Career Sidekick

24 Resume Summary Examples That Get Interviews

By Biron Clark

Published: November 8, 2023

Biron Clark

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:

Social Media Specialist Job posting

“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!

Biron Clark

About the Author

Read more articles by Biron Clark

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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.

Comments are closed.

Steps on How to Write an Effective Executive Summary for Your Resume

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Statistics prove that recruiters spend only 7.4 seconds initially scanning your resume. In this window, you need to quickly hook the recruiter’s interest and make them want to read the rest of your resume . As a seasoned executive, you can do that by writing a compelling executive summary for your resume.

But how do you exactly distill your experiences, achievements, and expertise into a concise executive summary? This guide will help you.

6 steps on writing an executive summary for your resume

The summary for your executive resume serves as a snapshot of your qualifications, skills, and achievements. It gives employers and recruiters a quick overview of your professional background and what you bring to the table.

Here are tips on how you can craft your executive resume summary:

Step 1. Identify your value proposition

One of the key elements of a powerful executive summary for your resume is identifying your unique value proposition. This is what sets you apart from other candidates and makes you the ideal fit for the job.

To identify your unique value proposition, conduct a thorough analysis of the job and industry you are applying for. Understand the needs, desires, and pain points of your target company and identify the gaps that you can fill.

Next, think about your own background, skills, and experiences. What unique perspectives, ideas, or expertise do you bring to the table? How can you leverage your strengths to create value for the organization?

Step 2. Start with your professional title and years of experience

Begin your executive summary with a clear and concise statement of your professional title. This should be a brief description of your role or position, such as:

  • Senior Marketing Manager
  • Experienced Financial Analyst
  • Chief Operations Officer

Next, include the number of years of experience you have in your field. This will provide the recruiter with an understanding of your level of expertise and establish your credibility.

For example, your executive resume summary could start like this:

Experienced Sales Director with over 10 years of proven success in driving revenue growth and exceeding sales targets.

Step 3. Highlight your most relevant skills and achievements

Start by identifying the key skills that are most relevant to the job you’re applying for.

These could include:

  • Technical skills
  • Leadership abilities
  • Project management expertise
  • Any other skills that are highly valued in your industry

Next, highlight and quantify your most significant achievements that demonstrate your ability to deliver results and make a positive impact.

  • Successful projects
  • Revenue growth
  • Cost savings
  • Process improvements
  • Any other accomplishments that showcase your capabilities

For example, you could mention something like:

Proven track record of driving revenue growth through strategic sales planning and effective team leadership. Achieved a 25% increase in sales revenue in the first year of implementing a new sales strategy.

Step 4. Demonstrate your impact on your previous roles

Doing this will provide concrete evidence of your capabilities and showcase your ability to drive results.

Start by identifying the key responsibilities and achievements from your previous roles that are most relevant to the job you’re applying for. Quantify the impact of your achievements whenever possible. Use numbers, percentages, or other metrics to show the tangible results you have achieved.

Led a cross-functional team to successfully launch a new product, resulting in a 50% increase in market share and $1 million in additional revenue.

Step 5. Include relevant industry-specific keywords

When you submit a job application, it goes into an applicant tracking system (ATS). This is software that most companies use to streamline their hiring process and go through hundreds of resumes.

Through the ATS, recruiters can search for top candidates based on keywords such as job titles, job-specific hard skills , soft skills , and other industry-specific keywords.

You may be the best person for the job but, if your resume lacks the right keywords, it may not appear in search results.

Here’s how to know which keywords to include:

1. Study the job description

Carefully study the job description and list down all the relevant keywords mentioned, especially those that are mentioned more than once. This could include skills, certifications , software, or tools.

Here’s an example of a job description for a Fintech API Developer with some keywords.

Screenshot of job description for fintech developer with keywords

2. Incorporate the keywords into your resume summary

Once you’ve noted the relevant keywords, you need to work them into your executive summary. Here’s an example:

Experienced Fintech API Developer adept at creating and maintaining top-tier APIs for fintech applications. Skilled in collaborating with cross-functional teams to identify API requirements and enhance functionality. Proficient in conducting thorough API testing, debugging, and troubleshooting, staying updated on industry trends for continuous improvement.

To make sure you don’t miss out on keywords recruiters would look for, you can use tools such as Jobscan’s resume scanner . It quickly matches your resume to the job description and gives you a list of keywords you need to include in your resume.

Example of Jobscan's Power Edit resume score and suggested keywords.

Step 6. Tailor your executive summary to align with the job or industry you’re applying for

You must tailor your executive summary for different jobs or industries. This is crucial to ensure that it resonates with employers.

For example, if you are applying for a job in the tech sector, the summary for your executive resume should highlight your technical skills. It should also show your experience with relevant technologies and any notable projects or achievements.

Each industry has its own expectations and requirements. Tailoring your summary to match them can give you a competitive edge.

You can scan your resume into Jobscan to see whether it matches the job you are applying for. All you have to do is upload your resume and job description and click ‘Scan.’

Jobscan will then generate a report to show you how well your resume matches the job and a list of tips you can follow to improve your resume.

Executive summary template

Here’s a simple template you can use when writing your own executive resume summary.

[Your Target Professional Title] with [Years of Experience] years of experience in [Expertise/Industry]. Proven track record in [Top Achievement 1] and [Top Achievement 2]. Skilled in [Skill 1], [Skill 2], and [Skill 3]. Known for [Unique Value or Strength or Top Quantifiable Achievement].

10 examples of effective executive resume summary statements

Here are examples of compelling executive summary statements to help you craft your own. Remember to tailor your resume summary to the specific role you are applying for to increase your chances of getting noticed by recruiters and landing interviews.

Seasoned Marketing Executive with 15 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Spearheaded innovative marketing campaigns that elevated brand visibility and doubled customer engagement. Proficient in market analysis, brand positioning, and digital marketing strategies, driving a 30% increase in market share within two years.

Veteran Financial Strategist with over a decade of expertise in investment banking and wealth management. Led initiatives that optimized investment portfolios and generated substantial returns for clients. Skilled in financial modeling, risk assessment, and market research, resulting in a 25% increase in client assets under management.

Strategic Operations Leader with 20 years of experience in the logistics sector. Pioneered operational efficiencies that streamlined supply chain processes and reduced costs by 25%. Proficient in supply chain optimization, process reengineering, and strategic planning, achieving a 40% improvement in overall productivity.

Innovative Tech Architect with 12 years of experience in software development and IT solutions. Engineered scalable software solutions and led cross-functional teams in delivering cutting-edge projects. Expertise in full-stack development, cloud computing, and agile methodologies, accelerating project delivery timelines by 20%.

Dynamic Construction Manager with 15 years of experience in the real estate sector. Oversaw the successful completion of multimillion-dollar projects, exceeding quality standards and client expectations. Skilled in project planning, risk mitigation, and stakeholder communication.

Strategic Chief Finance Officer with two decades of experience in corporate finance and strategic planning. Directed financial operations and implemented cost-saving measures that enhanced company profitability by 25%. Proficient in financial modeling, budgeting, and risk management, driving sustainable growth and expansion initiatives.

Seasoned Legal Advisor with 12 years of experience in corporate law and compliance. Negotiated complex contracts and navigated regulatory landscapes, ensuring legal compliance and mitigating risks. Expert in intellectual property rights, regulatory affairs, and corporate governance, safeguarding company assets and interests.

Experienced Healthcare Administrator with 15 years of expertise in healthcare management and patient care. Directed operational improvements that enhanced service quality and patient satisfaction scores by 20%. Skilled in healthcare regulations, budgeting, and staff development, fostering a culture of excellence and continuous improvement.

Strategic Supply Chain Executive with 20 years of expertise in global logistics and procurement. Implemented supply chain strategies that reduced lead times and inventory costs by 30%. Skilled in vendor management, strategic sourcing, and distribution optimization, ensuring seamless operations and on-time delivery in complex supply chain networks.

Innovative Product Development Executive with 18 years of experience in the consumer goods sector. Led cross-functional teams in launching market-disrupting products that generated $50 million in annual revenue. Skilled in product lifecycle management, market research, and trend analysis, driving continuous innovation and market leadership.

Check out more resume summary examples in this guide . You can also check our comprehensive guide on writing an ATS resume and our library of resume examples and templates .

Use Jobscan’s free ATS-friendly resume templates and start building your resume that gets noticed by recruiters!

what is an executive summary for a resume

Key takeaways

Here are important pointers to remember when writing your executive summary:

  • Your executive summary should grab the recruiter’s attention and show what you bring to the table.
  • The purpose of an executive summary in your resume is to highlight your key skills, achievements, and qualifications in a concise and compelling manner.
  • To write a powerful executive summary, you need to showcase your unique value proposition.
  • Enhance your executive summary by integrating keywords for ATS optimization.
  • Tailor your resume summary to the specific job you are applying for.

Frequently asked questions

An executive resume summary is a key section at the top of your resume. It gives a high-level overview of your qualifications and achievements. It serves as an introduction to the rest of your resume and should grab the reader’s attention and entice them to continue reading.

The goal of an executive summary in your resume is to quickly grab the recruiter’s attention. It gives employers a compelling overview of your qualifications and achievements. It also shows the value you bring to the table.

Here’s a list of what to include in your executive summary: 1. Professional title 2. Years of experience 3. Unique value proposition 4. Key skills and expertise 5. Quantifiable achievements 6. Industry-specific keywords

The length of your executive resume summary should be concise. It should typically range from 3 to 5 sentences or around 100-150 words. The goal is to provide enough information to pique the reader’s interest and encourage them to read further without overwhelming them with excessive details.

While it may be tempting to use the same executive summary for every job application, it is crucial to tailor it to each specific opportunity. Customization shows your dedication and commitment to the specific role.

To make your executive summary stand out, highlight your unique value proposition, competitive advantage, and impactful differentiation. Use specific examples and quantifiable achievements to demonstrate your success and expertise.

If you don’t have executive-level experience yet, don’t worry. Instead, here’s what you should do: 1. Highlight your career progression, skill set, potential, and adaptability. 2. Emphasize your achievements and responsibilities in previous roles that demonstrate your leadership abilities and strategic thinking. 3. Showcase your transferable skills and ability to learn and adapt quickly. By demonstrating your potential and showcasing your relevant experiences, you can show recruiters why you are ready to take on an executive-level role.

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How To Write an Executive Resume: The Definitive 2024 Guide

In this detailed guide, learn the ins and outs of writing a senior level resume, including executive resume templates and examples.

2 years ago   •   9 min read

Welcome to our resume guide for executives and senior-level job seekers. In this detailed guide, learn the ins and outs of writing a senior level resume, including executive resume templates and examples.

Table of contents:

  • Overview, templates and key tips [you are reading this here]
  • Executive resume summary
  • Work experience and bullet points on executive resumes
  • Skills section on executive resumes
  • Education, optional sections, and additional executive resume tips are at the bottom of this page too!

What to know when writing your executive resume

When it comes to resume writing, there’s no “one size fits all” solution. Which means that the resume you used to get hired probably isn’t going to land you that promotion you’ve been eyeing, and the template you’ve been using since you graduated definitely isn’t going to cut it when you’re applying for senior level roles.

The reality is, executive resumes use a different format — and follow different rules — from standard resume templates. To illustrate the point, let’s have a look at some senior level resume templates.

Executive resume templates

Before we dive in, let's show you what a template looks like — with specific recruiter highlights to give you a sense of what works on this resume (we'll dive into each of these at different parts of this resume guide too).

what is an executive summary for a resume

The first thing you’ll notice is that this template is longer than the standard one-page resume you’re probably used to. Director level resumes can get away with including a lot more detail because of the depth of experience they’re trying to convey. For positions older than 10-15 years, executive recruiters recommend listing them in a truncated format that omits the bullet points.

Here, we’ve also divided accomplishments from your most recent role into core competencies using keywords hiring managers are looking for.

Executive resume template #2

While it's common to have a two-page resume like the one above, you can also use a shorter resume if you prefer. Just make sure you include your most impressive achievements.

what is an executive summary for a resume

This senior management resume template keeps the emphasis where it needs to be — on high-level professional accomplishments. Other sections of your resume, including older positions, education, skills, and certifications, should take up no more than half a page.

Want more templates? See our resume templates for executives . You can download the Google Doc and Word templates there too.

Executive resume format and key sections

Now that we’ve seen what senior level resumes should look like, let’s break down what you need to know to write your own.

