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How to Write Resume Job Descriptions (With Examples)

How to Write Resume Job Descriptions

Focus on skills and achievements, include keywords, be selective about what you include.

• Prioritize Job Descriptions

Quantify Your Achievements

• Emphasize Accomplishments

Make Your Jobs Sound Better

When you think about job descriptions, it's likely that job ads posted by employers first spring to mind. But the most important job descriptions may be the ones you create yourself when you’re describing past positions on your resume.

These job descriptions show prospective employers what you have accomplished in the positions you've held. They also provide a synopsis of your experience and skills.

Well-written descriptions for each job you have held will help get your resume noticed and selected for interviews.

Here’s advice on writing job descriptions for your resume, what to include, how to quantify and prioritize your accomplishments, and examples.

What's the best way to write attention-grabbing job descriptions? Before you start adding job descriptions to your resume, you may want to make a list of accomplishments at each of your jobs. This will prepare you for writing your resume.

After you have written a job description, look for ways to make your explanation more concise:

• Craft effective impact statements.
• Highlight skills and achievements, providing only enough detail to support your premises.
• Edit out pronouns and articles.
• Begin phrases or sentences with verbs.
• Choose strong words— resume action words  like “initiated” and “supervised” are powerful and show that you’ve made an impact on your team.
• Having short descriptions that focus on the most powerful aspects of your role will help recruiters and hiring managers quickly take in and assess your experience. 

If you are submitting resumes to organizations that add them into  applicant tracking systems  (ATS), include as many industry and job-specific " keywords " as possible. When searching databases for potential candidates, employers seek resumes with the greatest number of "hits" on keywords.

Keywords are most often nouns, e.g., “customer service” or “computer skills.” To use keywords most effectively, be specific, use as many as possible, and sprinkle them throughout your resume. 

Your resume isn’t your entire  work history , and you don’t need to include every duty for each role. Determine the most relevant information by putting yourself in your potential employer's position: Will this information help convince the employer that you are a worthwhile candidate to interview?

You do not have to include every responsibility you ever had. Group together similar tasks. For instance, rather than listing "Answered phones" and "Responded to customer emails" in two bullet points, you can combine and say, "Resolved customer issues through phone, email, and chat conversations."

Prioritize Your Qualifications

Next, think about prioritizing the information you provide in each description. Present details that are of the greatest interest to potential employers first. 

Highlight your most relevant qualifications for the job by listing them first in the job description.

For example, consider a candidate seeking a job in interior design. The resume might reflect a retail experience in which 75% of the candidate's time was spent on the sales floor, and 25% was spent designing window and floor displays. Since the design of window and floor displays is most meaningful to an interior design employer, this should be listed before sales. 

Job Description Example

Sales Associate , Retail USA, New York, NY October 2021 - Present

• Designed all large windows using color as the primary focus.
• Created engaging point-of-purchase displays for slow-moving small items; increased sales of these items by 30%.
• Organized floor displays to maximize space and call attention to the latest merchandise.
• Utilized strong interpersonal and communications skills to serve customers; received employee of the month award twice.

Quantify as much information as you can (numbers, dollar signs, and percentages can all help to make your case). 

For instance, a bullet point that reads "Grew traffic 35% year-over-year" is more impressive—and informative—than one that reads simply "Improved traffic."

Employers like numbers. It's much easier to look at signs and symbols than it is to read words.

Nearly any description, for any job, can be  enhanced through the use of numbers . A waitress might start out with the description, "Took customer orders and delivered food." But a quantified description saying, "Served customers in an upscale 100-seat restaurant," provides much more insight.

Waitress, Maxill's Restaurant,  New York, NY January 2022 - Present

• Provided dining service for patrons at an upscale 100-seat fine dining establishment.
• Served meals, cleared tables, monitored five tables, and provided exceptional customer service to up to 30 customers.
• Trained new waitstaff on POS system, guest services, and restaurant policies and procedures.

Emphasize Accomplishments Over Responsibilities

It's important for employees to know you have the necessary experience to do the work required in the position. Still, many candidates will have this relevant experience.

To stand out, emphasize how you added value. Focus on accomplishments, rather than responsibilities.

As seen above, numbers can be your friend when it comes to  highlighting your accomplishments in your resume . As well, numbers provide context. For instance, you might say, "Increased revenue by 5%, after several years of decreasing sales."

Or, rather than saying, "Answered phone calls and dealt with customer concerns," you can say, "Resolved customer concerns, answering approximately 10 calls per hour. Became go-to person on the team for dealing with the toughest phone calls and most challenging complaints."

Employers want to know what you accomplished. Make it easy for them to see what you've done by using numbers and percentages.

While it is important to keep descriptions short, adding details and context can help show employers why you'd be a good match for the position. 

Customer Service Associate,  ABD Company March 2020 - August 2021

• Resolved customer concerns efficiently and expeditiously, answering approximately 300 calls per week.
• Achieved 100% of call performance goals for accuracy, speed, volume, resolution of issues, and customer satisfaction.
• Nominated for employee-of-the-month four times for excellent attitude and exemplary customer service skills.

There are easy ways to jazz up your resume job descriptions to  make your jobs sound super impressive . A few simple tweaks here and there can make your resume much better.

Key Takeaways

• Spend some time writing the job descriptions on your resume, since potential employers will read them carefully. 
• Focus on relevant skills and accomplishments—be choosy about the information you include, and place the most relevant information at the top of the job description. 
• Rather than simply listing out tasks, focus on what you've accomplished in each role, incorporating attention-grabbing numbers and percentages. 

How to Tailor Your Resume Job Description (With Examples)

Customers Interviewed by:

Over 80% of job listings require, or strongly prefer, relevant professional work experience.

This means your resume job description needs to provide what the hiring manager is looking for. If it doesn’t, you won’t get an interview.

The problem is that most job-seekers only create one resume that they send out with every application. This saves time but the same resume is unlikely to satisfy the requirements of all the jobs you’re applying to.

To get more job interviews, you need to tailor your resume to each position. This article will show you exactly how to do that so you can increase your chances of landing your dream job.

What is a resume job description?

Your resume job description section is where you list your work history . Begin with your most recent job and work your way backward, listing previous positions in reverse chronological order.

This section is the most important part of your resume because it tells hiring managers whether you’re qualified for the role you’re applying to.

Your job description should contain the following:

• Job title 
• Company name 
• Company location 
• Dates of employment 
• Job responsibilities
• Measurable accomplishments

Your job responsibilities are the duties you’re expected to perform. They include things like answering phones, writing articles, managing a team, handling customer complaints, selling products, and entering data.

But a powerful resume job description doesn’t stop at listing job responsibilities – it also provides measurable accomplishments .

A measurable accomplishment is an achievement that you can describe with numbers or metrics.

While job responsibilities tell hiring managers what you did, measurable accomplishments tell them how well you did it.

Here are some examples of measurable accomplishments:

• Increased sales revenue by 25% in the first half of the year.
• Reduced customer complaints by 40% over a 12-month period.
• Led a team that completed a project 3 weeks ahead of schedule.
• Improved operational efficiency, resulting in a 15% reduction in costs.
• Grew the company’s social media following by 10,000 users in just 6 months.

It’s always a good idea to use bullet points to describe your responsibilities and accomplishments. This breaks down your information into easily-scanned digestible chunks.

Begin your bullet points with action verbs . These highlight your hands-on experience and make your resume more interesting to read.

Here’s an example of what a resume job description should look like:

The goal of your job description is to be concise and scannable while providing enough detailed information to give the hiring manager a good idea of your experience and skills.

Why should you tailor your resume job description?

Most companies today use computer software to help them hire employees. This software is called an applicant tracking system , or ATS .

When you send in your resume, it goes right into an ATS database. Hiring managers search the database for suitable resumes by typing keywords into the ATS search bar. These keywords are usually job titles and the skills needed for the job.

If your resume contains these keywords, it will be seen by the hiring manager. If your resume doesn’t contain these keywords, it will remain hidden in the database.

The point is this: The keywords a hiring manager will type into the ATS search bar will vary from job to job. By tailoring each resume for the specific job you’re applying to, you’ll increase the chances that a hiring manager will find it and offer you an interview.

How do you find relevant keywords?

At this point, you might be wondering, “How do I know which keywords the hiring manager will search for?”

The answer is simple. You can find the keywords in the job listing.

To tailor your resume, first read the listing of the job you’re applying to. Highlight the skills that are mentioned most often. Then, if you have those skills, add them to your resume.

There’s only one problem: Tailoring each resume takes time and effort. Which is why most job seekers don’t do it.

How to tailor your resumes faster and more effectively

There are now online tools available that make tailoring each resume much easier.

For example, Jobscan’s resume scanner uses AI-powered technology to analyze your resume against the job listing. It then tells you exactly how to tailor your resume for that particular job.

Jobscan’s resume scanner works like this:

Step 1 : Paste your resume into the scanner:

Step 2 : Paste the job listing into the scanner.

Step 3 : Click “Scan” or “Power Edit” (Premium users only).

The scanner runs over 30 checks on your resume and presents you with a score. The score tells you how well your resume is optimized for that particular job.

You’ll also learn exactly which keywords you need to add to your resume to increase your score.

Here’s an example of a score and keyword suggestions:

The keywords with red circles are missing from this resume. By adding them, you’ll boost your score.

For even faster resume optimization, try our Power Edit feature (available to Jobscan Premium users). Power Edit uses advanced AI technology for a smarter, more streamlined resume-tailoring experience.

For example, Power Edit can show you how to seamlessly integrate missing keywords into your resume. Just click on a missing keyword and you’ll be presented with multiple phrase suggestions you can choose from:

Power Edit can also help you  generate cover letters , optimize your  LinkedIn profile , and  track your job applications .

7 tips for for tailoring your resume

Writing a tailored resume job description that gets past the ATS and attracts recruiters is achievable. Here’s how you do it:

1. Use the top half of your resume’s first page

Together with your contact information and resume summary , your job description is one of the first things recruiters and hiring managers read in your resume. 

Since recruiters only spend around seven seconds before they either rule you out or move you to the next round, it is imperative that you put your job description section in the top half of your resume. 

2. Check the specific job listing of the position

Go line by line through the job listing and ask yourself these questions:

• “Does my resume job description section clearly state that I can do what’s required of this role?”
• “Am I using the same language found in the job listing?”
• “Have I highlighted any achievements or experiences that directly align with the key responsibilities or qualifications mentioned in the job listing?”

By doing this, you might find missing skills and keywords you should try adding to your resume to make it less generic.

3. Be specific

You need to tell the hiring manager exactly what you did at your previous or current employers. The best way to do this is to be specific.

Begin each resume job description with essential information about the job and company: your official job title, the name and address of the company, and the period in which you worked there. 

4. Match skills and keywords from the job listing

Mirroring the language, keywords , and buzzwords found within the job listing is the easiest way to demonstrate you’re a better match than the competition. 

To ensure that your resume can be found in the ATS, take words from the job listing and strategically place them in your job description and other resume sections.

But make sure you don’t stuff your resume with too many keywords.

5. Write your job title clearly

Recruiters will first search for people who have done the job before, so list your job titles clearly.

If you haven’t held the job before, mention it as part of your resume summary. Match your job title to the one in the job listing when possible.

6. Quantify your achievements

Be selective about what you include. Place an emphasis on accomplishments over job responsibilities. 

Use numbers and action verbs to describe your role and responsibilities. Numbers show how well you did your job. Action verbs make your resume more vibrant and interesting to read.

7. Do not lie

Emphasizing or deemphasizing your resume skills is not the same as lying on your resume (which we definitely don’t suggest).

Few applicants have every skill and meet every qualification. Tailoring your resume is about making sure hiring managers notice the ones you do have.

