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The resume objective has gone the way of the dinosaur, but the resume summary has not. In fact, your resume summary is more important than ever these days.

Do you know why?

Hiring managers and recruiters review countless resumes before making hiring decisions, so they’re super busy.

Therefore, they appreciate anything you do to save them a few extra minutes. That’s where your resume summary comes in.

Your resume summary contains a snapshot version of the highlights of your resume. It tells the hiring manager in 30 seconds or less whether or not you’re a good fit for the role.

Hiring managers and recruiters LOVE resumes that contain a summary. It means they don’t need to hunt for the details.

If your resume doesn’t include a summary section and you’re looking for work, then you need to get one added… pronto.

The good news is that I’m about to give you the steps to get your resume summary section created in 15 minutes or less. So let’s get started.

What to include in your resume summary

Your resume summary contains a brief overview of your skills, experience, and qualifications. It’s a great way to capture the highlights of your resume and make a strong first impression.

Here are some simple steps to help you write an effective summary section:

1. Start with a strong opening statement.

Your summary statement should be a strong, attention-grabbing statement that highlights your skills and experience. It should be clear, concise, and easy to read.

For example, you could start with a statement like “Accomplished marketing professional with 10 years of experience in developing and executing successful marketing campaigns.”

2. Highlight your most relevant skills and experience.

The summary section is a great place to highlight your most relevant skills and experience. Be sure to tailor your summary to the specific job you’re applying for.

3. Use keywords throughout your summary.

When you’re writing your summary, be sure to use keywords that are relevant to the job you’re applying for. This will help your resume get noticed by recruiters and hiring managers.

Your resume will also likely be scanned by an applicant tracking system (ATS) for keywords that are relevant to the position. Be sure to use keywords throughout your summary to make sure your resume is picked up by the ATS.

4. Quantify your accomplishments.

Whenever possible, quantify your accomplishments. This will help to show the impact of your work and make your summary more impressive.

For example, instead of saying “Increased sales,” say “Increased sales by 15% in 2023.”

5. Use strong action verbs.

Use strong action verbs to describe your skills and experience. This will make your summary more powerful and persuasive.

For example, instead of saying “I was responsible for developing marketing campaigns,” say “Developed marketing campaigns that resulted in a 15% increase in sales.”

6. Keep it short and to the point.

Your summary should be no more than a few bullet points long. This is because recruiters and hiring managers typically only spend a few seconds scanning each resume.

7. Proofread carefully.

Make sure you proofread your summary section carefully before submitting it. Typos and grammatical errors will make you look unprofessional and can hurt your chances of getting an interview.

On another note, make sure you tailor your summary to the job you are applying for. This means highlighting the skills and experience that are most relevant to the position. If you’re applying for similar roles with multiple organizations, then you can likely use the same summary statement, but always scan the job requirements to be sure!

Psst… need some ideas for what your innate strengths are? I recommend reading Strengths Finder – you may find some helpful ideas to add to your resume!

Example Resume Summary

Here is an example of an effective summary section:

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Experienced marketing manager with over 10 years of experience achieving an average ROAS of 7:1 in the Saas industry.

Summary of experience

• Experienced marketing professional with a proven track record of success in developing and executing marketing campaigns.
• Expertise in social media marketing, email marketing, and content marketing.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Proven ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• BS in Communications from New York University

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This summary is strong because it is clear, concise, and tailored to the specific job that the applicant is applying for. It highlights the applicant’s skills and experience, and it uses keywords that are relevant to the position.

Here’s another example, this one is from my own resume several years ago:

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Key experience as follows:

• Biotechnology and Life Sciences Industry – Over 10 years
• Marketing Communications Strategy – 6 years
• Content Marketing, Copywriting and Technical Writing – 6 years
• Project Management- 7 years
• Management/Supervision- 5 years
• Remote Global Operations- 4 years
• Business Development- 2 years
• MBA with Honors from Willamette University
• BS in Biology from Pacific University
• Specialties: Marketing, Communications, Consulting, Biotechnology, Life Sciences, Leadership, Business Development, Remote Global Operations, Content Marketing Strategy, Copywriting, Project Management, Research & Data Analysis, Molecular Biology

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My summary section isn’t bad, but it could be improved by making a few changes. Specifically, it’s a bit too long, I don’t have an opening statement or action-oriented verbs, nor have I quantified my accomplishments, at least not beyond listing my years of experience.

