What is A Resume Summary?
Found at the top of a resume (above the fold), a resume summary is a short two to three sentences-long section that tells the employer about yourself, your background and experience, as well as a value proposition for the job and organisation you’re applying for.
Similar to a cover letter, the resume summary section serves as your formal introduction and helps employers to identify your skills and strengths immediately. When written correctly, it increases your chances of getting an interview opportunity.
Just graduated and is eager to jump right into the workforce? Here are some Fresh Graduate resume summary tips for jobs in Malaysia.
Resume Summary Tips to Help Land Your Dream Jobs
1. Make Sure It’s Eye-Catching
Hiring managers scan through hundreds of resumes every day. First impressions matter because resumes are filtered in a matter of seconds. On average, resumes have only 15 – 30 seconds to shine.
That’s why the resume summary section is extremely valuable. To quickly obtain the hiring managers’ attention and land a good impression, your resume summary must showcase your professional summary and the most relevant skills for the applied role.
A highly attractive resume summary keeps the hiring managers’ attention on your profile. Many hiring managers and recruiters expect to see a simple and concise paragraph to introduce yourself.
Think of this section as your 30-second elevator pitch. You must quickly summarise your experience and highlight your relevant skills for the role you’re applying for.
2. Your Tone Matters
In a professional situation, such as when applying for a job, your self-introduction should be formal, relevant and engaging. If your resume summary has a tone that is too casual, their first impression of you will not be excellent.
Take a look at two resume summary examples with a formal tone:
“Fresh graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and three months of the regional internship experience. Looking forward to utilising vast academic knowledge and work experience to fill the Economist position at XYZ. A determined high achiever striving to reach XYZ’s objectives in the APAC region and beyond.”
“Creative and passionate ABC University Marketing graduate seeking a position as a Digital Marketing Executive in your company. I strive to leverage my ability to implement trendy and impactful digital marketing initiatives to achieve organisational goals and boost market share in the SEA region.”
They are simple, concise and full of useful information. Their tone is also relevant to their respective career fields.
3. Relevancy is Key
When you only have 2-3 sentences to spare for a resume summary, relevancy is the key to success. Do not include generic personal details in your resume summary, especially those that can be found in your resume contact information (name, address, etc.).
Instead, your resume summary should include relevant content such as work experiences, skills and strengths that are appropriate for the applied role. If possible, showcase your expertise and accomplishments in your previous experiences and how they can bring value to your next role.
Hence, it is important to research the job description and match your profile with what employers are looking for. The more you research, the better you’ll be able to craft your resume objective and boost your chances for an interview opportunity.
4. Stand Out From The Crowd
What makes you different from thousands of other applicants? It is always your value proposition. As the labour market gets more competitive, your resume summary MUST highlight the benefits that you will bring to the organisation.
Is it through increasing their sales? Devising new strategies to capture a larger market share? Do you know how they could achieve their goals in a shorter amount of time?
Regardless, research on the job posting, company profile and goals. In one sentence, describe how your skills and experience can contribute to the company’s success. Doing so will set you apart from other applicants and help boost you as a potential candidate.
5. Proofread As Though Your Life Depends On It
Lastly, it is always necessary to have someone else like your friends and family review your resume summary. This is to ensure that your summary is truly clear and concise. A resume summary written in poor grammar will jeopardise your reputation.
We understand that it is hard to catch and fix our own grammatical mistakes or poor writing style as we may be biased towards our own creation. However, proofreading your resume summary is important and will always be the right move.
Closing Remarks
Now that you have all the tips you need to write a powerful resume objective, it is time to showcase your well-constructed resume and ace the job application.
Interested in filming a visume because everyone else is doing so? Don’t know how to succeed in the upcoming job interviews? Our Job Majestic Channel has all the resources you need.
Once you have prepared everything you need for a job-hunting session, head on over to our Job Majestic Multilingual Job Site and start searching for your dream jobs in Malaysia!
