Your resume summary is the first piece of information a potential employer reads about you. SetFocus teaches, in our Steps for Sucess, that it should leave them wanting to know more about you and entice them to continue reading through the rest of your resume.
In the article “How to write a Professional Summary for Your Resume,” Maxwell Hurst discusses writing an effective, eye – catching, resume summary and its pieces. He begins by telling the reader what NOT to include. He suggests, and is correct in suggesting, that you stay away from mentioning any personal information that is not related to your career, such as marital status, sexual orientation, and ethnicity. These are not details a “potential employer [needs] in order to pre-screen your qualifications.”
Hurst goes on to outline the three key elements that should be included in the summary. The first is details about your experiences and skills as they relate to the position for which you are applying.  Don’t get into too much detail but do highlight key positions and tools. Next you want to include what you can and will do for the organization, focusing on how you are different from other candidates. Lastly, include your professional goals, making sure to tie them back into the opportunity at hand.
The article also mentions a few key things to keep in mind.
- When composing your summary feel free to format it as a short paragraph or some easy to read bullet points.
- Write your summary in the third person and remember to stay away from using personal pronouns.
- It’s ok to have more than one summary! Depending on the position you are applying for, there’s a good chance you’ll need to tweak your summary or write a different one for each application.
- Make sure your summary, just like the rest of your resume, is error free!
By highlighting your experiences, accomplishments, abilities to contribute, and your professional goals you will create a dynamic first impression and make yourself stand out from the rest of the pack. Need to know how to compose a successful resume?  Stay tuned to next week’s blog where we will take a look at putting together the body of a resume.