Executive summary

An executive summary should be the first thing on your resume, underneath your name and contact details. Your executive summary can include:

  • The title of the job you’re applying for
  • A short paragraph explaining the scope and context of your work experience
  • 2-4 of your most impressive accomplishments

Think of your executive summary as a career highlights section — it should be relatively brief but detailed enough to convey that you have the right skills and experience for the job.

For most applicants, resume summaries are optional, but recruiters highly recommend them for executive resumes. Because your resume is likely to be longer and more detailed, a summary gives recruiters a quick overview of your most important accomplishments so they can see at a glance that you’re qualified for the role.

Personalize your resume summary by tailoring the skills and accomplishments you list to match the job requirements . Adding a title or headline is another good way to impress recruiters and bypass Applicant Tracking Systems at the same time.

what is an executive summary for a resume

Want to dive in? Read how to write an executive summary, or a summary for executives .

Work experience

Most of the space on your executive resume should be dedicated to your professional experience. Start with a short introductory paragraph explaining your role and split your accomplishments into key skills with distinct subheadings.

Use subheadings to emphasize your experience in different areas of leadership

The more recent the role, the more detailed your accomplishments should be. Your most recent position might contain upward of 10-15 accomplishments split across different categories, while older roles might only have 1-2.

What to do about older positions

For any positions older than 10-15 years , either leave them off your resume entirely or condense them by listing only the company name, your role, and the dates.

Leave out the accomplishments for older positions on your resume

Bullet points Here’s what you need to know about crafting high-impact resume accomplishments in your work experience section:

  • Start with a strong action verb .
  • Focus on accomplishments, not responsibilities.
  • Include numbers and metrics to quantify your achievements .
  • Be specific. Avoid vague buzzwords like “effective” or “various.”
  • Lead with your most relevant accomplishments — don’t bury your strongest achievement at the bottom of the page.

Want to dive in? Read how to write a work experience for executives . You'll also learn how to write bullet points for an executive resume.

Resumes for experienced professionals don’t need a detailed education section. List any degrees in reverse chronological order (most recent first), including the name of the school you attended, the degree(s) you attained, and your major. You can omit any extra information, like graduation dates, coursework, and GPA.

Keep your education section simple by briefly listing the name of your school, degree, and major

You can list your hard skills in a relatively short section at the end of your resume. Stick to high-level leadership skills and core industry-specific competencies.

Your skills section is essential to getting past Applicant Tracking systems, which will automatically scan and weed out resumes without essential keywords — for example, the word “financial” in a CFO resume. Here are some of the key skills executive recruiters are looking for:

  • Business Development
  • Change Management
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Revenue Generation
  • Profit & Loss Management
  • Mergers & Acquisitions
  • Stakeholder Relations
  • Cultural Leadership
  • Contract Negotiation
  • Fiscal Accountability

To make a big impact in a small amount of space, use subheadings for specific skills and stick to 3-4 categories that are more relevant to the role you’re applying for.

Use subheadings to keep your skills section organized and easy for recruiters to skim

Ready to get started? Read how to include essential skills for executive resumes .

Optional sections

Because executive resumes should mainly focus on your work experience and core competencies, you don’t need to dedicate a lot of space to additional information. That said, it can still be a good idea to include one or two optional sections toward the end of your resume, especially if you can point to activities that are highly regarded or add leadership experience. These might include:

Board memberships. Sitting on a board of directors can add prestige and credibility to your resume, especially if you were involved with a prominent organization or one related to your current field. List the name of the organization, your role, and the dates you served.

Professional affiliations. Similarly, membership in a well-known professional association — especially if you were heavily involved or in a leadership role — can deserve a place on your resume. List the name of the association and whether your membership is current.

Certifications. Only list these if they’re relevant to your current role. If you hold a qualification that’s highly recognizable or essential in your industry, consider highlighting it in your executive summary as well.

Volunteering. In most cases, volunteering doesn’t fit on an executive resume. However, other types of community involvement can go at the bottom of your resume. In particular, highlight leadership roles and other industry-relevant activities.

List certifications, board memberships, professional associations, and volunteer work in optional sections at the end of your resume

Key tips for executives

If you’re updating an existing resume rather than writing one from scratch, here are some key things to keep in mind.

Executive resumes look different

Struggling to showcase your leadership potential while keeping your resume under one page? There’s a reason for that. Executive resumes are typically longer two-page documents featuring additional sections and a more extensive work history. Here’s how to update your mid-level resume to an executive resume format:

  • Split your work experience into subheadings reflecting core competencies.
  • Include more bullet points for your current or most recent role.
  • Leave off jobs older than 10-15 years.
  • Include additional sections as relevant — for example, board memberships , professional affiliations , certifications, and community involvement.

Stress leadership and management experience

Executive roles require leadership above all else, so make that the focus of your resume. Here are some quick tips:

Use keywords in your resume title and headline. Your resume title should reflect the title of the job you’re applying for, while your headline can contain core competencies or similar roles you’ve held in the past.

Use the right keywords in your resume summary to bypass ATS and show recruiters that you have the experience they’re looking for

Focus on management experience in your summary and bullet points. Choose accomplishments that show leadership and related skills , and put your most relevant achievements at the top of your resume. If a recruiter only spends a few seconds skimming your resume, they should still walk away with the sense that you’re a potential fit.

Lead with your most impressive accomplishments to make sure they get noticed

A good way to check if you’ve chosen the right accomplishments that show leadership and related skills, is to upload your resume to the tool below — it’ll tell you if your resume summary and bullet points show enough of the management skills that hiring managers and recruiters look for.

Choose skills that speak to your leadership ability. Your skills section is a small but powerful part of your resume, so make every word count.

List a small number of skills that are most relevant to a high-level leadership role

If you’re unsure what skills to add to your skills section, search for the job using the tool below. It’ll give you a list of skills relevant to the job. For example, search for a job like Chief Financial Officer, or other executive positions and it’ll give you a list of skills required for the role.

Size matters

When it comes to leadership roles, the scope of your experience is as important as the details. That’s not to say that you can land a C-level position at a Fortune 500 company if you’ve only ever helmed 10-person startups, but either way, make sure you start your resume by explaining the context of your work experience.

what is an executive summary for a resume

Emphasize promotions

You may be near the top of your field now, but recruiters will want to know how you got there. Here’s how to emphasize that you worked your way to the top:

  • Show progression in your job titles. Bold titles that show obvious progression, like Vice President -> Director -> Managing Director .
  • Use leadership-centric language that shows increased responsibility, like “ Led ,” “ Drove ,” and “ Spearheaded .”
  • Use bullet points to highlight promotions . If you were promoted ahead of schedule, say so.

Use metrics

Hiring managers want to see the impact of your accomplishments on a company’s bottom line. Here are some good metrics to use in your resume:

  • Company or team size
  • Number of locations
  • Revenue generated
  • Managed budget
  • Money saved
  • Increased throughput
  • Project complexity, scale and duration

Always use concrete numbers when you can. These don’t need to be exact — a reasonable estimate is fine.

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what is an executive summary for a resume

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what is an executive summary for a resume

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What is an executive summary on a resume?

A resume executive summary is a short paragraph that appears at the top of your resume that provides an overview of your career trajectory, professional background, skills, and accomplishments.

Since it is located at the top part of the resume, it is the first thing that hiring managers will see.

And given that recruiters spend only 6 to 8 seconds on a resume, it is imperative that your executive summary is up to par with their expectations.

But with limited space on your resume, how do you distill all that information into a concise and impactful summary?

Lucky for you, in this guide, we'll walk you through everything you need to know to create an impressive executive summary that will help you stand out from the crowd.

We’ll provide tips on how to tailor it to your specific industry and job level and share examples of great executive summaries to inspire your own.

  • Why is the executive summary so important?
  • What should you include in your resume executive summary?
  • How to write an executive summary for a resume?
  • What are some of the best executive summary resume examples?

Why is an Executive Summary Important?

Here’s why you need to put in extra effort to ensure that your resume executive summary is impressive and compelling:

An executive summary is a brief but impactful summary of your qualifications, experience, and skills. Here are some reasons why having an executive summary on your resume is essential:

First impressions matter: Recruiters and hiring managers often receive hundreds of resumes for a single position. A good executive summary can help your resume stand out right off the bat and catch the reader's attention, making a positive first impression.

Conveys your value proposition: An executive summary is an opportunity to showcase your unique value proposition and emphasize how you can bring value to the organization. It should highlight your key skills and accomplishments, and how they align with the job requirements.

Summarizes your career progression: An executive summary can summarize your career progression, highlighting key achievements and milestones along the way. This can help you demonstrate your growth and potential to future employers.

Also Read: How to make a resume for your first job in 2023?

What Should You Write in Your Resume Executive Summary?

To ensure that your executive summary briefly covers all the important details in your resume, you must write it after writing all the other sections of your resume.

Doing so will streamline the writing process for you as you will have a better idea of what you need to highlight.

With that being said, here’s what you must include in your resume executive summary:

1. Your Professional Title

Your professional title should be the first thing that appears in your executive summary. This helps to establish your credibility and professionalism right from the start.

Use the exact title of the position you're applying for, if possible, or a related title that accurately reflects your experience and skills.

2. Years of Experience

The first sentence in your executive summary must also highlight the years of experience you have in your field or industry. This gives hiring managers a quick sense of your level of expertise.

Be specific and use exact numbers, such as "10+ years experienced management professional" or "software developer with 5+ years of experience."

3. Key Achievements

Highlighting your key achievements and accomplishments in your executive summary is a great way to immediately draw attention to your proven track record of success and get ahead of average candidates.

Be sure to use specific numbers and metrics to highlight your achievements and demonstrate the impact and value that you can add to the company.

4. Relevant Skills

Highlight the key skills that are required for the position you’re applying for. Doing so will allow recruiters to see that you’re a good fit for the position.

5. Industry-Specific Keywords

Include industry-specific keywords and phrases in your executive summary. This helps to demonstrate your familiarity with the industry and also increases the ATS-friendliness of your resume.

You can also identify and use exact phrases and terminology from the job posting.

Also Read: How to write a great resume objective in 2023?

Resume Executive Summary

How to Write an Executive Summary for a Resume?

Given below are some tips you can follow to write an excellent resume executive summary that will level up your resume:

Tailor Your Executive Summary to the Job Description

Your executive summary should be tailored to the specific job you're applying for.

This means highlighting the skills and experiences that are most relevant to the position and using language and terminology that matches the job posting.

Keep it Concise and Clear

Your executive summary should be short and to the point, not more than 2 to 3 short sentences.

It's important to remember that employers and hiring managers have limited time and attention spans, so your executive summary should be crisp and easy to read.

Highlight Your Unique Value Proposition

One of the primary goals of your executive summary is to communicate your unique value proposition to potential employers.

What sets you apart from other candidates? What unique skills or experiences do you bring to the table?

Make sure to highlight these points in your executive summary, and make it clear why you are the best candidate for the job.

Proofread Your Resume Executive Summary

Finally, after incorporating all these wonderful tips to write an incredible executive summary, the last thing you’d want is some minor typos or grammatical errors messing up your first impression on recruiters.

Thus, you need to proofread your executive summary to avoid any spelling and grammatical mistakes.

Also Read: How to write a compelling resume summary with a change in career trajectory?

Executive Resume Summary Examples

For your reference, given below are some good examples of executive summaries:

Executive Summary for Resume for Freshers

Dedicated recent graduate with a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science seeking an entry-level software engineering position. Proficient in programming languages such as Java and Python, with experience in software development through internships and personal projects.
Recent Marketing graduate passionate about utilizing my skills in social media marketing and market research to contribute to the growth of the company. Proficient in various social media platforms and experienced in conducting market research through internships and volunteer work. Strong communication skills and ability to work collaboratively in a team environment.
Enthusiastic recent graduate with a Bachelor's degree in Accounting seeking an entry-level position in accounting or finance. Skilled in financial analysis, bookkeeping, and financial reporting through internships and coursework. Possesses strong attention to detail and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment. Proficient in using accounting software such as QuickBooks and Excel.

Executive Summary for Resume for Seasoned Professionals

Dynamic marketing leader with 6+ years of track record of driving brand awareness, customer engagement, and revenue growth in the consumer goods industry. Skilled at developing and executing integrated marketing campaigns, building high-performing teams, and establishing strong partnerships with key stakeholders. Passionate about driving customer-centric strategies and leveraging data analytics to optimize marketing performance.
Seasoned finance professional with over 20 years of experience in the banking sector, specializing in risk management, asset management, and regulatory compliance. Proven ability to lead large-scale projects, develop and implement risk mitigation strategies, and drive business growth through effective financial planning and analysis. Skilled in building and maintaining strong relationships with clients, regulators, and other stakeholders.
Also Read: What are the best resume summary examples for different job profiles?

