First Impressions Are Huge
While first impressions arent everything, they are incredibly important. Especially when you are one lone resume in a sea of applicants. You need to shine!
Many scientific studies mention the importance of the first impression.;According to one study, a person forms their first impressions about someone within the first 1/10th of a second of seeing them.
While you dont need to worry about landing your dream job in 1/10th of a second, you need to think about how your first impression with the employer will occur.
If you submit your resume through any online platform, such as a job listing or an email, then the recruiters first impression of you will be when they open the document. If science backs up the claim that;we make snap judgments within seconds, then we can assume that your resume introduction paragraph will be the true first impression.
So lets make it awesome!
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Figure Out Where Youre Going
Since you need to be concise, its important to figure out what you want in your next position, so you know exactly what skills and experiences to highlight. If you are not absolutely clear about what you want, envision an ideal position that will value you for the main characteristics and experiences you want to be hired for.
How Not To Start A Resume
You must be clear on how to start a resume but you also need to know what not to do while starting a resume.
Attempting the multipurpose approach
If you start writing a generic resume that you send to all advertised vacancies then you always end up with a huge chance to be tossed in the bin. Your lack of effort is evident in your disinterest in a particular company.
Employers expect you to clearly show how and why you fit the position in their organization.
Establishing what you want to gain from the job.
Your focus should be on what you can provide to the employer. Hereâs what to include in a resume summary statement.
Since summaries are written at the top of the resume it takes up a crucial spot and space of the resume, so it is best to only write about the important things like your skills and proficiencies as you can write about yourself in the cover letter as well.
Blatant lies
Candidates claim to be former CEOs, to have won the Nobel Prize, and to have attended colleges that do not exist. These lies are sometimes misguided attempts to compensate for lacking the necessary qualifications for the job.
However, candidates should only concentrate on the skills they can offer.
Candidates who meet three out of five key qualifications for a specific role are prospective of being called for an interview. So, you may not have to add too many false details next time.
Inconsistent formatting
Starting phrases with I
Do not write your resume in the third person.
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How To Start A Resume Heading Statement
If you have followed the instructions, you are almost done with the whole resume. Finish writing the resume by touching the points up with other important guidelines. You may find these guidelines specific to your need on our resume writing blog.
Your heading statement will be the first thing recruiters start reading. It is the first impression. So you may leave it till the end. A few excellent examples of such statements are given below:
Example 1
“8+ years experienced & result oriented Software Engineer skilled in leading the development of multiple commercially successful products from scratch, with active involvement throughout the development life cycle.”
Example 2
“6+ years experienced and result-oriented Finance Professional skilled in finance, P&L management, financial policy, and receivables/payables management for different industries.”
Example 3
“21+ years experienced & result oriented Business Development Leader with the ability to set up new businesses, conduct sales & business development, manage client relationships & lead teams.”
Example 4
“Experienced & result oriented Marketing Expert skilled at marketing, communications, branding, campaign management, campaign analysis, and team management.”
Example 5
“Result oriented and dedicated Supply Chain Manager with a total work experience of 7+ years in managing supply chains.”
The heading statement is an intro for a resume. The resume summary or resume objective usually follows this statement.
What Is A Good Summary
A good summary should give an objective outline of the whole piece of writing. It should answer basic questions about the original text such as Who did what, where, and when?, or What is the main idea of the text?, What are the main supporting points?, What are the major pieces of evidence?.
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A Complete Resume Summary Guide
A resume summary statement is a one- to two-sentence professional introduction that you can add to the top of your resume to highlight your most valuable skills and experiences. The resume summary can help employers quickly learn whether you have the skills and background they require.
In this article, we look at what a resume summary is, the benefits of including one and how to write a resume summary with examples.
Business And Management Summary Examples
Project Manager Resume Summary
Project manager with a proven track record of working with agile and waterfall project management methodologies. Managed 5+ teams of software projects over the past 3 years. Basic understanding of several programming languages, including Java, React, and NodeJS.
Click here for the full project manager resume example.
Business Analyst Resume Summary
Solutions-driven business analyst with over 5 years of experience in consulting businesses and analyzing their operations. Previous experience in working with Consulting Company X and Consulting Company Y. Strong understanding of digital transformation. Improved a client companys processes by taking them online, which improved manufacturing output by 3%.
Human Resources Resume Summary
HR professional with 5+ years of experience in recruitment. Worked with every part of the recruitment process, including sourcing, vetting, and onboarding of candidates. Passionate about IT recruitment, having worked as a tech recruiter at Company X. MBA from University X.
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How To Write A Resume Summary If You’re A Fresh Graduate
If youre a student or a fresh graduate, you probably dont have much to brag about in your resume yet.
