50+ Professional Resume Summary Examples for 2024

When recruiters have less than ten seconds to look at a resume, you need something to catch their attention. And that’s what a resume summary can do. This guide will explain what a resume summary is, how to write one, and some bullet-proof examples to get you inspired. 

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A resume summary is a short paragraph presenting your strongest qualifications at the top of a resume. A good summary for a resume starts with a positive character trait and includes your job title, key skills, and the highlights of your career in just 2–5 sentences tailored to a specific position.

Sounds a bit too theoretical? Here’s an example summary statement for a resume that will clear your doubts:

Experienced PMP with a background in law and 7+ years of experience growing revenue for a Massachusetts-based electronics firm. Seeking to leverage leadership expertise as project manager for Paylocity. Guest speaker at the Northeast Lean Conference in 2014.

See? This example includes all the elements mentioned in the definition, such as a character adjective, the job title, professional skills, and a sample career achievement. That’s just 3 sentences, but they speak volumes about the candidate.

Using a resume introduction like this is one of the tricks that can help to make your resume more successful. Hiring managers rarely read the whole resume from top to bottom. Instead, they use selective attention to find the information they need. So, a professional summary that uses the resume keywords from the job posting will catch their attention like a charm.

Now, if you want to see more examples of good resume summaries straight away, jump here to the last chapter of this guide: Summary Examples for a Resume.

Before your keyboard catches fire from your writing speed, take a second to ponder: is a resume summary right for you? After all, it’s not the only type of resume profile there is. 

You can benefit from a resume summary if:

So, if you’re writing an entry-level resume, a resume with no experience, or a career change resume, you’re more likely to succeed with a career objective instead of a resume summary. There are exceptions, of course—for example, you can write a student resume summary highlighting your academic achievements when you’re applying for an assistant researcher position.

Pro Tip: Before writing your resume summary, make sure all other sections of your resume are ready and polished to perfection. Then you can combine the best statements you put on a resume into your profile summary.

How difficult can it be to write up to 5 sentences about yourself? Well, it may be trickier than it sounds. A professional summary for a resume must not only accurately describe your qualifications for a specific position but also ooze confidence. People prefer self-confident individuals, so that’s how hiring managers must perceive you.

Follow the tips below to craft a powerful resume summary statement:

It’s not about writing any professional summary—it’s about writing the one that matches the job. Why? Because only a tailored resume has a chance against automatic screening systems. And when your ATS-friendly resume with a clear-cut resume description reaches a hiring manager, they’ll be way more impressed with it than with a generic one. So make sure your summary statement for a resume mentions the core competencies outlined in the job posting.

Once you know this formula, you’ll be able to write a better resume summary than a professional summary generator. Here it goes:

[adjective(s)/strong character trait(s)][your job title][your experience]. Eager to support/help/assist/etc. [company name][what you want to help the employer achieve and how you want to do it]. [your key achievement(s)].

Now, just fill in the blanks with the key skills from your resume, info about your work experience, and throw in a few resume power words to make it sound more impressive.

What sounds more impressive: “Streamlined internal reporting processes” or “Simplified reporting using project tracking software to increase productivity by 27%”? The second example is an achievement statement. It follows the Problem-Action-Result formula, which is perfect for talking about accomplishments.

A good summary for a resume must include a relevant achievement. And the ones involving numbers are the best.

Your profile summary for a resume must stick to the following rules:

To make it clearer, here’s a terrible summary statement coming straight from a bad resume example:

That is NOT what a summary for a resume should look like. It doesn’t follow the rules, and the tone is overly confident. This applicant is most likely lying on a resume.

Enough learning—let’s see professional summary examples that work.

When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building a professional resume template here for free.

When you’re done, Zety’s resume builder will score your resume and our resume checker will tell you exactly how to make it better.

Here’s a neat collection of career summary examples. Use them for inspiration, or simply adjust them to your needs!

