executive summary in resume example

24 Resume Summary Examples That Get Interviews

By Biron Clark

Published: November 8, 2023

Biron Clark

Writer & Career Coach

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.

Watch: Resume Summary Examples That Get Interviews

10 resume summary examples:.

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.

14 Resume Summary Examples for Various Industries

Compassionate and effective 5th-grade teacher with experience overseeing the classroom and preparing lessons. Extensive experience encouraging students through positive reinforcement and motivational techniques. Collaborate well with school administration and other members of the teaching team. Ensure all students meet learning requirements, including literacy, social, and arithmetic skills.

2. Teacher’s Assistant

Goal-oriented teacher’s assistant with ten years of experience working with elementary school children. Aid teachers with lesson planning, classroom settings, and group instruction. Model positive behavior and maintain order in the classroom. Willingness to take on additional responsibilities to meet learning objectives.

Tech Industry

3. computer programmer.

Innovative computer programmer with a proven track record of writing high-quality code and supporting team needs with subject matter expertise. Adept in multiple programming languages, including Python, JavaScript, and C++. Ability to troubleshoot complex programming issues with inventive solutions. 

4. Cybersecurity Analyst

Dedicated cybersecurity analyst with ten years of experience in online security research, execution, planning, and maintenance. Proven track record of identifying business risks and proactively resolving them. Experience designing and instituting layered network security for large-scale organizations. Train users and other staff members on IT safety procedures and preventive techniques.

Skilled healthcare professional with ten years of experience in patient care, diagnosis, and providing appropriate treatments and medical services. Manage medical staff and resolve complex medical cases with maximum efficiency. Communicate the patient’s condition and treatment plan in easily understood terminology. Remain current with the latest advancements in medicine and research to ensure patients receive proper care.

6. Registered Nurse

Seasoned registered nurse offering comprehensive patient care in emergency room settings. Experience handling diverse patient populations and caring for various conditions. Proven leadership managing nursing teams and other staff. Focus on enhancing patient care and satisfaction through empathetic communication and excellent customer service. 

7. Digital Marketing Manager

Forward-thinking digital marketing manager experienced in all facets of digital marketing, including social media management, PPC advertising, SEO, and email marketing. Proven experience creating comprehensive marketing plans that improve lead prospecting and enhance brand awareness. Up to date with the newest tools available for digital marketing campaigns.

8. Marketing Analyst

Industrious marketing analyst well-versed in analyzing marketing campaign analytics and making recommendations to improve performance. Collaborate with account managers and use KPI metrics to explain the results of marketing initiatives. Meticulous with a strong work ethic and robust communication skills.

Food and Service Industry

Experienced wait staff member capable of managing orders, processing payments, and upselling menu items. Ensure restaurant guests feel welcome with attentive service catered to their needs. Remain current on updates to the menu and assist guests with selecting orders to meet their dietary requirements. Maintain a positive attitude and focus during busy restaurant periods.

10. Hotel Receptionist

Friendly hotel receptionist with extensive experience handling guest check-ins, check-out, and payments. Facilitate a positive guest experience with polished customer service skills and a readiness to address common inquiries and complaints. Collaborate well with other hotel team members, including executive administration and on-site restaurant staff.

Business/Office Jobs

11. financial analyst.

Highly motivated financial analyst with a proven track record of recommending appropriate financial plans based on financial monitoring, data collection, and business strategizing. Experienced in qualitative and quantitative analysis, forecasting, and financial modeling. Excellent communication skills for building and fostering long-term business relationships across the organization.

12. Tax Accountant

Experienced tax accountant with ten years of experience preparing federal and state tax returns for corporations and partnerships. Monitor changes in laws to ensure the organization properly complies with reporting requirements. Assist with tax audits, ensuring the team receives proper supporting evidence for tax positions. Analyze and resolve complex tax issues. Look for available tax savings opportunities for corporations with an aggregate savings of $500K last year. Excellent analytical skills and attention to detail.

Sales and Customer Service

13. sales representative.

Enthusiastic sales representative with expertise in identifying prospects and converting qualified leads to paying customers. Provide quality customer service and contribute to team sales success. Offer exceptional communication skills and seek to understand client needs before making the appropriate product recommendations. Continually meet and exceed sales goals. Leverage extensive knowledge of available products to provide appropriate client solutions and enhance customer loyalty and retention.

14. Customer Service Associate

Knowledgeable customer service professional with extensive experience in the insurance industry. Known as a team player with a friendly demeanor and proven ability to develop positive rapport with clients. Maintain ongoing customer satisfaction that contributes to overall company success. Highly articulate, with a results-oriented approach that addresses client inquiries and issues while maintaining strong partnerships. Collaborate well with the customer service team while also engaging independent decision-making skills.

Now you have 24 professional resume summary statements and some 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.

Creating a Customized Resume Summary

While general summaries are appropriate when applying for jobs requiring similar skills and experience, a customized resume summary can enhance your chances of moving on to the next step in the hiring process. 

That’s because most companies use automated tracking systems (ATS) to review submitted resumes for content directly related to the job posting. If you use keywords and natural language phrases in your summary that interlink to the job description, you’ll have a much higher chance of passing the ATS review.

Let’s look at an example of a resume summary that is customized for the specific job description below:

“Highly motivated social media specialist with strong project management skills. Creative marketer skilled in crafting innovative social media campaigns that resonate with a target audience. Regularly develop compelling copy and social media content to enhance lead generation and brand awareness. Detail-oriented with extensive project management skills that ensure proper prioritization of tasks and projects. Work with various social media management and analytics tools to examine results and make adjustments as necessary.”

This summary directly addresses the key points in the job description but rewrites them so the customization is natural and flows well. It’s personalized for the open role and uses similar terms with a few strategically placed keywords, such as “social media content” and “project management.”  

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.

Examples of Bad Resume Summaries

Now that we’ve seen a few exemplary resume summaries, let’s look at some that you should avoid at all cost.

1. Typos and Grammatical Errors

“Experienced cashier who knows how to run the register cash. Responsible with the money and can talk with the customer. Knows when to stoc up the invenory and checks it all the time. Can count change and run credit card tranactions. Get the customer happy by good service. I am always cheerful and organized.”

Why this resume summary is bad:

If you read the summary carefully, you’ll notice several spelling errors. The words “stock,” “inventory,” and “transactions” are all spelled wrong. Grammatical errors make the summary choppy and difficult to follow (“Get the customer happy by good service”).  A summary like this probably won’t fly with a company looking for a detail-oriented cashier responsible for managing in-person sales.

2. Lacks Relevant Keywords

“Talented worker with experience managing a team of staff. Creative and responsible with knowledge of organizational processes. Can keep up with the busiest of environments. Stays focused when at work, ensuring prompt task completion. Dependable and willing to collaborate with a team to get things done.”  

In this example, the chef doesn’t use keywords relevant to cooking, restaurants, or kitchens. The summary is very generic and can apply to nearly any job. A manager who receives the application isn’t likely to understand what value the candidate can bring to the restaurant.  To fix the summary, the applicant must rewrite it to include relevant keywords and phrases. 

3. No Numbers to Quantify Achievements

“An experienced and hardworking manager ready to align procedures for maximum revenue and profits. Proven track record of streamlining and strengthening processes, resulting in higher sales and better customer satisfaction. Collaborate well with sales team members, ensuring they have the resources and knowledge to support customer purchases and inquiries. Develop strong rapport with clients and maintain ongoing relationships.”

This isn’t a terrible summary for a sales manager, but it has room for improvement. For one, the first two sentences essentially duplicate each other, mentioning an aptitude for improving processes with the objective of higher sales. The other issue is a lack of quantifying achievements. 

The applicant mentions they have a proven record of increasing sales, but they could strengthen the summary by quantifying their results. For example, they might say, “Proven track record of streamlining and strengthening processes, resulting in a 25% increase in sales over the past year.” The quantifier provides additional credibility. 

4. Not Targeting the Specific Job

“Looking for work in a role that requires great customer service, project management, and communication skills. Able to collaborate with people from diverse and varying backgrounds. Highly organized and reliable worker with a strong work ethic. Responsible and reliable worker you can count on.”

While the candidate lists various skills they have, including customer service and project management, there’s no indication of prior roles held or what position they’re applying for. The summary could apply to numerous positions in a variety of industries. To improve the resume summary, the applicant must specify the job they’re applying for and indicate their prior experience in a similar role, if they have any.

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!

About the Author

Read more articles by Biron Clark

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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.

Comments are closed.

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What is an executive summary on a resume?

A resume executive summary is a short paragraph that appears at the top of your resume that provides an overview of your career trajectory, professional background, skills, and accomplishments.

Since it is located at the top part of the resume, it is the first thing that hiring managers will see.

And given that recruiters spend only 6 to 8 seconds on a resume, it is imperative that your executive summary is up to par with their expectations.

But with limited space on your resume, how do you distill all that information into a concise and impactful summary?

Lucky for you, in this guide, we'll walk you through everything you need to know to create an impressive executive summary that will help you stand out from the crowd.

We’ll provide tips on how to tailor it to your specific industry and job level and share examples of great executive summaries to inspire your own.

• Why is the executive summary so important?
• What should you include in your resume executive summary?
• How to write an executive summary for a resume?
• What are some of the best executive summary resume examples?

Why is an Executive Summary Important?

Here’s why you need to put in extra effort to ensure that your resume executive summary is impressive and compelling:

An executive summary is a brief but impactful summary of your qualifications, experience, and skills. Here are some reasons why having an executive summary on your resume is essential:

First impressions matter: Recruiters and hiring managers often receive hundreds of resumes for a single position. A good executive summary can help your resume stand out right off the bat and catch the reader's attention, making a positive first impression.

Conveys your value proposition: An executive summary is an opportunity to showcase your unique value proposition and emphasize how you can bring value to the organization. It should highlight your key skills and accomplishments, and how they align with the job requirements.

Summarizes your career progression: An executive summary can summarize your career progression, highlighting key achievements and milestones along the way. This can help you demonstrate your growth and potential to future employers.

Also Read: How to make a resume for your first job in 2023?

What Should You Write in Your Resume Executive Summary?

To ensure that your executive summary briefly covers all the important details in your resume, you must write it after writing all the other sections of your resume.

Doing so will streamline the writing process for you as you will have a better idea of what you need to highlight.

With that being said, here’s what you must include in your resume executive summary:

1. Your Professional Title

Your professional title should be the first thing that appears in your executive summary. This helps to establish your credibility and professionalism right from the start.

Use the exact title of the position you're applying for, if possible, or a related title that accurately reflects your experience and skills.

2. Years of Experience

The first sentence in your executive summary must also highlight the years of experience you have in your field or industry. This gives hiring managers a quick sense of your level of expertise.

Be specific and use exact numbers, such as "10+ years experienced management professional" or "software developer with 5+ years of experience."

3. Key Achievements

Highlighting your key achievements and accomplishments in your executive summary is a great way to immediately draw attention to your proven track record of success and get ahead of average candidates.

Be sure to use specific numbers and metrics to highlight your achievements and demonstrate the impact and value that you can add to the company.

