Of the thousands of resume reviews Night and Day Resume has provided over the past couple of years I can say, confidently, that the summary section is the most important and most neglected.
With the wrong message, you might as well not even send your resume.
The top section of your resume should be titled “Summary”. It’s an introduction to your personality, your background, your passion and it should include an objective to provide the reader an understanding of your intended career direction, but be careful of how you phrase it.
A summary that offers “desire to grow within your distinguished company” or “opportunity to grow” or my personal favorite “ability to learn and grow in your fast growing organization”. Can you see why these statements are limiting? Can you tell why, as a reader of resumes, I cringe?
As a recruiter, I disqualify someone if they send me a summary that’s not relevant to the company I’m recruiting for. What if this stable, flat organization has the most awesome opportunity for you to hit the ground running on the first day and make a difference, but there is no growth opportunity at this time?
Do you still want the job, or should I go onto the next resume? Of course you want the job, but you limit your appeal with a canned summary that might keep your resume from getting read beyond the first section. It shows you haven’t really looked into the company you are asking to hire you.
You need to do your homework!
Spend 5-10 minutes to look into the company and read the job description before you write your summary. Read it thoroughly. Tailor your summary to that job. If it doesn’t seem right, then don’t send your resume and find another job to submit to. If you aren’t jumping through your computer to crank out an email to the person that posted the role, or ran that ad, then it probably isn’t the job for you.
The economy is coming back in certain markets, in certain sectors and in dribs and drabs, but don’t get discouraged. Quite the opposite, get encouraged that the right role is out there for you and when you see it, take the time to write a great summary for your resume before you send your resume. You might send fewer resumes, but quality over quantity will work better every time!
Best, Wayne
Co-Founder
Night and Day Resume