These days, all it takes is a quick Google search to download a template that promises to buff your credentials and make that sheet of paper gleam like a professional resume. I remember going through hundreds of resumes that arrived in dignified formats with so many power verbs of accomplishment that would make most recruiters go green with envy. Believe me, it’s that good.
But are these professional resumes helping candidates in their employment search?
Sometimes, no. If you are not too careful, your professional resume could jeopardize your chances of winning that coveted interview. No matter how many times you have religiously gone through the ‘top 9 resume mistakes’ blog series, if you have not paid enough attention to the Resume Summary section you managed to reproduce from a template, you are in trouble. Perhaps, that could be one of the main reasons your professional resume seems to be working against you in your tireless employment search.
What exactly is a Resume Summary?
Remember the time when you were walking along the aisles of a bookstore, wondering which book not to buy. The only yardstick you had to decide upon the best buy was to turn the book over and glance over its Summary. From the sales point of view, the book summary decides the fate of the book; and this is exactly why a lot of thought goes into how the summary is written to entice the readers (that includes you) and make them want to own that book. Your Resume Summary, more or less, works in a similar fashion.
Strategically placed at the most prominent position in a professional resume just below your name and contact details, the Resume Summary is by far, the most powerful statement that decides, in less than a few seconds, whether your resume is worth a second glance. Not many job-seekers - including freshers and sometimes, even a handful of experienced candidates - give a second thought to the all-powerful Resume Summary. In fact, very few realize that the summary most job-seekers manage to copy and paste from a template has the absolute power to work for or against them in their employment search. No matter how awesome your professional resume looks with that new layout your graphic designer friend created for you, a recruiter’s eagle eyes would go straight for the Resume Summary.
When should you use a Resume Summary?
The role of an effective Resume Summary is to make an impact.
Also known as a Profile Summary or Career Summary, the Resume Summary is a platinum opportunity for all job-seekers to brag about their value proposition. It is a solid introduction for those with prior industry experience and acquired or transferable skill sets. If well-constructed, the Resume Summary can work its charms on the recruiter or interviewer, giving them an attractive visual image of how snugly you would fit into their corporate team.
So, if you are in full gear in your employment search for a great position at your favorite company, you definitely must invest your time to work up a crisp and meaningful Resume Summary in your professional resume. Without a well-constructed summary, your resume is most likely to receive a premature memorial.
What if I am a Fresher? Is a Resume Summary relevant for someone with no experience?
With the same educational qualifications and zero work experience to boast of, the idea of having to make room on your resume for a profile summary you borrowed from a friend, actually makes little or no sense to a fresher. But that was in the past.
Of late, recruiters have begun to place a great deal of emphasis on behavioral traits such as adaptability, creativity, critical thinking, teamwork and a positive attitude. These skills can be beautifully showcased in the Resume Summary for freshers, along with a brief mention of any academic achievement. Keep reading to find out how you should craft an effective Resume Summary or you could click and skip to the section on the top 5 behavioral traits recruiters look for in freshers.
Still wondering if you really need a summary on your professional resume?
Unless you are an internet celebrity with a thousand likes and million views, the lifespan of any job seeker’s resume is barely 6 seconds. Ouch! That is less than the 30 seconds a sales professional gets for the famous elevator pitch. Keeping in mind that your immediate goal is to pull the attention of the interviewer or recruiter, your best bet is to write a crisp Resume Summary that is a reflection of the professional that you are, specifically bragging about what makes you unique and the strong values you would be bringing to the table.
Here is how you should write a Resume Summary!
Something as succinct as the Resume Summary has an anatomy that precisely dissects into your Skill, Experience and Accomplishment.
If you think from a recruiter’s point of view, they would have eyes only for the SEA (Skills, Experience, Accomplishment) in any professional resume; and only if the SEA they see on your resume matches the expectations on their mind, will your resume get more than just a cursory glance.
The SEA that Recruiters See on Your Professional Resume
SKILL | EXPERIENCE | ACCOMPLISHMENT
For you to make sure your professional resume is in the limelight for more than a few seconds, you would need to market yourself by spelling out your unique SEA in two or more crisp statements. Make sure to beef it up with the following information because you don’t want to sell yourself short.
