How to Write a Resume Summary with Examples
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What is a resume summary?
Who needs a resume summary, how to write a resume summary.
You should know how to write a resume summary if you’re writing a resume and applying for jobs. Resume summaries show busy hiring managers and employers what you can offer them quickly and easily on a resume. This article will explain what a resume summary is, who needs one in their resume and how to write a resume summary.
A resume summary, also referred to as a summary statement or professional summary, is a short statement at the top of your resume that describes your professional experience and key skills. Including a resume summary allows you to highlight your best qualifications and get the hiring manager’s attention right away.
A resume summary can help you get noticed faster by hiring managers, who often scan a resume to make sure the candidate is a good fit for the job before reading more carefully.
Additionally, including a resume statement is a good way to make your resume more organized, clearer and easier to read. The resume summary is like the table of contents at the beginning of a book, shaping the reader’s expectations of what they will encounter. This will help bring the reader’s attention to your best qualities.
Not every resume needs a resume summary. If you are new to the job market, do not yet have a great deal of experience, or have a pretty simple career path, you may be better off saving the space for something else.
However, if you are an experienced professional with several years of experience, or if you are hoping to switch career paths, a resume summary can help to organize your resume. A resume summary can tie together different pieces of your experience or indicate how your skill set is transferrable to the role you are seeking.
Follow these steps to write a resume summary:
1. First, start by explaining who you are
The first sentence or bullet point of your resume summary should clearly state who you are as a candidate. Make this a powerful statement that summarizes your experience and why you are a good fit for the job.
‘High-achieving sales agent with 5+ years of experience driving sales in established accounts and developing prospects.’
‘Copywriter with attention to detail and ability to turn around projects on a quick deadline.
‘Attentive registered nurse dedicated to diagnosing patients and managing treatment.’
2. Second, highlight what you bring to the role
Before you begin writing your resume summary, take some time to make a list of your most important skills and experience, including certifications, awards or other achievements, technical skills, and soft skills. Include some of these top experiences in your resume summary to highlight what you bring to the role.
At the same time, you will want to use your summary to demonstrate how your skills and experience will contribute to the organization’s mission and goals.
‘Dynamic and motivated project manager with proven success in designing, executing, and closing more than a dozen projects.’
‘Organized human resources professional with a master’s degree in human resources management and 20+ years of experience in employee hiring and onboarding, performance management processes, and HR records.’
‘Experienced software engineer with a passion for building startup businesses.’
3. Third, capture job posting keywords
Adjust your resume summary for each job you apply to by scanning and capturing the job posting keywords. Carefully read the job description and select the key words from the ‘requirements’ or ‘education’ sections of the posting. This will demonstrate you prepared for, and are excited about, a particular position and you clearly meet the requirements the hiring manager is looking for in a candidate.
For a job posting that says the employer is looking for someone with at least 5 years of experience:
‘Compassionate registered nurse with 5+ years of professional experience and certifications in neonatal resuscitation.’
For a job posting that says the employer is looking for someone with experience working with major brands:
‘Social media communications and advertising expert with experience in creating and managing social media strategies for global companies.’
4. Fourth, keep your summary short
A resume summary should be no longer than 2-3 sentences or bulleted points in a list. Space is limited in your one-page resume, so keep your summary short and straightforward.
‘Award-winning digital producer with 10+ years’ experience in supervising and creating digital media content. Adept in complex and compelling storytelling.’
‘Proven leader of international sales organizations offering 20 years of experience in developing successful growth strategies and training team leaders. Known for crafting compelling marketing strategies. Effectively managed multi-million dollar, multi-product global businesses on several continents.
‘Blending lab management experience and academic training as a PhD in microbiology. Background includes office administration, event planning, and scheduling expertise.’
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Professional Resume Summary Examples (25+ Statements)
Your resume is a biopic and you need to sell it with a great trailer: a professional resume summary statement. But what exactly is a resume summary?
As seen in:
A resume summary is a professional statement at the top of a resume. It describes the candidate's relevant experience, skills, and achievements. The purpose of this career summary is to explain your qualifications for the job in 3-5 sentences and convince the manager to read the whole resume document.
And you're about to learn how to nail it.
In this guide we'll show you:
- Who can benefit most from including in a resume.
- How to write a resume summary using our bulletproof formula.
- Examples of over 25 best summaries for resumes.
Want to save time and have your resume ready in 5 minutes? Try our resume builder. It’s fast and easy to use. Plus, you’ll get ready-made content to add with one click. See 20+ resume templates and create your resume here .
Sample resume made with our builder— See more resume samples here .
Before we look at some more detailed resume tips , have a look at those universal resume summary statement samples.
General Resume Summary Examples
Experienced PMP with a background in law and 7+ years experience growing revenue for a Massachusetts-based electronics firm. Seeking to leverage leadership expertise as project manager for Paylocity. Guest speaker at the Northeast Lean Conference in 2014.
Detail-oriented Civil Engineer and PE with 5 years of experience and a zest for solving complex problems. Seeking to use proven project management and design skills to improve quality, cost and time metrics for NEP Engineering.
Receptionist with over 5 years' experience working in both the public and private sectors. Diplomatic, personable, and adept at managing sensitive situations. Highly organized, self-motivated, and proficient with computers. Looking to boost students’ satisfactions scores for ABC University. Bachelor's degree in communications.
The two sections below will show you exactly what a resume summary is, who it is best for, and how to write yours step by step.
But if you’d rather skip these and get straight to the resume summary examples for 25+ professions, you can simply click on the industry in the table of contents below.
Resume Summaries for All Types of Jobs—Table of Contents:
Office and administrative jobs.
Administrative Assistant
Receptionist
Executive Assistant
Office Manager
Sales and Customer Service
Customer Service
Sales Associate
Education and Teaching
Social Worker
Medical Careers
Medical Assistant
Financial Analyst
Food Service
General business jobs.
Project Manager
Data Analyst
Business Analyst
Human Resources
Technical Careers
Software Engineer
Engineering
General Labor
Housekeeping
Why a Career Summary?
Let’s rehash the definition—What is a professional summary on a resume?
A career summary is a short introduction placed at the top of a resume. It highlights relevant experience, professional accomplishments, and skills. It’s your career condensed into a few paragraphs. The purpose of a career summary statement is to make the hiring manager read on.
Your entire resume needs to include relevant experience , accomplishments , and skills . And that suggests that the summary should also highlight qualities related to the duties and responsibilities listed in the job description.
So what about entry-level resumes or career-change resumes ? Should the candidates writing them simply skip this profile section entirely?
If your experience is limited, you’d be better off writing a career objective as it highlights your skills, rather than experience.
Sounds like you? Learn about your alternative option for a resume intro here: Career Objective Samples for Your Resume
That being said—
We’re living in times when definitions are becoming fuzzy, clear-cut career paths are becoming a thing of the past, and employers expect fresh grads to already have some work experience .
This last point, in particular, has resulted in more and more students, entry-level candidates, as well as career changers to opt for a resume summary rather than objective anyway.
That’s why, apart from all the examples for experienced candidates, in the examples below you'll find an entry-level resume summary, a college student resume summary, and a resume summary for career changers, too. It's actually one of the most flexible resume sections .
Think an introductory paragraph isn’t ideal to top your resume with? There’s another option for your resume introduction , check it out here: Summary of Qualifications on a Resume
You can also add even more impact with a resume title .
How to Write a Resume Summary
We'll show you how to introduce yourself , but if you're pressed for time use our builder.
You'll get pre-written resume summary statements available at a single click. Pick and choose, customize, and be done in seconds.
Here's how to write a resume summary:
- Describe your strong character traits in just a couple of words.
- Mention your current job title and professional experience.
- Say how you want to help the employer achieve their goals.
- Add info on your key achievements to prove you can deliver results when hired.
- Limit it to 3 or 5 sentences and use numbers whenever possible.
But this won’t help you much if you approach writing a resume summary from the wrong side.
And every good resume summary has the same starting point—
The job offer.
In a moment you’ll see why. But first—
A sample job offer:
The example below shows how a resume summary for this particular job offer could look.
Resume Summary Example
Self-motivated and cheerful customer service professional with 2+ years of experience helping customers navigate websites and resolving product and service issues. Eager to support BookMe in building an impeccable online reputation by providing top-class customer support. Received 98.9% positive ratings at GHI Inc. where customer retention for my regular call-ins was 25% above the company average.
What is it exactly that makes this example resume summary so effective?
And, to be honest, if you were to memorize just one thing after reading this article, it should be this:
Always tailor your resume summary to a specific job offer.
When you put the sample resume summary above next to the job offer it’s been written for, you’ll quickly notice how aligned they are:
- Self-motivation and cheerful personality aren’t stray buzzwords but address the employer’s specific needs as outlined in the job offer.
- Mentioning 2+ years of experience isn’t random either as the employer has specific expectations.
- Navigating websites and resolving product and service issues are listed among the most essential responsibilities, and that’s why this is also present in the summary.