Dedicated senior administrative assistant with over 7 years of professional experience. Organized travel plans and schedules of 5 senior executives whilst doing general office admin duties. Eager to help ABC Inc. with managing appointments and communications. Also, skilled in accounting and ready to assist in bookkeeping. Devised and implemented 3 office initiatives that helped the company save over USD 10,000 a year.

For more details, go to Administrative Assistant Resume: Sample and Complete Guide

Personable administrative coordinator with 4+ years of experience in the corporate environment. Seeking to utilize organizational and collaboration skills to boost the office efficiency at Orange Trading. Improved wastepaper recycling by 37% and cut office supplies cost by 5% in 2022.

Learn more here: How to Write an Admin Coordinator Resume

Meticulous and goal-oriented office clerk with 4+ years of experience in law firms. Eager to support information processing operations at Hartford & Partners with data entry and archiving skills. At BlueDot Law, improved office operations by implementing the use of image-to-text software and reorganizing the filing system. 

For more information, check this guide: Sample Clerical Resume with Tips & Key Skills

Detail-oriented Data Entry Specialist with 2+ years of experience. Eager to support office operations at OutlineCats Ltd. with typing skills and Microsoft Office knowledge. At Fish Tent, spotted inaccuracies in 40+ invoices and helped prevent a loss of over $12,000.

See more: Data Entry Resume Example & Writing Tips

Dependable and devoted executive assistant with over 7 years of professional experience. Keen to support ABC Inc. with excellent organizational and analytical skills. At DEF Inc. optimized travel costs and effectively slashed them by over 30%. Also, saved USD 500K a year by redesigning and implementing a modernized call system.

For more details, go to Executive Assistant Resume Sample and Complete Guide

Energetic office administrator with 3 years of experience. Excellent Microsoft Office skills and broad knowledge of office equipment. Seeking to implement cost-cutting administrative solutions at Icofly Inc. At NA20X, decreased operational costs by finding new suppliers, leading to savings of $7,400 in 2022.

Learn how to write a resume for office admin jobs here: Resume for an Office Administrator

Dynamic office manager with over 7 years of professional experience. Seeks to leverage top-notch managerial and organizational skills to boost efficiency at ABC Inc. Managed a team of 5 office assistants in a high-volume retail business. Grew the number of new contracts by 30% a year, and reduced lead times by 45%. Optimized office supplies spending and saved over $50,000 per year.

For more details, go to Office Manager Resume Sample and Complete Guide

Agile and well-organized receptionist with 6+ years of professional experience in the private and public sectors. Skilled at dealing with sensitive situations and keen to support ABC Inc. with organizational, diplomacy, and communication skills. At DEF Inc., implemented a CRM system with reporting capabilities that contributed to cutting costs by up to 25%.

For more details, go to Receptionist Resume Sample and Complete Guide

Dedicated secretary with 5+ years of experience in a business setting. Keen to support administrative operations at WollFrame with excellent organizational and Microsoft Office skills. Praised for efficiency and professionalism at FluffPuff Co. In 2023, introduced calendar management and conference room booking solutions that helped decrease the number of unnecessary in-person meetings for company staff by 9%. 

Learn more here: How to Write a Resume for a Secretary

Resilient Virtual Assistant with 3+ years of experience managing social media channels, creating content, and handling travel arrangements for three businesses and over 10 individuals. Excellent time management and communication skills. Eager to boost brand recognition for SoloPet by creating unique Instagram and blog content. In 2023, developed a social media strategy for a fitness influencer which led to an increase in followers from 3,5K to 75K within six months.

See more: Resume for a Virtual Assistant: Sample & Writing Tips

Inquisitive Business Analyst with 10+ years of experience in shipping industries. Excellent data analysis and management skills. Eager to supply the executive team with strategic analyses and forecasts to aid decision making at OverSeaS. At Oceanique, detected opportunities to boost vessel capacity by 9%, leading to a decrease in operational costs by 12%.