Examples of tailored resume job descriptions

In the examples below, the first part is the job listing with the relevant keywords highlighted. This is followed by a tailored resume job description for that listing. Finally, we’ll tell you why this job description works.

1. Sales manager job listing

Sales manager resume job description

Why this resume job description works:

• It clearly and specifically outlines key responsibilities and top achievements.
• It used metrics to show how the candidate seeks to constantly improve their leadership and communication skills . 
• It touches on the candidate’s experience with leading a sales team, which is a key attribute the company is looking for. 
• It matches the keywords found in the job listing.

2. Accountant job listing

Accountant resume job description

• It uses number to show how the candidate was able to cut costs and develop internal controls.
• It mentions which software the candidate knows how to use. Recruiters might filter candidates by specifying the type of software the company uses. 
• It includes the keywords GAAP and FASB but also spells them out. This is smart because there is no knowing whether recruiters will filter their search using the long-form or the acronym of a specific skill.

3. SEO specialist job listing

SEO specialist resume job description

• It matches keywords with what is in the job description. Some of the relevant keywords are incorporated in the Content Writer experience.
• It quantifies achievements, like the increase in website traffic.
• Everything is well-thought-out, concise, and specific.

4. Executive assistant job listing

Executive assistant resume job description

• It quantifies key achievements. 
• It mentions the number of supervisors that the candidate worked closely with and supported.
• It matches the skills in the job listing (e.g. attention to detail, organizational skills , interpersonal skills ).

5. Customer service job listing

Customer service resume job description

• It matches relevant keywords and skills found in the job description.
• It mentions that the candidate was Top Customer Service Representative of the year for five consecutive years.
• It includes a quantified key achievement.

How your resume job descriptions help you get more interviews

Here are three ways a well-written resume job description moves the needle in your job search:

• It establishes your credibility with prospective employers and shows them what you bring to the table.
• It is an advertisement for your abilities, experiences, accomplishments, growth potential, and career trajectory. 
• It shows that when hired, you can immediately start the ball rolling without much hand-holding and training.

To increase the chances that your resume will be found by a hiring manager, make sure you tailor it to the listing of the job you’re applying to. Tailoring your resume takes time and effort but it’s definitely worth it.

To speed up the process, try an online tool like Jobscan’s resume scanner . It will tell exactly what to do to fully optimize your resume for each position. The result is an AI resume that’s fully compatible with applicant tracking systems.

Key Takeaways

Your resume job description is a critical part of your resume. Use this real estate to prove to recruiters that you have what it takes to do the job right. When creating your job descriptions, be sure to:

• Include quantified achievements and specific responsibilities.
• Tailor your work experience section to the job listing of the position you are applying for. 
• Customize your resume for every job application you are submitting.
• Optimizing your resume to the specific job will help you get past the ATS and land your dream job.
• Try Jobscan’s resume scanner so you don’t miss out on the specific skills and accomplishments recruiters and hiring managers are looking for.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What does it mean to tailor your resume to the job listing.

Tailoring your resume involves taking the skills and responsibilities in the job listing and incorporating them into your resume job description.

What is the best resume job description format?

Your resume job description should be in the reverse chronological order format . This means you start with your most recent job and work backwards.

How far back should your resume work experience section go?

For most industries, you can list the past 10 to 15 years of your work history on your resume. 

How do you describe your work experience on a resume?

Include your official job title, the name and address of the previous company, and the time period in which you worked there.

What are technical, or hard skills, on your resume?

Hard skills are one of the most important resume keywords. These are technical skills learned through experience or training (e.g. project management, knowledge of software, data analysis). Match hard skills verbatim to the job listing when possible.

Which skills should you include in your job description for your resume?

Pay special attention to the skills mentioned first or multiple times. Start each new job entry with the skills and qualifications that are found in the job listing, even if they weren’t the most important part of your day-to-day responsibilities. 

How do you tailor your resume for a career change?

Follow the same process of leading with keywords from the job listing in your career change resume . Chances are, many skills from your previous career will be transferable to your new one. Be sure to provide context and translate phrases to match the job listing’s preferred terminology when needed. 

The summary section of your resume is going to be your best friend when seeking to change careers. This area of a resume is your opportunity to explain your expertise and how your existing skills will make you a great candidate for this new career.

How do you tailor your resume if you are a recent graduate with no experience?

If you recently graduated and don’t have experience to share on your resume, you can include volunteer work , projects, and internships.

If you are building your resume from scratch, try Jobscan’s resume builder . It’s 100% free and will help you create an ATS-friendly resume. It also allows you to scan your resume for missing keywords.

What are other tips on how to tailor your resume to the job listing?

• A generic resume is about you while a tailored resume makes it about them (and they all want it to be about them).
• Using bullet points instead of big paragraphs on your resume will make your resume easier to skim.
• Use color on your section headings to enhance your resume’s appearance.
• Corporate recruiters prefer to see skills in context. If they see a skill on your resume, they need to understand how and why you used it.
• Describe your accomplishments using data when possible with dollar amounts, percentages, or other measurables to prove your effectiveness.
• Tailoring your resume is also about removing information that distracts from your top hard and soft skills . Look at every line on your resume through the lens of, “Is this necessary to prove I’m a great fit for this job?”

Get help tailoring your resume

Manually tailoring your resume takes a lot of work. That’s why Jobscan created tools that speed up this process.

With Power Edit , the most important skills and keywords missing from your resume update as you work. 

Simply upload your resume, paste the job description, follow the keyword and formatting suggestions, watch your resume score go up, then export your tailored resume.

Do dynamic resume tailoring, ATS optimization , and formatting all in one place with Power Edit . For a closer look, check out this video .

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How to Write Resume Job Description [+ Examples]

• April 18, 2024
• In Resumes & Cover Letters

A well-written resume job description goes far beyond a dull list of jobs and duties. In fact, a strong presentation of your knowledge and achievements can increase your chances of landing the job. Primarily, your resume job description should offer insight into your value as an employee. With these 7 tips, you will learn how to write compelling job descriptions that grab the recruiter’s attention and open doors to new career opportunities.

Why is a job description important to an employer

A resume job description is incredibly important for several reasons:

• Establishing Credibility : A well-written job description in your resume establishes your credibility with prospective employers. It showcases what you bring to the table and why you are the perfect match for the job.
• Demonstrating Readiness for the Role : A strong job description shows recruiters and prospective employers that you can immediately start contributing without much hand-holding or training. It conveys that you have the necessary skills and experience to hit the ground running.
• Optimizing for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) : Tailoring your resume job description to the specific job you are applying for is crucial. Many companies use ATS to scan and rank resumes based on keywords and skills. By optimizing your job description with specific skills and keywords, you increase your chances of getting noticed by the system and advancing in the hiring process.
• Standing Out from Other Candidates : A well-crafted job description that aligns with the requirements of the position can help you stand out from other candidates. By highlighting your achievements and showcasing how your skills match the job description, you can make a strong impression on hiring managers.

In summary, a resume job description is essential for establishing credibility, showcasing your abilities, demonstrating readiness for the role, optimizing for ATS, and standing out from other candidates. By tailoring your job description to the specific job you are applying for and highlighting your achievements, you increase your chances of securing an interview and landing the job.

How to write an effective resume job description

Writing effective job descriptions in your resume is crucial for showcasing your skills, experiences, and accomplishments to potential employers. Here are some tips on how to write a resume job description:

Step 1: Include relevant information

Start the job description section at the top half of the first page of your resume. Include the job title, company name, location, dates of employment, and a brief overview of your responsibilities and achievements.

Step 2: Highlight accomplishments

 Instead of simply listing your job duties, focus on your measurable accomplishments and the impact you made in each role. Use specific examples and quantify your achievements whenever possible. This helps employers understand the value you can bring to their organization.

Step 3: Use concise language

 Craft impactful statements by using strong action verbs and removing unnecessary pronouns and articles. Begin phrases or sentences with verbs to make your descriptions more engaging and dynamic. Choose words that demonstrate your skills and show that you have made a positive impact in your previous roles.

Step 4: Tailor descriptions to the job

 Customize your job descriptions to align with the requirements and responsibilities of the position you are applying for. Highlight relevant skills and experiences that directly relate to the job you are seeking.

Step 5: Follow a reverse chronological order

Start with your most recent or current job and work backward in time. This format is commonly used and helps employers easily understand your career progression.

Step 6: Always use bullet points

Use bullet points to showcase the responsibilities and achievements for each previous job. Bullet points should be concise and to the point. They do not require long sentences or punctuation.

Including relevant keywords in resume job descriptions

Including relevant keywords in resume job descriptions is crucial for catching the attention of hiring managers and applicant tracking systems (ATS) that scan resumes.

• Review the job posting : Carefully analyze the job posting or job description of the position you are applying for. Identify keywords and phrases that are frequently mentioned and align with the requirements of the role.
• Identify core skills and qualifications : Identify the core skills, qualifications, and experience necessary for the job. These could include technical skills, industry-specific knowledge, certifications, or soft skills. Incorporate these keywords naturally into your job descriptions.
• Quantify achievements : Whenever possible, quantify your achievements and provide specific results or metrics. This not only makes your resume more impactful but also helps incorporate keywords. 
• Avoid keyword stuffing : While it’s important to include keywords, avoid overloading your resume with them. Use keywords naturally and in context, ensuring that your descriptions flow smoothly and remain focused on your accomplishments and responsibilities.

By including the right keywords, you increase the chances of your resume standing out and passing through ATS screenings.

Resume job description examples

Resume job descriptions are an essential part of your resume, as they provide specific details about your previous jobs and experiences. Including accurate and well-written job descriptions can help highlight your skills, achievements, and qualifications to potential employers. Here are some examples of resume job descriptions:

#1. Customer Service Job Description Example

Customer Service Associate, Timmy’s Retail, Columbus, Ohio January 2011 – March 2016

• Emphasized customer satisfaction by resolving circa 170 customer queries every week.
• Spearheaded weekly strategy meetings and suggested a new ticketing system that decreased response time by 23%.
• Named employee of the month 24 times for proactive attitude and high customer satisfaction.

#2. Executive Assistant Job Description Sample

Executive Assistant, BrightWay Inc., Boston, Massachusetts September 2017 – November 2020

• Developed and implemented a new filing system that increased productivity and saved up to 1 hour’s work daily.
• Realized $2800 in monthly savings by reducing unneeded expenses and finding better deals for office supplies.

#3. Front Office Job Description Sample

Front Office Receptionist, Lilly & Co, New York , New York May 2018 – November 2023

• Implemented a new appointment scheduling system, resulting in a 23% increase in efficiency and a cost savings of $7,500 per year.
• Providing support with various administrative tasks, which may include organizing files, entering data, and preparing documents.
• Providing general information to visitors and clients.
• Assisting with event planning and coordination.

#4. Project Manager Job Description Sample

Project Manager, Nordisk, Columbus, Ohio Jun 2019 – November 2023

• Designed an accelerated program roadmap, saving 25% on expenditures and delivering completed implementation three months ahead of schedule
• Directed a $2M corporate headquarters relocation project, delivering target outcomes on time and under budget
• Coordinating internal resources and third-party vendors to ensure the seamless completion of projects.

#5. Sales Manager  Job Description Sample

Sales Manager, Blue Hill Holdings, New York, New York July 2015 – December 2020

• Trained and onboarded 13 sales agents, 11 of whom are still a part of the company
• Increased annual sales revenue by 18% through the usage of a new sales system
• Utilized strong negotiation and communication skills to sign new clients, exceeding monthly sales goals by 34%

#6.  Supervisor Job Description Sample

Supervisor, Honeywell Gropup, New York , New York September 2017 – November 2023

• Led a team that successfully completed a project three weeks ahead of schedule, resulting in cost savings of $87,000.
• Successfully completed specialized projects, such as implementing a new customer service system that resulted in a 27% increase in customer satisfaction ratings.
• Coach, resolve issues, and provide guidance and support for individual development needs.

