choose you?”
Common keywords to use in summary
A resume summary should include relevant keywords. Major keywords are sales leadership, legal consulting, HR, project management, budget assessment, financial planning, etc.
As a job seeker, you should highlight your qualities and present yourself as a brand. You should align your brand with the company’s brand to sell yourself. A well-presented summary with efficient keywords will provide you with that chance. So, go ahead and make the most of it.
