It’s the backbone of your job search, but it can be frustrating to figure out what goes into a good CV.
One of the unclear areas that hopeful applicants grapple with is whether to include a summary or objective statement in their CV. When every bit of space on your CV is precious, how do you know when a summary or objective is necessary?
Join us, and we’ll dispel the confusion with over 30 summary statement examples. You’ll be well on your way to creating a CV summary that adds real value to your application.
Estate Agent CV
What is a Summary on a CV?
The summary of your CV should provide a quick “snapshot” of your top qualifications, which you’ll later highlight and quantify with your skills and experience. Your summary offers an overview of which qualifications make you the perfect fit for the job: So, focus on the highlights of your career.
You want your summary to emphasise your track record of achievements and excellence, using that information to demonstrate how you’ll benefit the company and enhance the role for which you’re applying. Your summary should be attention-grabbing and immediately show why you’re the ideal candidate!
Is a CV summary the same as a career objective?
You may wonder whether a CV summary and a career objective serve the same purpose—and whether they’re interchangeable. There’s plenty of overlap between CV objectives and summaries, thus muddling the waters.
These key differences will help you simplify and clarify a confusing topic:
Summaries are ideal if:
- You have extensive, high-quality experience
- You’re staying within your field or branching out to something similar
- You have some impressive statistics to share
Objectives are better if:
- You’re a recent graduate
- You’re changing careers or entering the field
Wait! Is the summary the same as a summary of qualifications?
The lesser-known summary of qualifications is not quite the same as a CV summary! While your summary should describe your qualifications and relevant history in a couple of concise sentences, a summary of qualifications is more technical and usually presented in a bulleted list. The summary of qualifications allows you to incorporate some ATS-friendly keywords and then impress a recruiter with metrics, achievements, and skills.
It’s usually recommended to keep your list of qualifications to three to six bullet points, limiting each to one or two lines. But this format takes up space on your CV quickly! Instead, consider using AI for your CV headline to build a quick snapshot of your professional history.
Know When to Use a CV Summary
A CV summary is often best suited to applicants with over 10 years of experience, although standalone achievements can be equally powerful.
If you’ve reached an exceptional level of expertise or amassed an impressive list of achievements in a shorter period, consider including a summary!
Our simple free CV templates make it easy for you to add or remove information and adjust sections for personalisation without affecting the overall layout of your CV. If you work with a CV template through a word-processing programme, like the creative Google Docs CV templates we designed, making edits can throw everything off balance, often causing you to start from scratch to correct the issue.
Indicators that a summary would fit nicely on your CV:
- You’ve worked long enough (10+ years) that you should condense the highlights of your career
- You have an impressive list of accomplishments and measurable achievements
- You’ve worked with well-known companies or prestigious projects
- You’ve progressed rapidly in your field in an unusually short time
If the list above feels daunting, return to the original question of whether a summary enhances your CV.
Indicators to exclude the summary and let your skills and experience speak for themselves:
- You’re a recent graduate who hasn’t had time to gain much experience
- Your previous work experience has been somewhat ordinary
- Your background and qualifications appear somewhat generic or dull once written
- You haven’t had many opportunities that led to measurable achievements
If you can relate, your CV will be strongest if you omit the summary entirely. Instead, start with your skills and emphasise reliability, ambition, and potential in your experience section.
How to Write a CV Summary
If you’re preparing yourself for the process of refining your summary, don’t worry! It’ll be straightforward if you follow our proven formula and keep our useful tips in mind as you write.
Follow our CV summary formula
The process is as easy as: X + Y + Z = Eye-catching summary!
X = Your characteristics and personality traits
Y = Years of experience and measurable achievements/results
Z = How these results apply to the specific job role
Consider this CV summary for a programmer:
You can identify each element when you break this summary down:
X = Inquisitive, driven, and eager
Y = Over 8 years of experience, a client base of more than 100 people, and a saving of over 725 manual hours
Z = Specific programming skills such as Python and jQuery that will enhance performance in the role
Our best CV summary tips
Now, we’ll explore some tips to help you craft the perfect summary to kickstart your CV:
- Summary length: Keep your summary to two or three sentences.