#7. Teacher Job Description Example

Teacher, Manhattan Upper School September 2017 – November 2020

• Developed and implemented lesson plans based on curriculum guidelines.
• Delivered engaging and interactive lessons to students.
• Assessed student performance and provided feedback and grades.
• Communicated with parents/guardians regarding student progress and behavior.

A strong resume job description aims to demonstrate the value and expertise that make you the perfect fit for the job. By following the tips above, you will create an impactful job description that will impress the recruiter and help you stand out.

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100 Good Skills to Put on a Resume [Complete Guide]

Jeff Gillis 0 Comments

By Jeff Gillis

Updated 6/4/2022.

When you’re adding skills to a resume, you don’t just want to focus on what you’re good at. Instead, relevancy has to be part of the equation. After all, every job you’re trying to land requires a very specific skill set, one that you need to show that you have.

Choosing the skills to put on a resume when you’re applying to a role isn’t something you should do haphazardly. Instead, you want to use the job description, company mission, and company values as a guide, creating a sense of alignment.

Additionally, it never hurts to have a handy list of skills by your side, making it easier to explore your options. So, if you’re on the hunt for good skills to put on a resume, here’s what you need to know.

Hard Skills vs. Soft Skills

There are two basic types of skillsets that a job seeker can have and include on their resume: hard skills or soft skills.

Hard skills are the skills or abilities for a resume that are easily quantifiable…that can be learned through classroom work, apprenticeships, or other forms of learning. These include things like operating tools, computer programming, speaking foreign languages, or different kinds of technical prowess.

Soft skills are more subjective and harder to quantify and are often grouped together by what we know as “people skills.” Some examples of soft skills include communication, relationship building, self-awareness, and patience.

Which Skills Are More Important?

The debate rages on about which of these two types of skills is more important.

According to executive consultant and Forbes contributor Naz Beheshti , “…There is an ongoing debate about the relative importance of soft and hard skills that imply a competition between the two. However, they are both necessary and complementary to one another.”

On the one hand, job seekers with proficiency in a specific hard skill may get hired more quickly. Many employers want to hire people that can deliver value with fewer resources (ex., the need for training, etc.), making hard skills their priority.

However, we are also seeing that many hiring managers are choosing to hire candidates with highly developed soft skills.

In the end, as Indeed puts it, “soft skills are necessary to create a positive and functional work environment.” Plus, hiring managers feel that they can always train the candidate in the hard skill that is required to complete the job, but soft skills are often skills that cannot necessarily be taught.

So, what does this mean for you? Mainly that you can’t simply just pick one or the other and cross your fingers. Instead, the best strategy is to take a balanced approach and make sure that your resume contains both hard and soft skills.

How Do You Choose the Skills to List on a Resume?

Here’s the deal; there’s a good chance you know what you’re good at in a professional sense. Often, you can use your experience, duties, training, and education as a guide, giving you a strong foundation. Then, it’s about diving a bit deeper, looking at traits that could help you stand out, and comparing it all to the job description.

By using a simple process, you can make progress faster. Here’s a quick way to get started.

1. Make a List of the Skills You Know You Have

As mentioned above, the easiest way to get a grip on your current skills is to reflect on your academic and professional experiences. Consider the tasks you’ve taken on, the training you’ve completed, and the courses you had in school. In most cases, that’ll give you some solid ideas about your hard skills.

After that, it’s time for soft skills. Here, you want to think of traits or capabilities that help you engage with others and navigate professional relationships. Often, these are reflections of your personality, so use that as a jumping-off point.

2. “Mine” the Job Descriptions for Must-Have Skills

The next step is to take a look at the job description for the position you are applying for and make a list of the required skills it includes. Then, compare it to your capabilities. Are any of the skills on both of the lists you just created? If so, these are must-haves for your resume.

Now, notice if there are any skills on the job description that you don’t have. If there aren’t any, great!

But if there are…don’t panic. There are things you can do, which we’ll dig into shortly.

If you’re dealing with a vague job description, you aren’t stuck either. Here is a link to a ton of job descriptions that can give you an idea of the skills needed.

3. Tailor Your Skills to the Company/Position

As you may have read in our other blog articles, it is always very important to “tailor” your resume to the company and position you want to land. For an in-depth look into how to make that happen, check out our Tailoring Method article. 

If you want a quick overview, the idea is to focus on capabilities the company wants to find. Every job requires a unique skill set, and you want to show you have it. As a result, it is absolutely essential that skills from the job description make an appearance on your resume.

However, you also want to dig deeper. Spend some more time researching the company, including going through all of their various web properties, such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube pages.

Why? Because they will leave clues about the types of people they hire. That gives you more ideas about the best skills to put on a resume to land a job there, particularly when it comes to soft skills you may not find in a job description.

100 Resume Skills Examples

If you’re struggling with coming up with a list of skills based on your past experience, it can be easier if you have existing resume skills lists to work with. You don’t have to think up every possible skill; you can simply review the list and find the matches.

Here is a list of resume skills examples, divided into hard skills and soft skills, that you can use when applying for a job.

Hard Skills for a Resume

• Advanced Bookkeeping
• Appointment Setting
• Automotive Repair
• Cold Calling
• Computer Programming
• Conversion Testing
• Copywriting
• Customer Engagement
• Customer Service
• Data Analysis
• Digital Marketing
• Electrical Engineering
• Environmental Cleanup
• Forklift Operating
• Graphic Design
• Heavy Machinery Operation
• Installation
• Landscaping
• Mathematics
• Medical Coding
• Paid Online Traffic
• Patient Care
• Photo Editing
• Picking and Packing
• Project Management
• Schedule Management
• Search Engine Optimization
• Server Maintenance
• Social Media
• Spanish Fluency
• Statistical Analysis
• Systems Analysis
• Technical Support
• Telecommunications Systems
• Travel Booking
• Video Editing
• Website Design
• Word Processing

Soft Skills for a Resume

• Accountability
• Active Listening
• Adaptability
• Brainstorming
• Business Etiquette
• Collaboration
• Communication
• Conflict Resolution
• Contextualizing
• Critical Thinking
• Decision Making
• Emotional Intelligence
• Flexibility
• Goal-Setting
• Handling Pressure
• Influencing
• Insightfulness
• Interpreting
• Negotiation
• Open-Mindedness
• Organization
• Prioritization
• Problem Solving
• Relationship Building
• Reliability
• Resource Management
• Responsibility
• Self-Confidence
• Strategical Thinking
• Strong Work Ethic
• Time Management

What If I Don’t Have the Required Skill?

Whether you need to possess a specific skill depends on the job and the skill in question. Usually, here’s where you have to be honest with yourself. If the skills required are part of the core competencies of doing the job, you may want to reconsider your application.

For example, if a golf course posts a job posting for a golf pro, you probably shouldn’t apply if you’ve never swung a golf club.

However, you will come across situations where what you bring to the table is close. In this case, moving forward might be okay.

You need to be able to demonstrate, using examples from your past, that you are capable of doing the required skill, even if you haven’t specially done it. So, go over your work history with a fine-tooth comb and try to come up with a few examples of you doing something in the right ballpark.

They are going to ask about it in your interview, so don’t think you can just wing it, and everything will be fine.

Also, many job descriptions have “nice-to-have” skills on the list. If you happen to possess them, great. But if not, don’t assume you shouldn’t apply if you have the must-have skills. In the end, those capabilities aren’t outright requirements, so don’t screen yourself out based on them.

How To List Skills on a Resume

There are a few different schools of thought when it comes to deciding where to put (or how to list) the skills on your resume.

According to our friends over at online resume-builder Zety.com , “…skills are so very, very important that they should show up all over your resume. Not just in the resume skills section.” In other words, it is imperative that there are elements of your skills throughout your resume, including your resume objective/summary and experience sections.

In addition, there isn’t one right answer for where to include your skill section because that depends on the industry, company, and position you’re trying to land. For example, for a job where technical competencies are of the utmost importance, it is often beneficial to list the skills closer to the top of the resume, right underneath the resume objective or resume summary statement.

However, if through your research you determine that the hiring manager will put more weight into your experience, you may want to lead with your experience. Then, put the skills section further down your resume.

At the end of the day, the selection of the skills themselves is the most important thing. After all, most hiring managers will easily find your skill section regardless of where it is on your resume.

What About Skills for My Job Application?

When you’re looking for skills to put on a job application, you do have to treat it a little differently than skills for a resume. Usually, you’re working with a finite amount of space on an application, not just in an overall sense but in each applicable section.

Since that’s the case, you need to lean heavily on the job description. Look for any capabilities that are listed as must-haves or that are repeated through the job ad. Then, make sure those skills are featured prominently in several areas, including in work history descriptions and skills areas.

If you have to answer essay questions, discuss those skills there, too, whenever possible. Use any other relevant capability as a supplement, treating it as supporting information instead of the primary point you’re sharing.

However, if an essay question asks about a skill that’s not in the job description, feel free to dig in a bit. It’s a capability that’s clearly on the hiring manager’s mind, so touch on it occasionally to show you shine in that area.

Putting It All Together

If you were wondering, “What are some good skills to put on a resume?” you should now have a solid answer. The most important thing to remember is to select skills that are relevant to the position you are interviewing for and, more important than that, skills that your company puts a tremendous amount of value in.

Once you get your skills straightened out, you should make sure that the rest of your resume is congruent with the skills you just selected, namely, that your experience shows that you both used those skills in a work environment and developed the skill with on-the-job tasks.

Co-founder and CTO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Jeff is a featured contributor delivering advice on job search, job interviews and career advancement, having published more than 50 pieces of unique content on the site , with his work being featured in top publications such as INC , ZDnet , MSN and more.

Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

About The Author

Jeff gillis.

Co-founder and CTO of TheInterviewGuys.com. Jeff is a featured contributor delivering advice on job search, job interviews and career advancement, having published more than 50 pieces of unique content on the site , with his work being featured in top publications such as INC , ZDnet , MSN and more. Learn more about The Interview Guys on our About Us page .

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24 Resume Summary Examples That Get Interviews

By Biron Clark

Published: November 8, 2023

Biron Clark

Writer & Career Coach

A resume summary statement usually comes right after a job seeker’s contact info and before other resume sections such as skills and work experience. It provides employers with a brief overview of a candidate’s career accomplishments and qualifications before they read further. Because of how early it appears on the document, your resume summary statement (or your CV “profile” in the UK) is one of the first places recruiters and employers look. And without the right information, they’ll doubt that you’re qualified and may move to another resume.

So I got in touch with a select group of professional resume writers, coaches and career experts to get their best resume summary examples you can use and adapt to write a resume summary that stands out and gets interviews.

As a former recruiter myself, I’ll also share my best tips to write your resume summary effectively.

Why the Resume/CV Summary is Important

You may have heard that recruiters only spend 8-10 seconds looking at your resume. The truth is: they spend that long deciding whether to read more. They do glance that quickly at first and may move on if your background doesn’t look like a fit. However, if you grab their attention, they’ll read far more. Recruiters aren’t deciding to interview you in 8-10 seconds, but they are ruling people out in 8-10 seconds. And this is why your resume summary is so crucial. It appears high up on your resume (usually right after your header/contact info) and is one of the first sections employers see. So it’s part of what they’ll see in the first 8-10 seconds.

Your resume summary statement is one of your first (and one of very few) chances to get the employer to stop skimming through their pile of resumes and focus on YOU.

Watch: Resume Summary Examples That Get Interviews

10 resume summary examples:.

