How to Write a Professional Summary for Your Resume (With Examples)
Learn how to write a compelling professional summary that grabs attention in seconds. Includes templates and examples for every career level.
Your professional summary is the first thing recruiters read. In 6 seconds, they decide whether to keep reading or move on.
A strong summary hooks them. A weak one loses the job before you even get started.
Here’s how to write a professional summary that works.
What Is a Professional Summary?
A professional summary is a 2-4 sentence paragraph at the top of your resume. It highlights your experience, key skills, and what you bring to the role.
Think of it as your elevator pitch on paper.
It’s NOT:
- An objective statement (“Seeking a challenging position…“)
- A list of soft skills (“Hardworking, detail-oriented team player”)
- Your life story
It IS:
- A snapshot of your professional value
- Tailored to the job you’re applying for
- Backed by specific achievements
The Professional Summary Formula
Use this structure:
[Title/Role] with [X years] experience in [key area]. Proven track record of [major achievement with numbers]. Skilled in [2-3 relevant skills]. Seeking to [what you’ll do for this company].
Examples by Career Level
Entry-Level Professional Summary
Recent marketing graduate with internship experience in digital advertising and content creation. Increased social media engagement by 45% during 6-month internship at StartupXYZ. Proficient in Google Analytics, Canva, and HubSpot. Eager to apply data-driven marketing skills in a fast-paced agency environment.
Mid-Career Professional Summary
Project Manager with 7 years of experience delivering complex software implementations on time and under budget. Led cross-functional teams of up to 15 members, completing 30+ projects totaling $12M in value. PMP certified with expertise in Agile and Waterfall methodologies. Looking to drive operational excellence at a growing tech company.
Senior/Executive Professional Summary
VP of Sales with 15+ years building and scaling high-performance revenue teams in B2B SaaS. Grew ARR from $5M to $45M over 4 years at CloudTech Inc. through strategic account development and sales process optimization. Known for developing talent, with 8 direct reports promoted to leadership roles. Seeking to lead revenue growth at a Series B or C startup.
Career Changer Professional Summary
Former educator transitioning to corporate training with 8 years of experience designing and delivering engaging learning experiences. Created curriculum that improved student test scores by 25%. Skilled in instructional design, public speaking, and learning management systems. Seeking to leverage teaching expertise in an L&D role.
Professional Summary vs. Objective Statement
| Professional Summary | Objective Statement |
|---|---|
| Focuses on what you offer | Focuses on what you want |
| Includes achievements | Lists desires |
| Tailored to the job | Generic |
| Modern standard | Outdated |
Objective (outdated):
“Seeking a challenging marketing position where I can utilize my skills and grow professionally.”
Summary (modern):
“Digital marketer with 4 years of experience driving growth for e-commerce brands. Increased paid ad ROAS by 340% and grew email revenue by $200K annually. Seeking to scale customer acquisition at a DTC brand.”
Common Mistakes to Avoid
1. Being too vague
- Bad: “Experienced professional with strong skills”
- Good: “Sales manager with 5 years closing enterprise deals averaging $150K”
2. Using first person
- Bad: “I am a dedicated project manager…”
- Good: “Project manager with 6 years…”
3. Listing soft skills without proof
- Bad: “Excellent communicator and team player”
- Good: “Presented quarterly reports to C-suite, resulting in $2M budget approval”
4. Making it too long
- Keep it to 3-4 sentences max
- If it’s longer than 50 words, trim it
Quick Template
Fill in the blanks:
[Your title] with [X] years of experience in [industry/specialty]. [Your biggest achievement with a number]. Skilled in [skill 1], [skill 2], and [skill 3]. Seeking to [specific value you’ll bring] at [type of company].
Tailor It Every Time
Your professional summary should change for each application. Pull keywords from the job description and reflect them in your summary.
Applying for a “Customer Success Manager” role? Your summary should mention customer success, retention, or client relationships.
Quick Win: Not sure if your summary matches the job? ReviseCV’s Resume Tailor automatically rewrites your summary to match any job description in 60 seconds.
Key Takeaways
- Lead with your title and years of experience
- Include at least one quantified achievement
- Mention 2-3 skills relevant to the target role
- Keep it under 50 words
- Tailor it for each application
Your summary is prime real estate. Make every word count.
Optimize your professional summary now and see how AI enhances your resume’s opening.