Do you want to make your resume irresistible? Who doesn't? Fortunately, it's easy. Learn how to write the perfect resume summary that will conquer the hearts of recruiters!
Your resume summary is the first thing the recruiter will read—And it might be the only part of your application that actually gets read.
This is why you need a compelling, concise summary that immediately captures the recruiter's attention. So, let’s take the guesswork out with stellar resume summary examples.
Here’s what you’ll find in this article:
Save hours of work and get a job-winning resume like this. Try our resume builder with 20+ resume templates and create your resume now.
What users say about ResumeLab:
I had an interview yesterday and the first thing they said on the phone was: “Wow! I love your resume.”
Patrick
I love the variety of templates. Good job guys, keep up the good work!
Dylan
My previous resume was really weak and I used to spend hours adjusting it in Word. Now, I can introduce any changes within minutes. Absolutely wonderful!
George
Looking for more resume-writing guides? See:
Our review of over 500,000 resumes built with our tool revealed that*:
- 26.77% of our users report having between 5 to 10 years of work experience.
- Users most frequently highlight Problem-Solving, Teamwork, Collaboration, Adaptability, and Multitasking as key skills.
- On ResumeLab, the typical resume takes 21.3 minutes to complete.
* The data comes from the last 12 months (August 2023-August 2024).
Table of Contents:
A resume summary is a brief paragraph placed at the top of your resume. It's a quick summary of your experience, skills, and achievements. A summary is usually three to five sentences long. It helps employers understand what you bring to the table in terms of your professional background.
A good resume summary consists of the following information:
Below, you’ll find a few resume summary examples to visualize.
Dynamic marketing professional with 7 years of experience driving successful campaigns and boosting brand visibility. Increased online engagement by 40% and optimized 100+ social media strategies. Seeking a challenging role at Company X to leverage creativity and strategic thinking in developing innovative marketing solutions.
This marketing resume summary effectively combines the power adjective "dynamic" with specific achievements and skills, showcasing the candidate's experience and success in driving marketing campaigns. The closing sentence clearly states the candidate's goal.
Versatile Developer with 5 years of experience in full-stack development. Successfully led a team in implementing a streamlined project management system, resulting in a 30% increase in team efficiency. Implemented scalable architecture and microservices, allowing the application to handle a 50% increase in user traffic without degradation in performance. Eager to contribute expertise in both back and front-end development and problem-solving skills to Company Y.
By using the adjective "versatile" and quantifying professional work achievements, this full-stack developer resume summary presents the candidate as a well-rounded and accomplished IT professional.
Compassionate Registered Nurse with 8 years of experience in providing exceptional patient care. Recognized for reducing patient wait times by 25% through efficient triage methods. Spearheaded workflow restructuring in a high-volume unit, resulting in a 30% increase in patient throughput. Seeking the opportunity to apply proven critical care and infection control skills at the Z Hospital.
This RN resume summary shows the applicant’s efficiency and focus on saving time without compromising quality.
Results-driven Financial Analyst with 7 years of experience in quantitative analysis and financial modeling. Optimized budgeting processes, resulting in a 15% reduction in operational costs. Implemented risk management strategies that enhanced portfolio performance, achieving a 20% increase in ROI. Seeking to leverage analytical skills and strategic financial expertise at Company R.
This finance resume summary is effective because it concisely introduces the candidate's experience, skills, and achievements. Including two quantified achievements provides concrete evidence of the candidate's impact.
Results-oriented Human Resources Manager with 10 years of experience in talent acquisition and employee relations. Successfully revamped onboarding processes, reducing orientation time by 20%. Implemented employee engagement initiatives, resulting in a 25% decrease in turnover. Eager to bring strategic HR leadership to Company W.
This HR manager resume summary is effective as it succinctly presents the candidate's extensive work experience.
Now, we’ll show you how to make a resume summary that’s just as good as these examples.
Expert Hint: There is an additional way to present your qualifications even more succinctly. And it’s called a resume headline. If you want to make an even stronger impact on recruiters, use both a resume summary and a headline.