- The following sentence Eager to support BookMe in building an impeccable reputation online by providing top-class customer support , not only mentions the employer by name (thereby personalizing the intro) but also makes a specific reference to the employer’s goals and vision as outlined in the job offer’s summary.
- The final sentence of the resume summary is packed with the candidate’s related professional achievements —and offers hard evidence that everything that came before isn’t a fairy tale.
See how it works?
Here’s the secret:
Treat the job offer as the ultimate cheat sheet for your career summary (as well as the rest of your resume.) It’s not only where you can find all the skills and work experience the employer requires but also where you get ideas about the best keywords for your resume .
Let’s hold on to this last thought for a second.
Over 98% of Fortune 500 companies use ATS software to initially screen the candidates’ resumes.
How does the ATS work? Well, we have an entire article on how to make an ATS resume that explains the details, so here’s just the basic idea—
ATSs look for keywords in your resume and compare them to the original job posting.
If they can’t find the words they’re looking for, they’ll reject your resume. Even if you’re perfectly qualified.
This is why relevance is so important, and why you should start writing your resume from… reading the job offer.
Pro Tip: The only way for you to write a perfectly tailored resume summary is by applying for the jobs you’re qualified to do. If you’re picking random offers, several bad things may happen. First, your job hunt may last forever. Second, you may start lying on your resume . Third, you’ll never be able to tailor your entire resume to the job offer.
If you’re asking yourself:
Do I have to write the resume summary from scratch each time I reply to a different job offer?
The answer is yes, but—
It doesn’t have to be that hard if you know the secret formula.
Here it is:
[ adjective(s)/strong character trait(s) ] [ your job title ] [ your experience ] . Eager to support/help/assist/etc. [ company name ] [ what you want to help the employer achieve and how you want to do it ] . [ your key achievement(s) ] .
And this is how it works in practice:
- [adjective(s)/strong character trait(s)]: Self-motivated and cheerful…
- [your job title ]: …customer service professional…
- [your experience]: …with 2+ years of experience helping customers navigate websites and resolving product and service issues…
- Eager to support…
- [company name]: …BookMe…
- [what you want to help the employer achieve and how you want to do it]: …in building an impeccable reputation online by providing top-class customer support…
- [your key achievement(s)]: …Received 98.9% positive ratings at GHI Inc where customer retention for my regular call-ins was 25% above the company average.
You can copy-paste this formula for your personal statement into a new document and start filling in the blank spaces. And obviously, you can modify it any way you wish.
When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check . Start building professional resume template here for free .
When you’re done, Zety’s resume builder will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better.
But remember:
Don’t put random things there.
The key to writing the best resume summary is being specific .
If you don’t give details, or just write the things you think make sense but you don’t really check them against the job offer, you’ll end up with a resume summary that will look OK.
But will have absolutely no impact.
Like this one:
Bad Example of a Resume Summary
In and of itself, the resume summary example above doesn’t look that bad, does it? It even kind of follows the formula laid out several paragraphs above.
So why is it a bad resume example ?
First off, it’s highly unlikely it would go past the ATS screening stage as it lacks relevant keywords.
Second, if this was the only resume summary the recruiter would have to read, they could even invite you for an interview. But—
An average job offer attracts about 30 resumes according to Jobvite , so the only reaction this resume summary would get is a smirk.
It’s vague, generic, doesn’t offer any numbers that quantify the candidate’s achievements, and is all about what the candidate wants.
It’s one big, resounding no.
Pro Tip: When writing your resume summary for the US employers drop all personal pronouns. Don’t write sentences that read I am a qualified customer service rep… Instead, write Qualified customer service rep… This is the standard style for resume writing in the US. If you’re looking for a job in the UK, though, full-sentence structures, such as I am a qualified… are perfectly acceptable.
To sum up, when writing a resume summary statement:
- Make sure everything you say there addresses the employer’s specific requirements for the position as outlined in the job offer itself.
- Look for the words describing character traits and use them to describe yours.
- Examine what the employer wants to achieve and mention how your skills and experience will help them get where they want.
- Include resume action words for added impact.
- Use numbers to quantify your achievements and translate your core competencies into tangible results.
And one more thing—
Write your resume summary at the very end, once your entire resume takes its final shape.
This way it will be much easier for you to cherry-pick all the most important details you need to include in a well-written resume summary statement.
Apart from a summary, there are quite a few more things to add to your resume to boost your chances of getting hired. Read our guide and make sure you don’t overlook anything: What to Put on a Resume (20+ Good Things You Should Include to Win)
Resume Summary Examples for Most Common Careers
Resume summary statements on first job resumes are no longer considered a mistake.
Well, more and more entry-level candidates already have work experience under the belt.
Here’s an example of what a resume summary example for entry-level positions can look like:
Resume Summary Example: Entry-Level Candidate
Passionate analyst with a strong background in management and communication. Seeking to improve the grasp of key business indicators for ABC Inc. As a business writer for DEF Inc., increased employees’ understanding of key metrics by 25%. My Google Slides presentation of DEF’s corporate values was transformed into a webinar that got 3,000+ views.
To make things super clear:
For entry-level candidates, the distinction between a summary and an objective may become somewhat blurry. Remember: a career summary focuses on your relevant professional experience whereas a career objective highlights your skills.
That being said, t doesn’t matter if you’re writing an entry-level resume summary or objective for your personal profile .
What matters is—
You must never come across as underqualified.
So, take a long hard look at yourself, and see which of your past gigs could be relevant in the context of the job you’re applying for. Consider things like:
- Other jobs you had
- Education (incl. school projects, coursework, etc.)
- Volunteer work
- Commendations from superiors
- Freelance work
- Hobbies and interests
- Personal projects
The example above is based entirely on the candidate’s unpaid internship experience.
Would you have guessed?
If you have no previous experience, maybe it’s a good idea to start with an internship? Learn how to write an internship resume from our dedicated guide.
Or if you need more detailed advice on writing a resume for a junior position, head straight to our guide: Entry-Level Resume: Sample and Complete Guide
Resume Summary Example for Students
Meticulous and motivated student working towards a BA in Marketing at UC Berkeley (GPA 3.8). Eager to join ABC Media as a Junior SEO Researcher to help produce data-driven outreach marketing campaigns that will boost the company’s online presence. Previous 3-month internship experience with data-driven outreach marketing. Analyzed 10,000+ URLs to identify the top 100 domains from which the company wanted to win backlinks.
As a student of fresh grad, you don’t have to be green behind the ears either.
If you’ve had some work experience, make sure your college student resume summary shows it. Just like you see in the example above.
Apart from your internship experience, the resume summary for students can mention such things as your:
- Internship experience
- Relevant projects
If you need more detailed information, read our guide: College Student Resume: Sample & Full Writing Guide
Business Executive Summary Resume Example
Driven and well-organized e-commerce executive with 7+ years of experience. Passionate about developing new businesses and planning marketing strategies. Seeks to boost and redefine ABC Inc.’s KPIs. At DEF Inc. increased revenue by 30%, boosted ROI 40% YOY, slashed yearly costs by 25%. At GHI Inc. expanded business by 80%.
An excellent resume summary is part and parcel of any seasoned pro’s resume.
Remember this, though:
If your executive summary for a resume is irrelevant to the job offer—
It will have zero impact.
For more details on writing a business executive resume, go to Executive Resume: Sample and Complete Guide
Resume Summary for a Career Change
Determined software engineer, eager to use C# and Java skills to support ABC Inc. in delivering programming excellence and clean code. Developed a total of 15 mobile and web apps. Collaborated on 5+ projects on GitHub, tested, and debugged 15+ applications. Contributed to developing back-end code for over 30 e-commerce websites.
As a career changer, you want to show how your past experience relates to the new position you’re seeking.
The sample above comes from a part-time freelance software engineer who wants to start a full-time career as a programmer in a large organization.
If your experience isn’t as relevant to the job you’re applying for as your skills, a resume objective could be just the solution you need.
For more details on writing a job-winning career-change resume, go to Career Change Resume: Sample and Complete Guide
Resume Summary Examples for 25+ Professions
In this last section, you’ll find a collection of professional summary resume samples for all types of jobs.
Mind you, though.
You have to rewrite your professional summary on a resume every time you’re answering a different job offer.
Because if it’s not relevant to the position you’re pursuing, it will get you nowhere.
That said—
Still, it’s always so much easier to write when you have a reference point in the form of a good resume summary example for your profession.
For your convenience, we grouped all the examples into industries.
Plus—
Each resume summary example comes with a link to an in-depth resume writing guide for this very job title.
Administrative Assistant Resume Summary
Dedicated senior administrative assistant with over 7 years of professional experience. Organized travel plans and schedules of 5 senior executives whilst doing general office admin duties. Eager to help ABC Inc. with managing appointments and communications. Also, skilled in accounting and ready to assist in bookkeeping. Devised and implemented 3 office initiatives that helped the company save over USD 10,000 a year.
For more details, go to Administrative Assistant Resume: Sample and Complete Guide
Receptionist Resume Summary
Agile and well-organized receptionist with 6+ years of professional experience in the private and public sectors. Skilled at dealing with sensitive situations and keen to support ABC Inc. with organizational, diplomacy, and communication skills. At DEF Inc., implemented a CRM system with reporting capabilities that contributed to cutting costs by up to 25%.
