Do I Really Need a Summary?

A resume summary is a short paragraph like a mini cover letter that delivers the key points of a resume. Resume summaries are becoming increasingly popular, but are they really necessary?

A resume summary is ideal for those who have been continuously employed for more than three years in the same industry. Those who are changing industries, are finishing their education or have had a prolonged absence from the job market would be better off with a one-sentence objective stating exactly what they want to achieve.

A strong resume summary is helpful for many job seekers because it makes it easier for the reviewer to find pertinent information. Because it effectively speaks to the person reviewing job applications and explains why you're the ideal candidate for the job, it should be personalized for each job application. For example, if a job requires five years of Drupal experience (and you have that experience), you should include this information in your summary.

If you've already included the pertinent information in your cover letter, you might feel it is unnecessary to repeat the information in your summary. If your cover letter is strong enough, a resume summary may be unnecessary. However, when job applications don't allow a cover letter or when you're not sure that your cover letter is even going to be read (and many are not), a resume summary helps draw the screener's eye toward your key qualifications.

Formatting a resume summary is fairly simple. Position the summary below your name and contact information so that it's near the top of your resume. It should be three to four sentences long and be specific to the position, highlighting your past experience or key qualifications for the job. Remember that the idea is to tell the reviewer why you're the best person for the job, so focus on what you can do for the company and how you have performed in similar situations. If you can, include a few hard figures that reflect your success in your current or most recent position. Alternatively, highlight your key qualifications.

Some suggest boldfacing key words so that a reviewer can find them more easily. Such formatting is a useful tool in moderation, but be aware that it can put off some reviewers. If you do decide to boldface certain words, make sure that it's no more than three words in a sentence.

If you treat a resume summary as a mini cover letter and make it pertinent and useful, you can't go wrong. While there's a lot of contradictory information about precisely what you should include in a resume summary, most advice boils down to two key points: Make it relevant, and keep it concise.

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