These career summary examples will help you at any experience level – whether you’re writing a professional summary after a long executive career, or writing your first resume summary without any experience! After you finish this article you’re NEVER going to have to send out a limp, weak resume summary statement again (and you’ll get far more interviews  because of it).

1. Healthcare Sales Executive Resume Summary Example:

Turnaround & Ground Up Leadership – Concept-to-execution strategies for untapped products, markets + solutions that yield 110% revenue growth – Negotiates partnerships with leading distributors + hospitals—Medline to Centara + Novant Health to Mayo Clinic –  Revitalizes underperforming sales organizations via scalable, sustainable infrastructures emulated as best practice –  C-Level networks of clinical + supply chain leadership acquired during tenures with XXX, XXX and XXX

Why this resume summary is good:

This resumes summary example’s strength lies in the detailed, unique information that has been included. By including revenue stats, names of past employers and partners, the reader right away sees that this person will bring to the role a strong networking ability with key players in his industry, and more importantly can build, grow and revitalize a sales organization, market or product.

By:  Virginia Franco, Founder of Virginia Franco Resumes  and Forbes contributor.

2. 15+ Year Business Owner Resume Summary Statement:

Dynamic and motivated marketing professional with a proven record of generating and building relationships, managing projects from concept to completion, designing educational strategies, and coaching individuals to success. Skilled in building cross-functional teams, demonstrating exceptional communication skills, and making critical decisions during challenges. Adaptable and transformational leader with an ability to work independently, creating effective presentations, and developing opportunities that further establish organizational goals.

Why this is a good summary section:

This is a resume summary statement that was for  a candidate returning to work after having her own business for 15+ years. Because of this, we needed to emphasize her soft skills and what she can bring to this potential position. In addition, we highlighted the skills she has honed as a business owner so that she can utilize these qualifications as a sales professional, account manager , and someone knowledgeable about nutrition, medicine, and the overall sales process.

By: Dr. Heather Rothbauer-Wanish. MBA, Ph.D., CPRW, and Founder of Feather Communications

3. Human Resources Generalist Resume Summary Example:

Human Resources Generalist with progressive experience managing employee benefits & compliance, employee hiring & onboarding, performance management processes, licensure tracking and HR records. Dependable and organized team player with the ability to communicate effectively and efficiently. Skilled at building relationships with employees across all levels of an organization. Proficient with HRIS, applicant tracking and benefits management.

Why this is a good resume summary:

The applicant highlights their experience across a wide range of HR functions from the very first sentence, and continues this pattern throughout the rest of the summary. They then use easily digestible langue to showcase their hard skills (in the first & fourth sentences) and soft skills (in the second & third sentences). They also integrate a variety of keywords to get past automated job application systems , without sounding spammy or without overdoing it.

By: Kyle Elliott, MPA/CHES,  Career Coach and Consultant

4. Social Media Marketing CV Profile Example (UK):

Social media expert with successes in the creation and management of social media strategies and campaigns for global retail organisations. Extensive experience in the commercial utilisation of multiple social media channels including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube; I build successful social strategies that increase brand awareness, promote customer engagement and ultimately drive web traffic and conversions.

Why this summary is good:

This summary is well-written, short, sharp, and gives recruiters a high-level explanation of the candidate’s core offerings in a persuasive and punchy style. A quick scan of this profile tells you the exact type of social media platforms the candidate is an expert in, as well as the campaigns they have experience running and types of organizations they have worked for. Most importantly, the summary is rounded off by showing the results that this person achieves for their employers, such as increased web traffic and conversions.

Editor’s note: This CV profile summary was written for the UK market… this is a great one to use/copy, but make sure you put it through a spell-checker if you’re applying for jobs in the US (utilisation vs. utilization, etc.)

By: Andrew Fennell, Director at StandOut CV , contributor for The Guardian and Business Insider

5. Marketing Manager Professional Summary Example:

Marketing Manager with over eight years of experience. Proven success in running email marketing campaigns and implementing marketing strategies that have pulled in a 20% increase in qualified leads. Proficient in content, social media and inbound marketing strategies. Skilled, creative and innovative.

This resume summary stands out because it gets straight to the point. By immediately introducing the number of years of experience the candidate has, the HR manager doesn’t need to spend time adding up years. The candidate also jumps right into his or her strongest skill, provides a statistic , then gives additional skills.

By: Sarah Landrum, career expert and contributor at Entrepreneur.com and Forbes

6. Warehouse Supervisor Resume Summary Example:

Warehouse Supervisor with Management, Customer Service, & Forklift Experience –  Dependable manager with 15+ years of experience in warehouse management and employee supervision. –  Skilled at managing inventory control, shipping & receiving, customer relations and safety & compliance. –  Certified Power Equipment Trainer, Forklift Operator and Reach Operator skilled at coaching other staff. –  Promoted to positions of increased responsibility given strong people and project management skills.

The applicant was applying for a warehouse supervisor position that required them to have demonstrated management, customer service and forklift experience. As such, the applicant showcased their experience in these areas with a few keywords in the title, followed by additional details in the accompanying bullet points. Their final bullet shows a record of promotions, while reinforcing the applicant’s customer service and project management skills.

7. IT Project Manager Resume Summary Example:

Experienced Project Manager with vast IT experience. Skills include computer networking, analytical thinking and creative problem solving. Able to apply customer service concepts to IT to improve user experience for clients, employees and administration.

Because this candidate is switching career paths, it’s important he or she take skills used for previous positions and apply those skills to the new job listing. This is a great example because the candidate makes it clear that his or her experience is not in the new field, but that they are still able to bring relevant experience to the table. When writing your resume summary, keep these tips in mind: Use writing that is straight to the point, clear and concise, you’ll have a higher chance of getting noticed by the hiring manager.

8. Career-Changer Resume Summary Example:

Earn trust, uncover key business drivers and find common ground as chief negotiator and identifier of revenue opportunities in sales, leadership and account management roles spanning e-Commerce, air travel and high-tech retail. Navigate cultural challenges while jumping time zones, lead international airline crews and manage corporate accounts to deliver an exceptional customer experience. A self-taught techie sought after as a go-to for complex billing systems and SaaS platforms alike—bridging the divide between technology and plain-speak. – Tenacious Quest for Success + Learning . Earned MBA and BS in just 3 years while working full-time – gaining hands-on experience in research- and data-driven product roadmap development, pricing and positioning. – Results-Driven Leadership. Whether leading Baby Boomers, Gen X or Millennials—figures out what makes teams tick, trains and transforms individuals into top-performers. – Challenger of Conventional Wisdom. Always ask the WHY. Improve the user experience through smart, strategic thinking that anticipates outcomes. Present cases that influence, and lead change that drives efficiency and profitability.

This client was eager for a career change and had moved from role to role and industry to industry. After completing her Master’s degree, she was eager to tie her skills together to land a role – which she did – as a Senior Technology Account Strategist for a global travel company. Although a bit longer than a traditional summary, its strength lies in the details. Without ever getting to the experience section, the reader gets a clear idea of the scope of responsibility, and hard and soft skills the candidate brings to the table.

By: Virginia Franco, Founder of Virginia Franco Resumes  and Forbes contributor.

9. Project Management Executive Professional Summary Example:

15+ years of initiating and delivering sustained results and effective change for Fortune 500 firms across a wide range of industries including enterprise software, digital marketing, advertising technology, e-commerce and government. Major experience lies in strategizing and leading cross-functional teams to bring about fundamental change and improvement in strategy, process, and profitability – both as a leader and expert consultant.

Why this resume summary is good:

“Project Manager” is one of those job titles that’s REALLY broad. You can find project managers earning $50K, and others earning $250K. The client I wrote this for was at the Director level, and had worked for some of the biggest and best tech companies in her city. So this resume profile section shows her level and experience, and the wide array of areas she has responsibility for in her current work. You can borrow or use some of the phrasing here to show that you’ve been responsible for many important areas in your past work.

By: Biron Clark, Founder of  CareerSidekick.com.

10. Startup And Finance Management Consultant Career Summary Example:

Experienced strategist, entrepreneur and startup enthusiast with a passion for building businesses and challenging the status quo. 8+ year track record of defining new business strategies, launching new ventures, and delivering operational impact, both as a co-founder and management consultant. 

Why this resume summary example is good:

This summary was for a highly-talented management consultant looking to break out of finance, and into trendier tech companies like Uber . His track record and educational background were great, so the goal of this summary section was to stand out and show he’s more than just the typical consultant with a finance background. So we emphasized his passion for startups, and his ability to think outside the box and challenge the status quo. That’s something that companies like Uber and other “disruptive” tech companies look for.

14 Resume Summary Examples for Various Industries

Compassionate and effective 5th-grade teacher with experience overseeing the classroom and preparing lessons. Extensive experience encouraging students through positive reinforcement and motivational techniques. Collaborate well with school administration and other members of the teaching team. Ensure all students meet learning requirements, including literacy, social, and arithmetic skills.

2. Teacher’s Assistant

Goal-oriented teacher’s assistant with ten years of experience working with elementary school children. Aid teachers with lesson planning, classroom settings, and group instruction. Model positive behavior and maintain order in the classroom. Willingness to take on additional responsibilities to meet learning objectives.

Tech Industry

3. computer programmer.

Innovative computer programmer with a proven track record of writing high-quality code and supporting team needs with subject matter expertise. Adept in multiple programming languages, including Python, JavaScript, and C++. Ability to troubleshoot complex programming issues with inventive solutions. 

4. Cybersecurity Analyst

Dedicated cybersecurity analyst with ten years of experience in online security research, execution, planning, and maintenance. Proven track record of identifying business risks and proactively resolving them. Experience designing and instituting layered network security for large-scale organizations. Train users and other staff members on IT safety procedures and preventive techniques.

Skilled healthcare professional with ten years of experience in patient care, diagnosis, and providing appropriate treatments and medical services. Manage medical staff and resolve complex medical cases with maximum efficiency. Communicate the patient’s condition and treatment plan in easily understood terminology. Remain current with the latest advancements in medicine and research to ensure patients receive proper care.

6. Registered Nurse

Seasoned registered nurse offering comprehensive patient care in emergency room settings. Experience handling diverse patient populations and caring for various conditions. Proven leadership managing nursing teams and other staff. Focus on enhancing patient care and satisfaction through empathetic communication and excellent customer service. 

7. Digital Marketing Manager

Forward-thinking digital marketing manager experienced in all facets of digital marketing, including social media management, PPC advertising, SEO, and email marketing. Proven experience creating comprehensive marketing plans that improve lead prospecting and enhance brand awareness. Up to date with the newest tools available for digital marketing campaigns.

8. Marketing Analyst

Industrious marketing analyst well-versed in analyzing marketing campaign analytics and making recommendations to improve performance. Collaborate with account managers and use KPI metrics to explain the results of marketing initiatives. Meticulous with a strong work ethic and robust communication skills.

Food and Service Industry

Experienced wait staff member capable of managing orders, processing payments, and upselling menu items. Ensure restaurant guests feel welcome with attentive service catered to their needs. Remain current on updates to the menu and assist guests with selecting orders to meet their dietary requirements. Maintain a positive attitude and focus during busy restaurant periods.

10. Hotel Receptionist

Friendly hotel receptionist with extensive experience handling guest check-ins, check-out, and payments. Facilitate a positive guest experience with polished customer service skills and a readiness to address common inquiries and complaints. Collaborate well with other hotel team members, including executive administration and on-site restaurant staff.

Business/Office Jobs

11. financial analyst.

Highly motivated financial analyst with a proven track record of recommending appropriate financial plans based on financial monitoring, data collection, and business strategizing. Experienced in qualitative and quantitative analysis, forecasting, and financial modeling. Excellent communication skills for building and fostering long-term business relationships across the organization.

