what to put on personal profile of resume

10 Resume Profile Examples (And How to Write Yours)

Imagine you've got everything covered in your resume : You listed your past experiences, included keywords from the job description, and pared it down to design elements an applicant tracking system (ATS) can parse. Now it’s an accurate representation of your professional qualifications—but you still can’t shake the feeling that who you are as a person is getting a bit lost. That’s where a resume profile comes in.

Adding this section to your resume is a good way to show more of your personality while still being professional. Curious? Read on to find out exactly what a resume profile is, and how to write yours—including examples.

What is a resume profile?

A resume profile is a few concise sentences or bullet points that can be placed at the top of your resume (below the header). It “describes who you are as a professional,” says Muse career coach Yolanda Owens , founder of CareerSensei and who also worked as a college corporate recruiter for more than 20 years.

Once you perfect your resume, check out open jobs on The Muse to maximize your chances »

Career professionals don’t all agree on the exact contents of a resume profile, or even on whether it’s different from a resume summary . So you have a bit of flexibility in how you think about yours and what you include in it.

For example, you might think of a resume profile as a way to “tell the reader who you are, what you do, and what you’re looking for,” so that you can grab their attention and “quickly showcase your accomplishments,” says Muse career coach and former recruiter Jennifer Smith , founder of Flourish Careers .

Or you might approach your resume profile like Owens does, as the equivalent to “a dating profile that describes how you see yourself at work, and the type of work environment that makes you feel productive and purposeful.”

What’s the difference between a resume summary and a profile?

While some career coaches may use the terms resume summary and resume profile interchangeably, others treat them differently.

The first is a quick synopsis of the relevant experiences and skills you bring to a role. The latter can do the same, but it can also focus on your traits and achievements, your story as a professional, and your desires for your next role.

At this point, you might be wondering: If a resume profile includes what you’re looking for in your next role , how is it different from a resume objective ? Some people say that resume objectives are outdated at best and a waste of space at worst. If that’s true, why is a resume profile acceptable?

The difference lies in “the additional context that’s included in the profile,” says Smith. A traditional objective merely states what you’re looking for and maybe a vague reason why. But “the profile goes deeper into who you are and what you do” in addition to what you’re looking for next, connecting your past and present to your future.

Is a resume profile necessary? Who should use it?

Resume profiles can be advantageous for all job seekers, Smith says, especially for those “who are changing either their role or industry.” If you’re a career changer , a strong, explicit resume profile will give you space to tell the reader right up front that, no, you didn’t apply to this job by mistake—this is the next step in your career and here’s why.

Resume profiles are also particularly useful for entry-level job seekers who may need to tie their education and other experiences together more explicitly. If a candidate is writing an entry-level resume , Owens suggests that they “use the profile section to explain what they’re looking for in terms of challenges and learning, and the skills they possess that could potentially add value.”

What to include in a resume profile

Think about what you’d want the person reading your resume to know first. Is it something about your qualifications or your biggest accomplishment? Is it how well you work with others or what your personality adds to a team? This is what should go into your resume profile. You have a few sentences (or bullets) to work with, so don’t restrict yourself to highlighting just one thing.

Here are a few types of information that you can include in a resume profile, according to our coaches:

• Relevant skills and experiences
• Relevant achievements and accomplishments
• Years of experience
• Strengths as a professional (both soft and hard skills )
• Signature traits related to the job
• Personal traits that contribute to your work
• Qualities you’re looking for in your next role, team, or company
• Willingness to relocate (if you’re applying to a job not near the location listed on your resume)

What are recruiters looking for in a resume profile?

Don’t underestimate the power of a good first impression to get someone to keep reading the rest of your resume with interest. “The resume profile has an ability to quickly convince a recruiter that the person is a strong, qualified candidate,” says recruiter and Muse career coach Steven Davis , founder and CEO of Renaissance Solutions .

But recruiting isn’t just about making sure candidates have the right skills, Owens says. Recruiters also need to get a feel for whether the team and work environment will be a good match for the candidate long term.

Candidates’ skills and experiences should be well represented throughout their resumes, so as a recruiter, Owens most often “looked at the profile as a way to get a sense of their work persona and gauge environment fit for the role.”

How to write a profile for a resume : 5 steps

Once you know what recruiters and hiring managers are looking for in your resume profile and what you’d like to portray, you can follow these tips as you write your own:

1. Keep it concise

Your resume profile should be no more than four sentences or bullet points, and should not have more than 500 characters. Remember recruiters read dozens of resumes daily, so you don't want yours to be unnecessarily long and tiring.

2. Find the format the suits you best

Decide if you want to use either bullet points or paragraph form. Your resume profile can be written as bullet points, but keep in mind that bullet points often take up more space than a paragraph. “To preserve real estate on the resume and attempt to keep it to one to two pages , I always recommend using paragraph format,” Owens says.

3. Consider the position you're applying for

Tailor your profile to the job, but not so much that it’s not true to who you are. If your resume profile is closer to a summary that highlights your key qualifications and accomplishments as they relate to a given job, you should be tailoring it very carefully for each application and incorporating keywords from the job description.

Read more: What it Really Means to "Tailor Your Resume"

However, if your resume profile is more of a personal (but still professionally appropriate) description of yourself, Owens recommends against tailoring it to match each job: “What you don’t want to do is try to tell employers what you think they want to hear,” she says, if it doesn’t reflect who you are. “That’s how you end up in positions where you’re ultimately unhappy.”

4. Quantify your experiences and accomplishments

Whenever possible, quantify your experiences and accomplishments by adding numbers, percentages, and other metrics to your resume profile. Keep in mind that recruiters nowadays not only want to know what you did, but also what you achieved and the exact results of your work.

5. Show some personality

While the rest of your resume won’t let much of your personality shine through, your profile gives you an opportunity for creativity. If you’re applying to a casual company, you can add a splash of personality, but if you’re applying to a more formal organization, it’s best to keep things more buttoned up.

Resume profile: Examples

Want to know what all this advice looks like in action? Check out these 10 resume profile examples for different types of job seekers and professions.

Career changer

Quality-control team lead with 10+ years experience who specializes in making thorough business decisions and leading others through day-to-day operations to achieve excellence. Decided to transition to the outdoor recreation industry during the COVID-19 pandemic after realizing that people, especially children, spend too much time indoors behind computer screens. Excited to bring experience in quality assurance and operations to a management position at an outdoor recreation facility to help people of all ages get outside and enjoy themselves safely.

Recent college graduate or entry-level candidate

Recent magna cum laude animal sciences graduate with a focus on small animal care excited to bring passion and knowledge to a position with an animal shelter or animal-focused nonprofit and learn more about programs that protect animals from euthanasia. As president of the University of Georgia chapter of the Association of Shelter Veterinarians, planned, organized, advertised, and managed a fundraiser that brought in over $20,000 in donations to a local shelter while also placing 43 cats and dogs with adoptive families. Proud dog mom of two former shelter pets, Dakota and Miley (pictures available upon request).

Account Executive (Sales)

Account executive who has been making deals since my first lemonade stand at age four for a total of $20+ million in sales. I love the rush of being on a sales team working toward goals—both in exceeding my own targets and in cheering on my teammates and celebrating their wins. In my current role, I’ve discovered that the most satisfying feeling of all was teaching a few of our SDRs to close deals. Seeing how proud they were of themselves as they got better motivated me to seek out a sales training role at a highly collaborative company.

Find account executives jobs on The Muse

A detail-oriented accountant with experience preparing tax and financial reports for charities to be posted publicly online. Evaluated budget (including payroll) for inefficiencies and suggested cost-cutting and time-saving measures that ultimately allowed the nonprofit to put an additional 5% of yearly donations directly into charitable programs. Excited to bring accounting skills to a nonprofit in the public health sector after spending over five years volunteering for public health charities such as the Red Cross and Project N95.

Find accountant jobs on The Muse

Customer Service Representative

An empathetic customer service representative who loves getting to talk to new people every day and help them solve problems. Crafted service approach of finding out what customers’ goals are and what their level of expertise in the product was rather than automatically giving boilerplate advice, leading to a 92% customer satisfaction rating. Avid video game player and designer looking to bring this passion to a customer service role for a gaming company.

Find customer service representative jobs on The Muse

Human Resources Manager

Human resources generalist who oversaw the transition of a 100+ employee company to remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Adept at dealing with the issues facing fully remote or hybrid workforces, including in hiring, professional development, and conflict resolution. Conceived of and instituted DEI programs for employees working from home. Looking for a position with a company that has a fully distributed or hybrid workforce and is committed to increasing diversity in its hiring pool.

Find human resources manager jobs on The Muse

Marketing Manager

Email marketer with 6+ years of experience gathering data-driven insights to make decisions about marketing campaigns. Conceived, proposed, and executed a campaign for a new headphone line across all marketing channels including email, social, content marketing, and print ads, with a total reach of 30 million impressions leading to over $1 million in sales. A team player who has taken the time to learn what each teammate in 10-person marketing department does and even filled in for them when needed. Excited to find a position in a collaborative work environment that oversees marketing campaigns across multiple channels.

Find marketing manager jobs on The Muse

Office Administrator

• Friendly, organized, and proactive administrative assistant with four years of experience looking to move into an office administrator role
• Saved office over $3,000 per quarter in supplies by creating new inventory tracking document on Google Sheets, showing other employees how to check supply levels and request orders, and comparing the supply sheet to inventory every two weeks to stop duplicate supply orders
• Spent four months filling in for office manager during maternity leave

Find office administrator jobs on The Muse

Project Manager

Looking for a project manager who can save at-risk initiatives and projects and make sure they come in on time and under budget and are fully functional at launch? I’ve held positions in customer care, engineering, product, and communications, so I know how to work with employees in all departments and see a project from multiple angles, ensuring each piece is on track and communicating with stakeholders along the way. I work best in environments where innovation is encouraged and no one expects to wear just one hat.

Find project manager jobs on The Muse

Web Developer

• Back-end web developer with experience using Java, Python, and SQL to develop features for online databases
• Go-to debugger on team of seven engineers
• Developed a site (link) that uses television shows you’ve watched to suggest new shows based on the ratings and recommendations of users with similar watch histories, bringing in an average of 10,000 visitors monthly

Find web developer jobs on The Muse

How to Write a Convincing Resume Profile [+23 Examples]

On average, a recruiter looks at your resume for around 6 seconds. 

Yep, that’s right - they give your CV a quick skim, and if they don’t find what they’re looking for, they just move on to the next one.

Think fast!

How can you convince the recruiter to read your resume, the same instant they look at it?

The answer is simple: you should create a resume profile.

And in this guide, we’re going to teach you how, exactly, you can do that.

• What a resume profile is and why it’s important
• How to create an effective resume profile in 3 easy steps
• 26 practical resume profile examples

How to Write a Resume Profile (Step-by-Step)

OK, let's start with the obvious - what even is a Resume Profile?

The resume profile is a short,3-5 sentence paragraph that summarizes your career. It covers your top achievements, skills, and years of experience. 

The resume profile is also known as a resume summary and resume profile statement.

Here’s what a resume profile looks like on a resume:

Now, let’s talk about why you should include a resume profile:

• It shows the recruiter that you’re relevant from the get-go, giving them a reason to read the rest of your resume.
• It helps you stand out. You don’t just show the recruiter that you’re relevant - you show them that you’re THE right candidate.

And here's an example of a well-written Resume Profile:

Customer Service Team Lead with three years of experience in a multicultural BPO environment. Specialized in the creation & monitoring of KPIs, compliance with SLAs and being the main POC for all key internal and external stakeholders. Looking to transfer process management and performance quality control skills into the exciting position as Quality, Control and Compliance Specialist at XYZ Ltd.

Keep in mind, though, that a resume profile is different from a resume objective.

• The resume profile summarizes your work experience to date and your relevant skills and achievements.
• The objective , on the other hand, is more about your professional goals. You DON’T include work experience here. Instead, you focus more on why you want to work at company X, and how your background makes you the right fit.

So, if you don’t have much relevant work experience (recent graduate, career change, etc.), you should opt for a resume objective instead.

Now that we’ve got the basics out of the way, here's a thorough Step-by-Step on how to build YOUR resume profile:

Step #1 - Tailor Your Resume Profile to the Position

The first thing to do is to tailor your resume profile to the position you're applying for. 

You can’t just take the lazy way out and create a one-size-fits-all resume profile. That way, you’re pretty much setting yourself up for failure.

Instead, it should 100% be written with the job you’re applying for in mind.

When writing your resume profile: 

• Look at the job ad you want to apply to;
• See the requirements;
• Tailor your profile accordingly.

Now, here’s what this looks like in practice. Let's say you're applying for a position in digital marketing.

• 1 - 3 years of experience with Google Ads
• Experience with Facebook Ads
• Excellent copywriting skills
• Experience using Google Tag Manager and Google Data Studio is an advantage

We highlighted all the must-have requirements with Bold and underlined what’s optional.

Now, let’s create the right resume profile for the job:

Google Ads Specialist with 2 years of experience in the creation and management of Google search, display and video ads. Six-month-long project experience with social media marketing. Highly skilled with Google Search, Facebook Ads Manager, and Google Tag Manager. Experienced in creating project reports for clients with Google Data Studio.

Step #2 - Mention Your Top Wins

Now let's look at what you CAN and CAN'T include in your resume profile.

DO's - Relevant :

• Top skills;
• Problems solved;
• Key achievements;
• Awards won;
• Anything that is irrelevant to the job applied for, no matter how big the achievement, how top the skill or how much effort you put into winning that award.

Now, let’s cover a practical example.

Let’s say that 2 candidates are applying for a Junior Javascript Developer position.

Here’s a resume profile done right:

• Recent Computer Science graduate with hands-on experience. Took part in 6-month-long Agile development process project, working with: JavaScript, HTML5, CSS3, Ajax, Rest, XML, Angular 2+ and jQuery. Completed “The Complete JavaScript Course 2019: Build Real Projects” course from Udemy. PMP Agile Certified Practitioner.
• Recent Computer Science graduate with 6 months of experience with JavaScript. Currently ongoing Master’s in Photography. Certified lifeguard and professional football player. Freelance writer with over 200,000 regular monthly readers.

See the difference between the two? The first is 100%, completely focused on the role.

The second, well, not so much.

Which one would you call in for an interview? Exactly!

Step #3 - Focus on Achievements (Instead of Responsibilities)

And last but not least – focus on achievements. 

Your resume profile should be a summary of the biggest wins in your career (not a list of things you’ve done).

Your goal here is to “Wow” the recruiter, not to get them saying “Oh, well, that’s OK, I guess.”

So for example, let’s see how this is NOT done

• Seasoned recruiter with experience in publishing job ads, sourcing candidates, and conducting interviews.

See the issue here? Anyone that’s into recruitment can say they’ve done this. You’re not saying anything special.

Now, what if we turn this example into an achievement:

• Seasoned recruiter with X+ years of experience in tech hiring. Hit and exceeded hiring KPIs by over 50% for 2019’s first and third quarter. Specialized in working with senior talent in software engineering and executive management.

See the difference? The first example is a very generic candidate, while the second is a high-achiever.

In some fields, you might not have a lot of achievements to mention - and that’s totally OK.

If you’re a cashier, for example, you can’t say that “you’ve processed over 1,000 transactions per month.”

In such cases, it’s totally OK to stick to responsibilities and experiences instead!

[Bonus] The Novorésumé Formula for Writing Resume Profiles

Having some difficulties with your resume profile?

• [Your Field] professional with X+ years of experience, skilled in [Skill 1], [Skill 2], and [Skill 3]. Looking to apply my [Domain] knowledge as a [Job You’re Applying For] at [Company X]. Experience in [Top Achievement #1] and [Top Achievement #2].

Now, here’s what the template looks like when put into practice:

UX / UI Designer with 5+ years of experienced, skilled in Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop. Looking to apply my software design know-how as a lead UX designer at Company X. Previous experience in designing most of [Software Startup A] and [Software Startup B]’s software UX and UI.

Resume Profile Q&A

Still have some questions on how to polish up your resume profile? We’ve got you covered:

Q: How do I list a resume profile as a student ?

A: Simple! Go for a resume objective, instead of a profile. In that case, you’ll focus more on your skills and goals instead of work experience.

Don’t forget to specify where and how you got those skills. No need to go into in-depth explanations, but make sure they sound realistic and avoid vagueness at all costs.

Still have some space left? Feel free to add relevant university projects you’ve completed. 

Soon-to-be graduate from XYZ University with a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology. 4.0 GPA in Experimental Psychology. Took part in a month-long internship at the university psych lab. Excelled at psych questionnaire development and implementation, and SPSS data analysis. Excited to transfer and develop skills further as a Junior Psychological Measurement Specialist at ABC Ltd.

Are you struggling with creating your first student resume? Check out our guide on how to create a resume with no experience!

Q: How do I list a resume profile as a career-changer ?

A: What you need to do here is focus on your transferable skills . Like so:

“Customer Support Specialist with over three years of experience in first and second-line phone and chat technical support, looking to transfer communication skills as a Sales Representative at XYZ Ltd. Excellent track record of reliability, being the main POC for all escalation points, and likeability, having received an average of 9.3/10 customer rating for the last two quarters.” 

23+ Practical Resume Profile Examples (For Every Field)

Need some inspiration with your resume profile?

Here are 23 practical resume profile examples you could borrow ideas from...

Customer Service & Sales

Customer service specialist resume profile.

“Motivated and experienced first-line customer service and support specialist with over three years of work put into tech support, troubleshooting and customer satisfaction. Experienced with LiveAgent and ZenDesk. Excellent track record in providing excellent support service. XYZ Ltd.’s employee of the month for May 2019 for receiving a 99.99% support satisfaction rate.”

Not sure how to build a customer service resume ? We have a guide for that!

Sales Associate Resume Profile

“Accomplished Sales Associate with experience in business and private persons insurance sales. Excellent people and communication skills, proven by last two quarters’ personal success in exceeding department’s KPIs by 25%.”

Want to create a sales associate resume that lands you the job? Check out our guide!

Administration

Executive assistant resume profile.

“Executive Assistant with 2+ years of experience as the companies’ CEO right-hand man. Successfully carried out all key administrative tasks, from communicating with company clients to data entry and creating well-researched office documentation. Highly skilled at MS Office tools.”

Receptionist Resume Profile

“Motivated, communicative receptionist with 5+ years of experience as an office administrator and receptionist in both big and small companies. Meticulous record-keeping, and experience working with MS Office Pack, Intranet and physical bookkeeping.”

For more examples, check out our receptionist resume guide.

Data Entry Clerk Resume Profile

“Data entry clerk with 3+ years of experience in high quantity complex data screening, entry and maintenance . Highly skilled at Excel; extremely fast typer and knowledgeable about digital databases. Strong attention to detail and dedication to the job.”

Copywriter Resume Profile

“SaaS copywriter specializing in landing page optimization. 2+ years of experience writing compelling content for e-mail, Facebook and Google marketing. Experienced in using Google Optimizely and Firebase for A/B testing. Previously worked with Unbounce to create and test new landing pages from scratch.”

PPC Specialist Resume Profile

“Driven PPC Specialist with over 4 years of experience in digital marketing. Proficient at: Google AdWords, Google Analytics, Facebook Ads Manager and LinkedIn Ad Platform. Some copywriting skills gained through freelancing. Experience handling an advertising budget of $80,000 with excellent ROI results.”

Need help creating your marketing resume ? We’ve got your back!

Business and Management

Project manager resume profile.

“Dedicated project manager with 3+ years of experience managing IT projects. Managed 5+ software projects from beginning to completion. Basic understanding of several programming languages, including React, Node.Js, and Java. ”

Check out our project manager resum e guide for more examples!

Business Analyst Resume Profile

“Results-driven Business Analyst with over 7 years of experience in consulting businesses, analyzing their processes and operations and presenting them with practical business solutions. 2 years of experience consulting one of the Fortune 500 companies. Experience using several business process management software solutions, including Appian BPM. Helped increase XYZ LTD’s manufacturing output by over 2.5%.”

Human Resources (HR)

Human resources resume profile.

“HR Specialist with two years of experience in developing small companies’ HR strategies, employee training and organizing company events, while under a tight budget. Experienced with the entire talent acquisition process from recruitment to the retention of employees.”

Recruitment Specialist Resume Profile

“Recruitment Specialist with a B.A. in Human Resources and M.A. in Work and Organizational Psychology with full-scope recruitment experience with both active and passive candidate sourcing. Sourced, interviewed and hired 15+ software engineers in Company X’s expansion efforts to Canada in 2021. ”

Finance & Accounting

Bank teller resume profile.

“Bank Teller with one year of experience as the front office cashier and customer service representative at XYZ Bank’s main office. Experienced with handling customer transactions and inquiries. Highly skilled at customer satisfaction, following bank SOPs and complying with data privacy and safety deposit box standard guidelines.”

Check out our bank teller resume guide for more examples!

Accountant Resume Profile

“Certified Public Accountant with over 8 years of experience. Solid knowledge of US GAAP and accounting systems. Top skills include budget forecasting, advanced computer skills, and analytical reasoning. Looking for a new challenge as an accountant at Company X.”

Check out our accountant resume guide for more examples!

Food & Service

Waiter/waitress resume profile.

“Experienced Waitress with a polite and friendly demeanor. Skilled at working in fast-paced environments; extremely good memory and able to memorize menus quickly and without fault. Previous experience includes working in Restaurant X and Bar Y.”

Check out our guide to server resumes for more examples!

Supermarket Cashier Resume Profile

“Experienced and reliable cashier with a polite and friendly demeanor. Worked at Happy Fun Resort over the past 2 summers as cashier in Company X and Company Y. Strong computer skills and experience working with PoS systems. ”

Discover how to make a cashier resume that excels with our article!

Housekeeper Resume Profile

“Dedicated and hard-working housekeeper with 6+ years of experience with both hotel and private home housekeeping. Very punctual and efficient. Previous experience working at Hotel X and Uncle Bob’s Private Cleaning Crew.”

Technical & IT

Data analyst resume profile.

“Data Analyst with 3+ years of experience. Highly data and detail-oriented with excellent analytical thinking. Background in mathematics, statistics, and computer science. Proven track record of using data to improve company operations. ”

Check out our guide to the data analyst resume for more examples.

Software Engineer Resume Profile

“Full-stack software engineer with 5+ years of experience developing end-to-end software solutions. Worked as head engineer at Tech Company X, leading a team of developers working on a new software solution in the Fin-Tech industry. Expert in Node.Js, React, and Java.”

Discover how to make a software engineer resume that excels with our article!

IT Specialist Resume Profile

“Dedicated IT specialist with 5+ years of experience. Previous positions involved network management and database administration. Advanced knowledge of SQL, C++ and Linux. ”

Need an extra push with your resume? Discover top tips on creating an IT resume in 2024.

Computer Science Resume Profile

“Results-oriented computer science student from University Y looking for an entry-level software engineering position. Good communication skills and team player, having led several teams for university projects. Practical experience working with JavaScript, MySQL, and PHP. ”

For more on computer science resumes , check out our dedicated guide.

Nurse Resume Profile

“Nurse RN with 8+ years of experience providing excellent patient care. M.A. in nursing. Expert at charting, patient care, and medicine administration. Seeking to leverage my experience as a nurse at Hospital X.”

Discover more nurse resume examples in our dedicated guide!

Dental Assistant Resume Profile

“Dental assistant with over 5 years of experience in the field. Charged with direct patient care, patient record-keeping, and routine lab works. Strong knowledge of the Dentrix software.

Graphic Design

Graphic designer resume profile.

“Graphic design specialist with 3+ years of experience working with design and marketing agencies. Responsible for every step of the design process, from conceptualization, to execution. Practical experience in designing flyers, websites, landing pages, and more. Skilled in Adobe Creative Suite and MS Office. Good communication skills.”

Need an extra push with your resume? Discover top tips on creating a graphic designer resume in 2024.

UI/UX Designer Resume Profile

“Detail-oriented UX / UI designer with 5+ years of experience creating end-to-end digital experiences. Designed software solutions in the fin-tech and hr-tech industries. Skilled in Adobe Creative Suite. Fluent in English, Spanish, and French.”

Other Fields

Architect resume profile.

“Architect with 4+ years of experience in landscape design, interior and exterior design, with a focus on designing commercial and residential buildings. Strong attention to detail and creative thinker.”

Discover the top tips for creating an architect resume in 2024 with our guide.

Warehouse Worker Resume Profile

“Hard-working warehouse worker with 4 years of experience in the industry. Physically fit, able to lift heavy objects. Previous experience at Made Up Delivery Solutions involved shipping, receiving and packaging goods.”

Discover more nurse warehouse worker resume examples in our dedicated guide!

Key Takeaways

And that’s a wrap!

Now, let’s summarize everything we’ve learned:

• A resume profile is a short, 2-4 sentences run-down of your top career highlights and achievements
• A resume profile is also known as a resume summary and resume profile statement.
• Don’t have much work experience? You might want to go for a resume objective instead.
• Every good resume head should include your years of experience (“5+ years of experience doing…”), top achievements (“Increased XYZ LTD’s ROI by X%”), and relevant skills (“Skilled in React, Node.JS, and Java”).

Looking for more career and resume advice? We recommend checking out our career blog for industry-leading articles on how to land the job & succeed in your career!

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25+ Best CV Personal Profile Examples with Writing Guide

Home » Resume Help » 25+ Best CV Personal Profile Examples with Writing Guide

A personal profile is your chance to stand out from the crowd. It’s your opportunity to tell a story about yourself and why you would be an excellent choice for a new job. The good news is that it can be easy with just a little bit of planning and creative thinking.

If you can learn how to write a CV Personal Profile , you’ll never be left wanting in terms of getting a job.

What is a CV personal profile?

A profile is the first page of your CV. It’s an introduction to your personal skills and achievements. It’s incredibly important because it sets the scene for everything that follows, including your experience and education. Although it’s a brief opening remark, you still need to ensure that you’re noted as being someone who is strong-willed, has a positive attitude, and knows how to interact with others. Think of your personal profile as a small monologue. It’s your chance to say who you are and what you want. You’re going to be judged on the content of this page so pay close attention to what you write, even if it only takes a few minutes.

What do I need to share in my personal profile?

First, think about who is this CV for? Is it for an employer or a potential employer? If it’s for an employer, make sure that the information is tailored to them. If it’s for a potential employer, make sure that they know what your skills are and what you want to achieve.

Second, think about the job you’re applying to. Think about cover letters and job advertisements (and the way that they’re used). Make sure that your personal profile is consistent with this.

Third, think about yourself as a person. Once you’ve done this, consider what makes you different from other applicants? What sets you apart? This might be framed in terms of skills or personality or both. If you can answer these questions, it’ll be easier to craft something that is concise and powerful.

How should I lay out my CV Personal Profile?

Try to keep it simple. Focus on the key skills and attributes that are most relevant to the job you’re applying for. You can even tell a story about why you’re suitable for the position. This is easy if you have a chronological format (it’s basically a brief version of your CV).

If you have a functional format, it’s still possible to tell a meaningful story. You might start by explaining what you achieved in your previous job or for your degree. Then, describe why you were able to achieve this (your skills and experience). Finally, think about how this relates to the role you’re applying for now.

If you’re starting to get lost, keep it simple, and don’t try to over-think it. What you write will help show that you are friendly, hard-working, and responsible. It will show that you are ambitious and eager to learn.

