Your executive summary can create a strong impact in just 5 sentences. Don't neglect its potential on your resume and online profile when searching for jobs and/or professional contacts!
A key element of a profile description, the executive summary is a short paragraph that highlights the most significant elements of your qualifications or experience. It can be seen as a snapshot of your profile that gives recruiters a quick view on who you are and what you can offer to their company. It should not be mistaken for an elevator pitch that has its own purpose.
How to write and structure your summary
A typical mistake is to make the executive summary a sales pitch and with too many details. Instead, your executive summary should never exceed 3 to 5 concise sentences and 750 characters.
As the objective is to catch immediate attention from a recruiter and inviter her/him to explore your profile in details, your executive summary must consist of a few impactful sentences highlighting your key professional qualifications, particular skills, and brief insight into what you can do for an organization. By key professional qualifications, I mean those that really differentiate you from the ‘crowd’ of candidates and that are appealing for a recruiter. Therefore, it is not the place to speak about your studies and basic qualifications.
As the executive summary is what can lead a recruiter to go deeper into your profile or simply to move to the next candidate resume, it must be written carefully with structure and intelligence. You probably know the good old mantra saying that the first 30 seconds are the most important ones during an interview. In the same way, your executive summary is what can create an immediate impact and motivate a recruiter to go forward with your profile.
There are thousands of examples on the web, and you will find tons of inspiration. But don’t simply re-use an existing one by just changing some words. Instead, use one that you find strong enough as just a framework and write yours with your own words. Believe it or not: an executive summary reveals many aspects of your personality through the structure, the words, and the tone used.
Examples and ideas of executive summaries
> Industrial engineer and accomplished team leader with more than 10 years of experience in strategic MRP projects, supply chain automation and quality control in international environments. Successful track record of supply chain transformation projects and technology integration (ERP, robotics, artificial intelligence, connected objects). Driven by complex challenges, dedicated to results, always going the extra mile to deliver upon objectives. Strong personality and authentic leader to drive organizations to upper levels of excellence, bringing measurable business value through promoting change and improving transformational processes.
> Senior IT Project manager with 8+ years of broad experience in applications development and technology deployment in chemical companies. Deep knowledge of SAP environment combined with cloud computing and advanced analytics expertise. Full scope project management skills including project scope of work, business case and financial metrics, risk mitigation, goals setting and delivery plan. Excellent 3-lingual communicator, team player, problem solver.
> Civil engineer in aeronautics with 20 years experience in industrial marketing, business development and general management. Particularly skilled in strategic planning, change management and P&L at corporate level. Extravert personality, highly pragmatic, dedicated to delivery and results, both team player and autonomous, strong inquisitiveness of mind. Strong track record in managing and coaching teams and individuals. Specific knowledge of the aeronautic and aviation sector. Motivated by a new challenge as CMO or COO in a multinational environment. Ready to travel extensively.
> Just-graduated, enthusiastic software developer with well-rounded knowledge in object-oriented coding and testing. Specialized in HTML, CSS, C++, SEO, Java and Microsoft environment. Seeks position in a top technology company with preference for a startup where I could become a pillar of the software design process including requirements definition, prototyping, proof of concept and delivery. Extravert personality, ready to meet technical challenges and turn them in solutions for clients.
