Resume Summary Examples [15+ Professional Summary Examples]
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Your resume summary is your first and, for some job seekers, last chance to make an impression on hiring managers. An effective introduction pitches your strongest qualifications to quickly entice a hiring manager to read the rest of your resume. These professional summary resume examples can help you write effective introductions.
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Professional Resume Summary Example and Definition
The professional resume summary goes by many names: summary statement, resume introduction, or professional summary. This strategic paragraph or short list usually sits under your contact information, but why should you write a resume summary?
Most hiring managers will discard your resume in less than seven seconds if you don’t grab their attention or demonstrate how you solve their employment needs. This introductory section acts like a written elevator pitch — a place where you pitch your strongest accomplishments or qualifications directly to a potential employer or explain how you meet the job requirements.
The most effective resume summaries provide hiring managers with the following information:
- Top achievements and accomplishments, like awards.
- The years of experience within a related job path or industry.
- Two or three transferable skills that match the job description.
- Quantifiable information like statistics that highlight your achievements.
Summary for resume example
Here’s an example of a general resume summary:
“Self-motivated professional bringing over eight years of fine-dining service experience with a friendly smile. Acquired expert knowledge of Italian wines while working with a Wine Spectator Award-winning program. Ready to raise the bar of service in a new team by applying well-honed hospitality and guest satisfaction skills.”
We underlined the information that might spark a hiring manager’s interest. Let’s explain how and why this professional summary example for resumes uses the right strategy.
- “Self-motivated professional bringing over eight years of fine-dining service experience” tells our hiring manager how many years of specialized customer service experience this job seeker has.
- “Expert knowledge of Italian wines” covers a highly specialized skill relevant to a fine dining workplace. This job seeker gets extra points if the hiring manager specifically asks for knowledge or interest in Italian food or wine.
- “Acquired … while working with a Wine Spectator Award-winning program” refers to an industry-reputable and award-winning wine program that can benefit the hiring manager’s place of business.
- “Well-honed skills in hospitality and guest satisfaction” offers two additional customer-facing skills that can help boost a restaurant’s positive reputation and foot traffic.
A resume summary works best if you have professional experience. Consider a career objective instead if you:
- Have less than three years of experience.
- Have less than two related jobs.
- You’re changing careers.
- You’re returning to the workplace after a lengthy break.
Professional Summary Versus Objective Statement
Professional Summary
A professional or resume summary is one to five sentences that describe what elements of your achievements, experiences, skills or education make you suitable for the job.
Experienced warehouse worker with over three years of experience increasing efficiency, streamlining organization and order processing. Fluent in 3PL and Fishbowl programs, keeps stock data updated and accounts for all goods. Above-average skills in multitasking and prioritizing have resulted in continual success as a warehouse worker.
Objective Statement
An objective statement is one to three sentences discussing your career goals or mentioning the skills you hope to develop.
Hardworking, motivated, and organized candidate seeks opportunity to develop logistics skills as a warehouse worker. Seeking to apply my already strong computer skills to organizing and order fulfillment. Long-term, I seek to develop management skills.
Resume Summary Examples for Multiple Jobs
Your professional summary should communicate your experience level and where you’re at in your career.
Here are sample professional summaries based on different jobs and levels of experience. We underlined where and how each of these job seekers effectively used their resume summary to pitch their skills and technical training to appeal to hiring managers:
- Accountant resume example
- Administrative assistant resume example
- Customer service resume example
- Data analyst resume example
- Financial analyst resume example
- Human resources recruiter resume example
- IT project manager resume example
- Mechanical engineer resume example
- Nursing assistant resume example
- Receptionist resume example
- Sales associate resume example
- Software engineer resume example
- Internship resume example
- Entry-level resume example
Accountant professional summary example
“Experienced accountant with over nine years of background in reducing corporate overhead through a nuanced understanding of state and local tax codes. Managed to achieve a 21% reduction in company overhead without a single change to payroll or production at previous employer. Finds fiscal solutions with big payoffs thanks to strong attention to detail and creative problem-solving skills.”
See our accountant resume examples.
