83 Resume Summary Examples & How-To Guide For 2022
Why use a resume summary section?
When should you use a resume summary statement, first, use your most relevant experiences and strong points/characteristics., second, have a short description to follow up., and thirdly, aim to use no more than 3-5 sentences., even more resume summary examples (100+ resume statement and profile samples).
Resume summary statements are short sections that go under the resume header . They serve as a career summary and when done correctly, it outlines your most relevant experience accomplishments and knowledge in less than four sentences.
At a glance, the potential employer should easily identify your core skills and the value you can bring to their business. Ideally, you should be striving for a concise, punchy cv summary that makes the recruiter continue reading.
Benefits of having a resume summary include:
- Preframe your entire application clearly by summarising your career and pointing out the key points or highlights;
- Take advantage, and use the keywords very early on in your resume to consolidate a powerful impression
- Define yourself very briefly so hiring managers quickly grasp a good idea of your character and get fast recognition
In this guide, we’re going to take a look at why you should use a summary statement, as well as how to write one, and we’ll go over some of the best resume summary examples you can take from for your own resume.
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You should use a resume summary section when you want to highlight your skills, experience, and overall showcase your professional background to recruiters.
Use this opportunity to intrigue and draw them further into your resume by helping them get a quick overview of your know-how and how you can be a valuable asset.
You’re giving the job recruiter a glimpse into what you can potentially do for their business. And, depending on how good of a job you’ve done writing your summary, recruiters will either give you their full attention or click the “x” on their screen and go to the next applicant.
“But… I don’t have much of an experience to write about.” Yeah, well, rest assured, you aren’t alone. If you’re just fresh out of school or you’re doing a major career switch, you can always include your goals and objectives.
Recommended read: Resume Sections – Everything You Need to Know
Ideally, you should include a resume summary when you have three and more years of work history. That’s because this section is designed to flatter your skills, expertise, and employment history.
If you’re just starting out in your professional career and you don’t have much to write about in your summary statement, a better option would be a resume objective statement section.
The main difference between a summary statement and a resume objective is what you focus on. The objective statement shows your future professional goals, while a summary statement focuses on your strengths, skills, and what you can do for the business you’re applying to.
And even if the objective statement isn’t your thing, consider using a substitute section. The Enhancv resume builder has tremendous resume sections like “resume headers” and “key achievements” (also known as a summary of qualifications) that can help you present yourself in the best light possible.
Whichever route you go, both should show you in the best light possible.
(Note: not all resumes are designed to have a summary section.)
While nearly all CVs you’ve probably seen have a resume overview, they’re not entirely necessary. Depending on the job position you’re applying for what matters more is how it’s going to be used to increase your chances for an interview.
You can still build a strong application even if you don’t have a resume summary section. Here’s an example of an accounting analyst resume that has no summary, but still secured the job.
Take a look at Carole’s resume. Despite not having a resume overview, it didn’t stop the employer to hire her. All the years of experience make up for it and it doesn’t look too bad overall.
Although I’ve mentioned they’re not always needed, I highly recommend you have one for your resume to emphasize you’re a perfect fit for the job.
Now without any further ado, let’s get to how you can write an outstanding resume summary.
How to write an effective resume summary section
Writing a good resume summary can be boiled down to three main points. It doesn’t matter if you’re applying for a nurse position at a hospital or as a real estate broker.
And if you decide to build your resume with our resume builder, you can choose a template suitable for your industry, click on “+ Add Section” and choose the “resume summary” from all the templated sections we have on our website.
How do you identify what your most relevant experiences and strongest points/characteristics are? How do you choose the right ones to mention?
You want the employer to understand how you can be valuable to their team.
Therefore, you should focus on any significant achievements, skills, and certifications that correspond with the job position you’re applying to.
Take note of the keywords, skills, and responsibilities the hiring manager is looking for. Use that information to reflect on your skills or experiences. Then, combine them accordingly to show how you’re going to be a high-performing asset and an ideal fit. These are the details you want to implicate in your summary.
Make sure that what you talk about is directly linkable and relevant to what they need as this is what will appeal to them. Even if you have the right information, you need to ensure it’s properly aligned to match the job description.
Experienced professionals know that showing how you can help an organization is key to getting a call for an interview. As this section sits at the top of your resume, this is what will get the attention of human resources recruiters.
Let the employers instinctively know you’re more than capable of working for them.
Keywords are one thing and buzzwords are another. Implement those specific phrases into a short description after mentioning your most relevant strengths.
You have to convey value very briefly. It’s a resume summary, so you can’t go very in-depth. Instead, focus on glancing over your experience, and leave the details for later in your work experience section.
(Pro tip: Use actionable relevant keywords, positive adjectives, and personal pronouns that correlate to what they’re demanding to show that you can contribute positively towards their success!)
Keep your summary short and punchy. Just three sentences should be enough.
We’ve found that one-page resumes generally perform better than 2-3 page resumes. Depending on your job and if you need to include more details, then you can extend up to 5 sentences but no more.
With around 3 sentences, the reader gets through your resume and quickly identifies the important information as it’s readable and easy to consume.
Another reason you’d want to keep this section short (and use keywords) is because of ATS (applicant tracking system). It helps to get you recognized and see that you’re a qualifiable person to consider for an interview.
So, carefully select the words you’re going to use. Go for fewer but more impactful words. It’s a resume summary after all – not a dissertation.
Apart from your resume header, this section should be one of the smallest sections on your resume.
As promised from the headline, we’ve handpicked 30 unique resume summary examples to help you stand out. These include career overviews and objectives, and some of these will also show a good and bad example so you know what to avoid.
(The job title links take you to a full guide for how to create a resume for that exact job, and what’s expected of you. Feel free to check them out!)
Resume summary examples and samples you can inspire from
Entry-level engineer resume summary:.
Both of these resume summaries work. They focus on work-related experience and bring up an accomplishment (B.E. graduate). It doesn’t go in-depth about skills because that’s what the skills section is for. This summary lets the recruiter know what you’re looking for, and what experience you’ve had in the past.
Mechanical Engineer Resume Summary (Objectives):
The first summary example is too vague and doesn’t quite paint a clear picture. It’s not as specific when you compare it to the one below. We can see that there’s more detail in the second mechanical engineer applicant’s summary and that they’re more skilled at what they do as they outline their skills and experience clearly.
See below for another mechanical engineer resume objective example:
Content Marketing Resume Summary:
Read through both.
You can clearly see that the first summary is pretty dull, boring, and it doesn’t have anything that makes a recruiter want to invite them to an interview, unlike the second example, where the hiring managers have social proof that makes it memorable
In the case of a content marketing resume, you want to showcase industry authority by having your name out there and flaunting it to your hiring managers.
Marketing Manager Resume Summary:
Firstly, for all resume summaries, you generally want to avoid referring to yourself as “I” as it looks unprofessional. Secondly, it’s vague – “diversity of experience” and worst of all, you can tell the applicant has probably sent the same thing to hundreds of other job applications.
Notice that the second summary has maintained only three sentences. While it’s briefly describing the results and success experienced in the past, it essentially tells the recruiter you’re a marketing manager who’s capable of getting results.
PPC specialist Resume Summary:
Paid ads resume summary., public relations specialist resume summary:.
The first example claims that the applicant is an “expert”. However, it doesn’t really show much to the job recruiter, and there isn’t anything valuable to be learned from it.
In the second one, we can easily tell the applicant is an expert since he has “over 10 years of experience”. There’s a higher degree of benefits obtained, and if you’re applying for this role, you should be taking advantage of numbers and results.
Here are two more examples for PR specialists:
Unlike the first applicant, the second applicant includes examples of work experience and tasks that they’ve worked on before. The first is more focused on talking about themselves and what the company can do for them. Whereas, the second is showing what value they can bring to their organization.
Social Media Manager Resume Summary:
Again, you should be avoiding referring to yourself as “I”. As a social media manager, you want to be very specific and use numbers to be perceived as credible.
The wrong example looks shady and far from professional. In contrast to the second example above, it’s vague and has no meaningful value derived from what they’re saying.
Digital Marketing Resume Summary:
A recurring mistake with resume summaries is the lack of clarity. When looking at the second example, the job recruiter might ask “What new aspects have you worked on? What type of clients have you worked with? What valuable new experiences are you seeking?”.
Every sentence should clearly further your message. If it’s meaningless, you’re wasting the employer’s time and you’ll most likely fail to get into an interview.
Officer Manager Resume Summary:
While in the first summary example we can see the utilization of buzzowrds, because of the lack of accomplishments, the summary falls short.
Sales Representative Resume Summary:
Both of these resume summaries are effective because they’re tailored for the vacancy. And two, it’s emphasizing their soft skills and includes technical details to support their statements.
Assistant Manager Resume Summary:
The first one includes relevant skills and experiences. However, it lacks details to follow up with the skills they claim to be an expert in.
Just by looking at the first summary, we can sense the applicant prioritizes what the company can do for them (“higher pay”) instead of what they can do for the company. And that’s not a pleasant thing to see as a recruiter.
business data analyst Resume Summary:
Both of these resume summaries let us know they’re professionals in the industry because of three main things:
- Clarifies technical details and lets us know about their background (3+ years experiences who loves to automate and streamline in a fast-paced environment)
- Instead of being vague and generic, the applicants are specific and also use examples to support their points
- As a hiring manager for data analysts, we can see what tools they use and how adept their knowledge is for software application
Professional graphic designer with over 20 years of experience, specializing in corporate identity, logo design, general publications, web banners, and packaging designs. Creative, professional and a flexible designer with proven technical skills. Adept at creating and building professional and unique campaigns for a wide variety of clients, services and products
Designer resume example & guide
business analyst
Serious, ambitious, strongly motivated to acquire new skills and knowledge. Creative and entrepreneurial with developed analytical and problem solving skills. I am a person who works well under pressure and with colleagues
business analyst resume example & guide
Hands-on IT Manager responsible for all aspects of technology in a corporate environment supporting 900 users. Strong background in utilizing design and technology to communicate and execute strategic organization goals
IT Manager resume example & guide
Competent, conscientious, and detail-oriented professional skilled in Data analysis, Data processing and Reporting with successful experience in both Public and Private Sector. Quick study, able to understand, assimilate, and convey new requirements with good presentation and people skills
Help Desk resume example & guide
junior java developer
I am a self-taught technology geek with a passion for tinkering with everything with a chip inside. Recently I finished my 6-month full-time internship project at VMware, which really improved my coding skills and helped me learn how to design and write high quality production-ready software
Junior java developer resume example & guide
Help Desk Analyst
I am enthusiastic about helping people and resolving issues by providing my knowledge and support. Communication and feeling connected to others is what makes me tick, therefore I thrive in dynamic environments that offer a lot of collaboration and learning opportunities
VP Business development."/Career Change
Drawing the short straw often in my 23 years of existence, I’ve built a titanium core consisting of patience, perseverance, curiosity and decision-making. I’ve put myself a number of times in the spotlight hosting events, acting in TV series, and attending talk shows so I’m not shy and I know how to handle heat. I’ve always been keen on cutting-edge tech, innovation, entrepreneurship & intrapreneurship
VP Business Development resume example & guide
Software engineer
Being involved in remote work my entire career has taught me to value two key traits, honesty and dependability. I’ve chosen to live my life by those traits, whether I’m in office in a meeting with my teammates or on the other side of the world, proactively finding a solution to some of our teams’ hardest issues
Software engineer resume example & guide
Marketing intern
My studies are on the understanding of consumer behavior and the psychology of marketing since this is the main factor for understanding how people think and what emotions drag them to consume. I have been influenced mainly by the works of Sigmund and Anna Freud, Friedrich Nietzsche, Immanuel Kant, Karl Marx, Adam Smith, John Maynard Keynes, Joseph Stiglitz and many more historical and influential figures..
Marketing Intern resume example & guide
Retail sales associate
Ability to communicate clearly and effectively, taking the initiative in self-development, remaining flexible in work assignments, following direction and guidance, accomplishing goals in a team atmosphere.A motivated, friendly with leadership abilities person with an interest to create a wow guest experience
product engineer
9+ years of B2B integration experience working with Fortune 500 companies. 5+ years of experience building and growing successful teams
Product Engineer resume example & guide
VP of sales resume
Experienced sales and marketing professional with a successful track record of delivering high performance sales results. Vast practical knowledge of how to drive engagement and meet goals. Bring the good ideas to life while maintaining focus, strategic orientation and the ability to lead and inspire teams
VP of sales resume resume example & guide
Data scientist
Data scientist and signal processing specialist with a unique mix of theoretical, practical and experimental knowledge within mathematics, physics and signal processing. Experience leading applied research focusing primarily on the development of novel data processing and machine learning algorithms for different industries (e.g., oil and gas, telecommunication, security and environment monitoring). Fortunate to work with and lead different strong teams from diverse backgrounds
Data Scientist resume example & guide
Full Stack Developer
I’m a full-stack engineer with years of hands-on experience in developing scalable and responsive web applications, using modern software design techniques. I love working in environments where my skills can be consistently challenged to not only improve but revolutionize products or services
Full Stack Developer resume example & guide
Account Management and Business Development Expert with 7 years of experience in performance marketing startup and banking in Europe and Asia handling digital advertising and banking products. I understand performance marketing and digital advertising in detail
Finance resume example & guide
Digital Marketing Analyst
A professional with a strong digital marketing background and mastery of digital marketing tools. Passionate about customer oriented business models and technologies that bring change and take us to the next level
Digital Marketing Analyst resume example & guide
software engineer
Accomplished Full Stack Software Engineer with 10+ years overall experience that includes product development and non-trivial personal projects across a range of languages/platforms. Avid consumer of conference videos, blogs & books. Interests include JavaScript (React, Redux, RX, Ramda), Functional Reactive Programming, Microservices, Ansible, Video Engineering, Accessibility, & Captioning
Software Engineer resume example & guide
solutions architect
My greatest passion is solving problems. Understanding the real needs is uncovering the true desires and motivations behind. Creating a customer demand, building a new product or expanding the business yells for a mixture of abstract thinking, business analytics skills and product oriented mind. As a Solutions architect I grow those every day
Solutions Architect resume example & guide
Engineering
Safety and Health Engineer with 7 years and 10 months of professional experience, including almost 4 years of directly related safety experience in the oil and gas industry. Possesses strong technical knowledge of Federal and Cal OSHA codes and regulations
Engineering resume example & guide
It director
With 9+ years in the IT Banking industry with solid experience in Investment banking, Loan Origination System and Credit Card Rewards Application. I have good working experience in Triple ‘A implementation and as well good experience in Java/J2EE design and development
IT Director resume example & guide
Accounting analyst
Highly organized, motivated professional with an eye for detail who takes the initiative and is able to develop instant rapport and build lasting relationships. Implements strong analytical and time management skills to generate effective strategies and improve efficiency while successfully creating opportunities for new business lines
Accounting Analyst resume example & guide
15 years work experience in a range of roles and industries in highly regulated environments. I have run my own business, held leadership positions in banking and finance and I believe that my people skills have been at the heart of my success in all of my roles. I am highly motivated, driven to succeed, and take ownership of my personal development. I am friendly, honest, organised and reliable. My previous experience coupled with my capacity to learn quickly and understand changes to policy and process will allow me a short lead-time to full competence in any role
Teacher resume example & guide
Creative Marketing
Who am I? A disciplined creative mind who works in the field of marketing, advertising, brand managing, and even product management. Always ready to experiment, test new strategies and new approaches with great enthusiasm
Creative Marketing resume example & guide
Project manager
Accomplished project manager with nine years’ experience, expertly driving digital campaigns seamlessly and successfully, from planning to execution. Deep understanding of digital campaign processes across various industries such as healthcare, pharmaceutical, automotive, and consumer packaged goods. Extensive experience managing relationships with clients, agency partners, and suppliers. Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and projects within a fast-paced environment, with a track record of managing programmes across various specialties including digital, social, and traditional
Project manager resume example & guide
Software Engineer
My passion is all forms of Java programming: server side (Spring, JavaEE), native Android, etc . I have significant experience with various projects, processes and technologies, which have shaped me into a responsible, multifunctional developer. Attention to detail and striving for perfection is extremely important to me. I am a quick learner and highly motivated to improve myself and get acquainted with new technologies, patterns or \”tricks\”. I have studied English for over 10 years and I can confidently say my level of English is excellent
Senior process engineer
Experienced and goal-oriented engineer with a track record of consistently meeting and exceeding established goals and objectives related to manufacturing, process control & optimization and project management. Analytical and motivated with strong results focus and attention to details
Project coordinator
Project Management professional with academic background and industry expertise in International Business Management, Financial Consulting, Strategic Business Development and Sales and Marketing. References available
Business intelligence
Seasoned business improvement and strategy professional with a proven track record of delivering diverse cross functional initiatives in an entrepreneurial organisation. Extensive experience with implementing practical and timely solutions to solve business problems through data and hypothesis driven approaches
Business Intelligence resume example & guide
Php developer
I have 7+ Years experience in Web Development behind my back. A Web Application Engineer who undertakes complex assignments, solves problems, meets tight deadlines and delivers superior performance in modular and object-oriented programming. Proficient in PHP with advanced skill level in Symfony2, Laravel, Codeigniter, and Drupal. Dedicated to extremely good quality of work. Highly motivated individual driven by passions and dreams. Leader. Team Player and Geek. Writes and eats codes for breakfast
PHP Developer resume example & guide
Data mining
Master Data Expert with 11 years experience with SAP and MS Office. Aimed to high-quality work and problem-solving thinking
Data Mining resume example & guide
Business Development
A competent Business Development and Key Accounts Management professional with added advantage of marketing skills and over 10+ years of relevant experience
Business Development resume example & guide
Social Media Marketing
A proven track record in Customer Service excellence and my passion for Information Technology and Social Media put me in a privileged position to appreciate the intricacy of Community Management and its related activities. Having spoken to Community Managers around the world, it doesn’t come as a surprise to me to know that we have it tough because of the unique expectations of our local customers
Social Media Marketing resume example & guide
Business Data Analyst
Big-picture strategist & wordsmith with a proven technical ability to translate business objectives into tactics. Excited by strategic planning, I thrive on connecting with clients ‘in their language’ and ‘seeing around the corner’- I spot downstream effects and implications of business decisions before execution
Business Data Analyst resume example & guide
Program manager
Experienced program manager in a product organization with strong marketing skills, business understanding and tech junkie. Practical knowledge in Scrum, driving projects aligned with a product roadmap, user research studies and partnering with different roles in an organization to define needs and stories. Areas of expertise include: marketing personas, working with developers on marketing and business stories, working on product releases, analyzing and improving user journeys and experiences
Program manager resume example & guide
Front End Developer
Highly motivated Web Developer, flexible within the working environment and able to adapt quickly and positively to challenging situations. I am a quick learner and a good team member with a sharp eye for details
Front End Developer resume example & guide
Director of software engineering
Started off my career developing software applications for payment terminals and never looked back there after. Today I am proud to be versatile with the kind of projects and companies I have worked with & the tremendous software development & management experience of 15+ years in the payments industry is something that makes it distinctive
Director of Software Engineering resume example & guide
Substitute Teacher
Languages, communication, and writing have always been passions of mine; Spanish, English, and German sit at the top of the list. Writing, localizing, translating, interpreting, and teaching in an international setting are my jams
Substitute Teacher resume example & guide
Director of engineering
Over 17 years of diversified experience in various fields of telecommunications, CATV and industrial product manufacturing and system design. In-depth involvement in all phases of project development, including concept creation, research, analysis, system engineering, circuit design, implementation, production, quality and technical support
Director of Engineering resume example & guide
Customer experience coordinator
I’m a dedicated professional who uses motivating strategies for team leadership. I have experience in training staff, coaching & development, as well as implementing new operational strategies while maintaining a positive environment. I am organized, detail oriented, goal driven, and a sharp thinker
engineering manager
Engineering Manager with 8 years of experience managing cross-functional teams, focused on team development, collaboration, processes and continuous improvement through agile methodologies
Catering sales manager
I specialize in off-premises catering management with experience in mobile vending operations. Planning an event for my customers is always a fun adventure and I sincerely enjoy taking my clients’ vision to the next level.I am now looking to join a larger team of like-minded professionals
