At this point. you have the body of the resume complete and the only thing you are lacking is the first paragraph. Writing the first paragraph is a little like writing the executive summary of a business plan – although it comes first, you should write it last. The reason for this is that it is a summary of what the reader will find in detail throughout the rest of the document. If the hiring manager only had time to read that paragraph, what would you want them to know? This can be the most difficult part of the resume because it is very important and you should only include 3-5 sentences.

The paragraph, like the rest of the resume, should be written in first person without the use of any pronouns. It should include information about your ability to handle the requirements of the job. You can even include an accomplishment if you are able to write it in a way that it flows well. As you consider what skills to include in the first paragraph, use the job ad to guide you. This is a part of the resume that needs to be tweaked with each job application. Below are a couple of examples of summary paragraphs to give you an idea of how to write them.

Goal driven Business Administration Graduate with dual degrees in Real Estate Finance and Communications. Proven ability to perform comparative market analysis, project analysis, and net operating income as evidenced by outstanding academic performance. Outstanding work ethic and motivation services as a catalyst for successful team contributions and leadership success.

Industrious, detail-oriented graduate with strong academic record in rigorous courses including Corporate Finance, Real Estate Finance, and Commercial Banking. Gained real world experience by leading and contributing to numerous course projects and performing case analysis on relevant cases in corporate finance. Served in numerous leadership roles including Treasurer of XYZ fraternity and Captain of the Track Team.

These are just a couple of examples of how you can put this paragraph together, but they don’t even begin to cover the possibilities. If you completed an internship then information about that and what you learned would be appropriate to include as well. Even a position outside of your major can add value that is worthy of mention in this paragraph.