Quintessential Careers Blog

Call to Action: Write an Irresistible Resume Summary Statement

Posted: 16 Mar 2016 07:00 AM PDT

Use these simple moves to create a succinct, attention-grabbing resume summary statement.

Thanks to recent research (including an eye tracking study conducted by the Ladders), we now know how much time recruiters spend looking over an average resume. Get this, they look for just six seconds. For reference, pick up the nearest page of text and skim over it for six seconds. How much information do you take away from this quick exercise? The answer probably lies between “not much” and “exactly as much as I need.” If you’re a job seeker working on crafting your resume, the takeaway from these studies is clear: You have about six seconds to make a strong first impression. Readers will spend most of this time looking over your summary statement, so a well-written summary can make or break your chances of moving to the next round of the selection process.

What happened to the “Objective Statement”?

A generation ago, standard resumes began with a similar paragraph called an “objective statement” that summarized the type of job the candidate wanted and the kind of employer he or she hoped to find. But modern summaries have superseded the outdated introduction. Instead of emphasizing what you want, now it’s best to focus on what you have to offer.

What should the summary accomplish?

Your resume summary will appear close to the top of the page, just under your heading and contact information. (Visit Quintcareers for more detailed formatting instructions.) It should include three to five lines of text that touch on your most important and relevant credentials.

Keep your summary succinct

It’s difficult to summarize decades of experience and a complex, winning personality within four lines. But this is the challenge at hand. Keep drafting, cutting, and rewording until you can wrangle your life story into a concise message. To simplify this, remove abstractions and keep your language concrete. For example, delete an abstract empty statement like “I’m a hard worker” (everyone works hard, so this sentence doesn’t mean anything). Replace it with something concrete, like “Managed 12-hour shifts while maintaining a 2% error rate, even under intense pressure.”

Keep your summary logical

Resume language differs from standard English grammar, so don’t be afraid to drop some articles and pronouns, including “I” and “me.” But don’t let this turn your statement into a confused mess. Read back over it aloud and show it to friends (and, if you can, editors) to make sure your message is smooth and understandable.

Don’t miss an opportunity

Empty jargon is the enemy of good writing, so skip the buzzwords and hollow business-speak. (For example, avoid using terms like “results oriented” and “hardworking.”) But at the same time, the concise and appropriate application of specific industry terms can save you—and your reader—lots of time and may vastly shorten the road to mutual understanding. Use language that marks you as an insider and shows respect for your reader’s understanding of the field. (For example, “bilingual professional” can open countless doors.) But cut anything that qualifies as distracting nonsense.

Focus on your top three

There are probably at least 20 important reasons why your reviewers should hire you. You can’t explain all 20 in four lines, so choose the top three. This may take some time, and that’s okay. Narrow down your list before you begin to write. For more on how to create a resume summary that can grab and hold an employer’s attention within the first six seconds (or even the first three), explore the resume creation and editing tools available at Quintcareers.