Writing Summary of Qualifications
Highlight Personal Strengths in this Resume Section
Resumes consist of various sections; however, the qualifications summary section is often overlooked in its overall importance in the resume.
A targeted summary provides clear information to employers. Including important information in the qualifications summary section will maximize the resume's effectiveness. A well-written synopsis makes the resume more readable, giving the applicant an advantage with employers.
Summary of Qualifications Section
The summary of qualifications section emphasizes the job candidate's most relevant skills. This statement is typically located below the objective on a resume. The qualification summary may be used on either a chronological resume or a functional resume.
Importance of Qualifications Section
The summary of qualifications section provides bite-sized bits of information to the employer. Short and directed statements about the skills and character of a candidate draw the reader further into the resume for more detailed information. If the potential employer spends only a few minutes reading each resume, the resume with the most relevant information in a highly visible location is likely to get some additional consideration.
Information Included in Qualifications Summary
The summary of qualifications section is flexible, but certain information should generally be included. Incorporate education into this section, especially if it is specialized. Number of years of experience in a career field is important and should be mentioned. A positive character statement about the potential employee is a good addition. Most careers require use of computers at some level, so this is an important item to add to the summary of qualifications. Adjust this section to fit the requirements of a given position using important key words.
Optimal Length for Qualifications Summary
Depending on the format the resume uses, a summary of qualifications section may be laid out in bullet format or in a paragraph format. Typically, the summary of qualifications section contains five to seven sentences or bullet points. Keep this section brief and easy to skim with the focus on relevant key words.
Qualifications Summary Format
This section does not require a set format and is largely a matter of preference. Consider the amount of space available in the resume and the over all layout. If the resume has available space, the bullet format will set off the information provided. However, if space is limited, a paragraph format will present the same information in less space.
The summary of qualifications section highlights valuable skills. When writing a resume, the addition of this section provides targeted information to employers. The resume with a strong summary of qualifications section will receive more consideration than a resume without one. Writing a summary of qualifications section requires a small amount of extra time, but the results will be worthwhile.
