How to Craft a Strong Summary of Qualifications to Boost Your Resume

Looking for a way to quickly stand out from the crowd? Recruiters spend just seven seconds deciding whether your resume is worth their time. As a well-educated and respected candidate, including a summary of qualifications at the top of your application, is a simple way to grab and hold their attention.

This section takes the place of a resume summary or objective. However, the format is slightly different because it only has bullet points. Each bullet tells the reader something new about your candidacy. You can strengthen these statements by being specific, adding action verbs, and quantifying them.

In the following guide, we’ll teach you how to get started with a summary of qualifications. Plus, we have several industry examples to use for inspiration.

What is a summary of qualifications?

First up, let’s start with a definition. Don’t let the name fool you—this isn’t merely about the certificates you hold. A summary of qualifications also showcases your key achievements, skills, and experience.

It works as an introduction, which draws attention to your most relevant qualifications for the job. Most often, it uses a bullet point format to make it skimmable.

This summary is placed just below your name and contact information at the top of your resume. It highlights essential details, making it easier for hiring managers to see why you’re a strong candidate.

Let’s take a look at when it’s best to craft a summary of qualifications.

Benefits of including a summary of qualifications

Thinking of writing a summary of qualifications on your resume? Before we talk about how you can do it, let’s look at some of the core advantages of this section.

Showcase your value

A summary of qualifications emphasizes your most relevant certificates and training upfront. This move makes it easier for hiring managers to see your value. Think of this as a highlight reel of your top moments. Pick out things that’ll make the recruiter say, “Wow, they’re perfect for the job!”

Save the recruiters time

Time is short for recruiters. They need to make quick decisions in a matter of seconds. A summary of qualifications presents the essential information at a glance. This helps to streamline the recruitment process and means that the reader can quickly and easily decide your suitability.

Boost your first impression

You never get a second chance to make the right first impression. This section creates a strong opening that grabs attention and sets a positive tone for your resume. If you believe your qualifications are strong enough, adding them to the top of the page will help you wow the reader.

How to write a strong summary of qualifications

Ready to write your summary of qualifications? There’s a right way and a wrong way to format this section. Remember, you aim to make things easy for the reader—skimmable and direct.

Step 1: Identify your key qualifications and skills

First up, you need to identify which qualifications and skills you want to include in this section. All too many candidates make the mistake of thinking that they should demonstrate all of their certificates, achievements, and skills. You don’t have the space—so be selective.

Consider which of your qualifications and skills are most impressive. What do you have that other candidates are likely to be lacking? What gives you the edge? Lead with these. Additionally, if you achieved high results in your education or training, specify that.  

Step 2: Use a bullet point format for clarity

Confronting the recruiter with a wall of text is never a smart move. These professionals want to skim your resume and find out everything they need quickly. For that reason, you should use a bullet-point format. You can separate your qualifications into a short phrase that offers context and clarity.

Step 3: Include quantifiable achievements

You might be making big claims, but can you back them up? Adding quantifiable statements to this section is a smart way to show off your value. Wherever possible, look for ways to sneak in some metrics. It may mean explaining how effective you were in a project or how many people you oversaw.

While these details appear to be minor, they give the recruiter the extra context they need when reviewing your resume.

Step 4: Include plenty of action verbs

Action verbs put you in the driving seat. When you’re writing about yourself, show that you directly impacted the work.

Lead with powerful action verbs, such as the examples below:

Leave out personal pronouns at the start of sentences (as these waste space) and start with these verbs. For example, you could write “Spearheaded an initiative that increased productivity by 27% in Q1.” It’s clear from this statement that you were the one who took charge of the new initiative.

You can use action verbs in either the past or present tense. However, remember to use the same style throughout the whole section. If you change tenses halfway through, it stands out for the wrong reasons.

Step 5: Tailor your summary to the vacancy

If you’re using the same summary of qualifications for every job, this is your sign to stop. You should always tailor your resume to meet the needs of the company. Since this section is the first thing that many recruiters will read, it pays to focus your attention on customizing it appropriately.

Start by looking at the original job advert. This should detail exactly what the recruiter is looking for in ideal candidates. As we’ve covered, you can align the bullet points you include with the demands of the role.

However, your customization shouldn’t stop there. You should also do your own research. You can Google the business, look at its LinkedIn page, and see what type of language is on the website. By emulating the tone and language that the company uses, you may put yourself in the best position for success.

For example, a job advert for a front end developer may specify the following:

• 10+ years of experience as a front end developer.
• Proficient in HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and JavaScript frameworks (e.g., React, Angular, Vue.js).
• Experience with front-end build tools and version control (e.g., Webpack, Git).
• Expertise in UI/UX design principles with a focus on user-centric design.

As a job applicant, you should include as many of these in your summary as you can. Wherever possible, add action verbs and metrics to make the bullet points more detailed.  

Let’s take a look at how that would work in the example below.

Common mistakes to avoid when writing this section

Now that you understand how to write your summary of qualifications, spare a thought for what not to do. There are many pitfalls you want to avoid when it comes to this section.

Using generic statements

Resume real estate is in high demand. Avoid wasting space by using highly generic statements that don’t add value to your application. Look at each bullet point you’ve included and ask yourself, could this apply to other candidates besides myself? If the answer is yes, you’ll need to get more specific.

Giving too much information

Have you detailed too much information? While you want to give the hiring manager a clear view of your value, be selective. Writing 10 bullet points won’t only take up half of your resume space, but it’s also a lot to read.

As a general rule, keep things short, simple, and—above all—skimmable.

Including boring language

The language you use matters. Remember, your resume is marketing material. You’re trying to sell yourself professionally. With that in mind, choose the right language for your application. Use an active voice and also utilize action verbs wherever possible.

Summary of qualifications examples

The way you approach writing a summary of qualifications may depend on the field you’re in. Different industries have different expectations after all. Let’s take a look at some prime examples.

Technology

Start strong by explaining what you’ve done for clients or companies. When writing a technology summary of qualifications, add metrics to show how your projects performed.

Healthcare

Include information on the systems you use and how many staff you oversee. If possible, provide extra details, such as how you scored on satisfaction ratings.

Finance

Finance is all about the bottom line. Put that up top on your resume. Detail the investments you manage and be clear about the impact your work has had on portfolios.

Education

Consider the main metrics that make you stand out. How have your efforts led to better results for your students? Be as specific as you can when writing this section.

Sales

Sales is all about metrics. You want to show the hiring manager what type of results they can expect should they hire you. Add context to each of the bullet points you include.

Conclusion

Including a summary of qualifications is one way to elevate your resume. If you choose to add this section, customize it to the business and vacancy. You should also keep the bullet points succinct while packing in a load of value.

Why not try it for yourself now?