Writing a Powerful Summary Statement – 7 Tips

Looking for new work? If you are, then I do not have to tell you how important it is to have an awesome resume. Tailoring our resumes to each new job posting is now a requirement. Recruiters spend less than 60 seconds scanning our resumes. The summary statement is an extremely powerful section. This collection of sentences plays a key role. It determines if the rest of our resume will be read. It determines whether or not we will be interviewed. It determines whether or not we will get the job. OK, it does not determine all that however it does determine if a recruiter will take the time to look at your accomplishments. Recruiters will not get to your great accomplishments with a weak summary statement. So how do you write one that will get noticed? Read on fellow job seekers.

1. Know what they want. Really understand the requirements of the position. Really understand them. Doing this well is the foundation for a great summary statement. Read the posting at least 10 times. Sometimes you can get to the point where you can almost read between the lines of the posting. This is a good spot to be in.
2. Make a list of the requirements and personal qualities. Get a piece of paper and a pen. Sit down and make a list of the requirements. List everything. Then list the personal qualities. Do not leave anything out.
3. Know your competitive advantage. Think about what you will bring to this position. Have you held similar positions in the past? Do you have transferable skills? You need to be very clear about this. Imagine yourself in a waiting room with 10 other job seekers all competing for your desired job. What will you say to the hiring manager? How will you do the job better than your competition? What have you accomplished in previous positions that directly relate to this one?
4. Tie your skills and experience to the position.Having a grasp on exactly what the employer wants and your competitive advantage will help you out here. Make sure that you are a match with the skills and experience. Can you make it so obvious that the recruiter does not have to think? Excellent!
5. Do not be modest. Forget about modesty. Feel good about your accomplishments and do not be shy about including them in your summary statement. This is important because we have a tendency to feel like we may be bragging. Repeat after me It is not bragging. It is not bragging. It is not bragging.
6. Avoid boring words. We all know about those overly used words that we should not include on the resume. These words show up in job postings however do not use them. These tired words will not impress a recruiter.
7. Get some input. Share your resume and job posting with a trusted friend or career counselor. This is a great way to get some valuable feedback. Do this before you send it out.

There you have it, fellow job seekers. Do you have an interesting resume story to share? Let me know.