Learn more: How to Write a Resume for Business Analyst Jobs

Goal-oriented Business Development Manager with 5+ years of experience in corporate environment. Eager to create market analyses for WizardGrow to detect opportunities for further growth. Conducted market research at CFly Inc. that led to increasing profits by 13% in 2021–2023.

Learn how to write a successful business resume: Resume Example for Business Professionals

Creative Business Intelligence Analyst with 4 years of experience in SaaS companies. Keen to utilize analytical skills to support finance and development teams at SaffronSky. At Belugeau, spotted cost-cutting opportunities in sales and marketing operations that led to over $31,800 in savings in 2021–2023.

See more: Business Intelligence Analyst Resume Example & Writing Guide

Seasoned IT PMP with a degree in law and 8+ years of professional experience in growing revenue for a fintech company. Keen to leverage leadership and managerial expertise as a project manager for ABC Inc. Executed a lean training project that led to cutting costs by up to 40% in 6 months.

For more details, go to Project Manager Resume: Sample and Complete Guide

Disciplined and insightful data analyst with 6+ years of experience analyzing business processes. Eager to leverage big data interpreting and visualizing skills at ABC Inc to drive growth and boost sales results. In current role, identified a major bottleneck, reduced operating costs by over 20%, and saved upwards of USD 500,000 a year.

For more details, go to Data Analyst Resume: Sample and Complete Guide

Meticulous and efficient HR manager with 7+ years of experience. Eager to boost employee retention for ABC Inc. In previous positions, increased employee retention by 20% YOY. Cut recruitment lead time by 30%. Also, improved employee effectiveness by up to 20% and boosted participation in training by 15%.

For more details, go to Human Resource Resume: Sample and Complete Guide

People-oriented Customer Service Manager with 5+ years of experience in an international company. Fluent in Spanish and Portuguese. Seeking to utilize leadership skills and improve agent efficiency while coordinating the customer service team at White Line Co. Received the Management Excellence award in 2020 for continuously exceeding team KPIs for four consecutive quarters.

Learn more: Resume for a Customer Service Manager: Example & Best Tips

Energetic and optimistic customer service representative with over 3 years of professional experience assisting customers in solving complex issues. Keen to support ABC Inc. in becoming a market leader through proven customer support skills. Awarded Consultant of the Month three times. Helped reduce First Response Time by 20% within the first quarter of employment.

For more details, go to Customer Service Resume Sample and Complete Guide

Efficient customer success manager with 10 years of experience. Eager to collaborate with Sales and Product teams to detect opportunities to increase customer satisfaction and boost sales for True Flow. At FonoGrow, helped increase the company rating on TrustPilot by 26% through changes in CS processes.

Learn how to make a great resume for this profession: Tips for Writing the Best Customer Success Manager Resume

Personable retail associate with 3+ years of experience in a busy fashion store. Keen to utilize sales techniques and interpersonal skills at LiliCoSlow to strengthen customer loyalty while exceeding sales targets. Recognized as Top Staff Member at Alter Dress for excellent customer service skills and dependability.

See more: Sample Retail Resume & Writing Guide

Personable Aged Care Specialist with 4 years of experience. Certified Nurse Aide. Seeking to support the residents of Boca Raton La Vida with restorative care and a personalized approach to their wellness. In 2020–2023, cared for 150+ geriatric residents of Moon Health Center and received 100% positive feedback from patients as well as fellow staff members.

Learn more here: How to Write a Resume for Aged Care Workers

Empathetic caregiver with 10+ years of experience in assisted living facilities. Certified in First Aid. Keen to improve the quality of life for Ribbon Lane Living patients by providing personalized care plans and supporting their daily activities. At Homes4All, created a successful arts & crafts program attended by 80 geriatric patients.

See more: Caregiver Resume Example & Step-by-Step Writing Guide

Energetic disability support worker with 2+ years of experience with special needs children and teens. Keen to support students’ academic efforts at Emerald Future using personalized activities and teaching aids that match their needs. In 2021–2023, provided 1:1 Math and English tutoring for individuals with learning difficulties, helping them to improve their performance in standardized tests by 37% on average.