4. Relevant Skills

Highlight the key skills that are required for the position you’re applying for. Doing so will allow recruiters to see that you’re a good fit for the position.

5. Industry-Specific Keywords

Include industry-specific keywords and phrases in your executive summary. This helps to demonstrate your familiarity with the industry and also increases the ATS-friendliness of your resume.

You can also identify and use exact phrases and terminology from the job posting.

Also Read: How to write a great resume objective in 2023?

How to Write an Executive Summary for a Resume?

Given below are some tips you can follow to write an excellent resume executive summary that will level up your resume:

Tailor Your Executive Summary to the Job Description

Your executive summary should be tailored to the specific job you're applying for.

This means highlighting the skills and experiences that are most relevant to the position and using language and terminology that matches the job posting.

Keep it Concise and Clear

Your executive summary should be short and to the point, not more than 2 to 3 short sentences.

It's important to remember that employers and hiring managers have limited time and attention spans, so your executive summary should be crisp and easy to read.

Highlight Your Unique Value Proposition

One of the primary goals of your executive summary is to communicate your unique value proposition to potential employers.

What sets you apart from other candidates? What unique skills or experiences do you bring to the table?

Make sure to highlight these points in your executive summary, and make it clear why you are the best candidate for the job.

Proofread Your Resume Executive Summary

Finally, after incorporating all these wonderful tips to write an incredible executive summary, the last thing you’d want is some minor typos or grammatical errors messing up your first impression on recruiters.

Thus, you need to proofread your executive summary to avoid any spelling and grammatical mistakes.

Also Read: How to write a compelling resume summary with a change in career trajectory?

Executive Resume Summary Examples

For your reference, given below are some good examples of executive summaries:

Executive Summary for Resume for Freshers

Dedicated recent graduate with a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science seeking an entry-level software engineering position. Proficient in programming languages such as Java and Python, with experience in software development through internships and personal projects.

Recent Marketing graduate passionate about utilizing my skills in social media marketing and market research to contribute to the growth of the company. Proficient in various social media platforms and experienced in conducting market research through internships and volunteer work. Strong communication skills and ability to work collaboratively in a team environment.

Enthusiastic recent graduate with a Bachelor's degree in Accounting seeking an entry-level position in accounting or finance. Skilled in financial analysis, bookkeeping, and financial reporting through internships and coursework. Possesses strong attention to detail and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment. Proficient in using accounting software such as QuickBooks and Excel.

Executive Summary for Resume for Seasoned Professionals

Dynamic marketing leader with 6+ years of track record of driving brand awareness, customer engagement, and revenue growth in the consumer goods industry. Skilled at developing and executing integrated marketing campaigns, building high-performing teams, and establishing strong partnerships with key stakeholders. Passionate about driving customer-centric strategies and leveraging data analytics to optimize marketing performance.

Seasoned finance professional with over 20 years of experience in the banking sector, specializing in risk management, asset management, and regulatory compliance. Proven ability to lead large-scale projects, develop and implement risk mitigation strategies, and drive business growth through effective financial planning and analysis. Skilled in building and maintaining strong relationships with clients, regulators, and other stakeholders.

Also Read: What are the best resume summary examples for different job profiles?

Key Takeaways

• What is a resume executive summary and why is it important?

A resume executive summary is a brief statement at the top of a resume that summarizes a candidate's key qualifications, experience, and achievements. It is important because it gives hiring managers a quick overview of a candidate's suitability for a position and encourages them to continue reading the rest of the resume.

• What should you write in your executive summary?

Your resume executive summary should include a brief introduction of yourself, your career goals, and a summary of your most relevant qualifications and achievements. It should be tailored to the job you're applying for and provide a snapshot of what you can bring to the table.

• How to make your executive summary more compelling?

To write an effective resume executive summary, you must tailor it to the specific job description you're applying for and keep it concise. Highlight your unique value proposition and proofread your summary to avoid any spelling or grammatical errors.

You can also use Hiration’s ChatGPT powered resume builder with 24x7 chat support to build a stellar resume with a compelling executive summary.

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How to write an executive summary for a resume?

August 14, 2020

An essential aspect of an executive resume is the executive summary section, which is probably the first thing other than your name that a prospective company will read about you. As this section is essential, you should make sure to make a great impression with it and write it the right way. The following article will explain in detail how to write an effective executive summary.

What is an executive summary?

The executive summary section in a resume, also sometimes referred to as the headline, or objective section is the first section in your resume after your name and contact information. The purpose of the executive summary section in your resume is to give potential employers a very brief highlight of your qualifications.

Why is an executive summary so important?

They say you have only seconds to impress a recruiter or hiring manager with your resume. With the executive summary in your resume being one of the first things that a potential employer will see it is partitive that it sells your skills in a manner that will make the person reading it want to bring you in for an interview.

How long should an executive summary be?

Your executive summary on your resume should be at least two rows long or two sentences long as a minimum and no more than five rows or three sentences.  If it is too short, it will not be suitable for an executive. On the other hand, if it too long, it will look out of the norm as executive summaries are not expected to be long in length.

Do I have to have an executive summary?

As an executive summary or objective section are a standard on executive resumes, you must follow this and include one on your resume. 

How to write an executive summary?

You must understand how to write an executive summary in a resume in the correct manner. Below you will find step-to-step how to write it.

• Start with some powerful professional adjectives that define you as an executive. An example might be transformational executive or award-winning executive.
• After the adjective list, either years of experience and or your area of expertise. An example might be with 15+ years of experience turning around firms in the insurance and banking industry.
• The next part of the sentence should be the role you are looking for. An example might be seeking a CEO role with a growth-oriented organization.
• After mentioning the kind of role, you are looking for at the end of the 1 st sentence, the 2 nd sentence should be another sentence that will sell you to potential employers. An example might be Experience driving business for positive change, including developing strategic solutions that increase efficiencies, profitability, and service levels.

Tips for adding an executive summary to your resume?

When adding an executive summary to your resume, It is essential as an executive leader that you write your executive summary on your resume in the correct format. Below you will find the critical points in writing your executive summary in terms of do’s and don’ts.

Do’s in writing your executive summary

• Do make sure your executive summary is written in the 3 rd person.
• Do make sure your executive profile is at least 2 rows long or 2 sentences long.
• Do make sure you list your most significant accomplishments and or adjectives
• Do make sure your executive summary is the first section on the resume after your contact information is listed.
• Do make sure your executive summary grabs the attention of both hiring managers and recruiters.
• Do make sure your resume lists the domain or your industry experience you have.
• Do make sure you proofread your executive summary.
• Do list any key companies you have worked for in your executive profile.
• Do list any major awards if you have any in the executive profile.
• Do make sure to list the kind of employer you are looking to work for in the executive profile.

Don’ts in writing your executive summary

• Do not write anything that is not relevant.
• Do not write more than 5 rows or 3 sentences.  
• Do not write any gimmicky attention-grabbing words as it will make you appear unprofessional.
• Do not write a generic, boring-sounding executive profile.
• Do not write anything that is not positive in the executive profile.
• Do not list of year experience of more than 20 years in your executive profile to avoid ageism.
• Do not write anything about your non-work interests in your executive profile.
• Do not write an executive profile in a language or style not fit for an executive.
• Do not write the executive profile in a font different than other parts of the resume.
• Do not write an executive profile with a short form or abbreviated words.

Executive summary examples

Below you will find some executive summary examples

Executive summary example 1

Transformational CEO with a passion for innovation seeks a progressive role with a growth-oriented organization. Experience driving business for positive change, including developing strategic solutions that increase efficiencies, profitability, and service levels.

Executive summary example 2

Recognized leading executive in turning around struggling enterprises seeks new challenges.  

Results-driven, transformational expert who has been a featured expert on CNN, ABC, The Washington Post and many other forms of media.

Executive summary example 3

Results-driven transformational technology executive with extensive experience leading global billion-dollar innovation initiatives for global brands seeks an executive role with a dynamic organization.   

Executive summary example 4

Revenue generator with a 20-year career turning around struggling enterprises. Seeks a progressive role with a dynamic, growth-oriented organization. Enterprise experience driving business for positive change, including developing strategic and innovative solutions that increase efficiencies, profitability, and service levels. 

Executive summary example 5

Results-driven transformational innovative CIO with extensive experience leading and building technology departments for both start-ups and large well-known global brands like Sony, IBM, and Amazon.

Executive summary example 6

Driven transformational innovation executive with extensive experience leading global billion-dollar innovation initiatives for global brands seeks an executive role with a dynamic organization.

Executive summary example 7

Award-winning transformational CFO with a proven track record for delivering financial solutions seeks a progressive role with a dynamic, growth-oriented organization. 20+ years of providing holistic financial solutions for major organizations such as Bank of America, Oracle & GE.

Executive summary example 8

Detailed-orientated CFO, with over twenty years of operational and administrative experience seeks an executive financial role with a dynamic, growth-oriented organization.

Executive summary example 9

Transformational VP of technology with a Doctorate in computer science from MIT and extensive experience creating quality software. This included leading & managing engineering teams in delivering projects on time and budget.

Executive summary example 10

Future-focused manufacturing executive with a proven track record of producing results seeks a growth-oriented organization where innovative leadership skill that can be leveraged to achieve exceptional results.

Executive summary templates

Below you will find some Executive summary templates examples

Executive summary template 1

Recognized __________ executive in turning around struggling enterprises seeks new challenges.  Results-driven, transformational expert who has been a featured expert on ____________ and many other forms of media.

Executive summary template 2

Results-driven transformational innovative __________ with extensive experience leading and building technology departments for both start-ups and large well-known global brands like _________________ seeks a ______________   role.

Executive summary template 3

Award-winning transformational ___________ leader with a proven track record for delivering ___ solutions seeks a progressive role with a dynamic, growth-oriented organization. 20+ years of providing holistic ____ for major organizations such as ________________

Executive summary template 4

Transformational _______ with a _____in ______and extensive experience with ____in creating________. This includes leading & managing ________ teams in delivering projects on time and budget.

Executive summary template 5

 Results-driven transformational ________________ leader with a passion for innovation seeks a progressive role with a dynamic, growth-oriented organization. Enterprise experience driving business for positive technology change, including developing strategic and innovative solutions that increase efficiencies, profitability, and service levels.

Executive summary template 6

Detailed-orientated _____ with over twenty years of operational and administrative experience seeks an ________ executive role with a dynamic, growth-oriented organization.

Executive summary template 7

Industry-leading ______ expert with extensive experience with managing and implementing high-level ______ solutions seeks an ____ role with a dynamic organization.  

Executive summary template 8

Executive Leader, with in-depth experience building businesses in multiple industries including ___________________seeks a progressive role with a dynamic organization Enterprise experience driving business for positive change, including developing strategic and innovative solutions that increase efficiencies, profitability, and service levels.              

Executive summary template 9

_______________, with a passion for innovation, seeks a progressive operations leadership role with a dynamic organization. Adaptable and successful industry experience that spans multiple industries including________________. Enterprise experience driving business for positive change, including developing strategic and innovative solutions that increase efficiencies, operations, outcomes, profitability, and service levels.  

