Tips from the NCRW Certification Commission
Editor’s Note: Our Certification Commission team is transitioning this column to a “tips” column. We will review essential sections from the NCRW Study Guide for the next several months. Members can access this guide for free at this link.
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The Professional Summary section is a crucial part of the resume. A well-written summary captures the reader’s attention and positions the client as a strong candidate while distinguishing the client from others in the job market.
Section II of the NCRW Study Guide focuses on structuring and writing a good summary.
What are the key parts of a summary?
- A headline that identifies your client’s current job or target job.
- An optional sub-headline or skills line that showcases how the client excels or key areas of expertise.
- A branding statement or tagline that tells the employer the value a client offers their company.
- A paragraph summary with relevant job-specific skills, specialized experience, relevant training and degrees, willingness to travel/relocate, and industry-specific software.
What makes a good resume summary?
A good summary turns into an excellent summary when the writer includes relevant facts and metrics to showcase the client’s expertise.
What will you learn from Section II of the NCRW Study Guide?
- How long a summary should be.
- What types of metrics to use for positioning the client.
- How to effectively add keywords to the summary section.
- Common summary weaknesses and how to avoid them.
We encourage you to review Section II closely for specific writing strategies and clear examples of writing a good summary.
