Scott Vedder, a Fortune 100 recruiter and author, has referred to the résumé summary as the “movie trailer” of a résumé: “It’s where you highlight upfront the most important things about you” (see "5 Critical Parts of a Resume" by Daniel Bortz on Moster.com). Placed in one of the most looked at sections of your résumé, a summary is generally no more than a few sentences in length. The summary is meant to highlight your best skills as well as a concrete example or two of what you have accomplished in your professional career thus far. Keep in mind, though, that a good summary is not labeled “Summary” on a résumé but is rather a short summary of your credentials or work experience located just beneath your headline.

The primary objective of the 3–4 sentence summary underneath a well-constructed headline is to further highlight concrete skills and experience by tying it to focused accomplishments. Returning to the example of the food service shift manager applying to the student support position at BYU-Pathway Worldwide, an applicant with this kind of background wanting that type of job might include a summary that says the following:

Notice the usage of keywords and phrases drawn directly from the job posting such as “detail oriented,” “communicate,” “collaborative,” and adherence to “policy.” As opposed to a general description of what this applicant does day to day on the job, this summary details what this applicant has accomplished and how it directly correlates to what they would be doing within the employer’s company.

By customizing the summary section of your résumé in this way—looking for applicable keywords and phrases as well as concrete experiences that correspond to what the potential employer is looking for—your résumé is sure to help you stand out as a strong contender for an interview.

Since summaries are key to getting a recruiter to notice you and because they can be difficult to write, let’s look at a couple more examples. The next two examples highlight differences between an entry-level applicant and one with more experience. We’ll continue to use Juan (the chef or aspiring chef) as our example.

His entry-level summary below was used when he was applying to be a prep cook. Look for ways that Juan used his summary to get noticed and help resolve concerns about his inexperience.

Prep Cook Example

What stood out to you in this summary? Did you notice how Juan resolved concerns that he is inexperienced by referring to his love of food and experiences with his grandmother? Did you catch that he used the restaurant's name and connected their values to his and his willingness to learn? If you were hiring for a prep cook, do you think Juan’s headline and summary would get him an interview?

Now let’s look at the summary Juan used when he had enough experience to apply to be a head chef.

Head Chef Example

What stood out to you in this summary? Did you notice how Juan’s passion for food and people is still coming through? He did add, however, things that would best appeal to someone looking to hire a head chef including his past experience and accomplishments. He also indicated why he’s looking for a new job while simultaneously complimenting the hiring manager's restaurant by saying he’s ready to take his skills to the next level. Perhaps a simple improvement he could have made was including the name of the restaurant that he was applying to in his summary.

Ponder and Record

• What keywords and phrases should you prioritize and include within the summary section of your résumé?
• What concrete experiences or statistics could you share to support the skills you are wanting to highlight?

Need More Help?

1. Study other Writing Lessons in the Resource Center.
2. Visit the Online Tutoring Resources in the Resource Center.
3. Contact your Instructor.
4. If you still need help, Schedule a Tutor.