CV Summary Examples & How to Write One for the UK

A good CV summary can seem a little unattainable at first. You may wonder how to pack all your top achievements and skills into just a few short sentences, and not to overwhelm the reader at the outset.

But it’s doable, and it’s worth your while. In this article, you’ll learn what is a CV summary and why should you make one. You will also find all the tips and tricks on writing the best CV summary examples that attract recruiters at first glance. Let’s get right to it. 

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CV with a summary example

What is a CV summary?

A CV summary, also called a professional summary or a personal statement, is a brief section placed at the beginning of a CV that summarises a candidate’s qualifications, experiences, and skills. It also shares your career goals and motivations towards taking up a particular position.

Here’s a CV summary example to explain it even more clearly:

CV summary example

The above summary for a CV ticks all the boxes; it emphasizes the candidate's key skills, relevant experience, and notable achievements, effectively showcasing their value proposition to potential employers.

A strong CV summary will convince the recruiter you’re the perfect candidate. Save time and choose a ready-made personal statement written by career experts and adjust it to your needs in the LiveCareer CV builder.

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What is the purpose of a professional CV summary?

No matter the position you are applying for, you should aim for a CV that stands out from other competing candidates. The main goal of a professional CV summary is to catch a recruiter’s attention and give them a quick answer on why they should hire you. 

Given that it’s focused both on what you have to offer and what the company needs, every good CV summary has to do the following three things:

• Introduce you as an employee—your traits and attributes.
• Show what you have to offer—by showing what you’ve done for previous employers.
• Describe your goals—which, as luck would have it, feed into the company’s goals.

Here’s a CV summary example that does the above:

CV summary example for the UK market

How to write a CV summary?

Creating a compelling CV summary requires some good planning, especially if you're crafting your first CV. Before you sit down to write, make sure you check off all these steps:

1. Read the job advertisement

Before drafting your CV, it's important to thoroughly study the job ad. A good CV professional summary focuses on your former experiences and career goals, but it also demonstrates your alignment with the company’s values and missions. This means that you need to research the company and its culture so that you can tell where it’s heading and what it’s striving for. And even more importantly, your summary on a CV should refer to the job ad, addressing specific expectations and requirements.

2. Mention the span of your experience

A CV summary must start with a brief introduction of yourself as a candidate, including your expertise, years of experience, and a key trait. It’s important that you recall your current position if you’re professionally active, or your field of study if you’re studying. You can also mention the area that you specialise in, so it’s easier for a recruiter to quickly identify whether you’re a match.

3. Highlight your key achievements

Recall 1 to 2 standout achievements that are related to the job you’re interested in. Make sure you use short, dynamic sentences presenting quantifiable information that advocates for your professionalism and efficiency. You can also use keywords from the job description if they sound natural.

CV summary example highlighting achievements

4. Indicate your strongest skills

Mention the key skills and traits that make you a great fit for the given position. You can blend your skills with your accomplishments and experiences, or be specific about particular skills that you want to bring out in your CV summary. If there are any areas of your work that you feel particularly confident about, indicate them.

CV summary example focusing on skills

5. Explain your goals and motivations

At the end of your CV summary, say how you want to contribute to that particular company and what value you can add as an individual. Explain how you want to utilise your skills and expertise, and how the company could benefit from your former experiences and current attitude. Be sure to mention the company name as well as the job title.

How to write a CV summary statement if you have no experience?

Not having any work experience doesn’t mean not having any achievements to showcase in your CV summary. What additional details should you include in your CV, and specifically, in a CV summary? Volunteer work opportunities, internships, and placement work—these all very much count as valid sources of achievements. If you don’t have any of these under your belt, though, don’t worry.

In the absence of work experience, you can substitute a belief statement for your achievement which allows you to describe how you would be a good fit in the company. So you still need to research the company, its stated values, and mission, and have a feel for its corporate culture.

Plus, you can lean on academic achievements and any relevant project work you’ve done. Check out our guide on how to write a student CV which shows how to approach a personal statement before you’ve got any real work experience to speak of.It also provides an example of what a CV should look like, which can be helpful if you're writing one for the first time.

CV summary example for students

You don’t have to be a CV writing expert. In the LiveCareer CV builder you’ll find ready-made content for every industry and position, which you can then add with a single click.

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Tips for writing a strong CV summary

Since a CV summary is the introduction to your CV, make sure it’s impactful and encourages a recruiter to spend another few minutes on reading your application. Here are some tips that will help you create a really good CV with a strong CV summary:

1. Be concrete

Be as specific and concrete as you can. Quantify the benefits you brought to your employer and put as many numbers as you can. It can be money you saved the company or anything that boils down to the same.

2. Use action verbs

Include a strong, dynamic verb in each of your achievements. Something like ‘negotiated’, ‘led’, ‘achieved’, ‘produced’, ‘reduced’, ‘saved’, ‘developed’, and so on. Use an accomplishment statement to help structure and fill in each achievement. By all means estimate the benefits but be realistic. 

2. Be concise

Keep your CV summary concise and targeted to ensure it fits within the recommended CV length. It should give a concise overview of your candidature instead of a long description of your skills and experiences. Choose the most essential information that you want to focus attention on, and aim for 3–4 sentences so that your CV doesn’t exceed one page. Don’t go over 50–150 words in total.

3. Avoid generic statements

Generic, worn-out statements won’t make you stand out against other candidates. Try to reflect your individuality, your unique traits, and key strengths that make you a professional everyone would love to work with. Emphasise your unique value and show what differentiates you from others.

4. Write it last

Your personal CV summary comes first in your CV layout, but don’t feel pressured to write it at the outset. Having worked through and prepared your work experience section with job descriptions will make writing the CV summary much easier. 

A cover letter alone simply won’t be enough—you need an impactful CV, too. Create your CV in minutes. Just follow our wizard and fill in every CV section with ready-made content. Get started by choosing a professional CV template.

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I hope this article puts you on the road to an effective CV summary. The first one is the most difficult, but it gets much easier from there. If you have any questions, comments, or feedback regarding writing a summary for a CV, leave them in the comments section below.

How we review the content at LiveCareer

Our editorial team has reviewed this article for compliance with Livecareer’s editorial guidelines. It’s to ensure that our expert advice and recommendations are consistent across all our career guides and align with current CV and cover letter writing standards and trends. We’re trusted by over 10 million job seekers, supporting them on their way to finding their dream job. Each article is preceded by research and scrutiny to ensure our content responds to current market trends and demand.