Here are some tips for writing the CV Personal Profile:

• Narrow down your skills and experiences to key points. These can all be in a list or bullets towards the end of your personal profile. But keep it simple and don’t bore the reader with too much detail.
• Speak to your current and former employers/colleagues. Ask them what impressed them most about you, what you did that worked well for them and what they’d like to see more of from you next time around. This helps draw on real-life examples of your skills and experiences.
• It’s best to be honest about the things that have gone wrong in your past but try not to dwell on the negative ones too much as those won’t help you stand out from the crowd. However, it’s important to be realistic about the kind and the quality of work you achieve.
• Give a brief summary of why you’re looking for a new job, what skills and experiences you have that make you a good fit for the role, what motivates you to succeed and what your objectives are. Then give links where they can be found.
• Give details about any other voluntary or paid positions that show a mix of skills and experience. If you have used your skills and expertise to help those less fortunate than yourself then include these as well.
• Be sure to include some personal details about yourself too, such as your hobbies, interests and any languages you speak fluently. If you have any special training or accreditations then make a note of those too.
• Check out our examples of good CV template for your reference. Also use our free CV builder .
• Finally, make sure that includes a little bit of luck and destiny on your side. Tell the reader what made you perfect for the job you’re applying for and why they should hire you.

There are a few things to remember when writing your personal profile:

• Don’t be afraid to be creative in telling your story. It might just work to give the reader a little more information about you than they thought possible. If not, then it could just make you stand out from the crowd.
• Be honest. Be truthful about your abilities and your past work. Don’t try to cover up the things that haven’t gone well or that you might not want to flaunt. If you’re willing to take risks then this could just make you stand out from the crowd.
• Be confident. Think about what makes you a great person and why others would want to be around you when they read your personal profile. Tell your story with conviction.

How long should my profile statement be?

If you’re using a functional format, then it should be 1-2 pages (although it might be shorter if you’re applying to a role that doesn’t require much detail). If you’re using a chronological format, then it should be the same length as your CV.

What is a CV Profile Statement?

A CV profile statement is a short statement that explains why you are applying for the role. The main purpose of a CV profile statement is to show the employer why you’re especially qualified or skilled for the position. While your CV provides information about your work experience, education and training, and skills, your profile statement emphasizes the most important aspects of who you are as a person.

What should I avoid when I write a CV Personal Profile?

Don’t ramble on in your personal profile about the job or the company or anything else unrelated to them. This will make you look confused and irrelevant. It will also make you seem arrogant or even disinterested.

It’s also important not to try too hard to be something that you’re not. If you’re applying for a highly skilled position then put yourself forward as being highly skilled. Don’t make it about things that are unimportant (like your nationality or your religious beliefs). Generally speaking, try to stick to the facts and avoid too much embellishment or exaggeration. Be honest and realistic above all else.

What else should I know?

One final thing to remember is that you can’t change your personal profile once it’s published. Make sure you are completely happy with what you write. That way, you can avoid a lot of stress and anxiety further down the line. This will ensure that you can then focus on the more important things (like actually getting the job).

If your CV template is well-written and your personal profile is well-crafted, then getting a job should be a relatively smooth process. It’ll be a positive experience overall because you have proven to yourself and your new employer that you can do a great job. Good luck with the job hunt!

Check our absolutely free CV examples for your reference.

25+ Best CV Profile Examples:

Here is the list of best job-winning personal CV profile examples for your reference.

1. Student CV profile

Enthusiastic and hardworking freshly graduated accounting student with proven organizational and communication skills, who is able to take on any required task and adapt to changing conditions with a resourceful and hard-working mindset. My professionalism and accuracy are proven in numerous assignments and group projects throughout undergraduate courses and activities.

2. Customer service representative CV profile

Hello, good day! my name is Intan Ryan and I’m 26 years old. I’m about to finish my bachelor’s degree journey in November 2019 and am about to seek a new job to gain experience. I am visionary, intuitive, emphatic, and creative. I have experience in retail sales and teaching experience during my internship. I hope my personality and experience fulfill the company criteria and love to see them during the interview. Thank you very much for spending time reading my humble introduction.

3. Customer success manager CV profile

Highly motivated Telco professional with excellent client oversight, issue resolution, and relationship-building skills. Seeking a career that is challenging & interesting and lets me work on the leading areas of technology, a job that gives me opportunities to learn, innovate and enhance my skills and strength in conjunction with company goals & objectives.

4. Human resource CV profile

I am highly motivated and goal-driven, competitive, flexible, resilient, focused on customer needs, team player with a proactive attitude. I’m looking for a next challenge in the field of Human Resources with scope for professional development.

5. IT CV profile

I’m a high-potential and high-achiever. I’m a fast learner and a motivated worker. I enjoy working autonomously and always produce the best possible work. I take on challenges head-on, challenge them first and then implement the solution. I am always able to make quick decisions in emergency situations.

6. Manager CV profile

I’m a hardworking leader who looks for opportunities to create more and better results, with creativity and teamwork. I’m passionate about my role as a leader and committed to providing high-quality support to my team. I’ve worked in many different roles across multiple sectors covering the full range of HR functions including recruiting, people, training and development, etc.

7. Sales CV profile

As a marketer, I’m able to create an authentic connection with my customers. I’m able to make them feel confident in my product and up-sell it in ways they didn’t expect. As a sales professional, I am trained in the art of sales, negotiations, and problem-solving. I am also very determined; when there is a customer that requires help or assistance, I will find the best possible way to do it.

8. Accountant CV profile

I am a practicing accountant who has been working for many years in finance and taxation. I specialize in general accounting, taxation, payroll, and corporate accounting. I am a hardworking individual who is motivated to succeed. I have comprehensive knowledge and expertise in tax computation, accounting, bookkeeping, and reporting.

9. Marketing CV profile

I am an experienced and well-trained marketing professional. I am able to perform a variety of tasks in the marketing department including SEO, social media, advertising, copywriting, emailing, and so on. I have a wide range of skills from my experience and I’m looking to use them in a new role.

10. Doctor CV profile

I am a medical professional with vast experience in nursing, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy. I have over 3 years of working experience and have gained valuable expertise. I have worked in various regions including London, Manchester, Lancaster, and Durham.

11. Nurse CV profile

I am a committed and hardworking Registered Nurse with over 5 years of professional experience. I possess extensive knowledge of general nursing, clinical procedure, medical terminology, medical conditions, etc. I have numerous transferable skills from my work experiences and a variety of responsibilities.

12. Accounts Payroll CV profile

I’m a qualified accountant with over 15 years of practical experience in personal, company, and corporation accounts. I work with financial institutions and private clients as the main accountancy officer. I have multiple transferable skills such as creating balance sheets, profit-loss statements, tax calculations, etc.

13. Finance CV profile

I’m a trained professional in financial planning and financial investing. I’ve spent many years working in the finance field, gaining experience and being trusted by clients with my financial knowledge. I’m passionate about my job and look forward to doing more work.

14. Sales Executive CV profile

I am a committed and hardworking professional who has acquired practical experience in multiple roles such as retail, selling, B2B, and so on. I have a strong sense of communication skills and have the ability to present myself as open, friendly, and sincere; in other words, I can demonstrate my expertise in sales

15. Scrum Master CV profile

I am experienced in the field of scrum development and I have completed a task. I possess excellent judgment and analytical skills. I understand the role of a scrum master well and can demonstrate my knowledge through my work.

16. Digital Marketing CV profile

I am an experienced professional in digital marketing. I have a wide knowledge of SEO, SMM, PPC, and email marketing. I’m an expert at running affiliate campaigns and can handle a variety of tasks with ease.

17. School teacher CV profile

I am a top-notch graduate. I am passionate about teaching and believe that education is very important. I always try my best to deliver the highest quality of learning to my students.

18. Software engineer CV profile

I am an experienced developer with years of experience in web development; from front end to back end. My technical skills are strong; I’m able to create amazing and cutting-edge websites with ease

19. Web Developer CV Profile

I’m a Web Developer and I have the ability to create a variety of websites for all types of clients. I am an expert in front-end development, back-end development, user experience, design, and marketing.

20. Programmer CV Profile

I am a senior programmer with over 20 years of experience in the programming field. I’ve worked with many different languages including C/C++, Java, and JavaScript. I’m also experienced in MySQL, HTML5, and CSS3.

21. Data analyst CV profile

I am a professional data analyst. I have gained extensive experience in data mining, predictive modeling, and statistical reporting. I have a background in applied mathematics and statistics.

22. Server administrator CV profile

I am an experienced server administrator with over 15 years of experience. I have the ability to install and configure servers, networks, and other IT equipment such as switches, routers, and firewalls. I’m able to follow procedures, set up security policies, and maintain network settings.

23. System architect CV Profile

I’m an experienced program manager with a vast understanding of IT architecture. I’ve worked in multiple projects which required me to manage and administer complex systems”; from security policies, user authentication, data definition and archive, configuration management, configuration synchronization, and many others.

24. IT manager CV Profile

I am an experienced IT manager with over 15 years of experience. I have worked in various countries and have gained valuable knowledge; from the IT sector, business management sector, and the human resource sector. I have multiple transferable skills such as leadership, communication skills, and teamwork

25. Business analyst CV Profile

I am a highly targeted and dedicated professional. I work hard to fulfill all my duties with ease. I take pride in my work, I understand the importance of my position and I maintain a positive attitude all the time

Frequently Asked Questions

The first step is to brainstorm ideas and think about the most important qualities you have to offer as a candidate. Try to focus on strengths that are relevant to the job you are applying for. Once you have a good understanding of what you have to offer, you can start to craft your personal profile. When writing your personal profile, be sure to include: 1. An overview of your professional experience 2. Your skills and qualifications 3. Your achievements 4. Your goals and aspirations 5. Your personal interests

When writing your personal profile, be sure to include: An overview of your professional experience 1. Your skills and qualifications 2. Your achievements 3. Your goals and aspirations 4. Your personal interests

There are a few things you can do to make your personal profile stand out, including: Use strong language to describe your skills and experience Highlight your unique qualifications Mention any awards or recognition you have received Share your professional goals

There are a few common mistakes to avoid when writing your personal profile, including: 1. Don’t use clichés or overused phrases 2. Avoid listing your entire work history 3. Don’t include personal information that is not relevant to the job 4. Don’t make up information or exaggerate your qualifications

Here are a few tips for writing a successful CV personal profile: Use strong language to describe your skills and experience Highlight your unique qualifications Mention any awards or recognition you have received Share your professional goals Keep it brief – your personal profile should be no more than 4-5 sentences

Your CV personal profile should be no more than 4-5 sentences.

If you don’t have much experience to include in your personal profile, you can focus on your qualifications and skills. You can also mention any relevant awards or recognition you have received.

In addition to your professional experience, skills, and qualifications, you can also include your goals and aspirations, as well as your personal interests.

Yes, you can use bullet points in your personal profile.

Here are a few examples of good CV personal profiles: 1. Experienced marketing professional with a proven track record of success in designing and executing creative marketing campaigns. Skilled in copywriting, email marketing, and social media marketing. 2. Highly motivated and driven individual with a strong work ethic and determination to succeed. Proven ability to work independently and take initiative. 3. Organized and detail-oriented professional with excellent time management skills. Able to juggle multiple tasks and priorities. 4. Creative and innovative thinker with a passion for problem-solving. Proven ability to generate new ideas and think outside the box.

Key Takeaways:

• Write a polished professional profile
• Review your accomplishments and experience
• Add keywords to demonstrate your skills, expertise, and areas of expertise
• Use formatting features for an eye catching resume
• Make sure to include the name, address, and phone number
• Make sure to provide a cover letter with your resume
• Tweak or edit the resume throughout the review process – you only have one chance!

Published by Sarah Samson

Sarah Samson is a professional career advisor and resume expert. She specializes in helping recent college graduates and mid-career professionals improve their resumes and format them for the modern job market. In addition, she has also been a contributor to several online publications.

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How to Write CV Personal Profile [+ Guide, Tips, Examples]

In this article, we'll cover: 

What Is a CV Personal Profile and When to Use It?

How to write a cv personal profile, 25 cv personal profile examples, writing a cv personal profile – dos & don’ts.

A personal profile on a CV is a brief statement that summarizes your key skills, professional experience, and accomplishments. Think about it as a self-description for your CV through which recruiters and potential employers can quickly get an idea about you. 

Some of you may confuse a CV personal profile with a profile summary and CV objectives. Essentially, a CV personal profile summarizes your expertise, skills and achievements instead of your goals and objectives. Read on to learn about the differences, what should be included in a professional personal summary for your CV, and how to craft a strong statement.

Depending on the context, a CV personal profile can go under various names such as: 

• CV opening statement
• Profile summary for CVs
• CV intro/profile

Regardless of the name, these should be placed at the top of the document and in a separate section. The purpose is to briefly introduce you as a potential candidate, meaning that you have to highlight your expertise, outstanding skills, and achievements in the field. When well-written, it can pique the hiring manager’s interest right from the start.

Keep in mind that a CV personal profile is different from a CV objective which mentions your motivation to apply for the vacancy opening and states your goals for professional development. If you’re writing a graduate CV profile or applying for entry-level jobs, consider combining both statements in your CV personal profile. This way, you can pitch yourself effectively without showing a lack of work experience.

When writing a CV personal profile, you need to at least include the following 3 elements:

• Your best personal qualities
• Highlights of your skills
• Your notable experiences

✨ Your best personal qualities

The personal profile on your CV is a section where recruiters can catch a glimpse of who you are as a person and as a potential employee. Hence, here is the perfect place to show off the qualities that make you unique.

Here are some examples of how you can showcase your personality in your CV personal profile:

• “Able to meet deadlines while making sure all information collected is accurate.”
• “Capable of motivating team members to ensure the operational flow while maximizing the team’s working efficiency.”
• “In my previous role as a nurse, developed essential skills such as time management, attention to detail, and emergency handling.”

✨ Highlights of your skills

Aside from your personality, the skills you possess also makes a great selling point when appealing to potential employers. Therefore, they should be mentioned in the CV personal profile which readers view first when reading a CV.

Here are some examples:

• “Utilizing strong critical thinking skills to offer advice in structuring operation principles and manufacturing methodologies.”
• “A team leader who trained, led, and supervised 20+ in-house writers and freelancers.”
• “Leveraged strong research skills to employ technical advancements for better delivery of the network.”

✨ Notable experiences

The best way to show credibility in the skills you possess is through proof of your past experiences. If the experience is relevant to the job you are applying for, it is highly recommended that you mention these notable experiences in the CV personal profile.

Here’s how you want to mention your experiences:

• “Dynamic security supervisor with 10 years of experience in conducting security audits in high-pressure environments.”
• “Attentive resident assistant with a proven track record in developing students’ communities and providing guidance.”
• “IT Executive working on 12 social projects across the region of Southeast Asia.”

Customer Service CV Profile

“Experienced Client Relations Manager who excels in building and maintaining relationships with clients and key personnel within customer companies. 3 years of experience in hiring, training, and supervising interns to juniors to secure high-standard telephone manners and customer satisfaction in general.”

Student CV Profile Example

“Goal-oriented graduate student majoring in Geological Science. Spent nearly 2 years of experience researching the volcanic activities Mt. Qixing and Dayoukeng. Eager to work at the National Institute of Geological Sciences to further leverage my research and analytical skills as well as in-depth knowledge in geology.”

CV Profile Summary Examples for Freshers

“Self-motivated Nursing Sophomore at St. John’s Medical College looking for a one-year internship. Passionate about taking care of people while being able to perform a variety of administrative tasks. Worked for the German Red Cross as a volunteer in 2019.”

CV Profile Summary for Software Developer Fresher

“PE Certified Software Developer with proficiency in Agile Development, Software Development Life Cycle, and Systems Process Improvement. Having 7 years of experience in programming and creating innovative solutions to distributed system issues. In the former position in NextTech, led a team of 5 developers to successfully build scalable features for client software using Scala and Kotlin.”

CV Profile Summary for HR Fresher

“MBA graduate seeking with a passion for working and interacting with people. A confident communicator who worked as an HR intern at Inteplast for 6 months. Currently seeking an entry-level HR position where I can apply my strong organizational skills and knowledge in HR practices.”

Profile Summary for Electrical Engineer Fresher

“Senior electrical engineer with 9 years of experience in electric motors manufacturing and a demonstrated history of Integrated Circuit design, workforce allocation, and electric layout optimization. Adept at using 3D, CAD modeling software, C++, and reverse engineering.”  

Profile Summary for Computer Science Fresher

“Computer science graduate with solid data analysis and problem-solving skills. Possess 2-year experience as an intern at MaSaTech. Proficient in using SML/SQL, Ethernet, VPN, and PHP to design technical initiatives and automate business solutions.”  

Profile Summary for Fresher Accountant

“Entry-level accountant working towards a CPA License. Worked as a part-time accounting clerk in Toma Corp. and accomplished the “2020’s Rising Star'' award. Looking to provide my accounting assistance to FPG Group.”

Profile Summary for Fresher Teacher

“Fresh graduate with an education major and exceptional communication skills. 3 years of after-school creativity class volunteer experience and being able to stimulate students’ curiosity. Looking to guide students on their early educational journey at Alta California Elementary School.”

Java Developer Profile Summary Example

“Professional Java developer well-educated about Java SE/EE and experienced in developing and delivering PC and mobile applications. Recognized for conducting relevant tests and evaluating the overall performance to make sure changes are aligned with client requirements.”

CV Profile Summary Example For Fresher Engineer

“Goal-driven computer science graduate with comprehensive knowledge in AI and machine learning. Gained experience in designing web pages as well as AI-related side projects. Looking to be a part of the Software Engineering team at Ragic so that I can utilize my existing skills in JavaScript, Django, and Python and learn more from senior developers.”

Data Analyst CV Personal Profile Example

“Goal-oriented data analyst with 6 years of experience in the Food & Beverage industry. In-depth-expertise in R, SQL, Tableau, and C++. Achievements include boosting annual sales by 31% and designing a new database model to reduce service waiting time.” 

Sales CV Profile Example

“Data-driven specialist working in B2B sales for 5 years and gained significant achievements. Highly recognized for increasing quarterly sales, building customer loyalty, and managing cold emailing campaigns. Ranked #3 in the sales competition held corporate-wide.” 

Social Media CV Profile Example

“Dynamic social media marketer with 5 years of experience in creating engaging content on relevant platforms and managing business pages on Facebook. Key skills include researching the latest social media trends and maintaining content distribution. Completed 3 Social Media Marketing online courses on Hubspot.”  

Marketing CV Profile Example

“Customer-oriented product marketing manager with a specialization in new skincare product development and launches. Recognized for an increase of 28% in annual sales by bringing a new moisturizer to the market. Able to speak English, French, and Spanish fluently in a business setting.” 

IT CV Profile Example

“Seasoned professional with 10 years of experience as an IT support specialist. Skilled in the practices of technical personnel, training, and preparation of technical documentation. Looking to be part of PledgeCamp with a goal to effectively assist the hardware configuration and phone system support of the company.” 

Business Management Profile Example

“Regional business manager with 8+ years of experience in developing business strategies for Zara Home in South East Asia. Effectively implemented new initiatives and campaigns which increased the sales revenue by 33% in less than 2 years. Superb negotiation and leadership skills.” 

Teaching CV Profile Example

“Dedicated ESL teacher gaining plenty of experience in helping non-native speakers learn grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation of spoken and written English. Adept at motivating learners of all ages and levels to confidently communicate with others. Familiar with online teaching platforms and tools such as Microsoft Teams, Zoom, EdAp, and LearnCube.” 

Hospitality Profile Example

“Freelance Tour Guide who led and navigated 15+ groups of hikers through the Angels Landing, and Bryce Canyon National Park. Certified Tour Director and Guide by ITMI in 2019. Proven experience in providing essential knowledge of specific areas and encouraging participants to overcome their obstacles.”

Administrative Assistant Personal Profile Example

“Top-rated administrative assistant with over 6 years of experience in a fast-paced office environment. Looking for a new position where I can utilize my skills and experience in scheduling, database management, and office management.”

Healthcare Professional CV Profile Example

“Devoted public health officer with 7 years of experience in educating the community on healthy living strategies and reducing the risk of illness, disease, and infection. In former roles, increased wellness survey grades by 23% and educated 350+ residents about healthy eating choices and other nutrition-related behavior.”  

Project Management CV Profile Example

“Certified Associate in Project Management working in various industries for 10 years, including fashion, tourism, and creative arts. Awarded the Top Performer Recognition for 2 years in a row. Key skills include project scope administration, risk assessment, resource allocation, and budget control.” 

MBA CV Profile Example

“Hard-working undergraduate student who has earned a bachelor's degree in Public Relations with a GPA of 3.9. Currently pursuing a master’s program in Communications and International Public Relations. Gained 2 years of experience as a freelance writer and a content contributor for various magazines.”   

Profile Summary for Graphic Designer

“Freelance graphic designer with a strong passion about transforming clients’ brands into powerful materials. Specialties include digital and print advertisements, corporate identity, marketing materials, and social media graphics. Highly skilled at using Adobe Creative Suite and Illustrator to effectively deliver high-quality works.” 

Profile Summary for CEO

“Strategic-driven CEO with 12 years of experience in 2 multinational companies. Significantly increased the client database by 250% in 2 years and developed strong relationships with over 20 tech unicorns in Asia. Core competencies include management & leadership, business operations, and risk assessment.”

✅  DO #1 - Be brief and to the point.

Having a short CV intro allows valuable space for other key sections such as work experience, education, qualification and skills, etc. Besides, hiring managers prefer to see the key points about you rather than a detailed personal summary.

✅   DO #2 - Include active adjectives. 

You may notice that the personal profile CV examples listed above all start with a power adjective such as goal-driven, passionate, dynamic, detail-oriented, professional, etc. Using them properly can make your personal statement more impressive and partly show your personal trait. 

✅   DO #3 - Add measurable accomplishments. 

Do you know that using measurements to highlight your achievements can make your claims  more credible and convincing. 

Refer to these pieces of information if you don’t know how to add numbers to the CV opening statement:

• Years of work experience 
• Quantified achievements in previous jobs 

✅  DO #4 - Use either first person or third person pronouns.

It’s recommended that you use the first and third person pronouns when writing a personal profile. However, make sure to be consistent, meaning that you need to stick to one certain pronoun.  

✅  DO #5 - Tailor to the specific position. 

Hiring managers may sort through hundreds of CVs for a single vacancy, meaning that they often scan to find the most relevant details only. The best way to quickly grab their intention is tailoring your CV personal profile to the job posting.

❌  DON’T #1 - Over-use buzzwords.

Active adjectives and power verbs can become buzzwords if inserted improperly. To avoid this, make sure your claims are all facts, not an exaggeration. Also, using 1-2 buzzwords is enough.

❌   DON’T #2 - Forget important keywords from the job description.

You will not want your CV to fail through the Applicant Tracking System as there are no keywords found. Hence, look for the right keywords in the following sections in the job description about:

• Job responsibilities
• Job requirements 
• Skills & qualifications 

❌   DON’T #3 - Write the same things from your cover letter.

You may be asked to submit a cover letter along with your resume or CV. If so, keep in mind not to repeat what you’ve mentioned in the other sections. Avoid this to save your CV space and hiring manager’s time.

❌  DON’T #4 - Contain spelling or grammar errors.

Don't let such minor errors on your CV cost you the job interview. Many recruiters and employers see this as a common problem among job applicants nowadays, so you should pay more attention and proofread your document before submitting it. 

❌  DON’T #5 - Write too long. 

A CV personal profile shouldn’t be more than 70 words. The reason is that employers tend to quickly scan this section at first glance rather than extensively read it just to know. Save the space for other important information in your CV.

With CakeResume, you can easily create a CV online, free download your CV's PDF formats, and utilize ATS-compliant templates to create a CV. Land your dream job, create your CV online (free download) now!

--- Originally written by May Luong ---

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How To Write A Personal Profile: 7 Tips + Examples

When a hiring manager first receives your resume, they spend 6 to 10 seconds reviewing it. Given this short attention span, you should use every opportunity to make the most prominent skills and achievements noticeable at the first sight. A personal profile, also known as career summary , helps you do just that. This short section at the top briefly outlines your years of experience, skillset and achievements. It is meant to grasp the recruiter's attention and inspire them to read the entire resume.

Personal profile writing is confusing for many reasons. Some job-seekers use it to reiterate their skills and experience once again. Others fill it with unnecessary self-descriptions like proactive, motivated, hard-working . In today's article, our resume writers are going to share tips for writing a persuasive profile that sparks interest and draws attention to your strengths as an employee .

Want a flawless resume by tomorrow ? Professional and certified writers of Resumeperk.com can assist with writin of your CV personal profile as well as other resume sections. A writer works on resume content, design and keywording, and is open to your comments and suggestions. We work with English-speaking writers only and can develop your brand-new custom resume within 24 hours.

Do you need a resume personal statement?

Does every job-seeker needs a personal profile? If you open some career blogs on the internet, you will find that the opinions vary. However, our resume writing agency with 12+ years of experience recommends that you always include a personal statement . It gives you a priceless opportunity to summarize what's unique about you as a candidate and how your superstrengths are relevant to the job.

There are exceptions, though. A recent graduate or a person switching careers will benefit more from a resume objective . Unlike a CV profile, objective statement is focused on the person's career goals and what they plan to bring to the table if hired. If you lack experience in the target field, you probably don't have much to brag about in a personal profile. In this case, you use an objective to focus on transferable skills and explain how you can benefit the employer.

The elements of a strong CV profile section

3-5 sentences in length.

Personal statements are meant to be concise. Their goal is to briefly market your skillset and professional highlights. Since the resume has a 2-page limit, keep the profile to 3-5 sentences and bullet points. Such a strict limitation requires the ability to prioritize facts and determine what's most valuable for your target position.

Tailor it to your desired job

Effective resume writing requires targeting, and a personal statement is no exception. Remember to slightly target the skill set and qualifications you describe in a summary. Different employers want different work expeirence and specialization, and personal profiles should reflect that. Targeting a personal profile every time may sound daunting, yet, this is the only working strategy to pass the ATS and get noticed.

Speak through facts and evidence

Saying that you are highly skilled and have great communication skills is the easiest thing to do. Yet, recruiters want facts and evidence. Instead of saying you have strong sales skills, write "Awarded Regional Sales Manager multiple times". Instead of claiming that you're a proven leader, say "Led a team of 30+ software developers with 100% of deadlines met". Facts sound more persuasive and draw more attention.

Include valuable educational credentials

Apart from workplace accomplishments, academic achievements also worth of your attention. If you have a degree from prestigious school, a certification which is valued high in your industry, or were awarded for superior academic performance, mention it in your CV personal profile. This is particularly important for entry-level professionals who don't have much career accomplishments yet.

Use context

Context and details can say a lot about our experience to a recruiter. Simply writing that you're a marketing professional sounds somewhat vague. If you write that your work experience encompasses employment with small marketing agencies where you completed projects for large manufacturing customers , it would be a better example. If such context meets what the employers is looking for, you'll have a better chance for an itnterview.

Insert high-value keywords

Since the profile is placed at the top of your CV, keywords you use here will value more than the keywords at the bottom of the page. Review the job description to understand what qualifications the company seeks in the first place, and use them. Don't staff the entire section with keywords , though - you write for human recruiters in the first place!

Proofread carefully

Hiring managers don't tolerate typos and grammar mistakes. 59% of them will reject a resume with typos. So, it's a good idea to proofread the document paying special attention to CV personal statement. Read the document aloud to faster identify issues or use an online spell checker to get rid of typos, poor punctuation and incorrect grammar.

CV personal profile examples

To get inspired for writing, take a look at examples of personal profile below:

Software Engineer CV profile example:

Enthusiastic Software Enginer with 7+ years of experience in website and commercial application development. Experienced in advanced software development methodologies and processes that contribute to application design as well as in identifying process bottlenecks. Has a track record of reducing downtime by 20% while ensuring that 100% of projects are completed ahead of time.

Office Manager CV personal statement example:

Result-oriented Office Manager with 3+ years of experience handline a wide range of administrative, supervisory and executive support tasks. Extensively experienced with budgets, payroll, and capable of meeting office organization needs as well as offering cost-effective, innovative solutions to employer challenges. Ensures compliance with organizational goals while coordinating resources and boosting team productivity. In a previous role, researched new office  supplies vendor, reducing expenses by 15%.

What not to include in your personal profile?

To compose a powerful personal statement, try to avoid the following common mistakes:

• Don't copy and paste job descriptions from experience section . CV profile is meant to summarize what you have to offer a potential employer, not to repeat the same content that a recruiter can find below in a resume.