Learn how to write a resume for disability workers here: Resume Example for a Disability Support Worker (+ Tips)

Empathetic mental health counselor with 6+ years of experience. Eager to support the students of Salem Technical University with personalized counseling sessions to decrease the freshmen dropout rate and prevent antisocial behavior. Provided group and individual counseling to 100+ undergraduate students with a 94% satisfaction rate.

See more: Sample Resume for a Mental Health Counselor

Licensed Clinical Social Worker with over 7 years of professional experience. Eager to help ABC Center’s clients through first-class treatment plan development and assessment skills. At DEF Center devised 35+ plans for treatment and cooperated with 40+ clients to achieve their goals with a 90% success rate in under nine months.

For more details, go to Social Worker Resume Sample and Complete Guide

Dedicated secondary education teacher with over 8 years of experience in devising individualized curricula within state standards. Eager to join ABC School to utilize expert knowledge of English as a Second Language (ESL) teaching methodology, including project- and content-based instruction. Prepared 300+ students for international language certifications with a 99% pass rate.

For more details, go to Teacher Resume Sample and Complete Guide

Enthusiastic Teacher Assistant with 3+ years of experience with high school students. Eager to support the educators at Open Minds Center with lesson planning and one-to-one tutoring. At STEM Workz, created 20 unique lesson plans and helped 30+ students improve their scores in Math and Chemistry.

Learn more: Teacher Assistant Resume Example & Key Skills

Disciplined and persistent senior CPA with over 6 years of professional experience. Eager to employ proven account reconciliation and IT skills at ABC Inc. In previous roles, improved DEF Inc’s cloud-computing practices that led to saving as many as 800 hours yearly. Identified and eliminated an issue that saved almost $1 million per year.

For more details, go to Accountant Resume: Sample and Complete Guide

Chartered Financial Analyst with over 7 years of professional experience. Seeks to leverage budgeting, cost, and revenue-maximizing expertise for ABC Inc. At DEF Inc. saved USD 3.5M through identifying low-margin transactions. Also, optimized pricing policy at GHI Inc. that boosted customer retention metrics by up to 40%.

For more details, go to Financial Analyst Resume: Sample and Complete Guide

Charismatic bartender with over 6 years of professional experience working at high-end clubs in large metropolitan and seaside areas. Thanks to exceptional memory, rapport-building, and storytelling skills achieved a 20% boost in up-selling to all patrons. Holds a Bartending Certificate valid in the vast majority of states.

For more details, go to Bartender Resume: Sample and Complete Guide

Versatile cook with 3 years of experience in busy restaurants. Passionate about fusion cuisine and locally-grown ingredients. Eager to team up with the kitchen staff at Yenocita BBQ to prepare high-quality meals in a timely and organized manner. While at Pollo&Stella, created a signature dish for the summer seasonal menu that received 30+ rave reviews on Google and Yelp.

Learn how to write a resume for a cook here: Professional Cook Resume Example

Dependable crew member with 3 years of experience in a fast-food restaurant. Excellent customer service and time management skills. Seeking to provide personalized service to Pasta&Pizza’s patrons in an efficient and friendly manner. Exceeded sales goals by 22% for two consecutive quarters in 2022.

Learn more: Resume for Fast Food Jobs: Sample & Writing Guide

Dependable and friendly server with over 3 years of experience waiting on guests at ABC Restaurant. Eager to join DEF Restaurant to offer its guests exquisite dining experience. Served up to 80 guests nightly and made sure all the dishes were delivered in a timely manner.

For more details, go to Server Resume: Sample and Complete Guide

Dependable multilingual CNA (BLS and CPR certified) with over 10 years of experience in various healthcare settings. Seeks to utilize proven managerial and patient advocacy skills at ABC Medical Center. At DEF Care Home managed a team of 7+ CNAs. Also, developed and implemented a set of procedures that reduced medication administration errors down to 0.1%.