test engineer
ISTQB Certified Software Test engineer focused on Manual and Automation testing of Mobile and Web Based Software Applications. Hardworking and concentrating on meeting deadlines and exceeding expectations. Good understanding of automation testing, using Selenium Web Driver, Sikuli, Appium, UI Automator, Xamarin UI Automation Tests and willingness to learn more tools. Preparation of Automation Test for Web Based Software Applications, Flash Games and Mobile Applications for Android and iOS. Creation and upload of Automation Test Scripts to Xamarin Test Cloud
Test Engineer resume example & guide
I bring eight + years of experience building Human Resources and Operations practices. My mission and passion is connecting global organizations with remote IT talent. I take a human2human approach to all virtual relationships. I have the keen ability to unite different cultures around a common vision. Tech savvy by nature, I understand the demands across technology roles and successfully staff accordingly
HR manager resume example & guide
Project Coordinator
A competent and highly driven professional, able to effectively coordinate tasks to accomplish targets with timeliness and creativity who has experience of working within a fast paced environment with superb problem solving techniques, judgment and decision making skills
technical writer
Calm, driven professional comfortable working in fast-paced environments with leadership and management roles, and a passion for tackling tasks with creativity and critical problem solving skills
Technical Writer resume example & guide
Department head
18 year financial services veteran with leadership positions held in key segments including commercial banking, consumer and small business banking, consumer finance and credit operations. Critical experience in leading small and large teams, talent development, presenting to C-suite, training, change management, strategic planning, sales management, marketing, product management, operations, and managing reorganizations
Department Head resume example & guide
Store Manager
Experienced retail sales manager with strengths in customer service, sales and brand building. Proven skills in marketing, advertising, product integration, and promotions. Instrumental in developing an incentive rewards program that currently supports educational programs for Target Internationally. Excels in turning disorganized environments into smooth-running operations and overhauling administrative processes to improve accuracy and efficiency
Store Manager resume example & guide
Salesforce developer
Full-Stack certified Salesforce Commerce Cloud Developer with more than two years of hands-on experience. Worked with both – Pipelines and Controllers. Managing high quality and well optimised code with shortest time to deliver
Salesforce Developer resume example & guide
Technical Lead
I believe the job of an engineer is to optimise the system as you build. I am a full-stack RoR engineer who also has experience in Python, JS and C++ with a passion for computational linguistics. I also work on improving, redesigning and automating the software development and product management processes
Java Developer
For the past 14 years I have created dozens of projects and I have researched, learned and used more technologies than I can mention. I’m currently working with Node and Vue but I’m always up to date with the latest in front-end & backend development and I can quickly pick up anything
Java Developer resume example & guide
Legal and compliance trainee
With a background in law and business, I have been able to succeed in challenging positions in both fields. My work experience ranges from large multinational corporations to a non-profit working on local, community-based impact. Being multilingual, I have lived in an international environment in 5 different countries and been exposed to diverse cultures, and quickly adapted to new situations. My leadership, creativity, and adaptable nature make me a valuable asset in any team
product manager
I am an experienced Product manager with focus on machine learning projects and a strong analytical background. In my career I manage to balance business and technology to get the best synergy out of these two directions. I believe that one can understand how things work by doing. So I program in Python and implement machine learning algorithms. I have an experience of participating in Kaggle competitions. I’ve spend 10 years working and doing projects in the fields of data, ad tech and advertising
Product manager resume example & guide
I have a knack for seeing the \”Big Picture\” and I’m passionate about delivering business results by bringing marketing strategies to life. With over 5 years in various marketing disciplines, including customer acquisition and engagement, product management and public relations
Research & Insight Manager
An experienced researcher passionate about understanding human behaviour and what makes people tick. I’m particularly interested in understanding decisions in the context of wider consumer trends, mobile ethnography, using methods that allow to get closer to people & engaging insight delivery
Energy Consultant
I am a persistent and success-driven energy planner, possessing a well-rounded competence profile, together with extensive experience in cooperating with people from multinational backgrounds. I believe that fossil fuels are both harmful and finite. Hence, one of my main interests is the decarbonisation of the energy sectors through the use of economically-feasible measures. Moreover, ensuring the security of supply and successfully creating smart energy systems is something I strive for
Devops engineer
Innovative Senior DevOps Engineer with a strong Linux background and 15+ years of experience designing, implementing, and managing cutting-edge deployment automation of cloud resources
Devops Engineer resume example & guide
Production Engineer
Engineering professional with over five years’ work experience that spans Operations and Asset Management in the Oil & Gas industry delivering circa 45 MMbbls of crude oil optimally and MEP designs for building construction. My engineering background underpinned by a passion for computer aided engineering (conceptual design, analysis & manufacture) feeds an uncanny interest in research and technology development
Social media specialist
Professional, dynamic and creative, these are the three keys that define my job. I can read between the lines of a business’ target audience in order to create the best strategy for them to be captivated with a brand, by means of social media, audiovisual material, analytics or just whatever I have at hand! Proficient in English and Spanish
Social Media Specialist resume example & guide
project director
A multilingual professional with work experience spread across six continents, twenty countries and strong background in market research and business development. Adept at building and maintaining relationships with senior decision makers at blue-chip firms and local enterprises
Financial control and risk manager
A qualified accountant and a CFA charterholder with 9 years of experience in the FS sector. Major competences include project and team management, knowledge of the IFRS and management accounting, excellent analytical, multitasking, modelling and valuation skills, application of the CRD IV package and the related banking regulations
Project Manager
For the past 10 years, I have helped AEC firms develop, integrate, coordinate, and manage Building Information Models for design, construction, and field use during Pre-construction, Construction and for Facility Management. This incorporates 3D Visualization; 3D Clash Detection; 4D Phasing, Sequencing, Scheduling Analysis, 5D Quantity extraction and the next levels of ‘6D’ and ‘XD’. I also regularly participate in Project Pursuits and am involved daily with project executives, owners, and design teams
Test Engineer
Trilingual student, currently studying the fifth year of mechanical engineering at University of Los Andes. Interested in the production or quality field of the automotive industry. Capable of group management and situations that demand pressure as well as teamwork to achieve suitable results
External Affairs Coordinator
Seasoned and versatile public affairs expert with experience delivering dynamic results for major public health and legislative businesses. Prior experience in public relations consulting for Fortune 500 health care, financial, and pharmaceutical organizations
Head of Business Transformation & Systems
IT Executive with 20 years’ of experience in Business Transformation, Global Delivery, and M&A Integration. Passionate, trusted leader delivering innovative solutions with strong credibility across business and technology groups. Extensive experience building high-performance global teams providing strategic results by aligning business goals with an integrated IT strategy and delivering enabling technologies to influence shareholder value
Accomplished Program Management Leader with an outstanding record of introducing innovative hardware & software products to market within multiple industry settings. Adept at balancing company objectives with business realities and customer needs. Strong advocate of leadership beyond operational excellence, with a special passion for empowering individuals to grow within an organization
Program Manager resume example & guide
Business Analyst
A former creative writer and a born communicator with technical savvy, I traverse the gap between business and technology, helping tech teams understand their customers’ motivations and do the right work
Business Analyst resume example & guide
Sales manager
Highly accomplished Sales director with knowledge of all sales processes, demonstrating solid analytical and team management skills. With more than 15 years of experience in Digital Media
Sales Manager resume example & guide
Marketing specialist
Accomplished and motivated Marketing Specialist offering extensive expertise in lead generation, event planning, and channel program development in the consumer electronics industry. Skilled in the cultivation of strong relationships with different media. Well versed in the design and execution of marketing strategies intended to match company’s products and services need
Marketing Specialist resume example & guide
software development manager
Engineering Management professional with 16+ years of IT experience across a wide range of engineering functions with a strong record in leading projects in crisis and successful turnaround by improving quality & predictability of deliverables. Proven ability to build and lead highly efficient teams through successful execution of projects and strategic product
Testing delivery manager
Test manager with 10+ years of experience in leading QA/Testing projects. Successfully led projects, working in complex environments with teams working in onshore-offshore delivery models. Worked with US & European customers. Expertise in transitioning large scale projects to offshore or from other vendors working across different cultures. Worked on RFPs for testing projects
Strategic Advisor
Hands-on results-oriented executive manager known for strategic and focused approach. Extensive experience with business development, strategic processes, client leadership, team management and international cooperation. Adept at create added value by combining analytical with creative thinking skills
Program Manager
A passionate, highly ambitious, self-driven Program Manager who thrives in a fast paced environment, looking for a suitable job to learn new skills. I am extremely organized, ambitious with a strong bias towards action. Being adept at Agile Methodology, Scrum, SDLC and with 12+ years of experience in the IT Industry, I believe I can bring a lot to the table
Director of finance
I am a seasoned business professional with expertise in financial planning, management, reporting and analytics. I have been highly effective in enhancing organizational, corporate and client relations by continuously offering excellent support in a matrix organization. I have the ability to perform advanced functions in Excel, Essbase-Hyperion and MS Access and create models to analyze financial data
Director of Finance resume example & guide
Software architect
Over 5 years experienced IT consultant who worked in three different countries with expertise in technology and development architectures. Substantial technical and functional experience across the entire software development lifecycle, and has led onshore and offshore teams to implement a sustainable and effective solution across the enterprise
Software Architect resume example & guide
technology consultant
A SAP CO Certified who brings 10 years of professional experiences in global and multicultural organizations. Has a high degree of multi-tasking skills as evidenced by being able to lead various ad hoc activities on top of the current job requirements. Knowledgeable and supported General Ledger, Treasury, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Asset Accounting, Cost Accounting, Controlling & Profitability Analysis, Vendor Invoice Management, Travel Management, Product Supply,Investment Management, Funds Management, and FSCM
Network engineer
An aspiring network engineer with an excellent IT educational background. Hands on experience on IP networking. Skilled in network design, configuration, deployment and a basic level of network security. In depth knowledge of L2 Switching technologies and Data Center technologies
Network Engineer resume example & guide
Talent acquisition manager
HR Specialist with over three years experience,versatile professional with Technical recruitment experience ranging from mid level to full scale high budget senior most level roles.Proven ability to oversee and manage the team while ensuring timely completion of project deadlines on individual as well as team level all while remaining aligned with budgets provided
Talent Acquisition Manager resume example & guide
Director, campaign technologies & services
Creative, results-oriented technology executive with more than 20 years experience in envisioning, developing, evangelizing, and selling high quality software solutions, and building, leading and managing strong cross-functional teams
Assistant Vice President – Program Test Manager / Project Manager
16 years of proven track record as a Delivery Manager, Program Test Manager and Project Manager in IT industry and expert in smooth delivery of program/projects and having international work experience – US, UK, Singapore & India
Environmental Engineer
Environmental Engineer with more than 5 years of professional experience. Excellent communication skills with strong teamwork ability, experience and interest in working with multinational groups and crews, strong planning, quick action and problem solving skills, self motivated, energetic and hardworking within tight schedules
Proficient in Finance team coaching and training due to all-around knowledge and experience in financial accounting, report consolidation and internal control. Ability to create Operating Plans from Financial Analytics in forecasting and budgeting
Accounting resume example & guide
Test Lead (Market Risk)
I bring 11+ years of experience in Software Quality Assurance for Banking and Financial Services industry, with expertise in leading, managing and delivering end to end QA services to large scale complex global projects and programmes
Sales Director
Relationship management and business development leader with 8 years of proven tangible achievements in the travel and aviation industry. I drive results by formulating and executing strategies that ensure the sales pipeline is always full, by engaging stakeholders and providing defining solutions to their critical issues. With an entrepreneurial zeal, I perform best under pressure and in environments where action supersedes words
Sales Director resume example & guide
Marketing Director
Innovative and analytical problem solver with 10+ years of managerial experience in Marketing & Sales. Focused on \”integrating systems-to-people\” in order to create accurate workflows with smart monitoring capabilities for the decision making processes
Marketing Director resume example & guide
operations manager
An IT professional with 5 years of experience in system administration and hardware maintenance. I designed and delivered cost optimization, migration and maintenance projects, managed the team and day-to-day operation. Familiar in working with critical and high demand environment which requires on call standby and emergency service
Operations Manager resume example & guide
A results orientated individual. Self-development has been a continuous trend in my career together with consistent determination and enthusiasm. Experience and strength in working in driven environments with the ability to multi-task and achieve deadlines. Curious minded with a willingness to always learn and succeed
Recruiter resume example & guide
Solutions Architect
Software developer with 10+ years of experience. I engaged in the development of different business domains that include telecom, banking, ERP, e-learning and education. I contribute as a software engineer, lead, solution designer and architect. I work with Microsoft technologies and open source as well
Product Leader
Product Leader with more than 15 years of experience in customer centric, product development and operations across multiple sectors and industries, both B2C & B2B. Expertise in stakeholder management and leading product teams to create value by radical focus on objectives and simplifying complex customer, business and technology problems
PPC Specialist
Digital Marketing Enthusiast with focus on Paid Ads across Google’s & Facebook networks. With an in-depth experience in the field working with US & UK clients, I have developed an all-around vision in Digital Marketing
PPC Specialist resume example & guide
Business solutions strategy manager
I have spent over 10 years working with global industry leaders within Telecoms, FMCG, Energy and IT sectors. Possessing MBA, Engineering and Computer Science qualifications, my experience spans across strategy, operations, delivery and B2B sales (business development and account management). As a consultative and strategic problem solver, I have been effective in building relationships across functions at senior levels (up to CxO)
Senior technical analyst
14+ years of overall IT experience with a unique mix of skills (tech & soft). I am genuinely passionate, fun and always looking to learn and improve. I take issue ownership, willing to help, share my knowledge and be open to listen to others. Give me data and purpose and I give you actionable insights ready to be consumed by business or non-analytically oriented minds.
It recruitment specialist
IT Recruitment Specialist with over 2.5 years experience. Managed various recruitment requests from specialists wanted with Java, .NET, PHP, Erlang, Perl knowledge, to BI&BA, Project Manager & Scrum Master, Card Management System/ Way4, ColdFusion, Liferay, Oracle Database, DevOps & Cloud expertise
business consultant
6 years of rich experience in Sales force effectiveness, sales crediting, Compensation and incentives, Commercial Data Analysis and Project Management for US Pharmaceutical/Telecom organizations. Currently managing a large team of geographically dispersed cross-functional stakeholders and peer
Sr. Resource Manager
Overall 16yrs of Cross -functional experience in IT/ ITES industry. After a successful Journey in Outsourcing – Product Support, e-commerce support and Quality Management, I moved to the US to earn my MBA in MIS. I was associated with a Salesforce Implementation company as an Account Manager, where I contributed to enterprise Sales and Resource Management. I currently Serve as a Sr. Resource Manager with an ERP Solutions Company being responsible for entire Resource Management. I hire, develop and deploy technical workforce in multiple projects which include Fortune 500 Customers
Product Manager
Dynamic, entrepreneurial sales & product management strategist with 10+ years of record achievements and demonstrated success driving sales growth. Providing sales leadership in highly competitive markets, by being adept at driving growth of company revenues and improving sales-team performance; always tenacious in building new business, securing customer loyalty and forging strong relationships with external business partners
Senior Business Program Manager
I am a strategic leader, trusted advisor and experienced entrepreneurial program manager with strong influential leadership, negotiation, governance, team management and conflict resolution skills. A proven record of success in fostering teamwork to deliver complex programs of work in large, global and cross-functional implementations within budget & time constraints, expertise in organisational change management (ADKAR) and process improvement
Business Evangelist, Cloud & Devices
Biz Dev, Sales & Marketing Professional with 8 years’ experience in technology, handling projects spanning program management, partnerships and Go-To-Market activities, with exposure to managing business operations for a cross-functional, global team
Business Excellence Manager
Change manager with demonstrated track record of driving growth, reducing costs, improving operations and successfully creating solutions for complex business problems. Studied MBA in Business leadership, Lean Six-Sigma (Black belt), ISO (9001 & 14001) auditor, BEE certified Energy manager & Project Management trained management professional. Overall 8+ years of wide experience in consulting, business excellence, strategy, projects procurement & maintenance in automotive & manufacturing sectors
Head of Communications
Over 11 years in the media industry, 6 years in leadership positions. Public speaker & university lecturer. I created development strategies for web portals, content marketing agencies and other products. Social media, communications & online media are my passion, my life and my job. I am good at it
Digital Project Manager
Digital Analyst, 4+ years of industrial experience. Sound knowledge in the areas of digital marketing, SEO/SEM, web analytics, Ad management, web development, UI/UX, project management & social media. Avid reader, especially biographies
Client Executive – Global Business Services
A seasoned finance and strategy executive with 19 years management experience at Hewlett Packard, positioned to take on most types of finance roles including a CFO position in a small or medium sized company. In particular, I can provide the controllership expertise required to facilitate growing companies or transform how finance is currently carried out in an organisation needing to evolve and change
Five years of Analytics, Operations and Technology experience with high proficiency in data mining. Compelling business acumen with decision making and problem solving skills. Leadership and team building capabilities. Excellent communicator with remarkable presentation qualities
A full stack architect/developer with extensive experience in Java/JEE/Web development. Self-starter and highly motivated with excellent analytical and problem solving skills with 8 years of industry experience
Human Resources Generalist with various different industries background, known as dynamic HR professional with solid experience in dealing with Sr. Management personnel and special project setting
Senior regional talent acquisition consultant
A result-driven Recruiting Professional who blends strong recruitment experience with a background in Branding and Marketing. Proven record in the ability to understand business needs and building rapport with Talent Acquisition Teams and Hiring Managers. Proven ability to source, select and secure top-notch candidates for multiple concurrent positions
Well rounded professional with 14 years of experience across consulting services, banking & retail. Very good understanding of global markets, particularly developed markets. Core consulting experience in developing & implementing outsourcing, offshoring & program management process for program sizes upwards of $25m+. Avid interest in the start-up ecosystem & mentored start-ups for business plan preparation & sales & marketing strategy development
4+ years of experience in analysis, design and development of client/server, web based and n-tier applications using .NET C#. Expert in developing web applications, databases and web services using ASP.NET MVC, C#, SQL, JQuery, HTML, CSS and Bootstrap
acting hr manager
A well rounded Leader who gone through all activities in HR for almost 14 years and a person who tries to help people know more about their capability
It project manager
A seasoned certified IT Project Manager / Scrum Master offering 9 years of experience in delivering small to large scale software and mobile based solutions to government and private sector clients coming from various business domains
Solution sales manager
A professional with close to 12 years of industry experience and exposure to diverse international markets of Africa, South East Asia and SAARC; having excellent analytical and managerial skills. My forte lies in strategic planning, marketing & product management function
Advertising and marketing professional with 13 years of experience with a vital track record in program management, strategy development, formulating business & technical requirements, along with managing project scope, stakeholders, and risk
Cofounder – Tech Sector
15+ years of experience in designing technology strategy and leading multiple teams to build enterprise class software products. Helped customers achieve business objectives by combining product mindset and hands-on expertise on a wide range of technology stacks
VP of Sales Resume
Well qualified and experienced strategy professionals gained in a multinational environment. Highly motivated team person with strong analytical, presentation and communication skills. 10+ years of professional experience in leading strategic market, competitive & customer analysis for strategy, GTM & business development. 6+ years of professional experience in strategy planning, execution, strategic initiatives deployment and developing excellence & capabilities. Strong experience in leading and developing highly engaged teams
CTO / Chief Technology Officer
Experienced in all roles and phases of software development. Love agile, start-ups and leading people (7+ years). Managed four products & several remote teams. Excelling in complex projects. Being developer for 15+ years in relational databases
Chief Operating Officer
Senior executive with international experience in high end engineering businesses. Highly adaptable to various business sectors with a high sense of ethics and responsibility. Results oriented, constantly seeking improvements to processes and believer in the empowerment in individuals to achieve their potential, hence benefiting to both the employer and employee
Resume summaries bring together the highlights from your career and empower the value shown to the recruiter.
If your job title wasn’t mentioned in any of these examples, take a look at Enhancv’s 530+ resume examples here . You’ll also get a full guide that specifically teaches you how to create a resume for your chosen profession.
On the other hand, did you find your job title in our chosen examples? Is there anything else we’re missing? Let us know in the comments below!