For more details, go to Receptionist Resume Sample and Complete Guide
Executive Assistant Resume Summary
Dependable and devoted executive assistant with over 7 years of professional experience. Keen to support ABC Inc. with excellent organizational and analytical skills. At DEF Inc. optimized travel costs and effectively slashed them by over 30%. Also, saved USD 500K a year by redesigning and implementing a modernized call system.
For more details, go to Executive Assistant Resume Sample and Complete Guide
Office Manager Resume Summary
Dynamic office manager with over 7 years of professional experience. Seeks to leverage top-notch managerial and organizational skills to boost efficiency at ABC Inc. Managed a team of 5 office assistants in a high-volume retail business. Grew the number of new contracts by 30% a year, and reduced lead times by 45%. Optimized office supplies spending and saved over $50,000 per year.
For more details, go to Office Manager Resume Sample and Complete Guide
Resume Summary for Customer Service
Energetic and optimistic customer service representative with over 3 years of professional experience assisting customers in solving complex issues. Keen to support ABC Inc. in becoming a market leader through proven customer support skills. Awarded Consultant of the Month three times. Helped reduce First Response Time by 20% within the first quarter of employment.
For more details, go to Customer Service Resume Sample and Complete Guide
Sales Resume Summary
Determined retail clerk with over 4 years of professional experience. Eager to help ABC Inc. boost its KPIs through outstanding customer loyalty-building and sales skills. Constantly received upwards of 90% of positive customer reviews and achieved 30% above average repeat customer scores. Also, runs a popular unboxing channel on YouTube with over 3K of monthly views.
For more details, go to Retail Resume Sample and Complete Guide
Sales Associate Resume Summary
Insightful sales associate with 5+ years of professional experience in online and print media. Eager to boost DEF Inc’s revenue by at least 40% over the next fiscal year. In previous positions, exceeded quarterly sales targets by 10% every quarter. Maintained a customer retention rate of 90% YOY thanks to which won Salesman of the Year Award in 2018.
For more details, go to Sales Associate Resume Sample and Complete Guide
Cashier Resume Summary
Likable cashier with over 5 years of professional experience. Seeks to utilize top-class organizational and attention to detail skills to boost efficiency at ABC Inc. At DEF Inc., awarded Employee of the Month four times in a row for accuracy and efficiency. At GHI Inc., worked a streak of 450 days with no sick leave and a 30% higher accuracy score than peers.
For more details, go to Cashier Resume Sample and Complete Guide
Social Worker Resume Summary
Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 7 years of professional experience. Eager to help ABC Center’s clients through first-class treatment plan development and assessment skills. At DEF Center devised 35+ plans for treatment and cooperated with 40+ clients to achieve their goals with a 90% success rate in under nine months.
For more details, go to Social Worker Resume Sample and Complete Guide
Teacher Resume Summary
Dedicated secondary education teacher with over 8 years of experience in devising individualized curricula within state standards. Eager to join ABC School to utilize expert knowledge of English as a Second Language (ESL) teaching methodology, including project- and content-based instruction. Prepared 300+ students for international language certifications with a 99% pass rate.
For more details, go to Teacher Resume Sample and Complete Guide
Nursing Resume Summary
Bilingual Pediatric Registered Nurse with 10+ years of professional experience in the ICUs and PICUs of community hospitals. Keen to join the ABC Hospital staff to leverage top-class management experience and patient care skills as a Pediatric RN at DEF Hospital. Thanks to a deep knowledge of hospital procedures and high standards of service consistently scored over 90% in compliance rate assessments.
For more details, go to Nursing Resume Sample and Complete Guide
Medical Assistant Summary for a Resume
Certified Medical Assistant with over 5 years of professional experience. Eager to use impeccable patient care skills to support excellence at ABC Med. At DEF Med, received 99% positive reviews. Reduced the number of errors by 22% and saved USD 70,000 a year thanks to a good understanding of EHR.
For more details, go to Medical Assistant Resume Sample and Complete Guide
CNA Resume Summary
Dependable multilingual CNA (BLS and CPR certified) with over 10 years of experience in various healthcare settings. Seeks to utilize proven managerial and patient advocacy skills at ABC Medical Center. At DEF Care Home managed a team of 7+ CNAs. Also, developed and implemented a set of procedures that reduced medication administration errors down to 0.1%.
For more details, go to CNA Resume Sample and Complete Guide
Accountant Resume Summary
Disciplined and persistent senior CPA with over 6 years of professional experience. Eager to employ proven account reconciliation and IT skills at ABC Inc. In previous roles, improved DEF Inc’s cloud-computing practices that led to saving as many as 800 hours yearly. Identified and eliminated an issue that saved almost $1 million per year.
For more details, go to Accountant Resume: Sample and Complete Guide
Financial Analyst Resume Summary
Chartered Financial Analyst with over 7 years of professional experience. Seeks to leverage budgeting, cost, and revenue-maximizing expertise for ABC Inc. At DEF Inc. saved USD 3.5M through identifying low-margin transactions. Also, optimized pricing policy at GHI Inc. that boosted customer retention metrics by up to 40%.
For more details, go to Financial Analyst Resume: Sample and Complete Guide
Bartender Resume Summary
Charismatic bartender with over 6 years of professional experience working at high-end clubs in large metropolitan and seaside areas. Thanks to exceptional memory, rapport-building, and storytelling skills achieved a 20% boost in up-selling to all patrons. Holds a Bartending Certificate valid in the vast majority of states.
For more details, go to Bartender Resume: Sample and Complete Guide
Server Resume Summary
Dependable and friendly server with over 3 years of experience waiting on guests at ABC Restaurant. Eager to join DEF Restaurant to offer its guests exquisite dining experience. Served up to 80 guests nightly and made sure all the dishes were delivered in a timely manner.
For more details, go to Server Resume: Sample and Complete Guide
Project Manager Resume Summary
Seasoned IT PMP with a degree in law and 8+ years of professional experience in growing revenue for a fin-tech company. Keen to leverage leadership and managerial expertise as a project manager for ABC Inc. Executed a lean training project that led to cutting costs by up to 40% in 6 months.
For more details, go to Project Manager Resume: Sample and Complete Guide
Data Analyst Resume Summary
Disciplined and insightful data analyst with 6+ years of experience analyzing business processes. Eager to leverage big data interpreting and visualizing skills at ABC Inc to drive growth and boost sales results. In current role, identified a major bottleneck, reduced operating costs by over 20%, and saved upwards of USD 500,000 a year.
For more details, go to Data Analyst Resume: Sample and Complete Guide
Business Analyst Resume Summary
Skilled business analyst with a Ph.D. in Computer Science and 6+ years of professional experience. Seeks to employ top-class managerial and analytical skills at ABC Inc. In previous roles, grew warehouse profitability by 30% for a Fortune 500 retail company. Also, conducted in-depth business process analyses that increased revenue by 23%.
For more details, go to Business Analyst Resume: Sample and Complete Guide
Human Resources Resume Summary
Meticulous and efficient HR manager with 7+ years of experience. Eager to boost employee retention for ABC Inc. In previous positions, increased employee retention by 20% YOY. Cut recruitment lead time by 30%. Also, improved employee effectiveness by up to 20% and boosted participation in training by 15%.
For more details, go to Human Resource Resume: Sample and Complete Guide
Software Engineer Resume Summary
Dynamic and creative software developer with over 5 years of experience in producing robust code for high-volume companies. Eager to support the dev team at CDE Inc. with top-notch coding skills. In previous roles, doubled code-efficiency of ABC Inc., and increased customer retention by 30% among others.
For more details, go to Software Engineer Resume: Sample and Complete Guide
Engineering Resume Summary
Ingenious and determined mechanical engineer with over 10 years of experience. Seeks to use first-class production design and process skills to push forward manufacturing excellence at ABC Inc. Boosted production efficiency by 25% at DEF Inc. and consistently delivered to customer needs at over 20% under budget.
For more details, go to Engineering Resume: Sample and Complete Guide
IT Resume Summary
Likable and dedicated IT consultant with over 5 years of experience in a fast-paced fin-tech company. Eager to offer superb analytical and computer skills to help ABC Inc grow its client base. In previous roles recognized for top company-wide quality satisfaction rating (over 99%). Also, reduced client wait time by 20% and boosted client satisfaction ratings by more than 40% in a single quarter.
For more details, go to IT Resume: Sample and Complete Guide
Warehouse Resume Summary
Qualified warehouse associate with over 7 years of experience. Eager to join ABC Inc. to deliver top KPIs and impeccable organizational skills. As a DEF Inc. warehouse associate achieved picking-packing speeds and efficiency in top 96%. Five-time winner of the DEF Inc. picker of the month.
For more details, go to Warehouse Resume: Sample and Complete Guide
Housekeeping Summary for Resume
Well-organized housekeeping supervisor skilled in deep and daily cleaning. Eager to join the ABC Hotel to help maintain the highest standards of cleanliness and organization. In previous roles, managed six housekeeping staff members at the DEF Hotel and contributed to boosting positive customer reviews by over 45%. Identified and resolved a recurring issue with guest room air conditioning that saved USD 300K.