12. Tax Accountant

Experienced tax accountant with ten years of experience preparing federal and state tax returns for corporations and partnerships. Monitor changes in laws to ensure the organization properly complies with reporting requirements. Assist with tax audits, ensuring the team receives proper supporting evidence for tax positions. Analyze and resolve complex tax issues. Look for available tax savings opportunities for corporations with an aggregate savings of $500K last year. Excellent analytical skills and attention to detail.

Sales and Customer Service

13. sales representative.

Enthusiastic sales representative with expertise in identifying prospects and converting qualified leads to paying customers. Provide quality customer service and contribute to team sales success. Offer exceptional communication skills and seek to understand client needs before making the appropriate product recommendations. Continually meet and exceed sales goals. Leverage extensive knowledge of available products to provide appropriate client solutions and enhance customer loyalty and retention.

14. Customer Service Associate

Knowledgeable customer service professional with extensive experience in the insurance industry. Known as a team player with a friendly demeanor and proven ability to develop positive rapport with clients. Maintain ongoing customer satisfaction that contributes to overall company success. Highly articulate, with a results-oriented approach that addresses client inquiries and issues while maintaining strong partnerships. Collaborate well with the customer service team while also engaging independent decision-making skills.

Now you have 24 professional resume summary statements and some explanations of why they’re effective. Next, I’ll share tips for how to write your own in case you’re still unsure how to begin based on these examples above.

How to Write a Resume Summary: Steps and Hints

We’ve looked at 10 great resume summary examples above. As you begin writing a resume summary for yourself, here are some helpful tips to keep in mind:

• Read the employer’s job description. Your career summary shouldn’t be a long list of everything you’ve done; it should be a refined list of skills and experiences that demonstrate you’re a fit for their job.
• Mention your current job title if relevant. One common way to begin your resume summary is to state your current job title.
• Explain how you can help employers achieve their goals or solve their problems.
• Consider using bold text to emphasize one or two key phrases.
• Include any relevant metrics and data like dollar amounts, years of experience, size of teams led, etc. This helps your resume stand out.
• Focus on making the employer want to read more. The goal of your resume summary isn’t to show everything you can do, but to grab their attention and show enough that they continue reading.

Creating a Customized Resume Summary

While general summaries are appropriate when applying for jobs requiring similar skills and experience, a customized resume summary can enhance your chances of moving on to the next step in the hiring process. 

That’s because most companies use automated tracking systems (ATS) to review submitted resumes for content directly related to the job posting. If you use keywords and natural language phrases in your summary that interlink to the job description, you’ll have a much higher chance of passing the ATS review.

Let’s look at an example of a resume summary that is customized for the specific job description below:

“Highly motivated social media specialist with strong project management skills. Creative marketer skilled in crafting innovative social media campaigns that resonate with a target audience. Regularly develop compelling copy and social media content to enhance lead generation and brand awareness. Detail-oriented with extensive project management skills that ensure proper prioritization of tasks and projects. Work with various social media management and analytics tools to examine results and make adjustments as necessary.”

This summary directly addresses the key points in the job description but rewrites them so the customization is natural and flows well. It’s personalized for the open role and uses similar terms with a few strategically placed keywords, such as “social media content” and “project management.”  

How Long Should a Resume Summary Be?

As you read the resume summaries above, you probably noticed there are some short single-paragraph resume summary examples and much longer career summaries that are two to three paragraphs plus bullet points. So how long should YOUR professional summary be? If you have relevant work experience, keep your summary to one or two paragraphs. The piece you really want the hiring manager to read is your most recent work experience (and you should make sure you tailored that info to fit the job description). The resume summary is just a “bridge” to get the hiring manager into your experience.

If I were writing my own career summary right now, I’d likely use one single paragraph packed with skills, accomplishments, and exactly why I’m ready to step into the job I’ve applied for and be successful!

Even for a manager resume summary, I recommend a very short length. However, if you’re changing careers, or you’re looking for jobs without any work experience , the summary section needs to stand on its own, and should be longer. That’s why some examples above are a bit longer.

Formatting Your Resume/CV Career Summary

You may have noticed a variety of different formats in the career summary examples above. There isn’t one “right” way to format this section on your resume or CV. However, I recommend either using one or two brief paragraphs, or combining a short sentence or paragraph with bullets. Avoid writing three or four long paragraphs with no special formatting like bullet points. That’s simply too much text for your summary section and will cause recruiters and hiring managers to skip over it in some cases.

Should You Include a Resume Objective?

You do not need to include an objective on your resume, and doing so can make your resume appear outdated. Use a resume summary instead of an objective. Follow the resume summary examples above and focus on discussing your skills, qualifications, and achievements, rather than stating your objective. Employers know that your objective is to obtain the position you’ve applied for, and the resume objective has no place on a modern resume/CV in today’s job market.

Examples of Bad Resume Summaries

Now that we’ve seen a few exemplary resume summaries, let’s look at some that you should avoid at all cost.

1. Typos and Grammatical Errors

“Experienced cashier who knows how to run the register cash. Responsible with the money and can talk with the customer. Knows when to stoc up the invenory and checks it all the time. Can count change and run credit card tranactions. Get the customer happy by good service. I am always cheerful and organized.”

Why this resume summary is bad:

If you read the summary carefully, you’ll notice several spelling errors. The words “stock,” “inventory,” and “transactions” are all spelled wrong. Grammatical errors make the summary choppy and difficult to follow (“Get the customer happy by good service”).  A summary like this probably won’t fly with a company looking for a detail-oriented cashier responsible for managing in-person sales.

2. Lacks Relevant Keywords

“Talented worker with experience managing a team of staff. Creative and responsible with knowledge of organizational processes. Can keep up with the busiest of environments. Stays focused when at work, ensuring prompt task completion. Dependable and willing to collaborate with a team to get things done.”  

In this example, the chef doesn’t use keywords relevant to cooking, restaurants, or kitchens. The summary is very generic and can apply to nearly any job. A manager who receives the application isn’t likely to understand what value the candidate can bring to the restaurant.  To fix the summary, the applicant must rewrite it to include relevant keywords and phrases. 

3. No Numbers to Quantify Achievements

“An experienced and hardworking manager ready to align procedures for maximum revenue and profits. Proven track record of streamlining and strengthening processes, resulting in higher sales and better customer satisfaction. Collaborate well with sales team members, ensuring they have the resources and knowledge to support customer purchases and inquiries. Develop strong rapport with clients and maintain ongoing relationships.”

This isn’t a terrible summary for a sales manager, but it has room for improvement. For one, the first two sentences essentially duplicate each other, mentioning an aptitude for improving processes with the objective of higher sales. The other issue is a lack of quantifying achievements. 

The applicant mentions they have a proven record of increasing sales, but they could strengthen the summary by quantifying their results. For example, they might say, “Proven track record of streamlining and strengthening processes, resulting in a 25% increase in sales over the past year.” The quantifier provides additional credibility. 

4. Not Targeting the Specific Job

“Looking for work in a role that requires great customer service, project management, and communication skills. Able to collaborate with people from diverse and varying backgrounds. Highly organized and reliable worker with a strong work ethic. Responsible and reliable worker you can count on.”

While the candidate lists various skills they have, including customer service and project management, there’s no indication of prior roles held or what position they’re applying for. The summary could apply to numerous positions in a variety of industries. To improve the resume summary, the applicant must specify the job they’re applying for and indicate their prior experience in a similar role, if they have any.

After You Start Getting Interviews, Make Sure to Take Advantage…

If you follow the advice above, you’ll have a great professional resume summary to make your qualifications stand out to employers. But landing the interview is only half the battle… So make sure you go into every interview ready to convince employers that they should hire you, too! If you write a great resume summary example that gets employers excited to interview you, they’re going to ask you questions like, “tell me about yourself” early in the interview to learn more about your background. So make sure you’re prepared with an answer.

I also recommend you review the top 20 interview questions and answers here.

Your resume caught their interest, so naturally, they’re going to follow up with a variety of questions to learn more about your professional background.

The bottom line is: A strong professional resume summary, followed up by other well-written resume sections will get you the interview, but your interview performance is what determines whether you get the job offer!

About the Author

Read more articles by Biron Clark

More Resume Tips & Guides

Crafting the perfect resume for teens (template & expert advice), are resume writers worth it, don’t say you’re a quick learner on your resume, what do recruiters look for in a resume, chronological resume: the best format (and how to write it), the 3 best colors for a resume, career change resume: examples and tips from experts, what makes a good resume 9 ways to know, how long should a resume be, walk me through your resume: answer examples, 41 thoughts on “24 resume summary examples that get interviews”.

I would recommend to customise the skills section of your resume, and ensure that it matches the job posting. The higher the number of phrases within the resume matching the job requirements the more are the chances that the recruiter will pick you for the job.

I just wanted to say, “thank you!”. This was very helpful. Instead of jumping from one website to the next there’s so much useful, relevant information right here.

Hi, I have been having trouble creating a resume as My old one is so long, I’ve worked for a government agency for the past 14 years and held multiple positions doing many different duties for each and now I have to relocate to another area where they do not have an agency like mine in my new area within a 3 hour drive, how can I squeeze all my experience and duties on one page and where do I even start, I’m so nervous, it’s been so long since I’ve attempted the job hunt. So I’m wondering, I do not want to cut anything out that may hurt my chances and I can’t afford to have my resume rewritten by a professional. Can you guide me as to where you think would be a good place to start, I’ve been staring at this laptop for weeks trying to decide on a resume template, there are so many. I thank you for your time and any input will help.

Hi, I am a new graduate and do not have any experience in my field which is Nursing. I want to apply for the jobs but I have no idea about what to mention in my resume.

Hi, this article should help with the resume summary, at least: https://careersidekick.com/summary-for-resume-no-experience/

Other than that, you need to put your academic experience. And internships/part-time jobs if you’ve had any.

Dear Biron,, Thanks for sharing the 10 examples of professional summaries in your article, and especially the reasons why they were considered to be good. However, as a HR professional, I would most likely skip over most of them and would not read much past the first or second sentence. The summaries were mostly too wordy and boring, and did not demonstrate ‘oomph’ at first cursory reading. Simply indicating certain skills or behaviors does not give an idea of the level of expertise, and could simply be wishful thinking on the part of the resume writer.

Just goes to show that there are many ways to see what makes a good summary.

I am a chemical engineer and project management professional with 15+years experience. My experience is between process engineering and project management . How can I marry the two in my profile summary?

It’s not about showing everything you’ve done. It’s about showing employers evidence you’ll succeed in their job. You can show a bit of both but focus heavily on what’s most relevant for the jobs you’re applying for right now. 80/20.

This was absolutely helpful and amazing! Thank you very much!

Hello, I am an active job seeker. I hold a law degree from a foreign country and currently in college for an associate degree. My question is, how do I blend both my foreign job experience with that of the United States in my resume. Thank you.

I’d put your work history in chronological order, starting with the most recent up top. That’s what I’d recommend for 95% of people actually. Then it doesn’t matter where you held each job.

And then in your Education section, I’d include your foreign degree and the current degree you’re pursuing in the US, too (for the US degree, you can say “in progress” or “graduating May 2019” for example).

I am 40 years old & B.A degree holder I have experience in many fields.I would like to join any one fields

I am a fresh graduate, who has five years teaching experience and some months customer service representative experience. Pls kindly assist me to put the resume summary together

I’m an active duty service member and finding in a little difficult creating a good transitional summary from 20 year profession in tactical communications to a drug and alcohol counselor. Do you have any recommendations how I should approach this? Any assistance would be helpful. Thanks

Great piece

How to write the CAREER ABSTRACT in resume for ware super visor retail business?

