What’s In Your Résumé?
How to Write a Summary
You’ve been diligently working on your résumé. Do you think it’s a top notch exemplary work that no employer could resist? If it doesn’t stand out to them and grab their attention quickly, all your hard work could be thrown away. So, what’s a good way to grab their attention right off the bat? Begin with a short, specific summary highlighting your skills.
Five or ten years ago, a résumé objective would get the job done. Basically, an objective discloses to an employer what you are looking for in a career. For example, Seeking a position as an administrative assistant at ABC Company. Today, a skills summary offers more insight to an employer about who you are as a candidate. This provides them with a brief overview before they start digging through all your information with a fine tooth comb.
Most job applicants don’t include a summary on their résumé. And the ones that do include a summary, include the wrong information or just too much. So, how can you create a résumé summary that shows you off as a competitive candidate? To ensure your résumé keeps you in the running for a position, here are some tips to help you write a standout summary.
Focus your summary on what you can offer. Your summary statement should disclose what you can offer an employer, not what you’re looking for from them. List your most relevant skills that relate to the specific job advertised.
Highlight your achievements. What have been your greatest accomplishments related to your job history? How did you improve your company’s bottom line? Did you win any outstanding awards for your work? Open with a strong statement about the skills, accomplishments, and results that sell you as an ideal candidate.
Don’t overemphasize the summary. Keep in mind that your summary serves as a commercial of what’s to come in your résumé. It should provide just enough information to entice a hiring manager to continue reading and digging into your work history and abilities.
Format correctly. A summary should go at the top of your résumé, just under your contact information. For maximum effect, try a combination of a sentence or two with a few bullet points to outline your information.
Take your time. Too many people think that writing a summary is an easy task, but in reality, it’s tough. You have to sift through all your achievements and work experience and narrow it down to showcase your very top skills. It needs to make a great impression in a matter of seconds. So, really focus on making your summary sound perfect. Think of it as your personal sales pitch. And, be sure to spell check.
So, now that you’ve read through these top five tips on writing a summary, what does one look like?
Summary Sample:
Construction supervisor with four years of experience managing personnel, supervising daily production, and enforcing safety measures; named supervisor of the year and managed a staff of 25; increased production and revenue by 40 percent during 2009 over 2008.
So, does your résumé have a summary? If not, it should. This is one of the first ways for you to introduce yourself and your skills to any employer. Follow this advice to make sure your résumé gets a second look instead of landing in the recycle pile.
Looking for more advice about your job search or your career? Check out Movin' On Up, the Express job blog, to find the tips and information you need to succeed.
Job Genius is a publication of Express Services, Inc. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Copyright 2010. All Rights Reserved.