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How important is a resume summary?
Recruiters only have 7.4 seconds to review a resume.
And within this small timeframe, they have to decide if it is necessary to look further into the resume.
A recruiter scans for relevant keywords throughout your professional experience, career highlights, and key skills sections. And unless they see some relevant skills or required information at the first glance, they reject your resume.
This fact justifies your need to draft a resume summary to hold on to the recruiter's interest and intrigue them into considering your resume during the job application process.
Read on to understand the importance of a resume summary and get a clear understanding of how to draft a professional resume summary in 2023:
- What is a summary on a resume?
- How should I start my summary for my resume?
- Do you need a summary on a resume 2023?
- What is the difference between a resume summary and an objective?
What Is a Good Summary for Resume?
A good resume statement is a brief highlight of your career achievements and your impact on the growth of an organization.
It should be limited to 1-4 sentences, a strong & powerful introduction of your most relevant career experience, skills, and achievements.
The first sentence of the resume summary should always start with your professional selling point that highlights:
- Your years of experience
- Your certification
- A specialized skill
Tips to Write a Stellar Resume Summary
- Start the resume summary with your selling points
- It should contain some performance figures to support your statements
- Don't list your skills randomly, instead describe how you have utilized the skills to deliver a quantifiable impact
Resume Summary Example:
10+ years experienced Business Development Manager with a prolific track record of spearheading 100-member teams to formulate and execute high-growth strategies across domains spanning pharma, banking, and financial services. Adept at forging strategic alliances and conceptualizing business growth initiatives for boosting profitability and directing expansion across continents.
Also Read: What is a resume personal statement?
How to Write a Resume Summary?
The way you write a resume summary for an experienced candidate differs from a resume summary for a fresher.
We'll show you exactly how to write a professional resume summary for different situations of a candidate:
Professional Summary In Resume for Experienced Candidates
It's comparatively easy to write a resume summary if you have exceptional work experience.
The summary should be 2-3 sentences long. Not more than that.
- First sentence: The first sentence should start with your selling point, which is your years of experience, certification, or profile title.
- Second & third sentence: The second & third sentence should describe your most relevant skill and achievement
Example of Professional Summary in Resume for Experienced Candidates:
14+ years experienced Senior Operations Management Professional with a track record of spearheading teams to champion business operations spanning diverse countries and conglomerates in the telecom and IT domain. Highly skilled in conceptualizing and implementing cost-effective strategies to streamline operations by optimizing processes for delivering user-centric solutions. Proficient in directing the execution of end-to-end migration-based projects and deploying domain expertise to bolster the quality of service delivery and resolve escalations.
Summary for Resume with No Experience
A resume summary for freshers is not as detailed as that of experienced professionals. But even if you don't have enough years of work experience, you still can make a good summary section.
- First sentence: Start the first sentence with a descriptive adjective such as "Dynamic", "Result-oriented", and so forth along with your GPA (if 3.5+). Also, add any relevant experience obtained from or outside your classroom.
- Second sentence: Add relevant skills in the second sentence of the resume summary.
- Third sentence: If you have any additional experience, you can add that to the third sentence.
Example Resume Summary for Freshers (Finance Graduate):
Dynamic and result-oriented Finance Graduate proficient in deploying analytical and database tools to scrutinize business operations. Adept at employing effective data analysis techniques to facilitate sound decision-making and successfully execute projects. An eager learner with excellent business communication skills and armed with the required skill set to be propelled to higher positions.
Also Read: What is a resume objective section?
40+ Resume Summary Examples
Here are a few powerful resume summary examples for candidates with different levels of work experience:
1. Caregiver Resume Summary Examples
Related resume samples:
- Caregiver Resume
- Babysitter Resume
2. Computer Science Resume Summary Examples
- Computer Science Resume
- Computer Internship Resume
3. Digital Marketing Resume Summary Examples
- Digital Marketing Resume
4. Food Service Resume Summary Examples
- Food Service Resume
- Fast Food Resume
5. High School Resume Summary Examples
- High School Resume
6. Nursing Student Resume Summary Examples
- Nursing Student Resume
7. Research Assistant Resume Summary Examples
- Research Assistant Resume
8. Warehouse Resume Summary Examples
- Warehouse Resume
9. Assistant Accountant Resume Summary Examples
- Assistant Accountant Resume
10. Bartender Resume Summary Examples
- Bartender Resume
11. Cashier Resume Summary Examples
- Cashier Resume
12. Certified Nursing Assistant Resume Summary Examples
- Certified Nursing Assistant Resume
13. Customer Service Resume Summary Examples
- Customer Service Resume
14. Dental Assistant Resume Summary Examples
- Dental Assistant Resume
15. Financial Analyst Resume Summary Examples
- Financial Analyst Resume
16. Information Technology Resume Summary Examples
- Information Technology Resume
17. Marketing Resume Summary Examples
- Marketing Resume
18. Medical Assistant Resume Summary Examples
- Medical Assistant Resume
19. Receptionist Resume Summary Examples
- Receptionist Resume
20. Social Worker Resume Summary Examples
- Social Worker Resume
21. Software Engineer Resume Summary Examples
- Software Engineer Resume
- Programmer Resume
22. Pre-School Teacher Resume Summary Examples
- Pre-School Teacher Resume
- Substitute Teacher Resume
23. Web Developer Resume Summary Examples
- Web Developer Resume
24. Account Manager Resume Summary Examples
- Account Manager Resume
25. HR Generalist Resume Summary Examples
- HR Generalist Resume
- HR Coordinator Resume
26. Marketing Manager Resume Summary Examples
- Marketing Manager Resume
27. Program Manager Resume Summary Examples
- Program Manager Resume
28. Operations Manager Resume Summary Examples
- Operations Manager Resume
29. Product Manager Resume Summary Examples
- Product Manager Resume
30. Project Manager Resume Summary Examples
- Project Manager Resume
31. Sales Manager Resume Summary Examples
- Sales Manager Resume
32. Warehouse Manager Resume Summary Examples
- Warehouse Manager Resume
33. Registered Nurse Resume Summary Examples
- Registered Nurse Resume
34. Entry Level Marketing Resume Summary Examples
Dynamic Management Professional armed with a practical approach for creative problem-solving and possessing a track record of liaising with key stakeholders to formulate and execute marketing strategies. Adept at deploying analytical tools to boost brand positioning and product marketing. Highly skilled in analyzing market trends to bolster customer acquisition and deliver compelling business value to clients.
35. IT Recruitment Specialist Resume Summary Examples
8 years experienced Senior Recruitment Expert with a track record of spearheading teams to formulate and effectively execute pan-US recruitment strategies in the IT domain. Proficient in employing the latest human capital practices to attract and retain high-potential talent. Forward-thinking change agent, adept at strengthening corporate culture and addressing grievances for ensuring cordial management-employee relations.
36. General Manager Resume Summary Examples
20 years experienced Senior Management Professional and Port/Shipping Specialist armed with the skills of spearheading teams to champion operations management for inbound and outbound cargo across international trade lines. Adept at conducting audits and directing quality assurance initiatives for achieving business objectives. Highly skilled in conceptualizing cost optimization measures and enhancing the utilization of resources for delivering compelling business value to key stakeholders.
- General Manager Resume
37. F&B Operations Head Position Summary Examples
13+ years experienced F&B Operations Expert with a track record of championing retail functions to achieve business goals. Proficient in conducting competitive analysis and mapping market trends to formulate strategies and exceed sales and business development targets. Armed with the skills of building and managing a cross-functional team from scratch and implementing innovative marketing techniques to boost store turnover and maximize profitability. Adept at creating a congenial work environment as a change agent to deliver a delightful consumer experience and incubate high-performing teams.
- Hospitality Resume
38. Business Development Head Summary Examples
20 years experienced Sales and Business Development Leader skilled in direct sales, channel sales, business development, marketing, team management, and relationship management in the publishing industry. Highly skilled in sales of different products across multiple channels and direct sales, including selling to both corporate and the government. Armed with the skills of conducting pre-sales research and post-sales analysis.
- Business Development Manager Resume
39. Senior Database Administrator Profile Summary for Resume
16+ years experienced Senior Database Administrator with a track record of spearheading diverse teams to effectively execute key project deliverables. Adept at providing and supervising end-to-end database solutions. Highly skilled in deploying complex database administration solutions and automation initiatives across database environments in different domains.
- Database Administrator Resume
40. Art Director Profile Summary for Resume Examples
Award-winning art director with ~8 years of experience and proficiency in executing global campaigns for leading international brands. Adept at delivering out-of-the-box concepts, dynamic visuals, and innovative strategies for online and print deliveries. Armed with the skills of driving leading market share, record-setting response rates, and customer base expansion.
- Art Director Resume
41. Investment Banking Operations Specialist Summary Examples
12+ years experienced Investment Banking Operations Expert and Certified Six Sigma Specialist adept at leading cross-functional teams to effectively implement financial controls, processes, and systems. Possesses a proven track record of formulating strategies to direct project management and liaising with key external and internal stakeholders for process optimization and risk management. Highly skilled in leveraging human capital by motivating and mentoring professionals to align departmental objectives with organizational goals.
- Investment Banking Resume
42. Investment/Research Advisor & Relationship Manager Summary
~10 years experienced Series-VIII: Equity Derivatives Relationship Manager proficient in preparing projects on over and under-valued equity and managing portfolios of HNI clients in the private and corporate banking sectors. Armed with the skills of rendering technical assistance to clients on stock selection while analyzing financial and investment needs to drive 100% customer satisfaction.
- Property Manager Resume
43. IT Professional & Program Lead Profile Summary Examples
26+ years experienced Program Management Expert and Product Specialist armed with a stellar track record of incubating and managing high-performing teams to formulate strategies for executing multi-million dollar programs spanning geographically dispersed regions across the globe. Adept at translating complex customer requirements into actionable strategies to deliver user-friendly products by deploying expertise across product development, account management, and project delivery. Highly skilled in conceptualizing and implementing data-driven solutions to deliver compelling business value to key stakeholders and clients.
- IT Manager Resume
44. Radiology & Sonology Profile Summary Examples
12+ years experienced Senior Radiologist highly skilled in radiology, sonology, and operating MRI machines and slice machines. Proficient in all the functions concerning radiology including cross sectional imaging–neuroradiology, MSK, Onco Interventions, and body imaging. Demonstrated skills and abilities in taking proper care of the patients and providing the utmost medical attention.
- Radiologic Technologist Resume
45. Public Policy Head & Government Relations Expert Summary
15+ years experienced Public Policy Expert and Government Affairs Specialist armed with the skills of collaborating with state and Central governments to revamp public perception and reform growth-inhibiting policies for conglomerates. Possesses a track record of adding USD 200 million+ to top-line growth by aggressively advocating organizational interests to achieve positive clarifications. Adept at managing sensitive issues and employing out-of-the-box thinking to handle crises and manage risks.
Also Read: How to draft a professional public relation resume
The summary for resume examples provided above covers a wide range of profiles with professionals from different levels. Scan through them and get an insight into what a professional summary for resume looks like.
Is a Summary on a Resume Necessary?
While a resume summary is one of the best ways to intrigue recruiters, there may be instances where it might not be required.
Remember that not every resume is designed to have a summary section.
A resume summary is a must-have if you are an experienced professional to give an insight into your key skills and experiences.
It is a case-by-case basis to decide if your resume needs a summary. Simply ensure that it is a brief statement of where you stand as a professional and what you can offer to elevate an organization's growth.
Key Takeaway
- Include the summary for resume if you have more than 3 years of professional experience.
- Draft a professional summary for resume only after the rest of the sections are done.
- Limit your resume summary statement to 3-4 lines to enhance its readability.
- Highlight your core skills in your resume profile summary to validate your potential.
- Compose a professional summary that contains only the most crucial information.
Go to Hiration career platform which has 24/7 chat support and get professional assistance with all your job & career-related queries.
You can also write to us at [email protected] .
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Resume Worded
Resume summary examples: how to write one and samples you can use, a resume summary is not meant to simply summarize things already on your resume. here's what you should do instead, with examples approved by hiring managers and practical templates and examples you can copy to get you started..
What is a resume summary?
A resume summary is a short section at the top of your resume. The purpose of a summary is to highlight something that’s relevant to the job you’re applying for but isn’t included elsewhere in your resume, like transferable skills or a context that makes your accomplishments stand out. Despite the name, it isn’t supposed to simply summarize the information already in your resume.
Who needs a resume summary?
A resume summary is completely optional, but it can be beneficial in a number of situations.
People with a lot of experience
It can be a struggle to summarize 15+ years of work experience in a way that’s concise enough not to make a recruiter’s eyes glaze over without leaving out valuable accomplishments. If you have extensive relevant work experience, use your resume summary to distill the key elements. Think of it as the highlights reel of your resume.
People who are changing careers or job titles
If you’re changing careers completely, a resume summary is the best way to briefly contextualize your experience, highlight your transferable skills, and explain why you’re a good fit for the position — especially if those things aren’t obvious from the body of your resume.
The same thing applies if you’re pivoting to a new role within your current industry or career. You don’t want a hiring manager assuming your skills aren’t relevant or that you’re simply applying for every job you can find, so use your summary to demonstrate why that isn’t the case.
For a more detailed guide to resume summaries for career changers, check out How to Write a Resume Summary if You’re Changing Careers .
If the job is looking for something specific
If the job description asks for anything specific or particularly unusual and you fit the bill, emphasize that in your summary. This could be anything from experience with startups (e.g. small knit, cross-functional teams) to specific qualifications (e.g. CFA Level 3).
Do you need a resume summary?
Probably not! Most people don’t need a resume summary. Remember that your resume should already be a succinct summary of your work history and achievements — if yours is self-explanatory or less than a page long, there’s no need to re-summarize it again at the top. Unless you fall into one of the categories discussed above, or your situation is otherwise unique, your resume is probably enough on its own.
If a summary doesn’t add anything to your resume , or is just restating information that’s already included elsewhere, leave it out.
If you’re a student or recent graduate , or otherwise don’t have a lot of work experience, you’re unlikely to need a resume summary.
The same thing applies if your work history is self-explanatory and doesn’t need clarification. A summary doesn’t add anything to your resume simply by existing, so only include one if it’s actually necessary.
How to write a resume summary
Here's a quick step-by-step guide to get you started:
- Lead with the job title. If you're applying for a job as a project manager, that's how you should describe yourself, regardless of your past experience.
- Describe the scope of your experience, including how many years' experience you have and the size of businesses you've worked for.
- Choose a standout accomplishment that's relevant to the job you're applying for.
- Include metrics — this moves the line from 'bragging' to 'demonstrable experience.'
- Mention 2-3 key skills that match the job description.
- Include any specific highlights from your resume that show why you’d be a great fit for the position.
- Run your resume through a free resume checker to see how well your summary scores.
Resume summary examples (50+ examples)
Ready to write your own resume summary? To make it easier for you, here are some templates you can follow and examples of what your summary should look like in action. There are a ton of examples in the rest of this page - we'll start with generic templates, then move to templates for each kind of career level, and then examples by job title.
Let's start with an annotated example to help guide you through the rest of the examples.
Resume summary templates by career level
Let's first through some generic resume summary templates you can use as a foundation for your own summary. You can apply them to a reume for any job title or industry.
Template 1: Executive Resume Summary
This is a basic but effective resume summary. It’s short and easy to read, while briefly explaining your background, experience, and what you can bring to the company. This is a good option if you want to emphasize your relevant skills.
Template 2: Conventional Resume Summary
This is an alternative way to format your summary. It’s less conversational and more results-focused, which works well if you have a few particularly impressive accomplishments you want to highlight. Here it is in text format:
Resume summary examples by job title
Data analyst resume summary example, project manager resume summary example #1, resume summary example #2, business analyst resume summary example, product manager resume summary example #1, data engineer resume summary example, social media manager resume summary example, scrum master resume summary example, operations manager resume summary example, software engineer resume summary example #1, web developer resume summary example, customer service resume summary example #1, bookkeeper resume summary example, human resources (hr) resume summary example #1, creative director resume summary example, data scientist resume summary example, marketing manager resume summary example #1, front end developer resume summary example, administrative assistant resume summary example, data entry resume summary example, devops resume summary example, financial analyst resume summary example, executive assistant resume summary example #1, business development resume summary example, digital marketing resume summary example #1, account executive resume summary example, account manager resume summary example #1, ux designer resume summary example, graphic designer resume summary example, sales manager resume summary example, product owner resume summary example, accountant resume summary example, retail resume summary example, python developer resume summary example, architecture resume summary example, full stack developer resume summary example, c-level and executive resume summary example #1, sales associate resume summary example, project coordinator resume summary example, cyber security resume summary example, supply chain resume summary example, 3d artist resume summary example, nursing resume summary example, lawyer resume summary example, quality engineer resume summary example, event coordinator resume summary example, electrical engineer resume summary example, system administrator resume summary example, java developer resume summary example, office manager resume summary example, interior design resume summary example, research assistant resume summary example, civil engineer resume summary example, legal assistant resume summary example, quality assurance resume summary example, network administrator resume summary example, mechanical engineer resume summary example, manufacturing engineer resume summary example, network engineer resume summary example, business intelligence resume summary example, node.js resume summary example, sql developer resume summary example, administration resume summary example, scheduling resume summary example, teacher resume summary example, software architect resume summary example, php developer resume summary example, gig economy resume summary example, marketing executive resume summary example, vice president of operations resume summary example, technical writer resume summary example, finance executive resume summary example, biomedical engineer resume summary example, sales executive resume summary example, vp of marketing resume summary example, engagement manager resume summary example, plant manager resume summary example, radiologic technologist resume summary example, robotics resume summary example, chief digital officer resume summary example, environmental scientist resume summary example, innovation resume summary example, security analyst resume summary example, digital strategist resume summary example, b2b sales resume summary example, vp of finance resume summary example, relationship manager resume summary example, project administrator resume summary example, sales leader resume summary example, brand ambassador resume summary example, vp sales resume summary example, continuous improvement resume summary example, intelligence analyst resume summary example, it auditor resume summary example, training manager resume summary example, director of software engineering resume summary example, digital transformation resume summary example, pharmacy technician resume summary example, seo resume summary example, technology director resume summary example, project leader resume summary example, recruiting coordinator resume summary example, medical technologist resume summary example, environmental engineer resume summary example, health and safety resume summary example, director of analytics resume summary example, director of information technology resume summary example, reporting analyst resume summary example, facilities resume summary example, claims adjuster resume summary example, director of marketing resume summary example, senior executive resume summary example #1.
We discussed how senior level hires can use an executive resume summary to emphasize their most impressive and relevant accomplishments. Here are a few examples of how to do it in action.
This example serves as a good high-level overview of your experience. There’s an opportunity for you to mention one or two of your most impressive accomplishments and it provides a useful context for the body of your resume. Here it is in text format if you'd like to copy this into your own resume to use as a starting point:
This example is good because it focuses on concrete data and achievements. Remember, the more quantifiable your achievements are, the more likely they are to land with a hiring manager. Here's the example in text format in case you'd like to use it in your own resume:
Mid-Level Jobseeker Resume Summary Example #1
If you’re a mid level hire, a resume summary can help set you apart from entry level applicants by highlighting a few notable skills or accomplishments and providing important context.
This example makes the extent of your previous experience clear to a hiring manager. It emphasizes a couple of noteworthy accomplishments that may set you apart from other mid level hires and might otherwise have gotten lost in the body of your resume. If you'd like to use this in your own resume summary, here it is in text format that you can easily copy-and-paste:
This example briefly provides the context for your resume and hones in on your most impressive achievements. The bullet point format and focus on hard numbers make it easy for a hiring manager to read and quickly digest. Here it is in text format:
Career Changer Resume Summary Example
A resume summary is particularly important if you’re changing careers. You don’t need to go into detail about why you’re changing careers, but briefly mentioning any relevant training or certifications is a good idea, alongside the transferrable skills you’ll bring to the role. If you're changing careers, make sure to see more summary examples for career changers .
Resume summary tips
Keep it short.
Your resume summary should be 3-6 lines long, or around 100-200 words. Less is more — hiring managers will skim over long chunks of text, so don’t be tempted to go over. The quicker and easier your summary is to read, the more chance it’ll make an impact. If you feel like you need more space to write about yourself, that’s what your cover letter is for.