Executive summary template 10

________ with a passion for innovation seeks a role with a dynamic organization. _____ years of enterprise leadership experience working for large organizations such as___________. Extensive experience with_________________.

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Executive Resume Example for 2024 [Free Templates]

Being in charge of entire departments comes with a whole set of advantages - high impact, lots of responsibilities, interesting work, high pay, and so on.

Being an executive, though, does not mean you get to skip out on the job search process. You still need to create an executive resume and cover letter and apply for jobs.

And creating an executive resume comes with its own special types of hurdles. 

Most conventional resume-writing advice does not apply here, leaving you with a ton of questions:

• With so much work experience under your belt, how can you make your executive resume as impactful as possible?
• Do you limit yourself to one page (which is the industry standard), or can you go over it?
• How detailed does your work experience have to be, and do you include positions from a decade back?

In this article, we’re going to answer all these questions and more!

To help you write the executive resume, we’ll cover: 

• How Is an Executive Resume Different?

How to Write a Compelling Executive Resume in 9 Steps

• 17 Relevant Skills for Executives

Executive Resume Example

Before we dig into the steps you need to take to create a convincing executive resume, let’s cover an example, so you know what it looks like:

The executive resume example above does everything right, including: 

• Reverse-chronological resume format. The executive resume example above uses the reverse-chronological resume format to highlight this executive’s impressive work experience.
• Attention-grabbing resume summary. This executive resume example contains an impressive resume summary that emphasizes the candidate’s passions, strengths, and industry-related achievements. 
• Focus on work achievements. The executive resume example above highlights the candidate’s most noteworthy achievements , which helps them stand out from other candidates only listing their responsibilities. 
• Concise education section. This executive resume example doesn’t go into too much detail in the executive’s education section and instead simply lists the candidate’s most recent and relevant degrees. 
• Good use of bullet points. This executive resume example uses bullet points to structure and present information, making the resume well-structured and easy to read. 
• Well-structured skills section. Instead of listing all skills in one column, this executive resume example only includes the most relevant skills for the executive position and divides them into soft and hard skills.
• Certifications. The executive resume example above lists all of the candidate’s industry-related certifications. 
• Additional sections. This executive resume example includes the candidate’s proficiency in foreign languages and their memberships to help them stand out from other candidates with similar work experience and education. 

How Is an Executive Resume Different? 

Executive positions are nothing like normal jobs, so it only makes sense for an executive resume to be different from a normal resume too. 

But what exactly are those differences? Here are the most important ones you should know about: 

• Resume length . As an executive, you probably have much more work experience than your average candidate. As such, you don’t have to fit it all on one page; as a rule of thumb, the executive resume can be two pages, with a maximum of three.
• Data-focused achievements. The last thing recruiters want to see in an executive resume is a list of your responsibilities. If you want to stand out from your competitors, you have to show exactly how you improved the company, optimally by providing data and evidence. 
• Conventional format. If you’re applying for an executive position, it’s your resume content that should impress recruiters, not its format. Meaning, that although your executive resume should be well-organized, with ample white space, and with impeccable grammar and spelling, a simple, conventional, black-and-white design should be more than enough. As an executive, there’s no need to go overboard with fancy fonts and creative designs . 
• Tailored to the position. Most executives - and especially the senior ones - have a rich work history that could probably fill out more than three pages. That, however, would be counterproductive (both for you and the hiring manager). So, the key here is to tailor your work experience to the target position. Yes, you might have had amazingly valuable work experiences as a team lead from twenty years back, but unless they’re super relevant for the position you’re applying for, you might as well leave them out of your resume. As a rule of thumb, don’t go further back than your last 15 years of employment on your executive resume (some exceptions may apply). 
• Selected achievements. Yes, you’re an executive. But you’re also competing against other executives with plenty of achievements. To make your achievements stand out, add a Selected Achievements section right below your resume summary and list 3-4 accomplishments you’re especially proud of (and don’t forget to back them up with hard data). 

Now let’s go over each section of a successful executive resume, step by step: 

#1. Format Your Executive Resume Right

How your executive resume looks is just as important as what it contains. After all, before you impress recruiters with your achievements, you have to get them to read them. 

A messy, cluttered resume, however, might just have the opposite effect. 

This is where formatting comes in! 

The first thing to know is that the reverse chronological format is the most suitable for executives among the three most popular resume formats (the other two being the functional and combination formats) . 

That’s because it is both the most popular among recruiters and the most suitable for candidates with a lot of work experience. 

Here’s an example of the reverse-chronological resume format: 

Additionally, make sure that you follow these layout tips:

• Use clear headings to identify the sections in your resume (e.g. H2 or H3). Alternatively, use a bigger font size for your headers and bold them. 
• Choose the right font style and size to ensure your executive resume looks professional. For example, Overpass is a formal and classic font perfect for executives in conservative industries.
• Don’t forget to save your resume as a PDF file (unless specifically requested to deliver it in another format). PDFs remain the same no matter the device or Operating System used to view your resume and look much more professional than, say, MS Word files. 

Use an Executive Resume Template (& Save Time on Formatting)

Creating a compelling executive resume from scratch can take you hours, especially if you’re using outdated tools like Microsoft Word.

And as a busy executive, time is something you don’t have.

Want to create a well-designed, eye-catching resume within less than 5 minutes?

Use one of our resume templates ! 

You can choose among 8 free resume templates - executive resume template included and 8 Premium templates. 

With Nóvóresume’s free resume builder , you get to skip out on all the resume formatting hassle and focus on what matters - the resume contents.

#2. Add Your Contact Information

The contact information section on a resume is as straightforward as it gets, so you might as well get it out of the way first. 

That said, this section is as essential as it is straightforward, so make sure to double and triple-check that it contains no typos. 

After all, you don’t want a recruiter not to be able to contact you just because of a typo on your phone number.

Here’s what this section must include: 

• First and last name.
• Professional title.
• Updated phone number. 

Additionally, you can also include your LinkedIn profile ’s URL and a link to your personal portfolio or website, if you have one. 

The same goes for your personal website or portfolio, which can effectively give recruiters a more in-depth look at who you are and what your strengths are.

87% of recruiters check candidates’ LinkedIn profiles during the hiring process. So, we’d recommend optimizing your LinkedIn profile to reflect your executive profile and achievements! 

Here’s an example of an executive resume’s contact information section: 

Michelle Larkins Chief Financial Officer [email protected] 123-123-2233 Silicon Valley, California

#3. Write an Attention-Grabbing Resume Summary

The resume summary is among the first things recruiters notice and it serves as a short intro to your professional profile and, specifically, the highlights of your career. 

Typically, here’s what this 2 or 3-sentence long paragraph includes: 

• Your experience
• Your skills
• Your professional background
• Your accomplishments

Nailing your resume summary is a must if you want recruiters to dig deeper into your executive resume. Just remember to keep it short and sweet with some of your most noteworthy achievements and notable skills. 

Here’s an example of a great executive resume summary: 

• CMO with 7+ years of experience in developing and overseeing promotional marketing campaigns. Coming from a long career in public affairs and digital marketing strategies, I am now Executive Vice President at NewEast Inc. Winner of the 2021 Global Best of the Best Effie Award. 

#4. Add a Selected Achievements Section 

If you were to choose, you’d probably want recruiters to notice your career highlights right off the bat, instead of having to look for them. 

Well, as an executive, you can do just that by adding a Selected Achievements Section. 

Positioned between your resume summary and your work experience, a Selected Achievements section can give recruiters a quick preview of your most noteworthy achievements and get them to look deeper into your executive resume. 

As such, think about the highlights of your career - between two and five achievements you’re particularly proud of - and list them in bullets on your executive resume. 

Here is an example of an executive’s Selected Achievements section:

• Was the youngest person to be promoted to CFO in the company in 40 years. 
• Led company-wide initiatives that won me the Strategy Execution Award and the Young CFO of the Year Award.

#5. Focus Your Work Experience Section on Your Achievements

The work experience section is going to be the highlight of your executive resume.

This particular section is exactly where you show off years worth of experience and achievements. 

Here’s how you should do it: 

• Start with your current or most recent position and go backward from there. 
• For every work entry, list your professional title, company name, the dates you worked there, and 4-6 of your achievements in bullet points. 
• The further back you go in your work history, the fewer achievements you need to list. For jobs going 5+ years back, you can save resume space and just list 1-2 of your most notable accomplishments. 
• When listing your achievements, make sure to make them as quantifiable as possible. For example, instead of writing “improved company stock,” you can write “increased company stock by 15% within a one-year period.” 
• Give your work experience section an active voice by using action verbs such as “achieved,” “managed,” “increased,” “led,” “emphasized,” etc. 
• Tailor your work experience section to as many jobs as you’re applying for. So, if you’re applying for more than one position, use your diverse work experience to customize your resume based on the job you’re applying for, as opposed to submitting a one-fits-all executive resume. 

It’s actually pretty simple, right? Here’s a concrete example of an executive’s work experience section:

Chief Human Resources Officer XYZ Inc. 02/2018 - 06/2022

• Successfully led teams of +200 employees in 4 locations. 
• Updated the company’s talent acquisition strategy, leading to a 20% increase in the number of people hired in 2021.
• Improved company inclusion policies, which resulted in winning a Forbes diversity award. 
• Changed up the company’s hiring process, paying particular attention to positive discrimination policies, resulting in hitting company diversity quotas for the year.

Human Resources Manager

02/2013 - 12/2017 

• Improved company hiring rates by 47% by establishing a more inclusive hiring process. 
• Applied new interview questions to the hiring process, making the hiring process more effective by hiring employees that are more suitable to the company culture.

#6. Briefly Mention Your Education

Your education should come right after your work experience section. This section is just as important as your work experience, though it doesn’t require that you go into too much detail. 

After all, if you already hold an executive position, you probably already have a lot to show through your professional achievements. 

Here’s what you should include in your education section to make it stand out from the crowd:

• Begin with your most recent degree and include the institution’s name and location, as well as the years attended. 
• If you hold more than one Master’s or advanced degree, also include those in your education section.
• Leave your high school education out of your executive resume. 

Here’s what this looks like on an executive resume: 

Ph.D. in Marketing 

Haas School of Business - University of California, Berkeley

2012 - 2014

MSc in Innovation & Marketing Management

Strathclyde Business School - University of Strathclyde, Glasgow 

2011 - 2012

#7. Include Your Executive Skills

It probably comes as no surprise that executive positions are highly competitive. 

This means that you need to make sure that, in addition to your work experience and education sections, other sections also need to stand out, including your skills, certifications, interests, and awards. 

In light of this, here’s the best way to list your skills on your executive resume: 

• List your soft skills and hard skills. Include both CEO skills (e.g. leadership) and management skills, as well as industry-related skills here (e.g. if you’re into finance, that would include all your finance-related skills). 
• Pay close attention to the job description of the position you’re applying for. Do any of the keywords indicate what skills are required for the position?
• Make sure to include the skills mentioned in the job description on the skills listed on your executive resume (as long as you actually have them). 

