A professional career summary statement, also called – Executive Summary or Summary of Qualification, in a resume exists to attract the attention of employers.
It gives a brief summary of your experience and skills, with emphasis on what the employer might want to see first.
Employers and recruiters are busy people, and most probably don’t have time to read every resume from beginning to end. What they do is sift through them, shortlisting the ones which strike them best in the first few moments.
The purpose of these few lines is to introduce your portfolio quickly and effectively, as well as branding yourself to the potential employer.
The Terms Differences Explained
Resume qualification summary, resume career summary, summary of qualifications, and executive summary are related concepts but are not exactly the same thing.
They all provide brief overviews of important information, but the specific details and focus may vary.
Let’s have a look –
1.) A resume career summary is a section at the top of a resume that provides an overview of a candidate’s career goals, experience, and achievements.
It typically includes information about the candidate’s relevant work experience, skills, and education, as well as any notable achievements or awards.
The purpose of a career summary is to give the employer a quick snapshot of the candidate’s career goals and qualifications, and to entice the employer to read on.
2.) A resume qualification summary is a brief section at the top of a resume that provides an overview of a candidate’s qualifications and skills.
It is typically a paragraph or bullet-point list that highlights the candidate’s most important qualifications for the job.
The purpose of a qualification summary is to communicate the candidate’s strengths and suitability quickly and effectively for the job.
3.) A summary of qualifications is similar to a qualification summary, but it is usually a longer section that goes into more details about the candidate’s skills and experience.
It may include more specific information about the candidate’s technical skills, work history, and accomplishments.
4.) An executive summary is a high-level overview of a longer document, such as a business plan or proposal. It typically includes key information about the document, such as the purpose, scope, and key points.
While an executive summary is not specifically related to a resume, it is similar to a career summary in that it provides a brief overview of important information.
The Importance of the Professional Summary Statement
The importance of a well-structured resume summary cannot be overstated.
This section is a short, yet eye-catching paragraph at the very beginning of a resume in which you outline your qualifications for a specific job or field.
It is the best way to describe your qualifications, if you have years of experience in your field. Think of this section as a showcase.
Rather than scattering your key capacities throughout the resume body, in this paragraph you actually bring your best competencies “to the table”, convincing potential hiring managers to further read your resume.
Therefore, each sentence should briefly showcase your skills, experience, and achievements in the most creative way possible.
- The focus in your resume summary should be to inform the employer in a clear and concise manner what it is you have to offer the company.
- Use this section to present your main areas of expertise and skills to demonstrate what your abilities are.
- Include something that makes you unique from others who may be applying for the target position.
It is an Introduction
Your career summary statement is an introduction, so use it wisely.
It should highlight your most relevant skills, strengths, and unique core competencies.
It should be made up of 4 to 6 lines and talk about your professional background.
Ensure your resume summary statement includes –
- Previous experience that’s relevant.
- Core skill sets, and strengths that are relevant to the current position.
- Notable accomplishments.
10 Key Tips for Maximizing the Impact
At first glance, the hiring manager can see your summarized portfolio – qualifications and work experience.
Here are some quick tips for writing the summary section in a resume.
- Keep it short, as being summaries, they will probably not include everything you might at first want to say about yourself.
In a few clear words, describe your experience, accomplishments, primary and secondary skills, job objectives, and personal characteristics. - Tailor it to the job: Make sure your summary statement matches the position you’re applying for. Highlight your skills and experiences that are relevant to the job. Consider what it is the employer is interested in knowing about you. Make sure it is not vague and avoid using meaningless words and phrases that waste valuable space.
- Use your knowledge of the company you want to work for – Do a bit of research. It will not be time wasted.
- It’s good to use technical specifics in your descriptions to convey real and relevant knowledge. Incorporate each technical detail into short descriptions of no more than 2-3 words.
- Prioritize credentials: If the job requires specific education and/or qualifications, prioritize them in your summary statement from most relevant to least.
- Include additional qualifications: Stand out from other applicants by listing additional qualifications you might have that are relevant to the job.
- Showcase your value: Take inventory of your abilities and include them in your summary statement. Show how you can add value to the company.
- Use action words: Use action words that create the image you want the recruiter or hiring manager to see. Your summary statement should give an idea of your goals, vision, and qualifications.
- Don’t use this section to discuss personal experiences, career changes, or gaps in employment.
- Carefully write and rewrite the career summary for optimal results.
How to Write the Summary of Qualifications
Title the Section
Your qualification summary can be titled in the resume in various ways.
Some recommended titles for this section may be:
- Professional Qualifications
- Summary of Qualifications
- Professional Profile
- Key Features
The first sentence in the qualification paragraph usually states the years of experience/expertise in a field.
The next sentences are career highlights including greatest/most impressive qualifications and skills acquired over years of work.
Four Samples of Compelling Career Summary
Here are great examples of professional summary statements that highlight the key skills and experiences of the candidate –
Chef
As an award-winning international chef with 20 years of experience in five-star hotel restaurants across Switzerland, Rome, Auckland, and Paris.
I have successfully reduced costs, improved menus, doubled bookings, and increased customer loyalties, all while enhancing market distinctiveness and relevance.
I am renowned for my Middle Eastern flavors in seafood-based cuisine and have expertise in managing multi-lingual staff. Additionally, I have reduced the number of key employees through attrition.
Administrative Professional
With over 12 years of experience supporting executives and managers, I am a reliable, versatile, and efficient administrative professional.
My diverse skill set includes client relations, human resources, project management, and administrative support. I am proficient in MS Office applications, Adobe, and CRM software. Additionally, I possess excellent phone and digital communication skills.
CEO
As a CEO, I have a focused and strategic approach to creating lean teams, reducing overhead, and implementing creative strategies to enhance financial returns, internal operations, and customer service.
I have received far-reaching awards for my achievements in these areas.
Project Manager
With more than 10 years of experience as a project manager, I have worked on various projects, including print production, web development, education publications, and consumer packaging.
Program Manager
As a Program Manager with 10 years of experience, I have successfully launched, directed, and managed large-scale projects/programs in Hi-Tech firms.
My management skills include planning, scheduling, organizing, and tracking processes to ensure the feasibility and objectives of the projects.
More Examples:
- Over 20 years of in-depth experience in the interior design industry.
- A well-known professional architect with 25 years’ experience in the industry.
- School Teacher with strong dedication to children’s development and to their educational needs.
Encouraged creativity and higher order thinking to increase children’s performance.
Utilized modern teaching methods such as e-learning and team learning.