Tailor your resume summary
Even more so than your resume, you must tailor your summary to each job you apply to. Here are a few ways you can do that:
Mention specific technical skills the job requires. If you’re applying for a job that requires a particular skill or qualification that you have, make sure you highlight that. But keep it specific! If you’re applying for a data science role that requires Python, explain how you’ve used Python in the past. Don’t include every programming or technical skill you have, or it’ll look like you’re using a scattershot approach and may overshadow your actual relevant experience. Doing this will also help you get past the applicant tracking systems , or resume screeners, which scan your resume for specific keywords.
Review the job description. Using specific language from a job description in your resume summary can make you look like a good fit, as long as you don’t overdo it. If a job description mentions leadership, describe the size of the teams you’ve led. If they want someone with entrepreneurial flair, mention a project where you demonstrated initiative. This doesn’t necessarily have to be work-related — personal projects can fit, too, as long as they highlight that specific skill or quality.
Be specific and results-oriented. The more specific you are about your accomplishments, the more impressive they’ll be. Use hard numbers wherever possible. Don’t just write “experienced in managing teams” or “increased revenue.” Quantifiable achievements like “managed teams of 5-20 people” or “drove $100,000 in incremental revenue” are more meaningful.
Avoid buzzwords
Phrases like “hardworking,” “team player,” and “attention to detail” have no place on your resume. Anyone can claim to have excellent communication skills — prove it by mentioning that your email campaign resulted in a 30% increase in repeat customers. Remember: Show, don’t tell.
Write your summary last
The goal of your summary is to provide a brief introduction and context for the body of your resume. Focus on writing your resume first — once you’ve nailed it, it’ll be much easier to fill in the summary section.
People applying for remote jobs
If you’re applying for a fully remote position, it can be helpful to note that in your summary. Specifying that you’re only applying for remote work can weed out positions that are only partially or temporarily remote. And if you have experience with remote work in that past, mentioning some of your remote achievements can demonstrate that you’re just as effective when working from home.
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How To Write A Resume Summary That Works In 2023 (8+ Examples)
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Here's a scary fact – your resume summary can make or break your chances of winning a job interview.
Because your resume summary is the very first thing employers read to see if you're qualified for the role or not.
But there's some good news too…
Most job seekers do a terrible job of leveraging their resume summary. They use outdated methods which don't work in today's market.
That creates an opportunity for you!
While they're all stuck using old school tactics, you're here reading this article which is going to teach you a brand new approach to the resume summary that's crazy effective in today's job market.
Here's what we're going to cover:
Why Most Resume Summary Advice Doesn't Work Anymore
- A New, Highly Effective Resume Summary Format Called The Highlight Reel
- 8+ Examples of Highlight Reel Resume Summaries For Different Jobs, Industries, and Levels of Experience
By the end of this post, you're going to know exactly how to blow the competition out of the water and start landing more job interviews.
If you go looking for resume advice these days, you'll typically see people advocate for two types of introductions: Resume Summaries and Resume Objectives.
Each camp will tell you why their method is best, along with why the other method is outdated and doesn't work. But here's the real truth.
Both traditional resume summaries and traditional resume objectives don't work for today's job market.
Let's break down why neither work very well.
The Problem With Traditional Resume Summaries
A traditional resume summary is when the candidate writes a paragraph-style statement about their experience and skills. It will typically look something like this:
Traditional Resume Summary Example Results-oriented account management professional with 4+ years of experience building relationships with clients in order to help them achieve their goals.
Problem #1: Paragraph-style anything on a resume is the fastest way to losing your reader.
Recruiters are scanning resumes super fast (the typical figure is a six second scan per resume !). They don't have time to read through an entire paragraph.
Problem #2: Traditional resume summaries typically include fluffy buzzwords and jargon, but no real results.
According to a recent study we performed on 125,000 resumes , over half of candidates didn't include a meaningful amount of measurable metrics / results on their resumes.
When no one's including the outcomes of their work, everyone's simply summarizing their actions. Anyone can perform actions, but hiring managers want to see results!
The Problem With Traditional Resume Objectives
The second popular option is the traditional resume objective . Historically, resume objectives are a statement about your goals for employment. It might look something like this:
Traditional Resume Objective Example Seeking a position at [Company] where I can bring my 10+ years of SaaS sales experience to a growing, fast paced team in the healthcare technology space.
Unfortunately, this is even worse than the summary example I shared above. Why?
Problem #1: Traditional objective statements are only focused on you.
Here's some tough love. Companies don't really care about your background. They care about what you can do for them in terms of value, and your background is just one way for them to try and gauge that.
When you only focus your resume on yourself, you're going to lose out to candidates who show the company that they understand their needs / goals and have a plan to help.
Problem #2: Resume objectives don't illustrate any real value to the hiring team.
Because these objectives are statements about what you want, what type of job you're looking for, there's no real room to showcase real world results or value.
The truth is, the hiring team doesn't care nearly as much about the job you're interested in compared to the value you'll bring to the table for them.
At this point, it'd be natural if you're saying, “Well, if a resume summary and a resume objective don't work, what the heck am I supposed to do? Isn't this an article on resume summaries?”
That's exactly why I want to introduce you to a brand new way of thinking about your resume summary:
Introducing A New, Highly Effective Resume Summary
If we want to win in today's job market, we need to take a modern approach to our materials — including our resume.
What most job seekers don't understand is that their resume is a marketing document.
It's a piece of collateral aimed at selling somebody (the employer) on the value and services that you bring to the table!
If we want to write a job-winning resume , we need to do four things:
- We need to give the reader the information they're looking for as quickly as possible
- We need to make that information as compelling as it can possibly be
- We need to make that information as easy as possible to consume
- We want the reader to feel like the information was hand crafted just for them
Neither the traditional resume summary nor the traditional resume objective cover these bases, which is why I invented a brand new way to start your resume.
“Highlight Reels” Are The New Resume Summary
I discovered this new form of resume summary after sending in hundreds of applications with the traditional stuff and getting rejected from all of them.
When I tested this new “Highlight Reel” resume summary, everything changed. My interview rate skyrocketed and I was actually able to get in the door for jobs I was excited about!
The Highlight Reel is exactly what it sounds like.
It's a section at the top of your resume that allows you to pick and choose the best and most relevant experience to feature right at the top of your resume.
It's essentially a highlight reel of your career as it relates to this specific role! I like to think about it as the SportsCenter Top 10 of your resume.
The Highlight Reel resume summary consists of 4 parts:
- A relevant section title that ties your experience to the role
- An introductory bullet that summarizes your experience and high level value
- A few supporting “Case Study” bullets that illustrate specific results, projects, and relevant experience
- A closing “Extracurricular” bullet to round out your candidacy
- Let's break down each one.
Part #1: A Relevant Section Title
The first part of the Highlight Reel resume summary is the section title.
This is going to be the title of this section, similar to how you've titled your experience section something like “Work Experience” and your education section “Education.”
But we're going to make things personal…
Instead of using some boring title, we're going to show the reader that we are the exact candidate they are looking for!
By weaving the job title for our target role into the title of our resume summary section! We'll do that using the following formula:
[Job Title] Summary
For example, if your target role is Business Development, your resume summary section should be titled Business Development Summary.
If your target role is in graphic design, your resume summary section should be titled Graphic Design Summary.
If your target role is in software engineering, your resume summary section should be titled Software Engineering Summary.
You get the point.
Now, when that recruiter or hiring manager looks at your resume, the very first thing they'll see is the job title they're hiring for.
That's an immediate check in the qualifications box!
Part #2: An Introductory Bullet That Summarizes Your Experience And Value
Now that we've hooked the reader with our section title, it's time to give them a summary of who we are and what we bring to the table.
The very first bullet in your Resume Summary should tell your reader:
- Your area of expertise / background (i.e. Sales Leader, UX Designer, Customer Success Manager)
- Your total years of experience in the field
- A value-driven pitch that tells them the type of value that you've brought to previous companies and clients
Your Area of Expertise
In the first part of this bullet, you want to show the reader that you are who they're hoping you are. In other words, if they're looking for a Software Engineer, you want to tell them you're a Software Engineer.
If they're looking for a Results-Oriented Sales Leader, you want to tell them that you're a Results-Oriented Sales Leader.
The best place to find this information is by looking in the job description and mimicking the language they use. For example, check out this job posting from Google:
We'd want to include “Sales Manager” in our bullet, then we'd also way to pay attention to supporting language like “customer retention,” “customer relationship management,” etc. for our value-driven pitch too.
Your Total Years of Experience
Next, you want to summarize your experience in a field.
Most jobs have a number listed on the job description (e.g. 8+ years of experience in ______.). If you show the reader you meet that criteria right off the bat, you appear more qualified and have a better chance of hooking them in to read more.
Your Value-Driven Pitch
Finally, you want to sell your reader on the value you bring to the table.
The best way to do this is by telling them how you've helped previous companies in the past (and doing it in a way that resonates with their goals).
Let's use the above Google Sales Manager job description as an example. It says that the ideal candidate, “[knows] how to craft a compelling case for sticking with Google products” and that they “work with companies of various types–local and international, big and small.”
If you have a track record of great retention with those types of companies, your value-driven pitch might be, “driving award-winning retention for cloud products with clients ranging from SMBs to F500s.”
This is your chance to show the company you have experience delivering the exact results they're looking for — and you have the data to back it up!
Pro Tip: Your introductory bullet, including the value-driven pitch, should act as the 10,000 foot view of your experience. You want to sell people on the overarching value you've delivered with big, impressive results — then you can break down the details in your Case Study bullets.
Part #3: Supporting “Case Study” Bullets
Now that we've introduced the reader to our overarching value, it's time to get to the details.
Case Study bullets let you flesh out the experience that you summarized in your introductory bullet. You want to aim to have 2-3 of them in your resume summary.
In the example above, my introductory bullet talks about driving eight-figure growth for technology companies in the Ad Tech space.
That means my Case Study bullets should provide two or three specific examples of eight figure growth in that space!
How To Write A Great Case Study Bullet
Case Study bullets are the meat of your resume summary. They're the specific value that's going to help you stand out from the competition…If you write them correctly.
See, most people make the mistake of summarizing their experience with their bullets. They talk about the actions they took, but they don't focus on the results that stemmed from those actions.
If you want to win out, you need to know how to write a killer Case Study bullet!
The good news is, we've created a free tool called ResyBullet.io to help remove the guesswork and make writing bullets easy. Here's how it works:
- Copy a bullet from your Resume Summary
- Go to ResyBullet.io and paste your bullet into the text field
- Analyze your bullet to see your initial score (out of 100)
- Rework your bullet to match the feedback from the tool
Now all you have to do is rinse and repeat for all of the Case Study bullets in your resume summary!
Part #4: A Closing “Extracurriculars” Bullet
The last bullet in your resume summary is your opportunity to include anything else that might be valuable, but wasn't included in your bullets above.
Here are some good examples of things you can include:
- Awards you've won
- Languages you speak (if you speak multiple languages)
- Non-role related teams you lead (volunteering, culture, etc)
- Side projects that relate / add value to your target role
- Skill building you're working on
The goal of the Extracurricular bullet is to add additional value that helps round out your experience as a candidate.
In my resume summary example, I mentioned two awards that I'd won in my last bullet:
That sums up the four major parts of a job-winning Highlight Reel. Now let's take a look at some examples of this resume summary style for different roles.
Highlight Reel Resume Summary Examples
Here are 3 examples of resume summaries to help you visualize what this style of summary looks like for different roles and different goals:
Example #1: Partnerships Manager Resume Summary
In this example, we have a Partnerships Manager with 3 years of experience managing partnerships in the ad tech space. Here's what their summary might look like:
Partnership Management Summary
- Partner Manager with 3+ years of experience driving eight-figure growth for ad tech companies like Microsoft, Google, & Hubspot
- Manage $20M+ book of partners, including two largest revenue generating partners in global book of business at Microsoft
- Prospected, negotiated, and closed 8 new partnerships worth $15.2M in ARR for Google
- Maintained average quota attainment of 120% across 2 years at Microsoft
Example #2: Graphic Design Resume Summary
In this example, we have a Graphic Designer with a decade of experience creating visuals for companies in the fashion industry. Here's what their summary might look like:
Graphic Design Summary
- Graphic Designer with 10+ years experience creating results-driven graphics and promotional materials for clients like Chanel, Gucci, American Eagle, Ralph Lauren, & more
- Managed a team of 15 designers to produce entire portfolio for 2018 Victoria's Secret fashion show
- Spearheaded GDUSA award-winning image campaign for Zara
- Co-Founder of Girls Who Design, a community that aims to empower women in design to share their stories and support one another
Example #3: Data Science Resume Summary
In this example, we have a Data Scientist with 6 years of experience in the eCommerce industry. Here's what their resume summary might look like:
Data Science Summary
- Data Scientist with 6+ years experience using Big Data to drive a better customer experience and higher sell thru rates for eCommerce sites
- Spearheaded cost-per-lead analysis modeling, resulting in predictive resource allocation system that led to 67% increase in revenue with a 23% decrease in cost-per-lead
- Generated audience analysis for digital ad campaigns, resulting in hyper-focused targeting that reduced cost-per-acquisition by 44% for eCommerce platform
Tools & Languages: Python, SQL, R, Tableau, & Power BI
Example #4: Career Changer Resume Summary (For A Transition Into UX Design)
In this example we have someone who is trying to make a total career change! They're aiming to transition from a consulting role into User Experience Design with no prior experience. Here's what their resume summary might look like:
UX Design Summary
- UX Designer with a background of 5+ years in management consulting, working with clients like GE, Cisco, and IBM
- Developed case study for AirBnB highlighting 3 search functionality changes that could increase bookings by a projected 17% ( Link Here )
- Developed case study for Harry's Razors highlighting 4 UX changes that would improve checkout flow and increase conversion rates by a project 27% ( Link Here )
- Currently enrolled in General Assembly's User Experience Immersive Bootcamp (Graduating April 2023)
Key Resume Summary Takeaways
Whew! We covered a LOT of information in this article. I hope you feel like you have a better sense of how to structure your resume summary for the modern job market.
In summary, here are the key points we talked about:
- Old school resume summaries and objectives don't work anymore
- The Highlight Reel is the modern approach that works in today's market because it allows you to fully personalize your resume
- The Highlight Reel consists of a title, an introductory bullet, 2-3 case study bullets, and a closing extracurricular bullet
- Writing compelling, value-driven bullets is the way to hook your reader from the get go
Now that your resume summary is taken care of, you can upgrade the rest of your resume with this guide on writing a job winning resume !
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Austin Belcak
Austin is the founder of Cultivated Culture where he helps people land jobs without connections, without traditional experience, and without applying online. His strategies have been featured in Forbes, Business Insider, & Fast Company and has helped people just like you land jobs at Google, Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Twitter, & more.
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9 Functioned Well Resume Summary Examples to Land a Job
To impress recruiters and land an interview, job seekers have to collect all their key skills, experiences, and accomplishments and organize them in a resume that turns heads. A professional resume communicates your biggest strengths and proves why you are a perfect employee. But, what is even more important - it should drive the recruiter’s attention and engage from the first lines.
So, the big question is - how to craft a winning resume that will attract the attention of hiring managers and potential employers? Resume writing isn’t easy. Though there are plenty of strategies and tricks that can help you create a resume that lands jobs, there are also many pitfalls. Our professional resume writers online have done a detailed research and now are ready to have it out.
The main issue is that it only takes about 7 seconds for the recruiter to scan your resume. If you fail to grab his attention in such a short time, your resume will likely get lost among other applications. But, if you start it with a killer resume summary, you will definitely get noticed!
If you want to land a job with ease, we are here to lend a helping hand! From this post, you’ll learn what a resume summary is, where to put it on a resume, and the most effective tips on how to create your own summary examples for resume that work.
Besides, in this article, you’ll also find lots of great summary for resume examples, written by experts with years of experience in the resume writing business, that can make great templates for creating your own summary.
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What Is a Resume Summary Section?
In this article, we’ve prepared for you a comprehensive step-by-step guide to creating a perfect summary. But, first, let’s define what it is.
In a nutshell, a resume career summary is a short statement, typically 3-5 sentences long, that summarizes your career and exposes your most impressive skills, experiences, and accomplishments. You can think of it as a concise statement on why a particular company should employ you.
The core purpose of a summary is to highlight your level of qualification and make the recruiter want to read the rest of your resume.
As a rule, a summary is located somewhere at the beginning of a resume and consists of several elements. Further in this guide, we will tell you what to include in your statement.
One more thing you need to know about putting a summary on a resume is that it can be used to your benefit if you’ve got plenty of work experience. If there is not much you can boast of in terms of professional experience, a resume summary will not make any impression on the hiring manager. Moreover, it can even play against you.
Components of a Resume Summary
A strong summary can really help to make your job application stand out. But, to get the best results, you need to know not only how to put a summary on resume but also what to include in it.
As we said earlier, a summary usually consists of 3-5 sentences. A good resume summary should fit the six main components into these sentences:
- Strongest character trait(s)/adjectives (e.g self-motivated, experienced, etc.)
- Your current job title
- Relevant experience
- Name of the company you are interested in
- A statement of how you want to help the employer
- Your key accomplishments
Need professional resume help? Resume writing services near me is a solution! They are in
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When do you need to include a resume summary?
As you already know from the definition, a summary is a succinct overview of your career path. Respectively, to get the most benefits of it, you need to have tons of experience relevant to the specific job you want to apply for.
The best summary for a resume examples stresses the most relevant skills, achievements, and experiences an applicant has, therefore showing recruiting firms and employers that he or she is a potentially good candidate for the job. Thus, if you are an experienced specialist whose skills and abilities match the job requirements, you should start your resume with a summary. It will be your best bet.
But, what if you don’t have that much experience? For entry-level specialists, recent grads, as well as those who are changing a career, it is much better to opt for a resume objective rather than try to create a solid summary on resume examples.
Related: CV vs. Resume : What is the difference?
How to Write a Resume Summary?
We’ve already told you about the definition of a resume summary, explained what main components it should include, and specified when it’s best to use this type of introduction on a resume. Now, it’s time to answer the main question and tell you how to write a resume summary step by step.
Here are the main practical steps and tips for creating a resume professional summary:
- Read the job offer attentively. First of all, you should figure out what a particular employer is looking for. Use the job offer as a cheat sheet for writing a resume. After reading it, you will have a clear idea of what to emphasize in your summary and what keywords to include.
- Check out several resume summary examples. It is always a good idea to have a solid sample in front of your eyes.
- Start by describing your strongest traits in a few words. Pick one or a few adjectives that best describe your strengths. For example, you can use such words as “dedicated,” “experienced,” “certified,” “detail-oriented,” “customer-centered,” etc.
- After your traits specify the job title and summarize your experience. For example, “Detail-oriented customer support service manager with 5+ years of experience.”
- Tell how you can help the company attain its goals if they hire you.
- List your biggest professional accomplishments that prove your abilities. And don’t forget to add numbers where possible.
- Limit the entire summary to 3-5 sentences.
Advantages of a Resume Summary Statement
So, you already know that if you have tons of experience to boast of, a summary is a sure way to engage recruiters and make them want to recruit you.
But, why is it so effective?
Using summary statements resume has many perks. Here are some of the biggest advantages:
Get noticed sooner
The main purpose of a resume summary is to put your resume right in front of the hiring managers' eyes. Resumes with strong summaries have higher chances of being noticed. A well-organized summary statement resume section catches the recruiters’ attention as it makes your job application look different. And, if the contents of your summary keep them interested, you will most likely land an interview.
Underline your key skills and experience earlier
Not every recruiter will read your resume till the end. They will quickly review it to decide if you are worth their attention or not. So, if you want to get a competitive advantage and eventually get employed, you should highlight your strongest points right away. A resume skills summary is an easy but effective way to express yourself and prove that you are a perfect match for the job.
Collect keywords
The last advantage may not sound very obvious to many job seekers, but it is still there. As you may know, a good resume should contain relevant keywords and a resume summary is a perfect place to concentrate your keywords.