The resume summary is like your personal ad, where you get to showcase your qualifications. It needs to match your goal and include specific achievements, certifications, licenses, resume keywords, and other relevant work experiences.
Keep in mind that recruiters are unlikely to read the entirety of your resume. They instead selectively scan through it, looking for specific keywords. This is why we use a resume summary in the first place. Acting like an abstract of a scholarly book, it gives them a succinct overview of your qualifications.
Here’s what makes a resume summary appealing to recruiters:
Let’s tackle the aforementioned points step by step to write your own resume introduction:
No matter which job you’re applying for, you can use this formula to write your good-looking resume summary:
Adjective + Job Title + Years of Experience + Key Achievements and Skills + What You Want to Do for Your New Employer
Or you can mix it up a bit and arrange the elements of your resume summary like this:
Adjective + Job Title + Years of Experience + What You Want to Do for Your New Employer + Key Achievements
And if you have an important certification (like PMP if you’re a project manager), include it in your resume summary after the adjective:
Goal-driven, PMP-certified project manager…
You should also keep the length of your resume summary short. Go for 3–5 sentences.
A targeted resume summary is a must.
Why? Because recruiters are allergic to generic resumes that are clearly mass-produced and sent out as applications to any position at every company. If your work experience is irrelevant to the position you’re applying for, your resume will land in the SPAM folder.
Tailoring a resume summary to a specific job involves a strategic approach. First, you must thoroughly understand the job description and note the language used. Match your own skills and achievements to those highlighted in the description. This will make your resume summary parsable by the ATS. In fact, it's vital to have your entire resume be ATS-friendly.
Here’s what this looks like in practice. Look at this job ad for a digital marketing manager:
We are seeking an experienced Digital Marketing Manager. You’ll be responsible for marketing activities aiming to increase brand awareness and drive conversions in line with the core business objectives. You’ll also manage a team of specialists designing and executing various campaigns.
Key Responsibilities
Requirements
Here’s how to forge the employer’s description of key responsibilities and requirements into a highly relevant resume summary:
Strategically-minded Digital Marketing Manager with 7 years of agency and in-house experience. Developed and executed an email campaign that brought in 500 loyal customers with an average lifetime customer value of $4000. Planned Google Ads campaigns for a market leader in the healthcare niche (average ROI: 140%). Managed a team of social media specialists that created 3 viral Facebook campaigns. Eager to leverage writing, editing, proofreading, and management skills at Auseklis Inc. to boost brand awareness, drive conversions, and maximize revenue.
Closely tailoring your resume summary to the job ad implies that you genuinely care about this job offer. If you didn’t, you would’ve used an uninspired, generic resume summary you might’ve found online.
Which achievements and skills should you highlight in your resume summary? And what exactly should you promise to do for your new employer?
Fortunately, you don’t need a crystal ball or a Tarot deck to find the answers. They’re all in the job ad—read it carefully, extract the key skills to list on a resume, and well... prove you have them!
Here’s how to do so:
Why should you do that? See for yourself. Which one of these two achievements sounds more impressive?
Implemented continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD) pipelines, reducing deployment time by 50%
Worked on CI/CD pipeline integration.
The bottom example is vague and does not provide details about the extent of the contribution or the impact on the deployment process. It’s less an achievement and more like a job responsibility.
The first achievement conveys self-confidence, which signals value and motivation. This candidate is not afraid of showing exactly what they did for the company and how it positively impacted its performance.
And now you know how to write a professional resume summary. But if you need some inspiration, you’ll find tens of resume summaries in the next section of this article.
Expert Hint: Writing quantified achievements is vital not only for your professional summary but also when writing the work history section. Using effective bullet points in your resume work experience section will greatly enhance its effectiveness.
The ResumeLab builder is more than looks. Get specific content to boost your chances of getting the job. Add job descriptions, bullet points, and skills. Easy. Improve your resume in our resume builder now.
Nail it all with a splash of color, choose a clean font, and highlight your skills in just a few clicks. You're the perfect candidate, and we'll prove it. Use our resume builder now.
