"Resume summary A resume summary should quickly describe your relevant experience and key achievements. For example: Four-year university cum laude graduate with 3 years of experience in volunteer work for nonprofits, seeking to increase outreach for a humanitarian nonprofit. Through outreach plans and action, improved donations for local Salvation Army chapter by more than 33%. Resume Format Image description Should you use a resume summary? In general, a summary is the better choice if you have at least three years of relevant experience, while objectives are better for entry-level candidates to describe their short-term career goals. However, there are no hard rules on which to use. If you are an entry-level candidate, you can still use a resume summary, especially if you have one or more of the following: Experience from internships Past work experience from relevant fields Extracurricular activities Leadership roles Club memberships Volunteer work If you consider your range of experiences, you may find plenty of content that justifies writing a resume summary for your entry-level job applications. We will examine three different ways to write a great beginner-level resume summary. Read more: Resume Profile vs. Objective (With Examples) How to write an entry-level resume summary When searching for an entry-level job, consider the best resume summary style to communicate your credentials, skills and experiences. There are three main types of entry-level resume summaries: Bulleted summary Direct address summary Transferable skills summary 1. Bulleted summary One effective and simple way of summarizing your ideal qualities for a job is by listing them in bulleted form. All resume summaries are useful for explaining unique traits or qualifications, but bulleted lists are especially helpful for entry-level candidates. When to use a bulleted summary Bulleted lists are a good format if you have several distinct qualities you want to express, each with some detail. It may be less useful if you have qualities that are too short to put in bullet point format. Three is a good number of bullet points to begin with. If you use less than three, the summary may look sparse, and if you use more than four or five, it can overwhelm your resume. Bulleted summary example This is an example of a possible resume summary for a position as a beginner checkout clerk at a health and fitness store. The candidate is a high school graduate with no long-term work experience. "4+ years experience in the health and nutrition industries through working with friends, family and summer jobs" "A sociable and passionate team player, comfortable with high-pressure situations and able to respond to leadership opportunities" "Fluent in English and Spanish, with experience in Hispanic cultures from childhood" The candidate cares about health because both parents are personal trainers, and he has experience helping his parents in health-related events. The experience occurred during his years in high school, including volunteer work that could be described later in the resume. Since the store is in a city with many Spanish speakers and both his parents speak Spanish, he included that for a bullet point, as well. 2. Direct address summary Another way to summarize your qualities and make them stand out is by directly addressing the business. Direct address summaries demand more attention and make your resume seem targeted to the job. When you directly address an employer, be sure that you state a specific goal for working there. For instance, instead of “helping ABC Company succeed,” you could say something like “improving customer retention and repeat sales at ABC Company.” When to use a direct address summary Direct address summaries are worth using when you have a small handful of ideal employers. They are also a great fit if your experience aligns with specific business needs. If you ever see a job description that feels especially tuned to your skills and interests, a direct address might be the best option. Make sure to update this portion every time you send out your resume. Direct address summary example Here is an example of a resume summary for a receptionist job that directly addresses the company by name. The individual is a recent college graduate who worked various small jobs during school. "Highly motivated customer service specialist with 4+ years experience, seeking to help ABC Company keep clients happy. Assisted others through multiple temporary and seasonal jobs in customer service, conflict resolution, team motivation and scheduling. Driven to focus on a singular business and maximize efficiency, time management and employee health." The direct mention of the company name gets the hiring manager’s attention. The candidate has experience with similar jobs, and mentioning the aspiration to work with a specific company to contribute to one of their key goals makes the pitch more attractive. 3. Transferable skills summary Any skills or traits that would be useful to employers across nearly all industries are considered transferable skills. They are critical for resume building because they are universally appealing. These often include soft skills like leadership, time management, teamwork and other qualities. In this resume summary, you should make those skills the focal point. When to use a transferable skills summary You may want to consider a transferable skills resume summary if you have some especially relevant transferable skills for the job, such as communication in an application for a marketing firm. This is a good option for people changing roles or industries. Review the job description to choose which skills to list. Transferable skill summaries are also recommended if you have awards or achievements that serve as evidence for the skills. Transferable skills summary example Here is an example of an entry-level resume summary based on the candidate’s transferable skills. The job is in the construction industry and the candidate is a recent high school graduate. "Physically fit and passionate construction professional seeking to take on new challenges. Experienced in carpentry and parking lot construction, with a deep interest in team building, efficiency, communication, work ethic and safety. Received awards in construction-related volunteer work for effort and leadership." This example ended the summary with the awards the person received. This type of proof should be introduced at the end of the summary and then explained in later portions of the resume or cover letter, unless it is an accolade the employer would be familiar with, like a car dealership manager contributing to his dealership receiving an excellence award by an automaker. Read more: Writing a Resume With No Experience Tips for writing an entry-level resume summary Here are several tips for writing a strong resume summary that can quickly communicate your qualifications to employers, no matter which format you choose: It may help to write your summary after completing the rest of your resume. This will give you more context to work from and help you select your most competitive qualities. Review the job description and include keywords that align with your own skills. Quantify your skills by measuring the impact you’ve made in previous roles. If the most impressive parts of your resume are not featured in the summary, you may rewrite it to lead with those points. The first bullet point or sentence of the summary should describe your professional title and how much experience you have in the industry. Shorter summaries are generally best—pare down to one or two short or medium sentences or three bullet points. The three basic elements of a great summary are experience, skills and achievements. Ask yourself if you have highlighted each of these in a clear, straightforward and impactful way. See your instant resume report on Indeed Get recommendations for your resume in minutes Make a great summary lead to a great resume Your summary is just one element of an impressive entry-level resume. Even with little or no work experience, you can make your resume stand out to employers looking for talent like you. Here are several tips for writing an entry-level resume: Include internships and other experiences In your experience section, include any internships, participation in organizations (especially with a leadership role), volunteer positions or previously held jobs. When deciding which to include, prioritize those most relevant to the position for which you’re applying and list them in reverse-chronological order. Including experience like this will communicate your ability to commit and follow through on responsibilities. Quantify accomplishments In your experience section, measure any impact you’ve made with the skills you used on the job. For example: “Organized supply closet, reducing quarterly supply order costs by 30%.” Highlight applicable skills from the job description In your skills section, include the skills and achievements you gained from each of the roles you served with priority on skills listed in the job posting. List both relevant soft skills and hard skills. Focus on what you do have If you don’t have much professional experience, focus on building up your education section. Include awards you’ve earned, honors achievements, your GPA if it's above a 3.5, clubs you participated in and courses completed relevant to the job. Proofread Before submitting, proofread your resume to ensure it is free of any spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors. Consider asking a trusted friend or family member to review your resume from a third-party perspective with fresh eyes."
Help me to write a summary as an EIE fresh grad in HKPolyU