Positioned at the top of the resume, usually instead of the objective statement (though you can have both at the same time), the summary statement is your small bio or sound-bite and gives the reader a quick and accurate understanding of you and what you can do for them. Being at the top of the resume, the summary statement is likely to be one of the first things the reader will see.

When you construct a summary statement your aim is to provide a short accurate description of yourself and could include some of your skills, experience, areas of expertise, achievements and traits or characteristics.

Even though there is a lot of information that can be included in the summary statement, the most effective ones are very selective in their content, and are focused on the needs of the position.

How to construct a summary statement.

The summary statement needs to convey some very key information in as brief a manner as possible. About three sentences highlighting your strongest attributes focused on the needs of the job. Each sentence can be constructed in a variety of ways. Below are examples of sentences and how each is constructed, you can write as many statements as you like and then choose which ones to include.

Start with:

Who you are and what you can achieve, for example:

Highly competent results oriented project manager experienced at completing large projects within time and budget.

or

Who you are and where you have worked, for example:

Project Manager with 15 years of experience in Education administration with Universities, colleges and further education.

or

Who you are and what you do, For example:

Experienced retail manager, with a passion and successful track record in taking empty retail premises through to opening and establishing a regular loyal customer base.

Then add:

Some of your major knowledge and experiences, for example:

Extensive business process knowledge, technical experience and track record of sustaining HR and Financial systems and applications

or

Some of your people skills, for example:

Utilizes leadership, communication and interpersonal skills to build teams that meet/exceed goals.

or

Some of your technical skills, for example:

Demonstrated skills in formulating business requirements and supporting project documentation, successfully managing project scope, stakeholders, risks and issues.

End with:

Some of your technical skills, for example:

Proficient in MS Office, Internet research, Adobe Photoshop, MAC, and PC.

or

Some of your qualifications, for example:

Master of Business Administration, BA Business and finance, CPA,

Complete summary statement examples:

Project Manager with 15 years of experience in Education administration with Universities, colleges and further education. Extensive business process knowledge, technical experience and track record of sustaining HR and Financial systems and applications. Utilizes leadership, communication and interpersonal skills to build teams that meet/exceed goals. PMP Certified.

or

Highly competent results oriented project manager experienced at completing large projects on time and budget. Demonstrated skills in formulating business requirements and supporting project documentation, successfully managing project scope, stakeholders, risks and issues.

In conclusion, focus on demonstrating in the summary statement that you are the right person for the job and your competency stands out from the crowd

Barry at VirtualJobCoach

http://www.virtualjobcoach.com