• Don't include personal information . If you mention age, marital status or personal reasons why you want to work for a company, they won't accept your resume. Include professional-related information only if you want an interview.

• Don't overuse buzzwords . Adjectives like hardworking, team player , organized, able to work under pressure, enthusiastic sound like buzzwords to recruiters. Use self-descriptions carefully and try to rely on facts.

• Don't list too many skills . If you include management skills, ability to work undependently, eye for detail, project management, conflict resolution and other skills in a row, this will spoil the impression. Choose 2-3 skills and prove them with examples.

• Don't lie ! Of course, you may write that you have a degree from Stanford, but the truth will reveal after a simple background check. Don't risk your reputation and only write true facts.

How to write a LinkedIn personal statement?

If you use LinkedIn profile for job search, avoid copying and pasting text from your CV profile. LinkedIn summary should be written a bit differently. Here's how:

• Write 2-4 short paragraphs . Unlike the resume, LinkedIn personal statement doesn't have length limitations. Thus, you can go into deeper detail about your extensive experience or particular skills and interests.

• Use the first person . Resume is written in third person, and a CV profile is no exception. On the contrary, you need to use the first person in LinkedIn summary. Otherwise, you will sound too formal.

• Write as you speak . Since LinkedIn is a social media, you needn't use formal language that you've used on a resume. Instead, use a conversational tone and write as if you were speaking to a colleague or a potential employer face-to-face.

• Show your character and hobbies . In addition to business achievements, skillset and career goals, show your personality as well. You may include a joke, list interests and hobbies, or show your personal qualities in other way.

• Add multimedia content . LinkedIn allows you to add videos, articles or images. Support your self-descriptions with evidence and attach any content that can tell more about you or serve as samples of your work.

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Our experienced writers can create a powerful resume suitable for each position. However, you may also request a specific resume depending on the job you are applying for, thus it will be tailored individually for your profession:

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Resume title

CV personal profile examples

A strong CV personal profile is vital if you want to land the best jobs on the market.

Sitting at the very top of your CV, your profile is the very first thing a recruiter will see, so it needs to hold their attention and encourage them to read on.

Get your it wrong, and your CV will be constantly skipped over – get it right, and you will get plenty of responses and interviews.

To help you create your own powerful CV personal profile, I’ve included  25 examples of really good CV profiles from a range of industries and experience levels, along with notes explaining why each one is effective.

CV templates 

Accounts & finance CV profile

What makes this CV profile effective?

In an accountant or finance -based role, employers need to know that they can trust a candidate to look after one of their most valuable assets… Money.

This profile instantly shows readers that the candidate has a recognised accounting qualification and explains the industries they have gained their experience across, along with a short summary of their best accounting skills such as forecasting and risk management.

It also explains the core benefits as to why someone would employ this person; to manage a business’s financial compliance obligations and minimise business-wide risk.

Quick tip:  To get a head start on creating your own interview-winning CV, use one of our professional  CV templates .

Administrator CV profile

What makes this personal profile effective?

In summary, this profile shows recruiters all of the essential skills and knowledge that a good administrator should have– and it gets the message across very quickly with no clichés. It contains a good overview of the environments this candidate has worked in, and shows how their administration skills have been applied to support the business functions of former employers and help them manage their information in particular.

Anybody reading this profile will be left with no doubt that they have just found a competent administrative professional.

Check out our full admin CV example and writing guide, or receptionist CV example .

Customer service CV profile

A good customer service agent should be personable and approachable, with a flair for product knowledge and sales – and this profile shows recruiters all of those things. The short sharp nature of this profile makes it a very easy read and quickly demonstrates the candidate’s length of experience in customer facing roles, along with their product and industry specialisms.

The profile goes on to detail this person’s retail skills, sales strengths and even brags a little without being too forward. Ultimately the profile demonstrates how this candidate could contribute to customer satisfaction and sales in a professional manner.

Check out our customer service CV example  , waiter/waitress CV example , best CV templates , CV UK format examples ,  care assistant CV , Support worker CV , warehouse operative CV or 10 good CV examples .

    Top tips for writing a CV profile

• Your CV profile is the first thing a recruiter or hiring manager will see when opening your CV, so it’s worth investing a lot of time and effort into it
• Give reader’s a high level overview of your skills and experience, and encourage them to read the rest of your CV
• Keep it short (5-8 lines) to ensure you get your message across quickly to time-strapped employers
• Avoid clichés such as “ Works well in a team ” or “ always goes the extra mile ” and focus on tangible industry specific content
• Give readers a reason to be interested in hiring you by describing the benefits you can bring to their company e.g. Will you boost their sales? Cut their spending? Take care of their customers?

Digital marketing CV personal profile

This profile wastes no time in showcasing this candidate’s full range of digital know-how (such as SEO , content, PPC, conversion optimisation) whilst being sure to highlight a specialism in eCommerce. Overall the profile does a great job of quickly telling recruiters how this person applies their interpersonal skills and knowledge to employer projects in order to boost traffic, leads and sales – crucial metrics in any digital marketing role.

See our digital marketing CV example .

Events manager CV profile

This event manager CV profile starts with a headline of the candidate’s experience within events management, detailing their expertise in administration, organisation , planning, and delivery – it also highlights their Prince2 certification which is extremely important for anybody in a project-based role.

This events manager is effective in showing their personal contribution involves all stages of the event from conception to completion, and the core skills section draws attention to highly sought after events attributes such as budget management, operations and corporate partnering.

Quick tip: Learn how to write a cover letter to ensure your CV gets opened.

Check out my video guide on how to write a CV profile:

Quick tip: A poorly written CV will fail to impress recruiters and employers. Use our quick-and-easy CV Builder to create a winning CV in minutes with professional templates and pre-written content for every industry.

Executive assistant CV profile

What makes this profile effective?

This profile gets straight to the point by giving an overview of the candidate’s in-demand executive assistant skills such as office management, and secretarial skills – it also highlights the range of industries they have gained experience in. The overarching theme of the profile is that this person ultimately provides a high level of support to colleagues and customers which is exactly what’s sought after in a good executive assistant .

The core skills provide a snapshot of the candidate’s vital skills such as diary management and reception duties – giving readers a good idea of their suitability for EA roles within seconds of opening the CV ( curriculum vitae ) and giving them a good chance of landing job interviews .

Graduate CV profile (no experience)

This graduate candidate hasn’t quite completed their degree course yet, and doesn’t have any professional experience, but it hasn’t stopped them from writing a powerful personal profile. They start by stating their degree course, and making it clear that they are achieving high grades, whilst also mentioning their bilingual abilities and extra-curricular activities.  They compensate for their lack of experience by detailing their ambitions to pursue a career in law and detail some of the skills they are gaining through their studies and voluntary work. Some junior candidates prefer to use a slightly longer personal statement at the top of their CV – you can see this style in my CV personal statement writing guide .

Check out our school leaver CV example ,  Graduate CV example  and student CV .

HR CV Profile

This candidate kicks their CV off with a nice a simple outline of their length of HR experience, along with the industries they have experience in (FMCG, IT) and an indication to the size and calibre of company they are used to working with – this is exactly what a recruiter needs to know when opening an HR CV.

They then expand to provide detail on their specialisms within HR such as employment law and health & safety whilst showing readers what impact this has on the wider business and their stakeholders.

Basic CV template . – Online CV creator reviews.

IT manager CV profile

This IT manager CV profile does a great job of outlining not-only the candidate’s technical expertise, but also their ability to work closely with non-technical staff to drive change across employer business. They start by summarising their length of experience and particular expertise within IT infrastructure, whilst also demonstrating an industry specialism of educational employers.

They then delve a bit deeper to highlight specific technologies within infrastructure that recruiters will be looking for , and demonstrate key business skills such as solution implementation, relationship building and stakeholder management .

Managing director CV profile

As a senior candidate, it’s important to head your CV up with a profile that highlights your depth of experience, and quickly tell recruiters the kind of results you achieve for companies. This candidate provides a punchy explanation of their length of experience in business, combined with some core benefits they deliver for businesses, such as operational efficiency, customer experience and profitability.

They go on to detail their industry specialisms, relevant qualifications, and specific strategies they implement to drive business growth – giving readers a great overview of their abilities.

Note: a CV profile is also known as a summary or objective .

Marketing CV profile

This profile opens with a clear statement of the candidate’s marketing experience, and promptly tells readers the level they work at by giving an indication of typical campaign value – this will certainly catch the eye of a busy recruiter.

They give further high-level detail of the types of marketing campaigns they have led (online, print, social) and show the impact they deliver by highlighting results such as market share growth, lead generation and customer base growth.

Nurse CV profile

This profile provides a short sharp explanation of the candidate’s extensive experience within nursing with high-level detail of the types of care they can carry out, along with the environments they work within – this instantly gives readers a great idea of the roles this person is suitable for.

They expand to explain their passion for the role, which is important in a care-based role, and they also list the specific medical areas which they are competent in, which are key terms that recruiters will be looking for.

Procurement CV profile

By opening with a brief statement on key knowledge and abilities within procurement, such as purchasing, stock control and logistics, as well as detailing their industry specialisms – this candidate sets a great tone for the CV and quickly gives recruiters a snapshot of their offerings.

The profile further expands by explaining how the candidate’s actions add value to employer procurement by improving supplier relationships, reducing costs and improving supply chain efficiency.

Project manager CV profile

This candidate’s profile opens strongly by giving a brief overview of length of project management experience, important certifications (Prince2) and the types of projects they have led – when recruiters are searching for PMs, these are the details they want to know first .

In-demand project management skills such as budgeting, stakeholder management and contract negotiation are also highlighted whilst ultimately demonstrating that project delivery is paramount.

Check out our project manager example CV , architect , electrician CV  and engineer example CV

Sales CV profile

As a sales professional , it’s important that recruiters can quickly see your ability to communicate persuasively and deliver results for employers. To do this, this candidate quickly demonstrates their ability to hit targets, sell to senior figures, and grow revenue within their chosen sector.

This profile also highlights some essential sales skills that recruiters will expect to see, such as networking, lead generation, presenting and closing sales – essential features in any sales CV .

Supply chain CV profile

This person makes their experience length and core supply chain abilities known quickly to ensure that readers pay attention to the CV once they open it. They include some in-demand supply chain skills such as stock control, procurement, supplier negotiation, as well as giving an indication of the type of firms they have worked for.

Anybody who picks up this CV can promptly understand what this candidate’s high-level skills are, and what sort of role they could fit in to.

Teacher CV profile

When a recruiter or employer is looking to hire a teacher, they will firstly want to know, what age group does this person teach? What curriculum do they know? Where have they taught?

This profile answers those questions straight away and gives a good intro to the teacher’s skills set by including skills like classroom management, resource planning, and even showing that they contribute to wider school community activities.

Check out our teacher CV example ,  teaching assistant CV example  and academic CV example .

Teaching assistant CV profile

Why is this CV profile good?

In order to give recruiters an instant understanding of how this candidate could add value to any school, they have given a brief but powerful overview of the core factors that school staff would need from them.

This includes things like; how long they have been working in schools, the year groups they work with, the key classroom activities they can carry out, and above all, how they help students to learn and progress.

Chef CV profile

This chef’s CV profile provides readers with an easy-to-digest (no pun intended) summary of what this candidate can offer kitchens and restaurants. They not only cover their most valuable chef skills such as menu development and health & safety, but they also highlight they types of venues and food types the specialise in, so that recruiters can see the best places to match them to – these can of course be tailored to suit particular jobs, if you have wide-ranging experience.

Business analyst CV profile

This business analyst candidate ensures that recruiters do not skip past their CV by putting together a quick and impactful message in their profile which highlights their core BA skills, gives examples of the types and sizes of projects they have worked on, and also shows they are qualified to do the job.

Core qualities that BA employers will be looking for include; requirements gathering, quality assurance, workshops, Agile, Waterfall and UAT testing.

Support worker CV profile

As a support worker it’s crucial to swiftly prove to recruiters and employers that you have the right skills and knowledge to provide care in a professional and effective manner.

This candidate does exactly that, by summarising the type of people they have experience caring for, health issue knowledge, patient relationship and the types of organisations they have worked in. This gives readers enough relevant info to be enthused and continue to read the CV.

Estate agent CV profile

As an estate agent , you need to prove your abilities to deal with customers, negotiate prices, work towards targets, and sell properties. This candidate  by giving a high level snapshot of all their most essential estate agent qualities in just a few short lines.

They mention the the types of properties they have experience in selling, how they manage the house buying process, and round up by talking about the results they achieve for their employers.

This tells recruiters everything they need to know within the first few seconds of opening the CV.

Graphic designer CV profile

This graphic designer ensures that their CV is noticed by providing readers with enough information to know what type of graphic design software they can use, the type of work they can produce, and the kinds of organisations they can produce it for.

They do this by highlighting in-demand software skills such as PhotoShop and Sketchup, and giving an overview of the designs they create and who for.

Student CV profile

As a student or school leaver, you won’t have much experience, so this candidate has expanded upon their education , extra curricular activities and interests to give their profile plenty of substance.

By highlighting their passion for the industry they are trying to break into and demonstrating plenty of transferable and workplace skills, such as mathematics and communication. They also prove their enthusiasm by listing some of their voluntary work and school club involvement.

Architect CV profile

This architect makes sure that their CV is not skipped over, by creating an eye-catching profile that quickly explains why their CV is worth reading, by summarising all of their most in-demand talents.

As an architect, this includes attributes such, what areas of architecture do they specialise in? (both in education and experience) What kind of building projects have they worked on? (size, scale, type). What is their software knowledge? How do they work with others to deliver results for employers and clients?

6 tips for writing your CV profile

When writing your own CV , dedicate plenty of time and effort to your CV profile, as it can often make or break your CV.

Here are my top 6 tips for creating a winning CV profile that will get you noticed by the best employers

Tailor to your target jobs

The key to getting your CV noticed by recruiters, is giving them what they are looking for – it’s that simple.

To do this, you just need to pack your CV profile with the skills and knowledge that you have, which most closely match what they want to see in a candidate.

Do this by searching for your target job titles on one of the major job sites , and making a list of the skills knowledge and experience that regularly appear in the job descriptions .

Once you have a list of these in-demand requirements, simply try to fit as many of them as possible into your CV profile as you can – or close variations if you don’t have perfectly matching skills.

Keep it short and sharp

Recruiters often see hundreds of job applications and CVs in a day, so they don’t always have much time to read your CV on first receiving it.

For this reason, you need to keep your CV profile brief, so it can be skim read quickly, and the most important points are easy to spot.

Avoid CV cliches

You may well be a “team player” or maybe you “go the extra mile”.

These qualities, such as teamwork , are important, but recruiters are not searching for them at this stage of the application… Plus they are generic to all jobs.

They are looking for profession specific skills like software knowledge, languages, qualifications, length of experience within a particular industry etc.

So stick to the hard facts and skills in your CV profile.

Sell yourself

Your CV profile is no time to be modest.

You need to tell employers why it’s worth investing their time in reading your CV.

So sell yourself by describing your highest levels of achievement and even include some action verbs , facts and figures to show the kind of results you can achieve.

See also: Resume summary examples Australia

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How to Write a Resume Personal Statement

What is a resume personal statement?

A resume personal statement expresses who you are, where you’ve been, and sometimes where you plan to go next right at the top of your resume.

Everyone has different circumstances, so the personal statement helps to orient a potential future boss in terms of what they are about to read in the resume. Think about what you would like to share that matters to you. This space is particularly useful if you are changing industries, coming back in to the employment market or looking for a promotion. Your shop window starts here. The personal statement may be the only thing than an employer reads.

The resume personal statement hooks in a reader, influencing them to read more. So, how do you write a resume personal statement that is both natural and grabs an employer’s attention? Offer them a brief insight into who you are and why you would be a fantastic hire. So what do you write in a personal statement for a job?

This guide will cover:

• The basic formatting of a personal statement: How to tailor your personal statement to give you a competitive advantage
• Personal statement examples you should (and shouldn’t) use
• Practical steps for getting started on your resume personal statement

The personal statement format

The personal statement is a short paragraph that sits right below your contact information at the top of a resume. It sums up your experience, goals and skills with confidence. Think of your resume’s personal statement like an extended tagline for your career. A resume personal statement should include:

• Between 50 and 200 words in 3 - 4 sentences
• Your title or function, for example “Junior developer” or “Passionate hospitality manager”
• An opening hook
• Soft skills and hard skills
• Impressive facts and stats
• Your short and/or long-term goals
• Job-specific slant for the position you’re applying to

This may seem like a lot to cram into 200 words but perfecting your elevator pitch shows that you have a firm grasp of why your experience, goals, and skills make you the perfect fit for the job. Go all out to make this as fitting for each role as possible. Too often candidates come up with what they see as the perfect introduction to them and forget about how a hiring manager for each specific role might read it. Be flexible with the personal statement. It might not present the very best version of you - it should present the best version of you for this particular role.

This brief introduction is only a short piece of text, it is not disruptive and in many cases even serves as a welcome addition to what is otherwise a dry and impersonal document. It should be clear to you by now how we feel about the personal statement: Include it, especially because it allows you that bit of creativity that may make all the difference. Adopt a coversational tone and consider using the first person for these few lines. Third person (past tense) is standard for resumes, but if you want to go personal, this is where to do it.

How do I start my personal statement? How do you not start a personal statement? Even with a personal statement of 3-4 lines, sometimes the first sentence is the hardest. Even the first few words can have a disproportionate effect on how your personal statement is viewed. Your starting "hook" should make your fit with the role clear and specific. Use an example that is as unique to you as possible - you have to make your future employer sit up and pay attention. The first word of your personal statement should never be "I" - a great resume explores the potential of a common partnership and should not be a uni-directional monologue.

Align your resume’s personal statement with the job description

The hiring manager delicately chose every word in their job description. Gather clues from its tone, which skills they highlight, and any hints that point toward their dream employee. One of the top resume tips from HR managers is to include relevant keywords specific to the job posting itself as well as the actual wording of the job title .

What would this job description look like in 3 - 4 sentences? What keywords, skills, and tone would the job description have?

While still sticking to the facts about who you are and your experiences, your resume personal statement should highlight as many similarities with the job description as possible. When the hiring manager reads the first few sentences in your resume, they feel like you are exactly the person they were describing when they wrote the job description.

Position of the personal statement

Recruiters still prefer to see a candidate's personal details at the top (or running along a column on either side) of the resumes that cross their desk. This allows them to quickly search through the resumes that Applicant Tracking Systems have sorted into their virtual “yes” pile. You do not want your (relatively modern) personal statement to get in the way of this tradition. 

The best place to put your statement is after your personal details (if they are at the top) and before your employment history section. Remember that the length of your resume is important. If you have already been very selective and cannot possibly leave out any more information and if adding your personal statement means your resume spills over onto a third page, you may consider not including your statement for the position in question. This ensures you comply with the unwritten rule that a resume should not be longer than two pages.

What is a good personal statement length? 200 words is the maximum suggested length, but if you go with one powerful sentence that you want the hiring manager to remember for the rest of the interview process, then why not? Less is more, but you have to be confident in your application to go with this option.

Plan to write your resume personal statement last

Instead of getting stuck at the beginning trying to write the perfect statement, skip this section and jump right into your employment history first. Once you’ve added your relevant work experiences, take a look at your keywords, phrases and skills from your past positions.

Your complete work history and the job description for the job you want are the foundations for your personal statement. By writing your resume personal statement last, it should be easier to get started once you have the right inspiration.

It might be the case that you leave a certain number of lines for the personal statement on your resume and write an individual statement for each role. You will often have a public version of your resume that is accessible on job boards (etc), so there should still be an "ideal" personal statement version.

How do I write a resume from scratch? While it is good advice to write the resume personal statement after your have written the resume itself (giving your brain a chance to ponder your true highlights), starting writing a resume is a mammoth task in itself. There are many useful pieces of advice when sitting down to write a resume, but for me, the key is to think about the reflecting the combination of what you are good at, what you enjoy and how those things will contribute to the direction of your career. For sure, be honest about your experience, but there has to be a creative flavour of ensuring that your past adequately reflects where you want to go.

Check out resume personal statement examples

Before you dive into writing, get a sense for different rhythms and layouts by checking these resume personal statement examples. How do you write a good personal statement?

Let's start with the basics. Since every person is unique, all personal statements should be unique too. You should, therefore, resist the urge to (largely) copy someone else's existing statement. This is the only spot on your resume to let your voice be heard, so try to write something that would prompt a friend to exclaim, “That sounds like something you’d say!” while, of course, keeping it professional.

Example. Innovative Executive Assistant with 10+ years of experience with global financial firm assisting a team of three C-Level directors. Expertly coordinate travel, manage large-scale expense reports, and streamline communication and calendars across departments..Seeking an Executive Assistant role with the Resume.io team to expand my office management career and thrive in an environment that requires independent problem-solving skills and focus under short deadlines.

The example above does the following things:

• States their title in the first sentence
• Includes specifics such as team size and duties
• Succinctly sums up major responsibilities and skills
• Highlights hard skills—experience arranging travel and expense reports—as well as soft skills—grace under pressure, attention to detail and communication.
• Specifically tailors the final statement with the company and/or job description

Here are a few more resume personal statement examples:

Experienced Digital Marketing Manager with five years of expertise in heading up a global firm. Increased inbound leads by 500% and raised online sales from 100,000 annually to over 2 million in a three-year period. Looking to grow career by applying skills to the Resume.io marketing team.

Straight to the point and accomplishment focused, without the use of “I”. Now let’s look at a less effective example:

I have worked as a Digital Marketing Manager for five years. During this time I have been an important and hard-working member of the team and showed my ability to work under pressure to deliver on company targets. I am looking to bring my skills to a new role in digital marketing.

Generic and ignores accomplishments. Also, too many uses of “I” in a passive voice.

Next is an example of a personal statement that focuses more on career objectives . A career objective can be used as a way to get across your skills and experience, without the personal bit. It’s a good option if you’re an entry-level candidate or college graduate without a lot of experience in the industry you’re applying for. The idea is, because you don’t have the relevant experience to talk about, you pull skills and experience from other areas of your resume so you can show you have what it takes.

Keep your career objective brief — 2-3 sentences max — following the same rules as the personal statement.

Content writer with three years' experience in a large e-commerce company. Delivered content that grew brand social presence to over 700,000 across three channels and improved email open rates by 48%. Looking to further career by joining the Resume.io as an SEO Executive.

See how it uses transferable skills? Combining these with numbers makes them all the more impressive.

And a less effective resume personal statement example:

I am a content writer looking to secure a role as an SEO Executive. While I have no experience in this field and am a dedicated individual and a keen learner. My enjoyment of how search engines work will help me excel in your company.

There’s not enough here to capture attention and it doesn’t sell transferable skills. Whichever type of opening statement you go for, if you have numbers to show, make them count.

Writing your personal profile resume

Always write the first draft of a personal profile resume without editing. Don’t worry about length or word choice in the first pass. Brag about yourself, be proud of your accomplishments , and add in all of your most impressive stats.

Some of the best writing happens without editing too soon, so don’t worry about sounding over the top or egotistical, that’s what editing your personal profile resume is for. If the goal is to get 3 - 4 perfect sentences, it’s likely your first draft will be closer to 6 - 8, maybe even longer. Then consider which parts are closest to helping you get the job and cull the rest. It might seem brutal, but brevity is critical at the top of your personal profile.

Polish your personal statement and experiment

Once you’ve narrowed your focus, use the following questions to help you review your work and edit your statement:

Is my first sentence clear and concise? The opening line should state your position and use strong, enthusiastic language to hook in the reader. It often includes years of experience as well.

Is it direct opposed to passive? A strong sense of self comes through in a personal statement. Instead of sentences that begin with “I believe I am…” or “I enjoy…” be bold. Get right to the point and take ownership of your skills.

Does it include objective information? For this one, try to get inside the hiring manager’s mind. If you were filling this role, what boxes would you need to check off? The second and third sentence often include specific skills, facts or figures to support this need.

Does it read naturally? Even with all these specifics, the statement should still be easy to understand and have a natural rhythm when read aloud. Cut out any jargon that acts as filler or that changes your tone. Formality may vary from company to company, but personal statements should always reflect the type of employee or person you are.

What are three tips for writing a personal statement?

• Make sure that your personality comes across in the writing.
• Quantify any accomplishments and include financials where possible.
• If you are at a moment of career change, don't fail to mention your goals.

Common mistakes in personal statements

When writing your personal statement, beware of platitudes. These are clichéd expressions that have become meaningless from overuse. They induce recruiters to roll their eyes and move on to the next candidate. Think of such terms as “an administrative jack-of-all-trades” or “a cog in the wheel’ and being ready for a “new challenge.”  Definitely avoid this list of human resources’ most hated resume phrases. 

Try to be original in your choice of words and ask a friend or family member to take a critical look at your personal statement when you are done. By the way, you should always have someone proofread your entire resume when you think you are ready to send it.

Some people call their personal statements " resume objectives ." This is something else entirely. A resume objective is required when a candidate needs to project their hopes for their next role that differe from their previous experience a little. This objective can then be used to outline the motivations behind a career change and is also common with early-career professionals. 

Does a personal statement need a title? Some resume templates might call the opening statement a summary and others may exclude a description entirely. Either option is fine as employers are conditioned to expect a few lines at the to of a resume to serve as a headline for your job application.

What do employers expect from your resume opening statement?

Sometimes it is useful to consider job seeking activity from the point of view of the end hiring managers. External recruiters are important people to impress, but it is the employers that will be making the ultimate hiring decision. They will be reading lots of resumes, so what would they want to read in your resume opening statement?

• They will want the resume opening statement to be written for them. When you are on the hunt for a new member of your professional family, an intensely personal connection is vital from the first lines.
• They will expect a quantifiable context to your resume opening statement. Impressive words come easily when you really need a job, but backing them up with numbers to demonstrate their scale is less simple.
• They will expect to be impressed. If you cannot impress a specific employer for a specific role with the first lines of your resume, then the role is almost certainly not for you. Nothing to shout about? Move on.

Key takeaways

Think of your CV personal statement as the first 2 minutes of an interview—whether on the phone or in person. The HR manager asks you to “tell me a little about yourself,” and you have a quick minute to set the tone for the rest of the conversation. Similarly, the CV personal statement should include:

• A natural, yet professional CV tone that reflects your personality
• The top reasons your experience makes you a unique fit for this position
• Why this role aligns with your career plans
• Facts and data on your CV that back up your earlier points

Crafting a personal statement for each role will cause some serious thought. What is your essential fit for the role that will make a hiring manager sit up and think "wow, I need to have them on my team?" What would you want to read if you were in their shoes. You will definitely have lots to say, but keep it simple and powerful.

One more good CV statement example:

Expert SEO copywriter with a decade of B2C and B2B experience across three industries. Versatile in writing social, website and long-form copy to convey each brand’s unique tone and message. I cultivated 15 new clients in two years and grew readership by over 200%. I am now seeking to expand my editing and content creation expertise in a Marketing Manager position.

Once you’ve mastered writing your CV personal statement, this clear sense of who you are and what you want will prepare you to pitch yourself during interviews.

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What personal details to put on a CV (2024 Guide + Examples)

A common question we are often asked is,

“What personal details should I put on my CV?”

The short answer is that the personal details section of a good CV should only contain the following four pieces of personal information of the applicant; name, home address, telephone number and e-mail address.

It is optional to include a link to your LinkedIn profile or personal website.

Other personal details, such as date of birth, gender, marital status, nationality and national insurance number, should be left out of your CV. These things are outdated, irrelevant to your ability to do the job and will harm your job application.

Use the guide below to get up-to-date information on what personal details to include or omit from your CV to improve your chances of securing job interviews.

Let’s get started!

The personal details section of a CV

Telephone number.

