“Do I need a professional summary on my resume?”
In a market that’s increasingly dominated by AI-generated content and formulaic resume-development websites, giving your resume a personal touch is one of the best things you can do to boost your attractiveness to hiring managers, and a professional summary is the best way to do just that. Professional summaries are typically three- to five-sentence paragraphs detailing your accomplishments, as well as some soft skills (like leadership, or communication, or ability to work in teams) that might come in handy in the workplace. A professional summary is a place to talk yourself up, highlight what’s great about you, and explain to hiring managers why they should give you an interview. It’s also a great way to provide a bird’s-eye overview of your career outside of your resume alone, and can easily intrigue a reader enough that they’ll read the rest of your resume more closely. Additionally, a professional summary can showcase your personality, demonstrating to hiring managers that not only are you a human being, but you’re also bringing your own individuality to the table.
“Should I include an objective statement instead?”
Objective statements, or resume-opening paragraphs similar to the professional summary where an individual explains why they want a certain job or what kind of role they’re looking for, aren’t very useful as resume-writing tools. For one thing, they’re redundant. The fact that you’re applying for a job means that you’re interested in it, and you don’t necessarily need to explain why unless you’re asked in an interview. Additionally, objective statements don’t demonstrate what you can bring to the table as a candidate, or any reason why a company should hire you. Hiring managers aren’t looking for what you’re able to take – they want to know what you’re able to give.
For example, here’s an objective statement (i.e. what you shouldn’t do):
“Marketing expert with a decade of experience seeking a position in advertising or account management that allows me to operate in a client support role, while also enabling me to develop content and collaborate with creative teams. Ideally would like to work with non-profit organizations but am willing to use my skills in for-profit corporations as well. Participating in a healthy and social company culture is also important to me.”
And in contrast, here’s a great professional summary (i.e. what you should do):
“Marketing Manager with 10+ years of experience in account supervision, liaising between clients and creative teams to develop robust content that drives revenue and increases brand visibility. Driven leader spearheading innovative programs, leveraging communication skills to facilitate both business growth and non-profit donations. Proven team player passionate about building relationships with coworkers and clients, developing strong professional bonds that lead to greater synergy.”
As you can see, the professional summary is not only more polished, but conveys the applicant’s skills and talents without coming across as overly-specific, redundant, or pushy. In the end, a professional summary will highlight your skills most effectively, making you stand apart from the crowd and boosting your chances of landing that interview.