Why We Don’t Recommend Professional Summaries on CVs (and What to Do Instead)

When writing your CV, every word counts. You have limited space to showcase your achievements and potential, so you want to be sure that each line adds genuine value.

For most people, the professional summary doesn’t.

While it may feel like a useful place to “set the scene,” in reality, professional summaries often take up space without giving recruiters anything they couldn’t already learn elsewhere in your CV. Below, we break down why we advise against including them—and what you should do instead.

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4 Reasons to Leave Off the Professional Summary

1) Your CV is already short—there’s no need to summarise it again

A CV is typically two pages long (sometimes three at the executive level). If your document is well-structured, recruiters will be able to scan it in seconds and see the essentials:

• Key skills

• Job titles and employers

• Career progression

• Major achievements

• Education and qualifications

Adding a summary at the top doesn’t provide new information—it just repeats what’s coming next.

2) Summaries tend to be generic and packed with clichés

Most professional summaries include buzzwords like:

• “Proven track record of success”

• “Strong communicator”

• “Results-driven leader”

These phrases don’t stand out because almost every applicant uses them. Worse still, without evidence, they lack credibility. Instead of telling recruiters that you’re a strong leader or innovative thinker, show them through your achievements.

3) Your work experience does the heavy lifting

Recruiters are far more interested in what you’ve actually achieved. Your work experience section naturally highlights your skills in context—making them believable and compelling.

Compare these two statements:

• Professional Summary: “Strategic sales leader with strong negotiation skills.”

• Work Experience: “Negotiated multi-million-pound contracts with NHS Trusts, driving 23% year-on-year revenue growth.”

The second is concrete, measurable, and far more persuasive.

4) Overly polished language can work against you

Sometimes, the harder you try to “sell yourself” with flowery wording, the less authentic you sound. Recruiters don’t need adjectives to be convinced—you’ll impress them much more with facts and results.

What to Do Instead: Add a Career Highlights Section

Instead of a professional summary in paragraph form, we recommend starting your CV with a Career Highlights section.

This section should consist of 4–5 bullet points that immediately draw attention to your biggest, most relevant achievements. Done well, it gives recruiters a clear reason to keep reading.

Tips for Your Career Highlights

• Make them achievement-based: Focus on measurable outcomes, not responsibilities.

• Be specific: Name employers, projects, and tangible results.

• Align with the role: Highlight achievements that relate directly to the job you’re targeting.

Examples:

• Increased regional sales by 30% within 12 months by restructuring client account management processes.

• Successfully led the integration of two business units post-merger, improving efficiency and reducing costs by £2M.

• Built a high-performing team of 25 across three countries, achieving top-quartile performance in annual employee engagement scores.

For Different Types of Candidates

Experienced Executives
Use career highlights to provide a snapshot of your leadership trajectory. What are the achievements that define your career so far?

Career Switchers or Non-Linear Paths
If you’ve moved across industries or roles, highlights can tie your diverse experience together. Focus on transferable skills and results that are most relevant to your next step.

Academics and Researchers
For longer CVs, a highlights section can act as an executive summary of your research and publications. While an academic summary can work in paragraph form, it should still avoid generic statements and focus on measurable contributions.

In Summary

For most professionals, a CV summary doesn’t add value. It takes up space without offering anything new, and too often it reads like filler.

Instead, use that space for a concise, results-driven Career Highlights section. By leading with evidence of your achievements, you’ll instantly capture recruiters’ attention and set yourself apart from the competition.

To find out more, visit our website www.cvpilots.co.uk If you have any further questions, you can either book a consultation call with one of our team, or get in touch via email on team@cvpilots.co.uk