• E-mail address

LinkedIn profile and/or personal website

Date of birth, place of birth, nationality, marital status, details of children, current or last salary, reason for leaving current job, willingness to relocate, religious beliefs, driving licence details, health status, national insurance number, a word about equal opportunities questionnaires.

The personal details section is located right at the top of your CV and it is the first thing that recruiters will see when they review your CV.

The following is an example of a personal details section of a CV:

Providing contact information

Putting your contact details at the top of the first page of your CV will make it easier for employers to identify and contact you.

An employer or recruiter will not try to get hold of you on several occasions, so you must provide clear contact details and regularly check your messages, emails and postal mail after submitting job applications.

The good news is the personal details section of your CV is not too difficult to compile because it is just about the factual details of your life.

What personal details to include on your CV

The number of personal information that should be on a CV can be counted on the fingers of one hand, they are; name, address, telephone number and email address.

The first essential personal information that your CV must contain is your name.

It is recommended to display it in slightly larger type than the rest of the contact details, in boldface and centred on the page.

Guidelines for writing your name on your CV:

• There is no need to put ‘curriculum vitae’ or ‘CV’ at the top of the first page because it is obvious what the document is. Instead, make your name the main heading of your CV .
• There is no need to add an honorific title such as Mr, Mrs, Miss or Ms in front of your name.
• Middle names are unnecessary; only include your first and last name. For example, ‘William Smith’, not ‘William Anderson Harold Smith’!
• To avoid confusion, decide on the name you want to be referred to and stick to this throughout. For example, should people call you David or Dave?
• If you have more than one name (for instance married women who also use their maiden name), make sure you use the name that you would want to be called if you were employed for the job.
• It is recommended to put your name in the footer of every page of your CV. Recruiters are human too and can mislay or mix up piles of applications. Named pages will ensure your application can be easily reunited if necessary.
• Give your CV a meaningful file name. Some applicants save their CVs as CV.docx or MyCV.pdf, making it harder for employers to find and identify the owner of the document. Instead, use the format YourName_CV, for example; JohnSmith_CV.docx or JoSanders_CV.pdf.

The second essential information that you must include on your CV is your current address. Employers may want to send you your employment contract through the post or keep your address on file as standard HR practice.

Including your address on your CV could also have several benefits.

Your home address can be a positive trust indicator that you are local, established and/or settled in a particular location rather than being always on the go or not having a permanent address.

Your address could also give your job application a boost when applying for local jobs because employers usually give preference to local applicants over those that commute long distances to work.

Guidelines:

• Make your address short and concise. It should only consist of your house number, street name, city and full postcode.
• There is no need to write the county (e.g. South Yorkshire) or country (e.g. United Kingdom) name if you’re applying for jobs in the same country.

It is recommended to use your mobile phone as your preferred point of contact. With a mobile phone number, employers can contact you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

• During your job hunt, ensure you keep your phone charged, have credit to make calls and check for voicemails regularly. Employers are unlikely to ring you back if they can’t get hold of you or if you don’t reply to their voicemail messages.
• Double check the number is correct. It would be awkward if the employer dials the number and a person picks up who has never heard of you!
• Try to stick to just one number if you can – it’s far simpler and quicker for the person trying to contact you if there is only one option.
• If you are going to use your home number, make sure your answering machine or voicemail works properly or that a family member knows how to take a message. Getting home to find you’ve been invited to interview but no one can tell you when, or with whom, would be very frustrating!
• You don’t need to include the international dialling code (e.g. +44) for your country unless you are applying for jobs in other countries.
• If you’re currently working, do not give your work telephone number unless your manager is aware that you are looking for a job and is supportive. It’s unprofessional, too risky and can cause conflict between you and the employer. Most people do not usually want their present employer to know that they have been applying for other jobs.

Email address

Your email address is the last piece of essential contact information that you must include on your CV. In today’s digital world, employers will 90% of the time contact you via email instead of the post.

Your job interview invitation or employment contract may also be sent to you electronically so double check the email address has been written correctly, even a single letter or number out of place will prevent incoming mail from reaching you.

• Make sure your email address is professional. Many recruiters still report seeing inappropriate email addresses on CVs, such as [email protected] , [email protected] or [email protected] . Keep your name the central focus of the address, even if you do include some numbers and make it as simple as possible. [email protected] is infinitely better than [email protected] ; it is instantly clear who it belongs it and is less likely to be entered incorrectly.
• Use your personal e-mail address rather than your work e-mail address. Corinne Mills, a well-known career professional and HR executive, writes in You’re hired, how to write a brilliant CV (pg.9) : “Try using a personal email address for your job-searching activities rather than your current work email (if you have one). Many companies now have an internet and email policy that warns employees that their facilities are for company business only and they will take action over appropriate use. It’s not a great idea to risk disciplinary proceedings when you are looking for your next job.”

Optional personal details to include

You can add a link to your LinkedIn profile or personal website/portfolio if they contain additional information that could strengthen your job application.

• LinkedIn profile: It allows employers to gain a better insight into your career history, number of professional connections and any recommendations or references you have received from other professionals.
• Personal website: You may have a professional portfolio that you wish to share with the employer, for example, if you are a graphics designer, consultant or architect.

Tip: Keep your LinkedIn profile and personal website up to date with your latest information.

What personal details NOT to include on your CV

There are certain personal information that you used to be commonly put on CVs but new anti-discrimination laws have made these details irrelevant today.

Don’t write your date of birth on your CV . Recent anti-discrimination laws mean that employers must consider your suitability for the job based on your skills and experience, not on your age.

Benefits of omitting your date of birth from your CV

• It will reduce the likelihood of age discrimination
• It will free up valuable space on your CV that can be utilised for more important information
• It will decrease the risk of identity fraud

Exception: If you’re applying for something in which age is an important consideration, such as a course that is only available to a certain age group or an apprenticeship with a cut-off upper age, then it makes sense to include your date of birth on your CV.

Where you were born is irrelevant.

As long as it was somewhere on planet earth, you’re good to go.

Don’t write your nationality on your CV unless you’re a foreign national and wish to inform the employer about your work eligibility in the country.

A short statement such as “Polish, eligible to work in the UK”, will suffice.

It may also be useful to write your nationality on your CV if you’re applying for certain governmental jobs for which eligibility is partly based on one’s citizenship of that country. This is usually the case for national security and civil service jobs.

Including a photograph on your CV tells a prospective employer: “I want to be judged on my appearance rather than on my relevant work experience and qualifications.”

Photographs may be essential on social media platforms but they have no place on a CV.

Employers asking for photographs is extremely unusual in the UK, mainly due to powerful anti-discrimination laws. Unless you have explicitly been asked to provide your photograph or are applying for jobs where looks matter, for example being an actor, model, presenter or performer, don’t put your photograph on your CV.

Note: Different countries have different rules.

A standard CV in the UK, USA and most of Europe should not include the gender of the applicant.

Four reasons not to put your gender on your CV :

• Your gender is irrelevant to your ability to do the job
• It takes up valuable space on your CV
• It diverts the employer’s attention from other important information, e.g. your skills, qualifications and work experience
• It doesn’t provide much information as employers can usually derive from your name whether you’re a male or female.

Marital status is another outdated piece of information that you shouldn’t put on your CV.

The employer does not need to know whether you’re single, married, divorced, remarried or engaged. As long as you are a strong candidate for the role, that’s all they care about.

Many CVs still include the ages, sexes and even the names of the applicant’s children. Leave these out. The number and names of your children are irrelevant to your ability to do the job and are a prime source of prejudice. You may be a strong candidate, regardless of whether you have no children or are a chief of your own large tribe.

Roughly speaking, employers expect you to be earning within plus or minus 10% of the salary they are offering. It may put them off if this is not the case.

One jobseeker in a well-paid job found that disclosing his current salary on his CV acted as a deterrent to employers. They either felt he was unlikely to stay on a lower salary or that he was overqualified for the role.

Similarly, if you’re last salary is significantly lower than what the employer is offering, you may not be taken seriously for the role.

For this reason, never disclose your current or last salary on your CV.

There is no need to state your reasons for leaving a job on your CV, particularly if there was a conflict with the previous employer.

People leave jobs for a variety of reasons, including lack of progression opportunities, needing to earn more money, conflict with the employer, moving to a new city, boredom, making a career change, being made redundant or for health reasons.

Most of these motives are unflattering to the candidate so it is best not to say disclose this information on your CV. If employers are truly interested in knowing this information, they inquire about it at the job interview.

If you are applying for a job which is far from where you live, it may be useful to add some context to explain how you will get to work every day.

If you are willing to relocate, add a short statement to this effect next to or under your address at the top of your CV. Indicate which areas of the world you would be prepared to work in; for example, ‘Prepared to relocate within the UK.’

You may not want to be too specific here, for example, by restricting your relocation to a specific town or city.

Only refer to your religion if you’re applying for jobs in which your religious beliefs matter. For most jobs, this information is completely irrelevant and it can lead to discrimination against you.

The status of your driving licence usually only matters if driving is an essential part of the job. For most applicants, this won’t be the case so they should not put their driving license information on your CV. There is, however, an exception to this rule which applies to young people or those that are just starting their careers:

If you have few qualifications or little work experience, you may put driving as a life skill in your CV’s skills section to show the employer that you have the ability to learn and drive a vehicle. Simply write, ‘Full, clean driving licence.’ Employers may be impressed by a clean license.

If the licence is not clean, however, you should indicate that you have a full driving licence only. Never state your driving licence number, speeding convictions or penalty points on your CV!

You are under no obligation to mention any disability or health problems when applying for jobs. If you need additional support or assistance due to your disability (e.g. you are a wheelchair user), you could inform the employer of this on the application form, your cover letter or by calling them directly – never put this information on your CV.

It used to be the case that applicants who applied for jobs in which physical fitness was an important consideration, for example, swimming instructor or physical fitness trainer, they would add a ‘health’ tag along with the statement, “Fit and healthy.”

This is no longer required and employers will be able to assess your general health status from other information on your CV, such as your work experience or hobbies.

The official National Insurance guidelines of the UK government state,

“To prevent identity fraud, keep your National Insurance number safe. Do not share it with anyone who does not need it.”

This means that you should not make your National Insurance number on your CV and make it accessible to everyone because you cannot control who will access your CV once you have posted it online or sent it via email to employers.

You may be asked to provide personal details such as gender, ethnicity and race on a separate form called an equal opportunities questionnaire.

It’s OK to provide this information because employers collect them to track their Equal Opportunities performance, not to influence recruitment.

The information you provide is strictly confidential and won’t impact the outcome of your application.

Your CV is your personal sales brochure tailored to impress the employer and invite you to an interview. It should not be cluttered with irrelevant personal details such as your date of birth, gender, marital status and nationality. Instead, only include your key personal information such as your name, address, telephone number and email address.

Good luck with your job hunt!

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How to Write a CV Personal Profile with Examples and Tips

• · June 12 2024
• · 7 min read

Table of contents

Whether you are a seasoned professional or a recent graduate, a personal profile is essential for your CV when targeting the UK job market. It is a pivotal section that is often misunderstood but carries significant weight in the eyes of employers. Companies seek individuals who exhibit competence and dedication during the application process. Consequently, you should perceive your personal profile as a golden opportunity to captivate the attention of recruiters and hiring managers, as it occupies the topmost position in your CV.

Before we start, it's worth noting that the personal profile section may be referred to by various names. Despite these differences, they all serve the same purpose:

Profile Summary

Personal Statement

CV Profile Summary

Skills Summary

Qualifications Summary

Follow this guide to help you create the best CV introduction that resonates with employers, propelling you closer to a positive outcome in your job application!

Looking to create a professional CV?

What is a personal profile .

A personal profile is a paragraph at the top of your CV, serving as an introductory statement about yourself and your career objectives. Its purpose is to provide a concise overview of your professional background, educational attainment, aspirations, and core competencies, all tailored to align with your desired job and industry. To be effective, the introduction on your CV must strike a balance between clarity, brevity, and relevance to make a strong impact on potential employers in the UK market.

Applying for your first job? No worries, we’re here to help! Discover our best tips and tricks for writing a CV for a first job!

What to include in a short personal profile?

There are two essential elements of a professional CV introduction. First, incorporate a compelling power statement that grabs attention. Second, emphasise soft skills rather than hard skills. Ensuring the inclusion of both these elements is pivotal. As we delve deeper into these aspects, we provide you with personal profile examples and guidance on how to construct the personal profile section of your CV effectively.

Steps on how to write a personal profile for your CV

1. start with a compelling power statement.

Begin your personal profile with a strong opening sentence highlighting your current job title, years of experience, and primary career objectives. This statement should grab the attention of employers and set you apart from other applicants.

2. Align with the job description

Refer to the job description of the position you're applying for and incorporate relevant keywords and phrases. For example, if the job requires someone with over 10 years of experience or a qualified marketing professional, include those details in your personal profile to demonstrate your suitability for the role.

3. Focus on showcasing soft skills

The next part should emphasise your personal attributes and soft skills relevant to your career goals. Highlight qualities that make you an ideal candidate for the position. Remember, it's not necessary to list hard skills here, as there is a dedicated section for that elsewhere in your CV.

4. Seek inspiration from CV writing guidelines

To craft a compelling personal profile, refer to resources on how to write a good CV and what skills to include. These guidelines can provide further inspiration and help you identify the essential skills and qualities sought after by employers in your field.

Benefits of a personal profile

1. demonstrates your research and suitability.

You showcase your understanding of the role and organisation by crafting a well-crafted personal profile. It conveys to recruiters or hiring managers that you have taken the time to align yourself with the job requirements, highlighting why you are the ideal candidate for the position.

2. Concisely summarises your experience and goals

The personal profile allows you to condense your professional experience and career goals into a concise, reader-friendly format. It enables you to present the most relevant information, avoiding overwhelming details that may not align with your career objectives.

3. Provides insight into your identity and motivation

Your personal profile offers a glimpse into your personality, motivations, and aspirations. It provides the reader with valuable insight, potentially leading to engaging interview discussions. You lay the groundwork for fruitful conversations during the interview process by mentioning key points in your personal profile.

Avoid the following when writing a personal profile

1. writing a generic summary.

Avoid creating a generic summary that could apply to any candidate. The term "personal" implies specificity, so tailor your summary to reflect your unique qualities and attributes. If it's your first time writing a personal profile, take a look at our student CV example article for more inspiration.

2. Neglecting spelling and grammar

Spelling and grammar mistakes can be detrimental to your CV, particularly in the opening paragraph. Thoroughly proofread your text, read it aloud, use spelling check tools, or ask a friend to review your document.

3. Using incomplete sentences or relying solely on bullet points

While bullet points may work in certain instances, it's generally recommended to use complete sentences and write a short paragraph for your summary.

4. Using excessive keywords without providing substance

Avoid filling your personal profile with numerous keywords without conveying meaningful information. Keep it concise and ensure clarity in your statements.

5. Solely focusing on job requirements

While it's important to address job requirements, your personal profile should go beyond simply listing them. Use this opportunity to stand out by highlighting your unique qualities and attributes.

6. Writing in the third person

Instead of using third-person phrasing, opt for first-person language and omit personal pronouns (e.g., use "Manage" instead of "Manages").

7. Overloading with irrelevant details

Remember that a personal profile is a summary, so focus on the most pertinent aspects of your experience and skills. If you have limited experience, research the job requirements and highlight relevant personal attributes and transferable skills gained from education or other experiences like volunteering.

By avoiding these pitfalls, you can ensure that your personal profile effectively represents your strengths and enhances your chances of standing out to prospective employers in the UK job market.

Examples of CV personal profiles for the UK

To alleviate the daunting task of writing a personal profile, we have curated practical CV profile examples for your reference, catering to both short and long profiles. While the general guideline suggests having a minimum of four lines and a maximum of six, it is crucial to tailor your profile to your specific career goals. Remember, the key focus should be on relevant soft skills when crafting a personal profile.

Mechanical Engineer CV personal profile 

Qualified Mechanical Engineer with 5+ years of experience executing product designs from concept to production, including specification, design, prototyping, cost analysis, validation, and testing. Passionate about developing sustainable solutions by utilising cutting-edge technology to solve advanced business problems through data-driven and customer-focused techniques. Skilled in using computer-aided drafting (CAD) software to create full-scale and detailed designs of project proposals, including project work scope and end-user requirements.

Nurse CV personal profile

Registered nurse with professional experience in providing physical and psychological support to patients. Excellent interpersonal skills with proven success in collaborating with medical teams to establish compassionate, well-resourced, and healthy work environments. Professionally trained and experienced in assisting patients with acute to chronic conditions by creating, implementing, and evaluating comprehensive nursing care plans.

Sales Manager CV personal profile 

Customer-focused sales professional with 15+ years of experience exceeding sales targets, spearheading new sales processes, and driving sustainable revenue growth in fast-paced environments. Influential leader, adept in delegating, training, and coaching cross-functional and performance-driven teams. Demonstrated track record in cultivating valuable business partnerships with proven success in implementing effective customer retention strategies.

Retail Store Manager CV personal profile 

Ambitious and hard-working retail professional with proven success and experience enhancing store turnover and productivity. Well-versed in staff training, coaching, and developing performance-driven teams. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with proven ability to drive continuous process improvement.

Teacher CV personal profile

Dedicated and resourceful educator with professional experience applying hybrid learning theories and research-based pedagogy to drive student achievement in online and classroom learning environments. Skilled in teaching students from diverse backgrounds with proven success in developing creative, engaging, and robust lesson plans to achieve student satisfaction.

Customer Service CV personal profile 

Motivated and detail-oriented customer service professional with 10 years of experience leading small and large teams in fast-paced environments. Track record of success in coaching, motivating, and guiding team members to achieve business and personal goals. Equipped to optimise internal processes by transforming insights into strategic business actions with strong problem-solving, communication, and interpersonal skills.

Graphic Designer CV personal profile

Established graphic design professional with 15+ years experience in senior managerial positions within fast-paced, commercial environments. Dynamic leader with proven track record of motivating and managing team members to meet deadlines while guaranteeing quality, consistency, and brand alignment. Expert knowledge in blending creativity and technology to design and develop print/web-based solutions for clients from start-ups to Fortune 500 companies.

Project Manager CV personal profile

Goal-driven and innovative professional with over five years of experience in project management. Versatile and creative self-starter with solid record in driving service excellence to achieve organisational success while prioritising multiple projects across fast-paced industries. Collaborative leader who leverages emerging marketing strategies and forward-thinking methodologies to deliver consumer-targeted, timely, and on-budget projects.

Administrative Assistant CV personal profile

Administrative professional with four years of progressive experience supporting senior-level executives and board members in project coordination, calendar management, and event planning. Proven success in performing duties with utmost discretion, confidentiality, and professionalism while remaining responsive to changing business needs and delegating tasks to safeguard smooth operation.

HR Business Partner CV personal profile

Goal-driven and strategic Human Resources (HR) professional with nine years of progressive experience in managing HR functions and driving new initiatives within a fast-paced, dynamic environment. Influential leader well-versed in coordinating various HR tasks, overseeing full employment lifecycle processes, and maintaining/developing long-term partnerships with key stakeholders to drive strategic change. Expert communicator, adept in providing strategic HR advice, solving complex employment issues, and training executives/employees in various HR, recruitment, and employee-related topics.

Insurance Agent CV personal profile 

Self-motivated and ambitious Insurance Agent with experience in providing protection advice for clients. Strong communication skills with expertise in accident protection, income protection, life/critical illness protection, and home insurance. Skilled in developing and maintaining excellent relationships by carefully evaluating customer needs to propose insurance plans. 

Student CV personal profile 

Third-year Business Psychology student specialising in Human Resources (HR), ready to leverage strong administration skills to develop a career in HR. Excellent time management, communication, and people skills with proven ability to build and strengthen connections between different departments. Knowledgeable in employment law and essential HR practices with solid understanding of recruitment, compliance, and business operations.

Content Marketing CV personal profile

Results-driven content marketer with a passion for storytelling and a track record of driving engagement and conversions. Skilled in developing and implementing content strategies that resonate with target audiences. Excellent written and verbal communication abilities with a keen eye for detail, and a knack for crafting compelling narratives. Proficient in SEO optimisation, social media management, and analytics tools to maximise content reach and effectiveness.

Admin CV personal profile

Highly organised and detail-oriented administrative professional with a proven track record of efficiently managing office operations. Strong multitasking and prioritisation skills, ensuring smooth workflow and timely completion of tasks. Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities, fostering positive relationships with colleagues and clients. Proficient in utilising various software and systems to streamline administrative processes and enhance productivity.

Content Writer CV personal profile

Versatile and imaginative writer with a passion for crafting engaging and impactful content. Experienced in creating compelling narratives across various genres and platforms. Proficient in conducting extensive research to ensure accuracy and depth in writing. Excellent command of language and meticulous attention to detail, resulting in polished and error-free work. Strong storytelling abilities, with the capacity to captivate and resonate with diverse audiences.

Hospitality CV personal profile

Customer-focused and service-oriented hospitality professional with a passion for creating memorable guest experiences. Proven track record in delivering exceptional service in high-end establishments. Strong interpersonal and communication skills, fostering positive relationships with guests, colleagues, and management. Expertise in anticipating guest needs and providing personalised solutions to exceed their expectations. Exceptional attention to detail, ensuring seamless operations and maintaining a welcoming atmosphere.

Healthcare CV personal profile

Compassionate and dedicated healthcare professional with a strong background in patient care. Experienced in providing high-quality medical assistance and support to diverse populations. Skilled in conducting thorough assessments, developing personalised care plans, and implementing effective treatment protocols. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, fostering trusting relationships with patients, families, and interdisciplinary healthcare teams.

Cleaner CV personal profile

Detail-oriented Office Cleaner with a strong work ethic with over 5 years of experience. Dedicated to maintaining high standards. Experienced in handling cleaning tasks, including dusting, vacuuming, mopping, sanitising, and waste disposal. Proven ability to follow instructions, work independently, and prioritise tasks.

Support Worker CV personal profile

Established Support Worker with over 10 years of experience in crisis intervention, hospital treatments, and supporting children with learning and developmental disabilities. Adept at building relationships with clients and their families with natural ability to be approachable and empathetic.

Civil Service CV personal profile

Motivated and detail-oriented graduate with 3 years experience and a solid educational foundation. Proven experience in collaborative team environments underscores the ability to work effectively alongside colleagues. Adept at maintaining strict confidentiality. Demonstrates adaptability in seamlessly transitioning to various office roles as needed. Strong organisational skills enable efficient task prioritisation.

Football CV personal profile

Dynamic and driven football player with two years of experience, showcasing exceptional agility, strategic thinking, and goal-scoring prowess. Team-oriented and adaptable to various positions, contributing effectively to match dynamics. Eager to leverage skills, discipline, and commitment to excel in competitive leagues.

Pharmacist CV personal profile

Detail-orientated Pharmaceutical Sales Representative with 3+ years of experience in building relationships with healthcare providers, increasing revenue growth, and driving brand awareness. Strong knowledge of the pharmaceutical industry and product portfolios. Proven track record of delivering sales targets while upholding ethical standards in the delivery of patient care.

Marketing CV personal profile

Agile and results-driven marketing director with 11+ years of management experience in providing innovative and creative marketing solutions to diverse clients globally. Proficient in leading effective advertising campaigns. Expert in various marketing facets, including CRM, PR, event, e-mail, and brand management.

Developer CV personal profile

Dedicated Full-stack Developer passionate about crafting seamless user experiences. Proficient in front-end and back-end technologies with 10+ years of experience bridging the gap between user interface design and server-side functionality. Strong foundation in HTML, CSS, and JavaScript with expertise in server frameworks like Node.js.

Security Guard CV personal profile

Vigilant and committed security guard with over 5 years experience in maintaining a safe environment within commercial and residential settings. Proven ability to deter and report illegal activities, ensuring the safety of assets and personnel. Adept at operating security systems, conducting patrols and responding promptly to incidents. Possesses excellent communication skills and a strong sense of responsibility.

Care Assistant CV personal profile

Passionate Health Care Assistant with over 7 years of experience providing exceptional patient care. Proven track record of providing essential care, reading care plans and observation charts, and ensuring the patients are comfortable and stress-free. Adept at assisting patients with daily activities, checking vital signs and assisting hospital staff when requested.

Kitchen Porter CV personal profile

Dedicated and detail-oriented kitchen porter with a solid commitment to maintaining impeccable hygiene standards, ensuring seamless kitchen operations, and supporting the culinary team. Proficient in dishwashing, cleaning, and waste management. Skilled at thriving in fast-paced environments, consistently delivering cleanliness and order while complying with safety standards.

Artist CV personal profile

Creative and imaginative illustrator with 5 years experience. Using a keen eye for colour, balance, and layout to produce clean, crisp, and visually captivating designs. Effective communication skills and adept at transforming concepts into stunning graphics. A great problem-solver, adaptable to handle changes without frustration. Self-motivated, intensely focused and driven by deadlines.

Driver CV personal profile

Experienced and reliable HGV driver with 8 years of experience and in-depth knowledge of UK road networks, regulations, and navigation skills. Proven track record of safe and efficient transportation of goods. Strong expertise in handling various cargo types and maintaining vehicle integrity. Committed to meeting tight schedules and prioritising safety. Seeking to utilise expertise and HGV driver certificate in a reputable organisation.

Accountant CV personal profile

Recently qualified accounting graduate seeking on-the-job training to earn Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Knowledge of entry-level accounting duties, including but not limited to balancing sheets and general ledger accounts, preparing reports, and updating accounts payable. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to solve problems timely and professionally.

Receptionist CV personal profile

Diligent and personable Receptionist with a proven track record of efficiently managing front desk operations. Exceptional organisational and communication skills contribute to a welcoming environment for clients and visitors. Known for maintaining a high level of professionalism, consistently prioritise efficiency and courtesy to ensure a positive first impression and seamless daily operations at the front desks.

Chef CV personal profile

Detail-oriented Chef de Partie with 5 years of experience in the culinary industry. Skilled in food preparation, cooking techniques, and kitchen safety. Proven success in working collaboratively with Chefs to deliver exceptional dishes that surpass customer expectations. Adept at managing inventory, maintaining hygiene standards, and implementing food safety protocols to ensure optimal kitchen performance.

Data Scientist CV personal profile

Aspiring entry-level scientist adept in data-driven decision-making, predictive modelling, and implementing ML algorithms. One year of experience in cloud computing, Big Data technologies, and deep learning frameworks like Keras. Demonstrates a track record of solving complex business challenges and driving innovation through data-centric strategies.

Warehouse Operative CV personal profile

Highly motivated Warehouse Operative with 5+ years of experience ensuring timely and efficient customer delivery. Track record of ensuring smooth operation of a warehouse by managing inventory, organising stock, and maintaining the cleanliness and safety of the warehouse. Adept at receiving, storing, and distributing goods and materials with proven success in performing regular stock checks and maintaining accurate records of inventory levels.

Physiotherapist CV personal profile

Aspiring Physiotherapist with a degree in Physical Therapy, specialising in neurology and passionate for patient-centred care. Skilled in musculoskeletal assessment, exercise prescription, and evidence-based interventions gained through rigorous coursework and hands-on internships. Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to empathetically connect with patients.

Key takeaways

Crafting a compelling personal profile is crucial as it allows you to present yourself in a focused and impactful manner. Unlike a cover letter, a personal profile is more specific and directly aligned with your career objectives. It serves as an opportunity to highlight your strengths and achievements, leaving a positive impression on the reader. However, it's important to strike a balance and avoid sounding overly promotional or making exaggerated claims that could be exposed during an interview.

Consider the following tips when writing your personal profile:

Seek inspiration from the examples provided above to guide your own writing process.

Leave the personal profile section for the end, ensuring it reflects a coherent and accurate representation of yourself. Reading it aloud or asking for a friend's feedback can provide valuable insights.

Be specific in your statements and provide concrete examples to support your claims during interviews.

Reflect on your career goals and ensure they are conveyed in your personal profile. Additionally, highlight relevant soft skills that align with your objectives.

Verify that the soft skills you mention are not only true but also relevant to the job you are applying for.