17 Relevant Skills for Executives 

Here’s a list of relevant skills for executives that you can use on your executive resume:

• Senior Leadership Skills
• C-Suite Communication & Presentation Skills
• Change Management
• Emotional Intelligence
• Strategic Thinking
• Decision Making
• Employee Development
• Adversity Management
• Collaboration
• Active Listening
• Communication Skills
• Interpersonal Skills
• Conflict Management
• Negotiation
• Project Management

#8. Add Optional Resume Sections

The difference between great and perfect lies in the details - such as taking advantage of some optional sections that can take your executive resume to the next level. 

Specifically, the following sections can help you stand out from other executives applying for the same position by highlighting your individuality and the diversity a truly great executive needs:

• Awards , especially anything job-related. 
• Memberships , for example, Member of the Chicago CEO Club.
• Foreign languages , particularly those you’re fluent in.
• Certifications , such as Project Management Professional (PMP) or Accredited Business Communicator (ABC). 
• Personal achievements , including successful personal initiatives and noteworthy recognitions outside your industry. 
• Hobbies and interests , anything from fitness to reading books. 

#9. Don’t Underestimate the Power of the Cover Letter

Attaching a cover letter to your application is just as essential as creating a powerful executive resume. 

Specifically, a cover letter is important because:

• Recruiters expect a serious job application also to include a cover letter, even if they skip reading it. 
• It lets you go into more detail about your skills and qualifications. 

Here’s how to write a cover letter that is on par with your executive resume: 

• Start your cover letter with an impactful introduction. 
• Use the body of your cover letter to offer a more in-depth explanation of your executive skills and managerial experience. 
• To enhance your executive resume, include skills and achievements that support what you’ve stated there. 
• End your cover letter with a call to action. 

To give you a more concrete picture of what we mean, here’s what the structure of a cover letter should look like: 

Want to learn more about cover letter writing? Then check out our guides on cover letter tips and common cover letter mistakes !

Key Takeaways 

And that’s a wrap! 

By now, you should be ready to nail your executive resume! Before you go, here are the most important points we covered in this article: 

• Your executive resume must include your contact details, a resume summary, a work experience section with your most notable achievements, your education background, and a skills section. 
• Additionally, your executive resume can contain some extra sections, such as certifications, awards, memberships, etc.  
• Choose the chronological resume format to build your executive resume. 
• List relevant quantifiable achievements under each entry in your work experience section. 
• Use a ready-made template to save time and effort when you’re writing your executive resume!  

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5 Executive Resume Examples That Got the Job in 2024

Executive Resume

• Executive Resumes by Experience
• Executive Resumes by Role
• Write Your Executive Resume

You’re a skilled and knowledgeable professional who can take businesses to the next level. Organizational policies and procedures are created, employees are managed, and high-level strategies are deployed effectively with you running things. 

Is your executive resume prepared for you to take your career to the next level?

Your decisions and strategies can make or break hitting company objectives, so key decision-makers will want to know you have the right skills for the role. Allow us to help with our executive resume examples that have helped many professionals land a business leadership position in 2024.

or download as PDF

Why this resume works

• You can also emphasize your major accomplishments. Involved in a merger? Helped boost sales? Mention it in your resume and provide greater details when writing a cover letter .
• Above all else, showcase your ability to lead—both projects and teams—and be specific as to the strategies, tools, and methods used.

Senior Executive Resume

• Simply stating that you’ve assisted in driving more traffic isn’t going to do the trick here. Show your individual worth with bullet points where you’ve increased a business’s ROI by creating dashboards that kept track of certain KPIs or handled advertising campaigns to lower expenses.

Executive Director Resume

• You can highlight your history of effective fundraising campaigns, strategic plan development, or partnership collaborations.
• Showcasing your experience managing teams or departments helps to prove your capacity to unify diverse groups for a common cause.

Marketing Executive Resume

• The first way to make a good impression on a marketing executive resume is using a professional template. Next, highlight how you’re able to make marginal differences and help businesses reach their marketing goals using tools like Google Analytics and SEMrush.

Sales Executive Resume

• Showcasing your experience managing teams or departments will make your resume relevant as well.
• And you can add certifications to underline your industry-specific expertise.

Related resume examples

• Executive Assistant
• Operations Manager
• Account Executive
• Business Development

Customize Your Executive Resume to the Job Description

You’re a key decision-maker, so companies will want you to have the right skills to run operations effectively. However, with all the skills you have, where do you start?

Look at the job description and use your excellent analytical and strategic skills to tailor your listed abilities to the company’s needs. 

For example, if you’re applying for a CFO position at a trucking company, listing a mix of top financial management skills with specific needs to a trucking company, like managing trucking insurance, licensing, and permit expenses, would be a great idea.

Need some ideas?

15 popular executive skills

• Process Improvement
• Cultural Leadership
• Contract Negotiations
• Employee Relations
• Stakeholder Relations
• Zoho Corporation
• Strategic Planning
• Business Presentations
• Microsoft Office
• Data Interpretation

Your executive work experience bullet points

You know the importance of standing out in promotional and strategic business efforts. The same can be said when listing work experience on your resume. 

Hiring managers know what your specific job duties are. Rather than simply rephrasing that, take these bullet points a step further by listing accomplishments using your top skills in aspects like contract negotiations or strategic planning. 

Each example should be measurable with metrics you achieved. Here are some awesome metrics that executives can focus on when creating a resume.

• Gross margin: An executive’s ability to manage margins by reducing costs or increasing workplace efficiency is crucial.
• Customer retention: Ever heard the phrase it costs less to keep a current customer than acquire a new one? Every business knows that your ability to retain customers and create a satisfying shopping experience is essential. 
• Employee satisfaction: Executives must ensure all employees are satisfied to achieve high productivity.  
• Sales volume: You have a great product, but is it selling? Emphasize how you helped increase sales to achieve business objectives.  

See what we mean?

• Resolved conflicts and facilitated productive communication to reduce interdepartmental disputes by 52%. 
• Engaged stakeholders through regular communication to boost satisfaction by 21% and strengthen partner relationships. 
• Directed negotiations with key accounts to secure long-term contracts, resulting in a 17% increase in contract renewal rates. 
• Managed a portfolio of key accounts that increased annual revenue by 34% and exceeded sales targets by 16%. 
• Automated lead nurturing campaigns with HubSpot to increase lead engagement by 36%. 

9 active verbs to start your executive work experience bullet points

3 tips for crafting an executive resume with minimal experience.

• Even if you haven’t led from an executive role, you have still likely held a management position or led teams in other ways. For instance, if you were a key account manager and are now applying to be a sales executive, you could explain how you identified market opportunities and led sales teams to generate 57% more sales volume. 
• You should emphasize your most relevant experience by showcasing it at the top of your resume. This is often best served by using reverse chronological formatting to put your most recent experiences in aspects like process improvement and budgeting first. 
• You’ve likely gained tons of experience and knowledge during your career. You can showcase that through higher education or how you have consistently achieved better results. For instance, if you managed 20 accounts and increased yearly sales from $1.5 million to $3.7 million in seven years, that would show tons of growth during that time. 

3 Executive Resume Tips for Experienced Pros

• A resume summary will work great for executives will ten or more years of experience. It should be two or three sentences long and include your most relevant skills, like how you increased sales by 43% and reduced expenses by 76% through market and budgetary analysis over your 12-year career. 
• You have tons of experience, so limiting your resume to three or four jobs that are the most relevant and recent is a good idea. For instance, if you’re applying to be a CMO and have eight years of sales management experience, your past sales internship and sales associate jobs probably won’t be necessary anymore. 
• You’ve achieved excellent results, but how you display them matters to make the most impact. The CAR technique (challenge, action, and result) is a simple and actionable method. For example, you could explain how you identified five areas where material spending was over budget and negotiated a better deal with a local supplier to reduce expenses by 65%. 

Using some strategies to ensure you pass ATS checks will increase your chances of success. You should list some key skills exactly as they are written in the job description , such as cultural leadership or Netsuite. Additionally, listing the exact job title at the top, such as CFO or VP of sales, helps.   

Executive resumes should be one page long. Limiting it to three or four key jobs and keeping your descriptions about aspects like performing market analysis presentations to one sentence will help you narrow the information down. 

Remember, you can share more details about your contributions and achievements in a story-telling method when writing your executive cover letter .

Work experience will likely be more important for executives and should be emphasized. However, including your education, like a master’s degree in finance, business management, or related fields, still matters to present a thorough skill set. 

How to Write a Compelling Executive Resume [with Examples]

Expert Tips for Executive Resume Content and Formatting

If you're making over six figures as an executive or senior manager, you're playing in the big leagues when it comes to recruitment.

For senior executives, the stakes are high. 

Because your resume is often a recruiter's first impression, you need to make sure that it nothing short of perfect.

The risk of missing out on a potential opportunity because you failed to clearly articulate your accomplishments or fully convey the value you bring to an organization simply isn’t worth it.

Our executive resume writers have crafted effective documents for CEOs, Managing Directors, and Senior Directors in industries including real estate, finance, pharmaceuticals, and technology.

In this post, we share our insights on:

• How our writers approach resumes for senior leaders
• How long an executive resume should be
• How to write and format your resume for maximum impact
• How to optimize your resume for ATS

How Our Executive Resume Writers Approach Resumes for Senior Leaders

Executive resume content differs slightly from that of more junior resumes.

When working a senior candidate, our writers ensure that the resume’s focus is primarily on high-level accomplishments and contributions you made to an organization - not simply daily responsibilities.

While the bullet points on junior candidate's resume will likely describe day-to-day tasks and the types of analyses the candidate conducted, we make sure to convey the bigger picture.

A well-written executive resume should highlight tangible factors such as the following:

• Scope of work (number of locations managed, project value, P&L value)
• Relevant financial metrics (budgets managed, costs and/or time saved, revenue increased)
• Strategic goals accomplished
• Initiatives led or implemented
• Team leadership ability and size of team
• Partnerships created
• Sales achieved or deals closed

How Long an Executive Resume Should Be

Our general guidance when it comes to resume length is that less is more .

In our opinion, even the President of the United States should be able to put together a strong one-page document.

If you are in a senior leadership position, however, you may realistically need two pages to effectively convey your accomplishments.

Your overarching goal should be to create a resume that is as concise as possible, neatly formatted, and easy to read. 

Think of your resume as a movie preview.

It should be a 30-second clip of what the reader can expect to learn more about when they meet you during the hour-long interview. 

Each bullet point needs to add value, and you should not have any "fluff" that inflates or excessively boasts about your accomplishments. 

Let your experience speak for itself. 

If you hold a senior position, your career growth already demonstrates that you are a "strong team leader" and "ambitious, driven professional."

You don’t need to put such generic, empty phrases down on paper.

In addition to serving as a personal marketing tool, your resume provides a sample of your business writing and communication skills.

As an executive, you need to demonstrate that you are a clear, concise, and effective communicator - not simply a big talker.

How to Write and Format Your Resume for Maximum Impact

In this section, we explain how our writers approach each resume component.

We also included screenshots from executive resume samples to demonstrate the best practices discussed so you can implement them in your document.

Your heading should include your name, any professional designations, and contact information.

You can also include the link to your LinkedIn profile.

Professional Summary

We don’t recommend a career highlights or professional summary section for junior candidates.