Feel free to scroll through all of our expertly-written resume summary samples or jump straight to any specific career field:
Diligent Accountant with over 8 years of experience in financial management and reporting. Implemented cost-saving measures, resulting in a 20% reduction in operational expenses. Streamlined financial processes, leading to a 25% improvement in reporting accuracy. Aiming to bring my expertise in precise financial reporting and contribute to strategic decision-making at Financio.
Check out the full accountant resume guide for more.
Reliable Banker with 10+ years of experience in financial operations and client management. Successfully increased branch profitability by 15% through targeted sales initiatives. Implemented risk management strategies, resulting in a 30% reduction in non-performing loans. Eager to leverage my expertise in driving growth and client satisfaction for NW Bank.
Eager to learn more about writing a resume for banking jobs? Check out the embedded guide.
Dynamic Loan Officer with over 3 years of experience in mortgage lending. Achieved a 25% increase in loan approvals through strategic client relationship management. Implemented process improvements, reducing loan processing time by 30%. Seeking to utilize my expertise in loan origination and client satisfaction to drive success at Loan Wizards.
Want more information about writing a resume for this job? See the loan officer resume guide.
Detail-oriented graphic designer with 3+ years of freelance and agency experience. Developed brand identity and visual language for Big Bad Knives, Prospero Couture, Tigerade, and other brands. Designed over 300 infographics, 100 of which went viral. Eager to join Flying Dane Inc. to help shape its visual communication across all channels and drive brand awareness.
Get inspired with the graphic designer resume guide.
Passionate journalist with 6+ years of criminal news desk coverage. Covering state and national homicide cases. Published author, correspondent, and editor, having written and supervised the creation of 500+ print and online articles on cold cases. Eager to join the team at the Beardstown Herald and contribute to its reputation as a trustworthy and engaging source of information.
Write a journalist resume that will get you noticed.
Innovative 3D Artist with 6+ years of experience in creating visually stunning digital environments. Successfully led a team in producing an award-winning virtual reality project, resulting in a 40% increase in client engagement. Implemented efficient modeling techniques, reducing project delivery time by 25%. Eager to bring my creative prowess and technical expertise to 12-Bit Studio, contributing to the development of immersive and impactful visual experiences.
Check out the 3D artist resume guide for more.
Expert Hint: If you’re applying for a creative job, consider using one of these creative resume templates. They were designed with people like you in mind.
Innovative Art Teacher with 4+ years of tenure in public schools. At Little Wood High School, created a dynamic curriculum focused on independent thinking, self-expression, and creation in line with state teaching standards. Voted Teacher of the Year for 3 consecutive years. Eager to guide the White Stone High School students towards artistic expression and a deep understanding of art from various cultures.
Check out this guide to writing an art teacher resume for more examples and inspiring resume tips.
Methodical English teacher with 4+ years of experience delivering academic knowledge in the field of English language and literature to 7th and 8th-grade students. Created a supportive, rigorous high school preparatory program for over 100 teenagers. Prepared lesson plans for 15 weekly classes to accommodate students with different learning styles. Managed to increase overall English SAT scores by 23%. Excited to bring my commitment to academic excellence to West Side Primary School, inspiring and empowering students to excel in language arts.
Ace this writing assignment with this step-by-step guide: English teacher resume example
Compassionate School Counselor with over 5 years of experience guiding students toward personal and academic success. Implemented a comprehensive student mentorship program, resulting in a 25% reduction in disciplinary incidents. Established and led workshops addressing student mental health, contributing to a 30% improvement in overall student well-being. Eager to bring my empathetic approach to Red Ridge High to support students in navigating challenges and achieving their full potential.
Check out the full school counselor resume guide for more.
Innovative Civil Engineer with 10 years of experience in infrastructure development. Successfully managed a major construction project, delivering it 15% under budget and ahead of schedule. Implemented sustainable design practices, reducing environmental impact by 20%. Eager to apply my expertise in project management and sustainable engineering to contribute to ambitious and impactful infrastructure projects at Sky High.