- Keywords: Consider job-specific keywords that the ATS scans for as well as keywords that will attract recruiters.
- Quantify your claims: When you list accomplishments and achievements, back them up with solid facts! Data such as improvement percentages, customer satisfaction metrics, and client base numbers will enhance your credibility.
- Tailor summaries to specific roles: You should avoid making your summary feel generic, so look for specific requirements in the job description that you can address with relevant details from your own experience.
- Grammar and mechanics: Proofread carefully for spelling and punctuation errors, and pay close attention to grammar. It’s also best to avoid informal contractions and starting sentences with “I.” Your summary should immediately highlight your professional value—so keep sentence structure concise and use “my” when presenting your skills.
Don’t worry if this seems a bit overwhelming at first glance! Save your summary for last, even though it appears first. Once your other sections are fine-tuned, it’ll be easier to identify key details to fill in the template and complete your perfect summary. (And who says you have to perfect your summary the first time you write it?! Go through as many drafts as you need when you outline your CV.)
The good, the bad, and the ugly CV summary
So, what do these concepts look like in practice? Have a look at this example of an excerpt from a digital marketing manager’s job description:
As a digital marketing specialist, you will plan, oversee, manage, and implement our brand’s digital marketing campaigns. You will:
- Plan each digital marketing campaign and allocate tasks within a team environment
- Supervise and assess the quality of digital marketing materials
- Analyse campaigns and identify how to improve performance
What type of summary works for this job description? We’ll take it from poor to excellent.
Ugly
I graduated with a marketing degree last year and worked on numerous group projects. I know how to structure a marketing campaign and analyse data.
Why it’s unattractive: There’s no personality here whatsoever. The claims are not only weak and vague, but there’s nothing measurable to support them—let alone any indication of management skills. Even though the summary touches on some details from the job description, they’re too generic.
Poor
My degree in marketing makes me an excellent fit for this role. I can utilise my communication and analytical skills to assist your team in creating outstanding advertising campaigns. I’m also familiar with Google Analytics and LinkedIn and have collaborated with several teams.
Why it’s bad: While this summary addresses skills and teamwork experience more effectively, the tone still lacks the enthusiasm that most managerial roles require. The first sentence takes up space while offering too little information, and the next two are repetitive and lack energy.
Good
Ambition, creativity, and a BA in marketing enabled me to gain over 6 years of experience with a digital marketing team and increase website traffic by 67%. My proficiency in Microsoft Excel, SEO, and KPI tracking allows me to plan, create, and analyse advertising campaigns. My well-honed strategies and communication skills will elevate Nestlé UK’s marketing team to new heights.
Why it’s best: This summary completes the formula! You can see personality, experience, and measurable claims coupled with the applicant’s skills that match the exact job description. Dynamic, powerful verbs such as “enhance,” “create,” and “empowered” also suggest this applicant is qualified for a senior role.
30 CV Summary Examples to Inspire You + Why They Work
You’ve got the basics sorted; now you’re ready to take inspiration from these 30 professional CV summary examples across different professions. As you look through them, keep our key formula in mind. Before you know it, you’ll have a starting point for your own brilliant summary.
We start many of these with a brief list of key points in the job description, so you can see how each summary is carefully tailored to the role.
1. Accountant CV summary
Accountant job description key points:
- Skilled in creating and managing financial documents
- Maintaining ledger entries and monthly budgets
- Thorough error checking and problem-solving
- Auditing and document collection
- Mentoring and training skills
Accountant CV summary:
Why this CV works
- The candidate’s ambitious yet straightforward personality is evident in a way that reinforces their desire to take an active leadership role in the accounting sector.
- The solid metrics of a chartered accountant certification and an improvement percentage also quantify the applicant’s selling points.