Just wanted to say thank you.Your advise and information was clear and easy to understand , sometimes there is nothing pertaining to what im looking fot in particular, buy you have sermed to cover everything I n a short quick easy to understand method.It will help tremendously.

Thanks! Glad to hear it helped :)

Very informational

What if you have work experience, but the job your going for(teachingeducation) has nothing to do with warehouse work? How should I build my resume?

In the summary, describe yourself and then say, “…looking to transition into ___” (the type of work you want to be doing now).

This is a bit like a resume “Objective”. I normally don’t recommend an Objective section (and I recommend a Summary section instead), however the one time an Objective does make sense is when you’re trying to change industries or make a big change in the type of role you have.

So that’s why my advice here might seem like I’m telling you to combine an Objective with your resume Summary.

Then “tailor” your previous work to be as relevant as possible. Even if you worked in a different industry you can still show things like leadership, accountability, progress/improvement, hard work, achieving goals, strong teamwork skills, etc. You can do all of that in your resume bullets and work history.

Don’t u have Resume Summary of legal secretary/legal assistant?

No, sorry about that. There are hundreds of different professions/job titles, and we aren’t able to include an example for every scenario out there. These resume summary examples are designed to give you a general idea of how to write yours.

The summaries listed are excellent example and have helped me develop a stand out summary for a new position.

Hello, I been trying to land the job of my dreams. I need help with my resume if i want the recruiters in airlines to notice me. I’ve applied before but haven’t had complete success to making it to a face-to Face Interview. It is a career change – yet i feel i am a great candidate bc i have had many customer service and I even attended an academy for that specific position. Can you please tell me what I am doing wrong on my resume ?

what if i never had a job experience?

Great question. If you don’t have any work experience, take one of the formats/examples above and put your accomplishments and qualifications from your academic studies.

Your headline could say: “Motivated Bio-Sciences Graduate With Expertise in ____”.

And then you might talk about accomplishments in school, group projects you worked on or led, etc.

Basically, when you have no work experience, your school/studies BECOMES your recent work. You should talk about that like it’s a job, because that’s the experience you do have.

really amazing article and too useful , thanks

Hi Mr. Clark, I have been out of the work force for about 18+years and I have been a small business owner for the same number of years. However, I want to go back to the work force. But my problem is that, I don’t know how to prepare my resume or resume summary statement. I had a degree in Communication,Arts and Sciences and a postgraduate degree in Public Administration. I’m a bit confused as to how to incorporate all these experiences into my resume. Please can you help?

Hi Dorothy, I can recommend a professional resume writer if you want. But they’re typically not cheap, so it’s something you’d have to be willing to invest in. If not, there’s a lot of free info online about how to “tailor” your resume for specific jobs. I can’t help one-on-one unfortunately, but I’d recommend thinking about which type of jobs you want, and think of what experience you have that is most relevant. that’s what to put on your resume. Your resume isn’t only about you, it’s about them – what do they want/need? (if you want to get a ton of interviews, that’s how to do it :) ).

Can I have a professional resume writer?

I use a similar format when writing my opening statement for my coverletter. How do you recommend differentiating the two? Or is it ok to use largely the same language?

I think it’s okay to use something similar. I might be more brief in the cover letter… it needs to be about them just as much as it’s about you. Whereas the resume is all about you, at least in the summary section. (The later sections should still be tailored to THEIR needs..)

Struggling to write a Summary Statement for a Secretary/Administrative Assistant position. I have 15 years government experience but have been away from the government since 9/1993 and have spent 15 years as a Substitute Teacher after taking off for 10 years to raise my children.

Hiya! I am a mother of three attempting to return to the workforce. I have been a stay at mom for about 13 years, so I have a (large) gap in my employment history; which doesn’t look great. I have a college education and have obtained a few certifications whilst not employed, plus many volunteer hours. I know that I should probably use a functional resume format. Would love some advice on what I should include in my summary statement.

Hi Juniper,

I rarely like functional resumes, but it might be worth trying. I’d “split-test” it (a marketing term). Create two resume styles, send out 50% one way, 50% the other way, and track results for a week.

I’d treat the resume summary statement just like any other resume. Highlight your skills and past wins/accomplishments.

how do i explain long term gaps in employment? leave them out?

Hi Paulette,

Don’t mention them on a resume summary. But do mention the gaps on a cover letter or lower down on the resume. Here’s an article on how to explain gaps in employment:

https://careersidekick.com/explaining-gaps-in-employment/

I am student in civil engineering field. Have 1.5 yrs of work ex. How should i structure my resume. Thanks.

Hello My name is Shataka and I’m a current job seeker trying to land my dream job as a Counselor. I have Master degree in Counseling Psychology and a Bachelor’s degree in Social Work. My experience lies in many different fields. I’m currently a Substance Abuse Counselor, with a teaching background and over 5 years of social service experience. I guess my question is how would I sum up all my experience to help me find a job as a Counselor.

Comments are closed.

15+ Words to Describe Yourself on Resume: Examples & Tips

In This Guide:

Use powerful adjectives and action verbs, words to describe yourself, words not to describe yourself with, tips and tricks, takeaways: words to describe yourself on a resume.

One of the most tricky parts of writing a resume is using the right words to describe yourself.

You would want to show your positive traits, but you need to be careful with borderline self-praising.

What makes it even trickier is that this is not an interview.

The hiring manager has never met you.

You need to make your single-page document show who you are in the best possible light.

Just like resume action verbs , the words you use to describe yourself are extremely influential, and it is important to make them strong enough to be remembered.

But how to do so?

There are over one million words in the English language.

It might seem near impossible to pick the right words to describe yourself.

Lucky for you, we got you covered.

In this article, we are going to examine topics like:

• How to choose the best words to describe yourself
• Different words you can use for different effect

And, of course, we are going to wrap things up with some great tips and tricks .

If you need more general assistance with your resume and how to make it catch the hiring manager’s eye, check out this article - How to make your resume stand out .

But if you really want to work on the words you describe yourself with on your resume, stick around.

One of the most important things you need to do when describing yourself is use powerful adjectives.

But don’t overdo it.

Don’t forget that the hiring manager doesn’t really know you.

If you praise yourself too much, you might blow your chances of getting an interview.

But the more important thing you need to remember here is to provide proof.

Whatever powerful adjective you use for yourself, you need to show some proof that it is in fact real.

Anyone can write down that they are detail-oriented, but without proof, that means nothing to the hiring manager.

But even more importantly, you would want action verbs .

The main idea is to sprinkle a few powerful adjectives to help you out, but let action verbs do the heavy lifting.

As we mentioned, there is a great variety of words you can describe yourself with.

Luckily, the list drastically shrinks when we want words that would match a specific skill or ability needed for a job position

So the first thing you need to think about is what are the words you would want your potential employer to remember you by.

It may sound hard and scary, but that’s why we have a few examples for you to get you started.

Words to describe yourself for leadership

If you are applying for any kind of leadership role, you should be really careful with the words you use to describe yourself.

The hiring manager would be on the lookout for some specific ones.

Let’s go through the most important ones and get you ready to nail them.

That’s a trait possessed largely by extroverts.

Using it to describe yourself shows the hiring manager not only that you are extroverted, but also that you are outgoing, cheerful and joyful.

That would be of great importance in order to create a sustainable team that would achieve all the company’s goals.

Including this adjective in your description shows the hiring manager that you are driven by logic and reasoning.

That would be really important when you are in a place to make an important decision.

A rational thinker would depend on their logic, rather than emotions, when it comes to tough situations

Self-motivated

Describing yourself as self-motivated shows the hiring manager that you are self-driven.

That means that you require no external pressure or monitoring to see out a project.

That would be really important for a leadership role, as you would be more independent than most employees.

This trait is extremely important, no matter the position.

Being ethical shows that you have a high professional moral standing.

It would be fair for the hiring manager to assume that you are honest and have the ability to know what’s right and wrong professionally.

Charismatic

In order to be charismatic, you are quite definitely emotionally intelligent.

Furthermore, it shows the hiring manager that you have the ability to earn love, trust and affection of others with ease.

You most certainly need this trait if you are applying for a leadership position.

Being decisive is another trait that is a must for leadership roles.

It shows the hiring manager that you are a spontaneous thinker and can make accurate decisions on the go.

Being able to act quickly and accurately in tough spots would really raise your score in the eyes of the hiring manager.

Imaginative

While this one is not a must for a leadership role, the hiring manager would probably look for it.

It would show them that you are very ingenious and clever in your dealings.

If you don’t feel right using that adjective, you can switch with creative or innovative, which are just as strong.

Words to describe yourself as a team player

For a great deal of professions, being a team player is crucial.

That’s why it is important to catch the hiring manager’s attention with some teamwork adjectives.

And we have some of the most important ones here for you.

This adjective might sound negative at first, but hiring managers don’t see it that way.

If they see it in your description, they would assume that you are very determined, relentless and tenacious in your pursuit of anything, but without losing your positive mindset.

This trait would be helpful for lots of things.

It shows the hiring manager that you have the ability to notice details and compose logical analysis.

And that would always be appreciated.

That shows one of the most important traits you can show on your resume - discipline.

A discipline to plan and execute strategies correctly is greatly appreciated by hiring managers.

Being personable is great not only for leadership, but also to show that you are a team player

Once again - that trait shows the hiring manager that you are both extroverted, and that you are really outgoing and cheerful.

This is a trait that should be possessed not only by the leader of the team, but also by every team member.

That’s another trait that is applicable to both leadership and teamwork.

In this case its importance is mostly because of the emotional intelligence of the person, as it is extremely important for team work.

Other words you can describe yourself with

As words have started repeating, we need to save some time for those we have not yet mentioned, but are extremely important.

Here is a list you might want to consider for you description on your resume:

This is always a good trait to include on your resume, if you have anything to back it up with.

It shows the hiring manager that you have a high level of trust and honesty.

Usually such a trait is built over the years, especially with positions like finance executive, marketing executive, etc.

This is one of the adjectives that one could use, no matter the job position.

It shows the hiring manager that you have determination to grow and survive, no matter the job, and no matter the organization.

It is a really great quality to have, if you really strive for growth.

Compassionate

This trait is usually used in healthcare and in the legal system, but it wouldn’t hurt to include it otherwise as well.

It shows the hiring manager that you are caring and concerned for others by default.

That’s one more trait that could be applicable no matter the position and the organization.

Interestingly enough, it is important just because the position and the organization matter to you.

It shows that you have unending commitment to a cause and a leader.

Describing yourself as practical can quite often be a pleasant surprise for the hiring manager.

It shows them that you are guided by experience, rather than mere theories or ideas.

Straightforward

And last, but not least, being straightforward.

That trait shows the hiring manager that you understand and value intergrity.

People possessing that trait are usually very understandable.

It would not surprise you that there are also words that you should absolutely stay away from.

When it comes to your professional description these, any many similar adjectives, would probably be misunderstood.

And you don’t want that, you want your resume to present you in the best light possible.

So, what are these adjectives that you should stay away from?

Here is a short list, but keep in mind that there are many similar ones to these:

• Intelligent

You get the idea, you wouldn’t want to give such an impression to the hiring manager.

As promised, we are going to leave you off with some tips and tricks to use when describing yourself on your resume.

First, be concise.

Keep your sentences short and to the point.

Short, concise sentences have more power.

One-liners are your best option, so you should aim at that.

And, as we mentioned earlier, provide some proof.

Any catchy word without context is meaningless to the hiring manager.

And last, but not least, keep your description ATS friendly.

ATS stands for Application Tracking Systems, and they are widely used by bigger companies to pre-select their candidates.

The keywords that the ATS system looks for are set by your future employer.

That’s why it’s important to closely read the job description and include any keywords you find in your resume.