Key Takeaways

  • What is a resume executive summary and why is it important?

A resume executive summary is a brief statement at the top of a resume that summarizes a candidate's key qualifications, experience, and achievements. It is important because it gives hiring managers a quick overview of a candidate's suitability for a position and encourages them to continue reading the rest of the resume.

  • What should you write in your executive summary?

Your resume executive summary should include a brief introduction of yourself, your career goals, and a summary of your most relevant qualifications and achievements. It should be tailored to the job you're applying for and provide a snapshot of what you can bring to the table.

  • How to make your executive summary more compelling?

To write an effective resume executive summary, you must tailor it to the specific job description you're applying for and keep it concise. Highlight your unique value proposition and proofread your summary to avoid any spelling or grammatical errors.

You can also use Hiration’s ChatGPT powered resume builder with 24x7 chat support to build a stellar resume with a compelling executive summary.

what is an executive summary for a resume

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27 Great Resume Summary Examples to Get Hired

20 min read · Updated on August 28, 2024

Ken Chase

Your resume summary is the first impression you make on potential employers, so it's crucial to get it right

When it comes to job applications, your resume is often the first point of contact with prospective employers. It's essential to make a good impression right from the start, and that's where your resume summary comes in. 

What is a resume summary? 

How can you create one that will help your resume stand out from the competition?

In this article, we'll explain the resume summary and why it's so vital for job search success. We'll also teach you how to write a great resume summary that will grab any employer's attention and provide 27 fantastic resume summary examples that you can customize to fit your job search needs.

What is a resume summary?

To understand a resume summary, it's important to understand the challenge that good summaries are designed to overcome. Employers who are looking for new hires often need to compare many dozens or even hundreds of resumes to find the best candidates for the job. Few hiring personnel have the time needed to thoroughly examine every single resume that they receive.

Instead, employers typically spend no more than five or six seconds scanning any given resume. If a resume manages to capture their interest in those few seconds, they'll take the time to read it in greater detail. 

However, if your resume doesn't grab their attention, it's likely to be rejected without any further examination. So, the challenge is to find a way to quickly earn the reader's interest and inspire them to read the rest of the document.

That's where a professional summary for a resume comes into play. As you'll see from our resume summary examples, a good summary is the resume equivalent of a salesperson's elevator pitch. 

This brief statement should highlight your experience and job title, one or two key skills, and a couple of your most prominent achievements. When your summary is crafted well, it will provide the employer with a quick overview of your potential value as a new hire.

Once you've written your summary, you should place it right after your contact information and resume headline so that it's the first thing employers see. If you've done your job properly, that summary will be compelling enough to make the reader want to learn more about the type of value you can bring to the job.

How should you start a resume summary?

Since your summary is designed to capture the reader's attention, it's vital to start this paragraph off in a compelling way.  While the statement should be brief, it should also clearly communicate your unique value proposition. Here are some examples of strong opening statements:

Innovative Marketing Manager with over five years of experience in developing and executing successful campaigns for Fortune 500 companies

Results-driven Sales Executive with a proven track record of exceeding revenue targets and building strong client relationships

Skilled Customer Service Representative with expertise in problem-solving, conflict resolution, and communication

Tips for writing a resume summary

To make sure that you create the most powerful resume summary possible, follow our top tips:

Be specific

When writing a resume summary, it's essential to be specific and quantify your achievements wherever possible. Instead of saying, "Experienced marketing professional," try saying, "Experienced marketing professional with expertise in managing successful social media campaigns, resulting in increases of up to 30% in website traffic."

This provides concrete evidence of your skills and demonstrates your value to potential employers.

Reflect on your career

When it comes to writing a strong resume summary, you should engage in some self-reflection. Before putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard), take some time to think about your key skills, experiences, and achievements. This will help you identify the most important information to include in your summary. Review your past roles, responsibilities, and accomplishments, and think about how they relate to the job you're applying for. Ask yourself:

What have I achieved in my career?

What skills have I developed?

What makes me stand out from other applicants?

Identify your key skills

One of the most important things to include in your resume summary is your key skills. These are the abilities that set you apart from other candidates and demonstrate your value to potential employers. Begin by making a list of your top skills, then prioritize them based on relevance to the job you're applying for.

Highlight your relevant experiences

Next, think about relevant experiences that you can include in your summary. This includes any previous jobs or internships, volunteer work, or extracurricular activities that have given you valuable experience. Consider what you've learned and achieved in each role and how that relates to the job you're applying for.

You should focus on what is most relevant to your target job. Here are some examples:

Proven ability to increase sales revenue by 20% year-over-year

Expertise in project management and team leadership

Proficient in Adobe Creative Cloud and Microsoft 365

Confident working with a diverse range of clients and stakeholders

Keep it concise

Remember, your resume summary should be concise and to the point. Stick to the most important information and avoid filler words or irrelevant details. A good rule of thumb is to keep your summary to 3-5 sentences.

Use action verbs

When describing your experiences and achievements, use strong action verbs and adverbs to convey a sense of accomplishment and momentum. For example, instead of saying, "Responsible for managing social media accounts," say, "Successfully manage 4 social media accounts, including Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Instagram."

Quantify your achievements

Wherever possible, use numbers and statistics to quantify your achievements. This provides concrete evidence of your skills and demonstrates your value to potential employers. For example, instead of saying, "Helped to increase sales," say, "Helped to increase sales by 20% in the first year."

Tailor it to the job

Make sure your resume's professional summary is tailored to the job you're seeking. This means highlighting the skills and experiences that are most relevant to the role. Look at the job description identify the key requirements, and then make sure your summary addresses these points.

Professional resume summary examples

Since there's nothing quite like seeing an example of a great summary, we've compiled twenty-seven great resume summary examples that you can use as inspirational templates for your own perfect resume . Below, you'll find summary examples for a variety of different job roles, including:

Customer Service Representative

Sales Representative

Marketing Manager

Project Manager

Software Developer

Human Resources Manager

Graphic Designer

Registered Nurse

Financial Analyst

Administrative Assistant

Data Entry Clerk  

Business Analyst

Operations Manager  

Mental Health Counselor

High School Teacher

Event Manager

Product Designer

Content Marketer

SEO Specialist

Bank Teller

Software Support Specialist

Data Scientist

Dental Assistant

1.    Customer Service Representative resume summary example

"Highly motivated Customer Service Representative with 5 years of experience in delivering service excellence. Skilled in conflict resolution and problem-solving, resulting in a 95% customer satisfaction rate. Proven ability to multitask in fast-paced environments while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail."

Why it works : This summary highlights the candidate's experience and skills while also showcasing their relevant achievements in ensuring customer satisfaction. It mentions how much experience they have and highlights a measurable success.

2.    Sales Representative resume summary example

"Dynamic Sales Representative with a track record of exceeding sales quotas by 20%+. Proficient in consultative sales techniques and relationship building. Exceptional communication and negotiation skills with the ability to close deals."

Why it works : This summary provides a quantifiable achievement to show the candidate's success in their previous sales roles while also highlighting their key skills in relationship building and communication.

3.    Marketing Manager resume summary example

"Strategic Marketing Manager with 7+ years of experience in developing and executing successful marketing campaigns across multiple channels. Skilled in market research and analysis, campaign optimization, and team leadership. Proven track record of driving revenue growth and increasing brand awareness."

Why it works : This summary emphasizes the candidate's experience and leadership skills while also showcasing their ability to drive results through successful marketing campaigns. The candidate has also demonstrated their ability to grow revenues and raise brand awareness.

4.    Project Manager resume summary example

"Accomplished Project Manager, with confidence in leading cross-functional teams and managing project timelines, budgets, and resources. Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to build relationships with stakeholders. Proven track record of delivering projects on time and within budget."

Why it works : This summary highlights the candidate's extensive project management experience and emphasizes their ability to successfully deliver projects while working with multiple stakeholders.

5.   Software Developer resume summary example

"Innovative Software Developer with 5+ years of experience in designing, developing, and implementing complex software applications. Skilled in programming languages including Java, Python, and C++. Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in Agile environments to deliver high-quality code on time."

Why it works : This job seeker has taken the time to highlight some of the technical skills they possess while emphasizing their ability to work in Agile environments. They also call attention to the fact that they can manage and complete a software development project from design to implementation.

6.    Human Resources Manager resume summary example

"Experienced Human Resources Manager specializing in talent acquisition, employee relations, and performance management. Skilled in developing and implementing HR policies and procedures that align with business objectives and values. Proven track record of building and managing high-performing teams."

Why it works : This summary highlights the candidate's experience in various HR functions and emphasizes their ability to build and manage teams. It also shows that they can perform managerial functions like developing policies and procedures.

7.    Graphic Designer resume summary example

"Creative Graphic Designer with particular expertise in developing and executing visually stunning designs for print and digital media. Proficient in Adobe Creative Cloud, with a focus on typography and layout. Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously."

Why it works : This summary works well because it showcases their technical skills and experience while also emphasizing creativity and an ability to work collaboratively.

8.    Registered Nurse resume summary example

"Compassionate Registered Nurse with over 10 years' experience in providing high-quality patient care. Skilled at patient assessment, medication administration, and treatment plan development. Strong communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to build rapport with patients and their families."

Why it works : This summary emphasizes the candidate's clinical and patient care experience and highlights their key nursing and interpersonal skills.

9.   Financial Analyst resume summary example

“Detail-oriented Financial Analyst with a strong background in financial modeling, data analysis, and forecasting. Combines advanced Excel skills with the ability to create and manage financial reports. Able to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams.”

Why it works : This summary showcases the applicant's specific skills and experience in financial analysis and highlights their proficiency in Excel, a crucial tool for the role.

10.   Administrative Assistant resume summary example

“Skilled Administrative Assistant with 8 years of experience in administrative support and office administration. Resilient, detail-oriented, and able to work under extreme pressure in a team environment. Excellent interpersonal, client management, and interdepartmental liaison skills. Committed to successful management of multiple simultaneous projects, strict adherence to deadline requirements, and accurate maintenance of schedules, meeting obligations, and records.”

Why it works : An Administrative Assistant wears many hats and experiences many challenges. This resume summary covers a lot of ground to demonstrate that the candidate understands those obstacles and knows how to overcome them.

11.   Data Entry Clerk resume summary example

“Task-driven and results-oriented professional with more than 10 years of experience in data entry, project coordination, and customer service. Uses interpersonal skills including effective communication to build rapport and positive relations with customers, gather vital information, and ensure rapid and accurate entry of data into designated software programs.”

Why it works : This resume summary is effective because it gets right to the heart of the job: dealing with customers and entering data into databases. The candidate also emphasizes their results-focused mindset, project skills, and key soft skills.

12.   Business Analyst resume summary example

“Results-driven Business Analyst with a proven record in expanding profitability by 55% in the retail industry.  Confident carrying out data-focused analysis that provides key insights and recommendations for growth strategies. Strong interpersonal and team building skills, innovative approach to problem-solving , and resolute commitment to efficiency and productivity.”

Why it works : Business analysis is all about using data and research to deliver key insights that result in improved operations and greater business success. This summary hits all the right notes as it focuses on key skills, a solutions-oriented mindset, and notable achievements that reflect real value for employers.

13.   Operations Manager resume summary example

“Results-oriented Operations Manager with more than 10 years of supervisory experience in high-level operational environments. Adept at coordinating both large and small teams, outside consultants, and mid-level management personnel. Successfully introduced Lean manufacturing principles that reduced costs by 32% via waste elimination and process revitalization.”

Why it works : This candidate's summary emphasizes key skills that the employer wants to see in any managerial candidate's resume while also showcasing their knowledge of best operational practices and a commitment to cost reduction.

14.   Mental Health Counselor resume summary example

“Compassionate Mental Health Counselor with more than a decade of experience addressing mental health issues and behavioral concerns. Proven success in both individual and group counseling environments, assisting clients in gaining insight and understanding of their unique conditions. Specialized focus on working with young adults and families, with an emphasis on addressing substance abuse root causes and other social factors involved in mental health.”

Why it works : This resume summary is notable for citing important skills like empathy and compassion. It also focuses attention on the candidate's experience in dealing with common mental health concerns and hints at their preferred approach to assisting patients.

15.    High School Teacher resume summary example

“Dynamic high school teacher with 12 years of experience developing approved curricula for more than 500 students in grades 9-12. Proven track record of helping students to achieve a 98% passing rate in both Western Civilization and World History instruction. Actively engaged in every aspect of education, at the district, local, and parent-teacher level.”