Why do you need keywords in your summary for resume? According to stats, over 98% of large companies use an ATS system to scan applications. If you didn’t know this yet, an Applicant Tracking System or just ATS is used to detect job-related keywords in resumes and, thus, weed out candidates who don’t match the requirements stated in the job offer.
Respectively, if your resume doesn’t include keywords, it may remain unnoticed, so your chances of landing a job may drop. That’s why every resume should have keywords and this is one more benefit of a professional summary for resume as it provides you with additional space to include them.
What Is the Difference Between Summary and Objective in a Resume?
Generally, there are two ways to start a resume. In some cases, it is a good idea to start with a resume summary, whereas sometimes it makes more sense to write a resume objective instead.
Resume summary vs objective - What is the difference?
Here are the main distinctive features:
- A summary covers an applicant’s professional experience and accomplishments related to the job he or she applies for.
- An objective, on the contrary, focuses on your skills (often transferable).
- A summary often calls out metrics to quantify accomplishments and make a better impression on recruiters.
- An objective doesn’t require adding numbers.
- Objectives state job seekers’ goals, whereas summaries tend to focus on the needs and goals of an employer.
Let’s take a look at a specific example. Let’s say you are writing a customer service resume. Should you choose a customer service resume objective or summary? Based on the differences we’ve discussed, it becomes clear that if you have years of experience in customer service and can showcase some actual skills and achievements, then a summary is a great option. However, if due to any reason you don’t have much experience, then a resume objective should make a better effect (this also applies to career change and applying for entry-level positions).
Your cover letter is as paramount as your resume. Our pro cover letter writing service team constantly is working on improving new tips on it! We are happy to assist you anytime!
Resume objective example
A good objective should show that you possess valuable soft skills, state your goals (for example, to land a specific job, gain more experience, make a career change, etc.), and explain what you are hoping to do for a company if they hire you.
Here is a sample resume objective summary:
Recent college graduate with a BS in Sales. Possess excellent written and verbal communication, analytical, time management, and planning skills. Looking to land a job as a Sales Assistant at [Company Name] to leverage proven communication and skills to enhance the quality of customer service and drive more sales.
Resume summary example
A resume summary, on the contrary, should keep the focus on your professionalism and vast experience.
Later, we will share more examples of summary on resume with you but let’s look at one example here to help you grasp the difference:
Result-oriented and customer-centered Sales Manager with 6+ years of experience delivering excellent customer service, helping clients make more informed decisions, and driving sales. Seeking to leverage proven skills and experience at [Company Name] to help boost the company’s revenue. Received 99% positive feedback from customers and contributed to a 20% increase in sales at [your past place of work].
Resume Summary Statement Examples
Now that you know what a summary is and how to write one, you are probably interested to see some actual examples of resume summary. If yes, we’ve got you covered!
Below you will find many professional summary examples for resume divided into categories by industries and job types:
General Work for Industry Resume Summary
Data analyst resume summary.
Here’s one of the best resume summary samples for business analyst :
Insightful business analyst with 5+ years of experience analyzing and interpreting big data for driving more informed business solutions. Possess outstanding skills in business analytics, statistics, visualizing, and mathematics. Looking to leverage proven expertise at [company name] to reduce operating costs and drive growth.
Human Resources resume summary
Here’s a sample human resources summary for a resume:
Result-oriented HR with 8+ years of experience. At the previous workplace, reduced recruitment time by 25%, increased employee retention by 30%, and increased the overall employee effectiveness by 15%. Eager to leverage strong skills and vast experience at [company name].
Examples of Marketing Resume Summary
Copywriter resume summary.
Here is a well-written sample copywriter summary resume:
Creative and quality-driven copywriter with 7+ years of experience delivering plagiarism-free, SEO-optimized copy. Boosted landing page conversion rate by 30% in 10 months. Seeking to leverage gained skills at [company name] to generate more traffic and boost the effectiveness of content marketing.
Social Media Manager resume summary
Check out a resume summary example for a social media manager:
Creative SMM manager with 4+ years of experience. Managed all social media accounts of a large company and increased customer engagement by 50%. Looking to land a position of SMM manager at [company name] to help drive sales and enhance brand awareness.
Marketing Analyst resume summary
Here’s one of the resume summary statements for a marketing analyst :
Marketing analyst with over 9 years of experience and strong analytical, SMM, and marketing skills. At the previous workplace, analyzed the existing marketing strategy, identified trends, and suggested solutions that increased web traffic by 34%. Eager to join [company name] to help enhance marketing strategies.
Examples of IT Jobs Resume Summary
Research scientist resume summary.
Here’s one of our research scientist summary resume examples:
Resourceful and attentive to detail research scientist with 4+ years of experience. Participated in a $1 million research project that was awarded $2 million for the second phase project. Looking to leverage proven experience at [company name] to help with the company’s projects.
Systems Manager resume summary
Here’s one of the best resume summary statement examples for a systems manager job:
Systems manager with an eye for details and 6+ years of experience in delivering solutions that ensure cost efficiency and drive business. Looking to occupy a systems manager position at [company name] to provide high-level systems support.
Systems Analyst resume summary
Here is one of our good resume summary examples for systems analysts:
Skilled systems analyst with 5+ years of experience. Proficient in cost analysis and high-level technical solutions. Possess an excellent understanding of project lifecycle. Saved $2 million in IT costs at the last workplace. Eager to leverage knowledge and skills at [company name] to implement effective cost-saving measures.
How Long Should the Description of a Professional Resume Summary Be?
So, we’ve told you how to write a professional summary for resume and shared lots of great examples. Now, let’s once more recap the most important point - the length.
A professional resume summary has to offer a brief overview of the applicant’s experience. It has to be concise, clear, and straight to the point. Thus, the ideal length is between three to five sentences.
This length should be enough to let you include all the basic elements such as your job title and key traits, relevant experience, key achievements backed up with some numbers, etc. But, at the same time, sticking to this length will help ensure that you don’t go over the limits and don’t get recruiters bored.
Where to put a professional summary in resume? For the best effect, it should be situated at the top of a resume. Typically, it’ll follow the resume header with contact info.
Do you have questions about professional resume summary examples? Did we miss any tips?
If you find the article useful, give us a comment on social media.! Let’s get the conversation rolling.
Job seekers need to show their interest from the beginning. Start by writing a CV with your achievements to stand out from the rest of the candidates. Our top professional federal resume writing services are here to help you!
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35+ Resume Summary Examples [How-To Guide + Tips]
A resume summary sits at the very top of your resume and is your first chance to make a great impression with a hiring manager. You’ve got to start strong when writing your resume. Don’t worry — we’re here to help!
In this guide, we’re laser-focused on the professional summary for a resume. We will cover:
- What a resume summary statement is
How to write a summary for a resume
- When to use a summary on a resume
We’ll inspire you with several resume summary examples for top industries, job titles and experience levels, and provide writing tips.
Click one of the categories below to jump to a specific section of this guide:
Table of Contents
What is a resume summary?
Resume summary examples based on work experience, professional summary examples for top jobs.
- Write the perfect resume summary statement with our Resume Builder
Resume summary examples for top industries
Resume summary examples key takeaways, resume summary faq.
A resume summary — also called a professional summary or resume summary statement — is a brief rundown of your experience and top skills that sits at the top of your resume template .
Use this valuable real estate to highlight your top achievements, including your years of experience and the valued skills from the job description that apply to you. For a good resume summary, it must be tailored to the job and no more than five concise sentences long.
Let’s use this job ad for a social media manager as an example:
A tailored summary for a resume might look like this:
- Good resume summary Strategic social media manager with four years of experience creating social content calendars. Skilled in managing and developing social media strategies, writing digital copy, and executing paid and organic digital campaigns . Experience working in collaborative environments and shooting video content.
The bolded words are keywords and phrases found in the job description. This is an exercise you should do for every job you apply to, so you must customize your resume summary each time. Then, your resume’s work history and skills sections should complement your summary on your resume.
- Poor resume summary Savvy social media manager with experience working in social media and creating content for brands. Skilled writer, photographer and multitasker.
This resume summary statement doesn’t work for several reasons: it’s not tailored to the job, it doesn’t give enough detail, and it doesn’t include keywords and phrases from the job description.
Pro tip You should use a professional summary for a resume only if you have several years of experience in the same industry. If you’re a first-time job seeker or changing your career, use a resume objective statement instead.
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Now that you’ve seen some of our best resume summary examples, you’ve probably got a good idea what a resume professional summary looks like, and you’re ready to write your own. The following three tips will help you write a good summary for a resume that grabs attention.
Condense the details and be consistent.
When you begin writing your resume summary, remember: less is more. A professional summary for a resume only needs to be three to five sentences long. You should also write using the first-person point of view, but omit pronouns like “I,” “she” or “they” to help save some valuable writing space.
Highlight your top qualifications.
Make a strong first impression by writing your most valuable skills and highlighting your relevant work accomplishments , as the professional summary examples below do. You want to get the hiring manager’s attention and intrigue them to continue reading the rest of your resume.
Make adjustments based on your career level.
Students and job seekers who are just graduating from college or don’t have much work experience should include information on their resume summary statement about what type of job they’re seeking and what their goal is with this potential new job. If you have plenty of experience, however, there’s no need to include a career objective here.
For some jobs, you might benefit from emphasizing how much work experience you have in your resume summary, especially if the job description has a minimum experience requirement or you are applying for a managerial position.
The following examples show how to best highlight your work experience level in your resume summary.
2 to 5 years of experience resume summary example
Web designer
- Shows how many years of experience the job candidate has.
- Tells hiring managers what the candidate did for previous organizations.
- Creates impact with power words like “ambitiously” and “diligently” and action verbs like “excelled at collaborating.”
- Provides a thorough and relevant mix of soft and hard skills.
6+ years of experience resume summary example
- Tells how many years of experience the job candidate has.
- Shows hiring managers that the job applicant has a successful track record in the field.
- Highlights well-known companies as past employers.
- Emphasizes a breadth of soft skills.
Management experience resume summary example
Project manager
- Opens by telling hiring managers the job applicant is highly experienced in IT project management.
- Emphasizes project and team management skills.
- Highlights an award won and the years the candidate received it.
Acute care nurse
Committed and empathic acute care nurse with 12 years of hands-on experience in critical care facilities. Provide complex clinical assessments, diagnostic testing and medical therapy for patients with various acute illnesses. Comfortable relaying difficult information and providing emotional support to families. Highly proficient in case management, medication administration and patient education.
Detail-oriented accountant with over eight years of effectively maintaining accurate accounting information for large-scale financial organizations, including central banks, credit unions and investment companies. History working as part of the financial team to manage diverse financial functions, PMT, tax management and reporting. Highly analytical professional with extensive knowledge of Excel and QuickBooks.
Accounting manager
A dedicated and reliable accounting manager with 12 years of experience and extensive knowledge of federal and state tax laws. Utilizes a proactive approach to problems and practices prudent financial management. Motivational and ethical leader with a proven ability to build strong teams with high retention rates.
Responsible and compassionate caregiver who understands how to balance patients’ and organizations’ needs. Experienced in medication distribution and able to follow medical instructions precisely. Certified for basic first aid and CPR. Adept at monitoring each patient’s health and providing a gentle approach to patients’ needs.
Hardworking and detail-oriented cashier with expertise in drawer management, POS systems, refund handling and inventory control. Multitasking and reliable professional with skills in customer service, promoting sales, keeping the store organized and processing transactions. Creative and attentive problem-solver committed to enhancing customers’ experience.
Civil engineering intern
Driven civil engineering student with hands-on experience in construction and in-depth knowledge of civil engineering principles and tools. Dedicated worker with outstanding communication skills. Bilingual in Chinese and English.
Construction worker
Reliable construction worker with experience in residential and commercial construction projects for over 18 years. Exceptional problem-solver adept at plumbing and carpentry specializing in roof repairs and installation. Safely operates various heavy-duty construction equipment and certified with OSHA’s Safety and Health Fundamentals Certificate.
Cosmetology student
Multifaceted cosmetology student with experience coloring, styling and cutting hair; performing pedicures and manicures, and recommending on-trend beauty treatments based on individual client needs. Demonstrated ability to exceed salon sales goals and build strong relationships with clients.
Data entry clerk
Data entry clerk with three years of experience accurately maintaining records and updating account information for financial services firm. Razor-sharp eye for detail and adept at Microsoft Word and Excel. Continually seek ways to improve processes and develop solutions across all departments.
Skilled doctor who champions family-focused care willing to go the extra mile to provide complete service. Diagnoses and educates patients about medical concerns while implementing evidence-based treatment plans. Skilled in working under pressure assessing conditions, conducting tests and performing minor procedures.
Entertainment director
Creative director with 10 years of hands-on filmmaking experience in a variety of productions. Diligent and technologically savvy leader with high standards for impeccable results. Adept at story pitching, video production, script review and budgeting. Empathic advocate for creative and production staff.
Massage therapist
Attentive and knowledgeable massage therapist with five-year track record of solid customer service and a knack for building relationships. Experienced in a wide range of massage techniques, including deep tissue, Shiatsu and trigger point.
Licensed nanny with a background in education and child care. Works diligently to identify and eliminate behavioral and educational issues. Incorporates stimulating activities, such as grouping games and writing stories into daily routines to promote healthy mental and social development. Certified in first aid and CPR, and dedicated to creating safe, inclusive and engaging learning environments for all children.
Nursing aide
Organized and dependable nursing aide successful at managing multiple priorities with a positive attitude. Skilled in patient care, transportation and equipment assembly. Familiar working in highly stressful and hectic environments and managing disoriented and combative patients.
Operations manager
Results-oriented operations manager offering 18 years of high-level experience supervising workover and completion operations. Familiar with human resources and adept at directing the work of completion consultants and completion supervisors in operation functions, including inventory management and warehousing. Directly trained and managed six supervisors while leading a total staff of 75 team members — successfully introducing lean manufacturing to increase productivity and cut completion costs.
Outside sales representative
Motivated and accomplished outside sales representative adept at building relationships with customers, negotiating deals and closing sales. Detail-oriented self-starter with a track record of exceeding sales goals.
Payroll specialist
Highly communicative and customer service-oriented payroll specialist with more than eight years of expertise in auditing payroll data and processing garnishments. An action-oriented professional with skills in ADP processing and Kronos. Process and transmit payroll for over 3,000 employees, in multiple states, on a biweekly and weekly basis. Employees paid include hourly, salary and union.
Personal trainer
Enthusiastic NCSF Certified Personal Trainer and business owner with seven years of experience teaching senior clients balance and functional skills. Additional expertise in youth athletic conditions with focus on strength training. Strong background in personalized and one on one and group training.
Receptionist
Outgoing and friendly receptionist delivering customer service and administrative excellence, including clerical support and public interaction. Excels in calendar management, Google Calendar, Microsoft Surface Studio, scheduling, data entry and database administration. Capable of answering and quickly redirecting up to 100 calls per day, accomplishing business goals.
Registered nurse
Qualified registered nurse experienced in providing professional nursing care to patients, including assessing needs, planning, implementation and evaluation of care.
Passionate about improving patient satisfaction and adapting to continuous health system changes. Acts as liaison between patient and providers.
Retail sales associate
Energetic retail sales associate with excellent customer service, leadership and teamwork abilities. Proficient at merchandising and display, product knowledge, processing cash and cards transactions and boosting sales. Confident and persuasive with strong attention to detail and the ability to engage diverse customers and enhance brand loyalty and satisfaction.
Sales representative
Organized and hardworking sales representative with a solid history of exceeding sales goals, growing business and expanding territories. Experienced in project management, account service, lead prospecting, strategic planning, network development and retention strategies. Accomplished negotiator with excellent customer service, research and conflict-resolution skills. Focused on maximizing efficiency and sales success.
Social worker
Compassionate and driven social worker with solid experience working with a broad range of groups, ages, ethnicities and different socioeconomic backgrounds. Skilled in case management, crisis intervention, data collection and management, referral and networking, and family reunification. Licensed social worker (LCSW) with expertise in Behavioral Intervention Plans (BIP) and a deep understanding of human behavior to provide guidance to clients and communities in need.
Hardworking and passionate teacher with experience in classroom management, professional development and project planning covering a wide range of subjects. Clear and effective communicator highly skilled at motivating students through positive encouragement and reinforcement of concepts via interactive classroom instruction and innovative lesson planning. Successful in helping students develop strong literacy, numeracy, social and learning skills.
Write the perfect resume summary statement with our Resume builder
Let us do the work for you with our Resume Builder. All you have to do is choose a professionally designed resume template, plug it into our builder and use our expertly crafted phrases and content suggestions to highlight your qualifications. You’ll have a polished resume in minutes!
Our resume generato r is easy to use and offers step-by-step guidance to help you write a professional and effective resume.
The builder features:
- Advanced customization: Easily change and tailor your professional summary for each job.
- Pre-written examples: Make your resume professional summary read even better by using our builder’s pre-written phrases crafted by career experts.
- Expert tips: We’ll guide you through every section so you can craft your resume with confidence.
- Easy editing tools: Make changes on the fly or go back and polish your resume after proofreading it.
- Chrome extension : With just one click, you can match your resume with the right jobs, update your resume easily and auto-fill job applications.
Pro tip A professional resume template can help get your resume past applicant tracking system (ATS) software because they ensure your resume is properly formatted and easy to scan.
Write a compelling resume summary with inspiration from our extensive library of resume examples . With more than 1,000 samples to choose from, you’re sure to find one that works for you!
Accounting resume examples
Administrative resume examples, billing collections resume examples, business operations resume examples, customer service resume examples, entertainment resume examples, fitness & nutrition resume examples, medical resume examples, nursing resume examples, social services resume examples, teaching resume examples.
Let’s summarize what we’ve learned:
- A resume summary is your first chance to tell the recruiter why you’re the best fit for the job. It summarizes your top achievements and skills relevant to the target job.
- Use resume summary examples for inspiration and guidance when crafting your own.
- Keep your professional summary for a resume short. It should never be longer than five sentences.
- Tailor each resume summary statement to your target job by using keywords and phrases from the job description.
- Use a resume objective instead if you don’t have a lot of work experience and want to tell the recruiter your career goals.
- Don’t repeat information. A good summary for a resume complements the other sections of your resume rather than reiterates them.
- A professional resume template can help your resume pass through most ATS software and help your resume stand out with style.
A resume summary is a short paragraph consisting of three to five sentences at the top of a resume. It tells employers at a glance what you offer in the form of your relevant experience, top skills and professional achievements.
Do you need a summary on a resume?
You should include a summary on a resume if you have work experience because when written well, they grab recruiters’ and hiring managers’ attention and make them want to learn more about your job qualifications.
What is a good summary for a resume?
A good resume summary highlights your most relevant job qualifications compellingly, so employers want to learn more about you.
- Tailored to the job
What should a resume summary include?
A professional summary for a resume should summarize your experience and qualifications for the target job.
You might include:
- Your level of work experience.
- Soft, hard and transferable skills.
- Significant awards and honors.
How to write a resume summary for a career change?
If you’re changing careers, you probably don’t have much work experience in your new field, so it’s better to write an objective statement than a resume summary. A resume objective allows you to briefly describe your goals for the career change and emphasize transferable skills which fit your new career path.
For example:
Kellie Hanna
Content strategist, career advice expert.
Kellie is the content strategist for My Perfect Resume. She has more than 20 years of experience in digital media and is passionate about helping job seekers navigate their careers. She has a B.A. in English and writing from Temple University.
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A resume summary statement usually comes right after a job seeker’s contact info and before other resume sections such as skills and work experience. It provides employers with a brief overview of a candidate’s career accomplishments and qualifications before they read further. Because of how early it appears on the document, your resume summary statement (or your CV “profile” in the UK) is one of the first places recruiters and employers look. And without the right information, they’ll doubt that you’re qualified and may move to another resume.
So I got in touch with a select group of professional resume writers, coaches and career experts to get their best resume summary examples you can use and adapt to write a resume summary that stands out and gets interviews.
As a former recruiter myself, I’ll also share my best tips to write your resume summary effectively.
