Twenty years ago or so, a Profile or Qualifications Summary section was somewhat unusual on a resume. Career experts trace the use of summaries and profiles, which include information about candidates’ qualities beyond their credentials, to the publication of the late Yana Parker’s The Damn Good Resume Guide in 1983. Today they are seen as an important resume element, consisting of 4-5 bullet points that encapsulate your top selling points.

So, a typical Profile or Summary section might consist of these items:

• Bullet point summarizing your professional identity in a nutshell. Tells the story of who you are.
• Bullet point addressing interpersonal communication skills and optionally including any applicable language skills. Tells the story of how well you communicate.
• One or more bullet points addressing key job-specific skills, ideally supported by stories, quotes from employers, or quantification.
• A bullet point addressing computer/technical skills.
• Optional bullet points addressing relocation, willingness to travel, work eligibility, or other contingencies, if applicable.

---

Tell Me About Yourself: Storytelling that Propels Careers, Quintessential Careers Press, ISBN-10: 1-934689-00-9. Find out the ways you can own the entire book.