Creating the Professional Summary on a Resume
/How to write a Professional Summary and why it’s important
First of all… What is a Professional Summary?
Glad you asked.
The professional summary on a resume is an introduction to your professional background and details your professional competency. In other words, it is a short summary that sits at the top of your resume and outlines in 3-5 sentences who you are as a professional. Think of it like a very, very condensed version of a cover letter.*
*What is a cover letter? We have a guide for that here too!
How do I start?
The first thing to understand before writing a professional summary is that resumes are written in silent third person. It can feel slightly unnatural or awkward when writing initially but here are our tips to do that.
Past tense: If the sentence is talking about something you have done in the past, either with a past job or it is something you do not currently do in the present, use past tense.
Third person sounds like: “She fostered positive relationships with customers.”
Silent third person sounds like: “Fostered positive relationships with customers.”
Present tense - If the sentence is referring to something you’re still currently doing, whether it be at the job you currently have or if you do it in other ways, use present tense.
Third person sounds like: “She fosters positive relationships with customers.”
Silent third person sounds like: “Fosters positive relationships with customers.”
If it’s confusing when to use past or present tense, think through these rules of thumb. Use past tense if you’re referring to:
A recognition - “recognized for…”
A specific achievement (award, certification, etc.) - “Honored with…”
The Structure
Structuring a professional summary can feel a little complicated. Even our team of seasoned writers say they struggle writing these sometimes because it’s hard to explain the essence of who someone is in a short 2-4 sentence paragraph. We are not that simple!
While we agree you are so much more than a professional summary, it is important to give hiring managers a glimpse of what you’ve accomplished in your professional life.
Here’s how our team sets up a basic structure for professional summaries. The first sentence follows a formula similar to this:
[Adjective] + [Job Title] + [Noun] “with # of years / proven experience” + [overview of achievements].
Example: “Dedicated Project Management Professional with 10+ years of experience managing and leading high-performing teams.”
For sentences 2-4 of your professional summary, be sure to include:
Examples of high-level achievements and accomplishments as they relate to your target job
Recognition or awards received throughout your career as they relate to your target job
Certifications that relate to your target job
The key to creating a professional summary is customizing it to the roles you’re targeting and/or applying for! While it’s great that you have experience playing the piano, however, that might not apply to the role you’re applying for as a Civil Engineer.
*** Ensure that your resume enhances your skills as they relate to the role your applying for.
We’d love to help you!
While this formula is not a one size fits all, our team applies these basic principles to our resumes to ensure the professional summary for each client works to summarize achievements, professional accomplishments, and skills among our clients. Remember - the professional summary is not a sum of ALL that you are as a professional. It’s just a quick outline to guide readers into the rest of your resume.
If you’d like additional help creating your professional summary or optimizing your resume, let our team know! We’d love to help!
Ellie Jackson
Content Strategist / Brand Development & Social Media Manager
As one of the dedicated members of Clarity Career Solutions, utilizes an advanced skillset in content development and recruiting strategy to support clients as they navigate the crossroads of purpose, passion, and profession.
Need help building and optimizing the professional summary on your resume? Our team of career experts would be happy to be a resource for you! Learn more about the Clarity Career Solutions team here. We’d love to learn more about you and your career goals!
Learn more about the Clarity Career Solutions team here. We’d love to learn more about you and your career goals!