For executives, we sometimes use a career highlights section to provide concrete evidence of achievements and career progression. 

Professional summaries that consist of generic buzzwords don’t sound believable without any evidence to back up their statements, so make sure that yours incorporates concrete facts and examples.

We typically try to stick to a maximum of 4-6 bullet points, as they're easier to skim than longer paragraphs.  

We wrote the following career highlights section for a candidate working in the financial services sector:

The summary above is effective because it accomplishes the following goals:

• Demonstrates career progression
• Describes major accomplishments
• Articulates niche or sector expertise
• Quantifies the value contributed and scope of responsibility
• Provides evidence of leadership ability (internal and external)

Professional Experience

When describing each role in the professional experience section, we make sure to focus on achievement-based elements such as:

• Strategic goals and their implementation
• Financial results
• Partnerships forged
• Revenue generation
• Leadership ability

You can also consider including more general responsibilities in paragraph format before jumping into bullet points that convey your key achievements and contributions.

Take a look at the following example from a resume for a Vice President in the online learning sector.

By separating day-to-day tasks from achievements, we are able to:

• Draw attention to the highlights: We make sure that recruiters can easily pick out major accomplishments. You don’t want to bury yours among less impressive - albeit important - information.
• Organize the resume: Separating your responsibilities from your achievements is a clear, logical way to structure your document, demonstrating that you have effective business communication skills.

Early Career

The bulk of your resume’s content should focus on your most recent positions.

Because it is still important to provide an overview of your career progression and background, we usually include positions that candidates held over 10 years ago in an early career section.

For brevity's sake, we only include company names, position titles, and dates for these roles.

By including an outline of your early career history, you are able to:

• Demonstrate the breadth and depth of your experience if you worked in different industries and positions
• Increase your credibility
• Refrain from overwhelming recruiters with too much information (if they’re curious about an earlier role, they’ll ask)

In this section, include all of the degrees you earned from post-secondary institutions.

Unless you recently completed your program, you don’t need to include elements such as:

• Relevant courses
• Extracurricular involvement

Certifications and Professional Development

If you completed any certificate programs or professional development courses, list them separately from your education.

You should always include:

• Granting organization
• Certification name
• Date earned
• Expiration date (if applicable)

Board Involvement

List board or committee service that are relevant to your target positions under a "Board Membership" or "Board Involvement" heading.

The section below, taken from a commercial real estate resume sample, demonstrates the candidate’s involvement in helping a smaller firm and non-profit organization expand:

This section can enhance your document by demonstrating your skills or industry knowledge that go beyond your sector of expertise.

It's also a reflection of your leadership ability and shows that you are respected in your industry or community.

For each position, include:

• Name of the organization
• Dates of service
• Position title (Chairman of the Board, President, Board Member)
• Description of the capacity in which you are involved (if significant and you have room)

If you hold multiple board memberships, you may wish to only highlight or only elaborate upon the most relevant ones - especially if your document is on the longer end.

How to Optimize Your Resume for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)

Because so much of executive-level recruiting takes place through recruiters or industry connections, ATS optimization isn't as much of a concern as it would be for more junior candidates.

However, it is still best practice to optimize your resume for ATS.

Even when working on executive resumes, we make sure to thoroughly read through the job description and naturally incorporate relevant keywords throughout our clients' documents.

By doing so, we are able to accomplish two goals:

• Optimize the resume for ATS
• Ensure that we are touching upon the qualities and skills recruiters will be looking for

In executive recruiting, connections and industry expertise are essential to landing new roles.

However, the way you present yourself on paper reflects on your personal brand, attention to detail, and overall professionalism.

Put your best foot forward by implementing the steps above and avoid gimmicks that can damage your credibility , and you’ll be one step closer to your next big career move.

About Resume Pilots

Resume Pilots is an award-winning executive resume writing firm and a proud member of the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches. Our previous clients include CEOs and senior executives at the world's leading companies.

As a professional services firm, we take your reputation seriously. We are committed to delivering writing excellence and superior service while operating with integrity and discretion. Recruitment firms we partner with also trust us to consistently deliver quality documents for their clients.

Our writers have studied in the Ivy League and other top-tier universities and have strong writing backgrounds coupled with industry experience.

Here's how we can help you:

Resume, Cover Letter, and LinkedIn Writing Services : If you are looking for end-to-end support, hire one of our professional resume writers to rewrite your documents from the ground up.

Executive Resume Template Downloads : If you plan to prepare your own resume, consider using one of our classic, ATS-friendly resume templates for Microsoft Word.

To learn more about our services, book an introductory call with our founder here or email [email protected] .

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About the Author Matt Glodz

Matt Glodz is the Founder and Managing Partner of Resume Pilots and a Certified Professional Resume Writer. After studying business communication at Cornell University, Matt worked within Fortune 500 companies, where he noted that qualified candidates were frequently denied interview opportunities due to poorly written documents. At Resume Pilots, Matt combines his business and writing background - which includes prior work for a Chicago Tribune publication - to craft resumes that give his clients the best chance of landing interviews. He works with clients ranging from CEOs to recent graduates and has been writing resumes for over 10 years. He has been quoted on numerous business and career-related topics in outlets including Business Insider, CNBC, Fortune, Glassdoor, The Ladders, and Thrive Global.

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How To Write an Executive Resume: The Definitive 2024 Guide

In this detailed guide, learn the ins and outs of writing a senior level resume, including executive resume templates and examples.

2 years ago   •   9 min read

Welcome to our resume guide for executives and senior-level job seekers. In this detailed guide, learn the ins and outs of writing a senior level resume, including executive resume templates and examples.

Table of contents:

• Overview, templates and key tips [you are reading this here]
• Executive resume summary
• Work experience and bullet points on executive resumes
• Skills section on executive resumes
• Education, optional sections, and additional executive resume tips are at the bottom of this page too!

What to know when writing your executive resume

When it comes to resume writing, there’s no “one size fits all” solution. Which means that the resume you used to get hired probably isn’t going to land you that promotion you’ve been eyeing, and the template you’ve been using since you graduated definitely isn’t going to cut it when you’re applying for senior level roles.

The reality is, executive resumes use a different format — and follow different rules — from standard resume templates. To illustrate the point, let’s have a look at some senior level resume templates.

Executive resume templates

Before we dive in, let's show you what a template looks like — with specific recruiter highlights to give you a sense of what works on this resume (we'll dive into each of these at different parts of this resume guide too).

The first thing you’ll notice is that this template is longer than the standard one-page resume you’re probably used to. Director level resumes can get away with including a lot more detail because of the depth of experience they’re trying to convey. For positions older than 10-15 years, executive recruiters recommend listing them in a truncated format that omits the bullet points.

Here, we’ve also divided accomplishments from your most recent role into core competencies using keywords hiring managers are looking for.

Executive resume template #2

While it's common to have a two-page resume like the one above, you can also use a shorter resume if you prefer. Just make sure you include your most impressive achievements.

This senior management resume template keeps the emphasis where it needs to be — on high-level professional accomplishments. Other sections of your resume, including older positions, education, skills, and certifications, should take up no more than half a page.

Want more templates? See our resume templates for executives . You can download the Google Doc and Word templates there too.

Executive resume format and key sections

Now that we’ve seen what senior level resumes should look like, let’s break down what you need to know to write your own.

Executive summary

An executive summary should be the first thing on your resume, underneath your name and contact details. Your executive summary can include:

• The title of the job you’re applying for
• A short paragraph explaining the scope and context of your work experience
• 2-4 of your most impressive accomplishments

Think of your executive summary as a career highlights section — it should be relatively brief but detailed enough to convey that you have the right skills and experience for the job.

For most applicants, resume summaries are optional, but recruiters highly recommend them for executive resumes. Because your resume is likely to be longer and more detailed, a summary gives recruiters a quick overview of your most important accomplishments so they can see at a glance that you’re qualified for the role.

Personalize your resume summary by tailoring the skills and accomplishments you list to match the job requirements . Adding a title or headline is another good way to impress recruiters and bypass Applicant Tracking Systems at the same time.

Want to dive in? Read how to write an executive summary, or a summary for executives .

Work experience

Most of the space on your executive resume should be dedicated to your professional experience. Start with a short introductory paragraph explaining your role and split your accomplishments into key skills with distinct subheadings.

The more recent the role, the more detailed your accomplishments should be. Your most recent position might contain upward of 10-15 accomplishments split across different categories, while older roles might only have 1-2.

What to do about older positions

For any positions older than 10-15 years , either leave them off your resume entirely or condense them by listing only the company name, your role, and the dates.

Bullet points Here’s what you need to know about crafting high-impact resume accomplishments in your work experience section:

• Start with a strong action verb .
• Focus on accomplishments, not responsibilities.
• Include numbers and metrics to quantify your achievements .
• Be specific. Avoid vague buzzwords like “effective” or “various.”
• Lead with your most relevant accomplishments — don’t bury your strongest achievement at the bottom of the page.

Want to dive in? Read how to write a work experience for executives . You'll also learn how to write bullet points for an executive resume.

Resumes for experienced professionals don’t need a detailed education section. List any degrees in reverse chronological order (most recent first), including the name of the school you attended, the degree(s) you attained, and your major. You can omit any extra information, like graduation dates, coursework, and GPA.

You can list your hard skills in a relatively short section at the end of your resume. Stick to high-level leadership skills and core industry-specific competencies.

Your skills section is essential to getting past Applicant Tracking systems, which will automatically scan and weed out resumes without essential keywords — for example, the word “financial” in a CFO resume. Here are some of the key skills executive recruiters are looking for:

• Business Development
• Change Management
• Diversity & Inclusion
• Revenue Generation
• Profit & Loss Management
• Mergers & Acquisitions
• Stakeholder Relations
• Cultural Leadership
• Contract Negotiation
• Fiscal Accountability

To make a big impact in a small amount of space, use subheadings for specific skills and stick to 3-4 categories that are more relevant to the role you’re applying for.

Ready to get started? Read how to include essential skills for executive resumes .

Optional sections

Because executive resumes should mainly focus on your work experience and core competencies, you don’t need to dedicate a lot of space to additional information. That said, it can still be a good idea to include one or two optional sections toward the end of your resume, especially if you can point to activities that are highly regarded or add leadership experience. These might include:

Board memberships. Sitting on a board of directors can add prestige and credibility to your resume, especially if you were involved with a prominent organization or one related to your current field. List the name of the organization, your role, and the dates you served.

Professional affiliations. Similarly, membership in a well-known professional association — especially if you were heavily involved or in a leadership role — can deserve a place on your resume. List the name of the association and whether your membership is current.

Certifications. Only list these if they’re relevant to your current role. If you hold a qualification that’s highly recognizable or essential in your industry, consider highlighting it in your executive summary as well.

Volunteering. In most cases, volunteering doesn’t fit on an executive resume. However, other types of community involvement can go at the bottom of your resume. In particular, highlight leadership roles and other industry-relevant activities.

Key tips for executives

If you’re updating an existing resume rather than writing one from scratch, here are some key things to keep in mind.