Administrative assistant resume summary example
“Organized administrative assistant excelling at multitasking, phone etiquette and scheduling. Cumulative four years of experience with expert knowledge in filing, Google Workspace and MS Office. Key assets include self-ability to prepare and prioritize office tasks.”
Customer service summary statement example
“Personable customer service agent with over eight years of experience in retail, sales and digital environments. Key skills include attention to detail, intuitive listening skills, addressing customer inquiries and coordinating possible client resolution with the relevant stakeholders. Partnered with seasoned customer care agents to win customer service awards three years running.”
See our customer service resume examples.
Data analyst professional summary example
“Highly detail-oriented data analyst with advanced knowledge of database systems and their performance metrics. Over three years of experience analyzing and interpreting data to drive growth for companies and private clients. Provide analytics, data models and business intelligence used to identify opportunities and increase overall efficiency.”
See our data analyst resume examples.
Financial analyst resume summary example
“Veteran financial analyst brings 16+ years of expertise to execute top-level financial forecasting, planning and internal control. Self-motivated and a great resource to implement cost improvements and greater efficiency. Highly developed client relations skills allow for consistently generating new outside business accounts.”
See our financial analyst resume examples.
Human resources recruiter summary statement example
“Strategic and forward-thinking HR resources recruiter with over four years of experience excelling at attracting top-notch talent for corporate needs. Ability to understand the company culture and discover true potential have served as the cornerstones for the company’s impeccable hiring record. Professional efforts reduced staff turnover and increased staff retention and satisfaction by 32%.”
IT project manager professional summary example
“Solution-focused IT project manager with over six years of experience who thrives on big projects and challenges. Skills include troubleshooting, developing iterative processes and cross-functional collaboration to ensure that projects are completed ahead of schedule and with client-pleasing results.”
See our IT project manager resume examples.
Mechanical engineer resume summary example
“Quality-focused mechanical engineer with a three-year track record of solving complex engineering problems in effective, timely and inventive methods. Career highlights include winning a James Watt Award for energy efficiency on a dishwasher.”
See our mechanical engineer resume examples.
Nursing assistant summary statement example
“Compassionate nursing assistant with six years of experience in both hospital and adult care settings. Proven empathy, diligent attention and emotional warmth resulted in a notable increase in patient care and satisfaction. Personal commitment to patient safety via timely meals, physical therapy and medication improved patient outlooks.”
See our nursing assistant resume examples.
Receptionist professional summary example
“Entry-level receptionist brings an eager-to-please attitude, clear communication skills and computer aptitude on day one. Self-motivation, speed and professionalism result in 100% task completion and on-time patient registration. Bubbly demeanor to greet every office guest with a bright smile.”
See our receptionist resume examples.
Sales associate resume summary example
“Hardworking sales associate who knows what it takes to close the deal. Throughout five years of professional experience, personal time management skills and quick thinking have resulted in on-time sale visits and successful client sign-on. Warm social skills and thoughtful attention to detail allow for forging long-term client relationships.”
See our sales associate resume examples.
Software engineer summary statement example
“Efficient software engineer with two years of experience coding, running tests and streamlining code performance. Written and verbal communication skills make it possible to thrive within existing teams and achieve project deadlines with no surprise bugs. Prime engineering specialization is in bug elimination.”
See our software engineer resume examples.
Internship professional summary example
“Ambitious second-year law student with a passion for social justice and bankruptcy law brings self-motivation and eagerness to the table. A standing GPA of 3.7 is evidence of personal determination and work ethic. Furthermore, attention to detail, research and written communication skills guarantee task completion.”
See our internship resume examples.
Resume summary example for an entry-level edition
“Hardworking job seeker with excellent people skills who is motivated and eager to learn. Good at following directions and customer service, brings a professional attitude and ability. Punctual, responsible and ready to make your customers satisfied.”
See our entry-level resume examples.
Why Use a Professional Summary
Use a resume summary instead of a resume objective if you fall under any of the following circumstances:
- You have more than three years of formal work history.
- You held more than two paid jobs in the past.
- You worked a similar job to the one you’re applying for.
Opt for a resume objective instead if you don’t meet these circumstances or if any of the following apply to you:
- You don’t have much experience.
- You want to change careers.
- You’re returning to the workplace after a familial, medical, educational or parental leave of absence.
