Web Development: Resume Introduction: How to Start a Resume Off Right (For 2020)

Resume Introduction: How to Start a Resume Off Right (For 2020)

When it comes to writing a resume, getting your resume introduction right can mean the difference between getting hired and getting passed over for the next candidate.

Starter Resume Example — This Modern CV Resume Template works well as either a starter resume or professional resume for an experienced worker.

As such, your resume introduction is one of the most important parts of your resume. It needs to grab attention, especially when you take into consideration that nowadays 40% of recruiters spend less than 60 seconds on a resume (source: The Motley Fool).

In today’s post, we’ll cover different types of resume introduction, how to choose and start the right resume introduction, and how to write your resume introduction. We'll also show you some beginning of resume examples, including starter resumes, from Envato Elements and GraphicRiver.

What Is a Resume Introduction?

Simply put, a resume introduction is the first part of your resume. It gives a quick overview of what makes you the perfect candidate for the job you’re applying for. It also serves as an elevator pitch that sets the tone for your entire job application.

Before we explore resume introductions, let's look at another helpful tool—resume templates.

Best Resume Templates With Amazing Resume Introductions

Using a premade resume template will save you plenty of time when it comes to resume design as well as ensure you've got all the relevant sections included.

Luckily, there’s plenty of resume templates on marketplaces like Envato Elements. It allows you to download as many resume templates as you want and customize them to your needs.

On top of that, you can find plenty of other design assets such as fonts and stock photos as well as business card templates to complement your resume design.

Take a look at some of the best resume introduction template examples we've got on Envato Elements:

1. Minimalist CV Resume R40

If you love minimalist design, this template is a great choice. It features a black and white color scheme and puts emphasis on experience and education. The template is easy to customize. Change colors, fonts, and more. The template comes in both Photoshop and Illustrator format. It includes a matching cover letter.

2. Resume CV Pro

Easily customize the template to your liking. It starts off with a personal profile section and then transitions into experience and education sections. The template's designed in Adobe Illustrator. It comes with editable custom vector icons and shapes.

3. Pro Resume CV

If you can’t decide what section to put into your resume introduction, consider this template. It combines the profile and resume objective sections paired with an attractive design. The template also includes a matching cover letter. Edit the template with InDesign or Word.

4. Business and Modern CV Resume Template

This resume and CV template has a modern and corporate design. The template starts off with a skills section, which is useful if you want to start off with a Qualifications Summary introduction. Edit the template Photoshop or Illustrator. Customize colors and fonts to your liking.

5. Lawyer CV Template

If you’re looking for a template that's got a sophisticated and elegant design, this template is a great choice. The template has well organized layers and starts off with an education section. Customize the template in Illustrator. Tweak colors, fonts, and add your own photo.

Envato Elements is a great choice to download various design assets and templates regularly without worrying about your costs adding up. Since Envato Elements is a subscription-based marketplace download as many assets as you need for a low monthly price.

That said, a monthly subscription isn't for everyone. In some cases, you just need a template quickly. That's where our other marketplace, GraphicRiver, comes in. GraphicRiver offers thousands of resume templates and other design assets but allows you to buy items individually. If you need a single resume template quickly, stop by GraphicRiver.

To see even more great resume templates, check out our related roundups below:

Now let's explore resume introductions so that you can choose the one that's best for you.

4 Different Types of Resume Introduction

There are four different resume introduction types to choose from:

personal profile
qualifications summary
career objective
resume summary

Let’s go over each one. Then we’ll discuss how to choose the best resume introduction for you.

1. Personal Profile Resume Introduction

The Personal Profile Resume introduction is a combination of the career objective and qualifications summary. It’s a flexible introduction that can be formatted as a bullet-point list or a paragraph.

2. Qualifications Summary Resume Introduction

As the name implies, the Qualifications Summary introduction puts an emphasis on the candidate’s skills. It’s usually formatted as a bullet-point list that demonstrates the skills relevant to the position you’re applying for. This type of resume introduction can focus on both work and academic achievements or skills.

3. Career Objective Resume Introduction

The Career Objective introduction is targeted to a specific position. It allows you to address your objectives within the company you’re applying for. It’s usually formatted as a short statement or a two to three sentence paragraph.

4. Resume Summary Introduction

The Resume Summary introduction highlights your accomplishments and introduces each sentence with a separate subheading. Within this section, you can also use bullet points. It’s also a great idea to use numbers or percentages to show quantifiable data.

