In order to stand out as a top level candidate you need an effective resume summary statement.  If you are confused about what a resume summary is; it’s the actual replacement of the traditional resume objective section. Recruiters now prefer to see a summary that includes powerful key words and phrases that describe you as a professional and help “sell” your unique traits to the company.  This means you only have about 10 seconds to make a positive impression with a recruiter by writing an effective resume summary.

To help you get noticed as a top performance candidate here are some expert tips for writing a great resume summary.

Tip #1 – Call attention to your summary statement

You’ll first want to call attention to your summary statement by positioning it in a centered format directly under your name and contact information. Embolden your overall career title. Then create your summary in standard font size in the next line. Focus your time “above the fold” which means the top half of your resume since this is the area that the majority of recruiters focus on while browsing through piles of resumes.

Tip #2 – Limit your summary to 2 to 3 lines of text

Next your focus will be on creating your summary statement and it will be limited to two to three lines of text on the page. This can be a challenge because you may have many things you’d like to highlight. However you will want to stand out by creating an easy to read summary statement that gets to the point quickly. Remember, that you do not have to use complete sentences and that short phrases work well, so long as they are separated by space or periods.

Tip #3 – Create a bulleted list of 6-9 career abilities

Underneath your summary statement you will create a bulleted list of your career abilities based on industry keywords.  Use a source such as the job advertisement or O*Net to find these keywords.  Focus on tangible and measurable skills that will mean the most to the recruiter.  Remember that this section is also going to be searchable resume scanner software.

Tip #4 – Include a brief testimonial in italics

Now comes the fun part – something that is often forgotten by jobseekers.  In your past and current employment history you’ve probably received recommendations and awards for your performance.  Take the time to create a brief testimonial from one of your recommendations, much like businesses do. Add this in a tabbed line just below your summary statement, as a powerful testimony of your ability to do the job well.

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