For more details, go to CNA Resume Sample and Complete Guide

Bilingual Pediatric Registered Nurse with 10+ years of professional experience in the ICUs and PICUs of community hospitals. Keen to join the ABC Hospital staff to leverage top-class management experience and patient care skills as a Pediatric RN at DEF Hospital. Thanks to a deep knowledge of hospital procedures and high standards of service consistently scored over 90% in compliance rate assessments.

For more details, go to Nursing Resume Sample and Complete Guide

Licensed massage therapist with 4+ years of experience in wellness centers. Knowledgeable about classic bodywork and Eastern modalities. Eager to provide the customers of Flying Orchid Spa with rejuvenating massage sessions customized to target their needs. At previous workplace, built a customer base of 30+ recurring clients through professionalism and personalized care.

Learn more: How to Write a Resume for a Massage Therapist

Certified Medical Assistant with over 5 years of professional experience. Eager to use impeccable patient care skills to support excellence at ABC Med. At DEF Med, received 99% positive reviews. Reduced the number of errors by 22% and saved USD 70,000 a year thanks to a good understanding of EHR.

For more details, go to Medical Assistant Resume Sample and Complete Guide

Personable family medicine specialist with 8+ years of experience. Excellent customer care and interpersonal skills. Eager to provide patients at Jade Family Clinic with personalized and efficient healthcare. At Health Lion Inc., received 91% satisfaction rating while seeing 20+ patients daily. 

Learn more here: How to Write a Resume for a Medical Doctor

Resilient hotel receptionist with 3 years of experience in upscale and boutique establishments. Well versed in booking management systems. Eager to utilize customer service skills to resolve all customer inquiries in an efficient and courteous manner while creating a great experience for hotel guests at Nana Coastal Retreats. While at OpuLux Lodgings, provided front-desk services to VIP clients and received a 98% satisfaction rate. 

Learn more: How to Write a Hotel Front Desk Resume

Resourceful Event Manager with 5+ years of experience in corporate environments. Eager to coordinate in-house and public events for Satay Trade Inc. with great attention to detail. Successfully managed a team of 5 to organize a business conference for 200+ guests on very short notice in 2022.

See here: Event Manager Resume: Example, Skills, & Writing Tips

Well-organized housekeeping supervisor skilled in deep and daily cleaning. Eager to join the ABC Hotel to help maintain the highest standards of cleanliness and organization. In previous roles, managed six housekeeping staff members at the DEF Hotel and contributed to boosting positive customer reviews by over 45%. Identified and resolved a recurring issue with guest room air conditioning that saved USD 300K.

For more details, go to Housekeeping Resume: Sample and Complete Guide

Detail-oriented CNC machine operator with 4 years of experience. Eager to provide equipment maintenance services and boost production efficiency for Hydra Inc. In 2021, helped decrease equipment downtime by 23% through improvements in routine maintenance operations and staff training.

Learn more: How to Write a Resume for a CNC Machinist

Dependable forklift operator with 5+ years of experience. OSHA Forklift Certification holder. Eager to join the warehouse staff at Blue Ship Holdings to support shipping operations and train new forklift drivers. At Pea Dockyards, consistently exceeded loading and unloading targets while keeping a 100% safety record for 2 years.

Learn to write an impressive resume for a forklift operator here: Sample Forklift Operator Resume & Writing Tips

Qualified warehouse associate with over 7 years of experience. Eager to join ABC Inc. to deliver top KPIs and impeccable organizational skills. As a DEF Inc. warehouse associate achieved picking-packing speeds and efficiency in top 96%. Five-time winner of the DEF Inc. picker of the month.