But thats only true to some extent. Even as an entry-level candidate, you already have at least some experience and skills. You just have to find the right way to articulate them.
Whats more, its quite likely that the other candidates are just as inexperienced as you are. After all, experienced professionals rarely apply for entry-level positions. Because of that, your primary goal is to stand out and make the employer remember you. And you can do that even if your experience is limited.
Its not like youve just spent most of your life at school and learned nothing. You just need to understand how your studies intersect with the jobs requirements.
;Heres how you can do it:
- State your field of study, degree, and GPA ;
- Mention relevant skills gained in internships, part-time jobs, volunteer work;
- Add related coursework or school projects.
- Also, try to translate your most notable achievements into numbers. Maybe you were on the student council. You can mention how you received 2,300 votes and helped organize 5 large school events that were attended by 3,000 students.
In the end, a fresh graduate resume summary should look something along these lines:;
Hired by Bupa Business Administration Intern
Foodservice Resume Summary Examples
- Motivated and inspired Cook with 15+ years of experience in high volume casual and fine-dining restaurants. Dedicated to increasing kitchen efficiencies and delighting customers while continually striving to improve culinary expertise.
- Punctual Delivery Driver with 3+ years of experience meeting strict deadlines in fast-paced environments while focusing on increasing productivity to drive brand loyalty.
- Prep Cook with fifteen years of experience in food handling. Expert at slicing, keeping inventory stocked and ensuring the cleanliness of kitchen counters and utensils.
- Adaptable Hostess with 3+ years of experience upholding excellent customer service standards across lunch and dinner service. Organizes seating and reservations with care to improve workflow.
- Organized and friendly Restaurant Team Member with excellent organizational skills and three years of experience in customer service, sales, inventory, stocking, cleaning and maintaining store compliance.
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What’s An Executive Summary
A;resume summary;is sometimes referred to as an executive summary, especially for upper-level positions. An;executive resume summary statement;is even more critical for advanced positions since prospective employers will be primarily focusing on and comparing the track record of success that candidates have developed in similar roles.
How To Write A Powerful Resume Summary
If there is one section in your resume that has the maximum impact on your chances of landing your dream job, it is this one Resume Summary.
Whether you are a recent college graduate or have spent years in the workforce, it is always hard to summarize yourself and your work experience in a few lines.
Consider the resume summary as your elevator pitch. These few lines would either convince the hiring manager to look through your resume in detail, or just move on to the other one.
Do not write a vague objective statement like To obtain a position enabling me to utilize my strong communication and leadership skills that offers growth and advancement opportunities.
You need to hone in on the most vital information in your resume to outline why youre the best candidate for the job and what you bring to the table for the employer.
Take a look at these following examples that would help you write a powerful resume summary, and get your resume past the screening stage.
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Professional Summary Example For Customer Service
Performance-driven and motivated customer service rep offering 4+ years of relevant experience. Eager to join the Techia team and contribute to the growth of the company. In the previous role, the ability to make customers comfortable and relaxed allowed for 98% customer service survey results and had 25% more sales than the average employer.;
Use A Resume Summary Statement
Professionals who work with career coaches and those who have done some solid web research have come to understand that they need to master their Elevator Speech.
This speech is a short summary of an employees value proposition and should be thought of as a sales pitch that is ready to go anytime you run into a potential hiring manager or networking contact.
A carefully prepared Elevator Speech is customized to the person giving the speech and contains information that makes the professional stand out while still focusing on things the employer wants to know .
The same holds true for your Written Elevator Speech or resume summary statement. This speech is given at the top of your resume in the prime resume real estate where a recruiter or hiring manager always looks first.
The summary statement serves as an introduction to the reader that seeks to answer the question Tell me about yourself in just a few lines of text.
The resume summary statement will help your resume stand out by:a. Catching the readers attention immediately
b. Ensuring a clear understanding of your top selling points at a glance
c. Putting emphasis on your career highlights and key strengths in an easy-to-scan format
d. Briefly communicating your professional objective if relevant
Every resume can benefit from a summary statement. For some candidates, it can be critical.
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Determine Your Resume Format
How you choose to format your resume depends on how much experience you have, your industry and what other industry-specific information you need to include. Here are the most common resume formats:;
Chronological resume
This type of resume includes your experience in reverse chronological order. This is the most commonly used resume and recruiters usually prefer it because it is straightforward and easy to scan. Start by listing your current or most recent role first, then list any previous work experience below.
After your work experience section, include your education, relevant skills and any other relevant information such as certifications, volunteer work, student activities or courses. If you hold multiple degrees, list your degrees in the education section in reverse chronological order.
