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Resume Writing Basics – Step 3: Write an Eye Catching Profile Summary

Writing in a notebook in front of a laptopPicture this: a hiring manager sits down at her desk to review the dozens of resumes which just arrived via email in reply to a job she just posted online. She decides to sort through them, quickly glancing through the top of the first page of each resume, looking for a few stand-out documents which catch her eye, as well as those which are easy to exclude.

Do you know what her reaction would be to your resume? Will she quickly find the words she’s seeking, or will she dismiss it as unimpressive and set it aside?

While it’s true that many of the larger employers sort through resumes using Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), many of the small to medium size companies do not. Those companies rely on the ability of the hiring manager to identify the best candidate, based on their own perceptions and priorities. With limited time and more resumes than ever arriving on her desk, you can be pretty sure that decisions will be made in seconds after a brief glance through the resume.

A well laid out resume is important to create that first good impression, but when the hiring manager begins reading through the document, it is going to be important to capture her attention quickly. I am continually surprised to still see — even recently — that many candidates still use the old-fashioned objective statement at the top of their resumes which does not include any useful information, rather than a well written, concise profile summary, which we recommend.

What is a profile summary?

A profile summary shows “what is in it FOR THE EMPLOYER. It allows you more opportunities to showcase your talents; i.e. a snapshot of all of the great things you have done, all wrapped up in a bow at the top of your resume. So instead of employers having to search through your resume for the reasons to interview you – you make it easy for them by listing them right at the top, where it will be seen first.”

In essence, the summary is a brief introduction of the most important information an employer needs to know about you. It is similar to your answer to that dreaded interview question “tell me about yourself“, otherwise known as the seven second elevator speech, which we have also discussed before here; it also could also be included in your LinkedIn Summary.

What information should be included in the profile summary?

The summary should list about five points, written either in point form or as a paragraph. It should list the most important information that an employer should know about your professional background.

It could include any of these items:

– a suitable professional title, years of experience and expertise, e.g. “Highly respected Human Resource Manager, with over 10 years’ progressive experience working in the non-profit sector”

– relevant educational achievements and/or professional designations, e.g. “University educated and a Certified Human Resource Professional (CHRP)”

– the most important (core) skills and achievements, e.g. “Skilled negotiator, having successfully handled and resolved union disputes; knowledgeable on issues regarding payroll; designed and implemented professional staff development training”

– work values and principles, e.g. “Strong commitment to inclusive non-discrimination hiring practices”

– relevant personal characteristics, e.g. “Highly energetic, enthusiastic and confident”

– basic abilities

– relevant languages, computer software knowledge, driver’s license

How do I write the summary?

Read through job postings to which you are planning to apply and identify the qualifications listed by the employers. Use them as your guide — try to echo the employers priorities; for example, if they mention education first, then start your profile summary with your education. If they don’t mention education, leave it off the summary.

Make sure to load it with proper key words — don’t assume that the employer (or the the computerized Applicant Tracking System) knows your acronyms or abbreviations. Also, be specific — for example, if the employer asks for knowledge of Microsoft Word, don’t just say Microsoft Office — list the specific software that they are asking for.

To sum up…

  • Write approximately 5 sentences
  • Keep the sentences short, crisp and readable
  • Include your relevant background, skills, values and personality
  • Be specific
  • Use the correct key words, focusing on the priorities of employers

For inspiration, check out the almost 200 sample summaries in Susan Ireland’s resume site.

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Resume Writing Basics – Step 2: Create an easy-to-read resume

Business woman hand typing on laptop keyboardHow you present your resume can be just as important as what you say, if you want to attract the interest of an employer. At first glance, even before even reading the resume, an employer’s impression will be determined based on the appearance of the document: its length, font, neatness, ease of reading and clarity. In this digital age, the challenge is to create a document which is easily read both on a screen (which is how most employers read resumes presently) as well as on paper.

To make the best possible first visual impression with your resume:

1. Create a clear and distinct letterhead at the top of the first page of the resume (not in the document header, since headers are not always visible) which includes:

  • your name  — not necessarily your legal name; it’s more important to provide the name by which you are identified at work
  • your address — most people list their full street address; if you prefer not to do so, at least mention your city and province/state
  • your contact information — cell and home phone and email address
  • additional sources of information about you, such  as a LinkedIn URL, twitter handle or website URL

This letterhead has multiple uses beyond the resume — it can be used on the cover letter that goes with the resume, as well as on the Thank You letter you send after the interview. You can also write your references list which you present to employers at the interview on a letterhead.

2. Make it easy to read: space your lines well (not too densely packed) and neatly, with lots of white space, so not to overwhelm the reader, while still keeping the document to no longer than two pages in length.

3. Keep the formatting simple: don’t overuse the bold or italics, and stay away from underlining all together (underlining makes a word look like a link).

4. Avoid CAPITALIZATION, even for headers; caps look like yelling — and when you capitalize more than two words in a line, it becomes difficult to read.

5. Don’t use images or complicated symbols as bullets on a list; a simple dot or dash is sufficient.

6. Justify/align your spacing to the left — “full” justification sometimes leaves awkward spacing in some lines in a document.

7. Choose a font which is readable both on screen and on paper — consider using a clean, san-sarif font such as  Verdana, Calibri, or Tahoma,and stay away from the predictable, too-often used fonts such as Arial and Times New Roman.

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Resume Writing Basics – Step 1: Overview

Writing in a notebook in front of a laptopAs a vital part of a successful job search, the importance of a resume that is simple, clear and easy to understand should not be underestimated. Often, employers get to read your resume before they meet you, and if it doesn’t catch their attention, that might be the end of your chances to land that job.

Information to be included in a resume

Resumes typically include four main sections:

1. Identifying Information, including your name, address, email, cell/home phone, email address and your LinkedIn URL.

2. Profile or Summary of Qualifications, summarizing your background and listing the best of your assets and achievements.

3. Work History, listing and describing your work history, including job titles, companies, locations and dates, as well as a description of your activities and accomplishments in each job.

4. Education and Training, listing your relevant education, as well as recent skills upgrading.

By way of ending off a resume, candidates often mention that their “References are Available Upon Request“. It is generally recommended that candidates do not include their references in the resume. They will be provided at the interview.

Resume format

Resumes should, typically:

  • Be 1-2 pages long
  • Be well spaced and easy to read
  • Be written in a font that is easy to read on a screen and on paper (preferably not in the standard, uninteresting Times New Roman or Arial fonts), size 10-12, depending on the font type
  • Have short simple economical sentences (without articles such as “a/an” or “the”)
  • Use third person formal language, leaving out pronouns such as “she”, “he” or “they”)
  • Use bullets to list information
  • Not include a photo
  • In Microsoft Word (not PDF, unless specifically specified by an employer)
  • Have 1″ margins all around
  • Be single spaced
  • Be named with the name of the candidate and the word “resume” — e.g. LisaSmithRESUME

Watch this space for the next instalment in the series. 

JVS Toronto Head Office

74 Tycos Drive
Toronto, ON
M6B 1V9

T: 416-787-1151
E: services@jvstoronto.org
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