Why it works : This candidate's resume summary highlights their vast experience while illustrating their success in ensuring that their students learn what they need to know to pass the class. They also demonstrate their commitment to the educational process by highlighting their involvement in every area of education.

16.    Accountant resume summary example

“Diligent and detail-oriented CPA with seven years of experience in accounting, process improvement, and problem-solving. Skilled at identifying inefficiencies and using reporting to offer insights that can guide employers to better practices and greater profitability. At XYZ Corp., identified labor usage inefficiency that motivated management to introduce new scheduling that eliminated $300,000 in labor waste.”

Why it works : In addition to highlighting a wide range of valuable skills, this candidate also focused on a quantifiable achievement that illustrates real value. This type of summary would certainly capture a hiring manager's attention and make them want to read more!

17.    Event Manager resume summary example

“Resilient and creative Event Manager with 6 years of corporate experience. Detail-oriented perfectionist with experience in project management, team leadership, and customer relations. Successfully organized and executed more than 40 major business conferences, hosting thousands of guests. Major clients have included three Fortune 500 firms with multi-million-dollar event budgets.

Why it works : As Event Managers go, this one has certainly made the rounds. That summary of achievements highlights their ability to manage even large-scale events, dealing with every aspect of the project. How could a serious hiring manager not want to learn more about this candidate?

18.    IT Manager resume summary example

“Dedicated IT Manager with significant experience in an innovative and growing tech firm. Skilled leader with experience in systems analysis, database architecture, problem-solving, and troubleshooting. Superior client satisfaction rate of more than 99%. Created and implemented an IT troubleshooting process that reduced internal client service time by 30%.”

Why it works : This IT professional focuses attention on their key leadership skills , while also mentioning the hard skills that any hiring manager is likely to be looking for. There's also a nice nod to their history of satisfying clients, as well as a notable and measurable achievement.

19.   Product Designer resume summary example

“Innovative Design Engineer with 5 years of experience in the development of products and packages. Skilled in market research, brand development and alignment, and design elements. Led team of seventeen Designers in the creation of industrial products that yielded $20 million in sales in the first month after launch.”

Why it works : This resume summary uses some important keywords, action verbs, and descriptive language to describe the candidate's key skills and experiences. It also cites an impressive product design achievement, along with real numbers that showcase value.

20.    Content Marketer resume summary example

“Creative marketing professional with 7 years' experience as a Content Marketer. Skilled writer who understands how written communication empowers business growth and expansion. Expertise in development of compelling content that drives activities across multiple media channels. Adaptable , detail-oriented, and focused on a brand-building approach to content strategy that drives real results. Developed a cross-platform content strategy that boosted sales conversion rates by 37%.

Why it works : This Content Marketer focuses on their key skills and keen insights into how content impacts business profitability. They even included a measurable result that demonstrates their focus on adding value to their employer's bottom line.

21.   SEO Specialist resume summary example

“Results-focused SEO expert with 6 years of experience in keyword mastery, the promotion of sustainable content, and growing organic website search engine rankings. Proven track record of SEO success, using content development and link outreach to expand website traffic activity from 10,000 daily visitors to more than 2,000,000 per year.”

Why it works : Many hiring managers may not fully understand SEO, but they will understand the need to get more eyes on their digital content. This candidate speaks to that need by focusing on website rankings, content, and overall web traffic - while including a quantifiable achievement that demonstrates their ability to make things happen.

22.   Copywriter resume summary example

“Website Copywriter with 5 years of experience in developing content that creates real conversions. Cross-channel expertise, including website content, advertising, newsletters, press releases, email, and podcast/video scripts. Proven track record of increasing social traffic by 36% and driving a 22% boost in landing page conversions.”

Why it works : This candidate's summary is focused not only on the type of things they write but how those content pieces directly contribute to the company's online presence and sales conversion rate. This illustrates the writer's understanding of how their work aligns with their employer's business needs and goals.

23.  Bank Teller resume summary example

“Empathetic and personable Bank Teller with more than 4 years of experience in client interactions at First Bank. Detail-oriented customer management approach, focused on superior customer experiences and client retention. Strict adherence to bank policy, including safety deposit guidelines, customer account security, and due diligence. Efficiently and effectively processed more than 200 client account interactions each day.”

Why it works : For a Bank Teller, much of the role's value lies in the employee's ability to serve as the face of the branch. This summary is effective because it showcases the Teller's knowledge of bank procedures while also highlighting their commitment to creating an excellent customer experience.

24.  Software Support Specialist resume summary example

“Problem-solving Software Support Specialist with 8 years of experience in customer-facing user assistance. Provided key problem-resolution services for hundreds of customers, with a focus on maximizing their satisfaction with the company to increase loyalty and retention. Experienced in both customer and B2B interactions, with a specialized talent for explaining technical problems in language that is easily understood by the average layperson.”

Why it works : This resume summary focuses not only on the candidate's specialized skills in solving computer issues but also highlights their ability to simplify their explanations to customers.

25.   Data Scientist resume summary example

“Committed Data Scientist focused on analytical insights that can drive company growth and development. More than eight years of experience providing data-driven analysis to Fortune 500 executives based on comprehensive statistical models and detailed historical data patterns. Successfully provided insights and recommendations used to increase company profits by 32% over a two-year period.”

Why it works : Data science may not seem like the most exciting field, but hiring managers are always on the hunt for candidates who understand why data matters. This candidate's focus on providing insights that can translate into real value for the employer is something that is likely to earn a hiring manager's interest.

26.  Dental Assistant resume summary example

“Dental Assistant with 5 years of experience with patient preparation, processing, and administrative support. Keen attention to detail and a commitment to dental health and aesthetics. Skilled in dental impressions, hands-on assistance during procedures, x-rays, and record maintenance. Fully committed to developing rapport with patients that creates a welcoming environment and a joyful experience.”

Why it works : This candidate's resume summary not only highlights key Dental Assistant requirements, but also conveys their personal approach to teamwork and patient care.

27.  Architect resume summary example

“Creative Architect experienced in high-end architectural design and development oversight. Ten years of proven success in creating sustainable designs that earn rave reviews and commendations from clients. Skilled in adapting to new challenges and working under pressure to achieve every client's vision. Consistently produces designs and project plans that come in on time and under budget, at 10%-30% less cost than industry competitors.”

Why it works : In this summary, the candidate highlights key skills that employers will want to see, while also emphasizing quantifiable results that demonstrate competitive value for the employer. They also showcase their ability to not only design architectural structures but to do so with a conscious awareness of critical factors like budgetary concerns, deadlines, sustainability and market competition.

Bonus: how to write a resume summary if you have no experience

Of course, it's also important to know how to write a resume summary if you have no experience. Here's a quick resume summary example that you can adapt if you are just entering the job market:

“Recent Marketing graduate, seeking an entry-level position to kickstart a career in the field. Demonstrated strong leadership and teamwork skills gained through involvement in various extracurricular activities, including volunteering at local events and leading group projects. Proficient in Microsoft 365 and Adobe Creative Cloud. Passionate about using marketing strategies to create engaging content and drive brand awareness.”

Why it works: This summary works because it highlights the candidate's relevant hard and soft skills and qualifications, even though they don't have direct career experience. The use of action words such as "demonstrated" and "proficient" shows the candidate's confidence in their abilities, which can be attractive to potential employers, showcasing the candidate's potential for success in an entry-level marketing role.

Key takeaways

A well-written resume summary can make a significant impact on a job application. A good summary should highlight relevant skills and experiences, use clear and concise language, and avoid unnecessary information. Feel free to customize any of the resume summary examples we've provided to help ensure that your resume captures the attention of potential employers.

We know it can be difficult to condense a whole career full of skills and achievements into a paragraph of only a few sentences. If you're unsure about the document you've crafted, why not send it for a free resume review by our team of expert resume writers? 

This article was originally written by Ken Chase. It has been updated by Marsha Hebert and Ken Chase.

Recommended reading:

Ask Amanda: How Are a Resume Objective and a Resume Summary Different?

How to Write a Standout Career Summary

Business Acumen: What It Is and How You Can Showcase It On Your Resume

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

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Executive Resume Example for 2024 [Free Templates]

Background Image

Being in charge of entire departments comes with a whole set of advantages - high impact, lots of responsibilities, interesting work, high pay, and so on.

Being an executive, though, does not mean you get to skip out on the job search process. You still need to create an executive resume and cover letter and apply for jobs.

And creating an executive resume comes with its own special types of hurdles. 

Most conventional resume-writing advice does not apply here, leaving you with a ton of questions:

  • With so much work experience under your belt, how can you make your executive resume as impactful as possible?
  • Do you limit yourself to one page (which is the industry standard), or can you go over it?
  • How detailed does your work experience have to be, and do you include positions from a decade back?

In this article, we’re going to answer all these questions and more!

To help you write the executive resume, we’ll cover: 

  • How Is an Executive Resume Different?

How to Write a Compelling Executive Resume in 9 Steps

  • 17 Relevant Skills for Executives

Executive Resume Example

Before we dig into the steps you need to take to create a convincing executive resume, let’s cover an example, so you know what it looks like:

executive resume examples

The executive resume example above does everything right, including: 

  • Reverse-chronological resume format. The executive resume example above uses the reverse-chronological resume format to highlight this executive’s impressive work experience.
  • Attention-grabbing resume summary. This executive resume example contains an impressive resume summary that emphasizes the candidate’s passions, strengths, and industry-related achievements. 
  • Focus on work achievements. The executive resume example above highlights the candidate’s most noteworthy achievements , which helps them stand out from other candidates only listing their responsibilities. 
  • Concise education section. This executive resume example doesn’t go into too much detail in the executive’s education section and instead simply lists the candidate’s most recent and relevant degrees. 
  • Good use of bullet points. This executive resume example uses bullet points to structure and present information, making the resume well-structured and easy to read. 
  • Well-structured skills section. Instead of listing all skills in one column, this executive resume example only includes the most relevant skills for the executive position and divides them into soft and hard skills.
  • Certifications. The executive resume example above lists all of the candidate’s industry-related certifications. 
  • Additional sections. This executive resume example includes the candidate’s proficiency in foreign languages and their memberships to help them stand out from other candidates with similar work experience and education. 

How Is an Executive Resume Different? 

Executive positions are nothing like normal jobs, so it only makes sense for an executive resume to be different from a normal resume too. 

But what exactly are those differences? Here are the most important ones you should know about: 

  • Resume length . As an executive, you probably have much more work experience than your average candidate. As such, you don’t have to fit it all on one page; as a rule of thumb, the executive resume can be two pages, with a maximum of three.
  • Data-focused achievements. The last thing recruiters want to see in an executive resume is a list of your responsibilities. If you want to stand out from your competitors, you have to show exactly how you improved the company, optimally by providing data and evidence. 
  • Conventional format. If you’re applying for an executive position, it’s your resume content that should impress recruiters, not its format. Meaning, that although your executive resume should be well-organized, with ample white space, and with impeccable grammar and spelling, a simple, conventional, black-and-white design should be more than enough. As an executive, there’s no need to go overboard with fancy fonts and creative designs . 
  • Tailored to the position. Most executives - and especially the senior ones - have a rich work history that could probably fill out more than three pages. That, however, would be counterproductive (both for you and the hiring manager). So, the key here is to tailor your work experience to the target position. Yes, you might have had amazingly valuable work experiences as a team lead from twenty years back, but unless they’re super relevant for the position you’re applying for, you might as well leave them out of your resume. As a rule of thumb, don’t go further back than your last 15 years of employment on your executive resume (some exceptions may apply). 
  • Selected achievements. Yes, you’re an executive. But you’re also competing against other executives with plenty of achievements. To make your achievements stand out, add a Selected Achievements section right below your resume summary and list 3-4 accomplishments you’re especially proud of (and don’t forget to back them up with hard data). 

Now let’s go over each section of a successful executive resume, step by step: 

#1. Format Your Executive Resume Right

How your executive resume looks is just as important as what it contains. After all, before you impress recruiters with your achievements, you have to get them to read them. 

A messy, cluttered resume, however, might just have the opposite effect. 

This is where formatting comes in! 

The first thing to know is that the reverse chronological format is the most suitable for executives among the three most popular resume formats (the other two being the functional and combination formats) . 

That’s because it is both the most popular among recruiters and the most suitable for candidates with a lot of work experience. 