- And finally, the emphasis is on more advanced skills rather than basic entry-level ones.
Need more help? Our accountant CV guide and accountant cover letter examples have you covered from top to bottom.
2. Barrister CV summary
Solicitor job description key points:
- Skilled in communication and managing client consultations
- Familiarity with litigation and a strong ability to adapt to changing legislation
- Strategic, analytical thinking, and strong ethical problem-solving abilities
- Preparing, customising, and checking legal documents
- Advising clients of potential obstacles and helping them understand their options
Barrister CV summary:
Why this CV works
- The candidate immediately demonstrates an ambitious personality alongside a measurable achievement.
- Next, the more in-depth set of abilities highlights a well-rounded approach to legal success—concluding strongly with specific examples of how they will benefit the law firm.
If you need more guidance on your solicitor CV or solicitor cover letter, we can show you the way regardless of your experience level.
3. Business analyst CV summary
Business analyst job description key points:
- Analytical and quick, adaptive thinking styles
- Basic IT skills in Microsoft Excel, SQL, Google Sheets, and Agile Development
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Meticulous attention to detail with the ability to deliver precise reports/data and advice
Business analyst CV summary:
Why this CV works
- The formula is all here—personality with a focus on skills that apply directly to the job role—and the applicant dives straight into measurable achievements.
- While technical skills are mentioned, broader qualifications and personal traits that align with the company are emphasised.
Elevate your career documents with comprehensive guidance on your business analyst CV and business analyst cover letter.
4. Customer service CV summary
Customer service job description key points:
- Excellent communication, critical thinking, and conflict resolution skills
- Flexibility, adaptability, and dependability
- Task organisation and prioritisation
- Friendly and a knack for welcoming customers/clients
- Basic technical/computer skills while monitoring metrics and applying them to better meet company objectives
Customer service CV summary:
Why this CV works
- This summary would be ideal for a candidate looking to advance to a more managerial customer service role as it provides measurable results alongside a strong demonstration of a proactive personality.
- The applicant also included their experience along with relevant skills, finally linking everything to the specific company’s goals.
If you’re building a CV for the first time, glancing through our customer service CV guide will steer you in the right direction before you transition to your customer service cover letter.
5. Data analyst CV summary
Data analyst job description key points:
- Analytical and strategic skills
- Strong ability to identify trends and issues promptly
- Organisation, planning, and communication
- Collaborative and team-oriented skills
- Technical database management and basic understanding of key languages such as Python and Oracle
Data analyst CV summary:
Why this CV works
- A data analyst’s role is highly technical, so it’s ideal to dive straight into metrics and list several hard skills in your summary.
- While you can still identify personality traits and evidence of soft skills within a team environment, this summary is more focused on measurable, results-oriented improvements that the candidate can deliver.
You’re in good hands (this is not an advert for Allstate, by the way) with our data analyst CV guide if you need some solid examples. Chances are you’ll need a data analyst cover letter to go with your CV; we’ve got that sorted, too.
6. Data engineer CV summary
Data engineer job description key points:
- Technical skills such as database and development programming languages
- Strong ability to develop, optimise, and maintain database software
- Attention to detail, problem-solving, and communication skills
- Advanced understanding of data pipelines and infrastructures
- Ability to adapt and support the data infrastructure needs of stakeholders and executive teams
Data engineer CV summary:
Why this CV works
- As a data engineer, this applicant emphasises leadership qualities, demonstrating a desire for progression with metrics to support previous achievements.
- You can also see technical skills presented strategically to demonstrate the applicant’s abilities in relation to the job description.
Begin your data engineer CV with the right CV template that resonates with you and your ideal role. Apart from a CV summary, do you know what else needs to be well-written? Yes, your data engineer cover letter.
