Does the Summary Sum it All Up?

This is your sign to forget the formulaic, templated resume building blocks and craft the content that feels authentic and true to you.

Chances are, we’ve all done something along the lines of selecting a resume template from Word or Canva and simply replacing the placeholder text with our personal information. The real question is, does that format do a good job of serving up our experience and work history? Do the templated sections get across the messaging we are trying to send our potential employers?

As a person who is constantly reading, reviewing, and writing resumes, I often find myself cutting down on the summary or “About Me” sections. Surprisingly, I also tend to remove “Skills” sections.

The truth is, the bullets adding depth to your past work experience should contain the bulk of the data that employers are looking for.

Resume screeners don’t need to browse through a lengthy paragraph describing a candidate. They want to see solid facts in the form of easy-to-read bullet points that reveal that you are qualified for the job.

This is where you’ll want to include any important projects you completed, skills you learned, and/or impressive key metrics from positions you’ve held in the past. This is part of the resume that does the heavy lifting, and is ultimately how recruiters will measure you against other candidates.

Same thing goes for a “Skills” section. If you don’t already have any training, certifications, or notable language skills that could benefit your prospective employer, there is no need to include this component in your resume.