Here’s an example of the reverse-chronological resume format: 

chronological resume template

Additionally, make sure that you follow these layout tips:

  • Use clear headings to identify the sections in your resume (e.g. H2 or H3). Alternatively, use a bigger font size for your headers and bold them. 
  • Choose the right font style and size to ensure your executive resume looks professional. For example, Overpass is a formal and classic font perfect for executives in conservative industries.
  • Don’t forget to save your resume as a PDF file (unless specifically requested to deliver it in another format). PDFs remain the same no matter the device or Operating System used to view your resume and look much more professional than, say, MS Word files. 

Use an Executive Resume Template (& Save Time on Formatting)

Creating a compelling executive resume from scratch can take you hours, especially if you’re using outdated tools like Microsoft Word.

And as a busy executive, time is something you don’t have.

Want to create a well-designed, eye-catching resume within less than 5 minutes?

Use one of our resume templates ! 

You can choose among 8 free resume templates - executive resume template included and 8 Premium templates. 

resume-examples

With Nóvóresume’s free resume builder , you get to skip out on all the resume formatting hassle and focus on what matters - the resume contents.

#2. Add Your Contact Information

The contact information section on a resume is as straightforward as it gets, so you might as well get it out of the way first. 

That said, this section is as essential as it is straightforward, so make sure to double and triple-check that it contains no typos. 

After all, you don’t want a recruiter not to be able to contact you just because of a typo on your phone number.

Here’s what this section must include: 

  • First and last name.
  • Professional title.
  • Updated phone number. 

Additionally, you can also include your LinkedIn profile ’s URL and a link to your personal portfolio or website, if you have one. 

The same goes for your personal website or portfolio, which can effectively give recruiters a more in-depth look at who you are and what your strengths are.

87% of recruiters check candidates’ LinkedIn profiles during the hiring process. So, we’d recommend optimizing your LinkedIn profile to reflect your executive profile and achievements! 

Here’s an example of an executive resume’s contact information section: 

Michelle Larkins Chief Financial Officer [email protected] 123-123-2233 Silicon Valley, California

#3. Write an Attention-Grabbing Resume Summary

The resume summary is among the first things recruiters notice and it serves as a short intro to your professional profile and, specifically, the highlights of your career. 

Typically, here’s what this 2 or 3-sentence long paragraph includes: 

  • Your experience
  • Your skills
  • Your professional background
  • Your accomplishments

Nailing your resume summary is a must if you want recruiters to dig deeper into your executive resume. Just remember to keep it short and sweet with some of your most noteworthy achievements and notable skills. 

Here’s an example of a great executive resume summary: 

  • CMO with 7+ years of experience in developing and overseeing promotional marketing campaigns. Coming from a long career in public affairs and digital marketing strategies, I am now Executive Vice President at NewEast Inc. Winner of the 2021 Global Best of the Best Effie Award. 

#4. Add a Selected Achievements Section 

If you were to choose, you’d probably want recruiters to notice your career highlights right off the bat, instead of having to look for them. 

Well, as an executive, you can do just that by adding a Selected Achievements Section. 

Positioned between your resume summary and your work experience, a Selected Achievements section can give recruiters a quick preview of your most noteworthy achievements and get them to look deeper into your executive resume. 

As such, think about the highlights of your career - between two and five achievements you’re particularly proud of - and list them in bullets on your executive resume. 

Here is an example of an executive’s Selected Achievements section:

  • Was the youngest person to be promoted to CFO in the company in 40 years. 
  • Led company-wide initiatives that won me the Strategy Execution Award and the Young CFO of the Year Award.

#5. Focus Your Work Experience Section on Your Achievements

The work experience section is going to be the highlight of your executive resume.

This particular section is exactly where you show off years worth of experience and achievements. 

Here’s how you should do it: 

  • Start with your current or most recent position and go backward from there. 
  • For every work entry, list your professional title, company name, the dates you worked there, and 4-6 of your achievements in bullet points. 
  • The further back you go in your work history, the fewer achievements you need to list. For jobs going 5+ years back, you can save resume space and just list 1-2 of your most notable accomplishments. 
  • When listing your achievements, make sure to make them as quantifiable as possible. For example, instead of writing “improved company stock,” you can write “increased company stock by 15% within a one-year period.” 
  • Give your work experience section an active voice by using action verbs such as “achieved,” “managed,” “increased,” “led,” “emphasized,” etc. 
  • Tailor your work experience section to as many jobs as you’re applying for. So, if you’re applying for more than one position, use your diverse work experience to customize your resume based on the job you’re applying for, as opposed to submitting a one-fits-all executive resume. 

It’s actually pretty simple, right? Here’s a concrete example of an executive’s work experience section:

Chief Human Resources Officer XYZ Inc. 02/2018 - 06/2022

  • Successfully led teams of +200 employees in 4 locations. 
  • Updated the company’s talent acquisition strategy, leading to a 20% increase in the number of people hired in 2021.
  • Improved company inclusion policies, which resulted in winning a Forbes diversity award. 
  • Changed up the company’s hiring process, paying particular attention to positive discrimination policies, resulting in hitting company diversity quotas for the year.

Human Resources Manager

02/2013 - 12/2017 

  • Improved company hiring rates by 47% by establishing a more inclusive hiring process. 
  • Applied new interview questions to the hiring process, making the hiring process more effective by hiring employees that are more suitable to the company culture.

#6. Briefly Mention Your Education

Your education should come right after your work experience section. This section is just as important as your work experience, though it doesn’t require that you go into too much detail. 

After all, if you already hold an executive position, you probably already have a lot to show through your professional achievements. 

Here’s what you should include in your education section to make it stand out from the crowd:

  • Begin with your most recent degree and include the institution’s name and location, as well as the years attended. 
  • If you hold more than one Master’s or advanced degree, also include those in your education section.
  • Leave your high school education out of your executive resume. 

Here’s what this looks like on an executive resume: 

Ph.D. in Marketing 

Haas School of Business - University of California, Berkeley

2012 - 2014

MSc in Innovation & Marketing Management

Strathclyde Business School - University of Strathclyde, Glasgow 

2011 - 2012

#7. Include Your Executive Skills

It probably comes as no surprise that executive positions are highly competitive. 

This means that you need to make sure that, in addition to your work experience and education sections, other sections also need to stand out, including your skills, certifications, interests, and awards. 

In light of this, here’s the best way to list your skills on your executive resume: 

  • List your soft skills and hard skills. Include both CEO skills (e.g. leadership) and management skills, as well as industry-related skills here (e.g. if you’re into finance, that would include all your finance-related skills). 
  • Pay close attention to the job description of the position you’re applying for. Do any of the keywords indicate what skills are required for the position?
  • Make sure to include the skills mentioned in the job description on the skills listed on your executive resume (as long as you actually have them). 

17 Relevant Skills for Executives 

Here’s a list of relevant skills for executives that you can use on your executive resume:

  • Senior Leadership Skills
  • C-Suite Communication & Presentation Skills
  • Change Management
  • Emotional Intelligence
  • Strategic Thinking
  • Decision Making
  • Employee Development
  • Adversity Management
  • Collaboration
  • Active Listening
  • Communication Skills
  • Interpersonal Skills
  • Conflict Management
  • Negotiation
  • Project Management

#8. Add Optional Resume Sections

The difference between great and perfect lies in the details - such as taking advantage of some optional sections that can take your executive resume to the next level. 

Specifically, the following sections can help you stand out from other executives applying for the same position by highlighting your individuality and the diversity a truly great executive needs:

  • Awards , especially anything job-related. 
  • Memberships , for example, Member of the Chicago CEO Club.
  • Foreign languages , particularly those you’re fluent in.
  • Certifications , such as Project Management Professional (PMP) or Accredited Business Communicator (ABC). 
  • Personal achievements , including successful personal initiatives and noteworthy recognitions outside your industry. 
  • Hobbies and interests , anything from fitness to reading books. 

#9. Don’t Underestimate the Power of the Cover Letter

Attaching a cover letter to your application is just as essential as creating a powerful executive resume. 

Specifically, a cover letter is important because:

  • Recruiters expect a serious job application also to include a cover letter, even if they skip reading it. 
  • It lets you go into more detail about your skills and qualifications. 

Here’s how to write a cover letter that is on par with your executive resume: 

  • Start your cover letter with an impactful introduction. 
  • Use the body of your cover letter to offer a more in-depth explanation of your executive skills and managerial experience. 
  • To enhance your executive resume, include skills and achievements that support what you’ve stated there. 
  • End your cover letter with a call to action. 

To give you a more concrete picture of what we mean, here’s what the structure of a cover letter should look like: 

executive cover letter structure

Want to learn more about cover letter writing? Then check out our guides on cover letter tips and common cover letter mistakes !

Key Takeaways 

And that’s a wrap! 

By now, you should be ready to nail your executive resume! Before you go, here are the most important points we covered in this article: 

  • Your executive resume must include your contact details, a resume summary, a work experience section with your most notable achievements, your education background, and a skills section. 
  • Additionally, your executive resume can contain some extra sections, such as certifications, awards, memberships, etc.  
  • Choose the chronological resume format to build your executive resume. 
  • List relevant quantifiable achievements under each entry in your work experience section. 
  • Use a ready-made template to save time and effort when you’re writing your executive resume!  

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what is an executive summary for a resume

How to Write a Resume Summary

what is an executive summary for a resume

Executive Summary Section

Enhance your resume by writing a successful executive summary., what is it, what is an executive summary.

How long should an executive summary be?

Section Advantages

Advantages of using a professional summary, how to write it, how to write a winning executive summary, statement examples, example resume summary statements, additional advice, additional executive summary advice.

Of all of the elements of a successful resume, the executive summary is by far one of the most important sections . Recruiters and hiring managers don’t normally have time to read through an entire resume, and all of the work experience descriptions , word for word. They frequently read through a large number of resumes and thus must quickly skim through each one. This makes it more likely for them to miss information. However, by starting with a professional synopsis or overview that briefly describes why you are qualified for the job position at hand , your resume is more likely to get a second look.

Yet, simply including a summary of your professional profile does not guarantee that employers will be interested in you or your professional profile. In order to convince them that your resume is worth a closer look, you must insure that your executive summary concisely demonstrates why you are an ideal candidate for the specific job role and company to which you are applying.

Below is a comprehensive report all about the executive summary section of a resume: what it is, benefits of using one, how to create an effective summary, example resume summary statements, and additional tips.

An executive summary is a compact introductory statement of the most important details of your career and work history. Otherwise known as a summary of qualifications or resume profile, an executive summary is a brief statement, generally a short paragraph, at the top of your resume that emphasizes your professional qualifications. It should give the recruiter or hiring manager a summary of your most relevant skills, strengths, and experiences which demonstrate that you are a perfect fit for the job position at hand.

The advantages of using a professional summary are numerous. First of all, it is an effective way to concisely express your unique value to a company or employer. Think about your executive summary as if you were pitching yourself. Consider how you can sell yourself in the most concise, yet complete way possible. Your potential future employer is looking for someone with just the right qualifications and skills. By using the summary of qualifications as a tool by which to persuade the employer that you are the ideal candidate with all the necessary capabilities to fulfill the job role, you will set yourself apart from the other applicants.

During the application review process, recruiters and hiring managers must sort through piles of resumes. It is vital that your resume stand out from the mass . Recruiters are searching for specific qualifications (typically detailed in the job posting) needed to implement the job that you are applying to. When you utilize the first space on your resume to clearly display these required skills, you make their job easier. By utilizing an executive summary to highlight your job specific strengths and transferable skills, directly related to the job position at hand, hiring managers won’t be able to skip over your application. No more blending into the crowd for you and your resume!

Historically, resume objective statements were used in order to demonstrate what the candidate was looking to achieve throughout their career and how this goal aligned with the job role, as well as the company’s needs. Nowadays, it is broadly accepted among HR professionals and recruitment experts that utilizing a separate section just for your career objective is no longer necessary. Instead, it is recommended to incorporate your professional goals within the executive summary section. It is essential that you tailor the summary section to the specific job that you are applying to as well as align your professional goals with the job role and the employer’s objectives. Instead of writing in a way that only considers your professional objectives, try to write it from the perspective of the employer . Express what you as a candidate uniquely bring to the job. Show the employer that you are the perfect candidate to fulfill the needs of the company . Ultimately, employers will get more out of your executive summary if you use it to demonstrate what they would gain by hiring you.

How long should an executive summary be on a resume

One paragraph is the ideal lenght for a resume executive summary. You can make it two short paragraphs if you want. Keep it short, on your pdf don't go way longer that 100 words, even if you separate it in two paragraphs.

The first thing hiring managers see on a resume is what is front and center. So if you want them to focus on the executive summary, the best option is to place it at the top of your resume . This is the section recruiters will most likely spend the majority of time on. That’s why it is vital that you put your most important career information up-front in your professional synopsis.

