How to Craft a Performance Summary for Your Resume

You found the job you want. It is perfect.

You know the job description by heart. You are qualified.?

And your resume is ready-to-go. . .

Right?

But you start to doubt one part of your resume: The performance summary.?

Right there at the top.?

It is the first thing the recruiter will see. Is it good “enough”? What is “enough”?

What if you are missing something? What if it is passed by?

Thankfully this guide is here to press stop to all those doubts. Whether you’re revising a resume, creating one from scratch, or anxiously hovering over the apply button, in this blog we’ll cover one of the most important pieces of the resume– the targeted performance summary.?

But first, just to make sure we’re all on board, what is a performance summary??

A performance summary is essentially a quick introduction to who you are as a professional—your skills, your experience, and what you can bring to the company. It’s your chance to quickly showcase what you can do, so recruiters don’t have to dig through your entire resume to get a sense of what you’re about.?

Now, these should be kept brief. No need for long paragraphs– remember, the recruiter has just 8-12 seconds to look at your resume.?

When writing one, they’re typically 65 to 90 words long. Yes, that short, but it packs a punch when it is relevant. Think of it as your personal elevator pitch, but on paper.

But as with everything on your resume, to make it really effective, we want to make sure that it is targeted to the job description.??

Let us assume, for example, that you are a public relations professional looking to move into a new role. Take a moment and think about the kind of work you’re doing, or the work you want to be doing. What’s your specialty? Do you focus on media relations, crisis communication, content creation, or perhaps event planning??

Notice, we’re focusing on your niche hard skills. These are helpful from a keywords perspective, too (see our other blog on formatting your skills to the job description for applicant tracking systems).

But we also can communicate possible results from our expertise. In this fictional PR scenario, maybe you’ve worked with journalists and media outlets to promote clients, or you’ve written press releases that landed major media placements. Whatever your expertise is, make sure it’s clear in your summary. You’re not just listing your job duties—you’re showing the value you bring to the table.?

Yes, the performance summary does function like an elevator pitch, but also think about it like a future-value preposition to the employer. It communicates, “Here are my skills, my expertise, and here is why this matters for you later”.?

As you can probably tell, if the performance summary is not relevant to the job you’re applying for and does not factor in what the employer is looking for– it could be less helpful for the recruiter and waste resume space. So, before anything, read through the job description and carefully consider what the employer is looking for. How does your past experience match with what they’re interested in?

Once you have a good understanding of this, we can get right into crafting a performance summary that is tailored right to the job description.?

Crafting Your Performance Summary

For these examples, we will use a public relations role for consistency’s sake, but it is the same idea for any role.?

We’ll start with the first line by stating your role and area of expertise. This could look like:?

“Experienced public relations professional specializing in media relations and brand strategy.” This tells the recruiter exactly what you do, and gives them an immediate sense of your field.

Next, let’s get specific about your skills and achievements. This is where you can mention a few highlights from your career. Maybe you’ve led PR campaigns that increased brand awareness or improved client reputations. Perhaps you’ve worked with a team to develop content strategies that increased social media engagement. Use clear, impactful language that directly ties your skills to the company’s needs. This is important: recruiters want to know how you’ll contribute to their organization. So, frame your achievements in a way that speaks to their pain points or objectives.

Let’s take a look at a draft of what this might sound like:

“Experienced public relations professional with expertise in media relations, brand strategy, and content creation. Successfully led PR campaigns that resulted in a 30% increase in brand visibility and positive media coverage for high-profile clients. Proficient in writing press releases, managing social media platforms, and coordinating events. Adept at building strong media relationships and securing placements in top-tier outlets. Eager to bring expertise to [Company] and help elevate brand presence through strategic communications.”

Notice how this summary is direct and to the point. It showcases a few key skills (media relations, brand strategy, etc.) and highlights tangible results (increasing visibility, securing placements). It also mentions the tools you’re proficient in—things that are important for a PR professional. This shows you’re not just familiar with the work, but you can apply these skills in real-world situations. And, of course, we tie it back to the company, showing you’re eager to contribute.

Metrics are a great addition, too– but just like with job accomplishment, it is perfectly fine if you do not have exact numbers. Maybe you haven’t led major campaigns or secured big media placements just yet (or something else related to your field), but think about your contributions.?

Did you improve a client’s reputation through effective messaging? Did you help increase engagement on social media with your content? Or maybe you’ve coordinated events that brought brand awareness to a wider audience. Whatever it is, make sure to include it—it all counts.

The golden rule here, as with anything in your resume, is that it is tailored to the job you’re applying for, while showcasing your skills, expertise, and value.?

The more specific and relevant your summary is, the stronger it will be. If you’ve worked with specific tools or platforms (like Cision, Hootsuite, or Meltwater), mention them. If you’ve helped clients build strong media relationships and achieve positive press coverage, say that.

Once we’ve got the main points down, we can go back and fine-tune. The first draft doesn’t have to be perfect, but it should be a clear reflection of your skills and how they fit the role. Don’t be afraid to tweak it as you go. As you gain more experience and work on different projects, you’ll continue to update and refine this summary.

Putting it all Together:

To recap: your performance summary should highlight your core skills, relevant experience, and any major accomplishments. It’s about demonstrating your value and giving the recruiter a reason to keep reading. Tailor it to the specific job and make sure it’s concise but powerful. And remember, you don’t need to have years of experience to write an effective summary. It’s about framing what you’ve done in a way that shows how you can make an impact moving forward.

When we put each of these together we can end up with something very comprehensive, just like this:?

Experienced public relations professional with strong background in media relations, brand strategy, and content creation. Adept at crafting compelling press materials and securing media placements enhancing brand visibility. Successfully led PR campaigns increasing client engagement 30% and strengthened industry positioning. Proficient utilizing digital tools including Cision, Hootsuite, and Meltwater to streamline media outreach and analytics. Skilled in event coordination, crisis communication, and social media management driving audience engagement. Eager to bring strategic communication expertise to [Company] and contribute to impactful brand storytelling.