What to write for your 'About Me' in a resume (with examples)

Staring at that blank "About Me" section on your résumé feels a bit like having stage fright, doesn't it? You know you have great experience and skills, but summarizing your entire professional life into three or four powerful sentences can feel impossible.

Think of it this way: if your resume is the movie of your career, the 'About Me' section is the blockbuster trailer. It’s a short, exciting preview designed to grab the recruiter’s attention and make them need to see the rest. It’s your single best chance to make a compelling first impression.

Why Your 'About Me' Section is Your Secret Weapon

Recruiters are busy. They often spend just a few seconds on an initial scan of a résumé to decide if it’s worth a closer look. Your 'About Me'—often called a Professional Summary or Profile—sits right at the top, making it prime real estate.

A great summary does three things instantly:

1. Introduces who you are as a professional.
2. Highlights your most relevant value.
3. Aligns your goals with the company's needs.

Get it right, and you've hooked them. Get it wrong, and you might lose them before they even get to your impressive work history.

The 3 Essential Ingredients of a Winning 'About Me'

So, how do you craft this compelling trailer? Forget vague statements like "Hard-working team player." Let's get specific. Your summary should be a potent blend of three key ingredients.

1. Your Professional Identity: Who Are You?

Start by clearly stating your professional title and years of experience.

• Instead of: "I am a professional looking for new opportunities."
• Try: "A detail-oriented Marketing Manager with over 8 years of experience..."

2. Your Core Value: What Do You Bring to the Table?

This is where you showcase your biggest strengths or a standout achievement. Use action verbs and, whenever possible, numbers to quantify your impact.

• Instead of: "Responsible for increasing sales."
• Try: "...specializing in digital campaign strategy that has driven up to a 200% ROI on ad spend."

3. Your Ambition: What Are You Looking For?

Conclude by stating your objective, but frame it around the value you want to bring to their company. This shows you've done your research.

• Instead of: "Seeking a role where I can grow my skills."
• Try: "Eager to apply my expertise in lead generation to help the Acme Corp team expand its market share."

'About Me' Examples That Get Noticed

Putting it all together can be tricky, so let’s look at how these ingredients work for different career stages.

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For the Recent Graduate

As a graduate, you're selling potential and passion. Focus on your education, relevant skills, and enthusiasm.

Driven and ambitious Communications graduate from the University of Awesome, specializing in social media and content creation. Proven ability to grow online engagement through internships, where I helped increase Instagram followers by 40% in six months. Eager to apply my creative skills and fresh perspective to support the marketing goals of a forward-thinking brand.

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For the Seasoned Pro

Here, you lead with results and expertise. Show a track record of success.

Accomplished Senior Project Manager with 12+ years of experience leading cross-functional teams to deliver complex software projects on time and under budget. A certified Scrum Master with a history of reducing project costs by an average of 15% through strategic planning and risk mitigation. Seeking to leverage my leadership skills to drive high-impact initiatives at a top-tier tech firm.

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For the Career Changer

Your goal is to build a bridge between your past experience and your future goals. Highlight transferable skills.

Dedicated and analytical retail manager with a decade of experience in team leadership, inventory management, and achieving a 95% customer satisfaction score. Recently certified in Human Resources and now seeking to transition my skills in employee training, conflict resolution, and operational efficiency into a People & Culture Coordinator role.

Quick Tips for a Flawless Finish

• Keep it Short & Sweet: Aim for 3-5 lines or around 50-100 words.
• Tailor, Tailor, Tailor: Tweak your summary for every single job application. Mirror the language used in the job description.
• Use Keywords: Weave in skills and titles mentioned in the job post to get past automated screening software (ATS).
• Proofread Mercilessly: A typo in your opening statement is a major red flag. Read it out loud to catch awkward phrasing.
• Use Resumost: Resumost.com can help you refine 'about me' wordings or generate a professional summary based on your experiences to perfect fit the targeted job and pass ATS.

Your 'About Me' section is your story's opening line. Make it count!

Now that you have the perfect hook, ensure the rest of your story delivers. Using a clean, professional layout can make all the difference. If you're looking for polished wording and templates to build upon, check out the Career Hub at resumost.com to get started.