I review hundreds of retail management resumes every year and unfortunately most summaries or profiles that I see don't provide a lot of value to the reader. Far too often the summary section at the top reads something like this: PERSONAL PROFILE Dynamic, results-oriented retail professional with outstanding people and leadership skills. Communicate effectively at all levels while building and leading teams to superior sales results in challenging, fast-paced environments. Performance driven with excellent organizational and time management skills. Dedicated team player and accomplished change agent. Highly motivated. Core Competencies: Business Analysis - Business Development - Process Optimization - Marketing P&L Management - Budgeting - Strategic Planning - Risk Management - Cost Control Team Building - Succession Planning - Coaching & Development - Driving Results The problem with a summary like that is it's all opinion, or at least it will be perceived as your opinion of yourself. Everything in there will make the reader think, "Oh yeah, prove it" - and that's not what a resume should do. An effective resume will focus on the facts and leave the hyperbole out. In the example above, the job-seeker has wasted perhaps half of the first page - the most valuable real estate on the resume - on a self-assessment that will hold little value for the reader. Instead, I suggest something like this: TOP-PERFORMING STORE MANAGER
A profile that truly summarizes your background and provides a snapshot of your qualifications may actually get read by a busy recruiter. But remember, they will likely be more interested in your work history than a summary of your work history, so don't go overboard. Also don't assume that you HAVE to have a summary on your resume. If your work history is short or you have a lot of other valuable information that you'd rather include, you can leave it out (and perhaps use your cover letter to summarize your background). All the best! ---- Mike Howard, Professional Resume Writer If you enjoyed this post, check out my website or follow me on LinkedIn for more. ![]() Comments are closed.
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