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Senior Executive
Resume Summary Example #1
We discussed how senior level hires can use an executive resume summary to emphasize their most impressive and relevant accomplishments. Here are a few examples of how to do it in action.
This example serves as a good high-level overview of your experience. There’s an opportunity for you to mention one or two of your most impressive accomplishments and it provides a useful context for the body of your resume. Here it is in text format if you'd like to copy this into your own resume to use as a starting point:
Resume Summary Example #2
This example is good because it focuses on concrete data and achievements. Remember, the more quantifiable your achievements are, the more likely they are to land with a hiring manager. Here's the example in text format in case you'd like to use it in your own resume:
Mid-Level Jobseeker
Resume Summary Example #1
If you’re a mid level hire, a resume summary can help set you apart from entry level applicants by highlighting a few notable skills or accomplishments and providing important context.
This example makes the extent of your previous experience clear to a hiring manager. It emphasizes a couple of noteworthy accomplishments that may set you apart from other mid level hires and might otherwise have gotten lost in the body of your resume. If you'd like to use this in your own resume summary, here it is in text format that you can easily copy-and-paste:
Resume Summary Example #2
This example briefly provides the context for your resume and hones in on your most impressive achievements. The bullet point format and focus on hard numbers make it easy for a hiring manager to read and quickly digest. Here it is in text format:
Career Changer
Resume Summary Example
A resume summary is particularly important if you’re changing careers. You don’t need to go into detail about why you’re changing careers, but briefly mentioning any relevant training or certifications is a good idea, alongside the transferrable skills you’ll bring to the role. If you're changing careers, make sure to see more summary examples for career changers.
Resume summary tips
Keep it short
Your resume summary should be 3-6 lines long, or around 100-200 words. Less is more — hiring managers will skim over long chunks of text, so don’t be tempted to go over. The quicker and easier your summary is to read, the more chance it’ll make an impact. If you feel like you need more space to write about yourself, that’s what your cover letter is for.
Tailor your resume summary
Even more so than your resume, you must tailor your summary to each job you apply to. Here are a few ways you can do that:
Mention specific technical skills the job requires. If you’re applying for a job that requires a particular skill or qualification that you have, make sure you highlight that. But keep it specific! If you’re applying for a data science role that requires Python, explain how you’ve used Python in the past. Don’t include every programming or technical skill you have, or it’ll look like you’re using a scattershot approach and may overshadow your actual relevant experience. Doing this will also help you get past the applicant tracking systems, or resume screeners, which scan your resume for specific keywords.
Review the job description. Using specific language from a job description in your resume summary can make you look like a good fit, as long as you don’t overdo it. If a job description mentions leadership, describe the size of the teams you’ve led. If they want someone with entrepreneurial flair, mention a project where you demonstrated initiative. This doesn’t necessarily have to be work-related — personal projects can fit, too, as long as they highlight that specific skill or quality.
Be specific and results-oriented. The more specific you are about your accomplishments, the more impressive they’ll be. Use hard numbers wherever possible. Don’t just write “experienced in managing teams” or “increased revenue.” Quantifiable achievements like “managed teams of 5-20 people” or “drove $100,000 in incremental revenue” are more meaningful.
Avoid buzzwords
Phrases like “hardworking,” “team player,” and “attention to detail” have no place on your resume. Anyone can claim to have excellent communication skills — prove it by mentioning that your email campaign resulted in a 30% increase in repeat customers. Remember: Show, don’t tell.
Write your summary last
The goal of your summary is to provide a brief introduction and context for the body of your resume. Focus on writing your resume first — once you’ve nailed it, it’ll be much easier to fill in the summary section.
People applying for remote jobs
If you’re applying for a fully remote position, it can be helpful to note that in your summary. Specifying that you’re only applying for remote work can weed out positions that are only partially or temporarily remote. And if you have experience with remote work in that past, mentioning some of your remote achievements can demonstrate that you’re just as effective when working from home.
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