7. Data scientist CV summary
Data scientist job description key points:
- Instinctive understanding of the Scientific Method and algorithms
- Advanced ability to organise unstructured data and information
- Clear communication alongside translating large volumes of data into easily understandable business insights
- Enhance data quality and streamline/implement pricing models
- Integrate stakeholder input and collaborate on continuous, adaptable business model improvements
Data scientist CV summary:
Why this CV works
- This candidate demonstrates a motivated personality with a highly analytical mindset and scientific background.
- You also gain a realistic understanding of how they’ll utilise their skills to deliver measurable results—and benefit the company.
Looking for more resources? We can assist you with your entire data scientist CV and help you understand the nuances of writing a data scientist cover letter.
8. Graphic designer CV summary
Graphic designer job description key points:
- Attention to detail and a solid understanding of design theory for both print and digital applications (colours, typography, shapes, composition, etc.)
- Technical expertise with digital illustration/editing programmes
- Understanding of marketing strategy, advertising techniques, and social media
- Excellent communication with clients and team members
Graphic designer CV summary:
Why this CV works
- The candidate’s vibrant personality stands out here, which is quite influential in a creative field when supported by measurable examples of success.
- Teamwork skills and experience with digital marketing also take centre stage, demonstrating a balance between creativity and organised planning.
Choose a well-designed CV template for your graphic designer CV, and find a matching template to boost your confidence when it comes to your graphic designer cover letter, too.
9. Human resources (HR) CV summary
Human resources (HR) job description key points:
- A knack for facilitating communication between colleagues and departments
- Ability to update company policies, benefits, employee records, and payroll
- Proactivity in helping employees understand company policies
- Performance appraisals, conflict resolution, de-escalation, and disciplinary action
- Assist with organising meetings and promoting employee communication and trust
Human resources (HR) CV summary:
Why this CV works
- Soft skills are important in HR, especially when addressing sensitive topics, so this candidate’s focus on the personal side of company policies is sensible.
- Even so, they still provide a strong measure of past success and detail how their characteristics would suit the job role.
Don’t miss our complete HR cover letter guide, and we share what works and what doesn’t on the rest of your human resources (HR) CV.
10. Nursing CV summary
Nursing job description key points:
- Rapid, efficient communication and task execution
- Collect patient data such as medical history, current conditions/medications, and updates
- Critical thinking and decision-making abilities regarding when to treat patients versus when to consult doctors/supervisors for guidance
- Organisational skills and ability to interpret patients’ information, adhere to treatment plans, adjust treatment plans as needed, and administer medicines
- Discuss care options with patients and families tactfully and kindly.
Nursing CV summary:
Why this CV works
- This candidate’s caring, clear-headed personality shines through, and they provide a factual measure of their experience.
- Additionally, you can easily find specific examples of essential skills that will help them perform efficiently in any fast-paced nursing role.
The roles are endless when it comes to the medical field, so make sure you’re on the right track with your nursing CV as well as when it comes to writing your nurse cover letter.
11. Operations manager CV summary
Operations manager job description key points:
- Outstanding leadership and administrative abilities
- Analytical thinking and organisational skills
- Ability to manage communication and efficiency between departments
- Skilled in recruiting, training, and optimising schedules for staff
- Oversee/analyse production methods, performance, quality assurance, and related data, relying on Salesforce and Tableau
Operations manager CV summary:
Why this CV works
- The applicant’s focused and driven personality is evident in the way they immediately highlight their extensive experience and various aspects of their managerial expertise!
- You also see a success metric straight away alongside technical skills aligned with the job description.
Your operations manager CV is sure to stand out when you consider our top CV tips; then, you’ll be ready to write your operations manager cover letter.
12. Product manager CV summary
Product manager job description key points:
- Strong ability to analyse product quality from manufacturing to end-of-life
- Strong understanding of company objectives and the ability to align products with those objectives
- Excellent communication and collaboration among cross-functional teams
- Skilfully interpreting data from Google Analytics and various other sources, leveraging it for improved production/distribution strategies
- Ability to analyse KPIs and identify areas for improvement
Product manager CV summary:
Why this CV works
- As with any management-focused job description, the emphasis on strategising and collaborative analysis here is ideal—and the technical skills complement the interpersonal abilities well.
