How To Write A Powerful Résumé Summary, With Examples And AI Links

In a way, your résumé summary is a miniature elevator pitch – an overview of your skills and achievements, designed to attract the attention of a recruiter. Imagine, if you will, that the hiring manager will only see your résumé summary – what accomplishments and abilities would you highlight? What can you share, from a high level overview, that would make a hiring manager say, “Tell me more…?” If you want to build a powerful résumé summary statement, consider the inquiry you want to create – and then, follow these steps.

How To Know If You’ve Created a Good Résumé Summary

Don’t mistake a professional summary for a résumé objective, or profile, according to Kickresume. A powerful résumé summary is going to contain three to five sentences, or bullet points (with a maximum of six).

Often, the Professional Summary is what leads off the résumé. Ideally, drop all first person references and filler words, so that you come straight at the ideas that will help the recruiter most. And don’t be afraid of bullet points, if that helps you to make your point.

Like any good elevator pitch, service is always the story. A summary isn’t a laundry list of what you’ve done, it’s a synthesis of service. That synthesis helps you, because it makes life easier for the recruiter or the hiring manager. Remember, the main question on every hiring manager’s mind is always: “Can you help us?” Start by summarizing how you can help, and how you’ve helped others, by pointing to your expertise and achievements.

Examples of Service Oriented Résumé Summaries

Summaries are a balancing act between specific details and aspirational remarks. Which do you think are stronger? Consider this example, from Jobscan, with three ways to improve the story:

Driven Search Engine Optimization Manager with 10+ years of work experience managing different teams in established companies, engaging users, and growing brands through effective SEO strategies and innovative marketing campaigns.

Here’s how to make the résumé summary stronger:

1. “Different teams” – guess what was different about them? Seriously, you have to guess. I have no idea. Because there’s nothing that indicates what makes them different. The communication principle here is a simple one: specifics are stronger. How about “teams from 3 to 36 people”, or “teams on three continents” or “teams of engineers, hairdressers, and surgeons”. Wow, they really are different now, aren’t they?
2. “Established companies” – stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but aren’t all companies established? That’s pretty vague. How about naming the companies that you worked for, or the industries, and being specific?
3. “Engaging users” – how many users? And how often? Why not say you helped over 500 e-commerce users in the course of the first three months on the job? Or, if that’s a bullet point elsewhere, can you add some numbers around the type of users, or say how you “engaged” – via email, sign language, or telephone calls?

Here’s a great example, from Kickresume – notice the specifics, and how they mention the future position (at Techia) by name:

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.

Why is this summary so good? Because it makes you wonder what this person did, to make customers “comfortable and relaxed”. Aren’t you curious to know what this person would do with an irate customer? This summary creates a “Tell me more” moment, in the mind of the recruiter or hiring manager. Does your summary generate curiosity? What’s the first question you hope you are asked, when someone reads your résumé summary?

Consider Your Keywords on a Résumé Summary

In a résumé summary, consider that ATS-friendly keywords can make a difference. ATS Software is used to scan your résumé, so it’s always wise to be algorithm savvy. You can use a prompt to make sure you hit the keywords that apply to your industry, and the role that you want. Check out some of the free AI-based tools, to create your next résumé. One such online résumé writing tool is Leet.co, created by Ladders founder, Mark Cenedella. Other AI-powered résumé tools include:

How To Write a Powerful Résumé Summary

Even with some AI-generated assistance, you still need to know how to fill in the gaps. Here’s how to write your résumé summary:

1. Write the summary last.
2. Ask someone else to read your résumé and tell you what service and accomplishments stand out. After all, it will never be your best work until someone else has read it. Then, based on feedback, write your summary.
3. Be specific. How would you quantify what you’ve achieved, and how can you add numbers and context? Without clarification, your résumé summary sounds like a lot of filler words, or blazing hype – not clarity.
4. Extra credit: Hire a coach, and get serious about success in your next role.

Professional Summary for First Résumé / New Grads

When you don’t have a lot of experience, it’s hard to summarize what you’ve done. But the mistake most people make, when they are early in their careers, is the opportunity to link relevant skills. What did you learn in your internship? That might be quite different than what you did in your internship. What was the impact, or the outcome, of your efforts – and what did you discover during your last assignment? Stating your field of study, and your GPA (if it’s above 3.0 on a 4.0 scale) is always valuable. Then, consider the service that you would like to provide, tie it into the position at hand, and don’t be afraid to personalize your résumé summary for the job. After all, if your approach is to just spray and pray with online applications, then get ready to wait and wonder why the interviews aren’t coming your way. Personalization is key to effective communication – no matter where you are in your career.