Get your resume noticed! How to write a resume summary

You know all of those old-school, generic resume templates you can find online? I'm looking at you, boring word doc 👀⁠ ⁠

Yeah...They don’t work anymore ❌⁠

On average, a recruiter will spend just 6-7 SECONDS scanning your resume...and those basic, traditional resumes aren’t going to get you noticed.⁠ Few people know how to make a resume really 🎶 SING 🎶 - and you're about to be one of them!⁠

It all starts at the beginning - the resume summary! This is where you can really make your resume STAND OUT and grip the attention of a recruiter. As your career bestie, I WANT you to succeed. So, I’m sharing my best resume summary hacks. Watch the video below or read on to level up your resume summary section 🔥

4 hacks to crafting a stand-out resume summary

Discuss what makes you, YOU in your resume summary

Your summary section should be a perfect snapshot that gives the recruiter juuuust enough of a taste for them to think 'damn, I've gotta know more about this person'.⁠

Remember to take the angle you need to in order to make the most compelling marketing pitch for the role - this might mean you focus less on traditional work experience and more on side hustles or volunteering gigs. ⁠

Provide a snapshot of what you do and what you specialised in:

8+ years experience in empowering multicultural teams to grow and rock the marketing landscape.

Here are a few prompts to get you started 👇

• 'An X professional who specialises in...'
• 'My entire career to date has been driven by...'
• 'X years in Y industry, with a knack for...'

Use your resume summary to prove the value you bring

It’s SO crucial to make your resume summary section about THEM (a.k.a the company you’re applying to work for). That means emphasising the value you will bring to the team. For example, what impact do you have on an organisation?

On a daily basis, you’ll find me maximising people potential and shaping the strategy and voice of tech companies one content piece at a time.

Make sure this impact is something that is applicable to the organisation or industry you want to break into - it should align with what the hiring manager will be looking for. Ultimately, managers want people who will deliver a return on investment…

• Did you save money or time?
• Did you help generate revenue?
• Were you responsible for budgets of $X?

That’s the kind of value-add information you should be including in your resume summary to ensure it hits the mark! See the below example of a certified BADASS resume summary section:

With a knack for nurturing client relationships that translate into multiple six-figures in revenue and experience managing budgets of up to $650,000, I have developed solid expertise in stakeholder management, team collaboration, and client management.

A resume summary always includes the next steps

It’s also important to highlight the parts of you that best reflect where you want to go next. What you want next should be in perfect alignment with what the company needs.

Ask yourself "What problem does the company have, and how can I solve this moving forward?"

Now, I’m looking to leverage my passion for managing and developing strong teams into a new context as a Talent and Culture Partner.

This way, both you and the hiring manager have full certainty that this role is a perfect fit and will benefit both parties. The ultimate aim of any new hire process is to create a win-win situation. So, that’s exactly what you’re going to emphasise as a close to your resume summary section!

Have someone else sell you - use quotes in your resume summary

Throwing in some kind words from a former boss or colleague goes a long way in terms of increasing your credibility and appeal as a candidate.

This step is more of a ‘nice-to-have’ as opposed to a necessity, but it can give you the edge over high-quality candidates.

Have you recently had an annual review? If so, you could pull some positive comments from that to incorporate into your resume summary. Likewise, if you have recommendations on LinkedIn you could use one of those too! It’s vital to select a quote that encapsulates your value-add, skills specific to the role, and/or incredible work ethic and drive.

It’s all about painting the best picture of yourself for that hiring manager so they simply HAVE to hire you!

Now, what do all four of these resume summary hacks look like when they’re put together? I’m so glad you asked! Check out this *chef’s kiss* 👩‍🍳resume summary section below:

8+ years experience in empowering multicultural teams to grow and rock the marketing and communications landscape. On a daily basis, you’ll find me maximising people potential and shaping the strategy and voice of tech companies one content piece at a time. With a knack for nurturing client relationships that translate into multiple six-figures in revenue and experience managing budgets of up to $650,000, I have developed solid expertise in stakeholder management, team collaboration, and client management. Now, I’m looking to leverage my passion for managing and developing strong teams into a new context as a Talen and Culture Parter.

When you bring all four of these resume summary tips together, it equates to one freaking BADASS resume summary section and a killer personal brand that will captivate the hiring manager’s attention and leave a lasting impression so that interview will be all yours.

That’s it! Make the most out of your resume summary with these tips and 💥STAND OUT 💥 so you can freaking land that interview!!

Now that your resume summary speaks for itself, are you ready to level up the rest of it? ⚡️⚡️⚡️ Check out my FREE masterclass 5 Keys to Badass Your Resume where I go into extra juicy resume tips, or download my Killer Resume Cheat Sheet!

Stay badass,

Rosie x