From the start, you should include the most meaningful aspects of your candidacy which emphasize what makes you specially qualified for the job role. This is what will engage recruiters as well as convince them to continue reading. The best way to accomplish this is to first read the job listing in detail . Consider, which of the essential capabilities and requirements needed for the job you posses. Then, incorporate all of these applicable skills and qualifications mentioned in the post. Emphasize the keywords from the job posting by putting them in bold. Another great way to enhance the executive summary statement is by incorporating your noteworthy accomplishments (also related to the job role) by articulating them using job specific action words.

We suggest writing three to six compelling sentences that highlight your relevant skills and work history which directly relate to the job position at hand. These first few sentences should make the best case as to why you are an ideal candidate who is uniquely suitable to fulfill the job vacancy. Remember that this is the information that should persuade the hiring manager that you are worth interviewing.

Make sure to include the following information in your executive summary:

  • Strengths, skills, and qualifications that are most relevant to the job
  • Relevant previous experience with essential operations
  • Distinguished achievements that you aim to reproduce in your new job role
  • Understanding of company needs and how you will meet them

Below are some examples of job listing descriptions along with a tailored executive summary for each.

Job Position: Corporate Social Responsibility Specialist

Job Listing Description:

The Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Specialist plays a significant role in supporting the company’s charitable donations programs, as well as corporate sustainability reporting. This individual manages day-to-day operations of our corporate contributions including grant program workflow and budgetary and regulatory reporting.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Required Education: Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent combination of education and experience Business, Finance, Marketing or Communications or related field

Required Experience: 2-4 years Business, Finance, Marketing or Communications or related field

Preferred Experience: 4-7 years Business, Finance, Marketing or Communications or related field

Special Skill Requirements:

  • Mathematical
  • Microsoft Office
  • Operate Office Equipment
  • Verbal Communication
  • Written Communication
  • Other: Detail Oriented
  • Other: Resilient
  • Other: Global Mindset

CSR Specialist Executive Summary Example:

For 7 years I have been influencing European Union (EU) policy on food, agriculture and trade from Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam, giving me a thorough understanding of EU functions and allowing me to master techniques to shape society’s evolution. My greatest assets are my abilities to think strategically, show leadership, manage complex action plans and communicate effectively to a variety of stakeholders.

I have dedicated the past year to furthering my education, building a new professional network in Berlin and raising my two children. My next goal is to continue having a positive impact on society and the use of our finite resources, while joining the private sector to evolve in a challenging and fast-paced environment.

Job Position: E-Commerce Project Manager

As part of the US team, reporting to the US President and to the Global Ecommerce Manager, this position will assist in launching the US e-commerce platform and support e-commerce activities, providing the best shopping experience to users and maximizing the business and profits of this new channel.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education & Experience:

  • 3+ years' experience in ecommerce project management and e-merchandising for a luxury or FMCG brand
  • Bachelor's Degree or higher required
  • Must be incredibly detail-oriented
  • Demonstrated ability to bring structure to ambiguous environments and to work well with people at all levels of the organization
  • Ability to work with multiple cross-functional groups, including business and technical teams
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills
  • Understanding of project management, as well as web and mobile technologies
  • echnical knowledge of various systems
  • Experience in Demandware platform preferred but not required

E-Commerce Project Manager Executive Summary Example:

I am a versatile and driven FMCG professional with 5 years of experience in ecommerce project management, communication and marketing acquired in startups and SMEs from the FinTech and Food and Beverage industries. I have developed a truly international and cross-functional perspective while working on both business and technical teams, utilizing a Demandware platform, in Germany, Chile, and the U.S.

I am an avid learner with a passion for innovation and technology. My attention to detail, organizational skills, team spirit and ability to lead multiple projects in parallel allow me to thrive in complex, dynamic work environments. I am prepared to utilize my e-merchandising knowledge base in order to provide the best user experience for shoppers, while simultaneously maximizing commercial activity.

Job Position: Sales and Marketing Manager

Sales and Marketing Manager is responsible for directing Rock Cafe sales and marketing efforts that align with the overall operating strategy. This individual will also support the Senior Leadership Team in upholding all brand standards, core values, while meeting or exceeding business objectives.

Experience, Education, And Certifications:

  • + years in a sales and marketing role preferably in a hospitality setting.
  • Experience with CRM platforms.
  • Expertise in social media platforms.
  • Background in music industry a plus.
  • Ability to learn and bring "out of the box" ideas to their team.
  • Genuine enthusiasm and aptitude for sales.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
  • High level of business acumen and common sense.
  • Demonstrates strong problem solving skills through ability to diagnose and implement solutions.
  • Must possess strong communication and listening skills, excellent speaking, reading and writing.
  • Comprehend and use technical or professional language, either written or spoken, to communicate complex ideas.
  • Ability to effectively pitch and present information in one-on-one and group situations to media, customers, clients, partners and other employees of the organization.
  • Multiple language abilities a plus, fluency in English required.

Sales and Marketing Manager Executive Summary Example:

I am a bilingual Sales Manager with 6 years of experience using CRM platforms in music and entertainment industries to accomplish business objectives. As a people person, I thoroughly understand client and coworker needs, which enables me to build a strong, lasting relationship with them in addition to securing ongoing sales. During my studies, I developed extensive digital marketing and technological skills that I leverage to create strong personal and company brand images via social media platforms, as well as effectively communicate with my clients and team members.

My extensive industry knowledge and strong public speaking skills allow me to effectively present projects and marketing solutions to customers, partners, and fellow employees. My ability to remain positive and calm allows me to overcome new and challenging situations individually and as part of a team by utilizing effective problem-solving strategies to find success. By applying my past work experience, I am prepared to enthusiastically and responsibly direct sales and marketing efforts, as well as upholding Rock Cafe’s core principles.

Job Position: PHP Team Lead (Developer)

Do you like challenges as well as working in international environments? We are looking for a PHP Team Lead with the following characteristics:

Prefered Skills:

  • Teamcity (Java-based build management and continuous integration server)
  • Github (version management)
  • Entorno Linux

Required Skills & Knowledge:

  • dvanced level of English (Native or Bilingual)
  • Agile methodologies

PHP Team Lead (Developer) Executive Summary Example:

Throughout my 9 years of experience as a Developer, I have lead software development projects with AGILE/SCRUM methodologies in Spain, Mexico, and the United States. For the last 3 years, I have been working in Austin, Texas’ renowned technology hub while serving as CTO and co-founder of my own company, Develop Inc.

After a total of 5 years building Develop Inc., as well as leading a team of 6 software engineers, I have successfully sold the company. Now, I am looking for new challenges in technological consulting, where I can put my experience leading software development and information network projects to good use.

For more executive summary examples, checkout our Resume Samples where you can search for job-specific resume section examples.

Another piece of advice to keep in mind when crafting your executive summary is the fact that your synopsis should only speak to your professional background . It is not necessary to add remarks about any conspicuous matters such as gaps in your employment record, changes in your career field, individual experiences outside of the workforce, etc. Instead, we suggest using a cover letter to address this kind of information, as it serves as an extended interpretation of your summary statement and is generally utilized to make any necessary clarifications about a candidate’s career trajectory.

Ultimately, by employing an exceptional executive summary, front and center on your resume, you will enhance your first attempt to catch the eye of potential employers.

This first glimpse into your professional profile should briefly convey as much information as possible regarding your suitability and aptitude as a candidate for the job role you are applying to. It is an essential tool for convincing recruiters that your resume is worth further analysis.

Onlineresume.us helps a diverse range of jobseekers create outstanding executive summaries by offering expert resume writing advice, professional resume examples , and a 360° online and PDF resume-building platform.

  • How to write a Resume
  • Resume headline
  • Resume objective
  • Resume's executive summary
  • Work experience section
  • Education section
  • Skills section
  • Awards section
  • Hobbies section
  • Volunteer section
  • Guide for students and recent graduates
  • • Developed and executed strategic communication plans for 10+ major tech clients, resulting in a 30% increase in brand visibility.
  • • Managed a team of 15+ account executives, fostering a collaborative environment that boosted team productivity by 40%.
  • • Secured media coverage in top-tier technology and business outlets, increasing client exposure by 50%.
  • • Managed 8+ key tech accounts, leading to a 25% increase in client retention.
  • • Coordinated with cross-functional teams to execute strategic plans, resulting in a 35% increase in project success rate.
  • • Secured speaking opportunities for clients at major industry events, boosting brand recognition by 30%.
  • • Handled 5+ major tech accounts, leading to a 20% increase in client satisfaction.
  • • Worked closely with teams to execute strategic plans, boosting project success rate by 30%.
  • • Secured media coverage for clients in top-tier outlets, increasing brand visibility by 40%.

17 Executive Resume Examples & Guide for 2024

Executives oversee strategic direction and ensure that organizational goals are met efficiently. Highlighting leadership roles, measurable achievements, and industry expertise should be priorities on your resume. Incorporating skills such as strategic planning, financial acumen, and team development can set you apart. Mentioning successful project outcomes and your ability to drive innovation will effectively illustrate your contributions.

All resume examples in this guide

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Alliance Manager

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Chief Executive Officer

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Chief Financial Officer

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Chief of Staff

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Department Head

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Department Manager

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Executive Director

what is an executive summary for a resume

Executive Manager

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Fractional CEO

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Functional Manager

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Vice President

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Board of Directors

Resume guide.

How to Write an Executive Resume

Resume Header Tips

Resume Summary

Resume Experiece Section

C-Level Skill Section

Resume Education Section

Resume Certificates

How to Write a Senior Level Resume

Do You Need a Resume Writer?

Additional Sections

Key takeaways

Executive resume example

So you want an Executive resume that sets you apart.

But things changed in a big way. All the talk now is about these robo-scanning systems that won't even register resumes that don't fit their obscure guidelines.

And once you submit your executive resume, it will be reviewed by an army of recruiters who are relentlessly looking for the right combination of skill, achievement, and experience.

The next person it gets forwarded to is a member of a search committee who won’t bother reviewing it twice.

Somehow your Executive resume has to work on all three levels.

Bad news is that it's tough. Good news is that it’s possible.

This guide will show you:

  • Executive resume example that gets high-profile interviews 9 out of 10 times.
  • What specific things recruiters want to see in your Executive resume and how to use that to your advantage
  • How to convey your excellent leadership and visionary skills on a piece of paper (i.e. how to make your resume speak)
  • How to make sure your Executive resume stands out while passing automated resume scanning systems in 2024

Looking for a specific C-Level resume?

  • Marissa Mayer Resume
  • VP of Sales Resume
  • VP of Business Development Resume
  • VP of Marketing Resume

How to write an executive resume to land more interviews

Writing an executive resume doesn’t follow your typical resume writing process.

Your Executive resume should not be about simply listing previous jobs and skills — companies are looking beyond that in their future executives.

You are their next leader, and your Executive resume should achieve at least three key objectives:

Demonstrate tangible impact.

Bragging with years of experience as a C-level manager won’t impress anyone. Your resume should demonstrate the real impact of your work, as recruiters won’t be looking for someone who simply adjusts to their environment. They’re looking for someone who can lead and change things for the better. Bad example: Managed a team of 30 engineers. Good example: Coordinated the work of more than 30 engineers in the development, testing, and production phases of a $10M project in the aero composite niche. More examples and tips in the Experience section. Hint: use resume action verbs to captivate recruiters and form the best first impression.

Convey a strong personal brand with unique differentiators.

Your resume is not just a marketing tool — it's a storytelling device. If you want to increase the chances of landing a job tenfold, align your personal story with the company's brand. Executives are too often a part of their company’s brand.

Are you tech-savvy genius with exceptional instincts for trends? A roll-up-the-sleeves guy on the frontline? Make sure your personal brand aligns well with the company brand.

Here’s how to establish a career-winning personal brand in your Executive resume:

  • Identify key accomplishments and skill scenarios in the top-third of your resume
  • Include industry-unique resume keywords to build relevance and authority
  • Differentiate yourself from other candidates by showing off your unique differentiators.

More details on how to do that in later sections.

Provide consistent excellence throughout the entire recruitment process.

The process of hiring someone for an executive role involves multiple interviews and stages.At every stage your executive resume will be read by several people for the first time. That means your resume should not be a one-time wonder — it has to consistently WIN on every level: during automated ATS resume scans , manual checks by a hiring manager, and elaborate analysis by C-suite stakeholders.