By following these guidelines and asking yourself the below questions, you can create a powerful personal profile that effectively showcases your qualifications and sets you apart as a strong candidate.

What are my long-term career aspirations, and how do they align with the position I am applying for?

Have I communicated my career goals and relevant soft skills in the personal profile to showcase my fit for the desired role?

Are my soft skills not only true but also explicitly connected to the job requirements and responsibilities?

Do my career goals and soft skills reflect a genuine passion and commitment to excel in the industry or field?

Have I highlighted any additional transferable skills that could be valuable in the role beyond the basic requirements?

Next steps?

Check out our extensive library of CV examples to help you create professional career documents for the job you are specifically applying for.

CV builder: use one of the colourful CV templates to help create a tailored and well-structured CV.

Cover letter builder: apply with a matching cover letter template with a clear layout so you can easily personalise and adjust to your career goals.

CV writing service : connect with one of our experts to receive feedback and get quick, professional advice on tailoring your career documents to a specific job.

Blog: explore our step-by-step guides to learn more about the best strategies to increase your chances of job prospects.

How long should a personal profile be?

To maximise the effectiveness of your personal profile on a CV, it's essential to tailor it to the specific job you're applying for. Instead of listing everything, focus on creating a concise and targeted profile. Aim for a block of text that ranges from four to six lines, ensuring that it captures the key highlights of your qualifications. Maintaining a typical font size, limiting your word count to a maximum of 120 words is advisable, ideally slightly lower. 

Do I need to include a personal statement on my CV?

Including a personal statement on your CV is optional, but it can be a valuable addition that helps to provide a concise summary of your skills, experience, and career goals.

Should a UK CV profile be written in the third person?

Instead of using third-person phrasing, opt for first-person phrasing and omit personal pronouns (e.g., use "Manage" instead of "Manages").

Where should I include the personal profile on my CV?

The personal profile, a personal statement or a CV summary should be placed near the beginning of your CV, typically after your contact information and before the work experience section. By positioning it in this prominent location, you ensure that it immediately captures the attention of recruiters or hiring managers. For more inspiration to help you write a personal profile, check out our modern CV example article.

How can I get my profile noticed by recruiters?

When crafting your personal profile, keep these essential tips in mind to maximise its impact:

Tailor it to the specific job.

Use impactful language.

Showcase your unique selling points.

Quantify your achievements.

Incorporate keywords.

Demonstrate soft skills.

Provide specific examples.

Keep it concise.

Show enthusiasm and passion.

Proofread and edit.

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30 Personal Traits to Improve a Resume (with 60 Examples)

By Status.net Editorial Team on February 14, 2024 — 14 minutes to read

When adding personal traits to your resume, it’s important to consider the traits most valued by employers. One must be honest and reflect true characteristics. For example, if you’re naturally a good listener, you can list “attentive listening” as a trait.

How to Showcase Traits

Describe your traits through past achievements rather than just stating them. Your resume’s experience section is a great place to demonstrate traits through real-life scenarios.

You’ll want to tailor the personal traits to the job you’re applying for. If the job requires creativity, you might list “innovative thinking” with an example of how you developed a new process or product in a previous role.

Communication Skills

Good communication is a cornerstone in the professional world. It’s important to demonstrate that you have the ability to convey your thoughts and ideas effectively.

Clarity in Written Communication

In the workplace, you need to get your point across without confusion. This means selecting the right words and structuring your sentences to be concise and direct. For example, instead of writing “I’m experienced in a variety of tasks related to management,” you can say, “I manage a team of 10 and oversee project completion.”

• “Authored comprehensive and concise quarterly reports.”
• “Drafted user-friendly guidelines for software usage.”

Effective Verbal Interaction

Your ability to speak clearly and with confidence directly impacts your professional presence. Whether you’re presenting an idea to your team or speaking with clients, being articulate shows your competence. For example, saying “I led a team meeting to streamline our workflow, resulting in a 20% increase in efficiency” paints a clear picture of your verbal abilities.

• “Presented at company-wide strategy meetings.”
• “Articulated complex concepts to non-technical stakeholders.”

Persuasive Negotiation Tactics

Persuasion is not just for sales roles; it’s important when you want to advocate for your ideas or negotiate workplace solutions. Being persuasive means presenting your points with the intent to convince. For instance, “I negotiated with suppliers to reduce material costs by 15%, which bolstered our budget.”

• “Negotiated contracts with vendors, achieving favorable terms.”
• “Leveraged data-driven arguments to garner support for initiatives.”

Leadership Qualities

To boost your resume, highlighting your ability to lead can set you apart. Leadership is not just about managing tasks; it’s about inspiring others and making impactful decisions.

Visionary Strategic Planning

To be a true asset, you need to showcase your knack for looking ahead and charting a course for success. Having a visionary mind means you can anticipate changes and are always prepared for the road ahead. An example of this on your resume could be:

• “Spearheaded a new market expansion strategy, resulting in a 30% growth in customer base.”
• “Designed and implemented an innovative workflow system, increasing team productivity by 25%.”

Team Motivation Techniques

A great leader knows how to rally the troops and get the best out of their team. Your ability to motivate is about understanding what drives each individual and fostering a spirit of collaboration. On your resume, you might express this with phrases like:

• “Cultivated a dynamic team environment that enhanced performance and morale.”
• “Implemented a recognition program that reduced staff turnover by 15%.”

Decisive Problem-Solving

Employers value leaders who can make tough decisions and solve problems swiftly and effectively. Your resume should reflect your decisiveness with examples such as:

• “Resolved a product delivery bottleneck, improving on-time delivery rates by 20%.”
• “Identified and addressed a critical flaw in customer service protocol, boosting customer satisfaction scores by 35%.”

Interpersonal Abilities

To stand out, you need to showcase your ability to interact effectively with others. Your resume should highlight specific interpersonal traits that make you a great team player and communicator.

Conflict Resolution Strategies

Conflict is inevitable in any workplace. Showcasing your conflict resolution skills means demonstrating your ability to navigate disagreements professionally and reach a consensus. You can highlight this by mentioning experiences where you successfully mediated between parties or implemented solutions that satisfied all involved.

• “Resolved a recurring dispute between departments by initiating a successful mediation process.”
• “Implemented conflict de-escalation techniques that reduced team disagreements by 35%.”

Cultural Sensitivity and Awareness

Understanding and valuing cultural differences ensures a harmonious and productive workplace. When you show cultural sensitivity, you’re conveying respect for your colleagues’ backgrounds and perspectives, which is paramount in today’s global work environment.

• “Fostered an inclusive environment by developing a cultural awareness program for my team.”
• “Led a cross-cultural communication workshop that improved international client relations.”

Collaborative Teamwork Dynamics

The ability to work within a team dynamic is paramount to achieving shared goals. Your cooperative spirit, willingness to share ideas, and ability to contribute positively are what potential employers look for.

• “Championed a team project that increased company revenue by 20% through collaborative innovation.”
• “Facilitated a peer brainstorming session that led to the development of a new market strategy.”

Work Ethic and Professionalism

Incorporating traits that demonstrate a strong work ethic and professionalism can significantly elevate the appeal of your resume. These characteristics showcase your dedication to your role and your ability to function effectively in a professional environment.

Consistent Reliability

You know you can be counted on to complete tasks efficiently and on time. To convey this trait, it’s important to highlight specific examples where you’ve demonstrated reliability. For instance, mention a project where you met all your deadlines or a time when you were the go-to person for urgent tasks.

• “Maintained a 100% on-time project completion record over two years.”
• “Recognized by management for dependable attendance and punctuality.”

Goal-Oriented Focus

A goal-oriented focus means you have a clear vision of what you want to achieve and you take the necessary steps to get there. On your resume, you should underline instances where your focus on goals led to positive outcomes.

• “Exceeded sales targets by 20% each quarter through dedicated client portfolio management.”
• “Improved department efficiency by 15% by implementing a new workflow system.”

Adherence to Ethical Standards

Your commitment to maintaining high ethical standards assures employers you’ll handle their business with integrity. Illustrate this by describing situations where you’ve upheld strong ethical principles, even when faced with challenging decisions.

• “Successfully navigated complex negotiations while upholding company values of transparency and fairness.”
• “Led a team initiative to create a more inclusive workplace, resulting in a 30% increase in team diversity.”

Adaptability and Flexibility

In today’s dynamic work environment, your ability to adapt to change and remain flexible in various circumstances distinguishes you as a valuable asset to any employer.

Navigating Change with Ease

When you navigate change with ease, you exhibit a readiness to take on new challenges and show resilience in the face of professional upheaval. For instance, if your company switches to a new project management software, you quickly embrace the change and even help colleagues adapt.

• “Seamlessly transitioned to new project management systems”
• “Aided team adaptability during major organizational restructuring”

Creativity in Unfamiliar Situations

Your creativity in unfamiliar situations demonstrates that you’re not only comfortable with the unknown but also capable of generating innovative solutions when out of your comfort zone. For example, you might develop a new process that improves efficiency when placed in charge of a project outside of your usual expertise.

• “Devised innovative solutions to enhance project efficiency under new directives”
• “Initiated creative strategies in response to unprecedented market changes”

Learning and Development Agility

Learning and development agility means you actively seek continuous improvement and skill enhancement, often leading to increased productivity and job satisfaction. For example, you might voluntarily attend a workshop on the latest industry technologies and apply that knowledge to enhance your team’s performance.

• “Pursued professional development opportunities in emerging technologies”
• “Applied new skills to improve team performance metrics”

Technical Proficiencies

In today’s job market, your ability to navigate and utilize technical tools can set you apart. This section covers the essential technical skills that could enhance your resume.

Industry-Specific Software Expertise

You should showcase your expertise with software that’s widely recognized in your specific industry.

Example phrases to use on a resume:

• “Skilled in Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and InDesign for creative project management.”
• “Experienced with AutoCAD for precision engineering designs.”

Data Analysis Competency

Your ability to analyze and interpret data is a critical skill across many sectors.

• “Proficient in using Excel for complex data modeling and statistical trend analysis.”
• “Adept at leveraging SPSS to conduct detailed market research studies.”

Online Research Proficiency

Employers value your ability to find information accurately and efficiently. You can mention your familiarity with online databases, search engines, and scholarly sources.

• “Efficient in conducting online research using databases such as JSTOR and ScienceDirect.”
• “Competent in utilizing advanced Google search techniques to gather relevant industry data.”

Analytical and Critical Thinking

Improving your resume requires highlighting specific traits that demonstrate your ability to assess information and situations methodically. Your analytical and critical thinking skills show potential employers your capacity to approach challenges effectively and make informed decisions.

Innovative Problem-Solving

Innovative problem-solving involves approaching challenges with a creative and open mind. Use concrete examples on your resume to illustrate how you’ve employed creativity to overcome complex issues.

• “Resolved a 15% decline in customer satisfaction by implementing a new feedback system that identified key areas for improvement.”
• “Cut production costs by 20% by reengineering the assembly line process to increase efficiency.”

Data-Driven Decision Making

Employers value candidates who can make decisions based on sound analysis of data. When describing this trait on your resume, cite instances where you’ve used data to guide your decisions.

• “Increased sales by 30% through a targeted marketing campaign developed from customer purchase data analysis.”
• “Reduced inventory write-offs by 25% by redesigning the stock management system using historical sales trends.”

Logical Evaluation of Scenarios

Your ability to logically evaluate scenarios means you can dissect situations and predict outcomes through a clear, analytical approach. When showcasing this skill on your resume, include specific times you’ve applied this type of thinking.

• “Streamlined the onboarding process by identifying bottlenecks and predicting their impact on team productivity.”
• “Improved project deadlines by conducting a logical evaluation of project timelines and reallocating resources for optimal efficiency.”

Time Management and Organization

Effective time management and organization mean you can meet deadlines and maintain a tidy workspace, improving your performance and reliability.

Prioritization of Tasks

Prioritizing tasks allows you to focus on what’s most important and urgent, ensuring key objectives are met first. For example, you might manage multiple projects by ranking them based on deadline and project value.

• “Implemented a task prioritization system, resulting in a 15% increase in on-time project delivery.”
• “Developed daily to-do lists ordered by urgency, boosting productivity by 20%.”

Efficiency in Workflow Management

Efficiency in workflow management allows you to streamline your work process, cutting down on wasted time and increasing output. This might be seen in setting up specific times during the day to check emails, allowing for uninterrupted work periods.

• “Optimized email handling by batching correspondence, increasing time for core project activities.”
• “Designed a color-coded filing system to expedite information retrieval by 30%.”

Attention to Detail

Exemplifying attention to detail on your resume conveys that you’re meticulous and precise, which are qualities highly sought after by employers. Focusing on specifics and how you apply them in a professional setting can make a noticeable difference in how your application is perceived.

Precision in Task Execution

You demonstrate precision in task execution by handling tasks with utmost accuracy. This means thoroughly understanding the requirements and delivering work that meets or exceeds expectations.

• “Maintained a 99% accuracy rate in data entry tasks over a two-year period.”
• “Developed and implemented a detailed project tracking system to enhance team efficiency.”

Quality Control

Quality Control is all about consistently ensuring that the output of your work is of the highest standard. It’s important to stay alert and catch errors before they escalate into larger issues.

• “Conducted regular quality assessments to reduce errors by 25% in customer service responses.”
• “Implemented a peer-review process that improved software code reliability by 30%.”

Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence is about understanding and managing your own emotions, as well as recognizing and influencing the emotions of others. It’s important because it can lead to better teamwork and more effective communication on the job.

Self-Regulation and Awareness

You have the ability to monitor your own emotions and thoughts, regulating them to adapt to various situations. When you’re able to remain calm under pressure and can handle unexpected challenges with grace, it’s a valuable trait to employers. Here’s how you can showcase this on your resume:

• “Managed reactions to high-stress situations during project deadlines, leading to successful, timely completion”
• “Demonstrated ability to adapt strategies in response to feedback, improving overall team performance”

Empathy Towards Others

You show understanding and share the feelings of your colleagues, which can be pivotal when working in teams or dealing with clients. Being empathetic means you can build relationships that are based on trust and respect. Mentioning examples on your resume can give potential employers insight into your interpersonal skills:

• “Helped foster a supportive environment by mentoring new team members, enhancing team cohesion”
• “Actively listened to customer concerns, enabling tailored solutions that increased customer satisfaction rates”

Self-Motivation

Your ability to self-motivate can set you apart from other candidates, showcasing your drive to take on responsibilities and challenges without waiting for external encouragement. Your resume reflects your ability to push yourself forward and signifies your potential for leadership and development.

Initiative in Project Leadership

When you demonstrate initiative, you signal to employers that you’re capable of leading projects from the ground up. Be specific about instances where you’ve taken the lead without being directed, which shows your willingness to step up and assume responsibility.

• “Voluntarily took on the leadership of a new project that successfully increased department revenue by 15%.”
• “Identified a gap in market research and initiated a strategy that garnered a new client base.”

Passion for Continuous Improvement

Displaying a passion for ongoing self-improvement indicates your commitment to personal development and your ambition to grow within a company. This can include your participation in workshops or additional courses, and your zeal to refine your current skills.

• “Pursued advanced certification in project management to enhance team productivity.”
• “Engaged in regular industry training sessions to stay updated with the latest technological advancements.”

Customer Service Orientation

Customer service orientation on your resume demonstrates that you prioritize customer satisfaction and are skilled in fostering positive interactions. It signifies your ability to handle service-related issues effectively and maintain customer loyalty.

Client Relationship Building

Building strong relationships with clients is key to any successful business. You need to show that you can create rapport, trust, and a positive experience for customers. You can showcase your experience by citing specific times when your approach led to increased customer satisfaction or repeat business.

• “Increased client retention rate by 15% through personalized follow-up strategies.”
• “Developed a customer feedback system that boosted overall satisfaction ratings by 25%.””

Customer Conflict De-escalation

Effective conflict de-escalation is a necessary skill for maintaining a calm and constructive atmosphere, even when faced with challenging situations. Your ability to stay composed and empathetic, acknowledge customer concerns, and resolve issues promptly can go a long way toward preserving customer relationships. Mention instances where your conflict resolution skills turned potential negative experiences into positive outcomes.

• “Effectively resolved 90% of customer complaints within the first 24 hours, ensuring customer satisfaction and retention.”
• “Implemented a conflict resolution protocol that reduced customer escalations by 30%.”

Frequently Asked Questions

How can i effectively highlight my personal traits on my resume.

You can emphasize your personal traits by using action verbs and concrete examples in your experience section. For instance, if you’re describing your leadership skills, you might say, “Led a team of six in completing a project two weeks ahead of schedule,” showcasing your ability to lead and deliver.

What are some key personality traits to include in a resume?

Some vital personality traits to consider including are adaptability, reliability, creativity, and teamwork. Employers often look for these because they hint at how you’ll respond to different workplace scenarios.

Can you provide examples of personal skill descriptions for a resume?

For example, suppose you’re presenting your communication skills, you might write “Facilitated weekly meetings and communicated project updates to a cross-departmental team,” which gives a clear example of your communication abilities in action.

How should I incorporate personal strengths into my resume content?

You can incorporate personal strengths by weaving them into your bullet points under each job position. If one of your strengths is problem-solving, you could include a point like, “Identified a recurring error and implemented a new procedure that increased efficiency by 15%.”

What personal attributes are most valued by employers in a job application?

Employers typically value drive, professionalism, and emotional intelligence. These traits show you can manage yourself and work well with others, which is key to most roles.

In what ways can I showcase my personal skills within a personal statement on my resume?

Use your personal statement to succinctly summarize key personal skills, such as critical thinking or self-motivation, by connecting them with your professional goals and previous achievements. For example, “A detail-oriented professional with a track record of proactively identifying and solving workflow inefficiencies.”

• 50 Examples of Detail-Oriented Traits and Skills to Put on a Resume
• 2 Detailed Examples of Administrative Assistant Resumes
• How to Write a Personal Mission Statement (20 Examples)
• 3 Accountant Resume Examples: Crafting a Winning Resume
• 50 Inspiring Examples for 7 Communication Skills for a Resume
• 5 Stay-at-Home Mom Resume Strategies to Showcase Skills

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How to Write a Professional Resume Summary? [+Examples]

Do you want to land more job interviews? The easiest way to achieve this is by attracting a recruiter’s attention straight away by summarizing the highlights of your career right at the start of your resume — in a section called the resume summary. 

The purpose of this resume section, which is also known as a professional summary or resume statement, is to create a good first impression. It sums up your work experience , skills, and achievements into a short and concise sales pitch where you are the product. 

Do it well, and your future employers will be more inclined to read the rest of your resume.

Without further ado, let’s show you how to write an exceptional professional summary that will not only get you to more job interviews but will also help you land a job. 

This guide will show you:

What is a professional summary?

Why do you need a professional summary, how to write a professional summary.

• What to do when you don’t have any experience in the field?
• What are a resume objective and a resume profile?
• Examples of professional summaries from real professionals.

TL;DR video guide: How to write a professional summary for a resume 

A professional summary gives the hiring manager a quick overview of your skills and achievements without them having to dive into the rest of your resume. It sits at the top of your resume, beneath your name and contact information. You can think of it as a teaser for the rest of your resume.

It should sum up your top skills, experiences, and achievements as they pertain to the job description.

Take a look at the sample below to see what it looks like in practice: 

The professional summary section is also known as a:  

• Resume summary 
• Qualifications summary 
• Resume statement 
• Heading statement 
• Competencies 
• Career summary
• Experience summary
• Personal statement 

However, don’t mistake a professional summary for a resume objective or profile . We’ll discuss the differences between them later in this guide. 

How long should a professional summary be? 

Generally speaking, a resume summary should be quite short. The most common length is 3-5 sentences or bullet points. It shouldn't be longer than 5-6 concise bullet points , but it also shouldn't be shorter than 2 bullet points. 

You can also replace the first bullet point with a short introductory paragraph that includes your job title, years of experience, and specialization. 

While many people still don't include the resume profile section in their resumes, it's a mistake. But why is it a mistake?

• You want to grab the recruiter's attention from the get-go.
• You'll make their life a bit easier because you'll immediately tell them who you are.

The thing is, recruiters are busy people , they go through dozens, sometimes hundreds of resumes before they can find a few qualified candidates. 

Do you know what this means? Shortcuts. At first, recruiters will be skimming resumes in search of specific keywords and phrases that align with what the company is searching for.

That’s why you want to include the best resume summary you can come up with because a good summary section consists of nothing but these juicy bite-size phrases and keywords that a recruiter can spot at a glance. 

In short, a professional summary allows you to turn a recruiter's time limitation into an advantage. 

Christy's word of advice

While recruiters are indeed busy, did you know that the information that recruiters only give each resume 6 seconds of their time isn't true? 

“This one's a little bit of a myth. It takes about six seconds to screen the resume for the key information that I'm looking for, such as location, summary, keywords, or if there's a skills section. Within this time frame, I should be able to get a feel for who you are and what you're looking for. But it's mainly about six seconds for me to pick out the basic information I need. It doesn't mean that I'm going to spend just six seconds on it or that I won't continue reading after. ” —   Christy Morgan , Kickresume's Resident HR Expert

As we said before, a good professional summary should compel an employer to read the next section of your resume — that’s all. If it manages to do that, then it has accomplished its purpose. 

However, doing this is easier said than done, as it can be tricky to cram the most exciting bits of your career into a 3-5 bullet points summary. 

Luckily, there are a few tips and tricks you can use to craft an impressive resume summary.

Before you start writing:

• Write other resume sections, and then write your professional summary last. It’s surprisingly easy once you’ve already written other sections of your resume. All you have to do is cherry-pick the most impressive facts and stats.
• Pick the essential keywords from the job listing, so you can tailor your summary. Start with the job listing that made you apply for the job. Carefully reread it and find the most important keywords. These are the nouns or phrases that best describe the job position, related skills, as well as the ideal candidate. Before you begin to write, think about how they intersect with your own skills and experiences. In this way, you also have a higher chance to get through the ATS systems which companies use .

Once you start writing:

• In the first bullet point, write your professional title. Don’t forget to add the number of years of experience. You want to communicate your professional identity immediately. You can also write it in bold. It can look something like this: “Certified Project Management Professional with over 4 years of experience”.
• Pick the 3-4 most impressive parts of your resume and reword them into snappy bullet points. Tease your potential employer into reading further. Did you earn a recognition for the best customer service? Or hit 95% of sales targets for five consecutive years? These are the things that deserve a mention at the top of your resume!
• Translate each achievement into numbers. Each bullet point should contain at least one piece of quantifiable data. Use percentages, numbers, or impressive sales figures. It gives the hiring manager a better idea of how you performed in your previous jobs. Numbers attract attention. Take advantage of that.
• Sum up what you have to offer. Instead of saying what you want, keep in mind what they want. Make clear what values you can bring to the company. Look for common threads in your work history and for skills that apply most to the job.

How to use keywords in a resume summary

A professional summary can do more than catch the attention of the recruiter. It can also make your resume more ATS-friendly. 

It's a great place where you can squeeze in one or two ATS-friendly keywords , and it will still look natural.

Such keywords can be your industry-relevant hard skills, previous job positions, notable clients, certificates and courses from notable institutions, or a note-worthy university (if you recently finished your degree). 

Moreover, you should add keywords and relevant skills from the job listing.

Don't get too creative with the heading, though. While replacing the professional summary headline with “Snapshot” sounds great, ATS doesn't know what it means and therefore wouldn't recognize it.

Pro tip: Remember, while it's important to incorporate keywords into your resume summary, it's crucial to ensure these keywords align with your abilities and experiences. The ATS might shortlist your resume, but the hiring manager will quickly realize in an interview if those keywords were merely resume filler. Always maintain honesty and authenticity while drafting your summary.

Professional resume summary examples for most common careers

Now that you know the ins and outs of writing a resume summary, here are a few examples that can inspire you when writing your summary:

Professional summary example for customer service

Performance-driven and motivated customer service rep offering 4+ years of relevant experience. Eager to join the Techia team and contribute to the growth of the company. In the previous role, the ability to make customers comfortable and relaxed allowed for 98% customer service survey results and had 25% more sales than the average employer. 

Professional resume summary example for retail

Dedicated and hard-working storekeeper with a Business Administration degree. Eager to bring my strong attention to detail and accuracy to J&R inc. Adept at communicating with vendors and suppliers, coordinating various business operations, and maintaining documents and files in order. In the past jobs brought an extra $50k of sales per quarter and increased customer satisfaction by 20%. 

Professional summary example for nursing resume

Motivational and resourceful Orthopedic Nurse with 10 years of experience with in-depth knowledge in trauma recovery, aggressive pain management techniques, and post-surgical recovery. Especially proficient in providing external fixation care and continuous motion therapy along with neuromuscular status monitoring. Committed to work as an orthopedic nurse for people who are struggling with mobility issues due to accidental injuries and degenerative disease affecting bones and muscles.

Professional summary example for administrative assistant

Self-driven and accurate Executive Assistant skilled at performing various office/administrative duties, such as coordinating meetings, maintaining calendar and schedule, filing documents, and managing company correspondence. Highly self-motivated with a solid work ethic and multitasking abilities.

Professional summary example for data analyst

A graduate in Information Systems with two years of hands-on data analytics experience. Passionate about working with large amounts of data and to turn this data into information, information into insight and insight into business decisions. I also have a keen interest in the field of data visualization and am fascinated by the power to compress complex datasets into approachable and appealing graphics.

Professional summary example for warehouse worker

Hard-working and dedicated Warehouse Worker with 2+ years of extensive experience in inspecting incoming shipments, preparing and processing orders, and performing various administrative duties. The Employee of the Month Award winner with a strong attention to detail and accuracy and determination to achieve exceptional results. Offers excellent time management skills and important ability to work independently or in a team.

Professional summary example for receptionist 

Customer-oriented and performance-driven Front Desk Assistant skilled at performing various administrative tasks, improving all office processes and procedures, and providing support to Office Managers. Great communicator with a Business Administration degree from a well-known university and an exceptional ability to remain calm in stressful situations. Possess well-developed communication skills and excellent time management abilities.

Resume summary example for management

A Project Manager with 16 years of experience in IT projects. Responsible for the management of teams of up to 15 direct and 7 indirect employees. Has High level knowledge in project execution using best practices of waterfall and agile methodologies. High level knowledge of Jupyter Notebook, MS Project, MS Excel, MS Word. 

Professional summary example for project manager

Logistics & Planning PMO for Anheuser-Busch InBev with +7 years of experience in Supply Chain Operations & Project Management. Lived and worked for ABI in 6 cities in past years, managed +300 direct & indirect employees and +0.5 billion BRL over the years. At ABI experienced the routines in breweries operations & urban distribution. As Project Manager build the Zone Logistics Project area for ABI LAN, being responsible for 4.0 Supply Chain, integrating the technologies WMS, YMS, TMS and Tracking.

Resume summary example for stay-at-home mother

Performance-driven and knowledgeable Stay At Home Mother skilled at conducting detailed market research, developing new sales tools, creating reports, and promoting products and services. Certified Marketing Management Professional with an extensive knowledge of multiple marketing software programmes, great communication skills, and excellent teamwork abilities. Currently looking for any Marketing related remote part-time job.

Professional summary example for student

Self-driven and knowledgeable computer science student with demonstrated experience in developing user-friendly software applications, coding and testing features, and providing engineering support. Oracle Certified Professional with extensive knowledge of multiple programming languages and software development tools, excellent problem-solving skills, and ability to perform well in a team.

How to write a resume summary if you're a fresh graduate/student?

If you’re a student or a fresh graduate, you probably don’t have much to brag about in your resume yet.

But that’s true only to some extent. Even as an entry-level candidate, you already have at least some experience and skills. You just have to find the right way to articulate them.

What’s more, it’s quite likely that the other candidates are just as inexperienced as you are. After all, experienced professionals rarely apply for entry-level positions. 

Because of that, your primary goal is to stand out and make the employer remember you . And you can do that even if your experience is limited.

