Resume Summary Statements

What are they and how to write them?

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Reviewed by

Chelsea Jay

Career and Leadership Coach

Updated on December 22, 2025

Written by

RC Team

Resume and Cover Letter Experts

ResumeCoach » How To Write a Resume » Summary Statements

Table of contents:

To write a winning resume for your perfect job, you need an unforgettable summary statement that promotes your candidacy.

The following guide will give you the tips you need to write an outstanding summary statement for your resume by showing you:

• What to include
• What to avoid
• Resume summary statement examples
• Differences between a resume objective and summary

• 💡 Our expert says

  

  Think of your summary statement as your polished, confident response to the “tell me about yourself” question or personal highlight reel. Its purpose is to give employers a quick, polished snapshot of who you are, what you specialize in, and why you’re the right fit before they dive into the rest of your resume.  

  You must write it in a way that instantly grabs attention, highlights relevant skills, and shows employers why you’re the right fit.

Send your application with confidence by knowing exactly how to create a resume with a standout summary by using the tips below and our AI summary generator that can help you build your resume statement in minutes.

What Is a Summary Statement on a Resume?

A resume summary, also called a summary statement or professional summary, is a short paragraph, typically 3 to 5 lines long, that sits right at the top of your resume, directly under your contact information.

Your summary typically highlights your:

• Relevant skills
• Professional experience and years of experience
• Quantifiable achievements
• Personal and professional strengths tied to the job description

It gives hiring managers a quick overview of your value, your unique edge, and the problems you solve.

How To Write a Resume Summary Statement

Your summary sits right under your contact info and gives hiring managers a quick snapshot of your fit. Here’s a simple five-step approach to follow to make sure you can write an eye-catching resume statement:

1. Lead with your title: State your role or area of expertise clearly so the hiring manager instantly knows what you do and the direction you want to go. Here are some examples:
   • Project Manager with 5+ years of experience leading cross-functional teams. 
   • Customer Service Specialist recognized for building strong relationships and solving complex issues. 
   • Award-winning Graphic Design professional known for helping brands tell stories that are engaging, memorable, and relatable.
2. Match the job ad: Take 3–5 exact keywords from the description and add them naturally into your statement to demonstrate that you are fit for the role. This can include skills, tools, certifications, and industry-specific strengths.
3. Select 2–3 of your top, employer-centered strengths: Mention the skills that solve the employer’s top problems, and name the tools you can use to do it. Keep in mind this can include:
   • Leadership and team collaboration
   • Technical expertise
   • Project management capabilities
   • Analytical strengths
   • Business development knowledge
   • Marketing skills
4. Add numerical data (aka quantifiable achievements) whenever possible: Numbers are powerful because they show credibility and impact. Include years of experience as well as at least one measurable result to prove impact, for example, “cut staff turnover 12%”. Other examples can include:
   • Revenue increases
   • Cost savings
   • Customer satisfaction improvements
   • Efficiency gains
   • Project results
5. Write in a clean, concise, and employer-focused style: Avoid “I/me,” use the present tense and active verbs when mentioning yourself, and the past tense when mentioning accomplishments. Also, use a universal language that can be understood by both ATS and hiring managers.

Along with our summary generator, take advantage of our AI resume builder to help you write your summary and every other resume section with ease.

Tips for writing a summary statement

• 💡 Our expert says

  

  Creating an impactful resume summary isn’t just about sounding polished, it’s about making sure your resume gets seen, understood, and appreciated by your intended audience (Hiring managers and ATS systems).

In fac, up to 75% of recruiters use an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to review applicants, according to Select Software Reviews.

Below are tips that can give you a more organized summary and help you impress any software.

• Research the company and competitors so your summary speaks their language.
• Keep your summary short, powerful, and packed with value. Stick to one short paragraph, around 35-60 words, with no filler or clichés.
• Use the right verb tenses for clarity and professionalism. Utilize the past tense only for specific results and completed jobs or accomplishments. Write in the present tense for your skills or what you currently do. 
• Don’t highlight tasks you don’t want to keep doing.
• Name-drop sparingly and ethically (never disclose confidential clients).

