A resume summary is a section you should consider adding to your resume if you don’t already have one. If you’re wondering what to include in your outline, you should keep in mind that the purpose of this section of your resume is to highlight critical points relevant to the job you’re applying for.
Your resume gives potential employers a clear picture of your qualifications when they start reading your resume. Keep reading to find out how you can create your own winning resume summary.
Tips for Writing a Winning Resume Summary
1. Identify and list your most essential skills and experiences
When writing your list, include your hard skills, awards earned, soft skills, certifications, and other accomplishments.
2. Describe strong character traits in a few words
Once you have completed your list of experiences and essential skills, you can briefly introduce yourself using your strengths and accomplishments.
3. Review the job listing
Check the job posting for the position you’re applying for, note the skills and experience the hiring manager is looking for, and match those requirements with the experience and skills you listed.
4. Include your current role and work experience
Don’t forget that this is an opportunity to introduce yourself to potential employers. Let them know your current role and the years of experience you have.
5. Say how you want to help your potential employer achieve their goals
This is your chance to let the hiring manager know why they should consider you for the job. Let potential employers know what you bring to the table and how you can help the company achieve its goals, so they want to know more about you and invite you for an interview.
If possible, include information about significant accomplishments as proof that you can achieve similar results if hired.
6. Create a summary that briefly introduces your skills
Your statement should begin with a strategic adjective that describes you using an active voice. You can include keywords to describe your experience and skills, and keywords can help your resume be picked up by automated resume scanners.
When creating your summary, use quantitative details and avoid making general statements.
Formula for creating an effective resume summary
When you start working on writing your resume summary, you might want to consider the following formula:
- Strong personality/character traits (e.g. insightful, dedicated, detail-oriented).
- Professional title and experience (for example, hotel manager with six years of professional experience).
- Value proposition (eg, wanting to work with a company to increase website traffic).
- Quantifiable achievements (eg 25% cost reduction in my department last year).
How to Structure Resume Summaries by Job Level
Below are sample resume summaries from various industries at different levels of work experience. Review the examples provided below and customize one based on the structure provided.
Entry Level Resume Summary
If you’re a fresh graduate and don’t have a lot of work experience, you can still create a winning resume summary. The key to making your resume a resume as a new graduate is to not appear unqualified.
When writing your plan, you can include volunteer work, praise from teachers, or relevant school projects or awards. If you’re away from a computer and you see a job you want to apply for, you can create your resume using the Canva app on mobile!
Career Change Resume Summary
When creating a resume summary when changing careers, you should show how your previous experience relates to the job you are applying for. If your previous work experience isn’t relevant to the job you’re applying for, focus on your skills.
If you have limited computer access and still need to send your resume to potential employers, you can save your resume to your phone and apply for jobs!
Executive Resume Summary
For an executive resume summary, you should focus on your years of industry experience. You can use the rewards, achievements and initiatives that you have launched successfully.
If you’re worried that your personal information is vulnerable to scammers, the good news is that you can protect your information from those who want to scam you.
Examples of CV summaries based on the type of work
Potential employers look for different things in candidates’ resumes, depending on the position they’re looking to fill. If you’re still unsure about the format of your resume, you may want to consider creating a hybrid resume. Below you will find some examples of CV summaries depending on the type of work you are looking for.
Clerical and administrative jobs
Enthusiastic executive assistant with 8 years of professional experience. Organizing and arranging travel for our annual leadership conference with 15 attendees, while maintaining a smooth workflow. Accounting skills and training on QuickBooks. Created and implemented two office strategies that helped my employer save over $8,000 per year.
Recent Graduates
Dedicated and motivated student working towards a BA in Social Work at Michigan State University (GPA 3.7). Wanting to work for an organization that helps young people from disadvantaged neighborhoods. Volunteered at a shelter for young adults ages 15-19, developing programs to educate people living at home on how to navigate the system when looking for jobs and housing.
Leadership positions
Ambitious and well-organized non-profit executive with over 8 years of experience. Enthusiastic about fundraising, collaborating with stakeholders and looking to help my next employer increase the visibility of the organization and increase memberships and donations. At my former employer, my work contributed to a 30% increase in membership, a 25% increase in donations year over year, and a 25% reduction in costs.
Customer service positions
Enthusiastic and positive customer service representative with over two years of experience in resolving customer issues and concerns. Eager to help my next employer become a market leader with unquestionable customer service skills. Voted Customer Service Employee of the Month four times. Helped reduce dissatisfied callbacks by 25% in the first three months of employment.
medical assistant
Certified Medical Assistant with over 7 years of experience. Passionate about using exemplary patient care skills to support excellence within the organization I work for. A strong believer in continuing education, I began the process of getting my project management certification, so that I could help my employer with efficient and effective projects in the future.
Accounting
Tenacious and regimented senior CGA with over 10 years of experience. Excited to use proven account reconciliation and IT skills with my new employer. Improved former employer’s cloud computing processes, saving up to 900 hours per year. Discovered and solved a problem that saved my employer $500,000 a year.
Grab the attention of your future employer with a winning resume summary
If this article didn’t include the type of job you’re applying for above, you can still create a resume summary that catches the eye of your future employer. Follow the steps outlined above and customize them based on your experience, skills, and accomplishments.
Make sure you understand what the hiring manager is looking for by reviewing the job posting and tailoring your resume to it. By customizing your CV summary, when your potential employer reads your CV, they have a good idea that you are the candidate they are looking for.