Executive resumes look different

Struggling to showcase your leadership potential while keeping your resume under one page? There’s a reason for that. Executive resumes are typically longer two-page documents featuring additional sections and a more extensive work history. Here’s how to update your mid-level resume to an executive resume format:

• Split your work experience into subheadings reflecting core competencies.
• Include more bullet points for your current or most recent role.
• Leave off jobs older than 10-15 years.
• Include additional sections as relevant — for example, board memberships , professional affiliations , certifications, and community involvement.

Stress leadership and management experience

Executive roles require leadership above all else, so make that the focus of your resume. Here are some quick tips:

Use keywords in your resume title and headline. Your resume title should reflect the title of the job you’re applying for, while your headline can contain core competencies or similar roles you’ve held in the past.

Focus on management experience in your summary and bullet points. Choose accomplishments that show leadership and related skills , and put your most relevant achievements at the top of your resume. If a recruiter only spends a few seconds skimming your resume, they should still walk away with the sense that you’re a potential fit.

A good way to check if you’ve chosen the right accomplishments that show leadership and related skills, is to upload your resume to the tool below — it’ll tell you if your resume summary and bullet points show enough of the management skills that hiring managers and recruiters look for.

Choose skills that speak to your leadership ability. Your skills section is a small but powerful part of your resume, so make every word count.

If you’re unsure what skills to add to your skills section, search for the job using the tool below. It’ll give you a list of skills relevant to the job. For example, search for a job like Chief Financial Officer, or other executive positions and it’ll give you a list of skills required for the role.

Size matters

When it comes to leadership roles, the scope of your experience is as important as the details. That’s not to say that you can land a C-level position at a Fortune 500 company if you’ve only ever helmed 10-person startups, but either way, make sure you start your resume by explaining the context of your work experience.

Emphasize promotions

You may be near the top of your field now, but recruiters will want to know how you got there. Here’s how to emphasize that you worked your way to the top:

• Show progression in your job titles. Bold titles that show obvious progression, like Vice President -> Director -> Managing Director .
• Use leadership-centric language that shows increased responsibility, like “ Led ,” “ Drove ,” and “ Spearheaded .”
• Use bullet points to highlight promotions . If you were promoted ahead of schedule, say so.

Use metrics

Hiring managers want to see the impact of your accomplishments on a company’s bottom line. Here are some good metrics to use in your resume:

• Company or team size
• Number of locations
• Revenue generated
• Managed budget
• Money saved
• Increased throughput
• Project complexity, scale and duration

Always use concrete numbers when you can. These don’t need to be exact — a reasonable estimate is fine.

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Expert tips: how to showcase your areas of expertise on a resume, essential skills for executive resumes, keep reading, how to show bilingualism on your resume (with examples), oops what to do if there’s a mistake on your resume, getting the basics right: resume line spacing, subscribe to our newsletter.

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• Project planning |
• How to write an executive summary, with ...

How to write an executive summary, with examples

The best way to do that is with an executive summary. If you’ve never written an executive summary, this article has all you need to know to plan, write, and share them with your team.

What is an executive summary?

An executive summary is an overview of a document. The length and scope of your executive summary will differ depending on the document it’s summarizing, but in general an executive summary can be anywhere from one to two pages long. In the document, you’ll want to share all of the information your readers and important stakeholders need to know.

Imagine it this way: if your high-level stakeholders were to only read your executive summary, would they have all of the information they need to succeed? If so, your summary has done its job.

You’ll often find executive summaries of:

Business cases

Project proposals

Research documents

Environmental studies

Market surveys

Project plans

In general, there are four parts to any executive summary:

Start with the problem or need the document is solving.

Outline the recommended solution.

Explain the solution’s value.

Wrap up with a conclusion about the importance of the work.

What is an executive summary in project management?

In project management, an executive summary is a way to bring clarity to cross-functional collaborators, team leadership, and project stakeholders . Think of it like a project’s “ elevator pitch ” for team members who don’t have the time or the need to dive into all of the project’s details.

The main difference between an executive summary in project management and a more traditional executive summary in a business plan is that the former should be created at the beginning of your project—whereas the latter should be created after you’ve written your business plan. For example, to write an executive summary of an environmental study, you would compile a report on the results and findings once your study was over. But for an executive summary in project management, you want to cover what the project is aiming to achieve and why those goals matter.

The same four parts apply to an executive summary in project management:

Start with the problem or need the project is solving.  Why is this project happening? What insight, customer feedback, product plan, or other need caused it to come to life?

Outline the recommended solution, or the project’s objectives.  How is the project going to solve the problem you established in the first part? What are the project goals and objectives?

Explain the solution’s value.  Once you’ve finished your project, what will happen? How will this improve and solve the problem you established in the first part?

Wrap up with a conclusion about the importance of the work.  This is another opportunity to reiterate why the problem is important, and why the project matters. It can also be helpful to reference your audience and how your solution will solve their problem. Finally, include any relevant next steps.

If you’ve never written an executive summary before, you might be curious about where it fits into other project management elements. Here’s how executive summaries stack up:

Executive summary vs. project plan

A  project plan  is a blueprint of the key elements your project will accomplish in order to hit your project goals and objectives. Project plans will include your goals, success metrics, stakeholders and roles, budget, milestones and deliverables, timeline and schedule, and communication plan .

An executive summary is a summary of the most important information in your project plan. Think of the absolutely crucial things your management team needs to know when they land in your project, before they even have a chance to look at the project plan—that’s your executive summary.

Executive summary vs. project overview

Project overviews and executive summaries often have similar elements—they both contain a summary of important project information. However, your project overview should be directly attached to your project. There should be a direct line of sight between your project and your project overview.

While you can include your executive summary in your project depending on what type of  project management tool  you use, it may also be a stand-alone document.

Executive summary vs. project objectives

Your executive summary should contain and expand upon your  project objectives  in the second part ( Outline the recommended solution, or the project’s objectives ). In addition to including your project objectives, your executive summary should also include why achieving your project objectives will add value, as well as provide details about how you’re going to get there.

The benefits of an executive summary

You may be asking: why should I write an executive summary for my project? Isn’t the project plan enough?

Well, like we mentioned earlier, not everyone has the time or need to dive into your project and see, from a glance, what the goals are and why they matter.  Work management tools  like Asana help you capture a lot of crucial information about a project, so you and your team have clarity on who’s doing what by when. Your executive summary is designed less for team members who are actively working on the project and more for stakeholders outside of the project who want quick insight and answers about why your project matters.

An effective executive summary gives stakeholders a big-picture view of the entire project and its important points—without requiring them to dive into all the details. Then, if they want more information, they can access the project plan or navigate through tasks in your work management tool.

How to write a great executive summary, with examples

Every executive summary has four parts. In order to write a great executive summary, follow this template. Then once you’ve written your executive summary, read it again to make sure it includes all of the key information your stakeholders need to know.

1. Start with the problem or need the project is solving

At the beginning of your executive summary, start by explaining why this document (and the project it represents) matter. Take some time to outline what the problem is, including any research or customer feedback you’ve gotten . Clarify how this problem is important and relevant to your customers, and why solving it matters.

For example, let’s imagine you work for a watch manufacturing company. Your project is to devise a simpler, cheaper watch that still appeals to luxury buyers while also targeting a new bracket of customers.

Example executive summary:

In recent customer feedback sessions, 52% of customers have expressed a need for a simpler and cheaper version of our product. In surveys of customers who have chosen competitor watches, price is mentioned 87% of the time. To best serve our existing customers, and to branch into new markets, we need to develop a series of watches that we can sell at an appropriate price point for this market.

2. Outline the recommended solution, or the project’s objectives

Now that you’ve outlined the problem, explain what your solution is. Unlike an abstract or outline, you should be  prescriptive  in your solution—that is to say, you should work to convince your readers that your solution is the right one. This is less of a brainstorming section and more of a place to support your recommended solution.

Because you’re creating your executive summary at the beginning of your project, it’s ok if you don’t have all of your deliverables and milestones mapped out. But this is your chance to describe, in broad strokes, what will happen during the project. If you need help formulating a high-level overview of your project’s main deliverables and timeline, consider creating a  project roadmap  before diving into your executive summary.

Continuing our example executive summary:

Our new watch series will begin at 20% cheaper than our current cheapest option, with the potential for 40%+ cheaper options depending on material and movement. In order to offer these prices, we will do the following:

Offer watches in new materials, including potentially silicone or wood

Use high-quality quartz movement instead of in-house automatic movement

Introduce customizable band options, with a focus on choice and flexibility over traditional luxury

Note that every watch will still be rigorously quality controlled in order to maintain the same world-class speed and precision of our current offerings.

3. Explain the solution’s value

At this point, you begin to get into more details about how your solution will impact and improve upon the problem you outlined in the beginning. What, if any, results do you expect? This is the section to include any relevant financial information, project risks, or potential benefits. You should also relate this project back to your company goals or  OKRs . How does this work map to your company objectives?

With new offerings that are between 20% and 40% cheaper than our current cheapest option, we expect to be able to break into the casual watch market, while still supporting our luxury brand. That will help us hit FY22’s Objective 3: Expanding the brand. These new offerings have the potential to bring in upwards of three million dollars in profits annually, which will help us hit FY22’s Objective 1: 7 million dollars in annual profit.

Early customer feedback sessions indicate that cheaper options will not impact the value or prestige of the luxury brand, though this is a risk that should be factored in during design. In order to mitigate that risk, the product marketing team will begin working on their go-to-market strategy six months before the launch.

4. Wrap up with a conclusion about the importance of the work

Now that you’ve shared all of this important information with executive stakeholders, this final section is your chance to guide their understanding of the impact and importance of this work on the organization. What, if anything, should they take away from your executive summary?

To round out our example executive summary:

Cheaper and varied offerings not only allow us to break into a new market—it will also expand our brand in a positive way. With the attention from these new offerings, plus the anticipated demand for cheaper watches, we expect to increase market share by 2% annually. For more information, read our  go-to-market strategy  and  customer feedback documentation .

Example of an executive summary

When you put it all together, this is what your executive summary might look like:

Common mistakes people make when writing executive summaries

You’re not going to become an executive summary-writing pro overnight, and that’s ok. As you get started, use the four-part template provided in this article as a guide. Then, as you continue to hone your executive summary writing skills, here are a few common pitfalls to avoid:

Avoid using jargon

Your executive summary is a document that anyone, from project contributors to executive stakeholders, should be able to read and understand. Remember that you’re much closer to the daily work and individual tasks than your stakeholders will be, so read your executive summary once over to make sure there’s no unnecessary jargon. Where you can, explain the jargon, or skip it all together.

Remember: this isn’t a full report

Your executive summary is just that—a summary. If you find yourself getting into the details of specific tasks, due dates, and attachments, try taking a step back and asking yourself if that information really belongs in your executive summary. Some details are important—you want your summary to be actionable and engaging. But keep in mind that the wealth of information in your project will be captured in your  work management tool , not your executive summary.

Make sure the summary can stand alone

You know this project inside and out, but your stakeholders won’t. Once you’ve written your executive summary, take a second look to make sure the summary can stand on its own. Is there any context your stakeholders need in order to understand the summary? If so, weave it into your executive summary, or consider linking out to it as additional information.