Eager to learn more about writing a resume for civil engineering jobs? Check out the embedded guide.
Efficient HVAC Technician with 8 years of experience optimizing heating and cooling systems. Implemented energy-efficient upgrades, resulting in a 25% reduction in utility costs for clients. Successfully led a team in completing a large-scale installation project, improving system efficiency by 30%. Eager to bring my technical expertise and commitment to energy efficiency to Cutting-Edge Studios.
Get inspired with the HVAC technician resume guide.
Innovative Machine Learning Specialist with 6+ years of experience in developing cutting-edge algorithms. Spearheaded a project resulting in a 40% improvement in predictive model accuracy. Implemented optimization techniques, reducing processing time by 30%. Looking to apply my advanced analytical skills and drive for innovation to contribute to groundbreaking machine-learning projects at Closed AI.
Write a machine-learning resume that will get you noticed.
Expert Hint: Engineering experts need to be able to show their skills. Learn all you need about adding hard skills to your resume.
Passionate barista with 2+ years of experience. In previous roles scored 95% in customer satisfaction surveys. Won the 3rd prize in the 2021 Milkflower Latte Art Contest. Eager to join Lettuce Entertain You and delight its patrons with Instagram-worthy coffee and excellent service.
Brew a barista resume that will make recruiters’ hearts beat faster with our step-by-step guide to writing a barista resume.
Customer-oriented bartender and mixologist with 3+ years of experience, constantly looking for beverage trends. At Millennium Bar, devised 30+ original cocktail recipes that boosted sales by 15% and led to 50+ five-star reviews on Yelp. Eager to join The Hyatt to offer an exceptional customer experience and create an outstanding seasonally-inspired beverage menu.
Mix your own bartender resume with this trusted recipe: How to write a bartender resume
Creative chef with 4+ years of experience. Seeking to leverage leadership and food presentation skills to produce creative and intriguing cuisine at The Respectable Ocelot Restaurant. At Geroux's BBQ, managed kitchen operations with a team of 11 staff. Performed menu redesign resulting in 30% more sales of 5 most expensive dishes. 5-Star rating in Philadelphia Magazine.
Check out our guide on writing a chef's resume for the complete recipe for serving a stellar job application.
Licensed dentist with 5+ years of experience in general and cosmetics dentistry. At Swanson & Rasle Dentistry, improved patient retention by 30% and received 50+ five-star reviews. Eager to provide the patients of Risenhigh Dentistry with compassionate care and state-of-the-art treatment.
Writing a dentist's resume shouldn’t be painful. Check out this professional dentist resume sample.
Professional emergency medical technician with 4+ years of accident response experience in urban settings. National Paramedic Certification (NRP), valid driver’s license, and Washington State EMT certification as an EMT-Paramedic for over 2 years. Eager to leverage experience with assessing multiple-victim accident scenes, prehospital life support, and advanced emergency medical care to provide excellent service to the residents of Beardstown and patients of Beardstown Hospital.
Write a paramedic resume quickly and efficiently with our step-by-step guide.
Passionate ER nurse (RN) with 5+ years of experience working in a fast-paced environment. At the Baptist Memorial Hospital, used triage and prioritization strategies to cope with 137 critical patients after an industrial catastrophe successfully and received 15+ written thank-you messages from patients and their families over two years. Seeking the opportunity to apply proven critical care and infection control skills at the Stephen Dedalus Hospital.
Discover a step-by-step procedure for writing a nurse resume.
Committed IT manager with 8+ years of experience. Seeking to use intensive leadership skills to improve efficiency at Jennings-Groves Medical. At Atalah-KQC Global, led a team that developed a corporate auditing system that saved $110,000 annually. Designed an employee intranet for information sharing that saved 140 labor hours per year.
Learn how to write a job-winning IT manager resume.
Team-oriented software engineer with 5+ years of experience. Seeking to use proven development skills to provide optimal code solutions for Uber. At Glimmersoft Inc., led a team that received a DeveloperWeek award for IoT Development. Slashed costs by 28% with better adherence to Agile best practices. Supervised 5 junior software developers, 2 of whom won industry awards.