For more details, go to Housekeeping Resume: Sample and Complete Guide
Your job title is not on this list? We’ve got you covered! Go to Free Resume Examples for 99+ Jobs and find a complete guide for your exact profession.
Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:
See more cover letter templates and start writing.
Here’s a short recap—
Writing a Resume Summary in a Nutshell
The most effective resume summary follows this pattern:
- Strong personality/character traits (e.g. dynamic, meticulous, insightful, etc.)
- Professional title and experience (e.g. project manager with 5 years of experience.)
- Value proposition (e.g. eager to help ABC Inc. boost sales numbers, etc.)
- Quantifiable key accomplishment(s) (e.g. saved USD 500K in one fiscal year etc.)
Do you have any questions? Would you like to share your advice on writing an effective resume summary? We’re always happy to hear from you. Give us a shout out in the comments below!
Frequently Asked Questions about Resume Summary Examples
What is a summary on a resume.
A summary of qualifications on a resume (also called a resume profile or resume introduction ) is a short, introductory paragraph that sums up your best professional achievements and your motivation . Its purpose is to catch the reader’s attention and immediately show your value to recruiters, hopefully convincing them to read on. No matter which resume format you decide to use, your resume summary should always go near the top of the page, below the resume header . If your resume template features a sidebar rather than a header, put the summary statement at the top of the main column.
How to write a resume summary?
Here's how to write a professional summary for a resume:
- Start with an introductory sentence that mentions your job title and years of experience.
- Add 2 or 3 of your best achievements to date. Include numbers to quantify your accomplishments, e.g. improved sales by 15%. Numbers draw the eye!
- Use action verbs to make your summary more dynamic and impactful.
- Offer to use your expertise to achieve a specific goal for the company. Tailoring your resume in this way significantly boosts your chances of an interview invite.
- Make sure to mention the company you’re applying to by name: targeted resumes are always better than generic ones.
- Weave in a few of your key professional skills relevant to the job ad—they can serve as your resume keywords .
Our resume builder can help you write a job-winning resume summary quickly and easily, with drag-and-drop, ready-made phrases and built-in expert resume tips to guide you every step of the way.
How do you write a summary for a resume with no experience?
If you’re making a resume with no work experience , such as a recent grad resume , consider writing a resume objective instead of a summary . A resume objective is basically a beginner summary for a resume: it too aims to show your skills and catch the reader’s attention, but it does so using your academic achievements and transferable skills rather than work experience. Objectives also work well for career-change resumes .
How to start a resume summary?
Writing a resume summary can be tricky, so we recommend doing it last. Complete your other resume sections first , with particular focus on work experience . Then, read through your resume and highlight the most important facts that you can use to compose a summary. You can start your summary with an adjective that describes your approach, such as Creative , Driven , Data-oriented , etc. For more inspiration, see our list of words to describe yourself .
How long should my resume summary statement be?
A good summary for a resume should be a short paragraph, around 2 to 4 sentences . This means you should include only key facts, providing more details in the body of your document. For more information, see our guide on what a resume should look like .
Where can I find more resume summary examples?
You can browse our directory of resume examples for free—there, you’ll find a resume example for 500+ specific jobs . Just pick your profession to see professional summary examples (and/or objectives) written by our career experts. Each sample comes with a writing guide, so you can learn exactly how to write a resume for your profession or experience level.
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45+ Resume Summary Examples (& How to Write)
Your professional resume summary quickly shows employers you have the experience and skill-set needed to do the job. After explaining how to write a resume summary statement , we list 42 resume summary examples for all experience levels and job types.
What is a summary on a resume?
A resume summary is a 1-5 sentence introduction at the top of your resume that highlights your most relevant career experience, skills, and achievements. If you have many career highlights, the professional summary for your resume will be longer.
The first sentence of a resume summary should always include your biggest professional selling points. And for most employers, those selling points are your:
- highest job title or degree
- years of relevant experience
- main responsibilities or achievements during those years
Each sentence of your professional summary must clearly highlight good examples of why you’re the best fit for the role.
Good resume summary examples
Here are a few examples of what different resume summaries look like:
Customer service representative summary
Software engineer summary
Nursing assistant summary
Notice that all three of these resume summaries hit upon several major points of interest for hiring managers:
- The candidate’s work history
- Certifications and/or licenses
- Achievements supported by a hard numbers
- Some of their most relevant skills
If you can summarize your key selling points at the start of your resume like these candidates, you immediately improve your job prospects. We’ll show you how with 40+ of our best resume summary examples and instructions for writing your own summary.
40+ professional resume summary examples
Whether you have no work experience or are applying for an executive role, we have resume summary examples that can help you as you write your resume .
- Entry-level & no experience examples
- Mid-level examples
- Management samples
- Skills-based samples
10 good resume summary examples (entry-level)
It doesn’t matter if you’re writing a resume summary with no experience. If you have accomplishments related to the position you’re applying for, then writing a resume summary statement can help you land work.
Here are 10 summary for resume examples written by candidates with little or no relevant work experience to give you some ideas:
- College student
- Computer science
- Digital marketing
- Food service
- High school student
- Nursing student
- Research assistant
- Warehouse worker
Childcare Resume Summary
Passionate childcare professional with over a year of babysitting experience. Skilled at creating engaging, educational activities for children and fostering a safe, caring environment. Employed unique tutoring methods to help the child I was babysitting improve her speech impediment. CPR certified and an experienced vegetarian home cook.
Related resume samples:
- Childcare resume
- Babysitter resume
College Student Resume Summary
Committed English major with exceptional research and writing abilities. Awarded multiple honors based on merits and expected to graduate from UCLA in June of 2019. Tutored freshmen and improved writing scores by 40%.
- College student resume
- Recent college graduate resume
Computer Science Resume Summary
Recent Computer Science graduate (3.8 GPA) seeking to use my backend development experience in an entry-level position. Possess 4 months of internship experience building and testing applications for Android, iOS, and Windows. Skilled with C, C++, Java, JavaScript, Python, and Swift. Independently built a note-taking application that was recently approved by the Apple App Store.
- Computer science resume
- Computer technician resume
Digital Marketing Resume Summary
Recent Marketing graduate with 5 months of internship experience in digital marketing and branding in the fashion industry. Helped launch a branded account on Tik Tok for Michelle Textiles, gaining over 8,000 followers in 4 months. Skilled in growing engagement and staying on top of the latest trends to improve brand growth.
- Digital marketing resume
- Marketing coordinator resume
Food Service Resume Summary
Enthusiastic high school student with strong interpersonal skills and perfect attendance record. Was a top performer in my school’s fundraiser last year, selling $450 worth of chocolate. Have CPR certification and am well-versed in food safety techniques from helping in my grandparents’ restaurant.
- Food service resume
- Restaurant resume
High School Resume Summary
Diligent high school graduate with a 3.9/4.0 GPA and 100% attendance record. Served a term as student council president with 70% support from council members and organized a charity drive for homeless veterans, raising $4,700.
- High school resume
- Undergraduate resume
Internship Resume Summary
Energetic marketing student with knowledge of advertising, PR, product development, and consumer research strategies. Received 3rd place out of 30 teams in UGA’s business plan competition. Member of the American Marketing Association.
- Internship resume
- Grad school resume
Nursing Student Resume Summary
Upcoming nursing graduate with excellent educational credentials and hands-on patient care experience. Possess strong foundational knowledge of medical terminology, healthcare policies, and patient care.
- Nursing student resume
- Entry-level nursing resume
Research Assistant Resume Summary
Recent Political Science graduate (3.7 GPA) with 5 months experience conducting research through my school’s statewide polling program. Excellent understanding of standard survey methods and quantitative analysis. Achieved recognition for completing an average of 40 successful phone interviews per day, the highest volume of anyone in the program.
- Research assistant resume
- College graduate resume
Warehouse Worker Resume Summary
Dedicated aspiring warehouse worker with 1 year of experience working for a moving company. Fluent in English and Malay, and able to repeatedly lift packages of over 100 pounds. Won an award at my previous job for shaving an average of 10 minutes off every moving job.
- Warehouse worker resume
- Delivery driver resume
20 resume summary statement examples (mid-level)
Have a few years of work experience already? Here are 20 resume summary examples for mid-level jobseekers in a wide range of industries:
- Business analyst
- Camp counselor
- Certified nursing assistant (CNA)
- Customer service
- Dental assistant
- Financial analyst
- Housekeeping
- Information technology (IT)
- Medical Assistant
- Receptionist
- Social worker
- Software engineer
- Web developer
Accountant Resume Summary
Certified public accountant with 5+ years of experience handling ledger processes and account reconciliations, as well as streamlining accounts. Supervised a $4.7 million budget and reduced costs by 17% over 3 years. Possess an MBA with a focus in accounting.