It’s not like you’ve just spent most of your life at school and learned nothing. You just need to understand how your studies intersect with the job’s requirements.

 Here’s how you can write your professional resume summary as a student/fresh graduate:

• State your field of study, degree, and GPA (if it’s above 3.0).
• Mention relevant skills gained in internships, part-time jobs, and volunteer work.
• Add related coursework or school projects.
• Also, try to translate your most notable achievements into numbers. Maybe you were on the student council. You can mention how you received 800 votes and helped organize 5 large school events that were attended by 2,000 students.

In the end, a fresh graduate resume summary should look a bit like this: 

Hired by Bupa — Business Administration Intern

• An adaptable and responsible graduate seeking an entry-level position in the Business Analytics market, Business Consultancy or Financial market.
• My double degree in Business and Law and my previous job as a financial controller have provided me with a well-rounded background and enabled me to develop an analytical/logical approach to tasks, software skills, and the ability to work under pressure.
• In short, I am reliable, hard-working with strong attention to detail and eager to learn about new technologies and business issues. I am able to work well both on my own initiative and as a part of a team. I’m also able to travel abroad.

How to write a resume summary as an experienced professional?

If you have 10 to 15 years of professional experience under your belt, you’ve probably developed a long list of job-related accomplishments. Your qualifications summary is the ideal place to showcase the most impressive of them. 

On the other, with that extent of experience, it may be quite challenging to pick and choose the right information for your professional summary. 

So what should you do? 

• Start by carefully rereading the job advertisement.
• Highlight any skills you already possess that match this job offer.
• See if you can think of any past accomplishments that show how you successfully used those skills in your previous job.

For instance, are you an experienced sales and customer service professional? Sell it. Mention how you developed strategies that resulted in an over 15 % increase in new customers. Or how your rewards program reached a customer success rate of over 45 %. Numbers can be much more persuasive than words . 

Also, always remember to use action words and relevant keywords.

Here’s a professional summary resume example from an experienced professional: 

HubSpot — Director of Business Development Resume Summary Example

• Passionate Business Amplifier.
• Thrives in complex market segment entry and sales and marketing launch plans for technical products and services. Founder of the highly-impactful "HubSpot for Veterans" initiative. 
• Proven Growth Consultant and Entrepreneurial Coach for over 200 organizations. Advocate of lean startup and data-backed strategy. 
• Leadership spans career with direct application towards startups, Techstar accelerators, corporate business development, and government. ROI-focused relationship builder.
• Lifelong teacher and learner: Startup Institute, Techstarts, HubSpot Partner programs.

How to write a professional summary if you’re changing careers?

As a career changer , try to show how your past experience relates to the position you’re applying for or how it can help your future employer grow.

Are you a software developer who wants to work with a new programming language, let’s say Python? You can mention how you’ve already developed 7 mobile apps using JavaScript and HTML. Even something as small as completing a Python online course on CodeAcademy can work wonders.

But if you still feel like you don’t have any relevant job experience, consider writing a resume objective instead. Instead of past achievements and experiences, it highlights your transferable skills and motivation. Moreover, it explains why you seek to switch to a different industry.

On the other hand, make sure that you have absolutely no other solution, as a resume summary always makes a better impression than a resume objective . To learn more about a resume objective just scroll to the following chapter. 

Here’s an example of a professional summary for someone changing careers:

• Marketing professional with over three years of experience in digital advertising, aiming to transition from marketing to human resources
• Certified Human Resources Assistant with a working knowledge of all software programs needed for the position such as Bamboo HR and Zenefits.
• Was in charge of recruiting and supervising summer interns and co-managing marketing budgets.
• Won the Employee of the Month Award for completing all assigned tasks and projects in a timely manner.

How to write a professional summary for a resume with no work experience? 

A lot of people with no work experience default to writing a resume objective because they think they have nothing to summarize.

However, this usually ends up backfiring as the resume objective brings little to the table. That’s because the resume objective’s main focus is on you as opposed to a professional summary which focuses on solving the needs of a company.

Also, writing a summary objective can make you appear more inexperienced than you truly are. 

Instead, as someone with no work experience, you can write a professional summary by including: 

• Your education level;
• Adjectives that emphasize your work ethic (such as competent, decisive, and accountable);
• Relevant skills gained at school, volunteering , or internships; 
• Professional hobbies (for example if applying for an IT position, include that app side project you worked on). 

In addition, if you have volunteered or interned, know that regardless of whether they were paid or not, they're still considered work experience. As the skills and knowledge gained as a volunteer or intern can be quite valuable to an employer. 

With that said, here’s an example of a professional summary for someone with no work experience:

People United Foundation – Fundraiser Volunteer 

• Resourceful and talented fundraiser who uses new forms of technology and existing techniques to help raise money for organizations and groups. 
• Experienced in raising funds for various charitable and nonprofit institutes. 
• Adept at researching and presenting an array of innovative fundraising ideas to a variety of donor audiences. 
• Keen negotiator with exceptional communication time management and networking abilities. 

Resume summary vs resume objective and resume profile

While these terms are often interchangeable, a resume summary, a resume objective, and a resume profile are all slightly different things. Scroll below to see how. 

What is a resume objective?

First of all, a resume objective isn't the same thing as a resume summary. They share several common features but each serves a different purpose.

Like a resume summary, a resume objective also sits at the top of your resume. Though, it’s a bit shorter — usually about one to two sentences long . 

The biggest difference is that instead of your past accomplishments, it details your future goals.

Although a resume objective might not help hiring managers decide whether you’re qualified enough to solve their company’s problems, it may help you shift their attention away from your lack of experience.

With that said, resume objectives are a bit old-fashioned as they used to be more common in past. So it should only be written as a last resort.

What is a resume profile?

Most people think that the resume profile and resume summary are the same exact thing. And they aren't that wrong. 

However, there are some slight differences between the two. 

A resume profile tends to be a little longer than a resume summary. Still, you should try to keep it under 500 characters. Additionally, while a resume summary is simply a condensed version of your resume placed at the top of it, a resume profile focuses more on your professional accomplishments and successes. 

Still — a resume summary and a resume profile are basically the same thing. So don't worry too much about the difference between the two. Just make sure you'll include either of them in your resume. 

Final tips and tricks

We've already mentioned almost everything you need to write an effective professional summary. These are some of the final tips that didn't fit anywhere else in this guide:

• Emphasize proven experience. Instead of simply listing your skills , mention your previous accomplishments. For example, it’s much more impactful to say that you had your articles published in Forbes than to plainly claim that you’re a skilled writer.
• Try to avoid using the word “I” . It's not really necessary, especially if you write in bullet points. 
• Structure it well. Take it from a professional writer — bullet points are a godsend when you need to structure your text clearly without giving it too much effort. Not only will they naturally order your resume statement into clearly delineated logical parts, but they'll also make it look good and read well. Also, make sure to write your current job title in bold.
• Keep it short. Your summary shouldn’t be longer than 5 short sentences (or bullet points). Having a long summary sort of defeats the point of having a resume summary at all. Don’t add random things. The key is to be specific.
• Read it after yourself. When you’re finished writing, read through your summary from the perspective of a hiring manager, asking “Why should we hire you?” .

Oh, and if you want to turn your LinkedIn profile into a polished resume with just one click, we've got you covered.

How to write a resume summary?

Write your professional summary last. It’s surprisingly easy once you’ve already written other sections of your resume. In the first bullet point, include your job title and years of experience. Then cherry-pick the most impressive achievements and cram them into 4–5 bullet points.

There are some slight differences between a resume profile and a resume summary. A resume profile tends to be a little longer than a resume summary. Still, you should try to keep it under 500 characters. A resume profile also focuses more on your professional accomplishments and successes than a resume summary. 

Kaja Jurčišinová

Kaja Jurcisinova is a fresh graduate and a junior copywriter at Kickresume. Kaja completed her undergraduate degree in Art History at the University of St Andrews in 2018 and graduated with a Master’s in Arts and Culture from the University of Groningen in 2021. She was an intern at multiple cultural institutions across Europe, including the Dutch Museum Association in Amsterdam, the Matter of Art Biennale in Prague, and the European Cultural Centre in Venice. At the moment, she resides in Visby on the Swedish island of Gotland.

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• Resume and Cover Letter
• How to Make a Resume:...

How to Make a Resume: Beginner's Writing Guide with Examples

30 min read · Updated on May 22, 2024

Your dream job is one resume away!

Your resume is arguably the most important financial document you'll ever own. And before you think, “Yeah – right” let's consider for a moment. Without a resume, you don't get the job, so you can't pay bills, support a family, go to the big game, have that weekend trip, or plan for retirement. Your resume is the doorway to your future, so let's make sure it's perfect.

Part of making it perfect is remembering that it's a targeted career marketing document – not a chronicle of your life. So, how do you write a resume? In this beginner's writing guide, we'll show you how to make a resume and provide examples of what each section should look like. 

Grab a cup of coffee and strap in, because you're about to learn everything you need to know about how to make a new resume!

Table of contents:

The purpose of a resume

Avoid rejection by the ATS

What is your career target?

Build your personal brand, what should your resume look like, how to make a resume – the layout.

How long does it take to put together a resume?

A major resume no-no: typos

How to make your resume more professional

Theory in practice – resume examples

The most basic purpose of a resume is to sell your skills , achievements , and qualifications to prospective employers. This one document can financially make or break you. Let's take a quick look at what being unemployed costs you per day (assuming a five-day workweek):

If you make $40,000 per year, you lose about $155 every day that you're out of work

If you make $50,000 per year, you lose about $190 every day that you're out of work

If you make $75,000 per year, you lose about $288 every day that you're out of work

If you make $100,000 per year, you lose about $385 every day that you're out of work

Clearly, finding out how to make a resume for a job is critical so that you can properly sell your skills, qualifications, experiences, and achievements to prospective employers. 

The job market is tough and highly competitive; you have to stand out in a sea of qualified candidates by creating a compelling narrative that tells a story of value, keeping in mind that your resume is supposed to do a few things for you:

Introduce you to a new company

Underscore how your experiences and education are relevant

Showcase how your skills and competencies will benefit the new company's team

Win interviews

Avoid rejection by the ATS 

What do you know about applicant tracking systems? Job seeking can be compared to throwing your resume into a black hole. You can go through 100 listings on any job search website and complete the online application with zero results. 

Ever had that happen? It's okay, it happens to everyone at some point or another! 

The problem is that you're probably not putting the correct keywords into your resume. When you hit “Submit” on an online application, it isn't magically emailed to the hiring manager. 

Oh, no! 

It goes through a computer system that scans your resume for specific keywords that can be found in the job description posted by the company. And, just so you know, approximately 90% of companies use ATS scans , including everything from mom-and-pop shops to Fortune 500 companies. 

The companies use these programs because they just don't have time for a human to go through all the resumes they receive. Depending on the job opening, a company can get between  250 and 500 applicants . Can you imagine being the person who has to sift through all those resumes? 

Here is where the ATS steps in. It's designed to weed through candidates to narrow the applicant pool, so that the human hiring manager has a more reasonable resume load to go through. It ranks the remaining candidates in order based on how much of a match they are for the position that's open. 

Being overlooked by the ATS is one of the number one reasons job seekers get ghosted by companies.

Once your resume makes it through the ATS and gets into the hands of a hiring manager, don't think they're going to sit down and read each one. Who has that kind of time? You should expect that the first round of resume sorting will consist of them flipping through the stack to pick the ones that stand out within about 6 seconds of glancing at them. 

PRO TIP: Put your resume on a table, stand up, and look at it from a little distance. Is it eye-catching? Can you tell the position you're seeking just by glancing at it? Set a timer if you have to, but no more than 10 seconds.

Speaking of eye-catching, don't make the same mistake as a lot of your rival job seekers by being too generic with your resume. It's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that being non-specific will open doors to more opportunities. The problem is that the hiring manager won't be able to tell exactly where you'll fit within their organization. 

The first step in winning an interview is being sure that your resume actually makes it into the hands of a human being at the company you apply to. Start by defining what you want to do.

So the first, and most important, step in crafting the perfect resume is to narrow down your target career path. The more specific you are with this first step, the more response you'll receive from hiring managers because they'll be able to tell exactly how you fit within their organization. There are four areas to focus on as you begin to chart your career path:

Industry: Do you want to work in private sector, nonprofit, government, or public roles?

Geography: This one is more in-depth than choosing rural vs urban. It also includes whether you want to work in a dynamic or static environment.

Company size: You may not think it, but having an idea about whether you want to work in a small company or one with thousands of employees is important. 

Role: Saving the best for last, you have to know what position you want.

On the surface, it may seem like these things are only important for the job search aspect of landing a new position, but you have to know what voice to write your resume in, too. Part of that is knowing your audience. When you understand your audience, you can build a personal brand that resonates with what they're looking for in a new staff member.

Now that you've gotten your target career path nailed down, the next step is to brand you. Think of yourself as a product and your resume is the packaging. Companies spend a lot of time on their branding and packaging - you have to do the same thing.

The best place to start is with a  career assessment . Taking one of these tests can help you to identify your strengths, what sets you apart from others, and key themes of your professional identity. Just like Nike and Coca-Cola have timeless taglines and catchphrases that succinctly define what they have to offer to consumers, your personal brand has to tell a concise, yet compelling, story. This is where your resume comes in.

Your resume isn't just a piece of paper you give to a hiring manager or upload to a website that says, “I'm interested in this job.” Your resume is a personal marketing tool. You shape that tool with words that describe your experiences and achievements, to impress and grab the attention of the hiring manager. 

Unlike Nike's “Just Do It” phrase, your personal brand isn't something you build and forget. It is fluid and should be revisited and refined as you gain new skills, experiences, and achievements. Weave the elements of your brand into every section of your resume.

There is a common misconception that entry-level resumes look different than executive resumes. The reality is that the only difference is how much content is available to write about. 

Obviously, someone who has little to no experience will have a  short resume  – generally one page. 

When you start to get up to 10 years of experience, then you've earned the second page, so go ahead and use it. 

It's not incremental though

Just because you have 20 years of experience doesn't mean you can have a three-page resume. As you work through how to make a resume, remember that a three-page resume should be avoided, unless you have a lot of career extras like publications, research, patents, publications, or public speaking engagements to talk about. 

Other than the number of pages, your resume should use the same format and layout no matter if you're applying to a job as someone fresh out of college or seeking to be the CEO of a company. 

Chronological resume 

The  reverse-chronological  is the most popular, traditional, and well-known resume format. Its focus is placed on achievements from your career history and is defined by listing your work history starting with your current or most recent job and working backward 10-15 years. 

Employers like this type of resume because it tells them what, when, and where you worked. It's best to use this if your work history is steady and shows growth and development. If you're looking to make a career change, have had frequent job changes, or if you're seeking your first job, this may not be the best format to use.

Pro Tip: You could also get lost in the ATS if your  resume is over-designed . Many resume writers will tell you that you need to stand out in the sea of sameness by adding some personality to your resume through design. While that's true, you need to avoid heavily formatted resumes which are often rejected by computer scanners as being illegible.

Functional resume 

This resume type focuses more on skills and experiences rather than on your work history. It's more of a “what you know and how you apply that knowledge” than a simple list of where you got the knowledge. It plays down gaps in work history and makes frequent job changes less noticeable. If it isn't done properly, though, it can be confusing for the hiring manager to read and understand. There's also a bit of a stigma behind it, because employers know that job seekers use this style to downplay job-hopping. So, the first thing they do when they get a functional resume is check employment dates. If you can avoid using this style, it's best to do so.

Combination resume 

There is another resume format that focuses on skills first and then experience last. It's the combination resume, which is sometimes called a hybrid resume. This is the most complex resume type and the best resume for mid-career professionals who are transitioning into another career or for people who have special skills and a strong track record of accomplishments. These types of resumes do take a long time to read and some hiring managers won't take the time unless they're looking to fill a hard-to-fill position.

Curriculum Vitae

Curriculum Vitae (CV) is Latin and means “course of life.” It's a little different from a resume, but some positions require a CV over a resume. The first thing you would notice is that a CV is significantly longer than a resume.  A resume is a self-branding document meant to portray your experience and achievements in a concise and easy-to-read format. A CV goes much further into the depth of your education and accomplishments (think publications, awards, and honors) and even has a section for you to include "Areas of Interest."

The best way to describe a CV is that it's a career biography. The biggest significant difference is that a CV is arranged chronologically in a way that gives a complete overview of your full working career. It also doesn't change based on the career or position for which you're applying.

Layout 

To make things easier for the hiring manager to digest the content of your resume, it should be laid out in a specific way to ensure that the right information is in the right place. 

Hiring managers don't  READ  resumes. They skim through until they find something that piques their interest and then they stop to read

Contact information

Title 

Professional summary , core competencies, experience , education and credentials , awards, certificates, and volunteer work .

Since the reverse-chronological resume is the one that the majority of people will use to apply for jobs, and because it's the format that hiring managers want to see, we'll focus this article on showing you how to make a resume using that style. 

Current contact information 

Location | Phone | Email | LinkedIn | Portfolio (if applicable)

You can be creative and use bold font in your  contact information  and even put a border under it to separate it from the body of your resume. 

• Name: Be sure to list your name the same across all professional documents (e.g., resume, cover letter, thank you note, LinkedIn profile). Don't get hung up with whether to use your legal name (i.e. the name on your birth certificate or driver's license). Write your name in the manner you want people to address you. Also, if you use any abbreviated credentials after your name (e.g. Jane Smith, MD), remember to include them on all professional documents.  You can also include any shortened versions of your name in quotations (e.g. Christopher "Chris" Smith). Just make sure to list it the same way everywhere you put your name.
• Address: It is no longer customary to include your full address on your resume. There have been instances of discrimination against job seekers based on their address. As far as your address is concerned, all you need is the City, State, and Zip Code. A lot of people leave off the Zip Code; however, hiring managers can query the ATS for all resumes within a radius of a Zip Code. If you exclude the Zip Code or put something like, "Greater New York Metro Area," your resume won't be included in the query.
• Phone and email: Put the telephone number and email address where you can easily be reached. Also, be sure that your email address is professional. Using something like [email protected] just won't cut it. The best idea is to use some form of your name. If you're paranoid about having your name in your email address, then you can use some form of the type of position you seek, like [email protected].
• LinkedIn URL: You don't have to spell out the entire URL on the contact line. You can put the words “LinkedIn URL” and hyperlink those words. Before you include your LinkedIn URL, be sure that your LinkedIn profile is optimized for the career you want - because you can bet if they have access to it, the hiring manager will look at it. 
• Portfolio: If you're applying for a position like Graphic Designer or Software Designer, you may have a portfolio of work that you want to make available to someone reviewing your application for employment. Include a hyperlink to the portfolio in your contact information. 
• Headshot / photo: There is no reason to include a  headshot on your resume . Actually, it's seen as taboo and could be the thing that gets your resume rejected, because the hiring manager might assume you think you can get the job based on your looks. However, there are some exceptions, like if you're applying to be a model or actor. 

Do you want a hiring manager to be able to tell immediately what type of candidate you are? Put a title at the top of your resume. Center the text on the line, put it in bold font, and put a blank space above and below. The white space and the small amount of words will help it to jump off the page and immediately be noticed. It will also be the first step in helping you stand out in the sea of sameness.

Also, be sure the title on your resume mirrors the title on the job description that you're applying to, but add a bit of panache to it so that it's not too boring. For example, instead of writing “Financial Services Associate,” write “Client-Centric Financial Services Associate Dedicated to Customer Engagement and Revenue Growth.” Just remember to keep it on one line. 

The very next thing on the page should always be your Professional Summary. But how do you write a summary for a resume?

It's a three to five-sentence statement about you. Where you've been in your career, where you're going, and how you'll use your experience to get there. 

While the professional summary is sometimes referred to as the resume objective , you must remember that the days of writing a  resume objective are dead . Never, ever include an objective on your resume. They are a waste of space and don't relay any information that markets you as the best candidate for an open position. 

Let's take a look at an example of each:

Sales Representative seeking a challenging position that will use my skills and provide opportunities for growth in a dynamic and rewarding company. 

As you can see, the objective is very inward-facing and only talks about what you want out of your career. It provides no value to the hiring manager and eliminates any possibility for them to be able to tell what you bring to the table for them. 

Professional Summary:

Ambitious sales professional offering 10+ years' experience in customer retention and aggressive revenue growth. Conquers goals and quotas through a keen awareness of the human buying motive that allows for quickly overcoming objections. Used historical data and consumer trends to reach new customers and grow territory by 24%. Innate ability to work independently or as a member of a cross-functional team.

The best use of resume space is to write a summary of your career. The effectiveness of this summary comes from the fusing of three things:

Relevant keywords – customer retention, revenue growth, and quotas 

Hard and soft skills – overcoming objections and working independently

An achievement – 24% territory growth

With this professional summary, the hiring manager will be able to tell in an instant what you have to offer their team. 

Even though the skills section of your resume is small, it packs a powerful punch! The skills you list in this section highlight your key abilities and show potential employers what you bring to the table. 

It should contain approximately 12 ATS-friendly keywords and phrases that align with the keywords in the job description. Meaning, this is a fluid section that will need to be  tailored to every job  that you apply to. Technically speaking, your entire resume should be customized to align with each job description. That's one thing that will help you get past the ATS. 

Be sure to include a good mix of  hard and soft skills  because prospective employers not only want to know that you can perform the tasks related to your job (hard skills), but they also want to gain a clear understanding of how you'll fit within the culture of the company (soft skills). 

Tips for building your Core Competencies section:

Include skills that are relevant to the job that you're applying to

Avoid creating a laundry list of everything you know how to do – be selective so that the section is more impactful

Group similar competencies together using categories – technical skills, soft skills, and languages

Prioritize your top skills based on their relevance to the job you want

Update frequently

Be consistent with the formatting

Here is a sample Core Competencies list that contains both hard and soft skills:

Core Competencies

Project Management | Data Analysis | Cross-Functional Collaboration | Digital Marketing Strategy | Python Programming | Customer Relationship Management (CRM) | Negotiation | Team Leadership | Business Development | Financial Modeling | Articulate Communication

This section is meant to show how your career history lends itself to the skills you have that make you the perfect candidate for a given job. There are some general rules of thumb on how to make a resume with a great professional experience section:

Don't go further back than 10 to 15 years

Use no more than 3 to 5 bullets per work listing

Incorporate at least 5 measurable achievements per 10 years of experience (the more the better)

Use stacking for companies where you held more than one role

10-15 Years

The 10-15 years of experience is the most relevant – you can list more than that, but avoid using bullet points for roles over 10 years old. Begin by listing your most recent position first and work your way backward to your oldest position, within that 10-15-year range. If you have 30 years of experience, you can use achievements or skills you learned during that time as talking points during the interview. Listing those older experiences on your resume will only dilute the content.

As you write out your bullet points, keep two words in mind: “so what?” The hiring manager is going to be thinking it, you might as well be thinking it, too. Every time you write something on your resume, think, “So what? Why am I writing this? What value will it bring to my new employer? Will this be THE THING that lands me an interview?"

Achievements

Remove “Responsible for…” from your resume-writing vocabulary. That's because it's crucial that you talk about what you achieved, instead of just what your responsibilities were. Let's face it, there are a lot of things that people are “responsible for” that never get done. So, be sure to talk about things you actually accomplished, as that will be the proof the hiring manager needs to take the next step and call you for an interview.

1. Use numbers whenever possible

The best way to call attention to your career accomplishments is to use numbers. Numbers add credibility to your claims and provide a clear picture of what you bring to the table. 

Don't write this:

• Conducted cold calls to expand client base

Write this instead:

• Increased sales by 15% by making approximately 20 cold calls per day to expand the client base

The latter makes an unmistakable assertion that you had a positive impact, not only in your role but on the company as a whole. You can take it a step further and talk about things like problem-solving skills and how you addressed challenges to lead to team success. These types of  soft skills are highly valued by employers  and could be the thing that lands you an interview.

PRO TIP: Use the  CAR method  for building achievement statements into your resume.

2. Use action words to convey accomplishment

A lot of people make the mistake of copying bullet points from the job descriptions of the roles they've held. This practice makes you sound detached from achievements and focuses more on responsibilities. Using passive language is too generic and doesn't allow a hiring manager to see what you'll be able to accomplish in the new role. 

It's better to use action language to show that you're an achiever rather than a doer. Here are some examples of action words you can use on your resume: 

Worked with others: Advised, Aided, Assisted, Chaired, Coached, Collaborated with, Consulted with, Helped, Instructed, Interacted with, Mentored, Motivated, Supported

Communicated: Addressed, Advertised, Answered, Briefed, Corresponded with, Debated, Explained, Facilitated, Informed, Interpreted, Interviewed, Persuaded, Responded to

Analyzed data: Assessed, Appraised, Audited, Calculated, Computed, Estimated, Evaluated, Forecast, Inspected, Measured, Researched, Surveyed, Tested

Operated equipment: Installed, Maintained, Programmed, Ran, Serviced, Used

Worked with money or contracts: Administered, Appropriated, Authorized, Balanced, Controlled, Directed, Enforced, Financed, Funded, Governed, Invested, Monitored, Oversaw, Purchased

Organized something: Arranged, Assembled, Catalogued, Compiled, Coordinated, Itemized, Routed, Scheduled, Stocked, Tracked

Created: Composed, Customized, Designed, Directed, Established, Founded, Illustrated, Originated, Shaped

Researched: Analyzed, Collected, Criticized, Detected, Diagnosed, Evaluated, Tested

How to make your professional experience section: The formula

There's a formula for writing your professional experience section in a way that focuses on achievements. You'll start by asking yourself these questions about every job you've had:

What was the name of the company?

What was the title of your role?

What dates were you employed? (*Hint: use the MM/YYYY format for your dates)

What did you do every day? (*Example: Leveraged management skills to direct operations of 5 separate but concurrent projects by delegating tasks to staff based on employee acumen and monitoring / controlling budgets)

What is one thing you did at the company that you're really proud of?

What is another thing you're really proud of?

What is one more thing you did that you're really proud of?

When you put all of that together, it should look like this:

Company Name | MM/YYYY to Present

Position Title

Balanced competing priorities on multiple and concurrent projects and program management initiatives using data-driven strategies in Agile environments. Managed key accounts, onboarded new accounts, and oversaw organizational process adoption for nursing facilities, emergency departments, and pharmacies.

Developed $2M Provider Incentive Program that increased community provider partnerships

Saved $800K by using Six Sigma skills to implement DMAIC approach

Coached and mentored 2 direct reports, creating an open environment of communication that facilitated future-facing decision-making

Many people will create separate sections for education history and certifications. That's not necessary. You can include all of it in one section. You can also include extras like  relevant coursework , projects, and achievements. These extras can be truly beneficial for your application if you have little to no work experience. 

There are some general rules of thumb for the education section: 

Spell out acronyms (BS, MS, PhD) and school abbreviations

It is no longer customary to include graduation dates unless you're still in school or graduated within the last year

Never include high school, unless you're still in high school - listing high school doesn't say “ I finished high school, ” it says, “ I didn't go to college .” 

List your degree first and then your school, unless you've obtained multiple degrees at the same institution. 

Here's what a regular education section looks like:

EDUCATION AND CREDENTIALS

Master of Business Administration (MBA) | ABC University

Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) | XYZ University

Six Sigma Black Belt | Council for Six Sigma Certification

If you don't have a lot of experience and need to include some relevant coursework or major projects to inject relevant keywords into your resume, then this is what that would look like:

Relevant coursework:  Marketing, Operations Management, Accounting, Corporate Finance

Capstone project:  Let a team of 4 to execute a market analysis project to expand the Brooms and Handles company into new regions. Used market and consumer analysis data to identify gaps and achieve a 15% projected revenue increase and a 20% increase in customer satisfaction within the pilot program. 

You can include educational information about a degree program even if it's still in progress. Here's what that would look like:

Expected completion:  05/2024

Capstone project:  Let a team of 4 to execute a market analysis project to expand the Brooms and Handles company into new regions. Used market and consumer analysis data to identify gaps and achieve a 15% projected revenue increase and a 20% increase in customer satisfaction within the pilot program.