Compile a bug-free software engineer resume with this guide: software engineer resume example.
Enthusiastic and self-motivated web designer with 3+ years of freelance and agency experience. Eager to join WebHouse to bring top-class front-end development, UX, and visual design skills. In a previous role, conducted a SaaS site redesign that improved conversion rates for mobile device users by 200%. Won 3rd prize in the Superscript JavaScript Contest.
Check out our guide on writing a web designer resume highlighting the exact skills and achievements employers want to see.
Self-motivated and analytically-minded senior marketing manager with 6+ years of experience. Eager to join Minas Morgul Inc. to help manage strategy development and lead cross-functional teams. In previous roles, increased website traffic by 300% and led the team behind a content marketing strategy that brought in ~10K monthly users and over 800 paying customers in 3 months.
Discover the full blueprint for a marketing resume that converts.
Dynamic Event Coordinator with 8 years of experience orchestrating seamless and memorable events. Increased attendee engagement by 35% through innovative program design. Streamlined event logistics, reducing costs by 20%. Eager to bring my creative flair and organizational expertise to curate exceptional and impactful events for Marty Party.
Want more information about writing a resume for this job? See the event coordinator resume guide.
Strategic Social Media Manager with 7+ years of experience building brand presence and engagement. Boosted online followers by 40% through targeted content strategies. Achieved a 25% increase in click-through rates by implementing data-driven optimizations. Eager to leverage my expertise in social media management to enhance the brand visibility of Invigira Inc.
Manage your social media manager’s resume with our dedicated guide.
Expert Hint: If you’re looking for a management position, or want to better yourself in these roles, make sure you develop vital management skills.
Efficient Administrative Assistant with over 5 years of experience streamlining office operations. Implemented a document management system, reducing retrieval time by 30%. Enhanced meeting efficiency, resulting in a 20% increase in productivity. Eager to bring my organizational skills and dedication to efficiency to LMM Solutions.
Here’s how to write an administrative assistant resume that gets noticed.
Detail-oriented office manager with 4+ years of experience. Enhanced file flow through an overhaul of documentation storage, which led to a 15% increase in efficiency. Seeking to leverage administrative and time management skills to support the office team at Symbex Oasis Group.
Write an excellent office manager resume with our step-by-step guide.
Dynamic business administrator with 4+ years’ experience, skilled in using a wide range of business software. At EdgeComm InterSlice, saved up to 22 work hours a week by reducing redundancy by over 15% and increased efficiency by over 10% by implementing new business policies and practices. Seeking the opportunity to apply proven business acumen in helping McTaffy’s exceed its target KPIs.
Prove your worth with a business administration resume that stands out.
Expert Hint: Working in an office environment isn’t a cakewalk, as many people would like to believe. To efficiently manage various office tasks, you must show strong administrative skills.
Results-oriented customer service representative with 6 years of experience. Improved average time to resolution by 20%, reduced cancellations by 10%, and leveraged communication skills to maintain a CSR of above 95%. Eager to take care of Eldorado’s customers and help them discover the full potential of the company’s products.
Learn how to write a customer service resume with an outstanding recruiter satisfaction rate.
Goal-oriented sales representative with 2+ years of experience. Seeking to boost the exciting and evolving sales culture at Sellouts Inc., and eager to contribute to product improvements. Regularly exceeded KPIs by 20% and identified 50+ new leads.
Close the deal quickly with a powerful sales rep resume.
Dynamic Retail Manager with 8 years of experience in driving sales and optimizing store operations. Implemented a visual merchandising strategy, resulting in a 15% increase in sales. Streamlined inventory management, reducing stockouts by 25%. Eager to bring my leadership skills and proven track record in boosting retail performance to SatPac Inc.
Don’t create a discount job application. Write a stunning retail manager resume.
Reliable Truck Driver with 3+ years of experience in transportation and logistics. Maintained a 99% on-time delivery rate, ensuring timely and efficient service. Implemented fuel efficiency measures, reducing costs by 15%. Eager to leverage my extensive experience and commitment to safety in contributing to the smooth and efficient transport operations of Wayward Son.
