Resume Summary Examples for Students (Plus How to Write One)

Updated 18 December 2022

A resume summary is a brief paragraph that provides an overview of the rest of the resume, highlighting key achievements and relevant experience. Though students often have limited professional experience, there are several ways they can create an impressive resume summary. If you're a student and writing your resume, knowing what to include in your summary section can be beneficial to finding suitable employment. In this article, we provide seven resume summary examples for students, note what information to include and offer a step-by-step guide on how to write a summary, alongside some key tips.

7 resume summary examples for students

Below, you can find seven resume summary examples for students applying for different roles in various industries. From detailing specific skills you may possess to describing how your academic abilities are transferable to a workplace setting, there are many ways to write your resume summary as a student. Here are some you might consider referencing when writing your own:

1. Retail assistant

Experienced cashier seeking a part-time position in retail while completing secondary school. I possess excellent interpersonal skills to provide unrivalled customer service and my quick accounting skills enable me to operate tills efficiently. Fast-learning and adaptable, I'm excited to develop my skills in the workplace.

2. Lifeguard

A swim team student with excellent focus who is seeking part-time employment as a lifeguard. With five years of competitive swimming experience, I am both CPR and lifeguard certified. In addition to understanding the importance of swimming safety, I am able to identify potential problems and resolve them prior to them occurring.

3. Gardener

As a student in my last year of study, I'm looking to develop my passion for plants in a professional setting, working in a gardening centre. Through self-study, I've developed my knowledge of different plant types and the best ways to take care of them. As an excellent communicator, I'm excited about the prospect of sharing my knowledge of plants with customers. I'm happy to work in a physically demanding position to learn more about plant varieties and gardening techniques.

4. Babysitter

As a responsible secondary school student who one day hopes to work with children, I'm currently seeking work as a babysitter over this summer holiday period. For the past two years, I have babysat children between the ages of 2 and 10. Through interactive and educational games, I am able to enhance children's language and emotional development, while keeping them mentally stimulated and having fun.

5. Waiter

Motivated high school student with experience serving others, who is an excellent communicator and a fast learner. As a former part-time waiter in a busy cafe, my experience has provided me with customer service, organisation and communication skills. I am familiar with the best practices for serving and I am eager to learn more about the food and hospitality industry.

6. Journalist

A student creative writer seeking a summer internship with a newspaper or magazine. As a top student in Advanced Photography, Debate and Literature, I am looking for a fast-paced and exciting professional environment where I can develop my skills further. I have experience planning and editing my student newspaper, where I take on a leadership role.

7. Teacher

I am a driven university student looking for part-time opportunities alongside my studies that allow me to teach and inspire the community. I have my Working With Children check and am excited to share the skills I learnt through a recent developmental workshop experience with others. With excellent communication and organisational skills, I'm confident in my ability to facilitate a safe and structured learning environment.

What is a resume summary?

A resume summary is a section located near the top of your resume that provides an introductory overview of your biggest achievements, including academic, social or professional. The resume summary is typically between one to four sentences long and is a great opportunity to show prospective employers why you are a great candidate for a role. You want to include the role you're looking for and the skills you can bring to the position.

You can either create a general resume summary for multiple job applications or you can tailor what you include in your summary to suit the requirements of a specific job description. Customising your resume summary to amplify how you fit as their ideal candidate may increase your chances of finding employment.

How to write a resume summary as a student

Below are steps on how to write a clear and professional summary for your student resume:

1. Read the job description carefully

If you're applying for a job, make sure you read the job description to ensure you meet the requirements and can demonstrate your abilities in your resume. If you're unfamiliar with any jargon or software the position requires you to know, you can briefly research it to gain a better understanding. Reading the job description can also help you decide what skills or achievements to highlight in your resume summary.

It's also important to learn more about the type of candidate the employer is looking for, by reading the requirements section. Once you have this information, tailor your resume summary to meet those expectations. Mentioning your specific skills in relation to the job description can help hiring managers quickly recognise that you're a capable candidate with the relevant qualifications.

2. Briefly introduce yourself

In the first sentence of your resume summary, give the employer a brief introduction of who you are and what you're currently doing. If you're looking for a position to work alongside your studies, it's beneficial for an employer to know this so they have a better understanding of your availability.

If you're searching for a seasonal role to work during school holidays, an employer may provide you with a temporary contract. This opening sentence provides some contextual background to your current situation, enabling hiring managers to gauge your suitability for the role.

3. Include your achievements, experiences and skills

Aim to keep this section about two to three sentences. Try to list some skills you possess that relate to the position in which you're applying. These skills can be technical or soft, with a direct or indirect relevance to the duties of the job. For example, some general soft skills to mention may include your ability to communicate with others, keeping information organised or being a helpful team player. If you have technical skills, mention how you developed them. For example, stating you're a self-taught cook may show your passion.

As a student, you may have little experience working in a professional setting. If this is the case for you, it may be beneficial to mention your enthusiasm to learn new skills. Employers can then see your willingness to learn and grow as a professional.

4. State your professional goals

An optional step you may consider is to mention your ultimate career goal in the last sentence. This may be useful to include if you're applying for a position related to the industry in which you want a career. Including this may show prospective employers that you're passionate and motivated about the job.

Employers can also see that you are looking to grow with their company by including this. They can use this information to determine if you plan to stay with the company for a long time, which may make your resume seem more attractive to a hiring manager looking to boost employee retention.

Tips for writing a student resume summary

Listed below are some tips on how to write your student resume summary:

Use strong adjectives to describe yourself

Using call-to-action words and adverbs can help you express the impact of your skills and abilities. Some great examples that show your independence and productivity include pioneering, succeeding and developing. To describe yourself, words like patient, friendly and proactive can help employers gauge your personality. You can also use the advertised job description to capture keywords that describe the ideal candidate and include these in your summary. Using correct grammar and powerful adjectives is also important for demonstrating your written communication skills, which is crucial for making a great first impression.

Keep your tone positive and professional

As the summary may be the first piece of information an employer reads about you on your resume, you want to ensure that you present yourself positively. Try to focus on only the impressive aspects of your work ethic and abilities. Employers understand that as a student, you may be new to the workforce and they don't expect you to have a lot of professional experience. Rather than focus on this, use your summary to offer the employer other reasons that make you a great candidate to consider.