Always proofread

Your executive summary is a living document, and if you miss a typo you can always go back in and fix it. But it never hurts to proofread or send to a colleague for a fresh set of eyes.

In summary: an executive summary is a must-have

Executive summaries are a great way to get everyone up to date and on the same page about your project. If you have a lot of project stakeholders who need quick insight into what the project is solving and why it matters, an executive summary is the perfect way to give them the information they need.

For more tips about how to connect high-level strategy and plans to daily execution, read our article about strategic planning .

Related resources

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How Asana uses work management to optimize resource planning

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How Asana uses work management to drive product development

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10 executive summary examples and how to write one yourself (with ai).

February 14, 2024

In a world where people have the attention span of a goldfish (or less), we don’t make time to read long, detailed documents unless they are valuable to us. So, how do we convince the reader that the document is valuable? That’s where the executive summary comes in.

What is an Executive Summary?

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An executive summary is a shorter version of a longer corporate document. It summarizes the salient points of a business plan, proposal, or report so executives can get the gist and read further about what matters to them.

In other words, the tl;dr (too long; didn’t read) version.

A typical executive summary includes:

• Problem statement
• Proposed solution
• Expected outcomes

This might vary depending on what you write an executive summary for. Let’s take the example of a project report. You might have to replace the proposed solution and expected outcomes with execution solutions and actual outcomes achieved, respectively. Or, if you’re writing a business plan, research proposal, or market analysis, you might include your methodology, too.

Now that you know the purpose of an executive summary, let’s see how to write one.

How to Write Executive Summaries and Examples

While an executive summary is just a condensed version of a longer report, it isn’t easy to write. It needs to capture the essence of the report, outline the salient points, and tell a story as compelling as the full report. Here are some ways you can achieve that.

Just stating facts and data wouldn’t be a compelling read for anyone. So, identify the story that really impacts people’s lives. While industry terms like workflow optimization or cost control capture people’s attention, they don’t tell the real story behind your efforts. Focus on the latter.

If you’re writing the project executive summary in software development, you might begin with what matters to the reader as follows.

In 2020, the retail major was managing its inventory on spreadsheets. So, whenever a customer asked whether a product was in stock, a staff member had to walk across the 5000 sq. ft. store to check, often with the customer in tow. The new ABC digital inventory management system records stock in and out online in real time. The staff member can check and confirm in a flash. More pertinently, the customers themselves can check at any of the 25 kiosks throughout the store.

While the story is more important, data isn’t useless. Accurate and relevant data helps establish credibility. Your next section might say the following in the ABC digital inventory management system example.

Since the implementation of the ABC inventory management system, the retail major has seen: 85% decrease in time taken to check stock 75% decrease in time taken to find where stock is placed

The data demonstrates that there has been real improvement. However, for the reader to understand its impact, you must explain the benefits. This can be done with real-life scenarios or even quotes. For example,

Adrian, the customer service manager at the Central Park store, says, “Now, from anywhere—a kiosk, the checkout counter, or my mobile phone—I can quickly check stock and confirm we have the products the customer needs. I see that customers are delighted at getting their answers instantly.”

You can also use data to do this. For example, you can explain how the decreased time taken to check stock has increased staff productivity, customer satisfaction, or company revenue. Or you can include your suggestions here. Based on your observations, explain the process improvement methodologies you recommend.

This is the time to complete the story. Here, talk about how your project has delivered the changes in the present and sets up for an even more prosperous future. This could be something like:

The ABC inventory management system marks the first step in the retail major’s digital transformation journey. By Q2 next year, we will link the store solution to the e-commerce inventory platform to give 360-degree visibility into the stock situation. This would also enable a new sales channel in the form of Buy Online, Pick Up in Store (BOPIS), enabling same-day fulfillment.

While you write your executive summary, here are some best practices to remember.

Keep it short and simple : The length might depend on the report you’re summarizing, but it’s best to keep it under one page for quick reading. Also, avoid cliches and jargon; make it easy to read. A quick business plan under one page is the best first impression you can make.

Focus on the target audience : Not all executive summaries are read by business executives. Often, you might want to address your summary to peers, vendors, partners, or even teens. Know your target audience and customize your executive summary accordingly.

Use the right tool : You can, of course, use Notepad or Word doc to write your executive summaries. But give it a boost with modern document software like ClickUp Docs .

• Use rich formatting features without jumping through hoops
• Style the critical information with color-coded banners, buttons, and more
• Collaborate in real time with comments, action items, and trackable tasks
• Securely share with anyone with appropriate access controls

Pick a suitable template : If it’s your first time writing an executive summary, we’ve got your back. Fire up one of ClickUp’s executive summary templates or content writing templates , and kickstart your work.

Get the AI boost : If you’ve thoughtfully created your report, you can write your executive summary much quicker with one of the many AI writing tools . For instance, ClickUp AI offers a single-click summarize option right on ClickUp Docs.

What’s more? ClickUp AI supports you in brainstorming new ideas, writing the first drafts of your executive summaries, and proofreading them for good measure.

10 Executive Summary Examples

Now that we have discussed the theory of executive summary writing, let’s look at some examples to see what it looks like in practice. Here are ten to learn from or emulate.

Periodically, the board would expect to see a report on the organization’s performance. Various departments typically write their reports, which are consolidated into a board report. An effective executive summary of this would include the following.

• Revenue and expenditure
• Key areas of focus
• Critical success factors
• Financial information
• Challenges and roadblocks

This ClickUp Board Report Summary Template brings all these aspects together to get you started on your executive summary right away. You can customize this free executive summary template to suit your needs and fill in the data as appropriate.

McKinsey, one of the world’s leading consulting firms, publishes dozens of research reports annually. For every one of them, they write executive summaries, often called ‘in brief.’

In this report titled, ‘ Performance through people: Transforming human capital into competitive advantage ,’ the executive summary takes a two-pronged approach. It presents key insights in text on one page and data in infographics on the next.

Insights in text : The report begins by directly addressing the primary purpose of the research. Below are the first few sentences.

How does developing talent affect financial returns for firms? This research finds that companies with a dual focus on developing human capital and managing it well have a performance edge.

This section summarizes the key insights from the research. The headlines of each section are presented in bold, making it easy for the reader to skim.

Data in visuals : The text section is followed by an infographic of the key findings from the data. Within one page, it presents all the graphs relevant to the reader engagingly.

Within two pages, McKinsey gives the reader a bird’s eye view of what to expect, customized for the target market, from the 40-page document.

You can read the executive summary of this report on McKinsey’s website .

The Adaptation Gap Report 2023 by the United Nations Environment Programme is a 112-page report with a rather detailed executive summary, stretching eight pages. The depth of information and seriousness of the topics covered demand an extended executive summary.

Yet, the writers make every effort to make it engaging with a combination of typography, design, and graphs. It begins with the following.

Despite the clear signs of accelerating climate risks and impacts worldwide, the adaptation finance gap is widening and now stands at between US$194 billion and US$366 billion per year. Adaptation finance needs are 10–18 times as great as current international public adaptation finance flows – at least 50 percent higher than previously estimated.

In the following pages, it presents graphs to demonstrate the underpinnings of these key findings.

Every project manager creates performance reports at the end of each week, month, or quarter. This typically includes the tasks tracking , burn up, burn down, hours spent, etc.

While this can be written down in a list, presenting this information as a slide with visual elements is far more effective.

One way to achieve this is to use ClickUp’s project summary templates , which offer custom-designed templates for various project management purposes.

The other way is to use the dynamic reports on the ClickUp Dashboard , which brings together all the key metrics and keeps them updated in real time for you to share with anyone you’d like to.

Human resources or people management teams create payroll reports, typically in spreadsheets, for every payment period—bi-weekly or monthly. This data is also helpful for building financial projections. For the senior finance leaders, they often create an executive summary of critical information, such as:

• Total salaries paid
• Deductions across categories
• Year-to-date salary expenses
• Paid time off credits
• Net pay summary

ClickUp’s Payroll Summary Report Template can save time by automatically gathering all relevant data from the platform. When data is unavailable on ClickUp, you can highlight any text to @mention team members who can fill in the correct information.

Once complete, you can update the Doc’s settings for access control and share it with the management team instantly.

A company description or how it projects itself is often important to stand out in a crowded market. Mailchimp stood out with its style guide. The guide is comprehensive and widely used by smaller content teams that don’t yet have their own.

Mailchimp has made it public and available under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International license for anyone to adapt to their needs.

While every section in this style guide is engaging and valuable, for the purposes of this article, we want to draw your attention to the tl;dr section , which acts as a quasi-executive summary.

It is a bulleted list of seven sub-sections, highlighting the foundations of Mailchimp’s writing style.

The striking thing about this tl;dr version is its simplicity. Even without any visual elements, infographics, or charts, this page gives readers a real and actionable summary of the entire style guide.

When we speak of executive summary, we almost always think of a smaller version of an entire document. It need not be so.

For a software engineering team, the release notes are a kind of executive summary of all the changes/upgrades made in the latest version.

Take the example of ClickUp’s release notes 3.04 . Each release gets:

• An organized yet concise summary of all the changes that have been made
• “ClickTips” to help readers make the best use of new features
• Visuals and app images to show how the changes look
• Links to help pages of each of those features so the reader can learn more
• A list of bugs fixed
• And any other resources, such as on-demand webinars or training

These release notes inform users and developers of the latest upgrades to the ClickUp platform without overwhelming them with the details.

The New Yorker Magazine wrote a 10,000-word profile of Geoffrey Hinton , a computer scientist and cognitive psychologist, for their November 20, 2023 issue, titled ‘Metamorphosis.’ Even in podcast form, it’s over 60 minutes long.

When it was published online, they needed a title and description that summarized the article in a way that attracted a lay reader’s attention to click and read. The headline captures the primary conflict explored in the article. The description introduces the protagonist.

While this is typically not what we’d categorize as an executive summary, it is a fantastic example of capturing the essence of a long article in a few powerful words.

This executive summary serves as an inspiration for writers, irrespective of what you’re writing about, to summarize their main points not just briefly but also powerfully and attractively.

In the spring of 2019, Harvard University conducted its first-ever survey about campus culture. The executive summary of the report on these survey responses makes for great reading. It is also a great example of how to honestly and authentically present key findings, even unpleasant ones.

The executive summary is honest on multiple fronts. It admits that:

• 2019 was the first time in history that Harvard surveyed campus culture
• Three in ten of the Harvard community don’t feel like they belong
• 34% of students disagreed with the belief that Harvard will take appropriate action against incidents of harassment and discrimination
• Those from historically underrepresented and disadvantaged groups reported less positive views

At the end of this, the executive summary outlines the specific steps Harvard will take to address these responses from the community.

Project managers can use this as inspiration for handling executive summaries of projects that have gone awry. It helps leaders take responsibility for what has occurred and build systems to prevent future mistakes.

Not all executive summaries have to be written manually by you. A free executive summary template is also something to explore. Plenty of tools offer it. Dozens of AI tools for automation can summarize text in seconds. Here’s what ClickUp AI returned when we inserted the article above and asked for a summary.