It is important to list what you do outside of work and school. It helps to demonstrate that you're a well-rounded person. 

Were you the president of a fraternity or sorority? 

Did you get involved with showing new students around campus? 

Have you headed a sales team that produced top awards? 

Were you an employee of the month? 

Do you speak multiple languages?

Did you volunteer for an organization?

Did you perform some major research that ended up being published?

All of these extras allow prospective employers a sneak peek into your life outside of work. They can also go a long way to breaking the ice during an interview, especially if something you do outside work is important or interesting to the hiring manager. 

Keep in mind to list only those volunteer positions, projects, or affiliations that are related to your career goals. 

How long does it take to make a resume?

If you're going to use the resume wizard that MS Word has, you can slap your information together in a day or two. It will get to employers. The bad thing is that it probably won't get a whole lot of attention. 

The "just right resume" can take weeks, because of how much background work goes into it. You'll write it, rewrite it, and write it again, and may even have multiple versions. Ultimately, the exact amount of time that goes into putting your resume together depends on your level of experience, how complex your history is, and the specificity of the job you're applying to. 

Entry-level resumes take the least amount of time, simply because there's less information to include

Mid-level resumes take a few days because of the amount of detail in your work history

Executive resumes, or those for specialized positions, can take weeks - especially if you have to do some digging to come up with accomplishments from your previous positions

Updating an existing resume that's well-maintained can be done in just a few hours

While the time spent can seem like a lot, if you're truly marketing yourself for that “just right” position, do you want your resume to say “This was thrown together in a couple of hours using a template” OR do you want it to say “I know this document is important and a significant amount of time was spent on it to make it perfect?”

The first and foremost thing that will get your resume tossed in the garbage can are typos. The number of resumes with errors that are turned in every day to employers across the globe is so astounding that it bears discussing. 

You must proofread your resume!

The major problem with typos and grammatical boo-boos is that your eyes will read what you intended to type. So, after you've read through your resume a few times and think it's perfect, get a friend to read it. Make sure the friend is one of those brutally honest types. It's better to get it back marked all over with bright red ink so you can fix it before you send it out, than to send it out and then realize there's a mistake in it.

How to make your resume seem more professional

Lazy words: Do you see words like "etc" or “other duties as required” on your resume? Delete them immediately. If you take shortcuts in the language of your resume, hiring managers will wonder if you'll be taking shortcuts at work. 

Cookie cutter resumes: Your resume has to stand out. Because of that, you should avoid throwing something together that you find a sample of online. Make it yours, make it represent you. Many people rely on the resume wizard that comes loaded with MS Word and, while that is a good tool to use to help you remember the sections to include, it shouldn't be the end-all-and-be-all of your resume design. 

Specificity: You've had three jobs in the last 10 years and you've listed every detail of everything you've done during your tenure at those jobs. That makes you a Jack (or Jackie) of all trades, but a master of nothing. You have to be specific to the job for which you're applying. What value do you bring to that employer for that job? What achievements can you highlight?

Tailoring: Considering the rampant use of ATS by companies big and small, you have to take the time to customize your resume so that it gets past those scanners. Remember to use relevant keywords from the job descriptions throughout your resume. 

PRO TIP: You can check to see how to make your resume better! Have it checked against an ATS and get a free, personalized, and  professional resume review . 

Theory in practice – 10 resume examples

It's one thing to have someone tell you how to make a resume, it's another thing to see an example – proof that all of this information can come together in a practical way that makes sense. 

1. Software Engineer resume example

Click here for an example of a Software Engineer resume.

2. Data Scientist resume example

Click here for an example of a Data Scientist resume.

3. Cybersecurity resume example

Click here for an example of a cybersecurity resume.

4. Digital Marketing Manager resume example

Click here for an example of a Digital Marketing Manager resume.

5. Nurse Practitioner resume example

Click here for an example of a Nurse Practitioner resume. 

6. Finance Director resume example

Click here for an example of a Finance Director resume. 

7. Attorney resume example

Click here for an example of a Attorney resume.

8. Administrative Office Assistant resume example

Click here for an example of an Administrative Office Assistant resume. 

9. Information Technology Expert resume example

Click here for an example of an Information Technology Expert resume. 

10. Chief Executive Officer resume example

Click here for an example of a CEO resume. 

Now you know how to make a resume for your next job!

It may seem like it takes a lot of work to make a good resume, but if you've followed along this far there are a few things that should be ingrained in you that will help you write a professional resume:

Know what you want to do – be specific

Make your resume with the right format 

Use a standard layout, whether you are writing your first resume or 50th

Use action words to make your resume stand out

Quantify your achievements to prove that you have what it takes to succeed in a new role

Tailor your new resume to each job

Double and triple-check for errors, typos, and grammar mistakes

If you're still unsure how to make a perfect resume, TopResume has you covered. Our team of  professional resume writers  has the know-how and experience to write a resume for you that will win interviews.

Recommended reading: 

Resume Tricks That Don't Work

What Does Your Resume Really Say About You?

Bad Resume Advice You Should Completely Ignore

Related Articles:

Do Hiring Managers Actually Read Cover Letters?

How to Create a Resume With No Education

Why You Lose When You Lie on Your Resume: Learning From Mina Chang

See how your resume stacks up.

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How To Write A Resume In 7 Steps (With Examples)

• How To Write A Resume
• Resume Skills Section
• Resume Objective Section
• Career Objective Section
• Resume Reference Section
• Resume Summary Section
• Resume Summary Example
• Resume Interests Section
• Address On Resume
• Relevant Work Experience
• Anticipated Graduation Date On Resume
• Education Section On Resume
• Contact Information On Resume
• Statement Of Qualifications
• How To List Publications On Resume
• Accomplishments On Resumes
• Awards On Resume
• Dean's List On Resume
• Study Abroad On Resume

Resumes are still the most important document in your job search . Generating a professional and interesting resume isn’t easy, but there is a standard set of guidelines that you can follow. As hiring managers usually only spend a short time looking over each resume, you want to make sure that yours has a reason for them to keep reading.

If you’re looking to write a resume, rewrite a resume you already have, or are just curious about resume format, then you’ve come to the right place. This article will go through the steps to writing an excellent resume, as well as offering examples for what sections of the resume should look like.

Key Takeaways:

A resume is a short document that details your professional history in a way that tailors your experience and skill set for the particular job you’re applying for.

Resumes follow a few standard formatting practices, which hiring managers and recruiters expect to see.

Highlighting your work experience, skills, and educational background with relevant keywords can help you get past applicant tracking systems and into more interviews.

How to write a resume

Writing a resume involves using the proper formatting, writing an introduction, and adding your work experience and education. Stuffing your entire professional life into a single page resume can feel overwhelming, but remember that you’re distilling the relevant parts of your professional experience in order to catch the eye of the recruiter .

Formatting your resume. To start, use a word processor such as Microsoft Word or Google docs. Standard resume formatting calls for:

1 inch margins

10-12 point font

A professional, commonly-used font

Additionally, there are three resume formats that are commonly used. Most people should stick with a chronological resume format , but the combination resume format and functional resume format can be effective for more advanced workers or those who have significant gaps in their resume.

Write a resume header . It doesn’t matter if you have the best resume in the world if the hiring manager can’t contact you. Every single resume should include the following contact information:

Your full name. First and last.

Your phone number. Use a personal phone number, and make sure your voicemail is set up properly.

Your email address. Nothing inappropriate — [email protected] is a safe choice.

Location. City, State, Zip Code is fine, but you can include your full mailing address if you think it’s appropriate.

Your social media (optional). LinkedIn is the obvious one you’d want to include, but make sure your profile looks good. If you have an online portfolio , either on a personal blog/website or on a site like Journo Portfolio , feel free to include that here as well.

Your job title. Also optional, but can be useful for applicant tracking systems.

Resume introduction. You have four options for your resume introduction: a resume objective, summary statement, resume profile, or qualifications summary. For most job-seekers, a resume summary statement is the best choice. Regardless of which resume introduction you choose, avoid first-person pronouns (I/me/my).

Resume objective. A resume objective is the goal of your resume. Since the objective of every resume is to land a job, this is not the most original or impressive opener you can have.

On the other hand, it’s a good choice for an entry-level applicant or someone who is changing career paths . This should be a 1-3 sentence summary of why you’re motivated to get the position you’re applying for.

Who should use a resume objective: Entry-level applicants, career-changers, and recent college graduates.

Resume summary. This is the best opener for most job-seekers. As the name suggests, a resume summary highlights the most salient aspects of your resume.

It should include your current position, how many years of experience you have, some of your biggest achievements, and possibly your career goals. This should be a 1-3 sentence spiel and should include some quantifiable experiences.

Who should use a resume summary: Most job seekers; anyone with quantifiable accomplishments to emphasize and a broad range of skills.

Qualifications summary. A bullet point list (4-6 points is the sweet spot) of your qualifications for the position. It’s best used by applicants going for jobs that require a fixed skill set. It’s not a great choice for entry-level applicants who lack quantifiable achievements.

You’ll notice that a qualifications summary takes up more space than a resume objective or summary, but it can actually save the hiring manager time if you provide a bunch of valuable information right off the top.

Who should use a qualifications summary: Those applying to a job with requirements for certain skills and job-seekers who have a lot of experience in their industry and/or field.

Resume profile. A resume profile is similar to a resume summary, but goes into more detail about your accomplishments at your current or former job, while also telling the reader about your career goals. Think of a resume profile as a section that pulls all the best parts of your work experience section into one place.

Who should use a resume profile: Anyone with significant accomplishments under their belt, expertise in a niche field, or applying to a job in the same industry that they have lots of experience in.

Resume headline. Resume headlines aren’t necessary, but you can include one alongside any of the four types of resume introduction listed above. A resume headline comes between your contact information and the resume introduction of your choice.

Headlines can be used by entry-level applicants and experienced job-seekers alike. The important point is that your headline should be short and to the point. Additionally, you should use title case when writing your resume headline (capitalize words as you would for a book title).

Who should use a resume headline: Any job-seeker who wants to showcase their experience or unique value right off the bat.

Work experience. Your work experience section is the place to let hiring managers know that you have relevant experience that would allow you to handle the job you’re applying for.

If you’re using the chronological resume format, your work experience section would come after your resume summary/objective. In a funcitonal reumse, it would follow your skills section. Either way, work experience should be listed in reverse-chronological order (most recent experience at the top).

When listing your work experience, you should include all of the following information:

Job title. Start by stating the position you held at the company. These are easy cue for the hiring manager to look at and determine whether your past positions would help you succeed at their company.

Company Info. Include the name of the employer, the location where you worked, and perhaps a brief description of the company, if it isn’t a well-known name.

Dates Employed: Use the mm/yyyy format if you want to be sure that most applicant tracking systems (ATS) will pick it up. Whatever format you use for dates, be consistent, or your resume will look sloppy.

Job Description. Don’t just list your job’s responsibilities; hiring managers and recruiters already have an idea of your duties based on the job title. Instead, list your most important and impressive responsibilities/achievements at the job with bullet points. Determine which of these are most relevant for your new role based on the job description.

Ideally, each bullet should be no longer than a single line. However, two lines is acceptable, if used sparingly.

Always start with a strong action verb, followed by a quantifiable achievement and a specific duty. For example: “Developed ad campaigns for clients, increasing sales by an average of 27%.” Each job title should include 3-5 bullet points.

The order that you include this information can be changed around, as long as you are consistent throughout your resume. However, the bullet points detailing your job’s achievements should always be the last item for each entry.

It’s important that you tailor your resume’s work experience section to the job you’re applying for. We recommend reading the job description carefully and highlighting the action verbs in one color and the skills, adjectives, and job-specific nouns in a different color.

Educational background. In almost all cases, your education section should come after your professional history. If you’re a recent college graduate with limited work experience, you may choose to put your educational achievements first.

Like the section on your professional history, educational experiences should come in reverse-chronological order, with your highest level of education at the top. If you have a college degree, you don’t need to add any information about your high school experience. If you didn’t finish college, it’s okay to give a list of what credits you did complete.

Each educational experience can be listed in the following format:

Degree/Program Name College/University Name Dates attended

You don’t need to add anything else, especially if your resume is already impressive enough. But if you’re struggling to fill up the page, or you feel that aspects of your educational experience will help make you a standout, you may consider also including:

Minor. If you think it rounds out your not-exactly-relevant-to-the-job major nicely.

GPA. Only if it was 3.5 or higher. Otherwise, it’s not going to do you any favors to include this.

Honors. Dean’s List, Cum Laude, etc.

Achievements. If you wrote a killer thesis/dissertation that showcases intimate knowledge relevant to the job to which you’re applying, you can include its title and a very brief description.

Extracurricular activities. Only include if they’re relevant. For example, if you’re applying for a management position and you were president of your student government.

Certifications/Licenses. If the job you’re applying for requires/likes to see certain certifications or licenses that you have, you may include them in this section as well.

Skills section. Your impressive skills should be scattered logistically throughout your professional history section, but you should also include a section solely dedicated to highlighting your skill set . Skills can be broken down into two categories:

Hard skills are skills you learn through training and indicate expertise with a technical ability or job-specific responsibility.

Soft skills are your personality traits, interpersonal abilities, and intangible qualities that make you more effective at your job.

Your resume should have a healthy mix of hard and soft skills, as both are essential to job performance. However, since soft skills are harder to prove in the context of a resume, we recommend leaning more toward hard skills. Additionally, whenever you list a soft skill, make sure that it has a correlating item in your work experience section.

For example, if you say you are skilled in collaboration, you should mention a time when a team project was a major success somewhere in your work experience section.

Optional sections. If you still have space left or there’s more you want to show off that doesn’t quite fit in any of the above sections, you may consider adding an additional section covering one or more of the below categories:

Language . Being bilingual is always impressive, and can be included on a resume for any company. Highlight this more if your position involves liaising with international distributors and/or clients. Don’t lie about your proficiency level.

It may be best to not mention it if you’re not particularly proficient speaker . Such as if you took courses in school, or haven’t really managed to gain fluency. It can end up looking like an attempt to inflate your credentials, which you want to avoid.

Volunteer experience . Always a good thing to include. It shows you’re a team player who behaves in a way that promotes the greater good, without thought of personal gain. Especially good for entry-level candidates and those applying for jobs at a non-profit. If you have gaps in your work history, you can also consider including volunteer experiences in your work history section instead.

Personal projects. A personal blog, published works, or a portfolio of your past projects are all good things to include. They show you take initiative, enjoy and take pride in your work, and that you can handle the responsibilities of the job, if relevant.

Certifications/licenses. If you didn’t include these in your education section, this is another good place to list relevant certifications or licenses that you have.

Interests . This is largely just a space filler if your resume is light in other areas. However, if your hobbies are directly related to the job that you’re applying for, it’s not a bad idea to include them. And it might draw a recruiter’s attention if you end up sharing some of the same interests as they do.

If you have several seemingly random items that are valuable, but don’t warrant creating a whole separate section for, you can also make a section called “Additional Experience.” Here you can include all of the above categories in one place. Just make sure that each item is clear and easy for readers to understand.

Resume samples

Now that we have a good idea of how to write a resume, let’s take a look at some example resumes:

Jack Pilgrim Washington , DC 14015 – (555) 444-3333 – [email protected] – www.linkedin.com/jpilgrim Resume Summary Graphic designer with 3+ years of experience creating and implementing promotional materials and social media graphics. Worked with sales and marketing teams to increase inbound calls by 23% YoY through compelling digital media. Adept at planning, managing, and prioritizing multiple deadlines at once, and thrives in fast-paced work environment. Work Experience Creative Designs | Washington, DC Lead Graphic Designer | June 2018-Present Worked with sales and marketing teams to create landing pages, sales proposals, and supporting media elements to drive sales by over $250,000 per quarter Trained, managed, and mentored team of 4 junior designers to fulfill 40+ project orders on a weekly basis Conducted UX research through surveys, usability testing, and data analysis to plan content marketing strategy, driving organic search traffic by 12% Presented proposals, results, and status updates to set of 4-7 clients, ensuring customer satisfaction at or above 95% for 3 years straight Happy Place | Alexandria, VA Junior Graphic Designer | July 2016-May 2018 Translated client needs and branding strategies into design and content strategy, increasing client retention by 22% Reduced project turnaround time by 8% by Utilizing web-based ticket system for completing and archiving finalized pieces Posted digital artwork to network IPTV using web interface to produce high-end info-graphics and other materials Happy Place | Alexandria, VA Marketing Intern | September 2015-July 2016 Assisted marketing team with data collection, analysis, and presentation using Google Analytics Drew up storyboards for new marketing campaigns alongside sales team, increasing brand awareness through social media Wrote 500-1000 word articles to pair with graphical elements on page, leading to a 40% boost in engagement on company website Education Savannah College of Art and Design | Savannah, Georgia May 2016 Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design Skills Adobe Creative Suite Typography HTML/CSS WordPress Collaboration Organization

Allison Neederly Chicago, Illinois , 60007 | (333) 222-1111 | [email protected] | www.linkedin.com/allison.neederly Resume Summary Dedicated customer service representative with 4+ years experience resolving customers’ needs in-person, online, and over the phone. Top achiever at XYZ Inc. with a 100% customer satisfaction rate for Q1 of 2020. Friendly personable, and knowledgable about company’s products and services. Relevant Skills Customer Service Responded to upwards of 200 customer queries daily with XYZ Inc., reducing the average wait time by 56% and increasing customer satisfaction rates by 13% Ability to resolve conflict and create a positive atmosphere for shopping for both new and existing customers through technical proficiency Expert product knowledge and communication skills, and experience training and mentoring new customer service staff Web Chat and Phone Skilled in 3 web chat platforms for helping online customers resolve their queries quickly and accurately Achieved fastest call resolution rate at XYZ Inc., with an average resolution time of under 5 minutes per customer Performed outbound calls for customer satisfaction surveys, as well as writing web-based surveys for 10,000+ customers Troubleshooting Detailed product knowledge allowed for customer technical issues to be resolved at rate within top 5% of all customer service associates at XYZ Inc. Created manual for step-by-step directions for troubleshooting that was implemented for team of 100+ customer service reps Positive attitude took average tech-related negative response from 1/5 stars to 4/5 stars, increasing trust in brands and services Work Experience XYZ Inc. | Philadelphia, PA Customer Service Associate New Look Global | Burlington, VT Junior Customer Service Representative L.L. Bean | Burlington, VT Sales Associate Education University of Vermont | Burlington, VT May 2012 Bachelor of Arts in Humanities

Priya Laghari New York, NY | (222) 111-0000 | [email protected] | www.priyabizdev.com Resume Profile Strategy Development: Grew John Deere’s international sales by 13% by tapping into undeserved countries in Southeast Asia Management: Oversaw a team of managers representing marketing, sales, and product teams. Streamlined collaborative, cross-functional communications through agile and scrum management system CRM: Developed, customized, and implemented new customer relationship management database for accounts totaling over $10M in value Work Experience Business Development Manager 01/2015-Present Microsoft | Redmond, WA Developed product strategies and roadmap for Google AdWords, increasing inbound traffic by 26% YoY Reduced time training on new software by 50% for new and existing employees by implement e-learning programs Spearheaded digital marketing campaign worth $1M that saw a return of 200% in first year by qualifying leads earlier in the sales funnel Regional Sales Manager 11/2012-01/2015 Big Things Inc. | St. Louis, MO Managed territory encompassing 29 regional locations with an annual revenue of approx. $55M Worked with C-level executives to plan business strategies, resulting in 20% reduction in overhead costs Increased client retention by 12% in first year by implementing a CRM approach based on account profiling and elevating levels of relationship selling Account Manager 02/2009-11/2012 Solutions Corp. | Chicago, IL Implemented and developed CRM strategic plans, increasing retention of long-term clients by 22% Maintained 50+ accounts totaling over $35M in value Generated leads through one-on-one consultation via phone inquiries, online check-ins, and meeting office walk-ins Relevant Skills CRM: Proficient with Salesforce, Zoho, and HubSpot; some experience with Keap. Used various CRM software over a decade to successfully manage customer relations and quick to adapt to new software and tools that aid in quality of customer experience. Salesmanship: Negotiated and closed over several deals worth $1M+ and skilled in upselling and cross-selling. Adept at working closely with marketing and product teams to maximize the efficiency of the sales funnel for both inbound and outbound traffic. Presentation: Represented Microsoft Northwest Region at quarterly board meetings, ensuring all stakeholders were kept abreast of new developments and opportunities. Also deliver monthly presentations to big clients and vendors to maintain positive relationship. Data analytics. Expert at integrating data from various analytics platforms, including Google, Microsoft Power BI, and SAP BusinessObjects Education Colgate University | May 2008 MBA Fordham University | May 2006 Bachelor’s Degree in Business

For more resume examples and templates:

Resume examples by job

Google docs resume template

Resume templates

Resume builder

Resume Headers Samples:

Tip : Never put your contact info in the header of your document; some applicant tracking systems might miss it.

For more on how to write a resume header:

Resume Header

Resume Titles

Resume introduction examples

Entry-Level Resume Objective.

Recent graduate with a bachelor’s in Marketing from the University of Virginia seeking an entry-level role in content marketing. Excellent copywriter with 2+ years experience editing content as a member of the UVa Writing Center.

Career Change Resume Objective.

Eager to apply 7+ years of experience with customer success management to make successful outbound B2B calls, deliver customized business solutions to new and existing customers, and provide expert product knowledge in the role of Account Manager for XYZ Inc.

Example Resume Summary Statement.

Accountant with over 8 years of experience in the medical industry. Adept at advising on management of cash deficits, reconciling departmental accounts, and creating new accounts and codes. Coordinated invoice preparation system for ABC that reduced contractor overhead by 19% YoY.

English teacher with a love of language and 6 years of experience teaching high school students. Developed new curriculum that boosted freshman reading comprehension scores by 12% and created after school book club for AP Lit class, resulting in 100% of participating students achieving a 5 on the AP Lit test.

Example Qualifications Summary.

Executive assistant with 5+ years experience helping maintain efficiency in an office of 25 employees Communicated directly with internal and external stakeholders, helping Senior Vice President manage projects worth $5M+ Proactively managed office schedules, identifying and prioritizing changes to ensure client satisfaction Recognized in a company of 500 for “Outstanding Achiever” in May 2019

Example Resume Profile.

Detail-oriented IT Specialist with 4 years of experience overseeing and improving the infrastructure of IT systems. Adept at building and running troubleshooting systems and testing services. Decreased security risk by 47% through continual optimization, while also improving the speed of client portal by 22%. Excellent communicator both internally and for client-facing discussions. Achieved 98%+ customer satisfaction ratings through weekly and monthly check-ins with accounts valued cumulatively at $500,000.

Entry-Level Resume Headline.

Bilingual College Graduate with 80 WPM Typing Speed and Tutoring Experience

Experienced Resume Headline.

Business Development Specialist with 6+ Years Experience Scaling Start-Up Tech Teams

For more on resume introductions:

Resume objective statement

Resume summary statement

Resume summary statement examples

Qualifications summary

Sample resume work experience sections

Work Experience XYZ Industries | Seattle, WA Marketing Associate | May 2019-Present Delivered weekly presentations to client-base to communicate brand messaging, increasing client retention by 11% Served as liaison between marketing and product teams, resulting in projects finishing 2 weeks early, on average Leveraged Excel skills to create and maintain spreadsheet to track consumer insights, emergent trends, and inform decisions of marketing team through competitive analysis Managed team of 5 contractors to juggle multiple priority projects simultaneously, never missing a deadline Initiated an affiliate referral program that PR team went on to turn into a revenue-generating stream valued at $30,000 annually ABC Corp | Seattle, WA Marketing Intern | September 2018-May 2019 Developed, maintained, and processed 20+ digital consent forms and distributor forms Worked collaboratively with a team of 10 marketing professionals, closely aligning our goals with the PR team Provided data analysis using Google Analytics and performed keyword research to increase blog traffic by 56% over six months Answered up to 50 customer queries by phone and email each week

For more on building the perfect resume work experience section:

Resume work experience section

First resume (no experience)

Examples Of Education Resume Sections

Graduated recently from a 4-year program.

Western Illinois University | Macomb, Illinois May 2020 Bachelor of Arts in Sociology | Minor in Psychology 3.95 GPA magna cum laude Dean’s List all semesters

Two degrees.

Fordham University | Bronx, New York April 2016 Master of Chemical Engineering Stony Brook University | Stony Brook, New York April 2014 Bachelor of Science in Chemistry

Anticipated graduation date (not yet graduated).

DePaul Univeristy | Chicago, Illinois Bachelor of Arts in History – Degree anticipated May 2021 Current GPA: 3.8

Older job seeker (graduated 10+ years ago).

University of Chicago | Chicago, Illinois Bachelor of Business Administration

High school graduate (no college degree).

Johnston High School 2016-2020 Head of Computer Club

More on crafting the perfect resume education section:

Education resume section

GPA on resume

Dean’s list

Magna cum laude

Examples Of Skills For Resume

Examples of hard skills include:

Examples of soft skills include:

Here’s more information on how to incorporate skills into your resume:

Resume skills section

Hard skills

Soft skills

Top skills for professionals

Skills-based resume

Resume writing FAQ

What is a resume?

A resume is a one to two-page document that focuses on professional experience, past achievements, education and certifications, and specific skills tailored to the job you’re applying for.

Almost every job application requires a resume, and hiring managers use them as a first impression in determining which applicants get a shot at an interview.

Whether you’re fresh out of college or have 30 years of professional experience, this guide should help craft a resume that stands out from the crowd and get you one step closer to landing your dream job.

What is the format for writing a good resume?

Most people will want to use a chronological or reverse-chronological resume format. This format is compatible with most applicant tracking systems (ATS) and is easy for employers to read. Additionally it helps highlight your experience, which helps prove your qualifications.

How far back should a resume go?

A resume should go back no further than 10 to 15 years. However, it is important that all your information is relevant. Therefore, do not include job experience that is irrelevant to your application, even if it’s fewer than 10 years old. Save that information for later discussions.

Should you personalize your resume for each job?

Yes, you should personalize your resume for each job you apply to. Many recruiters use ATS now, which will search for keywords in a resume and reject those that don’t have them. That means that the skills you choose to highlight as well as your opening, such as your resume summary, should be altered to suit each job you apply to.

You don’t need to rewrite the entire resume for each job, but it does show attention to detail and initiative to make sure that your resume is customized. It also makes it more likely that you’ll get past the first step of the process.

State of New York Department of Labor – Resumes, Cover Letters and Job Applications

Harvard University – Create a Resume/CV or Cover Letter

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Matthew Zane is the lead editor of Zippia's How To Get A Job Guides. He is a teacher, writer, and world-traveler that wants to help people at every stage of the career life cycle. He completed his masters in American Literature from Trinity College Dublin and BA in English from the University of Connecticut.

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• Career Advice >
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24 Resume Summary Examples That Get Interviews

By Biron Clark

Published: November 8, 2023

Biron Clark

Writer & Career Coach

A resume summary statement usually comes right after a job seeker’s contact info and before other resume sections such as skills and work experience. It provides employers with a brief overview of a candidate’s career accomplishments and qualifications before they read further. Because of how early it appears on the document, your resume summary statement (or your CV “profile” in the UK) is one of the first places recruiters and employers look. And without the right information, they’ll doubt that you’re qualified and may move to another resume.

So I got in touch with a select group of professional resume writers, coaches and career experts to get their best resume summary examples you can use and adapt to write a resume summary that stands out and gets interviews.

As a former recruiter myself, I’ll also share my best tips to write your resume summary effectively.