Here’s how to turn your Executive resume into a golden ticket on every stage:

  • Format, format, format. With a clever use of white space, layout, color , font , bold text, and headers, you can make your resume extremely attractive for both humans and robots.
  • Use snippets of your resume to enhance your social profiles. Create consistency across various recruitment channels (LinkedIn, personal website, professional profile) to become memorable and project a consistent message.
  • Don’t fall for a one-page resume myth . Entry-level candidates should have a one-page resume. Tech professionals can have a one-page resume. But executives with 15+ and 20+ years of excellence, industry awards, authority publications, and hard-won leadership skills? It's possible , but not applicable in every case. Even though we are strong advocates of the “more with less” approach, you won’t benefit from cutting out your best resume bits simply because you heard that one-page resume is good for someone.

The executive resume guide helps you write one that gets approved by both robotic ATS systems and human recruiters . We'll examine key areas of your resume to make sure it stands out and aligns with the company you're applying for.

Here are the sections that your Executive resume will include:

The 6 most important sections of your resume

  • A properly formatted header
  • A concise and impactful summary
  • An experience section tailored to the specific job
  • Custom sections based on your experience
  • Education & certificates sections

What recruiters want to see in your resume

  • Are you a good leader with all the necessary skills for the job?
  • Is your position consistent and strong throughout your whole resume?
  • Are you a good fit not only in the short-term perspective, but also for the years to come?
  • Do you have a solid personal brand and how well does it align with the company’s?
  • Can you make an impact, and is there any evidence that you're capable of leading for success?

Your executive resume starts with a header. Let’s make sure it’s properly formatted and doesn't turn recruiters away.

Resume header: make sure recruiters keep reading

We’ll start with the obvious: there are many executive roles in a company.

You have CEO (chief executive officer), COO (chief operating officers), CTO (chief technical officer), CIO, CISO, CSO, and the list goes on.

And yes, there’s a lot of overlapping responsibilities between these jobs. A CIO in one company sometimes can transition to COO/CTO in another.

Despite that, it’s extremely important to use the same title in Header that the job you’re applying for uses, because COO and CIO in the same company do absolutely different things.

You must avoid using more than one title, even if you were working under both titles at one point in your career. This sends mixed signals to recruiters.

It goes without saying that your Header should include your contact details, but many applicants only give their phone number and email address.

Today almost every recruiter checks your LinkedIn profile along with your resume. Include the link to your profile in a header to control the narrative. A well-crafted LinkedIn profile with many connections makes you appear more credible and trustworthy. Check your executive resume and LinkedIn profile to make sure the work history is cohesive. Also, enhance your LinkedIn profile with some bits from your resume to ensure consistency.

If you don't have a developed LinkedIn profile, don’t link to an empty one. It’s better to link to your personal portfolio website or active membership profile in an authoritative, industry-specific network.

Point is, the link should work for you, not against you. But we strongly recommend to start working on your LinkedIn profile ASAP.

Here’s an example of a header that doesn’t work well:

2 executive resume header examples

Here we’ll include link to a Linkedin social profile, as well as use only one title that the job description mentions:

Check out our guide on perfecting your resume header with industry-leading examples !

Now let's engage recruiters even further with an impactful Summary section.

Resume summary: Instantly stand out at every stage

The Summary section can have an incredibly powerful effect on your resume, but it works both ways.

If your Summary section is short, engaging, and relevant to the position, it will engage recruiters and create a lasting positive effect on how they perceive the rest of your resume. Think of the Halo effect.

If your Summary section is long, tedious, and full of fluff, recruiters might not even bother reading further. A major benefit of the Summary section is that you can easily adjust it to every position that you’re applying for once you get the basics of writing it.

Here are some tips to make your Executive Summary section stand out and create a good momentum with recruiters:

  • Keep it short. Two or three sentences should be enough to grab someone’s attention. If you’re going beyond that, either rephrase or use other sections to provide more details, e.g. Achievements or Experience sections.
  • Keep it relevant . This is going to be recurring advice, but learn as much as possible about the company you’re applying for before writing a resume. What are their values? Are they growing? Are they in crisis?Summary is the first section where your research pays off. If you think the company needs a crisis manager, mention how you were able to transform a struggling business.If the company is a promising startup or a rapidly expanding network, make sure to mention your experience of scaling businesses and navigating a fluid business environment. Mention industry-specific experience relevant to the job to get some bonus points.
  • Keep it impactful. Don’t simply brag about your qualities. Provide results and achievements. Instead of writing how you spent 10 years in marketing or corporate leadership, share what the company was able to achieve with your guidance.

Here’s an example of a tedious, self-centered Summary section that makes employers and hiring managers roll their eyes:

2 executive resume summary examples

And here is an example of an engaging summary section to persuade readers to read further:

If you’re applying for another executive position, for example Chief Marketing Officer, follow the aforementioned advice but adjust it to the exact responsibilities of your future role.

Below is an example:

Want to learn more about crafting unique and engaging Summary sections? Check out our Perfect Summary guide with 30+ industry-specific examples .

We’ll now move forward to the bread-and-butter of your Executive resume, the Experience section.

Resume experience section: maximum efficiency word for word

The Experience section is the most elaborate and extensive section of your Executive resume, and recruiters will be returning to it several times throughout the whole recruitment process.

At first they’ll skim through it to understand whether you have a relevant experience, and leadership skills. This is where the most candidates will be filtered out.

During the next phase they will check whether your resume contains specific results and workflows that led you to achieving those results. They’ll be asking themselves: is this someone we need right now?

During the final round of checks, they’ll be comparing it with other candidates and see if you’re a good fit not only in the short perspective, but for years to come.

It doesn’t help that the Experience section is one of the hardest to write because executives have to squeeze in decades of experience in just one page, and make sure there’s still a place left for other impactful sections.

Let’s talk about what you need to include in your Experience section to get more calls, and what better should be left out of it.

Everything you mention in your Executive resume experience section falls into three main categories:

  • Buzzwords (resume keywords)

Results are the most impactful component of your experience section. Your achievements should be quantified, otherwise it’s just a string of words. Use numbers for more impact. Bad example: increased company’s presence on the education CRM market

Good example: over 3 years grew revenue in educational and mortgage segments by 300%

It’s important what kind of results you prioritise. Carefully study job requirements to understand what are the current company goals. Is it cost-efficiency? Workplace innovation? Or a new product launch? Prioritise results that are more relevant.

Workflows are what you did to achieve the results, or circumstances. Those are a perfect opportunity to hint at your core qualifications.

Workflows will reveal your subject matter experience, leadership and strategic qualities, and core competence in driving financial and operational results. You should describe workflows as challenges that you overcome. Use these questions to help to uncover some gems:

How did you contribute to the success of a company in a way that others didn't or wouldn't? What did you do that made the company better, more profitable, more efficient, and more competitive? How did your work benefit your coworkers and clients? What ideas of yours changed the course of events? Again, carefully study job requirements to understand which workflows will play a bigger role. No two companies are the same, so executives’ responsibilities will vary based on the company's size, industry, structure, and culture.

Buzzwords, or resume keywords, are largely defined by trends in every industry, and you can use them to quickly bring your resume up to date and target companies that are looking for very specific competencies.

Examples of buzzwords per industry: distance learning in education, crisis management in travel industry, managing distributed teams in real estate, machine learning and agile practices in IT, and so on.

Don’t overuse trendy words though, and especially don’t insert them blindly just to impress executive recruiters. Use only those skills that you have hands-on experience with.

Again, study job requirements to understand what kind of buzzwords may play into your hands.

For the best results, combine results, workflows, and buzzwords. Study job description and put more relevant workflows on top.

Here’s an example of vague experience section which is more focused on circumstances of work rather than results:

Executive resume experience examples

  • • Established and built relationships with top leaders in the market
  • • Directed and oversaw financial and budgetary activities
  • • Direct the company in keeping with the vision outlined for the company by the Board of Directors

Here’s an experience section optimized for impact with relevant results and comprehensive workflows:

  • • Established and built relationships with top leaders in the market, including those representing the highest levels in business, government and non-profit sectors, growing export revenue by 300%
  • • Ensured coordination and alignment of all company activities to strategic direction in the areas of resource development and staff alignment, reducing department costs by 25% two years consecutively
  • • Planned, organized, directed, and evaluated labor and administrative policies and operations that brought company from state leaders to country leaders.

Here’s an example of how the Experience section might look if you’re applying for a CTO position.

Notice that it contains more buzzwords and technical terms that were revealed after studying the company background and its key products:

  • • Established, communicated, and developed a clear action plan for the new vision of Technology Department, reducing $4M annually on operating expenses
  • • Facilitated in planning and release of 4 strategic company products that led to 23% increased ML-based CRM solutions market share
  • • Increased client satisfaction on a company-wide level by 400% after implementing a set of advanced real-time reporting system for monitoring support staff performance

Beware of “death by bullets”, or using more than five bullet points in a row when describing your experience, otherwise your resume becomes unreadable. If you have too many bullet points, consider rewriting the section or adding short paragraphs of text in between.

C-Level skill section: What recruiters really like to see here

Every executive role involves a wide range of skills. Add to that 15 years of experience on average and every executive can easily fill up a blank page simply listing all the skills they possess.

Don’t fall into this trap. No one will be reading that much. And the impact behind every skill will be diminished by the sheer amount of them.

The best thing you every candidate for an executive role can do is to prioritise skills that are needed the most for a given job, and then group those skills into broader categories.

Bad example: high performance under stress, predictive planning, negotiation, monitoring, critical thinking, etc.

Replace with: Crisis Management: Preserved company’s market share and net profit during the outbreak while the average competitor lost 10-20% of their income.

After you narrow down the most important skill categories, make sure to put those into context, because this is the most convincing way to demonstrate that you really have them.

For most executive roles, apart from Chief Technology officer, soft skills are a priority, so list them first.

Here’s an example how to list soft skills on your Executive resume:

How to describe soft skills on your resume

Below are some skills that you can group in your Skill section:

Soft skills list for C-suite resumes

  • Communication
  • Strategic management
  • Strategic partnerships
  • Resource development
  • Analytical approach
  • Financial management
  • Presentation skills
  • Revenue Growth
  • Coordination
  • Active listening
  • Time management
  • Problem solving
  • Strategic planning
  • Innovative thinking
  • Quality control
  • Lean/Growth mindset
  • Collaboration
  • Risk management
  • Process organization
  • Policy development

What you need to know about hard skills

The amount of technical skills you need to mention in your resume will largely depend on the specific role.

Chief innovation officer, chief technical officer and chief information officer are expected to be more tech savvy than other executive positions, so listing some key technical skills would be of help.

Same goes for any executive role in IT-related companies vs other industries.

But mostly try to focus on your management skills and achievements associated with them.

Resume education section: do you need it?

Although experience is deemed far more important than education history for any executive position, you’ll rarely find a job that doesn’t require at least a bachelor's degree.

Education requirements vary from job to job. Some companies require a Master's degree in business or related field.

If you don’t have a relevant degree it might be substituted with an advanced business training, such as MBA. Make sure to put it before other information on education in your resume.

Resume certificates: which ones are the best

Certificates aren’t a decisive factor for an Executive resume, but they can strengthen your overall profile.

Note that chief technology officer and chief operations officer will have a different portfolio of certificates, although there are general leadership certificates that any executive resume can benefit from.

Below are some examples:

Top 5 executive certificates for your resume

  • Harvard Kennedy School Executive Certificates
  • Harvard Business School Certificate of Management Excellence
  • MIT Executive Certificate
  • Cornell University Executive Leadership
  • Michigan State University’s Business Leadership and Management

How to write a senior executive resume?

  • Target your resume to the position. It’s imperative that you tailor your executive resume to the position and the company that hires you. Don’t just demonstrate that you have the needed skills. Use the Experience and Summary section to demonstrate that you overcame challenges similar to what they experience right now. Often companies switch leadership in time of crisis and uncertainty. Learn more about the target company’s recent challenges and use this information to build authority and relevance.
  • Make the most impact with the top-third of your resume . Your senior executive resume is going to be long, but to make sure people will read all of it you need to give them a motivation. Use the top third section to present your key achievements and skills.
  • Maximise the impact of your third page. There’s no need to describe all the jobs you had over the span of a 20 or 30+ year career. This will certainly eat all the pages on your senior executive resume. Instead, use the last page of your resume to showcase your unique identifiers and set yourself apart: list awards, publications you were featured in, research projects, and lifetime accomplishments.

Having problems packing all your years of experience in a resume? Check out our guide on resume length .

Additional sections to boost your resume special sauce

Your executive resume provides impact and demonstrates that you have all the necessary skills to be successful in your work.

It’s time to stand out of your competition and leave a lasting impression with custom sections.