Skills: Lay emphasis on your professional strengths and the proficiency you possess in specific skills, tools as well as platforms
Experience: Mention the years of relevant experience you possess for the specific job role that you are applying for. Freshers can skip this point in their professional resume
Accomplishment: Don’t forget to specify a measurable track record of your success based on your Key Performance Indicators at your previous organization
This is also precisely why it is important to read the Job Description (JD) of the position you are applying for and then align your Resume Summary with keywords found in the JD. This is vital because most recruiters and interviewers are looking for the exact keywords they have mentioned in their JDs.
In the initial days, your employment search could be quite a wild sprint to grab as many interviews as possible. Now, if you probably thought you could use the same professional resume and resume summary to shoot off applications to more than a dozen companies, you really need to watch HiCounselor’s Expert Interview with Elena Stefanopol, Senior Recruiter.
Examples of Resume Summary to include in your Professional Resume
Here are a few rocking examples of the Resume Summary that you could consider while building your professional resume for an interesting job. Of course, you do need to thoroughly read the Job Description (JD) of the opening you are interested in and then jot down keywords used in the JD. Keeping these keywords in mind, make use of the Resume Summary examples below to pen a summary of how inimitable a person you really are.
Of course, if you need personalized assistance in building your Resume Summary, HiCounselor can help you get started on the right track. Click on the link below for unlimited access to HiCounselor’s Resume Builder where you can accelerate your employment search and make use of pre-written examples to pep up your Resume Summary.
Click here to build your Resume Summary.
Resume Summary in the Professional Resume of a Web Developer
Tech-savvy Web Developer contributes specialty in search engine optimization, marketing, social media management and audio/video integration to launch custom-tailored code for website presence. Detailed understanding of complex, up-to-date programming languages and considerations. Innovative approach to actualizing organizational marketing plans. Resourceful navigation of intricate factors governing web planning, security, SEO and launch.
Resume Summary in the Professional Resume of a Software Developer
Authoritative Lead Software Developer with [Number] years heading up successful development teams through agile direction and careful delegation. Willing to direct large-scale teams or work hands-on to complete extremely difficult projects. Brings both cutting-edge programming expertise and exceptional interpersonal skills to leadership roles.
Resume Summary in the Professional Resume of a Software QA Engineer
Resourceful Software Quality Assurance Engineer with [Number] years handling complete review process. Expertly assists IT design, testing and maintenance to preserve application effectiveness. Offers detailed patch assessment and script automation to handle service delivery in rigorous always-on environments. Actively resolves technical complications during application QA testing.
Resume Summary in the Professional Resume of a Skilled Software Engineer
Skilled Principal Software Engineer adept at executing development strategies via unique management and design style. Known for tackling unforeseen hiccups in software creation with agility and tireless commitment. Creative innovator of novel approaches to time-worn problems, proficient at employing colleagues and resources to combat everything from minor bugs to catastrophic software failures.
Resume Summary in the Professional Resume of a Forward-thinking Software Engineer
Forward-thinking Software Engineer with background working productively in dynamic environments. Fluent in [Type] and [Type] programming languages used to develop software within [Industry]. Proud team player focused on achieving project objectives with speed and accuracy.
Need Help to Make a Professional Resume?
If you need assistance to prepare a professional resume, HiCounselor can help you get started on the right track. Click on the link below for unlimited access to HiCounselor’s Resume Builder where you can make use of pre-written examples to pep up your Professional Resume.
Click here to build your Professional Resume.
Top 5 Behavioral Traits Recruiters look for in Freshers
Freshers need not throw in the towel when it comes to including the SEA (Skills, Experience, Accomplishment) in their professional resume. Recruiters also keenly take on fresh talents with transferable skills and individual attributes that prove they are a great cultural fit for any organization.
A great combination of attributes includes a good education, technical knowledge, transferable skills and a set of behavioral traits that are in line with the core values of the organization. Of these, behavioral traits that win the hearts of recruiters worldwide include:
Adaptability
Creativity
Critical Thinking
Teamwork
Positive Attitude
Fresher or experienced, these behavioral skills equip job seekers to face the myriad challenges in their employment search and of course, these skills are a sure-win strategy to catch the recruiter’s attention as well. Though seasoned professionals may mention these traits elsewhere in their professional resume, freshers are definitely recommended to include these traits in their Resume Summary. Stay put for our next blog series on how to develop these top 5 behavioral traits.
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HiCounselor makes career dreams come true for job seekers as well as recruiters. While job seekers benefit from HiCounselor’s career accelerator program along with the coaching services from industry leaders employed at FAANG companies, recruiters join hands with HiCounselor to empower their hiring strategy and zero in on the best candidates. Learn more about HiCounselor here and reach out to us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.
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