The article discusses the purpose and importance of an executive summary, which provides a brief overview of detailed documents, making them more palatable for readers with limited time. Executive summaries typically include problem statements, proposed solutions, expected outcomes, and a conclusion. To create a compelling summary, it’s crucial to identify the main story, incorporate relevant data, expand on benefits, and conclude powerfully. The use of modern document software like ClickUp Docs and AI tools like ClickUp AI can enhance the quality and efficiency of writing executive summaries. The article also provides practical examples of executive summaries across different fields, showcasing their versatility and applicability. This provides a great starting point for those who fear the blank page. You can now edit this to add details, add images, or insert a quote.

With ClickUp AI, you can choose the tone (from professional, straightforward, inspirational, optimistic, casual, confident, friendly, or humorous) and creativity (low, medium, and high) to customize the summary to your needs.

That’s not all! For project managers and business leaders, ClickUp AI offers a wide range of writing and summarizing tools for scope documents, project briefs, meeting agendas, statements of work, survey questions, and more.

You can tag people to invite input or feedback. You can also convert comments into tasks and manage them effortlessly, all in one place.

Never used AI for writing before? No worries there, too. Here are AI prompt templates that will get you started instantly.

With a custom-built AI assistant tailored to your role, you can work faster, write better, spark creativity, and be significantly more productive.

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Executive Assistant Resume Examples For 2024 (20+ Skills & Templates)

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Looking to score a job as an Executive Assistant?

You're going to need an awesome resume. This guide is your one-stop-shop for writing a job-winning Executive Assistant resume using our proven strategies, skills, templates, and examples.

All of the content in this guide is based on data from coaching thousands of job seekers (just like you!) who went on to land offers at the world's best companies.

If you want to maximize your chances of landing that Executive Assistant role, I recommend reading this piece from top to bottom. But if you're just looking for something specific, here's what's included in this guide:

• What To Know About Writing A Job-Winning Executive Assistant Resume
• The Best Skills To Include On An Executive Assistant Resume

How To Write A Job-Winning Executive Assistant Resume Summary

How to write offer-winning executive assistant resume bullets.

• 3 Executive Assistant Resume Examples

The 8 Best Executive Assistant Resume Templates

Here's the step-by-step breakdown:

Executive Assistant Resume Overview: What To Know To Write A Resume That Wins More Job Offers

What do companies look for when they're hiring an Executive Assistant?

Companies look for candidates with strong organizational and multitasking skills to manage schedules, coordinate meetings, and handle correspondence. They also look for Executive Assistants with excellent written and verbal communication skills, problem-solving abilities, and proficiency with office software.

Your resume should show the company that your personality and your experience encompass all these things.

Additionally, there are a few best practices you want to follow to write a job-winning Executive Assistant resume:

• Tailor your resume to the job description you are applying for: Tailor your resume for each application, aligning your skills with the specific requirements of each job description.
• Detail previous experiences: Provide detailed descriptions of your roles, emphasizing hard and soft skills related to the job description.
• Bring in your key achievements: Showcase measurable achievements in previous roles and share your best work.
• Highlight your skills:   Highlight your skills in Communication, Management, Microsoft Office, and other abilities relevant to the role.
• Make it visually appealing: Use a professional and clean layout with bullet points for easy readability. Also, ensure formatting and font consistency throughout the resume and limit it to one or two pages.
• Use keywords: Incorporate industry-specific keywords from the job description to pass through applicant tracking systems (ATS) and increase your chances of being noticed by hiring managers.
• Proofread your resume: Thoroughly proofread your resume to eliminate errors (I recommend Hemingway App and Grammarly ). Consider seeking feedback from peers or mentors to ensure clarity and effectiveness!

Let's dive deeper into each of these so you have the exact blueprint you need to see success.

The Best Executive Assistant Skills To Include On Your Resume

Keywords are one of the most important factors in your resume. They show employers that your skills align with the role and they also help format your resume for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).

If you're not familiar with ATS systems, they are pieces of software used by employers to manage job applications. They scan resumes for keywords and qualifications and make it easier for employers to filter and search for candidates whose qualifications match the role.

If you want to win more interviews and job offers, you need to have a keyword-optimized resume. There are two ways to find the right keywords:

1. Leverage The 20 Best Executive Assistant Keywords

The first is to leverage our list of the best keywords and skills for an Executive Assistant resume.

These keywords were selected from an analysis of real Executive Assistant job descriptions sourced from actual job boards. Here they are:

• Communication
• Presentations
• Confidential Information
• Organization
• Microsoft Office
• Correspondence
• Project Management
• Time Management
• Coordination
• Collaborative

2. Use ResyMatch.io To Find The Best Keywords That Are Specific To Your Resume And Target Role

The second method is the one I recommend because it's personalized to your specific resume and target job.

This process lets you find the exact keywords that your resume is missing when compared to the individual role you're applying for.

Here's how it works:

• Open a copy of your updated Executive Assistant resume
• Open a copy of your target Executive Assistant job description
• In the widget below, paste your resume on the left, paste the job description on the right, and hit scan!

ResyMatch is going to scan your resume and compare it to the target job description. It's going to show you the exact keywords and skills you're missing as well as share other feedback you can use to improve your resume.

If you're ready to get started, use the widget below to run your first scan and get your free resume score:

Copy/paste or upload your resume here:

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Employers spend an average of six seconds reading your resume.

If you want to win more interviews and offers, you need to make that time count. That starts with hitting the reader with the exact information they're looking for right at the top of your resume.

Unfortunately, traditional resume advice like Summaries and Objectives don't accomplish that goal. If you want to win in today's market, you need a modern approach. I like to use something I can a “Highlight Reel,” here's how it works.

Highlight Reels: A Proven Way To Start Your Resume And Win More Jobs

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

For example, if we were writing a Highlight Reel for an Executive Assistant role, it might look like this:

The first bullet includes the candidate's years of experience in the role and encompasses the skills that make them fit for the role.

The next two bullets are “Case Studies” of specific results they drove for companies they worked for. The last bullet wraps up with extracurricular information.

This candidate has provided all of the info any employer would want to see right at the very top of their resume! The best part is that they can customize this section for each and every role they apply for to maximize the relevance of their experience.

Here's one more example of an Executive Assistant Highlight Reel:

The content of this example showcases a candidate transitioning from caregiving to an Executive Assistant role, leveraging their experience with and bringing in measurable results in the following bullet points. Then, they wrap up with a high-value extracurricular activity that's related to their target position.

If you want more details on writing a killer Highlight Reel, check out my full guide on Highlight Reels here.

Bullets make up the majority of the content in your resume. If you want to win, you need to know how to write bullets that are compelling and value-driven.

Unfortunately, way too many job seekers aren't good at this. They use fluffy, buzzword-fill language and they only talk about the actions that they took rather than the results and outcomes those actions created.

If you apply this framework to each of the bullets on your resume, you're going to make them more compelling and your value is going to be crystal clear to the reader. For example, take a look at these resume bullets:

❌ Executive Assitant with 8+ years of experience.

✅ Executive Assistant with 8+ years experience in project management, planning, and scheduling, increasing efficiency by 30%.

The second bullet makes the candidate's value  so much more clear, and it's a lot more fun to read! That's what we're going for here.

That said, it's one thing to look at the graphic above and try to apply the abstract concept of “35% hard skills” to your bullet. We wanted to make things easy, so we created a tool called ResyBullet.io that will actually give your resume bullet a score and show you how to improve it.

Using ResyBullet To Write Crazy Effective, Job-Winning Resume Bullets

ResyBullet takes our proprietary “resume bullet formula” and layers it into a tool that's super simple to use. Here's how it works:

• Head over to ResyBullet.io
• Copy a bullet from your resume and paste it into the tool, then hit “Analyze”
• ResyBullet will score your resume bullet and show you exactly what you need to improve
• You edit your bullet with the recommended changes and scan it again
• Rinse and repeat until you get a score of 60+
• Move on to the next bullet in your resume

Let's take a look at how this works for the two resume bullet examples I shared above:

First, we had, “Executive Assistant with 8+ years of experience.” 

ResyBullet gave that a score of 25/100.  Not only is it too short, but it's missing relevant skills, compelling language, and measurable outcomes:

Now, let's take a look at our second bullet,  “Executive Assistant with 8+ years experience in project management, planning, and scheduling, increasing efficiency by 30%.”

ResyBullet gave that a 61 / 100. Much better! This bullet had more content focused on the experience in the Executive Assistant role, while also highlighting measurable results:

Now all you have to do is run each of your bullets through ResyBullet, make the suggested updates, and your resume is going to be jam-packed with eye-popping, value-driven content!

If you're ready, grab a bullet from your resume, paste it into the widget below, and hit scan to get your first resume bullet score and analysis:

Free Resume Bullet Analyzer

Learn to write crazy effective resume bullets that grab attention, illustrate value, and actually get results., copy and paste your resume bullet to begin analysis:, 3 executive assistant resume examples for 2024.

Now let's take a look at all of these best practices in action. Here are three resume examples for different situations from people with different backgrounds:

Executive Assistant Resume Example #1: A Traditional Background

Executive Assistant Resume Example #2: A Non-Traditional Background

For our second Executive Assistant Resume Example, we have a candidate who has a non-traditional background. In this case, they come from a background in caregiving but leverage experiences that help them transition to an Executive Assistant role. Here's an example of what their resume might look like:

Executive Assistant Resume Example #3: Volunteer

For our third Executive Assistant Resume Example, we have a candidate who's worked their first year since graduation as a volunteer. Here's an example of what their resume might look like when applying for an Executive Assistant role:

At this point, you know all of the basics you'll need to write an Executive Assistant resume that wins you more interviews and offers. The only thing left is to take all of that information and apply it to a template that's going to help you get results.

We made that easy with our ResyBuild tool . It has 8 proven templates that were created with the help of recruiters and hiring managers at the world's best companies. These templates also bake in thousands of data points we have from the job seekers in our audience who have used them to land job offers.

Just click any of the templates below to start building your resume using proven, recruiter-approved templates:

Free Job-Winning Resume Templates, Build Yours In No Time .

Choose a resume template below to get started:.

Key Takeaways To Wrap Up Your Job-Winning Executive Assistant Resume

You made it! We packed a lot of information into this post so I wanted to distill the key points for you and lay out next steps so you know exactly where to from here.

Here are the 5 steps for writing a job-winning Executive Assistant resume:

• Start with a proven resume template from ResyBuild.io
• Use ResyMatch.io to find the right keywords and optimize your resume for each role you apply to
• Open your resume with a Highlight Reel to immediately grab your target employer's attention
• Use ResyBullet.io to craft compelling, value-driven bullets that pop off the page
• Compare the draft of your resume to the examples on this page to make sure you're on the right path
• Use a tool like HemingwayApp or Grammarly to proofread your resume before you submit it

If you follow those steps, you're going to be well on your way to landing more Executive Assistant interviews and job offers.

Now that your resume is taken care of, check out my guide on how to get a job anywhere without applying online!

Paula Martins

Paula is Cultivated Culture's amazing Editor and Content Manager. Her background is in journalism and she's transitioned from roles in education, to tech, to finance, and more. She blends her journalism background with her job search experience to share advice aimed at helping people like you land jobs they love without applying online.

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