- Accountant resume
- Staff accountant resume
Bartender Resume Summary
Lead bartender with 3+ years of experience in cocktail preparation and creation. Deep knowledge of local craft beers, wine, spirits, and cocktails, as well as their optimal food pairings. Bartending license certified by the District of Columbia.
- Bartender resume
- Waiter / waitress resume
Business Analyst Resume Summary
Methodical business analyst with 5+ years of experience supporting business solution software and analyzing operations. Evaluated risks related to requirements implementation, testing processes, project communications, and training which saved the company $5,000+ annually.
- Business analyst resume
- Business development resume
Camp Counselor Resume Summary
Camp Counselor with 4+ years experience directing lively, interactive, and educational summer camps for youths from 5 to 15 years old. Energetic leadership style, extensive experience running summer camps. First Aid, CPR, and Lifeguarding certifications, plus Wilderness First Responder Training.
- Camp counselor resume
- Pastor resume
Cashier Resume Summary
Head cashier with 7+ years of experience providing excellent customer service, handling daily accounts, and maintaining inventory. Handled 92+ transactions daily and increased customer satisfaction by 9% in 6 months.
- Cashier resume
- Grocery store cashier resume
Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Resume Summary
Reliable and caring certified nursing assistant with 6+ years of experience caring for elderly adults. Assisted 15 residents during each shift with everything from the basic activities of daily life to providing social and emotional support.
- Certified nursing assistant (CNA) resume
- Nursing resume
Customer Service Resume Summary
Customer service representative with 5+ years of experience in a call center setting, including sales, tech support, and customer care. Received an average 85% customer satisfaction rating to date, while handling 90+ calls daily. 70 WPM typist.
- Customer service representative resume
- Call center representative resume
Dental Assistant Resume Summary
Dental assistant with 4+ years of experience providing efficient and competent service in busy dental clinics. Prepared 15 patients daily to undergo dental procedures, and recorded treatment information in patient records with 100% accuracy. Possess Dental Assistant Associate Degree.
- Dental assistant resume
- Dental hygienist resume
- Dentist resume
Financial Analyst Resume Summary
Detail-oriented financial analyst with 6+ years of experience developing and presenting informed analysis to guide executive-level decisions. Increased revenue by an average of 7% annually through an optimized investment strategy. Possess M.S. in Accounting and CFA certification.
- Financial analyst resume
- Financial advisor resume
Housekeeping Resume Summary
Diligent hotel housekeeper with 6+ years of experience managing and training new employees. Deep familiarity with all cleaning material and tools, as well as OSHA safety guidelines. Fluent English and business-level Spanish.
- Housekeeping resume
- Hospitality resume
Information Technology (IT) Resume Summary
IT specialist with 7+ years of professional experience in information security and digital forensics. Expert with a wide variety of security, engineering, networking, and operating system software. Possesses an Associate Degree in Information Security and Digital Forensics.
- Information technology resume
- System administrator resume
Marketing Resume Summary
Creative marketing professional with 6+ years of experience working for a diverse group of organizations and clients. Increased monthly sales from $8,000 to $25,000 in 10 months, and increased followers on social media by 150% over the same timespan.
- Marketing resume
- Brand ambassador resume
Medical Assistant Resume Summary
Attentive and detail-oriented medical assistant with 5+ years of experience. Assisted family doctor to administer exams of more than 2,000 patients from over 600 families. AAMA Certified Medical Assistant and Phlebotomy Technician since 2011.
- Medical assistant resume
- Physician resume
Receptionist Resume Summary
Receptionist with 9+ years of experience managing administrative functions for office personnel. Strong ability in analyzing information and providing solutions to problems. Saved the company $10K in undue payments from inaccurate billings.
- Receptionist resume
- Office assistant resume
Retail Resume Summary
Retail sales associate with 5+ years of experience communicating with and retaining clients. Achieved an average of 140% of sales goals for 3 consecutive months and provided recommendations that generated $8K in additional revenue. Bilingual in English and Spanish.
- Retail sales associate resume
- Store manager resume
Server Resume Summary
Courteous server with 7+ years of experience of food preparation and service in 150+ seat restaurants. Generated additional daily wine sales of $150. Certificate in Food Handling and Safety.
- Server resume
- Dishwasher resume
Social Worker Resume Summary
Committed social worker with 5+ years of experience serving the community, resolving conflicts, and providing guidance for those in need. Served in 3 to 5 weekly therapy groups. Facilitated crisis intervention services and psychosocial assessments to address needs of young adolescents, who ranged from 10 to 18 years old.
- Social worker resume
- School counselor resume
Software Engineer Resume Summary
Driven software engineer with 6+ years of experience executing cutting-edge engineering solutions with a wide range of e-commerce application and technology skills. Able to leverage full-stack expertise to build interactive and user-centered website designs to scale.
- Software engineer resume
- Programmer resume
Teacher Resume Summary
Accomplished teacher with 10 years of experience instructing classes of different sizes and ability levels. Received 90%+ satisfaction rating from parents and students each of those years. Improved math and literacy grades by 17% and 24%, respectively.
- Teacher resume
- Preschool teacher resume
- Education resumes
Web Developer Resume Summary
Web developer with 8+ years of experience in designing and developing user interfaces, testing, debugging, and training staff in ecommerce technologies. Optimized check-out page that increased user clicks, and subsequently customer purchases by 20%.
- Web developer resume
- Front-end developer resume
10 professional summary examples (management)
Your manager resume summary needs to quickly demonstrate your relevant experience and knack for management, otherwise it may leave the hiring manager thinking you’re unqualified for the job.
Here are 10 manager resume summary samples to help you write your own manager resume :
- Account manager
- Human resources (HR) manager
- Marketing manager
- Operations Manager
- Product manager
- Project manager
- Property manager
- Restaurant manager
- Sales manager
- Warehouse manager
Account Manager Resume Summary
Account manager with 7+ years of experience monitoring client accounts, analyzing incomings and outgoings, and performing forecasts. Managed accounts worth $4.7 million in annual sales. Increased business volume by 150% by implementing new customer service initiatives.
- Account manager resume
- Accounts receivable resume
HR Manager Resume Summary
HR manager with 6+ years of experience implementing effective HR policies and leading a 4-person human resources team. Increased employee retention above 90% and reduced recruitment costs by 10%. SHRM certified, Google Workspace fluent, 90 WPM.
- Human resources resume
- HR generalist resume
Marketing Manager Resume Summary
Innovative marketing manager with 6+ years of experience in home appliances and cosmetics environments. Recruited, hired, and trained 30+ marketing and sales specialists, improving overall sales targets by 24%. Directed launch of 12 new product lines, with total annual revenue of $1.3 billion.
- Marketing manager resume
- Program manager
Operations Manager Resume Summary
Financially savvy, customer experience-oriented Operations Manager with a passion for solar energy. Over 7 years of experience in the renewable energy sector, with an expert understanding of compliance regarding state and federal laws. Reduced operating budget waste at my current company by 3% for the past two fiscal years. Committed to promoting high safety standards and ethical company values.
- Operations manager resume
- Executive resume
Product Manager Resume Summary
Product manager with 8+ years of experience developing brand strategy, evaluating financial performance, and marketing. Managed an annual budget of $4.7 million and exceeded sales quota by 74%.
- Product manager resume
- Data scientist resume
Project Manager Resume Summary
Project manager with 8+ years of experience managing multi-million dollar construction projects, coordinating a team of 90+ subcontractors, and performing budget allocation and analysis. Managed a project budget of $325M+ while reducing costs by 15% annually.
- Project manager resume
Property Manager Resume Summary
California-licensed property manager with 15+ years of experience closing contracts with landlords and clients, selecting professional and cost-efficient contractors, and filing accurate taxes. Hold a certification from the National Association of Residential Property Managers and a California Real Estate Salesperson License.
- Property manager resume
- Real-estate resume
Restaurant Manager Resume Summary
Enterprising restaurant manager with 6+ years of experience managing a high-quality and fast-paced five-star restaurant. Coached 50+ staff members and maintained an employee retention rate 25% higher than industry standard by implementing training programs.
- Restaurant manager resume
- Chef resume
Sales Manager Resume Summary
Fiercely competitive sales manager with 7+ years of experience driving profitability through strategic growth, leading teams, and quality control. Achieved $13,000,000 in sales monthly within the district while increasing customer satisfaction by 5% each year.
- Sales manager resume
- Sales resume
Warehouse Manager Resume Summary
Results-driven Warehouse Manager with 11+ years of experience driving process efficiency and operational excellence. Proven success in reducing costs, improving inventory turns, and enhancing performance through system enhancements. Adept at implementing and managing inventory audits/cycle counts, multinational logistics, and supply chain strategies.
- Warehouse manager resume
- Construction project manager resume
Skills summary (2 examples)
If you have extra space on your resume and want to make your introduction stand out even more, you can try writing a skills-focused summary for your resume.
Using bullet points and bolded skills , this type of professional summary achieves the same effect as a good 3-sentence resume summary but adds a nice visual element with the bolding.