We are all done.

Now you know what words to use to describe yourself on a resume in the best possible way.

You are now ready to show yourself in the best possible light in front of the hiring manager.

Take your time and have a closer look at the job position, so that your description would be as ATS friendly as possible

Don’t forget to use action verbs and powerful adjectives, but also give them some context.

Keep our example words in mind and make your description perfect for the job you seek.

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• Guide to Job Titles for Your...

Guide to Job Titles for Your Resume (With Examples)

12 min read · Updated on June 19, 2024

Your job title can say a lot about you in a few words!

As you prepare your resume, you'll want to present yourself in the best possible light. For a resume to be an accurate portrayal of you, your skills, your experience, and your career progress, you'll certainly need to include some job titles. But what exactly is the best practice when it comes to adding job titles to your resume? 

In this article, we'll examine why job titles are necessary, whether you can change your job title, and how to present your job title on your resume. We've also got over 150 examples of real-world job titles to inspire and direct you. 

Without further ado, let's start exploring this diverse topic.

What is a job title?

A job title is simply your professional designation – it's most likely found at the top of the original job posting you responded to or on your job description. Usually, a job title will do two things:

Describe the level you're working at (for example, Assistant, Supervisor, Manager, or Executive)

Define the area you work in (for example, Business Development, Sales, Marketing, Accounting, IT, Supply Chain, and so on). 

There are many job titles that don't fall into this simple description, but they usually perform the same function of concisely describing your role. 

Why put job titles on a resume? 

There are certain bits of information that recruiters and hiring managers expect to see on your resume. In the context of your professional experience , that includes your job title, employer name, and dates of employment, as well as an overview of the remit of your role and your achievements while in that position. 

A job title on your resume is a key detail that gives context to your role, as it will usually provide an idea of what you do and the level you're working at. They can use this information to determine, to some extent, whether you're likely to have the background necessary to fill their vacancy. 

By understanding job titles and the role they play on your resume, you can ensure you're presenting a truthful – yet appealing – first impression. 

What is a professional title, and how is it different from a job title?

A professional title is different from a job title. 

While a job title relates to a specific role, a professional title relates to your career identity as a whole. For example, you may hold the professional title of Supply Chain Specialist but achieve progress in that career by holding several different roles. So your job titles as a Supply Chain Specialist could be Warehouse Assistant, Logistics Supervisor, and Supply Chain Manager.

What is the difference between a job title and a role?

While the job title is the professional designation that provides a general and concise overview of the job, a role is everything you do within that job. For example, a Barista is a job title, and the role is to make drinks and serve customers, among other things. 

Where should I use job titles on my resume?

Usually, it's the job title that recruiters want to see on your resume rather than your professional title. You should specify job titles within the subheadings for every role you mention in the Professional Experience section of your resume. You may also like to include them in your header and in your Summary section . 

Your professional title, on the other hand, isn't an obligatory part of your resume. If you're not aiming for a specific job title with your next career move, you could use a professional title in the header and Summary section to keep your options open – otherwise, sticking to your current job title is a wise move. 

How to choose the right job title for your resume 

Usually, the job titles you use on your resume will be pretty straightforward. It's likely that you can use the title you were given when you landed the job, which will be recorded on your employment paperwork – for example, Technical Project Manager. 

However, sometimes the lines may be a bit blurry. For example, maybe your company has come up with some pretty original job titles that won't be recognized outside of that one business, or maybe you're a freelancer or contractor with no official job title. In that case, we'd advise identifying a standard job title that encapsulates your role neatly and using that. 

If you're employed, you can put your official job title in parenthesis afterward, if necessary, to ensure you're not red-flagged for providing untrue information when your references arrive bearing a different job title. 

It could look like this: 

Call Center Manager (Chief Chatterbox)

Top tip: If you choose to use a job title on your resume that's different from your official title, it's important that it's not misleading. Choose the closest title you can think of that accurately conveys the responsibilities and remit of your role. 

You may struggle to identify an appropriate job title if you've worked informally, for example, as an intern or volunteer . In that case, try to be as informative as possible with the title you choose. Take inspiration from this list of unofficial job titles to inform your decisions: 

Marketing Intern

Library Assistant (Voluntary)

Volunteer Befriender

Helpdesk Analyst (Work Experience Placement)

Work Shadowing (Legal Department)

Classroom Assistant (3 hours per week)

Animal Rescuer (Unpaid)

Intern (HR Department)

Voluntary Environmental Monitor

Seniors Tech Coach (Monday evenings)

How to include job titles on a resume

When adding job titles to your resume, they should form part of the subheading for each role. Best practice and convention state that this subheading should include the name of your employer and the dates you were employed in this role, as well as the job title. 

For example: 

Dec 2021 - Mar 2024

Sales Manager

XYZ Corp, Townsville

Acme Enterprises (2019 - 2021)

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT EXECUTIVE 

Below this subheading, you can give an overview of what you did every day at the job, followed by a handful of achievement-focused bullet points to show how you've had an impact and added value to the position. 

To keep your resume looking professional and easy to navigate, keep the layout of every subheading consistent in terms of order, font, and alignment. Leave plenty of white space between roles to aid readability, and use bullet points below the subheadings to avoid solid walls of text. 

Can I change the job titles on my resume?

As we discussed above, there may be some times when you need to change your job title for clarity or because you don't have a formal job title. Sometimes, though, you may want to change your job title to align more closely with the title of a specific role you're applying for. Is that advisable? 

Applicant tracking systems, or ATS, have a sinister reputation for discarding resumes before they're even read if they don't meet very exacting requirements. BUT – there's a human behind those systems. 

An ATS doesn't make decisions on its own… but it may miss your resume if it doesn't find the keywords the human is looking for. In an ideal world, humans would personally review every resume they received for every vacancy and use variations on their desired job titles when carrying out searches, but we don't live in an ideal world. 

While a different job title is unlikely to disqualify you from the candidate pool, it's not unheard of. So should you change your job title to match that on the advert? 

The number one rule here is that honesty is always the best policy on a resume. 

If you can change your job title so that it is still a very accurate representation of your role without being misleading, it's generally OK to do so (although do be aware, again, that your references will probably use your official job title, so consider including your official title, too, or, at the least, let them know you're making the change on your resume). 

If changing your job title to match the advertisement would be too much of a stretch in terms of accuracy and honesty, leave it as it is. If you're determined to use the exact title of your target role on your resume, consider adding it within your header or as a brief objective statement – for example, a Project Assistant could say: 

Keen to secure a role as a Project Manager

Another way around this problem, if time isn't of the essence with your job search, is to negotiate a change of title with your current employer. If your responsibilities have changed since you first took on the role, or you're performing well beyond its basic remit, they may be open to a discussion about your job title changing to better reflect industry norms and what you actually do. 

Unique job titles on your resume

Of course, you may be forging a path in an industry where creativity and uniqueness are valued. In that case, you can embrace a quirky job title on your resume! 

While not advisable for most corporate jobs, an original job title can make you memorable and may even encapsulate your job duties and working style better than a conventional title. 

Here are a few of the more unusual ones we've come across: 

Brand Evangelist 

BusDev Rockstar

Marketing Ninja

Geek Squad Agent

Chief Happiness Officer

Domestic Technician

Director of First Impressions

Kitten Cuddler

Chief Storyteller

Stress Engineer 

We reiterate, though, that for most job applications, you should steer clear of such titles and achieve clarity with a more descriptive and standard job title instead. 

Other job title considerations 

Occasionally, you may need to add further details to clarify your role. Rather than waste space explaining simple concepts in full sentences, you can add a note to your job title. For example: 

Solutions Architect – Fixed-Term Contract

Receptionist – Maternity Cover 

Security Manager – External Consultant

Illustrator – Freelance

Product Manager – Secondment

These notes aren't technically part of your job title but are a concise way of explaining why you've only held a role for a short period. 

Job title examples

Still needing some inspiration for a conventional job title to use on your resume? Your first port of call should be the official job title on your employment records, but if, for whatever reason, that's not an option, we have some examples of job titles for different industries that you can pick from. 

Job titles for students and graduates 

In your resume summary, you can describe your status as a student and your area of expertise. For example:

Undergraduate with a particular interest in Human Resources

Student pursuing a degree in Computer Science 

Business Administration Postgraduate specializing in Finance

Education student with relevant classroom experience 

International Logistics Graduate with expertise in air freight

With regards to roles you've held whilst studying, use the official job title for each role. For university jobs, you can consider titles such as: 

Research Assistant

Teaching Assistant 

Student Representative

College Blog Editor

Job titles for HR roles 

Human Resources Assistant

HR Generalist

Human Resources Analyst

Learning and Development Specialist

DEI Manager 

Talent Acquisition Manager

Senior HR Business Partner

Director of Workforce Analytics 

Job titles for sales and marketing roles 

Social Media Assistant 

Sales Coordinator

Marketing Executive 

Business Development Manager

Account Manager 

Head of Content

Regional Sales Manager 

VP of Sales

Job titles for supply chain roles 

Warehouse Assistant 

Production Operative 

Multi-Drop Delivery Driver

Materials Controller  

Supply Chain Analyst

Demand Planner

Technical Buyer

Logistics and Distribution Manager

Operations Director 

Director of Global Procurement

Job titles for IT roles 

Helpdesk Analyst

Network Administrator 

Web Developer 

Systems Engineer

Data Scientist 

Cloud Engineer 

Network Architect 

Cyber Security Consultant 

Digital Transformation Manager 

Job titles for finance roles 

Accounts Technician

Accountant 

Financial Analyst

Financial Controller

Financial Advisor

Payroll Manager

Fund Accountant

FP&A Manager

Job titles for project roles 

PMO Assistant

Project Administrator

Project Coordinator

Project Manager

Scrum Master

Senior Project Manager

Head of Projects 

Programme Manager

Portfolio Office Manager  

Director of Change and Transformation 

Job titles for creative roles 

Graphic Designer

Photographer

Content Writer

Animation Designer

Layout Artist

Video Editor

Art Therapist

Creative Lead 

Head of Design

Creative Director

Job titles for customer service roles 

Retail Assistant 

Call Centre Agent

Flight Attendant 

Customer Service Representative 

Relationship Manager 

Complaint Handler

Customer Success Specialist 

Client Services Manager

Senior Customer Service Advisor 

Chief Experience Officer

Job titles for education roles 

Classroom Assistant 

Special Needs Educator

Exam Invigilator

Sports Coach

Corporate Trainer 

Head of Department

Lecturer 

Superintendent

Job titles for healthcare roles 

Healthcare Assistant

Physical Therapy Assistant

Medical Biller

Dentist 

Diagnostic Sonographer

Mental Health Nurse

Pediatrician

Oncologist 

Job titles for animal care roles 

Small Animal Assistant

Pet Store Associate 

Dog Groomer  

Assistance Dog Trainer 

Yard Manager 

Countryside Ranger

Wildlife Conservationist 

Zoologist 

Veterinary Surgeon

Job titles for senior executive roles

C-suite titles (e.g. CEO, CFO, CTO, COO, and so on)

Executive Director

Senior Vice President 

Vice President 

Chairman / Chairwoman

Head of [function]

Country Head

Global Head

Key takeaways

We've covered a lot of ground here, so let's summarize the key points to remember when adding job titles to a resume:

Job titles generally tell a recruiter about your seniority and area of expertise

Add a job title for every role you're including on your resume 

Include the job title as part of the subheading for the role

Always use your official job title

You can add a variation on your official job title as long as it isn't misleading 

If you have an unusual job title, add a more common version in brackets 

Where possible, include your target job title on the resume too

Now you've got the lowdown on the importance of job titles on your resume; you're ready to write your own knock-out career document. If you still have questions about any aspect of your resume, why not submit it for a free, no-obligation resume review ? With expert feedback, you'll be able to ensure your resume has the impact it needs. 