Read more: Chronological Resume Tips and Examples
Functional resume
These can be best for those making a career pivot or with a gap between jobs, as it focuses on skills and experience rather than listing your work history in chronological order. Start a functional resume with a qualifications summary, then group your experience by skillset.
Read more: Functional Resume Tips and Examples
Combination resume
Use Numbers In Your Resume Summary
Great resume summaries include quantified achievements. Attaching numbers to your resume profile helps recruiters see your potential.
For example, some powerful numbers that you can include on your resume summary:
- Number of years of experience
- Number of people youâve managed
- Number of customers youâve acquired or served
- Size of team that you worked on
- Productivity or efficiency gains as a percentage
Quantify your results
Made supply chain of my company better while managing a team.
Correct Example
Supply Chain Manager with 5+ years of experience. Achieved a 20% reduction in inventory days. Managed a team of 5 direct reports.
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Choose The Perfect Format
There are three standard modes of formatting your resume.
Reverse Chronological Resume Format
Generally, people use the reverse chronological resume format. In reverse chronological format, your most recent or former job is written first and traces back to your initial years to your education.
It is easy for employers to quickly scan what job positions you have served and for how long you have had served them. It may also include other sections such as technical skills, education, and certifications.
For applicants with extensive work history, this format is perfectly suitable to highlight their experience.
2. Functional Resume Format
Functional resumes emphasize on skills and professional experience.
However, in the functional format, the reverse-chronological work history is not evident. Therefore, it is perfectly suitable for those people who are looking for a career change or have gaps between their work history.
This happens by focusing on capabilities and skills. The functional resume format emphasizes your skills and demonstrates your capabilities rather than your responsibilities.
This type of format is perfectly suitable for those who are applying for a job that demands certain specific traits or skills.
3. Combination Resume
This type of resume is a combination of functional and reverse chronological resume formats.
In this format, your skills and professional experience are written in reverse chronological order.
Writing The Professional Summary
Here re first quick tips for writing the summary section in a resume.
1. Keep it ShortThe first difficulty with summaries like these is that being summaries they will probably not include everything you might at first want to say about yourself.
But this can work to your advantage. In 3 to 4 short sentences, the summary should include that part of your expertise which is most relevant to the specific position.
2. Know Your Company Use your knowledge of the company you want to work for. Do a bit of research it will not be time wasted.
3. List your Technical ProficienciesIts good to use technical specifics in your descriptions to convey real and relevant knowledge. Incorporate each technical detail into short descriptions of no more than 2-3 words.
4. RewriteCarefully write and rewrite the summary for optimal results. In a few clear words describe your experience, accomplishments, primary and secondary skills, job objectives, and personal characteristics.
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Resume Summary Example For Teens
Fast-learning waiter with proven customer service skills. Looking to provide excellence in service at Mardibinis on the Sea. At The Lobster Pound, received 5 management commendations for providing high-level service. Maintained 95% positive customer comment review scores.
Source: Resume Examples for TeensGuide + Sample and 25 Writing Tips
Expert Hint:How important are cover letters? Theyre quite important. We conducted a study which revealed that 83% of recruiters take cover letter into consideration when deciding who to hire.
Double your impact with a matching resume and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter builder and make your application documents pop out.
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Resume Objective Examples And Corresponding Career Summaries For Entry
Once youve determined that including an objective will benefit your resume, here are some entry-level resume objective examples you may want to consider. Lets say youre applying to graphic design jobs at a popular company:
World-class design firm Company A is looking to hire an entry-level designer. Candidate must be passionate about design trends, be comfortable with Color Software Program, a creative problem solver, and eager to pitch in on multiple projects in our collaborative work environment.
Objective: To build a long-term career in graphic design with opportunities for career growth.Summary: As a lead designer of State Universitys student newspaper, I look forward to staying on the cutting-edge of design trends as I progress throughout my career.
Objective: To enhance my educational and professional skills in a stable and dynamic workplace.Summary: I welcome the chance to advance my formidable knowledge of Color Software Program even further at Company A, which is renowned for exceptional design.
Objective: To solve problems in a creative and effective manner in a challenging position.Summary: I enjoy creative problem solving and getting exposure on multiple projects, and I would excel in the collaborative environment on which your company prides itself.
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Elementary School Teacher Resume Example & Writing Tips For 2020 Resume Summary
Educator with 5 years of experience in elementary schools teaching kids in grades 2-4. Ability to facilitate a classroom learning experience by breaking down subjects into a series of small and organized lessons. Looking to progress my career and continue to help young children increase their knowledge and unlock their potential.