Nursing Skills-Based Resume Summary
Caregiving: Provide quality health care in a 20-patient ward, including daily monitoring, recording, and evaluation Communication skills: Interface daily with 7 team members concerning patients’ treatments Empathetic: Commended 3 times for ability to deliver bad news to patients and their family members Knowledgeable: Graduated Sacramento State Nursing program with 3.9 GPA
Hair Stylist Skills-Based Resume Summary
- Product Recommendation : Exceeded monthly sales quota by an average of 47% each month
- Customer Service : Highest customer retention and rebooking rate (over 80% of clients)
- Adaptability : Perform 7+ hair services, including coloring, cutting, and straightening
- Product Knowledge : Expert in 17 product lines, including Obagi, Clinique, and Dermalogica
How to write a resume summary
Whether you’re an experienced manager or have no work experience, we’ll show you exactly how to write a professional resume summary that showcases your ability to succeed in your field. Alternatively, use a professional resume summary generator to have one made for you.
If you have experience
Writing a professional resume summary with more than a few years of work experience is simple. For any mid or high-level position, your summary should be three sentences (but you can add more if you have other related details to highlight):
- First sentence: # years of relevant work experience, plus your biggest responsibilities
- Second sentence: An example of one of your most impressive career accomplishments
- Third sentence: Additional achievements, certifications, or skills that highlight your skills and abilities in your industry
Resume summary example (experienced)
Why this is a good example of a resume summary
This manager resume summary example effectively summarizes the candidate’s most important experience from the very first sentence. Without relevant experience, it’s nearly impossible to land work as a manager. This opening line quickly establishes the candidate as both experienced and qualified.
After describing a major career highlight that proves they can make a valuable impact in a higher-level role, this veteran sales manager includes a relevant certification and touches upon their major industry-related skills. In three quick sentences, the employer knows that this candidate is:
- Experienced and qualified
- Proven to be effective
- Adept at manager-level work
- Interested in growing and building a team
If you have no experience
No experience in your field or industry? You can still write a good summary for a resume by using the following 2-3 sentence structure:
- First sentence: Descriptive adjective + your current standing (student or jobseeker is fine), GPA (if 3.5+), and any relevant experience from in or outside of the classroom
- Second sentence: Your top relevant skills, and how those skills helped you achieve success (like on a term project, or receiving an academic award)
- Third sentence (optional): Additional skills, achievements, or experiences outside the classroom that make you a better candidate for jobs in your field
Summary for resume example (no experience)
After reading this resume summary, it’s clear that even with no professional experience, this candidate is qualified to work in any entry-level job that requires writing skills and a strong work ethic.
And if this applicant’s degree isn’t relevant to the job they’re applying for, writing is still a transferable skill that applies to other fields (like marketing, for instance). Any company looking for an inexperienced but hardworking and capable writer would be drawn to this candidate because of their professional summary.
Need help getting ideas for your no-experience resume summary? Check out these resources and mix them into your own writing:
- Extracurricular activities / i nterests on a resume
- GPA / dean’s list / Cum laude on resume
- Volunteer work on a resume
- How to include relevant coursework in your resume
- How to list sorority and fraternity experience on a resume
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Written by Conrad Benz
Conrad Benz is a Digital Media Specialist & Resume Expert at Resume Genius, where he helps countless job-seekers craft standout resumes and launch their careers. His... more
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How to Write a Professional Summary
Posted by Glassdoor Team
Career Advice Experts
Last Updated June 29, 2021
Guide Overview
What you should know about professional summary examples.
As a job seeker, it’s important to update your resume and tailor it to the specific job you’re applying for. While your resume and cover letter give hiring managers an idea of your work experience, a professional summary gives them a quick idea of why you’re the best fit for the position you’re applying for. When you update your application documents, reviewing professional summary examples can help you create a more concise and effective summary for hiring managers.
Read on to learn more about professional summaries and consider the list of professional summary examples. Use the professional summary examples to guide the writing of your own professional summary.
Why is a professional summary important?
A professional summary provides hiring managers with a brief synopsis of your relevant work experience, professional accomplishments, and skills. While it’s not necessary to include on your resume, it can give hiring managers a reason to keep reading your resume and your other application documents. Whereas career objectives focus on the company’s needs, professional summaries aim to provide hiring managers with a greater understanding of your relevant work history.
How to write your professional summary
When you write a professional summary, remember that it serves as an introduction to the rest of your resume. Because of this, it’s important that it’s both clear and concise. Follow these steps to write a professional summary for your resume:
- Start by listing a few of your strongest character traits.
- Provide a brief introduction of your professional working experience. You can also choose to mention your current position and company.
- Explain how you would make a positive contribution to the company you’re applying for and how you’d help it achieve its goals.
- Proofread your professional summary for grammar and spelling.
When possible, use numbers to quantify your accomplishments. You should also consider all of your relevant experiences such as volunteer work, freelance work, or hobbies that can help attest to your expertise regarding the job you’re applying for. Make sure to focus on your strongest skills and assets and limit your summary to three to five sentences overall.
Good examples of professional summaries
Once you know what a professional summary is and what it entails, review good examples to help you write your own. Here are some examples of professional summaries to consider:
- Detail-oriented individual with over five years of experience in the journalism industry. Highly organized and dependable individual with a bachelor’s degree in mass communication. Eager to join the Texas News Press in providing quality news content for the general public.
- Self-motivated individual with sales and customer service expertise. Proven experience meeting sales quotas, meeting company goals, and working collaboratively with other sales professionals. Helped increase sales revenue by 30%. Looking forward to helping Seashell Sales accomplish a similar feat.
- Hard-working receptionist with over five years working in the public sector. Experienced handling sensitive issues while providing quality support to BCD Corp. with proven communication and organizational skills. Helped implement new system that cut company costs by 20%.
- Dedicated customer service professional with over five years of experience helping customers with concerns or questions regarding a variety of products and services. Received 95% positive ratings at Blue Shoes Inc.
- Motivated student working toward a bachelor’s degree in journalism at UCLA with a 4.2 GPA. Eager to join NBC Corp. as a junior writer to help create quality content to improve the company’s online presence. In a previous internship, wrote 4,000 words per day and helped improve online engagement by 20%.
- Well-organized administrative assistant with eight years of experience. Coordinated travel plans and schedules for four company executives while keeping up with other clerical office work. Eager to support ABC Inc. with administrative and communication duties. In a previous role with Bluebird Inc., implemented four initiatives that slashed company costs by $5,000 per year.
- Dependable office manager with over 10 years of experience. Managed office staff of 10 employees at a retail-oriented business. In last position, grew contracts by 20% each year and helped save over $20,000 per year in office supplies.
- Dedicated elementary school teacher with over three years of experience creating engaging lesson plans for students of all backgrounds and upbringings. Eager to join Jones Elementary and provide students with greater understanding of general subjects. Previous experience creating 50+ lesson plans and helping all students maintain 75% average test scores.
- Hard-working analyst with strong background in mathematics and management. As a business writer for AZY Inc., received over 4,000 views on webinar that focused on the company’s values and future goals.
- Driven marketing executive with over six years of experience in the media industry. Passionate about creating new marketing strategies for Dot Com Media. In previous position, increased revenue by 25% and reduced yearly costs by 30%.
- Cheerful customer service representative with over three years of experience in a professional and goal-oriented setting. Keen to support Villa Blue’s customers with proven customer service and negotiation skills. Helped reduce first response time by 10% in first three months of previous employment.
- Dedicated software engineer seeking to use knowledge of C++ and Java programming languages to help Dellaview Inc. achieve company goals and improve website usability. Developed over 15 web applications and debugged over 20 in previous role with Allied Union. Contributed clean code for over 50 companies.
- Certified medical assistant with over six years of experience in a healthcare setting. Eager to help General Hospital patients and staff. Received 90% positive reviews in previous role at Unity Home Health. Helped save over $10,000 per year.
What to avoid in a professional summary
While there are certain things you need to include in your professional summary such as your relevant skills and how you’d make a good fit for the company you’re applying for, there are also several things to avoid. Avoid the following items when you write your professional summary:
- Spelling and grammar errors.
- Irrelevant experience and skills.
- Run-on sentences.
- No action verbs.
- Lack of specifics.
- Personal pronouns.
- Negative tone.
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How to Write a Professional Resume Summary? [+Examples]
Do you want to land more job interviews? The easiest way to achieve this is by attracting a recruiter’s attention straight away by summarizing the highlights of your career right at the start of your resume — in a section called the resume summary.
The purpose of this resume section, which is also known as a professional summary or resume statement, is to create a good first impression. It sums up your work experience , skills, and achievements into a short and concise sales pitch where you are the product.
Do it well, and your future employers will be more inclined to read the rest of your resume.
Without further ado, let’s show you how to write an exceptional professional summary that will not only get you to more job interviews but will also help you land a job.
This guide will show you:
What is a professional summary?
Why do you need a professional summary, how to write a professional summary.
- What to do when you don’t have any experience in the field?
- What are a resume objective and a resume profile?
- Examples of professional summaries from real professionals.
TL;DR video guide: How to write a professional summary for a resume
A professional summary gives the hiring manager a quick overview of your skills and achievements without them having to dive into the rest of your resume. It sits at the top of your resume, beneath your name and contact information. You can think of it as a teaser for the rest of your resume.