Why the Resume/CV Summary is Important

You may have heard that recruiters only spend 8-10 seconds looking at your resume. The truth is: they spend that long deciding whether to read more. They do glance that quickly at first and may move on if your background doesn’t look like a fit. However, if you grab their attention, they’ll read far more. Recruiters aren’t deciding to interview you in 8-10 seconds, but they are ruling people out in 8-10 seconds. And this is why your resume summary is so crucial. It appears high up on your resume (usually right after your header/contact info) and is one of the first sections employers see. So it’s part of what they’ll see in the first 8-10 seconds.

Your resume summary statement is one of your first (and one of very few) chances to get the employer to stop skimming through their pile of resumes and focus on YOU.

Watch: Resume Summary Examples That Get Interviews

10 resume summary examples:.

These career summary examples will help you at any experience level – whether you’re writing a professional summary after a long executive career, or writing your first resume summary without any experience! After you finish this article you’re NEVER going to have to send out a limp, weak resume summary statement again (and you’ll get far more interviews  because of it).

1. Healthcare Sales Executive Resume Summary Example:

Turnaround & Ground Up Leadership – Concept-to-execution strategies for untapped products, markets + solutions that yield 110% revenue growth – Negotiates partnerships with leading distributors + hospitals—Medline to Centara + Novant Health to Mayo Clinic –  Revitalizes underperforming sales organizations via scalable, sustainable infrastructures emulated as best practice –  C-Level networks of clinical + supply chain leadership acquired during tenures with XXX, XXX and XXX

Why this resume summary is good:

This resumes summary example’s strength lies in the detailed, unique information that has been included. By including revenue stats, names of past employers and partners, the reader right away sees that this person will bring to the role a strong networking ability with key players in his industry, and more importantly can build, grow and revitalize a sales organization, market or product.

By:  Virginia Franco, Founder of Virginia Franco Resumes  and Forbes contributor.

2. 15+ Year Business Owner Resume Summary Statement:

Dynamic and motivated marketing professional with a proven record of generating and building relationships, managing projects from concept to completion, designing educational strategies, and coaching individuals to success. Skilled in building cross-functional teams, demonstrating exceptional communication skills, and making critical decisions during challenges. Adaptable and transformational leader with an ability to work independently, creating effective presentations, and developing opportunities that further establish organizational goals.

Why this is a good summary section:

This is a resume summary statement that was for  a candidate returning to work after having her own business for 15+ years. Because of this, we needed to emphasize her soft skills and what she can bring to this potential position. In addition, we highlighted the skills she has honed as a business owner so that she can utilize these qualifications as a sales professional, account manager , and someone knowledgeable about nutrition, medicine, and the overall sales process.

By: Dr. Heather Rothbauer-Wanish. MBA, Ph.D., CPRW, and Founder of Feather Communications

3. Human Resources Generalist Resume Summary Example:

Human Resources Generalist with progressive experience managing employee benefits & compliance, employee hiring & onboarding, performance management processes, licensure tracking and HR records. Dependable and organized team player with the ability to communicate effectively and efficiently. Skilled at building relationships with employees across all levels of an organization. Proficient with HRIS, applicant tracking and benefits management.

Why this is a good resume summary:

The applicant highlights their experience across a wide range of HR functions from the very first sentence, and continues this pattern throughout the rest of the summary. They then use easily digestible langue to showcase their hard skills (in the first & fourth sentences) and soft skills (in the second & third sentences). They also integrate a variety of keywords to get past automated job application systems , without sounding spammy or without overdoing it.

By: Kyle Elliott, MPA/CHES,  Career Coach and Consultant

4. Social Media Marketing CV Profile Example (UK):

Social media expert with successes in the creation and management of social media strategies and campaigns for global retail organisations. Extensive experience in the commercial utilisation of multiple social media channels including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube; I build successful social strategies that increase brand awareness, promote customer engagement and ultimately drive web traffic and conversions.

Why this summary is good:

This summary is well-written, short, sharp, and gives recruiters a high-level explanation of the candidate’s core offerings in a persuasive and punchy style. A quick scan of this profile tells you the exact type of social media platforms the candidate is an expert in, as well as the campaigns they have experience running and types of organizations they have worked for. Most importantly, the summary is rounded off by showing the results that this person achieves for their employers, such as increased web traffic and conversions.

Editor’s note: This CV profile summary was written for the UK market… this is a great one to use/copy, but make sure you put it through a spell-checker if you’re applying for jobs in the US (utilisation vs. utilization, etc.)

By: Andrew Fennell, Director at StandOut CV , contributor for The Guardian and Business Insider

5. Marketing Manager Professional Summary Example:

Marketing Manager with over eight years of experience. Proven success in running email marketing campaigns and implementing marketing strategies that have pulled in a 20% increase in qualified leads. Proficient in content, social media and inbound marketing strategies. Skilled, creative and innovative.

This resume summary stands out because it gets straight to the point. By immediately introducing the number of years of experience the candidate has, the HR manager doesn’t need to spend time adding up years. The candidate also jumps right into his or her strongest skill, provides a statistic , then gives additional skills.

By: Sarah Landrum, career expert and contributor at Entrepreneur.com and Forbes

6. Warehouse Supervisor Resume Summary Example:

Warehouse Supervisor with Management, Customer Service, & Forklift Experience –  Dependable manager with 15+ years of experience in warehouse management and employee supervision. –  Skilled at managing inventory control, shipping & receiving, customer relations and safety & compliance. –  Certified Power Equipment Trainer, Forklift Operator and Reach Operator skilled at coaching other staff. –  Promoted to positions of increased responsibility given strong people and project management skills.

The applicant was applying for a warehouse supervisor position that required them to have demonstrated management, customer service and forklift experience. As such, the applicant showcased their experience in these areas with a few keywords in the title, followed by additional details in the accompanying bullet points. Their final bullet shows a record of promotions, while reinforcing the applicant’s customer service and project management skills.

7. IT Project Manager Resume Summary Example:

Experienced Project Manager with vast IT experience. Skills include computer networking, analytical thinking and creative problem solving. Able to apply customer service concepts to IT to improve user experience for clients, employees and administration.

Because this candidate is switching career paths, it’s important he or she take skills used for previous positions and apply those skills to the new job listing. This is a great example because the candidate makes it clear that his or her experience is not in the new field, but that they are still able to bring relevant experience to the table. When writing your resume summary, keep these tips in mind: Use writing that is straight to the point, clear and concise, you’ll have a higher chance of getting noticed by the hiring manager.

8. Career-Changer Resume Summary Example:

Earn trust, uncover key business drivers and find common ground as chief negotiator and identifier of revenue opportunities in sales, leadership and account management roles spanning e-Commerce, air travel and high-tech retail. Navigate cultural challenges while jumping time zones, lead international airline crews and manage corporate accounts to deliver an exceptional customer experience. A self-taught techie sought after as a go-to for complex billing systems and SaaS platforms alike—bridging the divide between technology and plain-speak. – Tenacious Quest for Success + Learning . Earned MBA and BS in just 3 years while working full-time – gaining hands-on experience in research- and data-driven product roadmap development, pricing and positioning. – Results-Driven Leadership. Whether leading Baby Boomers, Gen X or Millennials—figures out what makes teams tick, trains and transforms individuals into top-performers. – Challenger of Conventional Wisdom. Always ask the WHY. Improve the user experience through smart, strategic thinking that anticipates outcomes. Present cases that influence, and lead change that drives efficiency and profitability.

This client was eager for a career change and had moved from role to role and industry to industry. After completing her Master’s degree, she was eager to tie her skills together to land a role – which she did – as a Senior Technology Account Strategist for a global travel company. Although a bit longer than a traditional summary, its strength lies in the details. Without ever getting to the experience section, the reader gets a clear idea of the scope of responsibility, and hard and soft skills the candidate brings to the table.

By: Virginia Franco, Founder of Virginia Franco Resumes  and Forbes contributor.

9. Project Management Executive Professional Summary Example:

15+ years of initiating and delivering sustained results and effective change for Fortune 500 firms across a wide range of industries including enterprise software, digital marketing, advertising technology, e-commerce and government. Major experience lies in strategizing and leading cross-functional teams to bring about fundamental change and improvement in strategy, process, and profitability – both as a leader and expert consultant.

Why this resume summary is good:

“Project Manager” is one of those job titles that’s REALLY broad. You can find project managers earning $50K, and others earning $250K. The client I wrote this for was at the Director level, and had worked for some of the biggest and best tech companies in her city. So this resume profile section shows her level and experience, and the wide array of areas she has responsibility for in her current work. You can borrow or use some of the phrasing here to show that you’ve been responsible for many important areas in your past work.

By: Biron Clark, Founder of  CareerSidekick.com.

10. Startup And Finance Management Consultant Career Summary Example:

Experienced strategist, entrepreneur and startup enthusiast with a passion for building businesses and challenging the status quo. 8+ year track record of defining new business strategies, launching new ventures, and delivering operational impact, both as a co-founder and management consultant. 

Why this resume summary example is good:

This summary was for a highly-talented management consultant looking to break out of finance, and into trendier tech companies like Uber . His track record and educational background were great, so the goal of this summary section was to stand out and show he’s more than just the typical consultant with a finance background. So we emphasized his passion for startups, and his ability to think outside the box and challenge the status quo. That’s something that companies like Uber and other “disruptive” tech companies look for.

14 Resume Summary Examples for Various Industries

Compassionate and effective 5th-grade teacher with experience overseeing the classroom and preparing lessons. Extensive experience encouraging students through positive reinforcement and motivational techniques. Collaborate well with school administration and other members of the teaching team. Ensure all students meet learning requirements, including literacy, social, and arithmetic skills.

2. Teacher’s Assistant

Goal-oriented teacher’s assistant with ten years of experience working with elementary school children. Aid teachers with lesson planning, classroom settings, and group instruction. Model positive behavior and maintain order in the classroom. Willingness to take on additional responsibilities to meet learning objectives.

Tech Industry

3. computer programmer.

Innovative computer programmer with a proven track record of writing high-quality code and supporting team needs with subject matter expertise. Adept in multiple programming languages, including Python, JavaScript, and C++. Ability to troubleshoot complex programming issues with inventive solutions. 

4. Cybersecurity Analyst

Dedicated cybersecurity analyst with ten years of experience in online security research, execution, planning, and maintenance. Proven track record of identifying business risks and proactively resolving them. Experience designing and instituting layered network security for large-scale organizations. Train users and other staff members on IT safety procedures and preventive techniques.

Skilled healthcare professional with ten years of experience in patient care, diagnosis, and providing appropriate treatments and medical services. Manage medical staff and resolve complex medical cases with maximum efficiency. Communicate the patient’s condition and treatment plan in easily understood terminology. Remain current with the latest advancements in medicine and research to ensure patients receive proper care.

6. Registered Nurse

Seasoned registered nurse offering comprehensive patient care in emergency room settings. Experience handling diverse patient populations and caring for various conditions. Proven leadership managing nursing teams and other staff. Focus on enhancing patient care and satisfaction through empathetic communication and excellent customer service. 

7. Digital Marketing Manager

Forward-thinking digital marketing manager experienced in all facets of digital marketing, including social media management, PPC advertising, SEO, and email marketing. Proven experience creating comprehensive marketing plans that improve lead prospecting and enhance brand awareness. Up to date with the newest tools available for digital marketing campaigns.

8. Marketing Analyst

Industrious marketing analyst well-versed in analyzing marketing campaign analytics and making recommendations to improve performance. Collaborate with account managers and use KPI metrics to explain the results of marketing initiatives. Meticulous with a strong work ethic and robust communication skills.

Food and Service Industry

Experienced wait staff member capable of managing orders, processing payments, and upselling menu items. Ensure restaurant guests feel welcome with attentive service catered to their needs. Remain current on updates to the menu and assist guests with selecting orders to meet their dietary requirements. Maintain a positive attitude and focus during busy restaurant periods.

10. Hotel Receptionist

Friendly hotel receptionist with extensive experience handling guest check-ins, check-out, and payments. Facilitate a positive guest experience with polished customer service skills and a readiness to address common inquiries and complaints. Collaborate well with other hotel team members, including executive administration and on-site restaurant staff.

Business/Office Jobs

11. financial analyst.

Highly motivated financial analyst with a proven track record of recommending appropriate financial plans based on financial monitoring, data collection, and business strategizing. Experienced in qualitative and quantitative analysis, forecasting, and financial modeling. Excellent communication skills for building and fostering long-term business relationships across the organization.

12. Tax Accountant

Experienced tax accountant with ten years of experience preparing federal and state tax returns for corporations and partnerships. Monitor changes in laws to ensure the organization properly complies with reporting requirements. Assist with tax audits, ensuring the team receives proper supporting evidence for tax positions. Analyze and resolve complex tax issues. Look for available tax savings opportunities for corporations with an aggregate savings of $500K last year. Excellent analytical skills and attention to detail.

Sales and Customer Service

13. sales representative.

Enthusiastic sales representative with expertise in identifying prospects and converting qualified leads to paying customers. Provide quality customer service and contribute to team sales success. Offer exceptional communication skills and seek to understand client needs before making the appropriate product recommendations. Continually meet and exceed sales goals. Leverage extensive knowledge of available products to provide appropriate client solutions and enhance customer loyalty and retention.

14. Customer Service Associate

Knowledgeable customer service professional with extensive experience in the insurance industry. Known as a team player with a friendly demeanor and proven ability to develop positive rapport with clients. Maintain ongoing customer satisfaction that contributes to overall company success. Highly articulate, with a results-oriented approach that addresses client inquiries and issues while maintaining strong partnerships. Collaborate well with the customer service team while also engaging independent decision-making skills.

Now you have 24 professional resume summary statements and some explanations of why they’re effective. Next, I’ll share tips for how to write your own in case you’re still unsure how to begin based on these examples above.

How to Write a Resume Summary: Steps and Hints

We’ve looked at 10 great resume summary examples above. As you begin writing a resume summary for yourself, here are some helpful tips to keep in mind:

• Read the employer’s job description. Your career summary shouldn’t be a long list of everything you’ve done; it should be a refined list of skills and experiences that demonstrate you’re a fit for their job.
• Mention your current job title if relevant. One common way to begin your resume summary is to state your current job title.
• Explain how you can help employers achieve their goals or solve their problems.
• Consider using bold text to emphasize one or two key phrases.
• Include any relevant metrics and data like dollar amounts, years of experience, size of teams led, etc. This helps your resume stand out.
• Focus on making the employer want to read more. The goal of your resume summary isn’t to show everything you can do, but to grab their attention and show enough that they continue reading.

Creating a Customized Resume Summary

While general summaries are appropriate when applying for jobs requiring similar skills and experience, a customized resume summary can enhance your chances of moving on to the next step in the hiring process. 

That’s because most companies use automated tracking systems (ATS) to review submitted resumes for content directly related to the job posting. If you use keywords and natural language phrases in your summary that interlink to the job description, you’ll have a much higher chance of passing the ATS review.

Let’s look at an example of a resume summary that is customized for the specific job description below:

“Highly motivated social media specialist with strong project management skills. Creative marketer skilled in crafting innovative social media campaigns that resonate with a target audience. Regularly develop compelling copy and social media content to enhance lead generation and brand awareness. Detail-oriented with extensive project management skills that ensure proper prioritization of tasks and projects. Work with various social media management and analytics tools to examine results and make adjustments as necessary.”

This summary directly addresses the key points in the job description but rewrites them so the customization is natural and flows well. It’s personalized for the open role and uses similar terms with a few strategically placed keywords, such as “social media content” and “project management.”  

How Long Should a Resume Summary Be?

As you read the resume summaries above, you probably noticed there are some short single-paragraph resume summary examples and much longer career summaries that are two to three paragraphs plus bullet points. So how long should YOUR professional summary be? If you have relevant work experience, keep your summary to one or two paragraphs. The piece you really want the hiring manager to read is your most recent work experience (and you should make sure you tailored that info to fit the job description). The resume summary is just a “bridge” to get the hiring manager into your experience.

If I were writing my own career summary right now, I’d likely use one single paragraph packed with skills, accomplishments, and exactly why I’m ready to step into the job I’ve applied for and be successful!

Even for a manager resume summary, I recommend a very short length. However, if you’re changing careers, or you’re looking for jobs without any work experience , the summary section needs to stand on its own, and should be longer. That’s why some examples above are a bit longer.

Formatting Your Resume/CV Career Summary

You may have noticed a variety of different formats in the career summary examples above. There isn’t one “right” way to format this section on your resume or CV. However, I recommend either using one or two brief paragraphs, or combining a short sentence or paragraph with bullets. Avoid writing three or four long paragraphs with no special formatting like bullet points. That’s simply too much text for your summary section and will cause recruiters and hiring managers to skip over it in some cases.

Should You Include a Resume Objective?

You do not need to include an objective on your resume, and doing so can make your resume appear outdated. Use a resume summary instead of an objective. Follow the resume summary examples above and focus on discussing your skills, qualifications, and achievements, rather than stating your objective. Employers know that your objective is to obtain the position you’ve applied for, and the resume objective has no place on a modern resume/CV in today’s job market.

Examples of Bad Resume Summaries

Now that we’ve seen a few exemplary resume summaries, let’s look at some that you should avoid at all cost.

1. Typos and Grammatical Errors

“Experienced cashier who knows how to run the register cash. Responsible with the money and can talk with the customer. Knows when to stoc up the invenory and checks it all the time. Can count change and run credit card tranactions. Get the customer happy by good service. I am always cheerful and organized.”

Why this resume summary is bad:

If you read the summary carefully, you’ll notice several spelling errors. The words “stock,” “inventory,” and “transactions” are all spelled wrong. Grammatical errors make the summary choppy and difficult to follow (“Get the customer happy by good service”).  A summary like this probably won’t fly with a company looking for a detail-oriented cashier responsible for managing in-person sales.

2. Lacks Relevant Keywords

“Talented worker with experience managing a team of staff. Creative and responsible with knowledge of organizational processes. Can keep up with the busiest of environments. Stays focused when at work, ensuring prompt task completion. Dependable and willing to collaborate with a team to get things done.”  

In this example, the chef doesn’t use keywords relevant to cooking, restaurants, or kitchens. The summary is very generic and can apply to nearly any job. A manager who receives the application isn’t likely to understand what value the candidate can bring to the restaurant.  To fix the summary, the applicant must rewrite it to include relevant keywords and phrases. 

3. No Numbers to Quantify Achievements

“An experienced and hardworking manager ready to align procedures for maximum revenue and profits. Proven track record of streamlining and strengthening processes, resulting in higher sales and better customer satisfaction. Collaborate well with sales team members, ensuring they have the resources and knowledge to support customer purchases and inquiries. Develop strong rapport with clients and maintain ongoing relationships.”

This isn’t a terrible summary for a sales manager, but it has room for improvement. For one, the first two sentences essentially duplicate each other, mentioning an aptitude for improving processes with the objective of higher sales. The other issue is a lack of quantifying achievements. 

The applicant mentions they have a proven record of increasing sales, but they could strengthen the summary by quantifying their results. For example, they might say, “Proven track record of streamlining and strengthening processes, resulting in a 25% increase in sales over the past year.” The quantifier provides additional credibility. 

4. Not Targeting the Specific Job

“Looking for work in a role that requires great customer service, project management, and communication skills. Able to collaborate with people from diverse and varying backgrounds. Highly organized and reliable worker with a strong work ethic. Responsible and reliable worker you can count on.”

While the candidate lists various skills they have, including customer service and project management, there’s no indication of prior roles held or what position they’re applying for. The summary could apply to numerous positions in a variety of industries. To improve the resume summary, the applicant must specify the job they’re applying for and indicate their prior experience in a similar role, if they have any.

After You Start Getting Interviews, Make Sure to Take Advantage…

If you follow the advice above, you’ll have a great professional resume summary to make your qualifications stand out to employers. But landing the interview is only half the battle… So make sure you go into every interview ready to convince employers that they should hire you, too! If you write a great resume summary example that gets employers excited to interview you, they’re going to ask you questions like, “tell me about yourself” early in the interview to learn more about your background. So make sure you’re prepared with an answer.

I also recommend you review the top 20 interview questions and answers here.

Your resume caught their interest, so naturally, they’re going to follow up with a variety of questions to learn more about your professional background.

The bottom line is: A strong professional resume summary, followed up by other well-written resume sections will get you the interview, but your interview performance is what determines whether you get the job offer!

About the Author

Read more articles by Biron Clark

More Resume Tips & Guides

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I would recommend to customise the skills section of your resume, and ensure that it matches the job posting. The higher the number of phrases within the resume matching the job requirements the more are the chances that the recruiter will pick you for the job.

I just wanted to say, “thank you!”. This was very helpful. Instead of jumping from one website to the next there’s so much useful, relevant information right here.

Hi, I have been having trouble creating a resume as My old one is so long, I’ve worked for a government agency for the past 14 years and held multiple positions doing many different duties for each and now I have to relocate to another area where they do not have an agency like mine in my new area within a 3 hour drive, how can I squeeze all my experience and duties on one page and where do I even start, I’m so nervous, it’s been so long since I’ve attempted the job hunt. So I’m wondering, I do not want to cut anything out that may hurt my chances and I can’t afford to have my resume rewritten by a professional. Can you guide me as to where you think would be a good place to start, I’ve been staring at this laptop for weeks trying to decide on a resume template, there are so many. I thank you for your time and any input will help.

Hi, I am a new graduate and do not have any experience in my field which is Nursing. I want to apply for the jobs but I have no idea about what to mention in my resume.

Hi, this article should help with the resume summary, at least: https://careersidekick.com/summary-for-resume-no-experience/

Other than that, you need to put your academic experience. And internships/part-time jobs if you’ve had any.

Dear Biron,, Thanks for sharing the 10 examples of professional summaries in your article, and especially the reasons why they were considered to be good. However, as a HR professional, I would most likely skip over most of them and would not read much past the first or second sentence. The summaries were mostly too wordy and boring, and did not demonstrate ‘oomph’ at first cursory reading. Simply indicating certain skills or behaviors does not give an idea of the level of expertise, and could simply be wishful thinking on the part of the resume writer.

Just goes to show that there are many ways to see what makes a good summary.

I am a chemical engineer and project management professional with 15+years experience. My experience is between process engineering and project management . How can I marry the two in my profile summary?

It’s not about showing everything you’ve done. It’s about showing employers evidence you’ll succeed in their job. You can show a bit of both but focus heavily on what’s most relevant for the jobs you’re applying for right now. 80/20.

This was absolutely helpful and amazing! Thank you very much!

Hello, I am an active job seeker. I hold a law degree from a foreign country and currently in college for an associate degree. My question is, how do I blend both my foreign job experience with that of the United States in my resume. Thank you.

I’d put your work history in chronological order, starting with the most recent up top. That’s what I’d recommend for 95% of people actually. Then it doesn’t matter where you held each job.

And then in your Education section, I’d include your foreign degree and the current degree you’re pursuing in the US, too (for the US degree, you can say “in progress” or “graduating May 2019” for example).

I am 40 years old & B.A degree holder I have experience in many fields.I would like to join any one fields

I am a fresh graduate, who has five years teaching experience and some months customer service representative experience. Pls kindly assist me to put the resume summary together

I’m an active duty service member and finding in a little difficult creating a good transitional summary from 20 year profession in tactical communications to a drug and alcohol counselor. Do you have any recommendations how I should approach this? Any assistance would be helpful. Thanks

Great piece

How to write the CAREER ABSTRACT in resume for ware super visor retail business?

Just wanted to say thank you.Your advise and information was clear and easy to understand , sometimes there is nothing pertaining to what im looking fot in particular, buy you have sermed to cover everything I n a short quick easy to understand method.It will help tremendously.

Thanks! Glad to hear it helped :)

Very informational

What if you have work experience, but the job your going for(teachingeducation) has nothing to do with warehouse work? How should I build my resume?

In the summary, describe yourself and then say, “…looking to transition into ___” (the type of work you want to be doing now).

This is a bit like a resume “Objective”. I normally don’t recommend an Objective section (and I recommend a Summary section instead), however the one time an Objective does make sense is when you’re trying to change industries or make a big change in the type of role you have.

So that’s why my advice here might seem like I’m telling you to combine an Objective with your resume Summary.

Then “tailor” your previous work to be as relevant as possible. Even if you worked in a different industry you can still show things like leadership, accountability, progress/improvement, hard work, achieving goals, strong teamwork skills, etc. You can do all of that in your resume bullets and work history.

Don’t u have Resume Summary of legal secretary/legal assistant?

No, sorry about that. There are hundreds of different professions/job titles, and we aren’t able to include an example for every scenario out there. These resume summary examples are designed to give you a general idea of how to write yours.

The summaries listed are excellent example and have helped me develop a stand out summary for a new position.

Hello, I been trying to land the job of my dreams. I need help with my resume if i want the recruiters in airlines to notice me. I’ve applied before but haven’t had complete success to making it to a face-to Face Interview. It is a career change – yet i feel i am a great candidate bc i have had many customer service and I even attended an academy for that specific position. Can you please tell me what I am doing wrong on my resume ?

what if i never had a job experience?

Great question. If you don’t have any work experience, take one of the formats/examples above and put your accomplishments and qualifications from your academic studies.

Your headline could say: “Motivated Bio-Sciences Graduate With Expertise in ____”.

And then you might talk about accomplishments in school, group projects you worked on or led, etc.

Basically, when you have no work experience, your school/studies BECOMES your recent work. You should talk about that like it’s a job, because that’s the experience you do have.

really amazing article and too useful , thanks

Hi Mr. Clark, I have been out of the work force for about 18+years and I have been a small business owner for the same number of years. However, I want to go back to the work force. But my problem is that, I don’t know how to prepare my resume or resume summary statement. I had a degree in Communication,Arts and Sciences and a postgraduate degree in Public Administration. I’m a bit confused as to how to incorporate all these experiences into my resume. Please can you help?

Hi Dorothy, I can recommend a professional resume writer if you want. But they’re typically not cheap, so it’s something you’d have to be willing to invest in. If not, there’s a lot of free info online about how to “tailor” your resume for specific jobs. I can’t help one-on-one unfortunately, but I’d recommend thinking about which type of jobs you want, and think of what experience you have that is most relevant. that’s what to put on your resume. Your resume isn’t only about you, it’s about them – what do they want/need? (if you want to get a ton of interviews, that’s how to do it :) ).

Can I have a professional resume writer?

I use a similar format when writing my opening statement for my coverletter. How do you recommend differentiating the two? Or is it ok to use largely the same language?

I think it’s okay to use something similar. I might be more brief in the cover letter… it needs to be about them just as much as it’s about you. Whereas the resume is all about you, at least in the summary section. (The later sections should still be tailored to THEIR needs..)

Struggling to write a Summary Statement for a Secretary/Administrative Assistant position. I have 15 years government experience but have been away from the government since 9/1993 and have spent 15 years as a Substitute Teacher after taking off for 10 years to raise my children.

Hiya! I am a mother of three attempting to return to the workforce. I have been a stay at mom for about 13 years, so I have a (large) gap in my employment history; which doesn’t look great. I have a college education and have obtained a few certifications whilst not employed, plus many volunteer hours. I know that I should probably use a functional resume format. Would love some advice on what I should include in my summary statement.

Hi Juniper,

I rarely like functional resumes, but it might be worth trying. I’d “split-test” it (a marketing term). Create two resume styles, send out 50% one way, 50% the other way, and track results for a week.

I’d treat the resume summary statement just like any other resume. Highlight your skills and past wins/accomplishments.

how do i explain long term gaps in employment? leave them out?

Hi Paulette,

Don’t mention them on a resume summary. But do mention the gaps on a cover letter or lower down on the resume. Here’s an article on how to explain gaps in employment:

https://careersidekick.com/explaining-gaps-in-employment/

I am student in civil engineering field. Have 1.5 yrs of work ex. How should i structure my resume. Thanks.

Hello My name is Shataka and I’m a current job seeker trying to land my dream job as a Counselor. I have Master degree in Counseling Psychology and a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work. My experience lies in many different fields. I’m currently a Substance Abuse Counselor, with a teaching background and over 5 years of social service experience. I guess my question is how would I sum up all my experience to help me find a job as a Counselor.

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