Why the Resume/CV Summary is Important
You may have heard that recruiters only spend 8-10 seconds looking at your resume. The truth is: they spend that long deciding whether to read more. They do glance that quickly at first and may move on if your background doesn’t look like a fit. However, if you grab their attention, they’ll read far more. Recruiters aren’t deciding to interview you in 8-10 seconds, but they are ruling people out in 8-10 seconds. And this is why your resume summary is so crucial. It appears high up on your resume (usually right after your header/contact info) and is one of the first sections employers see. So it’s part of what they’ll see in the first 8-10 seconds.
Your resume summary statement is one of your first (and one of very few) chances to get the employer to stop skimming through their pile of resumes and focus on YOU.
10 Resume Summary Examples for Various Industries:
These career summary examples will help you at any experience level – whether you’re writing a professional summary after a long executive career, or writing your first resume summary without any experience! After you finish this article you’re NEVER going to have to send out a limp, weak resume summary statement again (and you’ll get far more interviews because of it).
1. Healthcare Sales Executive Resume Summary Example:
Turnaround & Ground Up Leadership – Concept-to-execution strategies for untapped products, markets + solutions that yield 110% revenue growth – Negotiates partnerships with leading distributors + hospitals—Medline to Centara + Novant Health to Mayo Clinic – Revitalizes underperforming sales organizations via scalable, sustainable infrastructures emulated as best practice – C-Level networks of clinical + supply chain leadership acquired during tenures with XXX, XXX and XXX
Why this resume summary is good:
This resumes summary example’s strength lies in the detailed, unique information that has been included. By including revenue stats, names of past employers and partners, the reader right away sees that this person will bring to the role a strong networking ability with key players in his industry, and more importantly can build, grow and revitalize a sales organization, market or product.
By: Virginia Franco, Founder of Virginia Franco Resumes and Forbes contributor.
2. 15+ Year Business Owner Resume Summary Statement:
Dynamic and motivated marketing professional with a proven record of generating and building relationships, managing projects from concept to completion, designing educational strategies, and coaching individuals to success. Skilled in building cross-functional teams, demonstrating exceptional communication skills, and making critical decisions during challenges. Adaptable and transformational leader with an ability to work independently, creating effective presentations, and developing opportunities that further establish organizational goals.
Why this is a good summary section:
This is a resume summary statement that was for a candidate returning to work after having her own business for 15+ years. Because of this, we needed to emphasize her soft skills and what she can bring to this potential position. In addition, we highlighted the skills she has honed as a business owner so that she can utilize these qualifications as a sales professional, account manager, and someone knowledgeable about nutrition, medicine, and the overall sales process.
By: Dr. Heather Rothbauer-Wanish. MBA, Ph.D., CPRW, and Founder of Feather Communications
3. Human Resources Generalist Resume Summary Example:
Human Resources Generalist with progressive experience managing employee benefits & compliance, employee hiring & onboarding, performance management processes, licensure tracking and HR records. Dependable and organized team player with the ability to communicate effectively and efficiently. Skilled at building relationships with employees across all levels of an organization. Proficient with HRIS, applicant tracking and benefits management.
Why this is a good resume summary:
The applicant highlights their experience across a wide range of HR functions from the very first sentence, and continues this pattern throughout the rest of the summary. They then use easily digestible langue to showcase their hard skills (in the first & fourth sentences) and soft skills (in the second & third sentences). They also integrate a variety of keywords to get past automated job application systems , without sounding spammy or without overdoing it.
By: Kyle Elliott, MPA/CHES, Career Coach and Consultant
4. Social Media Marketing CV Profile Example (UK):
Social media expert with successes in the creation and management of social media strategies and campaigns for global retail organisations. Extensive experience in the commercial utilisation of multiple social media channels including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube; I build successful social strategies that increase brand awareness, promote customer engagement and ultimately drive web traffic and conversions.
Why this summary is good:
This summary is well-written, short, sharp, and gives recruiters a high-level explanation of the candidate’s core offerings in a persuasive and punchy style. A quick scan of this profile tells you the exact type of social media platforms the candidate is an expert in, as well as the campaigns they have experience running and types of organizations they have worked for. Most importantly, the summary is rounded off by showing the results that this person achieves for their employers, such as increased web traffic and conversions.
Editor’s note: This CV profile summary was written for the UK market… this is a great one to use/copy, but make sure you put it through a spell-checker if you’re applying for jobs in the US (utilisation vs. utilization, etc.)
By: Andrew Fennell, Director at StandOut CV , contributor for The Guardian and Business Insider
5. Marketing Manager Professional Summary Example:
Marketing Manager with over eight years of experience. Proven success in running email marketing campaigns and implementing marketing strategies that have pulled in a 20% increase in qualified leads. Proficient in content, social media and inbound marketing strategies. Skilled, creative and innovative.
This resume summary stands out because it gets straight to the point. By immediately introducing the number of years of experience the candidate has, the HR manager doesn’t need to spend time adding up years. The candidate also jumps right into his or her strongest skill, provides a statistic , then gives additional skills.
By: Sarah Landrum, career expert and contributor at Entrepreneur.com and Forbes
6. Warehouse Supervisor Resume Summary Example:
Warehouse Supervisor with Management, Customer Service, & Forklift Experience – Dependable manager with 15+ years of experience in warehouse management and employee supervision. – Skilled at managing inventory control, shipping & receiving, customer relations and safety & compliance. – Certified Power Equipment Trainer, Forklift Operator and Reach Operator skilled at coaching other staff. – Promoted to positions of increased responsibility given strong people and project management skills.
The applicant was applying for a warehouse supervisor position that required them to have demonstrated management, customer service and forklift experience. As such, the applicant showcased their experience in these areas with a few keywords in the title, followed by additional details in the accompanying bullet points. Their final bullet shows a record of promotions, while reinforcing the applicant’s customer service and project management skills.
7. IT Project Manager Resume Summary Example:
Experienced Project Manager with vast IT experience. Skills include computer networking, analytical thinking and creative problem solving. Able to apply customer service concepts to IT to improve user experience for clients, employees and administration.
Because this candidate is switching career paths, it’s important he or she take skills used for previous positions and apply those skills to the new job listing. This is a great example because the candidate makes it clear that his or her experience is not in the new field, but that they are still able to bring relevant experience to the table. When writing your resume summary, keep these tips in mind: Use writing that is straight to the point, clear and concise, you’ll have a higher chance of getting noticed by the hiring manager.
8. Career-Changer Resume Summary Example:
Earn trust, uncover key business drivers and find common ground as chief negotiator and identifier of revenue opportunities in sales, leadership and account management roles spanning e-Commerce, air travel and high-tech retail. Navigate cultural challenges while jumping time zones, lead international airline crews and manage corporate accounts to deliver an exceptional customer experience. A self-taught techie sought after as a go-to for complex billing systems and SaaS platforms alike—bridging the divide between technology and plain-speak. – Tenacious Quest for Success + Learning . Earned MBA and BS in just 3 years while working full-time – gaining hands-on experience in research- and data-driven product roadmap development, pricing and positioning. – Results-Driven Leadership. Whether leading Baby Boomers, Gen X or Millennials—figures out what makes teams tick, trains and transforms individuals into top-performers. – Challenger of Conventional Wisdom. Always ask the WHY. Improve the user experience through smart, strategic thinking that anticipates outcomes. Present cases that influence, and lead change that drives efficiency and profitability.
This client was eager for a career change and had moved from role to role and industry to industry. After completing her Master’s degree, she was eager to tie her skills together to land a role – which she did – as a Senior Technology Account Strategist for a global travel company. Although a bit longer than a traditional summary, its strength lies in the details. Without ever getting to the experience section, the reader gets a clear idea of the scope of responsibility, and hard and soft skills the candidate brings to the table.
By: Virginia Franco, Founder of Virginia Franco Resumes and Forbes contributor.
9. Project Management Executive Professional Summary Example:
15+ years of initiating and delivering sustained results and effective change for Fortune 500 firms across a wide range of industries including enterprise software, digital marketing, advertising technology, e-commerce and government. Major experience lies in strategizing and leading cross-functional teams to bring about fundamental change and improvement in strategy, process, and profitability – both as a leader and expert consultant.
Why this resume summary is good:
“Project Manager” is one of those job titles that’s REALLY broad. You can find project managers earning $50K, and others earning $250K. The client I wrote this for was at the Director level, and had worked for some of the biggest and best tech companies in her city. So this resume profile section shows her level and experience, and the wide array of areas she has responsibility for in her current work. You can borrow or use some of the phrasing here to show that you’ve been responsible for many important areas in your past work.
By: Biron Clark, Founder of CareerSidekick.com.
10. Startup And Finance Management Consultant Career Summary Example:
Experienced strategist, entrepreneur and startup enthusiast with a passion for building businesses and challenging the status quo. 8+ year track record of defining new business strategies, launching new ventures, and delivering operational impact, both as a co-founder and management consultant.
Why this resume summary example is good:
This summary was for a highly-talented management consultant looking to break out of finance, and into trendier tech companies like Uber. His track record and educational background were great, so the goal of this summary section was to stand out and show he’s more than just the typical consultant with a finance background. So we emphasized his passion for startups, and his ability to think outside the box and challenge the status quo. That’s something that companies like Uber and other “disruptive” tech companies look for.
Now you have 10 professional resume summary statements and explanations of why they’re effective. Next, I’ll share tips for how to write your own in case you’re still unsure how to begin based on these examples above.
How to Write a Resume Summary: Steps and Hints
We’ve looked at 10 great resume summary examples above. As you begin writing a resume summary for yourself, here are some helpful tips to keep in mind:
- Read the employer’s job description. Your career summary shouldn’t be a long list of everything you’ve done; it should be a refined list of skills and experiences that demonstrate you’re a fit for their job.
- Mention your current job title if relevant. One common way to begin your resume summary is to state your current job title.
- Explain how you can help employers achieve their goals or solve their problems.
- Consider using bold text to emphasize one or two key phrases.
- Include any relevant metrics and data like dollar amounts, years of experience, size of teams led, etc. This helps your resume stand out.
- Focus on making the employer want to read more. The goal of your resume summary isn’t to show everything you can do, but to grab their attention and show enough that they continue reading.
How Long Should a Resume Summary Be?
As you read the resume summaries above, you probably noticed there are some short single-paragraph resume summary examples and much longer career summaries that are two to three paragraphs plus bullet points. So how long should YOUR professional summary be? If you have relevant work experience, keep your summary to one or two paragraphs. The piece you really want the hiring manager to read is your most recent work experience (and you should make sure you tailored that info to fit the job description). The resume summary is just a “bridge” to get the hiring manager into your experience.
If I were writing my own career summary right now, I’d likely use one single paragraph packed with skills, accomplishments, and exactly why I’m ready to step into the job I’ve applied for and be successful!
Even for a manager resume summary, I recommend a very short length. However, if you’re changing careers, or you’re looking for jobs without any work experience , the summary section needs to stand on its own, and should be longer. That’s why some examples above are a bit longer.
Formatting Your Resume/CV Career Summary
You may have noticed a variety of different formats in the career summary examples above. There isn’t one “right” way to format this section on your resume or CV. However, I recommend either using one or two brief paragraphs, or combining a short sentence or paragraph with bullets. Avoid writing three or four long paragraphs with no special formatting like bullet points. That’s simply too much text for your summary section and will cause recruiters and hiring managers to skip over it in some cases.
Should You Include a Resume Objective?
You do not need to include an objective on your resume, and doing so can make your resume appear outdated. Use a resume summary instead of an objective. Follow the resume summary examples above and focus on discussing your skills, qualifications, and achievements, rather than stating your objective. Employers know that your objective is to obtain the position you’ve applied for, and the resume objective has no place on a modern resume/CV in today’s job market.
After You Start Getting Interviews, Make Sure to Take Advantage…
If you follow the advice above, you’ll have a great professional resume summary to make your qualifications stand out to employers. But landing the interview is only half the battle… So make sure you go into every interview ready to convince employers that they should hire you, too! If you write a great resume summary example that gets employers excited to interview you, they’re going to ask you questions like, “tell me about yourself” early in the interview to learn more about your background. So make sure you’re prepared with an answer.
I also recommend you review the top 20 interview questions and answers here.
Your resume caught their interest, so naturally, they’re going to follow up with a variety of questions to learn more about your professional background.
The bottom line is: A strong professional resume summary, followed up by other well-written resume sections will get you the interview, but your interview performance is what determines whether you get the job offer!
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Biron Clark
Biron Clark is a former executive recruiter who has worked individually with hundreds of job seekers, reviewed thousands of resumes and LinkedIn profiles, and recruited for top venture-backed startups and Fortune 500 companies. He has been advising job seekers since 2012 to think differently in their job search and land high-paying, competitive positions.
41 Comments
I would recommend to customise the skills section of your resume, and ensure that it matches the job posting. The higher the number of phrases within the resume matching the job requirements the more are the chances that the recruiter will pick you for the job.
I just wanted to say, “thank you!”. This was very helpful. Instead of jumping from one website to the next there’s so much useful, relevant information right here.
Hi, I have been having trouble creating a resume as My old one is so long, I’ve worked for a government agency for the past 14 years and held multiple positions doing many different duties for each and now I have to relocate to another area where they do not have an agency like mine in my new area within a 3 hour drive, how can I squeeze all my experience and duties on one page and where do I even start, I’m so nervous, it’s been so long since I’ve attempted the job hunt. So I’m wondering, I do not want to cut anything out that may hurt my chances and I can’t afford to have my resume rewritten by a professional. Can you guide me as to where you think would be a good place to start, I’ve been staring at this laptop for weeks trying to decide on a resume template, there are so many. I thank you for your time and any input will help.
Hi, I am a new graduate and do not have any experience in my field which is Nursing. I want to apply for the jobs but I have no idea about what to mention in my resume.
Hi, this article should help with the resume summary, at least: https://careersidekick.com/summary-for-resume-no-experience/
Other than that, you need to put your academic experience. And internships/part-time jobs if you’ve had any.
Dear Biron,, Thanks for sharing the 10 examples of professional summaries in your article, and especially the reasons why they were considered to be good. However, as a HR professional, I would most likely skip over most of them and would not read much past the first or second sentence. The summaries were mostly too wordy and boring, and did not demonstrate ‘oomph’ at first cursory reading. Simply indicating certain skills or behaviors does not give an idea of the level of expertise, and could simply be wishful thinking on the part of the resume writer.
Just goes to show that there are many ways to see what makes a good summary.
I am a chemical engineer and project management professional with 15+years experience. My experience is between process engineering and project management . How can I marry the two in my profile summary?
It’s not about showing everything you’ve done. It’s about showing employers evidence you’ll succeed in their job. You can show a bit of both but focus heavily on what’s most relevant for the jobs you’re applying for right now. 80/20.
This was absolutely helpful and amazing! Thank you very much!
Hello, I am an active job seeker. I hold a law degree from a foreign country and currently in college for an associate degree. My question is, how do I blend both my foreign job experience with that of the United States in my resume. Thank you.
I’d put your work history in chronological order, starting with the most recent up top. That’s what I’d recommend for 95% of people actually. Then it doesn’t matter where you held each job.
And then in your Education section, I’d include your foreign degree and the current degree you’re pursuing in the US, too (for the US degree, you can say “in progress” or “graduating May 2019” for example).
I am 40 years old & B.A degree holder I have experience in many fields.I would like to join any one fields
I am a fresh graduate, who has five years teaching experience and some months customer service representative experience. Pls kindly assist me to put the resume summary together
I’m an active duty service member and finding in a little difficult creating a good transitional summary from 20 year profession in tactical communications to a drug and alcohol counselor. Do you have any recommendations how I should approach this? Any assistance would be helpful. Thanks
Great piece
How to write the CAREER ABSTRACT in resume for ware super visor retail business?
Just wanted to say thank you.Your advise and information was clear and easy to understand , sometimes there is nothing pertaining to what im looking fot in particular, buy you have sermed to cover everything I n a short quick easy to understand method.It will help tremendously.
Thanks! Glad to hear it helped :)
Very informational
What if you have work experience, but the job your going for(teachingeducation) has nothing to do with warehouse work? How should I build my resume?
In the summary, describe yourself and then say, “…looking to transition into ___” (the type of work you want to be doing now).
This is a bit like a resume “Objective”. I normally don’t recommend an Objective section (and I recommend a Summary section instead), however the one time an Objective does make sense is when you’re trying to change industries or make a big change in the type of role you have.
So that’s why my advice here might seem like I’m telling you to combine an Objective with your resume Summary.
Then “tailor” your previous work to be as relevant as possible. Even if you worked in a different industry you can still show things like leadership, accountability, progress/improvement, hard work, achieving goals, strong teamwork skills, etc. You can do all of that in your resume bullets and work history.
Don’t u have Resume Summary of legal secretary/legal assistant?
No, sorry about that. There are hundreds of different professions/job titles, and we aren’t able to include an example for every scenario out there. These resume summary examples are designed to give you a general idea of how to write yours.
The summaries listed are excellent example and have helped me develop a stand out summary for a new position.
Hello, I been trying to land the job of my dreams. I need help with my resume if i want the recruiters in airlines to notice me. I’ve applied before but haven’t had complete success to making it to a face-to Face Interview. It is a career change – yet i feel i am a great candidate bc i have had many customer service and I even attended an academy for that specific position. Can you please tell me what I am doing wrong on my resume ?
what if i never had a job experience?
Great question. If you don’t have any work experience, take one of the formats/examples above and put your accomplishments and qualifications from your academic studies.
Your headline could say: “Motivated Bio-Sciences Graduate With Expertise in ____”.
And then you might talk about accomplishments in school, group projects you worked on or led, etc.
Basically, when you have no work experience, your school/studies BECOMES your recent work. You should talk about that like it’s a job, because that’s the experience you do have.
really amazing article and too useful , thanks
Hi Mr. Clark, I have been out of the work force for about 18+years and I have been a small business owner for the same number of years. However, I want to go back to the work force. But my problem is that, I don’t know how to prepare my resume or resume summary statement. I had a degree in Communication,Arts and Sciences and a postgraduate degree in Public Administration. I’m a bit confused as to how to incorporate all these experiences into my resume. Please can you help?
Hi Dorothy, I can recommend a professional resume writer if you want. But they’re typically not cheap, so it’s something you’d have to be willing to invest in. If not, there’s a lot of free info online about how to “tailor” your resume for specific jobs. I can’t help one-on-one unfortunately, but I’d recommend thinking about which type of jobs you want, and think of what experience you have that is most relevant. that’s what to put on your resume. Your resume isn’t only about you, it’s about them – what do they want/need? (if you want to get a ton of interviews, that’s how to do it :) ).
Can I have a professional resume writer?
I use a similar format when writing my opening statement for my coverletter. How do you recommend differentiating the two? Or is it ok to use largely the same language?
I think it’s okay to use something similar. I might be more brief in the cover letter… it needs to be about them just as much as it’s about you. Whereas the resume is all about you, at least in the summary section. (The later sections should still be tailored to THEIR needs..)
Struggling to write a Summary Statement for a Secretary/Administrative Assistant position. I have 15 years government experience but have been away from the government since 9/1993 and have spent 15 years as a Substitute Teacher after taking off for 10 years to raise my children.
Hiya! I am a mother of three attempting to return to the workforce. I have been a stay at mom for about 13 years, so I have a (large) gap in my employment history; which doesn’t look great. I have a college education and have obtained a few certifications whilst not employed, plus many volunteer hours. I know that I should probably use a functional resume format. Would love some advice on what I should include in my summary statement.
Hi Juniper,
I rarely like functional resumes, but it might be worth trying. I’d “split-test” it (a marketing term). Create two resume styles, send out 50% one way, 50% the other way, and track results for a week.
I’d treat the resume summary statement just like any other resume. Highlight your skills and past wins/accomplishments.
how do i explain long term gaps in employment? leave them out?
Hi Paulette,
Don’t mention them on a resume summary. But do mention the gaps on a cover letter or lower down on the resume. Here’s an article on how to explain gaps in employment:
https://careersidekick.com/explaining-gaps-in-employment/
I am student in civil engineering field. Have 1.5 yrs of work ex. How should i structure my resume. Thanks.
Hello My name is Shataka and I’m a current job seeker trying to land my dream job as a Counselor. I have Master degree in Counseling Psychology and a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work. My experience lies in many different fields. I’m currently a Substance Abuse Counselor, with a teaching background and over 5 years of social service experience. I guess my question is how would I sum up all my experience to help me find a job as a Counselor.