Here are some custom sections that you can use to highlights your leadership skills and build your personal brand even further:

Achievements / Highlights

Every executive with many years of experience undoubtedly had career highlights that deserve attention.

It’s important to keep this section focused on specific achievements and not just brag about yourself.

Those achievements may include: prestigious business awards, work achievements, and even published books relevant to the job.

Our selected resume template above is from one of our successful clients, William H. Saito , who used custom sections to build a strong personal brand and hint at holistic development of his leadership skills.

Day of My Life

If you feel creative and confident in the rest of your resume, you can provide a personal touch with a “Day of My Life” section. This section is extremely powerful as it can help you demonstrate your human side and integrity.

Coupled with your achievements and work results from other sections, this is a great way to show your ability at following work and life balance, balance priorities, and sustain integrity.

A great example of this section in use is our Marissa Mayer’s resume which not only went viral and got a great number of positive responses, but also attracted attention from leaders of a business world, such as Mark Cuban.

  • Approach resume writing process not only for marketing, but also for building your personal brand and forming unique selling proposition;
  • Make sure the brand you build aligns well with the company that you want to work with;
  • Strive to demonstrate impact with every section of your executive resume using results, achievements, and confident language;
  • Stand out from the crowd of other candidates with custom sections that drive your personal brand even further and demonstrate you as all-round person;
  • Make sure to study the job requirements and the company’s history before applying as it will help you make your resume much more aligned with their vision of who will lead their company.

Executive resume examples

Explore additional executive resume samples and guides and see what works for your level of experience or role.

Alliance Manager Resume Example

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What an Internship Report Is?

As soon as you become an intern, you realize that it is something new and exciting. There can be a few challenges, but it is both valuable and important. Writing an executive summary for internship report , however, is often regarded as a boring task that you have to go through. The good news is that you can always ask for help from a reputable agency, such as Writing Metier, if you have no idea or just do not want to write it.

If you still decide to do it yourself, you should know that such a report is nothing but a document that summarizes and reflects on your internship experience. In most cases, it comprises the following information:

  • The skills you received;
  • The tasks you performed;
  • The knowledge you gained.

While writing an internship report , you should remember that it serves as a way to highlight your growth and accomplishments. It might also contain insights into the culture of the organization, your interactions with colleagues, and any challenges you had to deal with.

How to Structure an Internship Report?

When writing any sort of assignment, including an executive summary for report , it is critical to outline and structure it. If you are willing to know how to do that, the following structure example should be extremely useful:

  • Title page . This is the first thing they see when reading your report, which implies that you should do your best to make it right. In most cases, it should include the most important details, such as your full name, your internship period, and the company name.
  • Table of contents. This is nothing but a list of all the report elements, including sections and subsections.
  • Executive summary. This part offers a quick overview of the internship experience you received, your main challenges, achievements, etc. It can turn out to be quite informative for your potential employers or your learning institution.
  • Introduction. Each academic paper requires context to make it easier for the reader to understand it better. This section happens to be the one where you are welcome to provide information about the internship objectives, position, as well as a short overview of the report`s parts.
  • Description of the company . In this part, you need to provide detailed information on the background of the company and reasons for selecting it as an internship place. You should also include an explanation of the company`s values, mission, and other essential basic information.
  • Scope of the work. This is where you can specify and explain all of your responsibilities as an intern, the projects you participated in, and the tasks you were completing.
  • Achievements and contributions . To emphasize the results of your internship and your strengths, you should address your achievements and contribution to the company. This way, you will highlight your value as an employee and your role in the work process.
  • Challenges faced. It is obvious that every work comes with issues or challenges. Your task is to explain the difficulties that you had to overcome in the position, along with the things that you managed to learn through stressful situations or challenging tasks.
  • Learning outcomes . Here, you need to focus on your internship experience. For this purpose, you should reflect on the internship period and specify the main skills gained, key takeaways, etc.

When working on the structure of your summary of internship report , you should make sure that you follow all the requirements provided by your learning institution. This step is critical because some rules and elements can vary.

A Sample of Executive Summary for Report

There are many formats for your summary of the internship report, which is why you should always follow the guidelines provided by your learning institution. At the same time, the following sample can be helpful.

Title page:

Amanda Smith

School Counseling Internship

March 19 – September 26, 2025

Rogers Middle School

Table of contents:

  •     Organization information
  •     Internship description
  •     Internship experience overview
  •     Ongoing consideration

Organization information:

The school was founded in 1924 with the main goal to educate the children of Dallas. The mission statement of this school is to spread the educational knowledge of children and foster their creative minds. The organization plays an important role in the community with its weekend tutoring events and after-school programs. I decided to complete my internship with this particular school because I like the work they do with kids via after-school educational programs and outreach efforts.

Internship description:

My task at this school was to evaluate counselling programs and work with middle-school students. I worked with the school counsellor directly in assisting teachers with behavioral issues of students, assessing learning difficulties, and meeting with at-risk middle students.

Overview of internship experience:

I was able to develop my planning, active listening, and treatment plan skills during my internship with the school. I strongly believe that direct interactions with these students are extremely useful when it comes to the improvement of my counselling skills. Even though I found sessions to be quite challenging, I am sure that they were valuable in becoming more confident as a school counsellor.

Ongoing consideration :

I definitely had many helpful experiences at the school, but I think that I still need to improve my confidence levels with testing. I would love to spend more time evaluating and facilitating psychological tests. To sum it up, my experience with the school was important in my development as a school counsellor.  I am going to take the skills and lessons I received and use them for my next position.

You can also check our internship report example , which was written by our writers and is related to a coffee company internship.

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what is an executive summary for a resume

A Few Great Tips on Writing an Executive Summary for an Internship Report

How to Write Executive Summary of Internship Report

If you are willing to learn h ow to type a good executive summary for internship report , you should bear in mind the following helpful pieces of advice:

  • Y ou should start early. You might think that you have a lot of time, which means that there is no need to rush. At the same time, time flies quickly, so many students miss their deadlines. If you do not want to make the same mistake, you should start early. For example, you might make simple notes at the very beginning of your internship, like what new things you learned or what you are working on. This kind of notes can turn out to be extremely helpful when you start the process.
  • You should be reflective . You should not forget to add more reflective notes in order to analyze your internship experience and highlight its significance for your career development.
  • You should be specific . When writing about your failures and achievements, it is essential to be specific and provide certain examples. This allows the reader to understand your experience better.
  • You should ask for help if necessary. If you feel that you are not able to meet the deadline, you should ask for assistance from a reputable agency, such as Writing Metier. There is nothing wrong with that because your summary of internship report will be personalized to your requirements.

Writing any type of report is never an easy thing to do, and when it comes to an executive summary for a report, you might face issues with being clear. The reason is that you have to provide a lot of details, format them properly, and be concise at the same time.

The good part is that you can always count on your personal assistant from Writing Metier. Our professionals are widely known for delivering high-quality papers according to customer requirements.

Need a Dope Paper Written? We've Got Your Back!

You just need to provide them with your requirements and other relevant information, and you will receive an outstanding summary of the internship report, or the report in full.

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Laura Orta is an avid author on Writing Metier's blog. Before embarking on her writing career, she practiced media law in one of the local media. Aside from writing, she works as a private tutor to help students with their academic needs. Laura and her husband share their home near the ocean in northern Portugal with two extraordinary boys and a lifetime collection of books.

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COMMENTS

  1. How To Write an Executive Summary on a Resume

    An executive summary on your resume should explain within a few seconds why you are uniquely the most qualified. 3. Write your first bullet point. This first sentence should be a brief description of yourself. Try to summarize your professional career in one sentence. Use the examples below to see what this might look like.

  2. 24 Resume Summary Examples That Get Interviews

    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.

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  4. How to Write an Effective Executive Summary for Your Resume

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  5. How To Write an Executive Summary for a Resume

    Follow these steps to write an impressive executive summary for your resume to impress hiring managers: 1. Review the job description. Adjust your executive summary to match the specific job position you're applying for by reviewing the job description. Read through the description carefully to better understand the skills, experience and ...

  6. How To Write an Executive Summary (With Example)

    Here are several general steps to consider when writing an executive summary: 1. Research effective executive summaries. Before you write your own executive summary, it may be helpful to review summaries written by others. This is especially true for those writing an executive summary for the first time.

  7. How to Write an Executive Summary for Resume (2024 Examples)

    An executive summary for a resume is an introductory part of your resume to highlight your experiences and most valuable achievements. Your executive summary is an informative lead meant to pique the employer's interest. You can use this segment to showcase why you feel you're a good fit for the position. An executive summary differs from your ...

  8. How To Write an Executive Resume: The Definitive 2024 Guide

    An executive summary should be the first thing on your resume, underneath your name and contact details. Your executive summary can include: The title of the job you're applying for. A short paragraph explaining the scope and context of your work experience. 2-4 of your most impressive accomplishments.

  9. How to Write an Executive Summary on Your Resume (With Tips)

    3. Write out your bullet points. The final step is to write your executive summary. While some people opt for paragraphs, bullet points make your summary easier to read for the hiring manager. Your bullet points can include: Your pitch. This refers to the first bullet point or sentence in an executive summary.

  10. How To Write an Effective Resume Summary (With Examples)

    A resume summary, also known as a professional summary or summary statement, is a short description at the top of your resume that describes your experience, qualities and skills. ... Customer-oriented full sales cycle SMB account executive with 3+ years of experience maximizing sales and crushing quotas. Skilled at building trusted, loyal ...

  11. Resume Summary: 45+ Professional Examples & How to Write

    An executive summary on a resume is a brief 2-5 sentence statement at the top of your resume that summarizes your professional experience, skills, and accomplishments. Simply put, an executive summary is a different name for a resume summary. It serves the same purpose of grabbing the attention of employers by providing a quick snapshot of your ...

  12. How to Write an Impressive Resume Executive Summary in 2023?

    A resume executive summary is a brief statement at the top of a resume that summarizes a candidate's key qualifications, experience, and achievements. It is important because it gives hiring managers a quick overview of a candidate's suitability for a position and encourages them to continue reading the rest of the resume.

  13. 77+ Resume Summary Examples [& How-to Guide for 2024]

    Executive Assistant Resume Summary "Accomplished executive assistant with experience in providing support to a high-level CEO and other executives for 4 years. Helped with everything from customer support to data entry and preparing well-researched documents. Skilled at time management, proficient in MS Office and Adobe Photoshop."

  14. 27 Great Resume Summary Examples to Get Hired

    Why it works: This summary emphasizes the candidate's clinical and patient care experience and highlights their key nursing and interpersonal skills. 9. Financial Analyst resume summary example. "Detail-oriented Financial Analyst with a strong background in financial modeling, data analysis, and forecasting.

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  16. Executive Summary Examples

    Of all of the elements of a successful resume, the executive summary is by far one of the most important sections.Recruiters and hiring managers don't normally have time to read through an entire resume, and all of the work experience descriptions, word for word.They frequently read through a large number of resumes and thus must quickly skim through each one.

  17. Tips for Writing an Impressive Executive Summary

    An executive summary is usually only 10% of the length of the proposal. 3. Clarity The most important aspect of a good executive summary is a clear, concise and accurate description of your company and its activities and goals. One way to determine whether you wrote a clear executive summary is to ask a trusted advisor or colleague to review it.

  18. How To Write a Resume Summary (With 30 Examples)

    1. Mention your professional title and experience. The first sentence of a summary statement should always describe your professional title and years of experience. It helps in conveying your professional identity to the employer. Try to start the summary by using adjectives for yourself. Words like "accomplished", "trained", "result-oriented ...

  19. How To Write an Executive Summary (Templates Plus Example)

    Here are five steps you can take to write an effective executive summary: 1. Provide an overview of your project. The first section of an effective executive summary is an introduction that provides readers with an overview of your proposed project. Here, you should include details of your organization, including the name, address, type of ...

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    2 executive resume summary examples. Summary. Expert leader with 12+ years of experience dedicated to business development and leadership with strong public speaking, management, presentation, marketing, and finance operational skills. Established and maintained cooperative working relationships with those contacted in the course of the work ...

  21. 6 Great Process Executive Resume Examples

    Your Process Executive resume must include your contact information, professional summary, work experience, skills and education. You can further customize your resume with extra sections to showcase other qualifications. Here are some examples of optional process executive resume sections that you could add to provide greater detail:

  22. How to Write Executive Summary of Internship Report?

    A Sample of Executive Summary for Report. There are many formats for your summary of the internship report, which is why you should always follow the guidelines provided by your learning institution. At the same time, the following sample can be helpful. Title page: Amanda Smith. School Counseling Internship. March 19 - September 26, 2025