Do You Need a Summary Paragraph on Your Resume?

I received this question this week from a client who has not updated her resume since 2001. As a general rule, you should include a summary paragraph on your resume. This summary area is a great way to showcase, by way of example, what you have done in the past that will serve as an indicator as to how you will perform in the future. You don’t have years of experience to showcase? Not to worry – even projects completed at school relative to analysis and research can also be included. The point is that the top 1/3 of your resume is prime real estate. You need to use that area to your full advantage. With the volume of resumes submitted to both recruiters and hiring manager, you have but a short window in which to grab someone’s attention. Recent studies by job search experts show that a resume is initially looked at for an average of ten seconds before a hiring manager decides to keep or discard it). A strong summary paragraph can communicate key points and key words in a very short amount of time to increase your odds of gaining favorable notice.

So, what is the best way to write your summary and how long should it be?

You should aim to write your summary in about five to six lines using a professional font (Book Antiqua, Garamond, and Calibri are popular choices). Maintain a limit so that you ensure your message is clear, succinct, and non-intimidating to a potential employer.

Finally, if you are stuck on exactly what to write, here are some suggestions based on Careers Done Write’s approach:

1. Make sure your summary has strong verbs and provide clear examples of the work you have performed and the results. I often suggest that the summary should contain one or two examples right up front.
2. If you are a career-switcher and targeting a new sector or job type, provide a sentence explaining what specific skills are immediately applicable to what you want to do.
3. If you speak other languages, possess a certification or advanced degree consider referencing information about those things. Remember, you want to stand out from the competition. Awards are other things that you can include in the summary section.

People who come to us are sometimes find it very challenging to create this short written elevator speech. Consider what brand message you want to share. Create a few key bullets about yourself that you believe are your unique selling points (USPs), then turn that into a strong tool (think marketing message) that will help you select elements (transferable skills, achievements) to help you deliver a strong summary that will resonate with your intended audience.

Good luck!