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20 Resume Summary Examples for 2023 & Complete Guide
Understand the Resume Summary
- When to Use a Resume Summary
- How to Write a Summary
- 20 Resume Summaries
- Resume Summary Recap
You’ve probably heard countless times that your resume is the backbone of your job hunt, but it can be frustrating to figure out exactly what goes into a good one. There are plenty of resources available, but navigating them can be overwhelming.
One of the murky areas that hopeful applicants wrestle with is whether to include a summary or objective statement in their resume. When every bit of space on your resume is invaluable, how do you know when a summary or objective is essential?
If you’re already a pro, then head to our easy-to-edit resume tool to build your resume, or you can customize the resume below. Otherwise, join us, and we’ll clear away the confusion.
Real Estate Agent Resume
Get started customizing your own resume by clicking on this real estate agent resume below:
The summary of your resume should give a quick “snapshot” of your best qualifications, which you’ll later emphasize and quantify with your skills and experience. Your summary offers an overview of which qualifications make you the perfect fit for the job: So, focus on the highlights of your career.
You want your summary to emphasize your history of accomplishments and excellence , leveraging that information to demonstrate how you’ll benefit the company and enhance the position for which you’re applying. Your summary should be attention-grabbing and immediately show why you’re the ideal hire!
Is a resume summary the same as a career objective?
You may be wondering if a resume summary and a career objective serve the same purpose—and whether they’re interchangeable. There’s plenty of overlap between resume objectives and summaries, thus, muddling the waters.
These key differences will help you simplify and clarify a confusing topic:
Summaries are great if:
- You have extensive, quality experience
- You’re staying within your field or branching out to something similar
- You have some impressive metrics to share
Objectives are better if:
- You’re a new graduate
- You’re changing careers or breaking into the field
Wait! Is the summary the same as a summary of qualifications?
The lesser-known summary of qualifications is not quite the same as a resume summary! While your summary should elegantly describe your qualifications and relevant history in a couple of concise sentences, a summary of qualifications is more technical and usually presented in a bulleted list. The summary of qualifications lets you work in some ATS-friendly keywords and then dazzle a recruiter with metrics, accomplishments, and skills.
It’s usually recommended to keep your list of qualifications to around three to six bullet points, limiting each to one or two lines. But this format eats up space on your resume quickly! So, it’s best to replace your resume’s summary or objective with a summary of qualifications if you have a long, complicated history of experience in your field and need to emphasize the highlights of your background at a glance.
Know When to Use a Resume Summary
A resume summary is often best suited to applicants with 10+ years of experience, although standalone accomplishments can be equally powerful .
If you’ve achieved an unusual level of expertise or racked up an impressive list of accomplishments during a shorter time, consider including a summary!
Our simple free resume templates make it easy for you to add or remove information and manipulate sections for personalization without affecting the overall layout of your resume. If you choose to work with a resume template through a word-processing program, like the creative Google Docs templates we just designed, making changes can throw everything off kilter, often causing you to have to start from scratch to correct the problem.
Here are some indicators that a summary would fit nicely on your resume:
- You’ve worked long enough (10+ years) that you should condense the highlights of your career
- You have an eye-catching list of accomplishments and quantifiable achievements
- You’ve worked with big-name companies or prestigious projects
- You’ve advanced quickly within your field during an unusually short time
If the list above feels intimidating, circle back to the original question of whether a summary enhances your resume.
Here are some indicators you should simply leave the summary out and let your skills and experience speak for themselves:
- You’re a new graduate who hasn’t had time to build much experience
- Your previous work experience has been somewhat run-of-the-mill
- Your background and qualifications look somewhat generic or bland once written
- You haven’t had many opportunities that resulted in quantifiable achievements
If you can relate, your resume will be strongest if you drop the summary entirely. Instead, lead with your skills and emphasize dependability, ambition, and potential in your experience section.
Write an Effective Resume Summary
If you’re bracing yourself for the process of honing your summary, don’t worry! It’ll be a breeze if you follow our tried-and-true formula and keep our handy tips in mind as you write.
Follow our resume summary formula
The process is as easy as: X + Y + Z = Attention-snagging summary!
X = Your characteristics and personality traits Y = Years of experience and quantified success/results Z = How these results apply to the specific job role
Consider this resume summary for a programmer:
You can pinpoint each element when you break this summary down:
X = Inquisitive, driven, and eager Y = 8+ years of experience, a client base of 100+ people, and a savings of 725+ manual hours Z = Specific programming skills like Python and jQuery that will enhance performance within the position
Our best resume summary tips
Now, we’ll unpack some tips to help you nail down the perfect summary to jumpstart your resume:
- Summary length: Limit your summary to two or three sentences.
- Keywords: Consider job-specific keywords that the ATS scans for as well as keywords that will hook recruiters.
- Quantify your claims: When you list accomplishments and achievements, back them up with hard facts! Data like improvement percentages, customer satisfaction metrics, and client base numbers will boost your credibility.
- Tailor summaries to specific positions: You never want your summary to feel generic, so look for specific requirements in the job description that you can respond to with relevant details from your own experience.
- Grammar and mechanics: Proofread carefully for spelling and punctuation errors, and keep a close eye on grammar. It’s also ideal to avoid informal contractions and opening sentences with “I.” Your summary should immediately spotlight your professional value—so keep sentence structure concise and use “my” when presenting your skills.
Don’t worry if this is a little overwhelming at first glance! Many job seekers linearly work through their resumes, but save your summary for last even though it appears first. Once your other sections are fine-tuned, it’ll be easier to pinpoint choice details to fill in the formula and complete your perfect summary. (And who says you have to nail your summary the first time you write it?! Go through as many iterations as you need when you outline your resume .)
The good, the bad, and the ugly resume summary
So, what do these concepts look like in action? Take a look at this example of an excerpt from a digital marketing manager’s job description:
As a digital marketing marketer, you will plan, oversee, manage, and implement our brand’s digital marketing campaigns. You will:
- Plan each digital marketing campaign and delegate tasks in a team setting
- Oversee and evaluate the quality of digital marketing materials
- Analyze campaigns and identify how to improve performance
What kind of summary works for this job description? We’ll take it from bad to best.
I graduated with a marketing degree last year and did lots of group projects. I know how to structure a market campaign and read analytics.
Why it’s ugly: There’s zero personality here. The claims are not only weak and vague but there’s nothing quantifiable to back them—let alone any indication of managerial skills. Even though the summary addresses some details from the job description, they’re too generic.
My degree in marketing makes me a great fit for this position. I can use my communication and analytical skills to help your team create great ad campaigns. I’m also familiar with Google Analytics and LinkedIn and have worked with several teams.
Why it’s bad: While this summary addresses skills and teamwork experience more effectively, the tone still lacks the gusto that most managerial roles require. The first sentence takes up space while offering too little information, and the second two are redundant and unenthusiastic.
Ambition, creativity, and a BA in marketing empowered me to gain 6+ years of experience with a digital marketing team and boost website traffic by 67%. My proficiency in Microsoft Excel, SEO, and KPI tracking enable me to plan, create, and analyze advertising campaigns. My well-honed strategies and communication skills will elevate Nestlé USA’s marketing team to new heights.
Why it’s best: This summary completes the formula! You can see personality, experience, and quantifiable claims coupled with the applicant’s skills that fit the exact job description. Dynamic, powerful verbs such as “boost,” “create,” and “empowered” also suggest this applicant is qualified for an advanced role.
20 Resume Summaries to Inspire You + Why They Work
You’ve got the basics down; now you’re ready to take some inspiration from these 20 resume summary examples across different professions. We’ve alphabetized them to simplify things —but we recommend reading them all with our key formula in mind to solidify this info. Before you know it, you’ll have a starting point for your own incredible summary.
We begin each with a quick list of key points in the job description, so you can see how each summary is carefully customized to the role.
Accountant resume summary
Accountant job description key points :
- Adept at creating and managing financial documents
- Maintaining ledger entries and monthly budgets
- Detailed error checking and problem-solving
- Auditing and document collection
- Mentorship and training skills
Accountant resume summary :
Why this resume works
- The applicant’s ambitious yet matter-of-fact personality is evident in a way that reinforces their desire to take an active leadership role in the accounting field.
- The solid metrics of a CPA certification and an improvement percentage also quantify the applicant’s selling points.
- And lastly, the focus is on more advanced skills instead of entry-level basics.
Need more help? Our accountant resume guide and accountant cover letter examples have you covered from top to bottom.
Attorney resume summary
Attorney job description key points :
- Adept with communication and navigating client consultations
- Familiarity with litigation and a strong ability to adapt to changing legislation
- Strategic, analytical thinking, and strong ethical problem-solving skills
- Preparing, customizing, and checking legal documents
- Forewarning clients of potential obstacles and helping them understand their options
Attorney resume summary :
- The candidate immediately demonstrates an ambitious personality alongside a quantifiable accomplishment.
- Next, the more in-depth set of abilities highlights a well-rounded approach to legal success—ending on a strong note with specific examples of how they’ll benefit the law firm.
If you need more guidance on your attorney resume or attorney cover letter , we can show you the way regardless of your experience level.
Business analyst resume summary
Business analyst job description key points :
- Analytical and quick, adaptive thinking patterns
- Basic IT abilities in Microsoft Excel, SQL, Google Sheets, and Agile Development
- Superior communication and interpersonal/soft skills
- Meticulous attention to detail with an ability to deliver precise reports/data and advice
Business analyst resume summary :
- The formula is all here—personality with a spotlight on skills that apply directly to the job position—and the applicant dives right into measurable achievements.
- While technical skills are touched upon, broader qualifications and personal traits that mesh with the company take the spotlight.
Take your career documents to the next level with comprehensive guidance on your business analyst resume and business analyst cover letter .
Customer service resume summary
Customer service job description key points :
- Impeccable communication, critical thinking, and conflict resolution skills
- Flexibility, adaptability, and reliability
- Task organization and prioritization
- Personable and an affinity for welcoming customers/patrons
- Basic technical/computer skills while monitoring metrics and applying them to better meet company goals
Customer service resume summary :
- This summary would be ideal for a candidate looking to progress to a more managerial customer service role since it offers quantifiable results alongside a strong demonstration of a go-getter personality.
- The applicant also included their experience alongside relevant skills, finally tying everything in with the specific company’s goals.
If you’re building your resume for the first time, glancing through our customer service resume guide will steer you in the right direction before you transition to your customer service cover letter .
Data analyst resume summary
Data analyst job description key points :
- Analytical and strategizing skills
- Strong ability to identify trends and problems quickly
- Organization, planning, and communication
- Collaborative and team-based abilities
- Technical database management and basic understanding of key languages like Python and Oracle
Data analyst resume summary :
- A data analyst’s job is highly technical, so it’s ideal to dive right into metrics and list several hard skills in your summary.
- While you can still find personality traits and evidence of soft skills in a team setting, this summary is more focused on measurable, results-driven improvements that the applicant can provide.
You’re in good hands (this is not a plug for Allstate, by the way) with our data analyst resume guide if you need some solid examples. Chances are you’ll need a data analyst cover letter to go with your resume; we’ve got that handled, too.
Data engineer resume summary
Data engineer job description key points :
- Technical skills like database and development programming languages
- Strong ability to develop, optimize, and maintain database software
- Attention to detail, problem-solving, and communication skills
- Advanced understanding of data pipelines and infrastructures
- Adaptive ability to support stakeholders and executive teams’ data infrastructure needs
Data engineer resume summary :
- As a data engineer, this applicant emphasizes leadership qualities, showing a desire for advancement with metrics to corroborate previous accomplishments.
- You can also see technical skills presented strategically to demonstrate the applicant’s skills in light of the job description.
Start your data engineer resume with the right resume template that speaks to you and your dream role. Besides a resume summary, know what else requires good writing? Yeah, your data engineer cover letter .
Data scientist resume summary
Data scientist job description key points:
- Second-nature understanding of the Scientific Method and algorithms
- Advanced ability to organize unstructured data and information
- Clear communication alongside translating large volumes of data into easily-comprehensible business insights
- Improve data quality and streamline/implement pricing models
- Integrate stakeholder input and collaborate on constant, adaptable business model improvements
Data scientist resume summary :
- This applicant demonstrates a driven personality with a highly analytical mindset and scientific background.
- You also get a realistic idea of how they’ll use their skills to produce quantifiable results—and benefit the company.
Looking for more resources? We can help you with the entirety of your data scientist resume and help you understand the nuances of writing a data scientist cover letter .
Graphic designer resume summary
Graphic designer job description key points :
- Attention to detail and a solid understanding of design theory for both print and digital applications (colors, typography, shapes, composition, etc.)
- Technical expertise with digital illustration/editing programs
- Understanding of marketing strategy, advertising techniques, and social media
- Excellent communication with clients and team members
Graphic designer resume summary :
- The candidate’s bright personality shines here, quite impactful for a creative field when backed by quantifiable examples of success.
- Teamwork abilities and experience with digital marketing also take center stage, demonstrating a balance between creativity and organized planning.
Choose a well-designed resume template for your graphic designer resume , and find a matching template to boost your confidence when it comes to your graphic designer cover letter , too.
Human resources (HR) resume summary
Human resources (HR) job description key points :
- A knack for facilitating communication between peers and departments
- Ability to update company policies, benefits, employee records, and payroll
- Proactivity when it comes to helping employees understand company policies
- Performance reviews, conflict resolution, de-escalation, and corrective action
- Assist with managing meetings and fostering employee communication and trust
Human resources (HR) resume summary :
- Soft skills are important in HR, especially when addressing sensitive topics, so this applicant’s focus on the personal side of company policies is wise.
- Even so, they still supply a strong metric for previous success and specify how their traits would fit the job position.
Don’t miss our complete HR cover letter guide , and we share what works and what doesn’t on the rest of your human resources (HR) resume .
Nursing resume summary
Nursing job description key points :
- Fast, effective communication and task implementation
- Collect patient data such as medical history, current conditions/medications, and updates
- Critical thinking and decision-making abilities regarding when to treat patients vs. when to consult doctors/supervisors for guidance
- Organizational skills and ability to interpret patients’ information, adhere to treatment plans, adjust treatment plans as needed, and administer medications
- Tactfully and kindly discuss care options with patients and families
Nursing resume summary :
- This candidate’s caring, clear-headed personality shines, and they provide an empirical metric for their experience.
- Additionally, you can easily find specific examples of crucial skills that will help them perform efficiently in any fast-paced nursing position.
The roles are endless when it comes to the medical field, so make sure you’re on the right track with your nursing resume as well as when it comes to writing your nurse cover letter .
Operations manager resume summary
Operations manager job description key points :
- Excellent leadership and administrative capabilities
- Analytical thinking and organizational skills
- Ability to manage communication and efficiency among departments
- Adept at hiring, training, and optimizing schedules for employees
- Oversee/analyze production methods, performance, quality assurance, and related data, relying on Salesforce and Tableau
Operations manager resume summary :
- The applicant’s focused and driven personality is evident in the way they immediately showcase their lengthy experience and various aspects of their managerial prowess!
- You also see a success metric right away alongside technical skills aligned with the job description.
Your operations manager resume is sure to shine when you consider our top resume tips ; then, you’ll be primed to write your operations manager cover letter .
Product manager resume summary
Product manager job description key points :
- Strong ability to analyze product quality from manufacturing to end-of-life
- Firm understanding of company goals and the ability to align products with those goals
- Superior communication and collaboration among cross-functional teams
- Skillfully interpreting data from Google Analytics and various other sources, leveraging it for improved production/distribution strategies
- Ability to analyze KPIs and identify areas for improvement
Product manager resume summary :
- As with any management-focused job description, the emphasis on strategizing and collaborative analysis here are ideal—and the technical skills balance out the interpersonal abilities well.
- The quantifiable improvement in feedback also strengthens this summary!
Our product manager resume guide will ensure your resume is in tip-top shape from resume summary to resume format . If you’re resume’s already a success, don’t forget about your product manager cover letter .
Program manager resume summary
Program manager job description key points :
- Planning, initiating, and implementing plans to achieve company goals and complete project portfolios
- Excellent management, leadership, and communication
- Proactively motivate a team to carry out program activities
- Budgeting, organizational, and strategy-building skills
- Ability to analyze metrics of program success, such as KPIs and satisfaction rates, to identify areas for improvement
Program manager resume summary :
- Talk about detail! We can see several metrics here coupled with an energetic and goal-oriented personality.
- Additionally, these metrics and traits skillfully imply the exact set of abilities this job position requests.
Sail through the rest of your program manager resume , and don’t forget to check it against our AI-powered resume tool before you draft the perfect program manager cover letter .
Project manager resume summary
Project manager job description key points :
- Excellent team management skills and a strong ability to facilitate collaboration and team cohesion
- Creativity and adaptability in project planning, budgeting, and implementation
- Ability to bridge the gap between project teams and company executives or clients to provide updates and results
- Organization, time management, and attention to codes and policy compliance
- Skillful preparation and management of briefing materials, progress tracking, and reports/reviews that can be leveraged for future improvements
Project manager resume summary :
- This job role is all about results, so leading with personality traits and metrics that support the candidate’s ability to yield these results is ideal.
- Accentuating what the applicant can offer this particular company is also a great move!
PMs, we see you! Peruse our project manager resume examples for support and inspiration, and sail through your project manager cover letter , too.
Recruiter resume summary
Recruiter job description key points:
- Excellent soft skills, including strategic communication. Ability to foster positive relationships with both applicants and staffing agents while managing client and candidate expectations
- Ability to gather information and quickly assess candidates
- Efficiency under pressure when working with high-priority or time-sensitive hires
- Strong ability to gauge talent/potential during interviews
- Develop/update job descriptions, requirements, proposed pay, and benefit plans
Recruiter resume summary :
- This summary concisely highlights the blend of personality traits and interpersonal skills that this applicant offers.
- The candidate still supplies a quantifiable example of their success and relevance, too.
You know all about the job hunt, but we get that you need help with your recruiter resume , too. When it comes to writing a resume or your recruiter cover letter , we’ll share all we know.
Sales resume summary
Sales job description key points :
- Effective communication, persuasion, negotiation, and people-reading skills
- Ability to answer/field questions or find information quickly
- Time management and organization skills
- Preparing sales contracts, reports, and presentations
- Following up to ensure customer satisfaction, obtain payments, or promote new plans, services, or products
- Understanding and furthering company programs and specific sales objectives
Sales resume summary :
- You can witness plenty of beneficial personality traits here!
- Plus, the candidate’s experience is evident in the skills they highlight—and they specifically speak to the value they’ll offer the company.
Sell your career documents and snag your dream role with our resources for your sales resume and sales cover letter .
Scrum master resume summary
Scrum Master job description key points :
- Excellent ability to lead, communicate, and collaborate with a team to meet goals while maintaining Scrum values
- Thorough understanding of Agile frameworks and ability to coach teammates in Agile
- Adaptability in fixing errors and problem-solving with strong recovery skills to keep the focus on sprint goals
- Use metrics and stakeholder/team feedback to ensure optimal product quality
- Organization, coordination, and task prioritization
Scrum Master resume summary :
- We clearly see experience, educational, and technical qualifications here.
- Personality shines through while demonstrating a clear understanding of the job role and, of course, everything ties in with the target company at the end.
Scrum Masters, we know you appreciate a logical and organized approach, so start by exploring our resume examples and diving into what works on the best Scrum Master resumes . We can also teach you how to tackle your Scrum Master cover letter with ease.
Social media manager resume summary
Social media job description key points :
- Familiarity with social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, and the ability to maintain responsiveness on all channels
- Quick adaptability to changing social media/market trends and current events
- Adept at monitoring KPIs, SEO performance, and other metrics and assessing the effectiveness and potential improvements
- Ability to collaboratively plan and implement campaigns by creating, posting, and managing original content with the use of Hootsuite
Social media manager resume summary :
- It’s all there—experience, an ambitious, confident personality, credibility-boosting metrics, and highly relevant skills.
- The applicant also provides compelling insight regarding their approach to the company’s success.
