What is a summary on a resume
Ever wondered what a resume summary really is — and whether you need one? This short section at the top of your resume can make a big difference in how employers see you. Here’s what you should know before writing yours.
Sarah
Head of Content
Nov 19, 2025
Writing a resume isn’t always straightforward — especially when you’re just starting out. You quickly discover there are rules, formats, and even sections you’re not sure how to use. One that often raises questions is the resume summary. What is it? Do you really need one? And what should it say?
The resume summary has become an important element of modern hiring. When recruiters only spend a few seconds on each application, those first lines of your resume can make all the difference. Used well, they help you instantly show your potential — even if you’re at the beginning of your career.
The Definition of a Resume Summary
A resume summary is a concise paragraph or a few bullet points that introduces you to potential employers. It typically covers:
Your key qualifications
Important skills and achievements
Your professional identity and goals
This section typically appears right after your contact information. Its purpose is to quickly convince recruiters to keep reading.
Why it Matters
A resume summary is more than an introduction. It is a strategic positioning statement that:
Grabs attention at first glance
Highlights your most relevant strengths
Quickly aligns you with the job requirements
Improves ATS keyword matching
Shows confidence and professionalism
Think of it as your headline pitch: short, sharp, and memorable.
And if you want to make sure your summary is perfectly tailored to your experience and the role you’re targeting, SuperCandidate can automatically optimize your resume — try it and make your first impression count.
What to Include in a Resume Summary
A strong summary should answer three core questions:
Who are you professionally? : Your role or expertise
What are your top 2–3 strengths? : Skills that match the job
What makes you stand out? : Results, achievements, certifications, industry knowledge…
Keywords from the job description : To align with ATS requirements
Resume Summary Examples (By Profile)
Marketing Specialist
Results-oriented marketer with 4+ years of experience driving social growth and brand visibility. Skilled in content strategy and performance analytics, with a proven track record of +35% engagement growth across campaigns.
Software Developer
Full-stack developer with expertise in Swift and Node.js. Passionate about scalable architecture and automation, delivering clean, maintainable code and improved app performance by up to 50%.
Customer Support Representative
Empathetic support professional with strong communication skills and 95% customer satisfaction ratings. Known for resolving issues quickly while maintaining a positive user experience.
Entry-Level Candidate
Motivated Business graduate with strong analytical and teamwork skills. Completed two internships in sales support, improving CRM data quality and contributing to +15% lead conversion.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Being too vague: “Hard-working team player”
Using buzzwords without proof
Repeating your job title without adding new information
Writing more than 3–4 lines
Focusing only on your goals instead of your value
A summary should be short, unique, and targeted — not a boring list of clichés.
Conclusion
A resume summary is your elevator pitch on paper. It’s a powerful element of any modern resume that can significantly improve your chances of getting noticed by recruiters and ATS systems.
Take the time to write — and update — your summary for each application. And remember, a resume is just one page, but it comes with many questions: Which font should I use? Should I use the past tense? Should the resume in one page?
Tools like SuperCandidate help you answer all of those questions and build a resume that feels confident, clear, and ready to land interviews.
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