- The measurable improvement in feedback also strengthens this summary!
Our product manager CV guide will ensure your CV is in top form from CV summary to CV format. If your CV’s already a success, don’t forget about your product manager cover letter.
13. Programme manager CV summary
Programme manager job description key points:
- Planning, initiating, and executing strategies to achieve company objectives and complete project portfolios
- Excellent management, leadership, and communication skills
- Proactively motivate a team to carry out programme activities
- Budgeting, organisational, and strategy-building skills
- Ability to analyse metrics of programme success, such as KPIs and satisfaction rates, to identify areas for improvement
Programme manager CV summary:
Why this CV works
- Talk about attention to detail! We can see several metrics here combined with an energetic and goal-driven personality.
- Additionally, these metrics and traits skilfully suggest the precise set of abilities this job role requires.
Sail through the rest of your programme manager CV, and don’t forget to check it against our AI-powered CV tool before you draft the perfect programme manager cover letter.
14. Project manager CV summary
Project manager job description key points:
- Excellent team management skills and a strong ability to facilitate collaboration and team unity
- Creativity and adaptability in project planning, budgeting, and implementation
- Ability to bridge the gap between project teams and company executives or clients to provide updates and outcomes
- Organisation, time management, and attention to codes and policy adherence
- Skilful preparation and management of briefing materials, progress tracking, and reports/reviews that can be utilised for future improvements
Project manager CV summary:
Why this CV works
- This job role is all about results, so highlighting personality traits and metrics that demonstrate the candidate’s ability to achieve these results is ideal.
- Emphasising what the applicant can offer this particular company is also a great move!
Project managers, we recognise your efforts! Browse our project manager CV examples for guidance and inspiration, and breeze through your project manager cover letter as well.
15. Recruiter CV summary
Recruiter job description key points:
- Excellent interpersonal skills, including strategic communication. Ability to build positive relationships with both applicants and recruitment agents while managing client and candidate expectations.
- Ability to gather information and quickly evaluate candidates
- Efficiency under pressure when working with high-priority or time-sensitive recruits
- Strong ability to assess talent/potential during interviews
- Develop/update job descriptions, requirements, proposed pay, and benefits packages
Recruiter CV summary:
Why this CV works
- This summary succinctly highlights the combination of personality traits and interpersonal skills that this candidate offers.
- The candidate still provides a measurable example of their success and relevance, too.
You know all about the job search, but we understand that you need help with your recruiter CV, too. When it comes to writing a CV or your recruiter cover letter, we’ll share all we know.
16. Sales CV summary
Sales job description key points:
- Effective communication, persuasion, negotiation, and interpersonal skills
- Ability to answer or handle questions or find information quickly
- Time management and organisation skills
- Preparing sales contracts, reports, and presentations
- Following up to ensure customer satisfaction, obtain payments, or promote new plans, services, or products
- Understanding and advancing company programmes and specific sales objectives
Sales CV summary:
Why this CV works
- You can observe plenty of beneficial personality traits here!
- Moreover, the candidate’s experience is evident in the skills they emphasise—and they specifically address the value they’ll bring to the company.
Sell your career documents and secure your dream role with our resources for your sales CV and sales cover letter.
17. Scrum master CV summary
Scrum Master job description key points:
- Excellent ability to lead, communicate, and collaborate with a team to achieve objectives while upholding Scrum values
- Thorough understanding of Agile frameworks and ability to coach colleagues in Agile
- Adaptability in rectifying errors and problem-solving with strong recovery skills to maintain focus on sprint goals
- Utilise metrics and stakeholder/team feedback to ensure optimal product quality
- Organisation, coordination, and task prioritisation
Scrum Master CV summary:
Why this CV works
- We clearly see experience, educational, and technical qualifications here.
- Personality shines through while demonstrating a clear understanding of the job role and, naturally, everything ties in with the target company at the end.
