What Is a Professional Summary?
A professional summary is a two- to four-sentence paragraph placed at the top of your resume, directly below your contact information. It gives hiring managers a quick snapshot of who you are, what you bring to the table, and why you are worth reading further. Think of it as your elevator pitch in written form.
A strong professional summary replaces the outdated objective statement. Instead of telling the employer what you want ("Seeking a challenging role in marketing..."), it tells them what you offer and backs it up with evidence.
How to Write a Strong Summary
Follow this simple formula:
- Lead with your professional identity. State your title, years of experience, and area of expertise.
- Highlight two or three key strengths. Pick the qualifications most relevant to the target job.
- Include a measurable achievement. One concrete number makes the whole summary more credible.
Example
Results-driven marketing manager with 8 years of experience in B2B SaaS. Skilled in demand generation, content strategy, and marketing automation. Increased qualified leads by 140% year-over-year while reducing cost per acquisition by 35%.
Professional Summary vs. Objective Statement
An objective statement focuses on what you want from the employer. A professional summary focuses on what you offer the employer. Hiring managers care about the second one. Objective statements are considered outdated for most industries.
Common Mistakes
- Writing a summary that is vague or could apply to anyone in your field.
- Stuffing it with buzzwords like "synergy" or "thought leader" without backing them up.
- Making it longer than four sentences. If it takes too long to read, it defeats its purpose.
- Forgetting to tailor it for each application. Your summary should mirror the language of the job posting.