Choose a Resume Introduction

Each resume introduction is different and serves a different purpose. Knowing when to use each one is a must for a resume that's written in a professional manner that also gets you noticed. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when choosing a resume introduction:

Personal Profile introductions are best-suited when you’re applying for a position in the same industry or if you plan on uploading your resume to online job application sites. This type of resume is also suited for experienced professionals. Tailor it to your strengths.
Qualifications Summary introductions are great if you’re applying for a position in a different industry as you can highlight relevant skills.
Choose the Career Objective introduction if you've got little to no work experience. Since you’re highlighting your objectives in the company, this is a good introduction for resumes for college graduates. This introduction emphasizes various aspects of your personality and work ethic. They should be tailored to the job you’re applying for.
Choose the Resume Summary introduction if you've got many work-related experiences. It can be used if you’re applying for a job in the same industry as well as if you’re trying to break into a new industry.

Write Your Resume Introduction

So far, we broke down the four different resume introductions and touched upon what they should include as well as when to use each one. With that out of the way, let’s go over some more specific tips for writing your resume introduction.

1. How to Start and Write Your Personal Profile Resume Introduction

As mentioned earlier, the Personal Profile introduction is the best choice to tailor the introduction to your strengths and if you’re applying for a position in the same industry.

This type of introduction should include the following information:

years of experience in your industry
your professional specialty or job duty that you excel at
any career achievements you’ve had so far
skills you’ve acquired throughout the years that'll transfer to a new position or a new work environment and role

Format this section as bullet points or a short paragraph, depending on how many skills or achievements you want to highlight. Remember to also use short sentences to make this section easier to read.

As far as design goes, consider highlighting this section with a different background color to make it stand out more.

2. How to Write a Qualifications Summary Resume Introduction

Since the Qualifications Summary focuses on your skills this section should consist of five to six bullet points that highlight those skills.

Tailor your skills to the job you’re applying for. Consider including a mix of skills that emphasize your:

creativity and efficiency
recognition and achievements
management and authority
communication and teamwork

Keep in mind that there's no order for listing these skills. So, it’s completely up to you how you structure this section. But, it’s a good idea to list the most relevant or most impressive skills first, since the introduction section is the first thing the recruiters see.

Veronica CV Resume Template — Veronica CV & Resume Template Example

Design-wise, keep the section readable and since bullet points stand out on its own, it’s not necessary to add a different background color or other embellishments.

3. How to Write a Career Objective Resume Introduction

The Career Objective introduction should include three main parts:

years of experience either in the workforce or any internships you’ve had and the job duties you performed
applicable qualities and skills tailored to the job you’re applying for that'll help you meet the company’s goals
any relevant degrees, achievements, licenses, and certificates

Format this section as a short paragraph that consists of three to four sentences outlining the above. Focus on highlighting your strengths. Highlighting non-existing work experience will hurt you more during your job hunt than highlighting personality traits, work ethics, and qualifications.

Since this section will be somewhat text-heavy, use a font that’s easy to read.

4. How to Write a Resume Summary Introduction

The Resume Summary introduction should include the following:

subheading that introduces each major accomplishment
sentence or two describing major accomplishments
five to six bullet points paired with statistics that highlight your achievements and provide measurable data

To make this section stand out more, use a combination of two fonts. Choose one for the subheading that introduces the accomplishment and one for the rest of the text. You can also use icons next to the subheading.

Remember that this section will be easy to scan if you use a combination of short sentences and bullet points. Extra design embellishments aren't necessary.

Learn More About Making Great Resumes

Designing and writing a resume that gets you hired isn't an easy task. After all, there’s a lot more that goes into making a great resume than simply writing a good introduction for a resume.

To learn more about making great resumes, check out the following tutorials:

Start Your Resume Off Right With an Awesome Introduction

Now that you know how to start and write your powerful resume introduction, it’s time to craft your resume.

Starting your resume off right is crucial so your resume stands out from the rest and gets noticed by the recruiters. With the tips in this article, you’ll be well on your way to crafting a stellar resume introduction, whether that’s an objective statement, a qualifications summary, a personal profile or a resume summary.

To save time while designing your resume and make sure your resume looks polished and professional, pick up a resume template from Envato Elements or GraphicRiver today.

Web Development

Tuesday, February 18, 2020