How to Write a Career Summary
Although an objective statement is traditionally found at the top of a resume, more workers are finding that a career summary section is more effective in getting a potential employer's attention. Rather than a succinct sentence that states your career goals, a career summary is more similar to the body of a cover letter. A well-written career summary not only summarizes your career thus far, but also it highlights skills and accomplishments directly related to the job for which you are applying.
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Instructions
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1
Read the job description thoroughly, or contact the company to find out exactly what qualifications and skills it is looking for in an employee. Just like your cover letter, your career summary is most effective when tailored to the specific job you want.
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2
Write down a list of three to five experiences or accomplishments in your career that you feel demonstrate that you fulfill those requirements demanded by the job you want. For example, if you are applying for an assistant manager position that requires recruiting and training new employees and you successfully recruited a record number of employees at one of your previous jobs, that accomplishment should be included in your career summary.
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3
Write the summary, which should take up approximately half of the first page of your resume and may employ a bullet point list if you wish. Avoid using first person "I," instead referring to yourself in career terms such as "experienced manager" or "recent IT graduate." Incorporate the accomplishments you listed in Step 2, including both facts such as "increased sales by 15 percent in six months," and more intangible qualities such as "highly motivated and goal-oriented."
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4
Follow with a bullet-point list of four to five examples of what you believe are your strongest skills, such as "analytical skills" or "financial expert." This is optional but can be effective.
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