For more details, go to Warehouse Resume: Sample and Complete Guide

Dynamic and creative software developer with over 5 years of experience in producing robust code for high-volume companies. Eager to support the dev team at CDE Inc. with top-notch coding skills. In previous roles, doubled code-efficiency of ABC Inc., and increased customer retention by 30% among others.

For more details, go to Software Engineer Resume: Sample and Complete Guide

Ingenious and determined mechanical engineer with over 10 years of experience. Seeks to use first-class production design and process skills to push forward manufacturing excellence at ABC Inc. Boosted production efficiency by 25% at DEF Inc. and consistently delivered to customer needs at over 20% under budget.

For more details, go to Engineering Resume: Sample and Complete Guide

Likable and dedicated IT consultant with over 5 years of experience in a fast-paced fin-tech company. Eager to offer superb analytical and computer skills to help ABC Inc grow its client base. In previous roles recognized for top company-wide quality satisfaction rating (over 99%). Also, reduced client wait time by 20% and boosted client satisfaction ratings by more than 40% in a single quarter. 

For more details, go to IT Resume: Sample and Complete Guide

Determined retail clerk with over 4 years of professional experience. Eager to help ABC Inc. boost its KPIs through outstanding customer loyalty-building and sales skills. Constantly received upwards of 90% of positive customer reviews and achieved 30% above average repeat customer scores. Also, runs a popular unboxing channel on YouTube with over 3K of monthly views.

For more details, go to Retail Resume Sample and Complete Guide

Insightful sales associate with 5+ years of professional experience in online and print media. Eager to boost DEF Inc’s revenue by at least 40% over the next fiscal year. In previous positions, exceeded quarterly sales targets by 10% every quarter. Maintained a customer retention rate of 90% YOY thanks to which won Salesman of the Year Award in 2018.

For more details, go to Sales Associate Resume Sample and Complete Guide

Likable cashier with over 5 years of professional experience. Seeks to utilize top-class organizational and attention to detail skills to boost efficiency at ABC Inc. At DEF Inc., awarded Employee of the Month four times in a row for accuracy and efficiency. At GHI Inc., worked a streak of 450 days with no sick leave and a 30% higher accuracy score than peers.

For more details, go to Cashier Resume Sample and Complete Guide

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:

See more cover letter templates and start writing.

Need a recap? Here we go.

Here’s how to write a short resume summary that’s short yet effective:

Do you have any questions about crafting the perfect resume summaries? Would you like to share your advice with other readers? We’re always happy to hear from you. Give us a shout-out in the comments below!

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A resume summary (also called a resume profile or resume introduction) is a short and catchy paragraph that sums up your qualifications for a specific job. Its purpose is to catch the reader’s attention and immediately show your value to a recruiter in just 2–5 sentences.

No matter which resume format you decide to use, your resume summary should always go near the top of the page, below the resume header. If your resume template features a sidebar rather than a header, put the summary statement at the top of the main column. 

Here's how to write a professional summary for a resume:

These are just the essentials. To make a good resume summary, you should also use action verbs that help to convey confidence, and add resume keywords from the job posting.

You can use a free resume summary generator that’s featured in our resume builder. It will create a professional summary for a resume based on your profession, skills, and work experience. 

You can also try stand-alone professional summary generators available online. However, they can only provide you with a fill-in-the-blank template for your resume summary. This means that you will have to spend extra time personalizing it.

If you’re making a resume with no work experience, such as a recent grad resume, consider writing a resume objective instead of a summary. A resume objective is basically a beginner summary for a resume: it too aims to show your skills and catch the reader’s attention, but it does so using your academic achievements and transferable skills rather than work experience. Objectives also work well for career-change resumes. 

Start your resume summary with a positive character adjective, then mention your job title, years of experience, and your expertise. Follow with examples of career accomplishments and key skills relevant to the job. It’s easier to write a good summary for a resume when your other resume sections are completed.

Browse our collection of resume examples for 500+ specific jobs to see resume summaries for various professions. Each sample comes with a writing guide so you can learn exactly how to write a resume for your profession or experience level.