Does your resume still have a summary section? If so, it may be time to ditch the summary and restructure your resume without it. Summaries generally don’t enhance a resume and are no longer considered necessary. If you’re conflicted about removing the summary section, here are two options:  

Do You Still Need a Summary on Your Resume?

A Skills Table

Instead of a formal resume, a skills table serves as a great way to display your abilities in a clear and concise format. This can especially come in handy for incorporating keywords or phrases relevant to the job description, as well as highlighting targeted skills at the start of your resume. Hard skills, rather than soft skills, are generally ideal to include in a skills table, as they are objective and standardized. For instance, hard skills in the dental field may include conducting dental assessments; taking x-rays; and educating patients about oral health techniques.  

Nothing

An effective and compelling resume generally does not need any sort of introductory statement or summary. As long as your resume has an easy-to-read format with your credentials clearly displayed, there’s no reason to worry about putting anything additional at the top. In fact, sometimes the best resumes are those that dive right into the experience sections and forgo any superfluous details.  

Removing your summary statement and following the tips above will significantly improve your resume and ultimately help you land more interviews.  

Is Your Resume Up to Date?

Does it seem like your resume isn’t getting much traction with dental employers? Learn how AGA Group can improve your job search with many new employment opportunities.