Recommended reading: 

How Far Back to Go on Your Resume

Whether or Not to Use a One Page Resume

Guide to Writing a Great Resume with No Work Experience

Related Articles:

Do Hiring Managers Actually Read Cover Letters?

How to Create a Resume With No Education

Why You Lose When You Lie on Your Resume: Learning From Mina Chang

See how your resume stacks up.

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How to List Projects On Resumes: Types, Tips, and Examples

Showcasing projects on resumes is a powerful way to display your qualifications and achievements. Responsibilities and education are resume staples, but they don’t convey the tangible impact that projects do. This guide shows you how to highlight relevant skills through projects and stand out to hiring managers.

Why add projects to resumes?

Including projects on a resume shows recruiters your qualifications in action. Listing your responsibilities gives employers a to-do list of your skills and duties, but projects demonstrate hands-on experience, problem-solving abilities, and hard and soft skills.

Projects are excellent practical examples of your skills, showing initiative and the ability to manage complex tasks and deliver outstanding results.

You can typically link projects to quantifiable accomplishments, giving them extra weight and value. For example, including an employee training program project in your resume allows you to list impressive metrics like “ Improved employee performance by 15%.”

Adding projects to resumes also helps align you with a job description and display relevance. For instance, a company is looking to hire a project manager with experience handling software development projects. Detailing two to three successful software development projects helps you show them you not only know what they’re looking for – you’re the ideal candidate.

Projects to put on resumes: 4 types

There’s a wealth of different types of projects you can include on resumes and most of them fall under these four categories.

Academic projects

Showcasing academic projects is a great way for recent graduates or students to display skills and experience when they have little to no work history. Most of these projects belong in your education section, like academic awards, clubs, coursework, honors, and extracurricular activities.

Work projects

These projects come in two main types: work projects that fall out of your regular responsibilities and official work projects , including marketing and software projects.

While official work projects are self-explanatory, the first type includes any additional assignment you’ve completed. Examples include a content writer creating guides for their team or a nurse building a presentation on an innovative health monitoring app.

Personal projects

These projects include anything you’ve done in your personal time that helps support and reinforce your qualifications , such as building and maintaining a personal website. While these projects are useful for all professionals, they’re especially helpful for anyone switching careers who has little professional experience in their new chosen field.

Volunteer projects

Volunteering projects are not only an excellent way to showcase relevant skills but also display values, work ethic, and a commitment to social causes. This may help align you with a company’s culture and show the work you’ll put in even without money on the table.

How to list projects on resumes

Let’s walk through a quick step-by-step guide on how to list projects on resumes. 

• First, consider the top skills you want to highlight through your projects. It’s best to browse the specific job description you’re targeting to determine what the employer is looking for.
• Then make a list of your projects, choosing the ones you’re most proud of. Comb through this list and determine which ones display your targeted skills the best. Some projects are impressive but not strictly relevant to the role, so it’s best to take your time on this step.
• Now, consider where you’ll list these projects. We recommend academic projects in the Education section and work projects in the Work Experience section, but other types may require an atypical resume section, like Projects or Volunteer work . If you need an optional section, we recommend using a flexible resume template so you can include any sections you need.

With this information, you’re ready to add projects to your resume. Think about impactful details that add weight to your projects, such as important outcomes and metrics. It’s also a great idea to add links to your website or portfolio if you have published proof of your project.

Expert Tip:

Are you currently working on a project? Include it anyway. All impactful projects that effectively display your skills are worth putting on your resume, even if they aren’t finished. For example, if you’re currently coding an app, it’s still a worthwhile representation of your qualifications. As a bonus, it also gives you something to talk about during the interview.

Elements to include for each project

While every project is different, the key elements to include in your resume will be similar:

• Project Name: Provide a clear name for your project, whether it has an official name or you create one just for the resume.
• Organization: Include the name of the organization if it’s a work project and the institution if it’s an academic project.
• Dates: List the start and end dates. If your project is in progress, make sure to put “Present. ”
• Scope: Add details around the scope, including team size, budget, and duration.
• Role and responsibilities: Describe the role you had in the project and your specific contributions.
• Achievements: Include measurable outcomes and metrics to add tangible achievement.

Keep in mind that some of these points will likely be subtle. For example, if you list a project as a bullet point in your work experience section, it won’t be lengthy and complex, but it can contain most of this information if you focus on being concise. Here’s an example:

“In 2022, contacted 50+ business leaders in a Survey Outreach Project to learn popular hiring strategy techniques, enhancing company recruiting process and boosting candidate experience by 20%.”

The trick is to provide the necessary details without any irrelevant information . This is a best practice you should apply throughout your entire resume, from work experience to skills. Check out our collection of resume articles for more insights.

How to include projects: Realistic examples

Get inspired by browsing a few realistic examples of listing projects on resumes:

• Developed a company website using expert UX practices to increase customer engagement and navigation, increasing customer conversion by 15%.
• Collaborated with editors and published to write a personal novel, winning a Book Critics Award and scoring a spot on the bestsellers list for 10 weeks.
• Led a team of marketers to build a social media marketing campaign using specialized content strategy and data analysis, leading to a 40% increase in followers.

Jump over to our resume samples to browse even more actionable examples.

“Projects are excellent practical examples of your skills, showing initiative and the ability to manage complex tasks and deliver outstanding results.”

Tailoring projects for different job applications

No resume should be “one and done,” and the same goes for projects. Ensure you tailor each project specifically for different applications. Even the same project has different points to highlight, depending on the role.

Tailor projects to job descriptions

Hiring managers are always on the lookout for relevant candidates. They receive thousands of applications that have similar qualifications, so the ideal candidate must have exact specifications.

Read the job description thoroughly to determine the top qualities the employer wants and emphasize those skills in your project. For example, if a job description requires innovation and leadership, discuss a project where you held a brainstorming session with other managers and implemented a professional development program.

Tailor projects to job levels

It’s important to consider which level your ideal role is at because projects are a little different depending on seniority.

For example, recent graduates and entry-level professionals benefit the most from personal, academic, and volunteer projects. Hiring managers expect junior professionals to have less experience, so this fits in perfectly.

However, managers and executives must have high-level projects that show impactful outcomes. These roles are for professionals with years of experience and it’s vital to showcase that experience. Plus, positions like this are also pricey, so employers are very strict with requirements.

Show off your work with projects on resumes

You’ve got an impressive, colorful history, and recruiters should know it. Proudly list projects on resumes to get the hiring manager’s attention and show them you’re the ideal worker to fill the role. Remember our tips:

• List projects in a relevant section, such as putting academic projects in your Education section
• Consider which projects best highlight your most desirable skills
• Read job descriptions to understand employer needs and build a targeted resume
• Include measurable metrics whenever possible to show tangible outcomes

Start building your perfect resume today with CVwizard’s resume maker . This flexible tool allows you to build and name any unique section you want so you can craft a custom place for your projects.

Make an impression with your resume

Create and download a professional resume quickly and easily.

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How to make a resume in Microsoft Word

Whether you’re just entering the workforce or need a resume refresh, you’re probably considering Microsoft Word for the task. We’ll walk you through options for making a resume in Word, from using helpful templates to creating a resume from scratch.

Use a built-in Word resume template

Use a word resume template on the web, use a third-party word resume template, create a word resume from scratch.

The quickest and easiest way to make a resume in Word is using one of Microsoft’s templates . You can look for one directly in Word and choose from a large collection of options.

Open Word, select File > New , and pop “resume” into the Search box. You can then browse the templates with resumes for specific jobs and industries along with those for any type of position.

Choose a template to see a description and pick Create to use the resume.

The Microsoft resume templates come with placeholders that you can simply swap out for your own details. This is handy if you like the appearance of all elements in the template. Of course, if you’re not fond of the color scheme or font styles, you can change those types of items.

Remember to go to File > Save As to save a copy of your resume.

Maybe you don’t have Microsoft Word on your computer yet but need your resume in that format. You can use Word on the web for free with a Microsoft account and take advantage of resume templates.

Visit the Microsoft Create website and explore the resume templates . If you see one you like, select it to open it directly in Word for the web.

Alternatively, select Create from scratch and choose Resumes, flyers, brochures . When Word opens, use the Designer sidebar on the right to browse through and choose a resume template.

Then, swap out the placeholders for your own details and customize the resume as you like.

If you like the template idea but don’t care for any of the Microsoft options, you can check out third-party templates for your resume. Here are just a few of the top options and samples of resume templates they offer for free.

Resume Genius

With Resume Genius , you can pick from over a dozen custom Word templates to download. From simple to professional to aesthetically pleasing to visually appealing, you’re sure to find at least one resume template you like.

Hloom offers over 15 resume and CV templates for free and even more if you don’t mind paying. Be sure to select Free on the left below License if you want to narrow down the no-charge options. As a bonus, you’ll also see a tab for cover letters if you’re in the market for one of those too.

Template.net

One more place to check out for Word resume templates is Template.net . You’ll find a large variety of attractive options specific to position or resume style. Like with Hloom, select Free beneath License on the left, and be sure to take a look at the cover letter collection too.

After you download a resume template from one of the above sites, simply customize it with your own details.

Maybe you’d prefer to simply create your resume from scratch; this is always an option if you have the time. Consider reviewing the above templates and samples for the information you should include and ideas for formatting.

To get started, add the following details to your resume:

Full name and current position : Place your name and position at the top. If you don’t have a current position, you can certainly omit it.

Objective (optional) : Provide a brief description of your goal to potential employers beneath your name and position. This is an optional inclusion — if you add one, try to keep it short and sweet with one to two meaningful sentences.

Contact details : Include at least your email address and phone number. If you have an up-to-date website or LinkedIn profile, you can add these as well. Make sure these details are kept together in a specific location so they’re simple to find.

Work experience : List your work experience in chronological order with the most recent first. Start with your position, then move onto the employer, month, and year you worked there, and your duties. You should include your duties and responsibilities in a list format making them easy to review.

Education : List your educational history in chronological order with the most recent first. Start with the degree, then add the school with the month and year you attended.

Skills, awards, and more : Use a list format to add your skills, awards, certifications, volunteer work, and any other details you feel important to the position or company.

Here are several tips when formatting your resume in Word:

• Use a heading or larger font for your full name at the top.
• Add headings for the Experience, Educations, and Skills sections.
• If you decide to use color, keep it to just one or two complementary colors.
• Try to use the same font style throughout, taking advantage of font sizes, headings, or bold formatting for more prominent details.
• Use a font that’s easy to read like a 12-point Arial, Calibri, Georgia, or Times New Roman for the main body text. You might also consider which font style works better for reading on the web versus on a printed piece.
• If you include a headshot, make sure it’s a professional one.
• Consider using a table to structure your resume, as shown above.

Finally, be sure to keep the appearance and content of your resume consistent.

Is it OK to make a resume in Word?

Absolutely! This is exactly the type of document you should create in a word processing application like Microsoft Word. If you prefer, you can also use a web application like Google Docs to make a resume or downloadable software like LibreOffice Writer.

Once your resume is complete, you can save it as a PDF or other requested format in most word processing applications for submission to the potential employer or hiring manager.

How far back should a resume go?

Most experts recommend 10 to 15 years is appropriate for a resume. Keep in mind that you should include relevant work experience for that time period . For example, if you’re a nurse who worked at a fast-food chain for two months 12 years ago, you can likely exclude that job.

How many pages should a resume be?

The standard for a resume is one to two pages. However, this can depend on the length of your experience and education in relation to the position for which you’re applying. For instance, someone who’s been in the workforce for 20 years might require two pages, but a recent college graduate would probably only need one page.

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