As a social media guru, you have an eye for details, which is why you’ll appreciate our free and creative Word resume templates as you finish building your social media manager resume and writing your social media manager cover letter .
Software engineer resume summary
Software engineer job description key points :
- Engineering-focused educational background in math or computer science
- Technical experience with tools like C++, Java, Unix, database and cloud storage, etc.
- Strong ability to navigate, explain, and lead the entire software development lifecycle
- Solid understanding of the best software engineering practices with a focus on scalability, quick problem-solving, and information management
- Application infrastructure and design skills that mesh well with speed/optimization
Software engineer resume summary :
- There’s tons of personality here along with strong metrics that demonstrate the applicant’s skills.
- And while there’s a clear mention of technical skills, the strategic thinking of an engineer takes the spotlight, showcasing the ability to expertly handle advanced roles.
If your software engineer resume needs a facelift, consider one of our free resume templates . Remember that your software engineer cover letter can make a great first impression.
Teacher resume summary
Teacher job description key points :
- Supervisory and communication skills with the ability to process student feedback and customize lesson plans
- Ability to maintain leadership of the room and engage students with lessons
- Planning and preparing lessons, assignments, and educational materials
- Updating grades frequently, providing thoughtful feedback, and modifying work for struggling students
- Provide insight, advice, and encouragement regarding students’ future career paths
Teacher resume summary :
- The conversational yet professional tone is ideal for a teacher delineating a diverse and adaptable skillset and backing it up with a quantifiable metric.
- The applicant’s best traits practically demonstrate themselves!
Along with your teacher resume , your teacher cover letter should also be top of mind.
Resume Summary Recap and Your Next Steps
You’ve made it to the end, but don’t feel too overwhelmed or get lost in the weeds while striving to pinpoint the best parts of your experience and skillset to include in your summary! Return as often as you need to the summary examples above, and don’t hesitate to draw inspiration from our resume examples .
When you start writing your summary, keep our formula in mind:
X + Y + Z = Success!
X = Your characteristics/personality Y = Experience and quantified success/results Z = How your accomplishments apply to the specific role
Carefully read every job description while you search, and tailor your resume summary to each listing. The extra effort and finishing touches will show!
Remember it’s easiest to write your summary once you’ve drafted the rest of your resume , so you can get crackin’ in our resume builder for an interactive, intuitive solution. And if you like the resume below, you can start customizing it right away. So, here’s to your success. We’re cheering you on!
When crafting your document, be sure to include specific information from the job ad but only if you actually have that experience. Because the ATS will automatically search for appropriate keywords and phrases, you can readily find what employers are searching for in other resumes and the ad for the job you’re applying for. Also, look at other ads for similar positions to find industry-specific keyword information to include.
Senior Financial Analyst Resume
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How to Write a Professional Resume Summary? [+Examples]
Do you want to land more job interviews? The easiest way to achieve this is by attracting a recruiter’s attention straight away by summarizing the highlights of your career right at the start of your resume — in a section called the resume summary.
The purpose of this resume section, which is also known as a professional summary or resume statement, is to create a good first impression. It sums up your work experience , skills, and achievements into a short and concise sales pitch where you are the product.
Do it well, and your future employers will be more inclined to read the rest of your resume.
Without further ado, let’s show you how to write an exceptional professional summary that will not only get you to more job interviews but will also help you land a job.
This guide will show you:
What is a professional summary?
Why do you need a professional summary, how to write a professional summary.
- What to do when you don’t have any experience in the field?
- What are a resume objective and a resume profile?
- Examples of professional summaries from real professionals.
TL;DR video guide: How to write a professional summary for a resume
A professional summary gives the hiring manager a quick overview of your skills and achievements without them having to dive into the rest of your resume. It sits at the top of your resume, beneath your name and contact information. You can think of it as a teaser for the rest of your resume.
It should sum up your top skills, experiences, and achievements as they pertain to the job description.
Take a look at the sample below to see what it looks like in practice:
The professional summary section is also known as a:
- Resume summary
- Qualifications summary
- Resume statement
- Heading statement
- Competencies
- Career summary
- Experience summary
- Personal statement
However, don’t mistake a professional summary for a resume objective or profile . We’ll discuss the differences between them later in this guide.
How long should a professional summary be?
Generally speaking, a resume summary should be quite short. The most common length is 3-5 sentences or bullet points. It shouldn't be longer than 5-6 concise bullet points , but it also shouldn't be shorter than 2 bullet points.
You can also replace the first bullet point with a short introductory paragraph that includes your job title, years of experience, and specialization.
While many people still don't include the resume profile section in their resumes, it's a mistake. But why is it a mistake?
- You want to grab the recruiter's attention from the get-go.
- You'll make their life a bit easier because you'll immediately tell them who you are.
The thing is, recruiters are busy people , they go through dozens, sometimes hundreds of resumes before they can find a few qualified candidates.
Do you know what this means? Shortcuts. At first, recruiters will be skimming resumes in search of specific keywords and phrases that align with what the company is searching for.
That’s why you want to include the best resume summary you can come up with because a good summary section consists of nothing but these juicy bite-size phrases and keywords that a recruiter can spot at a glance.
In short, a professional summary allows you to turn a recruiter's time limitation into an advantage.
Christy's word of advice
While recruiters are indeed busy, did you know that the information that recruiters only give each resume 6 seconds of their time isn't true?
“This one's a little bit of a myth. It takes about six seconds to screen the resume for the key information that I'm looking for, such as location, summary, keywords, or if there's a skills section. Within this time frame, I should be able to get a feel for who you are and what you're looking for. But it's mainly about six seconds for me to pick out the basic information I need. It doesn't mean that I'm going to spend just six seconds on it or that I won't continue reading after. ” — Christy Morgan , Kickresume's Resident HR Expert
As we said before, a good professional summary should compel an employer to read the next section of your resume — that’s all. If it manages to do that, then it has accomplished its purpose.
However, doing this is easier said than done, as it can be tricky to cram the most exciting bits of your career into a 3-5 bullet points summary.
Luckily, there are a few tips and tricks you can use to craft an impressive resume summary.
Before you start writing:
- Write other resume sections, and then write your professional summary last. It’s surprisingly easy once you’ve already written other sections of your resume. All you have to do is cherry-pick the most impressive facts and stats.
- Pick the essential keywords from the job listing, so you can tailor your summary. Start with the job listing that made you apply for the job. Carefully reread it and find the most important keywords. These are the nouns or phrases that best describe the job position, related skills, as well as the ideal candidate. Before you begin to write, think about how they intersect with your own skills and experiences. In this way, you also have a higher chance to get through the ATS systems which companies use.
Once you start writing:
- In the first bullet point, write your professional title. Don’t forget to add the number of years of experience. You want to communicate your professional identity immediately. You can also write it in bold. It can look something like this: “Certified Project Management Professional with over 4 years of experience”.
- Pick the 3-4 most impressive parts of your resume and reword them into snappy bullet points. Tease your potential employer into reading further. Did you earn a recognition for the best customer service? Or hit 95% of sales targets for five consecutive years? These are the things that deserve a mention at the top of your resume!
- Translate each achievement into numbers. Each bullet point should contain at least one piece of quantifiable data. Use percentages, numbers, or impressive sales figures. It gives the hiring manager a better idea of how you performed in your previous jobs. Numbers attract attention. Take advantage of that.
- Sum up what you have to offer. Instead of saying what you want, keep in mind what they want. Make clear what values you can bring to the company. Look for common threads in your work history and for skills that apply most to the job.
How to use keywords in a resume summary
A professional summary can do more than catch the attention of the recruiter. It can also make your resume more ATS-friendly.
It's a great place where you can squeeze in one or two ATS-friendly keywords , and it will still look natural.
Such keywords can be your industry-relevant hard skills, previous job positions, notable clients, certificates and courses from notable institutions, or a note-worthy university (if you recently finished your degree).
Moreover, you should add keywords and relevant skills from the job listing.
Don't get too creative with the heading, though. While replacing the professional summary headline with “Snapshot” sounds great, ATS doesn't know what it means and therefore wouldn't recognize it.
Professional resume summary examples for most common careers
Now that you know the ins and outs of writing a resume summary, here are a few examples that can inspire you when writing your summary:
Professional summary example for customer service
Performance-driven and motivated customer service rep offering 4+ years of relevant experience. Eager to join the Techia team and contribute to the growth of the company. In the previous role, the ability to make customers comfortable and relaxed allowed for 98% customer service survey results and had 25% more sales than the average employer.
Professional resume summary example for retail
Dedicated and hard-working storekeeper with a Business Administration degree. Eager to bring my strong attention to detail and accuracy to J&R inc. Adept at communicating with vendors and suppliers, coordinating various business operations, and maintaining documents and files in order. In the past jobs brought an extra $50k of sales per quarter and increased customer satisfaction by 20%.
Professional summary example for nursing resume
Motivational and resourceful Orthopedic Nurse with 10 years of experience with in-depth knowledge in trauma recovery, aggressive pain management techniques, and post-surgical recovery. Especially proficient in providing external fixation care and continuous motion therapy along with neuromuscular status monitoring. Committed to work as an orthopedic nurse for people who are struggling with mobility issues due to accidental injuries and degenerative disease affecting bones and muscles.
Professional summary example for administrative assistant
Self-driven and accurate Executive Assistant skilled at performing various office/administrative duties, such as coordinating meetings, maintaining calendar and schedule, filing documents, and managing company correspondence. Highly self-motivated with a solid work ethic and multitasking abilities.
Professional summary example for data analyst
A graduate in Information Systems with two years of hands-on data analytics experience. Passionate about working with large amounts of data and to turn this data into information, information into insight and insight into business decisions. I also have a keen interest in the field of data visualization and am fascinated by the power to compress complex datasets into approachable and appealing graphics.
Professional summary example for warehouse worker
Hard-working and dedicated Warehouse Worker with 2+ years of extensive experience in inspecting incoming shipments, preparing and processing orders, and performing various administrative duties. The Employee of the Month Award winner with a strong attention to detail and accuracy and determination to achieve exceptional results. Offers excellent time management skills and important ability to work independently or in a team.
Professional summary example for receptionist
Customer-oriented and performance-driven Front Desk Assistant skilled at performing various administrative tasks, improving all office processes and procedures, and providing support to Office Managers. Great communicator with a Business Administration degree from a well-known university and an exceptional ability to remain calm in stressful situations. Possess well-developed communication skills and excellent time management abilities.
Resume summary example for management
A Project Manager with 16 years of experience in IT projects. Responsible for the management of teams of up to 15 direct and 7 indirect employees. Has High level knowledge in project execution using best practices of waterfall and agile methodologies. High level knowledge of Jupyter Notebook, MS Project, MS Excel, MS Word.
Professional summary example for project manager
Logistics & Planning PMO for Anheuser-Busch InBev with +7 years of experience in Supply Chain Operations & Project Management. Lived and worked for ABI in 6 cities in past years, managed +300 direct & indirect employees and +0.5 billion BRL over the years. At ABI experienced the routines in breweries operations & urban distribution. As Project Manager build the Zone Logistics Project area for ABI LAN, being responsible for 4.0 Supply Chain, integrating the technologies WMS, YMS, TMS and Tracking.
Resume summary example for stay-at-home mother
Performance-driven and knowledgeable Stay At Home Mother skilled at conducting detailed market research, developing new sales tools, creating reports, and promoting products and services. Certified Marketing Management Professional with an extensive knowledge of multiple marketing software programmes, great communication skills, and excellent teamwork abilities. Currently looking for any Marketing related remote part-time job.
Professional summary example for student
Self-driven and knowledgeable computer science student with demonstrated experience in developing user-friendly software applications, coding and testing features, and providing engineering support. Oracle Certified Professional with extensive knowledge of multiple programming languages and software development tools, excellent problem-solving skills, and ability to perform well in a team.
How to write a resume summary if you're a fresh graduate/student?
If you’re a student or a fresh graduate, you probably don’t have much to brag about in your resume yet.
But that’s true only to some extent. Even as an entry-level candidate, you already have at least some experience and skills. You just have to find the right way to articulate them.
What’s more, it’s quite likely that the other candidates are just as inexperienced as you are. After all, experienced professionals rarely apply for entry-level positions.
Because of that, your primary goal is to stand out and make the employer remember you . And you can do that even if your experience is limited.
It’s not like you’ve just spent most of your life at school and learned nothing. You just need to understand how your studies intersect with the job’s requirements.
Here’s how you can write your professional resume summary as a student/fresh graduate:
- State your field of study, degree, and GPA (if it’s above 3.0).
- Mention relevant skills gained in internships, part-time jobs, and volunteer work.
- Add related coursework or school projects.
- Also, try to translate your most notable achievements into numbers. Maybe you were on the student council. You can mention how you received 800 votes and helped organize 5 large school events that were attended by 2,000 students.
In the end, a fresh graduate resume summary should look a bit like this:
Hired by Bupa — Business Administration Intern
- An adaptable and responsible graduate seeking an entry-level position in the Business Analytics market, Business Consultancy or Financial market.
- My double degree in Business and Law and my previous job as a financial controller have provided me with a well-rounded background and enabled me to develop an analytical/logical approach to tasks, software skills, and the ability to work under pressure.
- In short, I am reliable, hard-working with strong attention to detail and eager to learn about new technologies and business issues. I am able to work well both on my own initiative and as a part of a team. I’m also able to travel abroad.
How to write a resume summary as an experienced professional?
If you have 10 to 15 years of professional experience under your belt, you’ve probably developed a long list of job-related accomplishments. Your qualifications summary is the ideal place to showcase the most impressive of them.
On the other, with that extent of experience, it may be quite challenging to pick and choose the right information for your professional summary.
So what should you do?
- Start by carefully rereading the job advertisement.
- Highlight any skills you already possess that match this job offer.
- See if you can think of any past accomplishments that show how you successfully used those skills in your previous job.
For instance, are you an experienced sales and customer service professional? Sell it. Mention how you developed strategies that resulted in an over 15 % increase in new customers. Or how your rewards program reached a customer success rate of over 45 %. Numbers can be much more persuasive than words .
Also, always remember to use action words and relevant keywords.
Here’s a professional summary resume example from an experienced professional:
HubSpot — Director of Business Development Resume Summary Example
- Passionate Business Amplifier.
- Thrives in complex market segment entry and sales and marketing launch plans for technical products and services. Founder of the highly-impactful "HubSpot for Veterans" initiative.
- Proven Growth Consultant and Entrepreneurial Coach for over 200 organizations. Advocate of lean startup and data-backed strategy.
- Leadership spans career with direct application towards startups, Techstar accelerators, corporate business development, and government. ROI-focused relationship builder.
- Lifelong teacher and learner: Startup Institute, Techstarts, HubSpot Partner programs.
How to write a professional summary if you’re changing careers?
As a career changer , try to show how your past experience relates to the position you’re applying for or how it can help your future employer grow.
Are you a software developer who wants to work with a new programming language, let’s say Python? You can mention how you’ve already developed 7 mobile apps using JavaScript and HTML. Even something as small as completing a Python online course on CodeAcademy can work wonders.
But if you still feel like you don’t have any relevant job experience, consider writing a resume objective instead. Instead of past achievements and experiences, it highlights your transferable skills and motivation. Moreover, it explains why you seek to switch to a different industry.
On the other hand, make sure that you have absolutely no other solution, as a resume summary always makes a better impression than a resume objective . To learn more about a resume objective just scroll to the following chapter.
Here’s an example of a professional summary for someone changing careers:
- Marketing professional with over three years of experience in digital advertising, aiming to transition from marketing to human resources
- Certified Human Resources Assistant with a working knowledge of all software programs needed for the position such as Bamboo HR and Zenefits.
- Was in charge of recruiting and supervising summer interns and co-managing marketing budgets.
- Won the Employee of the Month Award for completing all assigned tasks and projects in a timely manner.
How to write a professional summary for a resume with no work experience?
A lot of people with no work experience default to writing a resume objective because they think they have nothing to summarize.
However, this usually ends up backfiring as the resume objective brings little to the table. That’s because the resume objective’s main focus is on you as opposed to a professional summary which focuses on solving the needs of a company.
Also, writing a summary objective can make you appear more inexperienced than you truly are.
Instead, as someone with no work experience, you can write a professional summary by including:
- Your education level;
- Adjectives that emphasize your work ethic (such as competent, decisive, and accountable);
- Relevant skills gained at school, volunteering , or internships;
- Professional hobbies (for example if applying for an IT position, include that app side project you worked on).
In addition, if you have volunteered or interned, know that regardless of whether they were paid or not, they're still considered work experience. As the skills and knowledge gained as a volunteer or intern can be quite valuable to an employer.
With that said, here’s an example of a professional summary for someone with no work experience:
People United Foundation – Fundraiser Volunteer
- Resourceful and talented fundraiser who uses new forms of technology and existing techniques to help raise money for organizations and groups.
- Experienced in raising funds for various charitable and nonprofit institutes.
- Adept at researching and presenting an array of innovative fundraising ideas to a variety of donor audiences.
- Keen negotiator with exceptional communication time management and networking abilities.
Resume summary vs resume objective and resume profile
While these terms are often interchangeable, a resume summary, a resume objective, and a resume profile are all slightly different things. Scroll below to see how.
What is a resume objective?
First of all, a resume objective isn't the same thing as a resume summary. They share several common features but each serves a different purpose.
Like a resume summary, a resume objective also sits at the top of your resume. Though, it’s a bit shorter — usually about one to two sentences long .
The biggest difference is that instead of your past accomplishments, it details your future goals.
Although a resume objective might not help hiring managers decide whether you’re qualified enough to solve their company’s problems, it may help you shift their attention away from your lack of experience.
With that said, resume objectives are a bit old-fashioned as they used to be more common in past. So it should only be written as a last resort.
What is a resume profile?
Most people think that the resume profile and resume summary are the same exact thing. And they aren't that wrong.
However, there are some slight differences between the two.
A resume profile tends to be a little longer than a resume summary. Still, you should try to keep it under 500 characters. Additionally, while a resume summary is simply a condensed version of your resume placed at the top of it, a resume profile focuses more on your professional accomplishments and successes.
Still — a resume summary and a resume profile are basically the same thing. So don't worry too much about the difference between the two. Just make sure you'll include either of them in your resume.
Final tips and tricks
We've already mentioned almost everything you need to write an effective professional summary. These are some of the final tips that didn't fit anywhere else in this guide:
- Emphasize proven experience. Instead of simply listing your skills , mention your previous accomplishments. For example, it’s much more impactful to say that you had your articles published in Forbes than to plainly claim that you’re a skilled writer.
- Try to avoid using the word “I” . It's not really necessary, especially if you write in bullet points.
- Structure it well. Take it from a professional writer — bullet points are a godsend when you need to structure your text clearly without giving it too much effort. Not only will they naturally order your resume statement into clearly delineated logical parts, but they'll also make it look good and read well. Also, make sure to write your current job title in bold.
- Keep it short. Your summary shouldn’t be longer than 5 short sentences (or bullet points). Having a long summary sort of defeats the point of having a resume summary at all. Don’t add random things. The key is to be specific.
- Read it after yourself. When you’re finished writing, read through your summary from the perspective of a hiring manager, asking “Why should we hire you?” .
FAQ: How to write a professional resume summary
How to write a resume summary.
Write your professional summary last. It’s surprisingly easy once you’ve already written other sections of your resume. In the first bullet point, include your job title and years of experience. Then cherry-pick the most impressive achievements and cram them into 4–5 bullet points.
There are some slight differences between a resume profile and a resume summary. A resume profile tends to be a little longer than a resume summary. Still, you should try to keep it under 500 characters. A resume profile also focuses more on your professional accomplishments and successes than a resume summary.
This article was recently updated. The original article was written by Noel Rojo in 2021 .
Kaja Jurčišinová
Kaja Jurcisinova is a fresh graduate and a junior copywriter at Kickresume. Kaja completed her undergraduate degree in Art History at the University of St Andrews in 2018 and graduated with a Master’s in Arts and Culture from the University of Groningen in 2021. She was an intern at multiple cultural institutions across Europe, including the Dutch Museum Association in Amsterdam, the Matter of Art Biennale in Prague, and the European Cultural Centre in Venice. At the moment, she resides in Visby on the Swedish island of Gotland.
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