Resume summary builder: write your CV profile.

What a resume summary is

A resume summary is the two to four sentences at the top of your CV that tell a reader who you are, what you do well, and what you are looking for. In the UK it is usually called a profile or personal statement; in the US and Canada, a professional summary.

A good summary sets up the evidence in the rest of your CV. It should make the reader want to keep going, not repeat every role. Our guide to writing a CV profile goes deeper.

A simple formula

Each draft from the builder uses these four parts in a different order. You can use the same formula by hand.

• Who you are: your job title or situation, and your experience.
• What you do best: two or three skills that matter for the role.
• Evidence: one result you can explain in an interview.
• What you want next: the kind of role you are applying for.

Resume summary examples

Fictional examples for three career stages. Replace every detail with your own.

Tips for a stronger summary

Use the drafts as a starting point, then make them sound like you.

• Cut words such as “hardworking” and “passionate” unless an example backs them up.
• Leave out “I” and “my” at the start of sentences, and avoid writing about yourself in the third person.
• Keep it to about 40 to 90 words. The builder shows a word count for each draft.
• Change the skills and the target role for each application.
• Use figures only when you know they are accurate.