It should sum up your top skills, experiences, and achievements as they pertain to the job description.
Take a look at the sample below to see what it looks like in practice:
The professional summary section is also known as a:
- Resume summary
- Qualifications summary
- Resume statement
- Heading statement
- Competencies
- Career summary
- Experience summary
- Personal statement
However, don’t mistake a professional summary for a resume objective or profile . We’ll discuss the differences between them later in this guide.
How long should a professional summary be?
Generally speaking, a resume summary should be quite short. The most common length is 3-5 sentences or bullet points. It shouldn't be longer than 5-6 concise bullet points , but it also shouldn't be shorter than 2 bullet points.
You can also replace the first bullet point with a short introductory paragraph that includes your job title, years of experience, and specialization.
While many people still don't include the resume profile section in their resumes, it's a mistake. But why is it a mistake?
- You want to grab the recruiter's attention from the get-go.
- You'll make their life a bit easier because you'll immediately tell them who you are.
The thing is, recruiters are busy people , they go through dozens, sometimes hundreds of resumes before they can find a few qualified candidates.
Do you know what this means? Shortcuts. At first, recruiters will be skimming resumes in search of specific keywords and phrases that align with what the company is searching for.
That’s why you want to include the best resume summary you can come up with because a good summary section consists of nothing but these juicy bite-size phrases and keywords that a recruiter can spot at a glance.
In short, a professional summary allows you to turn a recruiter's time limitation into an advantage.
Christy's word of advice
While recruiters are indeed busy, did you know that the information that recruiters only give each resume 6 seconds of their time isn't true?
“This one's a little bit of a myth. It takes about six seconds to screen the resume for the key information that I'm looking for, such as location, summary, keywords, or if there's a skills section. Within this time frame, I should be able to get a feel for who you are and what you're looking for. But it's mainly about six seconds for me to pick out the basic information I need. It doesn't mean that I'm going to spend just six seconds on it or that I won't continue reading after. ” — Christy Morgan , Kickresume's Resident HR Expert
As we said before, a good professional summary should compel an employer to read the next section of your resume — that’s all. If it manages to do that, then it has accomplished its purpose.
However, doing this is easier said than done, as it can be tricky to cram the most exciting bits of your career into a 3-5 bullet points summary.
Luckily, there are a few tips and tricks you can use to craft an impressive resume summary.
Before you start writing:
- Write other resume sections, and then write your professional summary last. It’s surprisingly easy once you’ve already written other sections of your resume. All you have to do is cherry-pick the most impressive facts and stats.
- Pick the essential keywords from the job listing, so you can tailor your summary. Start with the job listing that made you apply for the job. Carefully reread it and find the most important keywords. These are the nouns or phrases that best describe the job position, related skills, as well as the ideal candidate. Before you begin to write, think about how they intersect with your own skills and experiences. In this way, you also have a higher chance to get through the ATS systems which companies use.
Once you start writing:
- In the first bullet point, write your professional title. Don’t forget to add the number of years of experience. You want to communicate your professional identity immediately. You can also write it in bold. It can look something like this: “Certified Project Management Professional with over 4 years of experience”.
- Pick the 3-4 most impressive parts of your resume and reword them into snappy bullet points. Tease your potential employer into reading further. Did you earn a recognition for the best customer service? Or hit 95% of sales targets for five consecutive years? These are the things that deserve a mention at the top of your resume!
- Translate each achievement into numbers. Each bullet point should contain at least one piece of quantifiable data. Use percentages, numbers, or impressive sales figures. It gives the hiring manager a better idea of how you performed in your previous jobs. Numbers attract attention. Take advantage of that.
- Sum up what you have to offer. Instead of saying what you want, keep in mind what they want. Make clear what values you can bring to the company. Look for common threads in your work history and for skills that apply most to the job.
How to use keywords in a resume summary
A professional summary can do more than catch the attention of the recruiter. It can also make your resume more ATS-friendly.
It's a great place where you can squeeze in one or two ATS-friendly keywords , and it will still look natural.
Such keywords can be your industry-relevant hard skills, previous job positions, notable clients, certificates and courses from notable institutions, or a note-worthy university (if you recently finished your degree).
Moreover, you should add keywords and relevant skills from the job listing.
Don't get too creative with the heading, though. While replacing the professional summary headline with “Snapshot” sounds great, ATS doesn't know what it means and therefore wouldn't recognize it.
Professional resume summary examples for most common careers
Now that you know the ins and outs of writing a resume summary, here are a few examples that can inspire you when writing your summary:
Professional summary example for customer service
Performance-driven and motivated customer service rep offering 4+ years of relevant experience. Eager to join the Techia team and contribute to the growth of the company. In the previous role, the ability to make customers comfortable and relaxed allowed for 98% customer service survey results and had 25% more sales than the average employer.
Professional resume summary example for retail
Dedicated and hard-working storekeeper with a Business Administration degree. Eager to bring my strong attention to detail and accuracy to J&R inc. Adept at communicating with vendors and suppliers, coordinating various business operations, and maintaining documents and files in order. In the past jobs brought an extra $50k of sales per quarter and increased customer satisfaction by 20%.
Professional summary example for nursing resume
Motivational and resourceful Orthopedic Nurse with 10 years of experience with in-depth knowledge in trauma recovery, aggressive pain management techniques, and post-surgical recovery. Especially proficient in providing external fixation care and continuous motion therapy along with neuromuscular status monitoring. Committed to work as an orthopedic nurse for people who are struggling with mobility issues due to accidental injuries and degenerative disease affecting bones and muscles.
Professional summary example for administrative assistant
Self-driven and accurate Executive Assistant skilled at performing various office/administrative duties, such as coordinating meetings, maintaining calendar and schedule, filing documents, and managing company correspondence. Highly self-motivated with a solid work ethic and multitasking abilities.
Professional summary example for data analyst
A graduate in Information Systems with two years of hands-on data analytics experience. Passionate about working with large amounts of data and to turn this data into information, information into insight and insight into business decisions. I also have a keen interest in the field of data visualization and am fascinated by the power to compress complex datasets into approachable and appealing graphics.
Professional summary example for warehouse worker
Hard-working and dedicated Warehouse Worker with 2+ years of extensive experience in inspecting incoming shipments, preparing and processing orders, and performing various administrative duties. The Employee of the Month Award winner with a strong attention to detail and accuracy and determination to achieve exceptional results. Offers excellent time management skills and important ability to work independently or in a team.
Professional summary example for receptionist
Customer-oriented and performance-driven Front Desk Assistant skilled at performing various administrative tasks, improving all office processes and procedures, and providing support to Office Managers. Great communicator with a Business Administration degree from a well-known university and an exceptional ability to remain calm in stressful situations. Possess well-developed communication skills and excellent time management abilities.
Resume summary example for management
A Project Manager with 16 years of experience in IT projects. Responsible for the management of teams of up to 15 direct and 7 indirect employees. Has High level knowledge in project execution using best practices of waterfall and agile methodologies. High level knowledge of Jupyter Notebook, MS Project, MS Excel, MS Word.
Professional summary example for project manager
Logistics & Planning PMO for Anheuser-Busch InBev with +7 years of experience in Supply Chain Operations & Project Management. Lived and worked for ABI in 6 cities in past years, managed +300 direct & indirect employees and +0.5 billion BRL over the years. At ABI experienced the routines in breweries operations & urban distribution. As Project Manager build the Zone Logistics Project area for ABI LAN, being responsible for 4.0 Supply Chain, integrating the technologies WMS, YMS, TMS and Tracking.
Resume summary example for stay-at-home mother
Performance-driven and knowledgeable Stay At Home Mother skilled at conducting detailed market research, developing new sales tools, creating reports, and promoting products and services. Certified Marketing Management Professional with an extensive knowledge of multiple marketing software programmes, great communication skills, and excellent teamwork abilities. Currently looking for any Marketing related remote part-time job.
Professional summary example for student
Self-driven and knowledgeable computer science student with demonstrated experience in developing user-friendly software applications, coding and testing features, and providing engineering support. Oracle Certified Professional with extensive knowledge of multiple programming languages and software development tools, excellent problem-solving skills, and ability to perform well in a team.
How to write a resume summary if you're a fresh graduate/student?
If you’re a student or a fresh graduate, you probably don’t have much to brag about in your resume yet.
But that’s true only to some extent. Even as an entry-level candidate, you already have at least some experience and skills. You just have to find the right way to articulate them.
What’s more, it’s quite likely that the other candidates are just as inexperienced as you are. After all, experienced professionals rarely apply for entry-level positions.
Because of that, your primary goal is to stand out and make the employer remember you . And you can do that even if your experience is limited.
It’s not like you’ve just spent most of your life at school and learned nothing. You just need to understand how your studies intersect with the job’s requirements.
Here’s how you can write your professional resume summary as a student/fresh graduate:
- State your field of study, degree, and GPA (if it’s above 3.0).
- Mention relevant skills gained in internships, part-time jobs, and volunteer work.
