Recently I have received countless resumes that start either with the person’s education or their professional experience. When I receive a resume like that, my first thoughts are… What type of position is this person looking for? What skills, experience, or expertise are they offering? What is this person’s value proposition? Do I really have to read through the entire resume to find out what they have to offer my company? In short… Where is the summary?
Before choosing a book to read, do you just go by the picture at the front of the book? Or do you read the summary at the back? Like the summary on any good book, your profile is just as important. It provides the reader a quick snapshot of your value proposition. This summary can let the reader know exactly what type of position you are looking for, how many years experience you bring with you, the industry you have worked in, and the expertise you offer.
A summary is best if it is only a few lines, or maybe just 3-4 concise bullet points. Don’t get lost in trying to explain everything – the rest of your resume should do that. Instead, highlight your value – whether it be in the number of years of experience in a specific industry, or types of positions you’ve held, or the results you have delivered in your past positions. Identifying this value is key to providing a theme which the result of your resume should be validating. So don’t forget to include a summary in your resume. It is more important than you think.
Thank you to our resume expert, Jasmine Marchong, for this article and the resume tips.
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