Scrum Masters, we know you appreciate a logical and organised approach, so start by exploring our CV examples and diving into what works on the best Scrum Master CVs. We can also teach you how to tackle your Scrum Master cover letter with ease.
18. Social media manager CV summary
Social media job description key points:
- Familiarity with social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, and the ability to maintain responsiveness across all channels
- Quick adaptability to changing social media/market trends and current affairs
- Skilled at monitoring KPIs, SEO performance, and other metrics and evaluating effectiveness and potential improvements
- Ability to collaboratively plan and implement campaigns by creating, posting, and managing original content using Hootsuite
Social media manager CV summary:
Why this CV works
- It’s all there—experience, an ambitious, confident personality, credibility-enhancing metrics, and highly relevant skills.
- The applicant also offers compelling insight into their approach to the company’s success.
As a social media expert, you have an eye for detail, which is why you’ll appreciate our free and creative Word CV templates as you finish building your social media manager CV and writing your social media manager cover letter.
19. Software engineer CV summary
Software engineer job description key points:
- Engineering-focused educational background in maths or computer science
- Technical experience with tools such as C++, Java, Unix, databases, and cloud storage, etc.
- Strong ability to navigate, explain, and lead the entire software development life cycle
- Strong grasp of the best software engineering practices with an emphasis on scalability, quick problem-solving, and information management
- Application infrastructure and design skills that align well with speed/optimisation
Software engineer CV summary:
Why this CV works
- There’s loads of personality here along with strong metrics that demonstrate the applicant’s skills.
- And while there’s a clear mention of technical skills, the strategic thinking of an engineer takes centre stage, showcasing the ability to expertly handle advanced roles.
If your software engineer CV needs a facelift, consider one of our free CV templates. Remember that your software engineer cover letter can make a great first impression.
20. Teacher CV summary
Teacher job description key points:
- Supervisory and communication skills with the ability to process student feedback and customise lesson plans
- Ability to maintain control of the classroom and engage pupils with lessons
- Planning and preparing lessons, assignments, and educational materials
- Updating marks frequently, providing thoughtful feedback, and adapting work for students who are struggling
- Provide insight, advice, and encouragement regarding students’ future career options
Teacher CV summary:
Why this CV works
- The conversational yet professional tone is ideal for a teacher outlining a diverse and adaptable skillset and supporting it with a measurable metric.
- The applicant’s best qualities practically demonstrate themselves!
Along with your teacher CV, your teacher cover letter should also be a priority.
21. Waiter/Waitress CV summary
22. Nanny CV summary
23. Data Entry CV summary
24. Marketing CV summary
25. Teaching Assistant CV summary
26. Carer CV summary
27. Social Worker CV summary
28. Dental Nurse CV summary
29. Front-End Developer CV summary
30. Web Developer CV summary
CV Summary Recap & Your Next Steps
You’ve reached the end, but don’t feel too overwhelmed or get bogged down while trying to highlight the best parts of your experience and skills to include in your summary! Refer back to the summary examples above as often as you need, and don’t hesitate to draw inspiration from our CV examples.
When you start writing your summary, keep our formula in mind:
X + Y + Z = Success!
X = Your characteristics/personality
Y = Experience and measurable achievements/results
Z = How your accomplishments relate to the specific role
Carefully read every job description while you search, and tailor your CV summary to each listing. The extra effort and finishing touches will be evident!
Remember it’s easiest to write your summary once you’ve drafted the rest of your CV, so you can get cracking in our CV builder for an interactive, intuitive solution. And if you like the CV below, you can start customising it straight away. So, here’s to your success. We’re cheering you on!
When crafting your document, be sure to include specific information from the job advert but only if you actually have that experience. Since the ATS will automatically search for appropriate keywords and phrases, you can easily find what employers are looking for in other CVs and the advert for the job you’re applying for. Also, look at other adverts for similar positions to find industry-specific keyword information to include.
Senior Financial Analyst CV