A resume objective will still pitch your transferable skills and focus on the needs of an open job position, but it also dedicates a sentence to describe your unique situation and how it can work to the hiring manager’s benefit.
For example, a network engineer and new parent can use examples of their previous solo projects and accomplishments to prove their self-sufficiency and time management skills to request a full-remote workplace effectively. This is only possible with a resume objective or in the interview stage.
How to Write a Resume Summary
Understanding what your potential employer wants is vital to writing an effective professional resume summary. The best way to do this is by looking closely at the job posting or description. Pay close attention to how the employer describes what they’re looking for in a candidate and try to reflect those traits.
Brainstorm to decide what personal achievements, attributes or skills you’ll feature in your introduction. The best things to discuss in a professional summary include:
- Your top achievements, accomplishments or awards.
- The number of years you’ve worked in this industry or role.
- Two or three best-suited skills you possess for this specific job.
- Impressive statistics or numbers that demonstrate your highest achievements.
Next, writing an excellent professional summary will depend on keeping your message concise, clear and exciting.
1. Tailor your introduction for a specific job opening.
Previously, we showed you resume summary examples for multiple jobs to demonstrate how every employer and job seeker brings unique skills and strengths. Use this section to learn how to demonstrate your individuality and stand out.
POOR EXAMPLE:
“Skilled sales associate with over three years of experience. Effective cashier and cash handler.”
Although this job seeker shares some practical skills such as cash handling and register experience, they don’t describe how these skills will help the hiring manager positively.
GOOD EXAMPLE:
“Experienced sales associate with five years of retail experience, two of which were dedicated to providing personal shopping to select clients. Customer service experience includes brand name and boutique retail environments, making me an ideal candidate for your current personal shopper position.”
This job seeker chose highly curated skills like personal shopping and boutique retail experience to personally appeal to a hiring manager, drawing a clear line to the typical responsibilities of the advertised position.
2. Use evidence-backed accomplishments.
In a competitive job market, hiring managers need more than a vague description of your skills. It’s one thing to claim that you have strong analytical skills — it’s another to demonstrate how you interpreted and presented information gleaned from analysis.
POOR EXAMPLE:
“Skilled marketing associate with over six years of digital email marketing experience. An effective communicator with strong time-management skills.”
This job seeker shares three practical skills that help them connect with potential customers. Still, they don’t offer any case studies to demonstrate how effective they are at converting interest into purchases.
GOOD EXAMPLE:
“Passionate marketing associate with a nuanced understanding of customer needs and desires. Over six years of B2C marketing specializing in digital marketing, SEO optimization, social media campaign creation and marketing mentorship to usher in a new era of effective staffers. Key accomplishments include a 25% increase in daily site visitors, resulting in a quarterly profit increase of $1.2 million during the off-season.”
Not only does this job seeker advertise various skills that contribute to marketing efforts, but they clearly outline the positive outcomes resulting from these skills in the form of traffic and profit increase. This information will likely appeal to a hiring manager investing time and money to find the most profitable, qualified candidate on the job market.
3. Punch up your intro with action verbs.
According to the Harvard Business Review, most job openings interview six applicants out of an average of 250 submissions. The combination of job-specific skills with unique descriptive terms like action verbs and resume power words can help you stand out against standard descriptive words like “experienced,” “skilled” or “motivated.”
POOR EXAMPLE:
“Skilled child care specialist with 10 years experience in the public and private section. Core skills include one-on-one tutoring specializing in social sciences and writing.”
This job seeker uses typical resume words to describe their academic abilities and experience but needs to expand on their specific techniques or explain how their students respond to their teaching style. The lack of details and stagnant descriptions make it unlikely that this summary statement will impress a hiring manager.
GOOD EXAMPLE:
“Exuberant tutor and educator with over a decade of helping students develop confidence, critical thinking skills and social skills through a tailored curriculum. Academic specialties include history, social studies, language arts and creative crafting to help stimulate students and establish healthy relationships to life-long learning.”
This job seeker holds many of the same academic skills as the first candidate, but this resume summary example exudes energy and focuses on the positive educational and social impacts imparted to students. Using action verbs and focusing on student development makes them the stronger candidates.