- Add related coursework or school projects.
- Also, try to translate your most notable achievements into numbers. Maybe you were on the student council. You can mention how you received 800 votes and helped organize 5 large school events that were attended by 2,000 students.
In the end, a fresh graduate resume summary should look a bit like this:
Hired by Bupa — Business Administration Intern
- An adaptable and responsible graduate seeking an entry-level position in the Business Analytics market, Business Consultancy or Financial market.
- My double degree in Business and Law and my previous job as a financial controller have provided me with a well-rounded background and enabled me to develop an analytical/logical approach to tasks, software skills, and the ability to work under pressure.
- In short, I am reliable, hard-working with strong attention to detail and eager to learn about new technologies and business issues. I am able to work well both on my own initiative and as a part of a team. I’m also able to travel abroad.
How to write a resume summary as an experienced professional?
If you have 10 to 15 years of professional experience under your belt, you’ve probably developed a long list of job-related accomplishments. Your qualifications summary is the ideal place to showcase the most impressive of them.
On the other, with that extent of experience, it may be quite challenging to pick and choose the right information for your professional summary.
So what should you do?
- Start by carefully rereading the job advertisement.
- Highlight any skills you already possess that match this job offer.
- See if you can think of any past accomplishments that show how you successfully used those skills in your previous job.
For instance, are you an experienced sales and customer service professional? Sell it. Mention how you developed strategies that resulted in an over 15 % increase in new customers. Or how your rewards program reached a customer success rate of over 45 %. Numbers can be much more persuasive than words .
Also, always remember to use action words and relevant keywords.
Here’s a professional summary resume example from an experienced professional:
HubSpot — Director of Business Development Resume Summary Example
- Passionate Business Amplifier.
- Thrives in complex market segment entry and sales and marketing launch plans for technical products and services. Founder of the highly-impactful "HubSpot for Veterans" initiative.
- Proven Growth Consultant and Entrepreneurial Coach for over 200 organizations. Advocate of lean startup and data-backed strategy.
- Leadership spans career with direct application towards startups, Techstar accelerators, corporate business development, and government. ROI-focused relationship builder.
- Lifelong teacher and learner: Startup Institute, Techstarts, HubSpot Partner programs.
How to write a professional summary if you’re changing careers?
As a career changer , try to show how your past experience relates to the position you’re applying for or how it can help your future employer grow.
Are you a software developer who wants to work with a new programming language, let’s say Python? You can mention how you’ve already developed 7 mobile apps using JavaScript and HTML. Even something as small as completing a Python online course on CodeAcademy can work wonders.
But if you still feel like you don’t have any relevant job experience, consider writing a resume objective instead. Instead of past achievements and experiences, it highlights your transferable skills and motivation. Moreover, it explains why you seek to switch to a different industry.
On the other hand, make sure that you have absolutely no other solution, as a resume summary always makes a better impression than a resume objective . To learn more about a resume objective just scroll to the following chapter.
Here’s an example of a professional summary for someone changing careers:
- Marketing professional with over three years of experience in digital advertising, aiming to transition from marketing to human resources
- Certified Human Resources Assistant with a working knowledge of all software programs needed for the position such as Bamboo HR and Zenefits.
- Was in charge of recruiting and supervising summer interns and co-managing marketing budgets.
- Won the Employee of the Month Award for completing all assigned tasks and projects in a timely manner.
How to write a professional summary for a resume with no work experience?
A lot of people with no work experience default to writing a resume objective because they think they have nothing to summarize.
However, this usually ends up backfiring as the resume objective brings little to the table. That’s because the resume objective’s main focus is on you as opposed to a professional summary which focuses on solving the needs of a company.
Also, writing a summary objective can make you appear more inexperienced than you truly are.
Instead, as someone with no work experience, you can write a professional summary by including:
- Your education level;
- Adjectives that emphasize your work ethic (such as competent, decisive, and accountable);
- Relevant skills gained at school, volunteering , or internships;
- Professional hobbies (for example if applying for an IT position, include that app side project you worked on).
In addition, if you have volunteered or interned, know that regardless of whether they were paid or not, they're still considered work experience. As the skills and knowledge gained as a volunteer or intern can be quite valuable to an employer.
With that said, here’s an example of a professional summary for someone with no work experience:
People United Foundation – Fundraiser Volunteer
- Resourceful and talented fundraiser who uses new forms of technology and existing techniques to help raise money for organizations and groups.
- Experienced in raising funds for various charitable and nonprofit institutes.
- Adept at researching and presenting an array of innovative fundraising ideas to a variety of donor audiences.
- Keen negotiator with exceptional communication time management and networking abilities.
Resume summary vs resume objective and resume profile
While these terms are often interchangeable, a resume summary, a resume objective, and a resume profile are all slightly different things. Scroll below to see how.
What is a resume objective?
First of all, a resume objective isn't the same thing as a resume summary. They share several common features but each serves a different purpose.
Like a resume summary, a resume objective also sits at the top of your resume. Though, it’s a bit shorter — usually about one to two sentences long .
The biggest difference is that instead of your past accomplishments, it details your future goals.
Although a resume objective might not help hiring managers decide whether you’re qualified enough to solve their company’s problems, it may help you shift their attention away from your lack of experience.
With that said, resume objectives are a bit old-fashioned as they used to be more common in past. So it should only be written as a last resort.
What is a resume profile?
Most people think that the resume profile and resume summary are the same exact thing. And they aren't that wrong.
However, there are some slight differences between the two.
A resume profile tends to be a little longer than a resume summary. Still, you should try to keep it under 500 characters. Additionally, while a resume summary is simply a condensed version of your resume placed at the top of it, a resume profile focuses more on your professional accomplishments and successes.
Still — a resume summary and a resume profile are basically the same thing. So don't worry too much about the difference between the two. Just make sure you'll include either of them in your resume.
Final tips and tricks
We've already mentioned almost everything you need to write an effective professional summary. These are some of the final tips that didn't fit anywhere else in this guide:
- Emphasize proven experience. Instead of simply listing your skills , mention your previous accomplishments. For example, it’s much more impactful to say that you had your articles published in Forbes than to plainly claim that you’re a skilled writer.
- Try to avoid using the word “I” . It's not really necessary, especially if you write in bullet points.
- Structure it well. Take it from a professional writer — bullet points are a godsend when you need to structure your text clearly without giving it too much effort. Not only will they naturally order your resume statement into clearly delineated logical parts, but they'll also make it look good and read well. Also, make sure to write your current job title in bold.
- Keep it short. Your summary shouldn’t be longer than 5 short sentences (or bullet points). Having a long summary sort of defeats the point of having a resume summary at all. Don’t add random things. The key is to be specific.
- Read it after yourself. When you’re finished writing, read through your summary from the perspective of a hiring manager, asking “Why should we hire you?” .
FAQ: How to write a professional resume summary
How to write a resume summary.
Write your professional summary last. It’s surprisingly easy once you’ve already written other sections of your resume. In the first bullet point, include your job title and years of experience. Then cherry-pick the most impressive achievements and cram them into 4–5 bullet points.
There are some slight differences between a resume profile and a resume summary. A resume profile tends to be a little longer than a resume summary. Still, you should try to keep it under 500 characters. A resume profile also focuses more on your professional accomplishments and successes than a resume summary.
This article was recently updated. The original article was written by Noel Rojo in 2021 .
Kaja Jurčišinová
Kaja Jurcisinova is a fresh graduate and a junior copywriter at Kickresume. Kaja completed her undergraduate degree in Art History at the University of St Andrews in 2018 and graduated with a Master’s in Arts and Culture from the University of Groningen in 2021. She was an intern at multiple cultural institutions across Europe, including the Dutch Museum Association in Amsterdam, the Matter of Art Biennale in Prague, and the European Cultural Centre in Venice. At the moment, she resides in Visby on the Swedish island of Gotland.
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Your statement should start with a key adjective for yourself, use the active voice and include key action words to describe your experience. For example, your resume summary might state: Creative graphic artist with five years of experience working with top brands using Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and other Adobe Suite software.
Follow these steps to write a resume summary: 1. First, start by explaining who you are The first sentence or bullet point of your resume summary should clearly state who you are as a candidate. Make this a powerful statement that summarizes your experience and why you are a good fit for the job. Examples:
Here's how to write a resume summary: Describe your strong character traits in just a couple of words. Mention your current job title and professional experience. Say how you want to help the employer achieve their goals. Add info on your key achievements to prove you can deliver results when hired.
The first sentence of a resume summary should always include your biggest professional selling points. And for most employers, those selling points are your: highest job title or degree years of relevant experience main responsibilities or achievements during those years
Follow these steps to write a professional summary for your resume: Start by listing a few of your strongest character traits. Provide a brief introduction of your professional working experience. You can also choose to mention your current position and company. Explain how you would make a positive contribution to the company you’re applying ...
A professional summary gives the hiring manager a quick overview of your skills and achievements without them having to dive into the rest of your resume. It sits at the top of your resume, beneath your name and contact information. You can think of it as a teaser for the rest of your resume.