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The summary statement on a resume is usually used in place of an objective, although both can be used.  The objective is used to convey to an employer what you want to accomplish in the job.  The summary statement is exactly what it sounds like, a summary of who you are and what you can do.  We’ll start with a few guidelines and then work on writing your statement.

First of all, a summary statement shouldn’t be longer than three sentences.  These should not be long and meandering sentences.  They should be direct and convey pertinent information in a straightforward manner.  Also, summary statements should be written with a specific position in mind. 

If you are looking for a job that requires a specific skill set , you should highlight that skill set in the summary.  Job descriptions contain specifics about the position, so your resume when applying for that position should also contain relevant specifics.

Okay, now on to the sentences:

•    The First Sentence:  This highlights who you are and what you have done or what you’re capable of.  For example, “Experienced copywriter with 5 years experience in fast paced and edgy publications.”

•    The Second Sentence:  This is where your skills come into play.  Check the job description of the position you’re applying for and look at the qualifications.  Pick the one on the top (its on the top because its usually the most important to the employer), and write a sentence about how you fit that skill, or how your experience has prepared you for it.  Continuing the above example, if an ad said, “Tight deadlines,” then the second sentence would say, “Exemplary time management skills and thrives under high-pressure environments”. To get a better idea of how to better develop key words on your resume from  a job description check out this resource .

•    The Third Sentence:  If you highlighted experience in the second sentence, then the third sentence should talk about specific skills, and vice versa.

More resources:
•    Tips on developing a summary statement

•    A bullet point approach to writing a summary statement