Resume Summary Statement Examples

Sometimes the easiest way to learn how to write a strong resume summary is to see great examples in action! 

Below, you’ll see a few examples of summary statements for different professional profiles.

They demonstrate how you should go about showcasing relevant skills, years of experience, quantifiable achievements, and a clear, valuable proposition that would catch a hiring manager’s attention within seconds.

Sales summary statement example

If you are a professional in sales, you’ll want to highlight your revenue and other key details, like in the following sample:

Results-driven sales professional with 7+ years of experience exceeding revenue goals in B2B and retail environments. Proven track record of surpassing quotas (120%+) and expanded client portfolios by 35% year-over-year. Skilled in consultative selling, CRM management, and leading cross-functional teams to close high-value deals.

Finance specialist summary statement example

As an applicant for a finance job, you should focus on how you’ve reduced costs and increased profits.

Analytical finance specialist with 9 years of experience strengthening financial reporting, forecasting, and compliance for Fortune500 companies. Improved financial forecasting accuracy by 25%, reduced operational costs by 15%, and supported strategic investment decisions that increased annual revenue by $2M. Adept in data modeling, compliance, and financial planning.

Human resource manager summary statement example

As someone in human resources, you can quickly mention how you improved retention and made recruitment easier.

Dynamic HR Manager with 8 years of experience supporting organizational development, talent strategy, and employee engagement. Boosted retention by 20% and simplified recruitment, reducing hiring time by 30%. Managed a team of 10 HR assistants and organized company-wide events for 1K+ employees, fostering a positive workplace culture.

Customer service representative summary statement example

If you work as a customer service rep or a related role, such as a front desk receptionist, here is an example of what you can include:

Bilingual customer service representative with 15+ years of experience, delivering exceptional client support across fast-paced corporate and hospitality environments. Proficient in CRM systems, conflict resolution, and high-volume customer interactions. Increased customer retention 40% in less than one year through personalized service and follow-up practices. Awarded and recognized as a top-performing team player.

Entry-level accountant summary statement example

If you are an entry-level applicant, you can still write a summary that shows off your skills and accomplishments, like in the example below:

Proactive and detail-oriented accounting graduate with hands-on experience in financial reporting, data entry, and reconciliation. Completed a 6-month internship assisting in audits and managing records for budgets exceeding $500K. Proficient in QuickBooks and Excel with a track record of maintaining 100% accuracy in ledger updates and expense tracking.

Resume Objective vs. Summary Statement

While both resume objectives and resume summaries aim to capture an employer’s attention, they serve slightly different purposes.

A resume objective highlights what you want to achieve in your career, while a resume summary focuses on what you’ve already accomplished. The table below outlines the main differences between the two:

While objectives are more skills-based and geared toward entry-level applicants, we still recommend including a summary statement in your resume.

In your resume summary statement, while there is more of a focus on experience, you still should mention skills. If you don’t have much experience, you can still highlight any notable achievements from internships or projects.

FAQs

When should you use a resume summary statement?

It’s almost never a bad idea to include an opening resume statement, especially if you can highlight relevant work experience or career achievements. You can opt for a resume objective if you are an entry-level applicant, but even in that case, we still recommend a summary.

It’s ideal for applicants with a clear career path who want to highlight measurable results, such as revenue growth or team leadership.

Remember to place the summary for your resume at the top, right after your contact details, to immediately show hiring managers how your background and accomplishments match the role.

Can ChatGPT check the ATS score of a resume?

ChatGPT can provide a general sense of how well your resume and summary statement align with a job description, but we do not recommend using it for an exact ATS score, as it’s not designed for that.

For a more precise evaluation, our AI resume checker tool is designed to analyze formatting and content throughout your resume against recruiter standards. This helps to offer a far more accurate and reliable ATS compatibility score.

Do recruiters like summaries on a resume?

Yes, most recruiters like to see a well-written resume summary, as they quickly give them an idea of your experience and key skills.

A concise, results-driven summary statement helps hiring managers see your value at a glance and can make your application stand out. However, it’s important to tailor your summary to the specific job and industry to give you a better chance of landing an interview.