Drive your truck driver resume to success with our expert guide.
Courageous Firefighter with 7+ years of experience ensuring public safety and emergency response. Led a team in reducing average response time by 20%, enhancing efficiency in critical situations. Implemented comprehensive training programs, resulting in a 25% decrease in emergency incidents. Eager to bring my dedication to saving lives and extensive firefighting expertise to the New Arizona Fire Department.
See the full firefighter resume guide for more.
Efficient Warehouse Worker with 6 years of experience optimizing logistics and inventory management. Increased order fulfillment accuracy by 30% through meticulous quality control measures. Implemented time-saving procedures, resulting in a 25% improvement in overall warehouse productivity. Eager to contribute expertise in warehouse operations to ensure smooth and organized logistics for The Growth Company.
Stock your warehouse resume with professional achievements. Get inspired with our resume guide for warehouse jobs.
Double your impact with a matching resume and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter generator and make your application documents pop out.
Want to try a different look? There's 21 more. A single click will give your document a total makeover. Pick a cover letter template here.
Here’s what you need to know about writing a resume summary:
Need help writing your resume summary? Do you have a tip for writing resume summaries that sweep recruiters off their feet? Leave us a comment below!
At ResumeLab, quality is at the crux of our values, supporting our commitment to delivering top-notch career resources. The editorial team of career experts carefully reviews every article in accordance with editorial guidelines, ensuring the high quality and reliability of our content. We actively conduct original research, shedding light on the job market's intricacies and earning recognition from numerous influential news outlets. Our dedication to delivering expert career advice attracts millions of readers to our blog each year.
A career summary should be used by professionals with at least 1 year of experience who want to continue on their career path. If you’re writing a career change resume, or a resume with no experience, you should use a resume objective instead.
To write a compelling resume summary, focus on your most significant achievement and unique value. Tailor it to the job you're applying for, and use action words for impact. Mention your job title and years of experience. Your goal is to capture attention and make a strong first impression.
A resume summary, or a professional summary, is a brief section above your resume header. It provides a snapshot of your qualifications, skills, and accomplishments. This concise summary offers potential employers an immediate overview of your candidacy and what you can bring to the job.
In a resume summary, you should include:
To start a resume summary effectively, begin by stating your current job title or the position you're seeking. Next, follow up with the number of years of experience in your field, establishing your expertise. Ensure you tailor your resume summary to each job you're applying for.
Their focus and time perspective. A resume summary highlights your qualifications, skills, and professional achievements you gained throughout your work history. On the other hand, a resume objective centers around your goals and what you aim to achieve on your career path.
Their structure and purpose. A resume summary is a concise section at the top of your resume that offers an overview of your qualifications and accomplishments. Conversely, a resume headline is a one-line statement designed to capture the reader's attention by showing your unique selling point.
A resume summary should span 3 to 5 lines, making it concise and impactful. This allows you to provide enough information to catch the hiring manager's attention and create a strong first impression. It's important to focus on the most compelling and relevant experience and target resume keywords.
Mariusz is a career expert with a background in quality control & economics. With work experience in FinTech and a passion for self-development, Mariusz brings a unique perspective to his role. He’s dedicated to providing the most effective advice on resume and cover letter writing techniques to help his readers secure the jobs of their dreams.
Time for a career change? Form an outstanding baker resume that underlines your Top Chef-level skills and outgrows expectations. Win the baker job you deserve!
Marta Bongilaj, CPRW
Certified Professional Resume Writer, Career Expert
Resume AI writing is a hot topic as of late. And the growing potential of ChatGPT is stirring up the creative industry. Let's explore the pros & cons of AI tools for resume-making.
Mariusz Wawrzyniak
Career Expert
If you find simple resume templates unsuccessful, look for something fancier. View a list of infographic resume templates and turn a dull resume into an entertaining read.
Marta Bongilaj, CPRW
Certified Professional Resume Writer, Career Expert