By following these tips, you can write an effective summary section that will help you to stand out from the competition and land your dream job.

Resume Summary Template

Want your own handy template? Copy and paste the section below and add it to the top of your resume (right after your contact information):

QUALIFICATIONS SUMMARY____________________________________________________________

Your opening statement.

• Key experience as follows:
  • Experience/Skill 1 – XX years
  • Experience/Skill 2 – X years
  • Experience/Skill 3 – X years
• Degree from XYZ University
• Specialties: XYZ

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Once you’ve added this section to your resume, copy and paste the relevant sections from your resume into the templated fields. Before you do that though, make sure your details will be relevant for the roles you’ll be applying for.

Full Resume Template

If you need a new resume template, you can download your own resume template here. Please note, you’ll need to go to File -> Make a Copy to download this to your Google Drive and make changes.

Psst… if reworking your resume has been on your to-do list for a while, I recommend using ClickUp to help you keep track of progress on your goals.

At this point, you can get started on your own resume summary. Before you get started, however, a few more tips to help you create your own effective resume summary.

Ways to Make Your Resume Summary Stand Out

In addition to the tips above, there are a few other things you can do to capture the highlights from your resume in your summary section.

• Use bullet points. 

Bullet points are a great way to list your skills and experience in a clear and concise way.

• Use numbers. 

Numbers are a powerful way to quantify your accomplishments and make them more impressive.

• Use strong adjectives. 

Strong adjectives can help to describe your skills and experience in a more positive and persuasive way.

• Use keywords. 

As mentioned above, it is important to use keywords throughout your summary that are relevant to the job you are applying for. This will help your resume to be picked up by applicant tracking systems (ATS).

How to Capture the Highlights from Your Resume

When writing your summary, be sure to highlight the following:

• Your most relevant skills and experience
• Your accomplishments
• Your education and training
• Your awards and honors
• Your professional affiliations

By highlighting these key areas, you can create a summary that will make a strong impression on potential employers and recruiters.

How to Attract the Attention of Recruiters and Hiring Managers

In addition to writing an effective summary section, there are a few other things you can do to attract the attention of recruiters and hiring managers.

Use a strong opening statement.

After your contact information, your opening statement is the first thing that recruiters and hiring managers will see, so you’ll want to make a good first impression. Your statement should be clear, concise, and attention-grabbing.

Use white space.

White space is important for readability. Make sure to use plenty of white space in your resume to make it easy to scan.

Use a professional font.

Use a professional font that is easy to read. Avoid using fonts that are too small, too large, or too decorative.

Proofread carefully.

Typos and grammatical errors will make you look unprofessional and can hurt your chances of getting an interview.

The Downside of a Resume Summary

The benefits of a resume summary far outweigh the costs, but there is a cost and I want to be upfront about that.

When you create a resume summary, you risk the chance that a recruiter or hiring manager will only review the summary section of your resume.

This means that your resume summary needs to be shined and polished so that you capture the attention you deserve from hiring managers and recruiters.

It’s always good practice to make sure that your resume appropriately captures the skills and experiences that are relevant to the role for which you’re applying. In this case, it’s essential that your resume summary does the same.

If you bury relevant experience and skills too deep in your resume and fail to include them in your summary section, then there’s a chance that the hiring manager or recruiter will miss them. In which case, you may not get a role that you were otherwise qualified for.

So take caution to capture relevant details from the rest of your resume and put them in your summary section.

By following these tips, you can write a resume that will capture the attention of recruiters and hiring managers and help you land your dream job.

Think creating a resume summary will FIRE Your Career? Check out the posts page for more ways you can FIRE Your Career and achieve financial freedom.

FIRE Your Career: Achieve Financial Freedom Through Your Career & Spend MORE Time Doing What You Love.

Products I recommend in this article:

Strengths Finder (book to uncover your innate talents)

ClickUp (project management software to keep track of your progress toward your goals)